Igawa Estate – Council Hall
The room was quiet.
Heavy wooden pillars lined the hall, and the air carried the weight of authority that came with centuries of the Igawa clan leading the Taimanin.
At the center of the room sat the Igawa Elder, his expression calm but grave.
Across from him stood Asagi.
Her arms were folded tightly, jaw set.
"Elder," she said firmly, "you can't be serious."
The old man didn't even blink.
"Oh, but Asagi," he replied calmly, "I am."
He slid a folder across the table.
"Because she has returned."
He paused.
"And she has started killing Taimanin again."
The words hung in the room like poison.
Next to Asagi, Sakura stiffened.
"But… sister," Sakura said slowly, turning toward her.
"You said you killed Oboro that day."
Asagi didn't answer immediately.
Her eyes were fixed on the report in front of her.
Finally, she spoke.
"…I thought I did."
Her voice was quieter now.
"Three years ago," she continued, "I fought her on a rooftop during the Nomad raid."
The memory flashed through her mind.
Night.
Rain.
Steel clashing.
"I cut her across the chest," Asagi said. "Deep."
"She fell from the roof."
Sakura frowned.
"…And you didn't check the body?"
Asagi clenched her hand slightly.
"The building was collapsing," she said. "Nomad forces were everywhere. Civilians were still inside."
She looked up again.
"I believed the fall finished her."
The Elder nodded slowly.
"A reasonable conclusion."
He tapped the folder.
"But unfortunately… incorrect."
Asagi opened it.
Inside were photographs.
Three dead Taimanin operatives.
All elite.
All killed recently.
All bearing the same signature wound.
Clean.
Precise.
Sadistic.
Sakura's face paled.
"…That's her blade work."
Asagi didn't respond.
Her eyes were already cold.
The Elder continued.
"Witness reports confirm the attacker."
He leaned forward slightly.
"Uehara Oboro."
Silence fell over the room.
Then Sakura asked the obvious question.
"…Why come back now?"
The Elder exhaled slowly.
"We don't know."
He looked directly at Asagi.
"But she left a message."
Asagi's gaze sharpened.
"What message?"
The Elder slid a final photograph across the table.
It showed a wall at the crime scene.
Written in blood.
Three simple words.
"Come find me."
Asagi stared at it.
Then she slowly closed the folder.
Her voice was calm.
Too calm.
"…She wants a rematch."
Sakura swallowed.
"Should we call Leo?"
Asagi stood there for a moment, thinking.
Then she shook her head.
"…Not yet."
Her eyes hardened.
"This started between me and Oboro."
She turned toward the door.
"And I'm going to finish it."
Behind her—
The Elder watched silently.
Because deep down…
He suspected this time would not end the same way.
Meanwhile at the Fuuma Training Grounds – Gosha Village
The training yard behind the Fuuma estate had been reinforced over the years.
Stone slabs thicker than a man's torso.
Barrier seals carved into the ground.
Shock dampening pillars around the perimeter.
Because when Leo trained seriously…
Things tended to break.
A lot.
Standing across from him, Rinko held a stopwatch in one hand and a clipboard in the other.
She adjusted her glasses slightly.
"Alright," she said.
"Let's do this."
Leo rolled his shoulders once.
Then his body shifted.
Black veins spread across his arms as the Blacklight Virus activated. The flesh of his forearms rippled like liquid muscle, alive with potential.
"Let's do this," Leo replied.
Rinko raised the stopwatch.
She started speaking quickly.
"Rapid change test. Thirty seconds."
Click.
The stopwatch started.
"Go."
---
Leo's right arm morphed instantly.
Claws.
Four long black talons extended from his fingers like living blades.
Slash.
He cut the air once.
Then the claws collapsed back into liquid biomass.
Scythe.
A curved blade erupted from his arm, wicked and long.
He swung it in a clean arc.
Stone cracked where the air pressure struck.
The weapon dissolved.
Hammerfist.
His arm bulked up, turning into a massive blunt weapon.
BOOM.
He smashed the ground.
Shockwaves rippled across the reinforced stone.
Rinko glanced at the stopwatch but didn't interrupt.
Leo shifted again.
Whipfist.
A long tendril blade shot out and cracked like a living whip across the yard.
CRACK.
