One day later—-
Omariro, now old again, was sipping coffee and watching the ceremony on the TV as Hayate took the stand.
"And now, I bring you the winner of this year's Division Raid Tournament! Kaidanchō Atsushi Sunahara!"
On the TV, Atsushi stepped forward, his arm in a sling and his face weathered.
"Thank you, Director," Atsushi replied, shaking his hand with his good arm. "I'm glad my efforts paid off to some extent."
Hayate removed the tarp from a pedestal, which held a glowing jade chest. The crowd and other Kaidanchō all watched as the box lit up the room.
"A Tier 3..." Hayate commented. "Now yours."
Atsushi took it, and as soon as he touched it, a UI popped over the box.
〈Open?〉
"Yes," Atsushi answered.
〈Opening...〉
The box flew open, and various pieces of black and jade armor flew out, crashing to the floor.
〈Congratulations! You have earned *3x* Tobi Kaeru no Yoroi, *1x* Haihebi no Yoroi, *1x* Ōzame no Yoroi, *1x* Hishō suru Washi no Yoroi, *1x* Fudō no Gama no Yoroi!〉
"Ah!" Hayate realized. "A massive haul!"
Naraku-Kaidan members quickly came to scoop up the loot as Atsushi gave Hayate a curt bow. "We will treasure this gift with the utmost respect, sir!"
He also turned to the camera. "And Nyugawa, I hope you see this, and know, I'm coming for your throne!"
Omariro continued to watch the TV, unfazed. After watching Atsushi step off the stage, he switched channels just as Rei walked in. "Mr. Omariro...?"
"Yes, girl."
"Umm...Zaria and Rika wanted to know if..."
Zaria burst into the room. "If you could train us, sir?"
Omariro got up, walked to his kitchen, and got more coffee. "Training done for day."
"I mean...to level us up! We're still so far behind everyone else! And we didn't even score the gear! Isn't there anything we can do?"
"Get rest," Omariro replied, walking up to his room. "Tomorrow new day."
He left just as Rika entered the mansion, holding bags of food in her hand. "Guys, I brought dinner!"
She noticed Zaria and Rei's faces. "He said no, didn't he?"
"Yep," Zaria confirmed. "Back to square one."
Zaria turned to Rei, shaking her. "Rei! How'd you get so strong? Those three skills you got, how'd you get 'em?"
"Practice, I think?"
"Practice? What practice? Tell me!"
"I don't know!" Rei shrugged, giggling.
"Oh, hell..."
"Maybe we're thinking about this the wrong way," Rika wondered. "There's got to be a more concrete way to boost our strength."
"What if we ask Mr. Nyugawa his secret?" Zaria proposed. "I bet he's got some tips!"
"Do you think he'll be willing to share?" Rika asked.
"Only one way to find out!"
While the girls rushed up the stairs, Han was busy in his room, typing stuff into his computer.
"Why do I continue to hear voices in my head...submit."
A feed came back to him.
[Common reasons include but are not limited to: mental stress, depression, dehydration, anxiety, lack of sleep, and underlying mental health issues. Please get in touch with a specialist today if these apply to you!]
"Stupid computer. I'm not going crazy. Am I?"
A video pop-up of Atsushi holding the Hibako Misutikku in the air as onlookers took pictures appeared on Han's screen, and he chucked the computer to the side.
"Stupid rocky bastard," Han muttered. "That box was supposed to be OURS."
For some odd reason, a flood of rage overcame Han, and he smacked himself in the head. "No, no. No point in getting mad over it. Still got Mr. Nyugawa. Maybe he can help us get our shit back."
He smacked himself again. "I mean, get stronger."
He opened his door, entering the hallway, where he noticed Zaria, Rika, and Rei, all knocking on Omariro's door.
"Sir?" Zaria called out.
"Can we talk to you?" Rika asked.
"We wanna know your secret, Mr. Omariro!" Rei blurted out.
"Let me guess," Han interrupted. "You all wanna get stronger too."
"Yep," Zaria said. "No time like the present!"
Omariro suddenly opened the door, causing everyone to jump back. "Going out."
"Sir...?" Rika stammered, noticing the bag on his back.
