It was all over the news the next day. The Thompson family had been murdered in their home during the reading of the head of the family's will, a will that declared the family's maid as the sole inheritor of everything he owned.
Every member of the Thompson family was confirmed dead. The maid was the only one who survived the ordeal.
Suspicion quickly fell on her, until the HFA Hunters arrived. Their investigation revealed traces of Lighter energy in the victims' bodies, proving the killer had been a Lighter. The maid, a normal human, was cleared of any involvement.
The will was executed, and the Thompson fortune was transferred to her. Meanwhile, the true killer remained at large.
For the next two days, the story dominated the news cycle.
Nagi sat in a small Chinese restaurant, idly watching the report loop on his phone as he slurped noodles.
He let out an irritated hiss.
Nagi (muttering to himself): All that was a waste of time. I protected that kid, nearly got myself killed, just for it all to blow up in my face. At least I killed him. Maybe in his next life, he'll think twice before wasting someone's time.
He leaned back, glancing up at the bright blue sky outside the restaurant window, and sighed heavily.
Nagi (to himself): I thought this job would at least get rid of this boredom. Guess nothing's changed. What a pain.
Finishing his meal, Nagi paid the bill and stepped out into the street.
He didn't notice the figure watching him from across the road—Jokita.
Nagi kept walking, passing a small coffee shop. At one of its tables sat Lorra, casually sipping her drink. She glanced up as he walked by, then picked up her phone.
Lorra: Yeah, Zero… he's heading your way.
Zero (over the phone): Good.
******
Nagi kept walking, hands in his pockets, his posture casual—almost bored. To any ordinary passerby, he looked like a man on his way home. But in truth, he wasn't alone.
The Kaimi Daja had been shadowing him since the moment he stepped out of the restaurant.
Or perhaps, he knew all along.
Because as soon as he reached the entrance of an old amusement park nearby, he came to a stop. Without hesitation, he turned and walked inside.
The place was a ghost town.
The ticket booths were coated in dust. Rusted metal fences creaked faintly in the wind. The colorful paint on the rides had long since peeled away, leaving them faded and lifeless. The smell of rust and stagnant water lingered in the air, and the silence was heavy enough to press against the skin.
It was the kind of place where screams wouldn't be heard—and a perfect spot for a killing.
Nagi's footsteps echoed faintly on the cracked pavement as he wandered deeper into the park. His eyes scanned the surroundings lazily, as if he were on a casual stroll. But then he spotted him.
Zero.
He was standing at one of the old gaming booths, casually playing a shooting game with a rusted BB gun. The tin targets clinked faintly with each hit. His relaxed posture didn't match the predator's aura radiating from him.
Zero noticed Nagi watching and let out a low chuckle, setting the BB gun aside.
Zero: Didn't think you'd actually show up.
Nagi: This place is the fastest route to my apartment. I'm not about to take a detour just because you guys were tailing me.
Zero: Oh? So you did notice.
Nagi: From the moment I left the restaurant. You should do a better job at hiding yourselves. Geez.
Zero: (smirks) No… it was intentional. We wanted you to know you were being followed.
Nagi: Sounds a little too convenient, don't you think?
Zero: (shrugs) Fair enough.
Nagi: So… you gonna tell me what you want with me?
Zero: I think you already know, Nagi Sakamoto.
Nagi froze for half a second. His eyes narrowed.
Nagi: How do you know that name?
Zero: You didn't exactly keep a low profile when you started that little fight at the train station. And unlike everyone else in this world… I can sense the power of the Heirs in you.
At that, Nagi's hand twitched toward his face, fingertips brushing his left eye.
Nagi: So…
Zero: We need your God Eye, Nagi Sakamoto.
A faint smile tugged at the corner of Nagi's lips, though his eyes stayed cold.
Nagi: So you're the Kaimi Daja the news has been talking about? Didn't think I'd meet you guys in person.
Zero gave a single, deliberate nod.
That's when Jokita and Lorra emerged from the shadows behind him, their presence closing off any exit. Zero stepped away from the shooting game, moving to stand directly in front of Nagi.
Nagi: (sighs) A three-on-one isn't exactly fair, you know.
Zero: Oh, they won't be joining in. It's just you and me.
Nagi: You think you can beat me?
Zero: I told you—I'm different from everyone else. You'll see that soon enough.
Jokita and Lorra exchanged glances, then silently stepped back, giving the two men space. The tension in the air was thick now, the kind that made the hairs on the neck stand on end.
The wind rattled the loose metal signs above the gaming booths. A paper cup rolled across the ground. Somewhere in the distance, a rusted ferris wheel groaned as it swayed in the breeze.
Zero's hand flexed at his side.
Nagi tilted his head slightly, his mouth curving into something that wasn't quite a smile.
The first move was seconds away.
******
Nagi sprinted along the narrow alley, keeping a row of amusement park stalls between himself and Zero, who matched his pace on the opposite side.
Ahead, the row was coming to an end. If that happened, Zero would have a direct line to him, and Nagi didn't want that.
Nagi (thinking): He's keeping up with me? These stalls won't last much longer. If I want to end him, I'll need a different approach… or else…
On the other side, Zero was ready to intercept Nagi the moment the stalls ended, until a sudden swarm of razor-sharp papers came flying toward him from the far end. They swirled around him, completely blocking his sight.
