Shinkaidan Mansion—-
Sōshin watched as the three mind-controlled Kaidanchō furiously attacked Omariro, who dodged all of their attacks and retaliated with a barrage of blades.
Kōichi formed a web to meet it head on, absorbing the blow. Yuka's ice spider legs relentlessly attacked Omariro, but he used a blast of golden light to disorient her.
"Kaidanchō not selves," he told them. "Cease actions."
Mizuki wrapped an arm around his neck from behind, leaning close to his ear. "You're not yourself. Think about this? Why take on untrained rookies? Dokkōdan is worth your time. Don't be an old fool!"
Omariro pushed her off, countering her high-speed attacks as Yuka sent more ice eagles flying his way.
As Kōichi tried to form a diamond portal, Gakuto rammed him off his feet, sending him flying into the mansion.
"Sorry about that, Omariro!"
"House fine."
Gakuto regrouped with Omariro as the rival Kaidanchō did the same. "This ain't good. What do we do? They're stronger than before."
"Abyss taken hold. Must be Nurse."
"Nurse? You mean the Herald you were fighting? What was her name, Mirei?"
Omariro nodded.
"Must remind Kaidanchō of selves."
Yuka snapped her fingers, and tons of Dokkōdan thugs rolled in on motorbikes. "Unfortunately for you, Nyugawa, we didn't come alone."
The bikes swarmed Omariro as he stood there, unfazed. One biker got off, aiming a gun at Omariro. "Hands in the air, old man!"
"Jugen-Sōunsha: Nendō Tensō."
With a wave of his hand, he lifted the biker into the air and sent him flying into a nearby tree. Bikers drove past him, attacking with various Jugen abilities, but Omariro lifted them as well, blasting them back.
As one got up, Sōshin grabbed him by his leg and spun him like a top before flinging him away. "No friends will be hurt today!"
As more piled in, the ground began to shake as a portal opened, and the Seventh walked through it, eyes falling upon Omariro.
"...Master."
Omariro narrowed his eyes as the army behind him grew.
Meanwhile—-
Yūto, Rio, Airi, and Han were in a van, with Airi driving. Han was in the back, nervous as ever.
"Going after Nyugawa is suicide," Yūto worried. "The way he toyed with us back at that beach, there's no way we can bring him in!"
"You heard the Nurse," Airi told him. "Do our jobs, or we'll be killed."
"But Nyugawa will do us even worse! Don't you hear the rumors? He's not human! Come on, Rio!"
"Job's a job," Rio shrugged.
Yūto turned to Han. "Dude. You've seen both the Nurse and Nyugawa up close repeatedly. You gotta have some logical sense, no?"
Han pulled down his mask. "I can't."
"You can't what?"
"I can't do this."
Han stood up. "I've ruined the group's chemistry for this. I didn't know it would get so bad..."
Airi parked the car nearby. "We're a few feet away. Everyone ready?"
"Yeah," Rio nodded.
"Hell no!" Yūto interrupted.
Han held up a hand. "Look. I'll be honest, you guys. You don't have to do this."
They all sized him up.
"What do you mean?" Airi questioned. "You're supposed to be the one leading this mission."
"Like Yūto said, Mr. Nyugawa is a powerhouse. And the Nurse doesn't care for you anyway. As soon as she gets what she wants, she'll just discard you. I'm sure she's only coming back to me because she can't face Omariro on her own."
He looked them dead in the eye. "So what do you think she'll do to you all, considering she barely has use for any of you?"
They all stopped, contemplating his words.
"Why are you telling us this?" Yūto wondered. "Aren't you the Nurse's pet?"
"Not really. I took this mission to try to save my friends and my Master, but I've only done more harm than good. It's time I rectify my mistakes."
"So...a double agent, basically," Airi remarked. "They could kill you for that, you know."
"They could. But not if you guys help me."
"How would we help you?"
