Inside the meeting room—
The atmosphere had grown noticeably heavier.
The tea on the table had gone untouched.
Shiro calmly rested one arm against the chair while looking toward Saito.
"…First."
"I want to thank you for defeating Joshua."
He crossed one leg casually.
"One of Metal Rod's members disappearing is beneficial for everyone."
Saito nodded slightly.
"…They messed with us first."
Shiro smiled faintly.
"And you handled it."
"…Efficiently."
He reached into his coat slightly.
"I also prepared a token of gratitude for your efforts."
Saito blinked once.
"…Really?"
"But before that—"
Shiro's eyes slowly shifted toward Kaito.
"…We should discuss Noctarion Kaito."
The room instantly became quieter.
Saito frowned slightly.
"…What about him?"
Shiro folded his hands together calmly.
"As you know…"
"Kaito the Silent Killer is one of the Nine Noctarion."
Several mayors exchanged tense glances.
Shiro continued calmly.
"He is also responsible for the fall of the Jokun Empire."
"…And the death of Mayor Harpy."
The room became completely silent now.
Then Shiro finally said it directly.
"…Therefore."
"I want him punished according to the law."
Saito immediately stood up.
"…Wait—"
But before he could continue—
Kaito raised one hand slightly.
"…Relax."
Saito looked at him in disbelief.
Shiro watched quietly.
"…Saito."
"I know you two are close friends."
"But he is still a Noctarion."
A pause.
"And for years…"
"I waited for him to come capture me."
Saito slowly narrowed his eyes.
"…Why would he do that?"
Kaito remained silent beside him while the tension inside the room rose sharply.
Fein spoke first, his voice steady but serious.
"…The Noctarion's task is to capture Primordeus."
Saito blinked.
"…Primordeus?"
Kaito exhaled slowly, eyes lowered.
"…That was my target."
He looked at the table for a moment before continuing.
"I'm Kaito."
"…Kaito the Silent Killer."
A pause.
"I was one of the Noctarion."
Several mayors stiffened immediately.
Kaito's voice remained calm.
"…I was assigned to capture Felin—the Mist God."
"And that mission led me here."
His eyes darkened slightly.
"…I was also the one who helped set the conditions for the Jokun Empire's fall."
A heavier silence spread across the room.
"…And Harpy's death."
Saito's expression tightened.
Kaito finally lifted his head.
"But that was then."
"I already quit that path."
He turned slightly toward Saito.
"…Now I'm with him."
"I follow Saito."
A brief silence followed.
Shiro finally spoke.
"…And what proof do you have that you left the Noctarion?"
Kaito didn't answer immediately.
"…I don't."
That answer made the room tense again.
Shiro studied him carefully.
Then—
Saito suddenly spoke.
"…So you're the Primordeus?"
Everyone turned to him.
Kaito stayed silent.
Shiro's expression shifted slightly, then he smiled.
"…No."
"I am."
The room froze.
Shiro leaned back calmly.
"…I'm the reincarnation of Felin the Mist God."
Silence.
Even the air seemed to stop.
Saito stared at him in disbelief.
"…What?"
Shiro simply smiled softly, as if stating something ordinary.
And for the first time since he arrived—
Saito looked genuinely stunned.
Shiro's words hung in the air.
"…So what do you think, Saito?"
"Do you agree to the punishment?"
Saito stayed silent.
The entire room waited.
Kaito exhaled slowly and looked toward the others.
"…Don't worry."
"I'll accept the consequences."
Several mayors tensed.
Takashi's hand tightened slightly on the table.
Saito suddenly stood up.
"…I don't agree with this."
Shiro tilted his head slightly.
"…Oh?"
"You're willing to fight against the law?"
Saito's expression didn't waver.
"…I don't care about your law."
He pointed slightly toward Kaito.
"…Kaito is under me."
"And only I have the right to decide his punishment."
His gaze sharpened.
"…Not you."
A faint growl came from Mina.
"…How rude."
Shiro raised one hand calmly.
"…Mina."
She paused, then leaned back with a huff.
"…Tch."
The tension loosened slightly.
Then—
Shiro suddenly smiled.
"…Very well."
"I hereby forgive Kaito."
The room froze.
Kaito's eyes widened slightly.
"…What?"
Saito blinked.
"…Huh?"
Shiro leaned back in his chair casually.
"…I insisted on punishment."
"But I trust your judgment, Saito."
