Rain slicked the streets as Akira sprinted through the glowing city, boots slapping against wet concrete. The night air burned cold in his lungs. Ahead, the two masked robbers darted through the crowd, black uniforms cutting through the neon blur like shadows with purpose.
"The blast didn't do as much damage as I thought," Akira muttered between breaths. "That railgun's only dangerous when charged with Tao… and that girl doesn't look like she can use Tao."He smirked. "So she's no threat."
He vaulted a barrier, rolled across the hood of a parked car, and kept running. The robbers slipped through a market street, scattering vendors and pedestrians. Somewhere behind, alarms howled and flashing blue lights painted the alleys.
They turned down a narrow lane toward the industrial edge of the city—a half-collapsed warehouse district littered with rusted cranes and shipping containers. Akira slowed, dropping into a crouch. The rhythmic hum of his Tao pulsed in his veins, golden light faintly flickering beneath his skin.
Inside the warehouse, voices echoed.
Kenji Sato stood beside a stack of crates, sleeves rolled up, an envelope thick with cash in one hand. Even in the dim light, his presence was unmistakable—calm, commanding, dangerous.
"Good work," he said, tossing the envelope toward the demon-masked boy. "You got the railgun."
The boy caught it, counting the bills quickly. "You want the weapon?" he asked, holding up the black railgun case.
Kenji shook his head. "No. I only needed the chaos. The point was to make Scissors look bad. What happened to the old man?"
The demon-masked girl stepped forward and removed her mask. She couldn't have been older than sixteen—sharp gray eyes, short-cropped hair, defiant even in exhaustion."He got knocked out by some hunter. We handled it, though."
Kenji exhaled slowly, disappointment lining his words. "So the fourteenth user of the Perfect Crime bloodline was caught… what a waste of potential."
The boy tilted his head. "Excuse me, Mr. Sato… but why do you want Scissors to look bad? They're already terrorists. Even if they gain a little support, it's meaningless."
Kenji's expression hardened. "I don't want them to have anything. Not influence, not loyalty, not the illusion of control."
He crouched and drew a smooth circle into the dusty floor with his pen. Tao energy shimmered in the symbol's lines—bright blue veins of power that pulsed like a heartbeat."Everything they build," he murmured, "I'll turn to ash before it spreads."
Then he stepped into the sigil and vanished, the mark burning out like a dying star.
Akira watched from the rafters, eyes wide. Kenji Sato? The Grand General of the Sao Kingdom—one of the most influential men alive—colluding with thieves?
"What the hell are you doing…" Akira whispered.
He dropped down from the beams, landing hard. Golden Tao flared under his boots as he flashed his Hunter ID."Akira Yamato. Hunter. All of you—surrender."
The girl groaned. "Oh great, another hero."
The demon-masked boy laughed softly, brushing dust from his coat. "I thought that railgun would've done more damage."
"It didn't," Akira said dryly, "because she's not a Taoist. It needs Tao to activate properly."
The boy nodded, almost impressed. "You catch on quick."
One of the unmasked men—a nervous worker type, still wearing a delivery uniform—raised his hands. "Can you calm down? We're just trying to make some cash!"
Akira frowned. "You people really don't pick your company well."
The masked boy reached up, unclipped his demon mask, and let it fall. He was young, maybe nineteen, with calm brown eyes and a weary sort of kindness.
"Wait," he said, "I'm a Taoist too. Maybe we can talk."
"Talk?" Akira tilted his head.
"My name's Jiso. You seem new to this," he said quietly. "So I'll forgive you this time—but Taoists shouldn't meddle in human affairs."
Akira furrowed his brow. "What are you talking about? I'm human too."
Jiso shook his head. "No. Humans can't break walls with their bare hands."
Akira's grin returned. "Yeah? That just makes my job easier."
Jiso sighed. "You don't get it. We're not the same as them—"
"Yeah, yeah," Akira cut him off. "Save the lecture. I've got a job to finish."
Jiso hesitated. "You don't have to do this. We need the money. That's all."
Akira shrugged, glancing toward the exit. "I can't argue with that… but I still have a few minutes left on the mission timer. Mind if I stay here until it ends?"
The tension broke for a heartbeat.
Then—sirens.
The warehouse doors burst open, floodlights flooding the space. "Hands up! Yoru Police!"