The sound echoed across the estate.
Next.
Shield.
Black biomass spread outward forming a thick armored plate over his forearm.
He slammed it into the ground like a defensive brace.
Then it vanished.
Leo grinned slightly.
He was getting faster.
The virus flowed through him like second nature now.
War Hammer.
His arm grew into a brutal spiked hammer.
He spun once and slammed it forward.
BOOM.
The barrier seals flickered from the impact.
Rinko scribbled something quickly on the clipboard.
Leo didn't slow down.
Spikes.
Dozens of black spikes erupted along his arm like a porcupine of blades.
They shot outward in a burst before retracting.
Then—
Beast Mouth.
His forearm twisted grotesquely, forming a massive jaw lined with teeth.
The mouth snapped shut with a loud CLACK.
Even after seven years, it still looked horrifying.
Then it melted away.
Leo pushed further.
Blade form.
A massive sword-like weapon extended from his arm, longer than his height.
He swung it once in a wide arc.
The wind pressure alone carved a groove in the training ground.
Rinko's eyes widened slightly.
She checked the stopwatch.
"Five seconds left!"
Leo nodded once.
Then his back shifted.
Black biomass erupted from his shoulder blades.
WINGS.
Large, bat-like wings formed behind him.
He jumped—
—and hovered briefly above the ground before landing again.
The wings retracted instantly.
Click.
Rinko stopped the stopwatch.
"Thirty seconds!"
Leo exhaled slowly.
The Blacklight receded, his arms returning to normal human flesh.
Rinko looked at the results.
Then she pushed her glasses up.
"…Eleven weapon forms."
Leo smirked.
"Not bad."
Rinko nodded slowly.
"Seven years ago you could barely do three without destabilizing the biomass."
She flipped the page on the clipboard.
"You're faster now."
"Much faster."
Leo stretched his arms.
"Practice."
Then he added casually,
"And eating a lot of criminals."
Rinko gave him a flat look.
"…You say that like it's normal."
Leo shrugged.
"For me, it kinda is."
The training yard had gone quiet again after the last transformation.
Dust slowly settled across the cracked stone where Leo had slammed the war hammer form.
Rinko was still writing notes on her clipboard.
Then—
A voice echoed in Leo's mind.
'You have improved a lot.'
Leo froze.
His eyes widened slightly.
That voice…
He knew that voice.
'Alex.' Leo answered mentally.
For a moment there was silence in his head.
Then the presence became clearer, like someone stepping closer through fog.
'Your control over the biomass has improved at a rate we couldn't predict.' Alex said calmly.
Another voice chimed in.
Dry.
Blunt.
'In short, he is proud.'
Leo smirked slightly.
'James.'
Seven years.
And the first thing he does is translate Alex.
Leo leaned back slightly, speaking in his thoughts.
'Yeah, thanks. It's been seven years since we last talked.'
There was a pause.
Then James answered.
'Seven months here. In our world.'
Leo mentally groaned.
'Of course time works differently.'
Alex continued.
'We have been observing. Your development is… impressive.'
Leo crossed his arms.
'So what? You two finally coming back?'
Another pause.
Then Alex answered calmly.
'Not yet.'
And just like that—
Silence.
The connection faded again.
Leo blinked once.
Then twice.
"…Huh."
Across from him, Rinko was staring.
"Leo?"
He realized he had completely spaced out.
"Sorry," he said quickly.
"Blanked out for a bit."
Rinko lowered the clipboard, walking over to him with a worried expression.
"Don't scare me like that," she said.
"You just froze."
Leo rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"Yeah… sorry."
Rinko sighed softly.
Then she stepped closer and kissed him.
Quick.
Warm.
"Next time," she said quietly, "warn me before you go statue mode."
Leo chuckled.
"Noted."
Rinko kissed him again
But inside his mind—
He was thinking about something else entirely.
Seven years.
And Alex and James had finally spoken again.
Which meant one thing.
Something big was coming.
And whatever it was…
Even they were watching closely.
Rinko pulled back slightly after the kiss, still watching Leo carefully.
She knew him well enough by now to recognize when something was off.
And right now?
Something was definitely off.
"You sure you're okay?" she asked again, softer this time.
Leo rubbed the back of his neck.
"Yeah… yeah, I'm good."
