November 8th. Rei's Return to Kennington

  The next morning, Kennington High hummed with its usual rhythm. Students filled the halls, chatting, laughing, and preparing for the day's lessons. The tension from past events still lingered, but for many, life had resumed as normal.

  At his desk, Josuke turned to Hinata, rubbing the back of his head.

  "You visiting Rei again today?"

  Hinata smiled. "Yeah. I always do."

  Josuke sighed but smirked. "I guess it's about time I see him, too." He cracked his knuckles. "Next time I see him, I'm slapping him upside the head for making me worry."

  Just then, the classroom door slid open.

  A bandaged Rei stepped inside.

  Hinata's face lit up, her hands tightening in excitement.

  Josuke froze, his mind racing. Did I just summon him with my words?

  "Good morning, Rei," the teacher greeted, cutting through the whispers of the class. "We're all glad you're back so soon. The Academy has been keeping us updated, but I didn't expect you back this quickly."

  Rei gave a slight bow. "Thank you, sir. And hello, everyone."

  His voice maintained the same monotone as always, but those who knew him well might notice the subtle strain behind it—a tension that hadn't been there before. Though he stood straight and moved with his usual grace, there was a new watchfulness in his eyes, a vigilance born from having fought battles within his own mind.

  The murmurs continued—some of awe, some of discomfort.

  Rei made his way to his seat. Hinata, still blushing, couldn't stop glancing back at him.

  Lunchtime — Conversations of the Past

  At their usual table, Rei, Josuke, Hinata, Sama, and Fumiko sat together for the first time in weeks.

  "Dude, how the hell are you?!" Sama blurted out, breaking the silence.

  The rest of the group piled on, each voice filled with relief and curiosity.

  Rei exhaled. "I think I'm fine. My head's buzzing all over the place." He rubbed his temple. "Even though I was unconscious, I... noticed everything. It was like I was still aware, but trapped inside my own mind."

  A darkness flashed behind his eyes as fragments of memory surfaced. The war he'd waged against Hikito—his own twin living within him. The revelation of Leonis, another entity bound to his soul. The doors in his mindscape that remained unopened, suggesting even more presences lurking inside him. And worse, the moments when he'd lost control, when Hikito had nearly killed Josuke.

  The weight of it all—the understanding that he wasn't alone in his own body—constantly pressed against the edges of his consciousness. Every thought now came with a shadow of doubt: Is this truly my decision? Or is something else influencing me?

  His words hung in the air.

  He was being vague—he wasn't about to explain the conversations he had with Hikito and Leonis. He already sounded crazy enough after everything that had happened. Fights with assassins. Encounters with the underworld. Training under Kage and Ryuu.

  ...Kage.

  Rei realized something. He hadn't seen Kage since the incident.

  His brow furrowed. "By the way... do any of you know where Kage's been?"

  The table fell silent.

  Everyone shook their heads.

  Fumiko finally spoke. "I remember he told the police he had some business to take care of. After the incident, when they brought us in for questioning... he was just walking away. That's all I remember."

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  Rei clenched his fist under the table, where the others couldn't see. Business to take care of...? He had fought alongside Kage that night. He had watched Kage risk himself using the Shrine Technique. If he was gone now, something was very wrong. The Guild connection to the assassination attempt raised disturbing possibilities.

  But Rei knew better than to voice these concerns. Kage had always been a mystery to the others—their mentor but never their friend. They wouldn't understand the growing knot of dread in Rei's stomach.

  Pushing the thought aside, Rei's eyes fell on Hinata.

  "Hinata... what happened with your house?"

  Hinata blinked, then offered a small smile. "The Academy is rebuilding it. In the meantime, my family and I are staying in the temporary housing section."

  Rei nodded slowly. More memories crept into his mind.

  Josuke.

  His fingers tensed. A new emotion bloomed inside him—

  Sadness. Sadness of seeing his friend on the brink of death. Sadness that it was almost by his hands that he almost caused it.

  Rei looked at Josuke. The image of his hands wrapped around his friend's throat resurfaced. The horror on Josuke's face. The despair in his eyes. The memory was crystal clear, though it hadn't been him in control. He could still feel how Hikito had used his body, his strength, his hands.

  Rei's throat tightened. He forced the words out.

