Aoi hadn't loosened her grip yet.
Raizen could feel her fingers clutching the fabric at his back, not painfully, but with a quiet desperation that said she hadn't fully convinced herself he was real. He didn't rush her. He stood there, breathing evenly, letting the moment exist.
Then—
"I'm sorry," he said suddenly. "Gotta go."
Before Aoi could react, the space in front of her collapsed inward.
Raizen vanished.
"—Raizen?" she said, blinking.
The air settled as if nothing had happened.
She stared at the empty space for a long second.
"…Idiot."
⸻
Wind brushed Raizen's face as he reappeared several corridors away, momentum carrying him forward half a step before he stopped. He straightened and glanced around.
There.
Gabimaru sat casually on the window ledge of a high infirmary room, one leg bent, the other dangling outside. A small bag of chips rested in his hand, the faint crunch echoing softly as he chewed.
Raizen smirked. "Yo."
Gabimaru didn't look surprised. He didn't even turn his head.
"What do you want," he said flatly.
Raizen stepped closer. "Eyy, I beat you fair and square. That means you gotta do what I want."
Gabimaru finally glanced at him, unimpressed. "Say it."
"I want you to join my crew."
Silence.
The wind rustled through the open window, carrying distant city sounds with it. Gabimaru chewed slowly, swallowed, then reached into the bag again.
"Why," he asked, tone even.
Raizen leaned against the wall, arms crossing. His expression softened—not playful, not cocky, but serious in a way Gabimaru immediately recognized.
"When we were fighting," Raizen said, "I could feel it."
Gabimaru paused.
"The bloodthirst," Raizen continued. "Not random. Not wild. Directed."
He met Gabimaru's eyes.
"You're hunting the Tsuchigumo."
Gabimaru didn't deny it.
"And don't get me wrong," Raizen added, "I want them gone too. I think that was the main purpose of this whole trip from the start. Everything else just… got layered on top."
Gabimaru exhaled through his nose.
"…Hmph."
He stared out the window for a moment, eyes distant.
Then he smirked.
"Mmm. Alright."
Raizen raised an eyebrow. "That easy?"
Gabimaru flicked a chip into his mouth. "On one condition."
"Name it."
"Stop calling me Gabinettsu."
Raizen laughed. "Deal."
They stepped forward at the same time and bumped fists—clean, solid, unspoken understanding passing between them.
The wind shifted.
Raizen vanished again.
⸻
Aoi was sitting cross-legged on the floor when Raizen reappeared in front of her so suddenly she flinched.
"—Don't do that!" she snapped.
He grinned. "Miss me?"
She looked away. "…You were gone for five seconds."
"Longest five seconds of my life."
She rolled her eyes, but the corner of her mouth betrayed her.
He crouched down in front of her, resting his elbows on his knees.
"Uhhh," he said, scratching the back of his head. "Wanna play poker?"
She blinked. "Poker?"
"Yeah. Senji taught me."
"That explains why I suddenly feel uneasy."
He laughed. "Come on. Just one round."
"…If you cheat, I'll stab you."
"Fair."
She stood, grabbing the cards from the shelf. "You're dealing."
As they sat down, neither of them noticed Senji watching from the hallway, arms crossed.
Lu leaned against the opposite wall. "So he recruited him."
"Yeah," Senji replied. "And he didn't even ask for my opinion."
Lu smirked. "Jealous?"
"No," Senji said. "Concerned."
Inside the room, Raizen shuffled the deck with practiced ease.
"By the way," he said casually, "Gabimaru's joining us."
Aoi paused mid-motion. "…That guy?"
"Yup."
She stared at him. "You really collect dangerous people like stray cats."
He shrugged. "They keep following me."
She sighed. "You're impossible."
He dealt the cards.
"But," she added quietly, peeking at her hand, "I guess that's why people stick around."
Raizen glanced up, surprised.
She didn't meet his eyes.
"…Deal the next card."
He smiled.
The game began.
And somewhere far beyond the city walls, something ancient shifted—
as if it had noticed.