That wasn't exactly a lie.
But it also wasn't the whole truth.
Inside his head, the words from Alex were still echoing.
Your control over the biomass has improved…
Seven years.
Seven quiet years.
And suddenly they were talking again.
That wasn't random.
That meant something in the world had changed.
Rinko folded her arms.
"You did that thinking face again."
Leo blinked.
"I have a thinking face?"
"You do," she said flatly.
"It's the same one you had the time you accidentally ate that Yakuza boss."
Leo coughed.
"I did not accidentally—"
"You literally said 'oops' afterward."
"…Details."
Rinko sighed but smiled slightly.
Then she looked at the training ground again.
"So," she said, switching back to business mode, "biomass transformations are faster."
"Weapon stability is high."
"Flight capability still short duration."
Leo nodded.
"Still working on that one."
Blacklight wings were powerful.
But they burned through biomass fast.
Then suddenly—
A voice cut through the air.
"Ooooooh!"
Both of them turned.
Standing near the edge of the training yard were Kurenai, Yuuko, Sakura, and Asagi.
Apparently they had been watching.
Kurenai had the biggest grin on her face.
"That beast mouth thing is still creepy as hell."
Yuuko adjusted her glasses.
"Your transformation speed increased by at least thirty percent."
Sakura looked impressed.
"You've gotten scary, Leo."
Asagi didn't say anything at first.
She was studying him carefully.
Leo scratched his head.
"…How long were you watching?"
Kurenai raised a hand casually.
"Since the scythe."
Leo groaned.
"So basically the whole thing."
"Pretty much," Sakura said cheerfully.
Rinko sighed.
"You could have warned us."
Kurenai shrugged.
"Where's the fun in that?"
Then—
Asagi spoke.
Her voice serious.
"Leo."
Everyone looked at her.
Leo straightened slightly.
"What's up?"
She held his gaze.
"…We have a problem."
The mood shifted instantly.
Leo could feel it.
That tone meant mission.
"Oboro," Asagi said.
Leo's eyes narrowed slightly.
"I thought you killed her."
"So did I," Asagi replied.
"But she's back."
The wind moved across the training ground.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then Leo sighed slowly.
"…Well."
He rolled his shoulders once.
"Seven years of peace was nice while it lasted."
Kurenai grinned.
"Oh good."
"I was getting bored."
Yuuko pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Please try not to destroy an entire city this time."
Leo smirked slightly.
"No promises."
But inside—
The Blacklight stirred again.
Because somewhere out there…
The game had started moving again.
Later – Leo's House, Gosha Village
The house was quiet compared to the noisy training yard earlier.
Evening light filtered through the windows as everyone gathered in the living room.
Leo stood near the window with his phone pressed to his ear.
The call ended with a soft beep.
He lowered it slowly.
"…Still nothing."
Across the room, Asagi was leaning against the wall with her arms folded.
She looked at him.
"Trying to contact Kotaro?"
Leo nodded immediately.
"Of course."
He tossed the phone lightly onto the table.
"If Oboro is really back, he needs to know."
Sitting on the couch, Sakura rested her chin on her hand.
"Relax," she said.
"Kotaro is strong enough to handle any ambush."
Leo looked at her.
"I know."
Then he crossed his arms.
"But I'd rather be safe than sorry."
Yuuko, sitting nearby with a tablet in hand, glanced up from the screen.
"I checked the academy schedule," she said calmly.
"He should have been free an hour ago."
Kurenai, lying across the sofa like a lazy cat, stretched.
"Maybe he's just ignoring you."
Leo raised an eyebrow.
"…Why would he do that?"
Kurenai smirked.
"Because you still owe him money."
"That was one bet."
"You lost five."
"Technicalities."
Rinko sighed softly.
"You two are impossible."
But Asagi wasn't smiling.
She was thinking.
Three years ago.
Oboro fell.
And now suddenly she was back.
That alone was strange.
But something else bothered her more.
"Leo."
He looked at her.
"Yeah?"
"…If Oboro returned," Asagi said slowly, "she didn't do it alone."
Everyone in the room went quiet.
Because they all understood what that meant.
If Oboro was moving again—
Then Nomad was moving again too.
Leo picked up his phone again and stared at the screen.