Everyone froze. Slowly, arms lifted—except for Jiso and his sister. They remained standing.
Jiso looked at one of the kneeling men, betrayal flashing in his eyes. "Ma… I knew I couldn't trust you."
The man turned away, guilt scrawled across his face.
Akira opened his mouth to speak—but Jiso moved first, slamming a fist into Akira's jaw. The impact rattled his skull, dropping him to the floor. Akira recovered instantly, sweeping Jiso's legs and tackling him down. Their fists collided—Tao meeting Tao—each blow sparking bright arcs of energy across the dark.
Bullets tore through the air, clanging off metal walls. Police ducked behind crates, shouting orders. The ordinary men screamed, scrambling for cover. The sound was chaos—gunfire, Tao surges, the whine of the half-opened railgun charging up.
The girl grabbed her mask, snapping it back into place. She bolted toward the opposite door.
One of the kneeling men—panic in his eyes—snatched the railgun and aimed wildly at the officers.The weapon screamed to life, a violet line slicing the air before blasting through a patrol car outside. The explosion lit the sky.
Akira spun toward the girl. "Damn it—she's running."
He dashed after her through the gunfire.I don't want to fight these people, he thought, weaving between beams of energy, but if I stick up for them, I'll be blamed with them.
Outside, rain poured harder, washing the smoke from the air.
Jiso appeared again, blocking Akira's path. His mask cracked, Tao energy glowing beneath the fractures.
"I told you to stay out of human affairs," Jiso growled.
He lunged, headbutting Akira square in the face. Akira staggered back, blood running from his nose. Then he kicked forward, boot colliding with Jiso's chest—sending him flying into a parked truck.
Akira wiped his mouth, exhaling sharply. "I don't want to attack you. Just turn yourself in."
Jiso's eyes blazed. "Then stay out of our business! You're only making things worse!"
Akira took a step, but stopped—suddenly feeling a surge, like the air itself was inhaling. A massive Tao presence swelled nearby, heavy and cold. His instincts screamed.
"These people don't deserve prison…" he murmured.
The energy grew—blinding white flares spilling from the warehouse windows.Ito?
He leapt over Jiso, vaulting into the alley where the girl had run.
Jiso stumbled after him, dragging one leg, refusing to fall. Police surrounded him, shouting commands, weapons drawn.Even with guns trained on him, he stood—Tao flickering across his battered frame.
As Akira landed in the alleyway, the rain suddenly stopped. The world went quiet.
At the far end, the girl stood beside a black car. The passenger door opened—and from it stepped a man Akira instantly recognized.
Red ponytail. Eyepatch. Calm that cut through the storm.
Ito Yoru.
"Stand down," Ito said to the officers without looking their way. "I'll take care of them from here."
The police hesitated, then lowered their weapons.
Jiso collapsed to his knees, soaked in mud, still glaring through wet strands of hair. "Taoism… despite being a skill any human can learn," he said weakly, "Taoists shouldn't live among humans. A man with the power of a god and the heart of a human shouldn't exist."
He laughed once—a raw, broken sound. "This is my mistake. I stayed by my sister's side, trying to pretend we still had a normal life. But it's gone now."
He raised his eyes toward Akira and Ito, who now stood shoulder-to-shoulder. The girl climbed into the car, glancing back at her brother.
"Please," Jiso whispered, "just let her go."
His knees buckled. He crawled forward, each motion trembling. "That's all I need…"
The girl's hand pressed to the window, eyes glistening through the glass as the car began to move. She mouthed something Akira couldn't hear.
Jiso reached the edge of the alley, half-in light, half-in shadow, tears mixing with the rain."Goodbye, Sis."
He slumped forward, finally collapsing.
Ito gestured to the officers. "Take him. Carefully."
Two men lifted Jiso's limp body and guided him into another vehicle.
Before getting in, Ito turned to Akira, his voice steady again. "You did well. For someone who doesn't listen."
Akira chuckled softly, wiping the last of the blood from his lip.
Ito reached into his coat and tossed him a small metal keycard. "Hotel in the central district. Rest there. Sora and Gaku will pick you up tomorrow."
Akira caught it easily. "Got it."
He slapped the back of the car as it rolled past. Inside, Jiso sat silent beside his sister, head bowed, long hair hiding his face.
For a moment, as their car disappeared into the mist, Akira thought he saw a faint smile flicker through the window.