On Top of the Food Chain

"What do you want?" Junpei asked, his voice steady but a flicker of tension in his eyes.

"Nothing," the Manager replied, a smirk curling his lips. "Just a heads-up that the Executioner will be visiting your neighborhood."

Junpei's expression remained unreadable, but his fists clenched slightly. "And?"

"Just passing on valuable information," the Manager continued, his tone mocking. "Why not resolve your matter with him?"

Junpei's eyes narrowed. "I don't think I'll do that."

"Don't worry," the Manager said, his tone mocking. “Both Blackthrone and Tanuki are working for me."

"Leaders of Kyoto and Osaka, both under you? How come I've never heard about you?" Junpei asked, suspicion lacing his words.

"I like to stay in the dark," the Manager said smoothly. "So, will you come to Kyoto?"

"No," Junpei answered, his voice firm.

"Suit yourself," the Manager said, turning towards the exit. As he reached the door, he glanced back and added, "Shin doesn't attack you, but that doesn't mean my men won't either."

With that, he walked out of the store, the automatic door sliding shut behind him, leaving Junpei in a tense silence, his mind racing with the implications of the Manager's visit.

***

Both Rika and Endo were visibly surprised by what Junpei had just told them. Kazuki, on the other hand, was confused.

"Who's Orochi?" he asked, looking between the three of them.

"Orochi is the name the Poachers gave my dad," Rika explained. "Every Ghoul gets a nickname based on their behavior. The Poachers come up with it, but soon everyone, even other Ghouls, starts using it."

Kazuki nodded slowly, absorbing the information. Junpei added, "Anyway, be careful tomorrow. I can't come with you guys."

"Why not?" Kazuki asked.

"A lot of people know me, and most of them aren't friendly. Who knows who I might run into in Kyoto. My luck isn't exactly great," Junpei replied with a wry smile.

"You're right," Endo chimed in. "I heard that both Poachers and Ghouls have increased in Kyoto. Something big is about to go down."

"Yeah, so don't do anything drastic. Quickly check the suicide spots in Kyoto, and if you don't find anything, then proceed to take out Shoda," Junpei instructed.

Rika nodded. "Shoda is our target. He used to be affiliated with the Black Market in Tokyo, but after being thrashed by some Awakeneds, he ran to Kyoto. Since then, he's been running an underground fighting ring."

"He’s committed homicide, genocide, pedophilia, bestiality, counterfeiting, drug trafficking, extortion, forgery, kidnapping, and money laundering. Besides these illegal activities, he’s also raped many women, men, and children," she continued.

"Are you sure our target isn't the Joker?" Endo quipped.

Everyone in the room gave him a disappointed look.

After that, they discussed the plan in detail. Once they were done, Kazuki headed back home, the weight of what lay ahead pressing heavily on his mind.

***

Kazuki sat on the floor of his home, bathed in the dim light that filtered through the window. The moonlight and the soft yellow glow from the streetlamp outside cast long, flickering shadows on the walls as vehicles passed by, but he paid them no mind. This dim atmosphere was perfect for his concentration.

With his legs crossed, Kazuki tried to manifest his Aura. He wasn’t supposed to train at home; Junpei had warned him that Aura could sometimes go out of control, causing destruction. That’s why he usually trained on the hill. But tonight, he felt a sense of urgency and knew he was still far from being able to manifest his Aura.

Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he focused. He thought about the different types of Aura he had witnessed—from claws to tails—and remembered every detail vividly. A faint, warm sensation began to build in his solar plexus. It was the same energy he had felt after his moment of enlightenment, a small, flickering flame deep within.

He had tried to move this small amount of energy towards his forehead or his hand, but it wouldn’t budge. Whenever he tried to manifest the energy directly on his chest, it simply dissipated. Yet, over the last few days, he had become more adept at sensing this energy, even if he couldn't control it. This slight progress was his only comfort.

As he meditated, he began to sense another presence, a different kind of energy. Unlike the familiar warmth in his solar plexus, this energy felt alien, external. It seemed to be trying to enter his body through his umbilical area. But whenever he opened his eyes, it would vanish, slipping away like a ghost. This had been happening for some time now—first, the internal energy in his solar plexus, then the foreign energy attempting to merge with his own.

Both these energies felt warm and welcoming, yet there was a stark difference between them. The external energy was affecting the internal energy somehow, he didn’t understand what reaction was happening between them, but something was happening.

Kazuki's frustration grew. He knew he had to master this, especially with what lay ahead in Kyoto. The thought of killing, of taking a life, weighed heavily on him. It felt heinous and unnatural, a stark contrast to the laws and morals he had grown up with.

The room was quiet except for the occasional hum of a passing car. The serenity of the night contrasted sharply with the turmoil inside him. He closed his eyes again, trying to focus, trying to grasp the elusive energy. As he concentrated, he could feel the internal warmth in his solar plexus and the faint touch of the foreign energy at his umbilical area. It was a delicate balance, like trying to catch smoke with his bare hands.

Hours passed, and he remained there, meditating. He felt the energies, sensed their presence, but control eluded him. Despite the slight improvements, frustration gnawed at him. He knew he had to keep trying, to push through the barriers.

Finally, exhausted, he opened his eyes. The room was still bathed in the soft glow of the moonlight and the streetlamp. He sighed, feeling the weight of his struggles and the uncertainty of what tomorrow would bring.

Kazuki entered his room and saw a plastic bag lying on his bed, and what had happened before leaving Junpei’s home flashed in his mind.

***

"Hey, Kazuki, we brought you something," Rika said, her usual indifferent expression softened by a hint of mischief, yet her eyes held a depth of coldness.

Endo handed him a neatly folded black tracksuit while Rika presented a black ski mask. Kazuki looked at the items, then back at the two of them, raising an eyebrow.

"Uh, thanks, but why are you giving me a bank robber mask?" Kazuki asked, holding up the ski mask with a skeptical look.

Endo snickered. "It's not a bank robber mask, it's to help you retain your identity in Kyoto. You know, just in case we run into any Poachers or other Ghouls."

Kazuki still looked confused. "So, you want me to look like I'm about to rob a convenience store to keep my identity safe?"

Rika smirked, her eyes glinting with amusement. "Exactly. If they can't see your face, they can't identify you. Plus, it's kind of a tradition. All newbies get one. We will get you an actual mask later on."

Kazuki rolled his eyes, but a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Great, so now I'm part of a stylish gang of Ghouls who dress like criminals."

Endo laughed. "Hey, it's either this or we give you a clown costume. Your choice."

Kazuki chuckled, shaking his head. "Alright, alright. I guess the tracksuit and ski mask it is. I'll just make sure not to walk into any banks while we're there."

Junpei walked in at that moment, wiping his hands on a towel. "What's all this commotion about?"

Kazuki held up the ski mask. "They're turning me into a discount ninja."

Junpei grinned. "Ah, the newbie initiation. I remember mine. My brother’s gang gave me a tutu."

Kazuki's eyes widened. "A tutu?"

Both Rika and Endo chuckled.

Kazuki laughed as well, the tension easing out of his shoulders. "Okay, so a tracksuit and ski mask don't sound so bad now."

Junpei shrugged. "It was a different time. We were more... creative with our disguises."