"Do the same thing I'm doing. Be my inside people. This will get you away from Dokkōdan for good, and you won't have to worry about living your lives in fear anymore."
The three shared a look.
"This is all we know..." Rio admitted. "No one else will give people like us a home."
"That's not true! I'm sure one of the other Kaidanchō will take you on! Maybe not mine, because he's already told me he's got too many as is. But Kōichi or Gakuto or even Kaoru would have perfect use for you!"
"And you know this how...?" Airi asked, skeptical.
"One thing I've learned is this job isn't just about clearing dungeons. It's about the bonds you make in the process. How'd you even end up with Dokkōdan in the first place?"
"We grew up in a foster home," Yūto explained. "Once we all turned thirteen, a strange man introduced himself to us, and we essentially found ourselves in Dokkōdan."
Five years ago—-
Yūto was in a run living room watching TV while Airi and Rio tossed a ball to each other. Yūto pointed them outside. "Can't you guys go in the yard with that?"
"You're not the boss of us," Airi spat.
"It doesn't matter. If Dad finds out you wrecked his carpet again, he'll—-"
A buff middle-aged man walked into the living room, noticing the dirt on the carpet. "What in the living hell is this?"
Airi and Rio quickly stood beside each other, sweating profusely. "We didn't do it!"
He pulled out a belt and cracked it like a whip. "I told you brats, no playing in my living room!"
The kids tried to run, but they weren't fast enough.
Later, they were sitting on a trash can beside the street, nursing the bruises on their limbs and faces.
"And there goes another home," Yūto lamented. "Again."
"He wasn't shit anyway," Airi shrugged.
"But he was all we had."
"We'll find someone else," Rio assured. "Let's try the foster shelter one more time."
"It's too far of a walk," Yūto pointed out. "And none of us have cars."
The kids rested there until nightfall, as cars and adults walked past them without a care. Just as they began to fall asleep, Yūto awoke to a glimpse of iridescent. "Huh...?"
An armored figure was standing before him, with dense armor and iridescent eyes emitting from his mask. The hair at the top of his head flowed long and iridescent.
"Gah! Who are you?"
Airi and Rio got up, and they cowered behind Yūto when they saw what was in his hand.
It was a spiraling blade, made of a blood-like material. He sheathed it at his side.
"I am the First of the Exiled Heralds," the man introduced. "I detect the presence of significant amounts of Jugen in your bloodstreams."
"W—what? How can you—?"
His eyes glowed in the night. "I can offer you a home. A true family. But it won't come to the weak. You must show me you are strong."
"What kind of family?" Yūto asked.
"It's called Dokkōdan. It's where the human servants of the Abyss dwell. You may know them as thugs."
"Dokkōdan? The bandits?" Airi recalled.
"A front. It's much deeper than that. It can grant you power. Endless power. All you have to do..."
He held out a hand. "...is take it."
Yūto winced, before reaching his arm out and accepting the offer. "We accept.
"Good. Now show me what you can do."
He put a hand on his blade, getting into a fighting stance. Yūto, Airi, and Rio backed away.
〈*1st* of the Heralds—-Herald of Blades. Level: 600,000〉
Airi shook Yūto. "Shit, shit, shit! What do we do? He's not just strong, he's level 600,000! That's like Nyugawa levels!"
The First delivered a slash with his blade. "Jugen-Tōshi: Crimson Spiral."
The blade spun around like a propeller, elongating itself and curving around faster than any of the kids could react. Yūto sprang forth.
"Jugen-Kōbisha: Cursed Manifestation Cage!"
A van formed, trapping the First inside and slightly affecting his aim, causing him to narrowly miss the kids.
Instead, five city blocks got decimated into pieces as people ran out of their houses, screaming.
"You avoided a killing blow," the First commented. "Impressive."
Before he could strike again, Rio touched both his friends. "Jugen-Sōunsha: Camouflage!"
They turned invisible, and the First turned his head, looking for them. "Hmm. Invisibility is a valuable asset."