  "...Josuke, I'm sorry."

  The table went completely silent.

  They all knew why Rei was apologizing. But none of them spoke.

  Josuke studied Rei for a moment before placing a firm hand on his shoulder.

  "No, Rei. I'm sorry."

  Rei's eyes widened slightly.

  Josuke continued. "I saw you fight back against that... thing. You fought it off to protect me. I should have known it wasn't really you, but... my emotions got the best of me."

  He sighed, shaking his head. "Hinata told me to visit you so many times, but I just couldn't. I let my fear win. I actually had a long talk with Mr. Haikito and told Hinata today that I was going to visit you no matter what."

  Rei felt a small weight lift from his shoulders.

  "You talked to Mr. Haikito?" Rei asked.

  Josuke smirked. "Yeah, the old man wanted a chat. He reminded me of something he told me a long time ago—about why I should stick by my friend. He said..."

  Josuke's voice lowered, repeating Haikito's words carefully.

  "And the moment you leave your friend will be the moment the world crumbles, Josuke."

  Rei's chest tightened.

  Josuke exhaled. "At first, I thought he was just saying that to get in my head. But then, I started thinking... he's been watching over you, Rei. He sees something in you. And even though I was angry, even though I was afraid, I get it now."

  Rei swallowed hard.

  Josuke chuckled, nudging him slightly. "And yeah... he also said that if you ever go crazy again, I need to be there to beat some sense into you."

  The table, once filled with silence, erupted in laughter.

  The Underworld — A Meeting of Kings

  That evening, at an undisclosed location, Ryuu walked cautiously.

  His sharp eyes scanned his surroundings. The woman beside him gripped his arm tightly. She was checking for anyone tailing them.

  A portal opened.

  In an instant, they vanished.

  When they reappeared, Ryuu found himself in a room full of criminals.

  The moment he stepped in, the air shifted.

  Conversations halted mid-sentence. Glasses froze halfway to lips. Cards suspended in the middle of deals.

  The sound of his footsteps alone sent shivers down their spines.

  One man, irritated, turned. "Who the hell is—"

  He stopped.

  He saw him.

  The legendary Ryuu Hanma.

  His traditional martial arts attire was simple—yet commanded attention. A tight-fitting shirt over a white undershirt. Loose, dark pants for unrestricted movement. On his back, emblazoned in bold kanji, was the symbol:

  "Dragon."

  Hands in his pockets, Ryuu followed the woman toward a private chamber.

  As they passed, the criminals whispered.

  "He's back."

  "The Beast of the East... in the Underworld?"

  A heavyset man with gold teeth nearly choked on his drink. A card dealer's hands trembled so badly he scattered the deck across the table. One woman grabbed her partner's arm so tightly her nails drew blood.

  A thin man in the corner made the fatal error of making direct eye contact with Ryuu as he passed. The man instantly broke into a cold sweat, his eyes widening in terror as Ryuu's gaze lingered on him for a split second.

  He's not going to kill me for looking, is he? the man thought frantically, dropping his gaze to the floor. I didn't know it was him who entered. Surely this beast doesn't kill someone just for looking at him, right? The man remained frozen, afraid that even breathing too loudly might provoke the legendary fighter.

  These weren't ordinary criminals. They were hardened killers, men and women who had survived decades in a world where most died within years. They had seen horrors that would break ordinary people.

  And yet, in Ryuu's presence, they became children again—afraid of the monster under the bed.

  The woman led him to an empty room.

  "The boss will see you shortly," she said, then disappeared.

  Ryuu scoffed. "All this theater."

  Then—

  Another door appeared.

  A large figure entered.

  His presence reeked of death.

  His skin—tanned and hardened like aged leather.

  His eyes—piercing, cold, like a beast that had seen countless men die.

  Akuma.

  But beside him...

  A priest.

  His robe was divine—crafted with holy embroidery. The sheer contrast between him and Akuma was unsettling.

  Ryuu tilted his head. What kind of joke is this?

  Akuma's voice was deep, slow, and deliberate.

  "Hello, friend."

  Ryuu grinned, exhilarated by the presence before him.

  "Akuma... long time no see."

  The priest remained silent.

  The meeting of two of the most dangerous men in the country had begun.