His eyes narrowed slightly in a calm, thoughtful way.
"…I believe you are kind enough to see something I cannot."
Saito stared at him for a moment.
Then lowered his eyes slightly.
"…Yeah."
"I already promised him."
"…I'll free him from his past."
Kaito slowly looked at Saito.
A faint, rare smile appeared on his face.
The room remained silent—
but the tension that had filled it moments ago finally began to fade.
John leaned forward slightly, eyes still wide with disbelief.
"…Wow."
"This is the first time I've seen a Primordeus in front of me."
Gein crossed his arms slowly, still processing it.
"…Not just you."
"The Primordeus… in Jokun City."
"…How fascinating."
Fein narrowed his eyes slightly.
"…And why reveal this now?"
Shiro calmly picked up his tea again.
"…Because I'm not like the other Primordeus."
Saito tilted his head slightly.
"…There are more?"
That caught everyone's attention immediately.
Shiro gave a small smile.
"…Yes."
"There are more out there."
"But I prefer something simpler."
He leaned back slightly in his chair.
"…Let Jokun people live their own lives."
"I don't like ruling anything."
"I just stay with my gang."
Saito studied him carefully.
"…So you really don't care about power?"
Shiro's smile widened slightly.
"…Power?"
"I only care about interest."
The room stayed silent.
Then Saito suddenly leaned forward, eyes lighting up slightly.
"…So you can actually do things, right?"
Shiro paused for a moment—
then smirked.
"…You want to see?"
Saito's expression changed instantly.
Curiosity.
Focus.
Excitement.
"…Yeah."
Mina leaned in suddenly and pinched Shiro's cheek.
"…Darling, you can't just show your powers in public."
Her voice dropped slightly.
"It'll attract people who want to capture you."
"What if there are other Noctarion nearby?"
Shiro blinked once, then raised both hands slightly.
"…Alright, alright."
"I won't."
He exhaled casually.
"…But I don't sense any other Noctarion around here anyway."
He glanced briefly toward Kaito.
"…Except him."
Kaito didn't react.
Mina sighed and crossed her arms again.
"…You always say that."
Saito suddenly stepped forward, impatience showing clearly on his face.
"…Can we go now?"
Shiro chuckled lightly.
"…Of course."
He stood up and walked toward the door.
Saito immediately followed him, eyes bright with curiosity like a child being led somewhere exciting.
Behind them—
Takashi rubbed his forehead.
"…That kid really needs to control himself."
Fein gave a small tired smile.
"…Let him enjoy it."
"He's still an idiot kid at heart."
Rick and John both laughed lightly at that.
Bomb glanced sideways at Kaito, noticing his expression.
"…Your eyes are practically drooling."
"…Far from reality."
Kaito clicked his tongue immediately.
"…It's none of your concern."
Bomb shrugged.
"…Sure."
Takeru let out a quiet chuckle from the side.
"…He hasn't changed."
Kaito didn't respond.
Instead, his mind drifted back—
to the first time he met Saito.
The small apartment.
The silence.
And the moment everything in his path began to change without him realizing it.
The path out of Lorum Village gradually shifted from stone roads to dirt trails, and then into a dense stretch of forest behind the village.
Sunlight filtered through the tall trees in thin golden lines, swaying with the wind. The sound of distant village life faded behind them, replaced by rustling leaves and birds calling somewhere above the canopy.
Saito walked slightly ahead, hands loosely at his sides, clearly trying to contain his excitement.
"So…" he asked, glancing back at Shiro, "have you ever fought Kaito?"
Shiro walked calmly behind him, hands in his pockets, expression relaxed.
"…No," he answered.
"But I've fought other Noctarion before."
Saito's eyes sharpened immediately.
"…Who?"
Shiro tilted his head slightly, a faint smile forming.
"…Let's keep that a secret, shall we?"
Saito stared at him for a moment, clearly unsatisfied—but not pushing further.
"…Tch."
Then he exhaled and nodded anyway.
"…Fine."
But his pace quickened slightly.
Excitement was written all over him now—like a kid about to see something he had only heard stories about.
Shiro noticed it and chuckled softly.
"…You really like this, don't you?"
Saito didn't even hesitate.
"…Yeah."
The forest around them grew quieter as they went deeper, the trees closing in slightly overhead.
And Shiro, watching Saito from behind, kept his calm smile—
as if he already knew this walk into the forest was not just a demonstration…
but the beginning of something much larger.