The bell above the pharmacy door jingled one last time before the silence took hold. Outside, the late Tokyo evening hummed faintly — cicadas, streetcars, and the faint rumble of a city that never truly stopped breathing.
Inside, however, all was still.
The shelves were half-empty. The counters had been wiped clean. Only the faint scent of herbs and disinfectant lingered in the air. Akio Hukitaske stood behind the counter, his white coat buttoned, his bright hair tied back loosely. His reflection stared back from the polished glass of the medicine display — older, wearier, but still holding that same distant fire in his eyes.
He picked up a wooden case — long, black-lacquered, and locked with twin clasps. Inside, nestled in silk, lay the Murakaze Twin Blades — the Emerald Healer and the Black Poisoner. Their steel shimmered faintly under the pharmacy's soft light, as if aware they were being awakened again.
Akio ran his thumb along the edge of the case. He whispered, "You shouldn't have to see daylight again."
But some instinct deep within him — that same, grim intuition that had saved his life so many times before — whispered back: Take them.
He fastened the locks and set the case gently beside his luggage.
The sound of shuffling feet broke the silence. Hikata Yakasuke, comedian, former variety-show host, and self-proclaimed "disaster manager," appeared in the doorway carrying a backpack shaped like a cartoon frog.
"Yo! You packin' for a war or a weekend getaway, doc?" Hikata said, grinning as always. He wore a floral shirt that looked like it had fought and lost against a color explosion, and a pair of neon-green sneakers that squeaked with every step.
Akio gave a faint smirk. "A little of both."
"Hey, I swear, you're the only person I know who packs swords for a client meeting." Hikata leaned against the counter, shaking his head. "What, you expect the hotel to attack you?"
"After what we've been through," Akio said, carefully folding his pharmacy apron, "I expect anything."
Hikata's grin softened at that. For a moment, the joking mask slipped, and something gentler surfaced. "You still think it's not over, huh?"
Akio paused, his hand resting on the sword case. "The Scarlet Helix was supposed to be destroyed. But when something like that touches the world once…"He looked up, his eyes distant. "…it leaves a stain you can't wash away."
The sound of measured footsteps echoed from the hall. Rumane appeared, dressed simply — a dark jacket, hair tied in a low ponytail, movements as precise as clockwork.
"Car's ready," she said. "I told the neighbors we'll be gone for a few days."Her gaze fell on the sword case. "You're bringing them."
Akio nodded. "Just in case."
Rumane crossed her arms. "You think the Helix isn't gone.""I think," Akio said quietly, "that fate doesn't like leaving debts unpaid."
Hikata groaned. "Can we not talk about cursed biotech horrors before vacation? "Rumane raised an eyebrow. "You call this vacation?""Hey, hotel by the bay, free food, amusement park wristbands? That's paradise for broke ex-TV hosts and retired martial artists."
Akio chuckled faintly. It was rare for him — laughter felt foreign, fragile, but Hikata had a way of cracking through even his thickest layers of composure.
For a while, they worked in comfortable silence. Rumane checked their travel papers and luggage, Hikata loudly argued with the vending machine outside ("It ate my coins, Rumane! That's a war crime!"), and Akio stood by the window, staring out into the fading dusk.
The pharmacy lights reflected on the glass, mingling with the glow of the city — the old and the new, side by side. For a moment, he imagined the reflection of his younger brother, Phantom, standing there beside him. The thief. The ghost. The cursed son of Murakaze.
He whispered softly, "I hope you're still out there, somewhere."
Night came quietly. The trio loaded their things into the small black van parked by the curb. Hikata insisted on driving, despite everyone knowing this was a terrible idea.
"Relax, Rumane," he said, strapping in with over-the-top flair. "I've only been in… three accidents this year! "Rumane sighed. "Then you're overdue for a fourth."Akio slid into the passenger seat. "Just… get us there alive."
The van rattled to life, headlights cutting through the misty Tokyo streets.
As they drove, Hikata hummed an upbeat pop tune from his show days, the kind that always played before a punchline. Rumane sat in the back, eyes half-closed, listening to the rhythm of the city outside — the train stations, the soft chatter of pedestrians, the occasional bark of a street vendor closing up for the night.
For a while, they were just… normal. Three people heading to a client job, teasing and tired, carrying their pasts like quiet shadows.
Then the sky lit up.