"Trip. Be back soon."
He pointed to Zaria. "Girl in charge."
"Me? I, uh...!"
With a clap of his hands, he disappeared. Rika got a brush of wind in her face. "Well, that was very...random."
"He's a busy man," Han informed them. "Not our business to judge. Just ask him when he gets back. We already failed him, anyway."
Han walked back into his room, slamming the door.
"Something seems wrong with Han!" Rei noticed.
"Yeah, he's more moody than Zaria," Rika agreed.
"Girl, you're the moody one!" Zaria argued. "I'm the cool one."
She coughed. "Anyway. Yeah. He definitely seems more aggravated than usual. As the temporary leader, I say we check on him."
She immediately gushed. "Wow, I'm so glad he put me in charge!"
Rika sighed. "Just...focus please."
"Right."
Zaria knocked on Han's door. "Han? Are you good?"
"Peachy. Now go away."
"Rude."
"Gageora, chinaehaneun beosiyeo. Better?"
Zaria turned to Rika. "What'd he just say?"
"Uh. You want me to put that in Japanese for you, or...?"
"Just tell me!"
"He said go away."
"Fine!" Zaria shouted. "We'll come check on you again when you're done being moody!"
Zaria turned back to the other girls. "What now?"
A knock could be heard at the door, and the girls all shared a look.
"Maybe that's Mr. Nyugawa!"
They all hurried down the steps, but the man waiting for them was a tall, buff, well-dressed middle-aged man.
"Good evening," he greeted. "This is the Shinkaidan Residence, right?"
"Yeah," Zaria confirmed. "The hell are you?"
"I am Soren Shikōki," he introduced. "I believe my son is currently in your possession."
Rika paused. "Wait, your son—-?"
Her phone suddenly whirled to life, and a familiar voice came from her pocket. "Dad!"
"Son?"
Rika pulled her phone out, and sure enough, Sōshin was on the screen. "Wait, this is your son?"
Soren took the phone. "Yes. Unfortunately, I've been trying to locate him for a while now. His signature pinged here."
He looked at the phone. "In this girl's cell phone."
Rika nervously rubbed the back of her head. "Oh, um..."
"I wasn't doing it," Zaria stated. "No AI kids in phones for me."
"Ah, well," Soren replied. "I think it's nigh time you come with me, son."
As he turned to leave, Rika stopped him. "Hey, um, excuse me, where are you taking him? Because he's kind of a part of our team...and that's my phone."
"Oh, I know! I'm taking him back to our homeland to restore his body. Then, you can have your phone back. We Shikōki are an exceptionally potent Jugen Clan. His mother will have him ripe and ready in no time."
"Wait..." Zaria realized. "By exceptionally potent, would you be capable of making weaker users stronger?"
"But of course. But it's not free, and it's not safe. If you fail even a single trial, you'll lose your body, your mind, or both."
He chuckled. "Just as your master!"
"Wait, you know Mr. Nyugawa?"
"He spent some years with our clan, back when he was still...closer to his prime. That 'Ōgonryū Loadout' you saw? A product of our teachings."
Soren laughed. "Though we couldn't teach him much. He was already so strong when he came. All he did was add to a sturdy base."
Rei raised her hand. "We'd like to be taught!"
"Sure do!" Zaria added.
Rika put their hands down. "Sir, what they mean to say is, we've disappointed our master really badly in that Tournament, and we'd like any method to become stronger so we don't repeat the same mistakes. If you'd like?"
Soren chuckled. "Ah. Weak children trying to impress their idol. Seen it countless times. If you think you can handle the journey to strength, then tomorrow, at dawn, come to Takeshiba Station."
He walked into a limo nearby with Sōshin and drove off.
"Wait!" Rika called out. "My phone—-!"
Zaria patted her on the back. "It's gone, Rika. It's gone."
Han walked down the steps, opening the bags of food Rika brought. "So. Who'd you invite over?"
He took out a box of fries and shoved them in his mouth.
"Look who's feeling better!" Zaria remarked.
Han grabbed one of the bags and headed upstairs. "Uh-huh."
"We think we've found a way to level ourselves up!" Rika told him.