Then he muttered,
"…Kotaro, pick up already."
Almost on cue—
The phone buzzed.
Incoming call.
Kotaro.
Leo answered instantly.
"Kotaro!"
But the voice on the other end wasn't Kotaro.
It was a woman.
Cold.
Amused.
"Well well…"
Leo's expression darkened instantly.
"Who is this?"
The woman chuckled softly.
"Oh?"
"You don't recognize my voice?"
Across the room, Asagi's eyes widened slightly.
Because she recognized it immediately.
Then the voice spoke again.
"Hello, Igawa Asagi."
"Did you miss me?"
The room went completely silent.
Because there was only one person it could be.
Oboro.
---
Nomad Laboratory – Unknown Location
The lights inside the lab were dim, tinted in sterile white and pale blue.
Machines hummed softly.
Rows of glass containers lined the chamber like silent sentinels.
At the center stood a large cylindrical test tube, filled with thick blue suspension fluid.
Inside it—
Floating motionless—
Was Kotaro.
His body was restrained by metal braces around his arms and chest, thin tubes connected to sensors monitoring his vitals. His eyes were closed, unconscious as the fluid held him in place.
Standing nearby was a woman with short violet hair cut in a bob.
Her violet eyes glimmered with amusement.
Her red battle suit clung to her form, the deep V-cut leaving little doubt about her confidence.
This was Oboro.
She held the phone to her ear as she spoke.
"Oh? What's wrong?"
On the other end, Leo's voice came through sharp and dangerous.
"Where is Kotaro?"
Oboro chuckled softly.
"Relax, Blind Taimanin. He's alive."
The response came instantly, venom in every word.
"Then where is he, bitch?"
Oboro's smile widened.
She slowly paced across the laboratory floor as she spoke.
"Now why would I tell you that?"
Her eyes drifted toward the massive test tube.
She stepped closer to it.
Nomad technicians worked quietly in the background, adjusting monitors and recording data.
Oboro ignored them.
Instead she admired the unconscious man floating inside the tank.
Then she spoke again into the phone.
"Nomad wants to see what makes this bloodline so special."
She tilted her head slightly.
"So… good luck finding us."
Click.
The call ended.
Oboro lowered the phone slowly.
Then she walked right up to the glass container.
The blue fluid rippled slightly as she placed a hand against it.
Her body leaned lightly against the tube as she looked up at Kotaro.
"Mmm~"
Her violet eyes traced his form with interest.
"I wonder if they'll let me keep you after the experiment is done."
She smirked slightly.
"I promise I'll take good care of you."
Behind her, one of the scientists shifted uncomfortably.
But none of them dared interrupt.
Because everyone in the lab knew one thing.
Oboro did whatever she wanted.
Back in Leo's House
Leo lowered the phone slowly.
The room felt colder now.
Everyone had heard enough of the conversation to understand what happened.
Kotaro had been taken.
By Nomad.
Leo looked toward Rinko immediately.
"Rinko."
She was already moving.
Her laptop was open on the table, fingers flying across the keyboard.
Lines of code and signal traces filled the screen.
"I'm trying to trace the call," she said quickly.
Her brows tightened.
"…But it's coming up empty."
Leo's jaw tightened.
"What do you mean empty?"
Rinko's fingers kept moving.
"No signal origin."
"No routing logs."
"No satellite bounce."
She leaned back slightly, frowning.
"It's like the call came from nowhere."
Yuuko crossed her arms.
"Nomad signal masking."
Asagi's eyes hardened.
"They planned this."
Kurenai cracked her knuckles.
"Good."
Everyone looked at her.
She grinned.
"Because now we know who to punch."
Leo didn't smile.
His mind was already moving.
Oboro.
Nomad.
Kotaro captured.
Which meant something very important.
This wasn't just revenge.
This was an operation.
Leo slowly stood up.
"Rinko."
She looked at him.
"How long would it take to break Nomad's network encryption?"
Rinko stared at him.
"…You're serious?"
Leo's voice was calm.
Too calm.
"They took one of ours."
Blacklight stirred quietly beneath his skin.
"So now…"
His eyes hardened.
"…we take the war to them."
To be continued
Hope people like this Ch and give me power stones and enjoy
To be continued
Hope people like this ch and give me power stones and enjoy