Fireworks burst in the distance — bright streaks of red, blue, and white. From the hilltop highway, they could see it all: the Grand Line Amusement Park, its roller coasters glowing like neon skeletons, the ferris wheel spinning lazily over the bay.
"Whoa!" Hikata yelled, nearly swerving. "Now that's what I'm talkin' about! Look at those fireworks! "Rumane muttered, "You'll kill us before we get there."Akio just stared, transfixed. The colors danced in his eyes — red spirals, twisting like a helix.
Something about the pattern made his heart tighten.
"That shape…" he whispered."What shape?"He didn't answer.
They drove on in uneasy silence.
Arrival
The Grand Line Hotel loomed above the water like a glass crown. Its walls shimmered with gold reflections from the park's lights. A concierge in a white suit greeted them with an unnervingly polished smile.
"Welcome, guests. Your rooms are ready. And as a gift—"He handed them each sleek, metallic wristbands, engraved with the park's logo.
"Complimentary access," he said. "They're special prototypes. Please wear them for your stay."
Hikata was already putting his on. "Free tech? Hell yeah!"Rumane frowned. "Prototype of what?" "Relax," Hikata said, waving his glowing wrist. "It's not like it's gonna explode."
Akio slipped his on last. The band tightened slightly — too tight — and for an instant, he thought he heard a faint click. His pulse quickened. But when he looked up, the concierge had already moved on to the next guests.
Something about that click stuck in his mind.
They checked in, unpacked, and met briefly in the lobby. Hikata immediately declared his intention to explore."I'm hittin' the food stalls! Rumane, you're comin' with!""I'd rather swallow bleach.""Fine! Akio, you?"Akio smiled faintly. "I'll join you later. I need to contact the client."
As Hikata bounded off into the noise and light, Rumane followed reluctantly, muttering about "Annoying grown morons." Akio watched them go — two opposite ends of humanity somehow bound together by friendship.
He turned toward the elevator, thumb tracing the edge of the wristband. Still too tight. Still humming faintly.
The air felt heavier than it should.
The Room Above the Bay
His room overlooked the sea. The moonlight rippled across the waves, painting silver over darkness. Akio opened the sword case on the bed — the blades catching the faint lunar light.
For a long moment, he simply looked at them. The Emerald Healer gleamed softly, like calm breath; the Black Poisoner absorbed the light, a void that seemed alive.
He thought of what those blades had cost — the blood spilled, the lives lost, the ghosts they carried.
He touched the hilt, whispered, "Stay silent tonight. Please."
Then came the sound — soft, mechanical, a vibration from his phone. Unknown number. One new message.
"Doctor Hukitaske. You don't know me. But your swords may soon be needed again.""Keep your friends close. And do not remove your wristband.""If you try, it will detonate."
Akio's heart stopped. His reflection in the window was pale, eyes wide with disbelief.
The fireworks outside erupted again — but this time, among the gold and blue, a single red spiral burst into the sky.
A Helix.
The Balcony
He stumbled onto the balcony, the ocean breeze biting cold against his face. Below, Hikata's laughter echoed faintly from the boardwalk. Rumane walked beside him, scanning the crowd even now — alert, wary, dependable.
Akio gripped the railing, stomach tight. He didn't need to say it aloud — he knew. Something had followed them here. Something alive.
He opened his phone again, staring at the final line of the message.
"You'll meet someone tomorrow. A detective. He's already looking for you."
The words glowed in the dark like prophecy.
Akio shut the phone, looked up at the distant ferris wheel — turning slow, calm, eternal. In the reflection of its lights, the world seemed peaceful. But deep beneath that peace, the Scarlet Helix stirred once more.
The Detective's Shadow
The next morning, fog rolled across the bay like silk. Rumane brewed coffee in silence while Hikata groaned from the couch, tangled in his blanket like a trapped octopus.
"Doc," Hikata yawned, "if we get one normal job this year, I'll retire. "Akio smiled wearily. "You won't." "Yeah," Hikata grinned. "Probably not."
There was a knock at the door. Three short taps.
Akio opened it — and standing there was a figure in a trench coat, hat shadowing his face, a faint scar across his jaw.
"Doctor Hukitaske?" he asked. "Yes? "The stranger extended a badge. "Detective Yakahura Mizuhashi. Tokyo Major Crimes. I think your vacation just ended."
The wind from the open balcony carried the faint scent of fireworks — bitter, metallic, and far too familiar.
End of Episode 1 — "The Laughing Fireworks (Part I)"