Han continued walking. "Yep."
"No, seriously! Sōshin's dad just came over! And he's a part of the clan that trained Mr. Nyugawa!"
Han paused. "Hmm?"
"Yep! We're gonna learn from him so we can finally stop being dead weight! You should come too, Han!"
Han waved them off. "We already have a teacher."
Zaria walked over to him. "Yeah, but this is our chance to lock in and prove to him we can be better! Don't you wanna take it?"
"What's the point..."
"Han!"
"Fine. Whatever. Come get me when you head out."
He walked back upstairs, shutting himself in his room. Rika and Rei joined Zaria near the stairs.
"Something is for sure wrong with him," Zaria noted. "Like, bad."
"Maybe it's stress?" Rika suggested.
"Dunno. Getting out the house will probably be a solid bet for him."
"Do we tell Mr. Omariro?" Rei asked.
"Well, yeah, duh!" Zaria stated. "We need his permission before we leave. Does...anyone have his number?"
Rika raised her hand. "I do!"
"Why am I not surprised?"
"I convinced him to buy a phone! I'm so totally his favorite!"
"You what—-?"
"Anyway! One sec. Gotta pull out my burner phone."
Rika pulled a second phone from her pocket and began typing on it.
[Sir, probably gonna be gone for a little while training with the Shikōki Clan. Is that ok?]
"He might take a while to reply," Rika admitted.
A few minutes later, a ding popped up on her phone.
[Okay.]
"He said yes!" Rika announced.
"Really?" Zaria remarked. "I'm actually kinda surprised he knows how to answer a text—-I mean, tell him we say thanks!"
[Thank you, Sir! See you soon! <3.]
Rika attempted to send a line of hearts, but Zaria took her phone. "Yep. That's enough outta ya."
"Hey!"
Meanwhile——
"Naraku-Kaidan. You've done well in the tournament, once again. Now then, come forth, and I shall equip the best of you with your gear!"
Inside Atsushi's mansion, he had his division gathered in the living room, with the loot from the box spread out before them.
"I have chosen the ones who will inherit the Tobi Kaeru no Yoroi sets. Step forth, Yorito Arisugawa, Kōga Mikogami, and Kei Tsugawa!"
Three well-built young men stepped forward, bowing before taking the armor.
"Awesome," Kei commented.
"Mine's glowing!" Yorito noticed.
"Truly incredible," Kōga admired.
"And now, for the owner of the Haihebi no Yoroi. Come, Yuzuha!"
From the corner, Yuzuha's ears perked up. "Me? Seriously?"
"I believe it suits your skills, elf."
"Don't mind if I do!"
As he stared at her, she cleared her throat. "I mean, thank you."
"The Ōzame no Yoroi shall reside with my second-in-command. Step up, Hajime Kuga!"
A well-trimmed man with shades cracked his neck before picking up the armor. "Appreciated, sir."
Nonoka side-eyed him. "Show-off."
"And you, Nonoka Sunahara," Atsushi stated. "As my adopted child, you shall get the Hishō suru Washi no Yoroi."
The other members clapped as she picked up the armor. "Thanks...dad?"
"What did I say about calling me that?"
"Right, sir."
He stared at the Fudō no Gama no Yoroi. "The last, for myself, of course. However, my body isn't equipped to handle it at the moment. That energy I expelled did a number on my composition."
"I TOLD you," Nonoka scoffed.
"Some things are worth risking your life for, child. And speaking of which, come with me."
Nonoka lifted an eyebrow as he led her into the hallway. "Yes?"
"I've taught you for years at this point. But after the tournament's events, I believe adding a new teacher will serve you best."
"A...new teacher?"
He nodded. "I've shown you all I can show you. It's time for you to reach your full potential."
"With who?"
"Go to Minato Ward, and visit the home of Omariro Nyugawa. If anyone can bring out your maximum strength, it will be him."
Somewhere——
Omariro sat at the edge of a cliff, overlooking the ocean.
"Breeze nice. Wind cool."
And but for a moment, he closed his eyes, and he could almost imagine a time...
A time when eight people had joined him on this very cliff, laughing and relaxing by the hillside.
———