Zero stopped, momentarily impressed.
Zero (thinking): Paper manipulation, huh? Not the most dangerous technique… but in the right hands, it's useful. Too bad I've got the perfect counter.
Zero: [Water Manipulation: Burst]
A shimmering barrier of water formed around him, deflecting the storm of weaponized paper. Most sheets dissolved or fluttered away, but some stuck to the barrier, blotting out his vision entirely.
When the barrage finally ceased, Zero dropped his barrier. The instant he did, killing intent surged from behind. He turned sharply, just in time to see Nagi lunging.
While Zero had expected an attack from the front, Nagi had blinded him to create an opening from behind.
Nagi: [White: Claw] (thinking) This will work. I'll aim for his neck… and finish this once and for all!
The claws sliced forward—
Zero (smirking): [Ghost Transformation]
Nagi's attack passed harmlessly through him, as if Zero wasn't there at all. The surprise left Nagi open for a split second, just enough for Zero to grab his face and hurl him backward, shattering the stalls in his path.
But Nagi was back on his feet almost instantly.
Zero: Oh! You're strong, just as I'd expect from an Heir of the All Mother.
Nagi's eyes narrowed.
Nagi: (thinking) Two techniques… and he didn't chant Black or White? How? He said he was 'different' earlier….(aloud) Just what are you?
Zero: Someone who wants to change the world. I told you, I'm different. Born with a unique power and destiny. And you? You're just another stepping stone toward the future I'm meant to create. Enough games. I'm going all out.
Zero: [Luminary Sword]
A light-blue blade flared into existence in his hand.
Nagi: (thinking) The Luminary Sword?! That belonged to Joshua Egoshin… So that's it. That's why they killed him, to take his Heir power. He has a technique that lets him steal abilities…?!
The realization boiled into fury.
Zero charged. Nagi instantly formed a paper barrier around himself, deflecting the sword strike.
Zero: (thinking) Faster than I expected… But what's your next move?
Nagi grabbed Zero's sword arm, and in the next heartbeat, they were both in the air, falling toward the abandoned Ferris wheel.
Nagi: [White: Teleportation]
Zero: (thinking) Teleportation? Not bad. In the air, I can't swing the sword… well played. But… (noticing Nagi's expression) what's with that look, Nagi Sakamoto?
The Luminary Sword vanished as they landed on one of the top cabins of the Ferris wheel.
Zero now had a clear view of Nagi's face, pure, seething anger. He hadn't seen that even when they fought Joshua Egoshin.
Zero: What's wrong? You look like you've got something on your mind.
Nagi clenched his fists, the silence between them heavy.
Nagi: It's all because of this Heir ability, isn't it? That's why you came after me. Why did you go after Joshua Egoshin? To you, people like us are just stepping stones, huh?
Zero remained seated, letting him speak.
Nagi: It's always because of this eye. Always. My family turned their backs on me because of it. Now you want to kill me for it too? Why? (his fists clenched so tightly they bled) Why do I always end up as something people want to discard?! Why did I have to lose everything because of this eye?!
Zero listened, beginning to understand the root of Nagi's rage.
Nagi: That's why I don't care about anyone. I've always been disposable trash to them. No one cared how I felt, or if what they did to me would hurt me. And it angers me. I'm right here! I'm me! If you come after me, I'll kill you, just like I killed everyone else who did the same!
Zero realized something then, they were alike. Both shaped by a world that had failed them. Both turned into what they were because of it.
A memory surfaced, Kato Hamura's words:
'If I start killing to achieve my goals, life will lose its value for me. And I'm scared of the person I'd become if that happened. So I won't kill anyone. I'll prove to you there's a way to change the world without taking lives.'
Zero sighed, looking Nagi in the eye.
Zero: I understand.
Nagi: (irritated) Don't do that. Don't show me pity!
Zero: It's not pity. I've been through something similar. That's why I formed the Kaimi Daja, to change the world, to tear down what forced us to become who we are.
Nagi: I don't care about that. I just want to live… and find someone who can take away this boredom inside me.
Zero: Boredom, huh? (Kato flashes in his mind) I might know someone.
Nagi: What do you mean?
Zero: There's someone who can take that boredom away. I can take you to them, but in exchange, I want your God Eye. From what you've said, you hate it despite what it's done for you.
Nagi stayed silent, and Zero took it as confirmation.
Zero: Here's the deal, if they relieve your boredom, you give me your God Eye. We both get what we want.
Nagi: Why? You were just about to kill me. Why the change of heart?
Zero: Because we're the same. And I wouldn't kill myself, either. So, deal?
Nagi: (thinking) Can I trust him? What if I'm just being used again?
Then he saw the sincerity in Zero's eyes and it reminded him of someone he'd long forgotten.
Nagi: (sighs) Fine. It's a deal.
Zero: (smirks) Good. And yes, this person has a name.
Nagi: What is it?
Zero: His name is…
****
Meanwhile, at the base of the Ferris wheel, Lorra and Jokita looked up, trying to make sense of what was happening between Zero and Nagi.
Lorra: Did they just become friends?
Jokita: (shrugging) Beats me.