He put a hand on his blade. "But only if you can control your breathing!"
He briefly unsheathed his blade, and the entire street fell apart as the kids reappeared, with Airi holding on for dear life. Yūto and Rio clung to her legs, desperate not to fall.
"I see potential in you," the First stated. "Prove yourselves worthy of the Abyss, and homelessness will never be your fate again."
He helped them up, forming a portal. "Your loyalty will do wonders."
As he stepped into it, they all looked at each other before following.
Present Day—-
"The First?" Han gasped. "Like, the one at the top?"
They nodded.
"Now you see why we can't leave," Airi told him. "He's not even the strongest in the organization."
"But that doesn't mean give up! You still forget, the Kaitansha have Mr. Nyugawa!"
"Even if that's true, he's one man. They are many. We don't stand a chance."
Han looked them dead in the eye. "I don't think you believe that. Remember, they're limited. They can't attack freely, and even if they did, they don't want a head-on fight with Mr. Nyugawa. If we back him up when the time comes, I'm sure we can win!"
Yūto deliberated for a moment before sighing. "Fine. We'll consider it. But the moment things go back, you're on your own."
"Thanks. I mean that. The mansion should be nearby, let's head out—-!"
He stopped when he saw a flicker of motion through the front windows, and he noticed Zaria, Rika, Rei, Nonoka, and Shino rushing to the same place.
"Shit."
"What, what happened?" Yūto worried.
"They'll mess up the plan. Come on, we've gotta take the back way!"
Meanwhile, Shinkaidan Mansion——
All of the bikers and the mind-controlled Kaidanchō lined up behind the Seventh as they marched forward, eyes locked on Omariro.
"It's time to come home, Master," the Seventh ordered. "Everyone awaits."
"Boy is fool," Omariro replied. "Home will be cage."
"We'll see. Attack!"
He pointed at Omariro, Gakuto, and Sōshin, and the thugs all rushed at them. Gakuto threw his helmet hard enough to shake the ground, knocking some of the bikers off.
Sōshin zipped around, touching bikes and causing them to move fast enough that their riders ran into trees.
"Nice moves, kid!" Gakuto complimented.
Sōshin gave him and Omariro a thumbs up, but Mizuki quickly appeared behind him, tackling him to the ground. "Insolent child. You'd stay and fight a doomed battle over joining the Abyss?"
"No battle is doomed as long as I'm with Friend Omariro!"
Sōshin touched Mizuki's body, causing her to vibrate rapidly and allowing him to push her off. At the same time, Yuka and Kōichi attacked Gakuto, who attempted to fend them off with his helmet.
"Stop, guys! Don't you remember who you are?"
Yuka nodded. "Servants of the Abyss."
Kōichi formed his tripwire gun and fired it at Gakuto, trapping him in place as the latter struggled. With a strong headbutt, Gakuto broke free.
"Strong," Yuka stated. "And yet naive."
"If being naive means I stay on the side of good, I'll take it every time!"
"Foolish idiot, there are no good sides. Everyone's using each other for something, whether it's to clear dungeons or rule them."
"You're free to think that, but just know I'm getting my comrades back!"
In the center, Shion attacked Omariro, moving at a speed faster than the eye could see. Omariro countered with a light blast, but Shion touched the light with a corrupted hand.
"Jugen-Daraku: Hasai no Hametsu!"
A glowing gauntlet formed around his arm, and he punched the light hard enough to shatter it. As he threw a punch at Omariro, Omariro caught it with one hand.
"Power not yours," Omariro declared. "Renounce!"
"NEVER!"
Shion's body began to glow even more violently, and his armor grew thicker. "Jugen-Henshōsha: Hametsu no Yoroi."
Four arms sprouted from his back as he cracked his neck, his hands shifting to full-on tiger claw weapons. "Remember what I told you?"
Thunder sounded in the night.
"Ruin shall come."
——