A haunting dark night enshrouds Daimon Island, as though grasped by an unrelenting hand of darkness. The island sits unnaturally still, tension so thick it could be cut with a knife. Across the streets, public televisions replay the breaking news of Shoma’s death, casting an unnerving glow on the silent island.

In his house, Yamato sits hunched at his desk, papers scattered in a chaotic mess. His eyes dart between notes as he rifles frantically through his investigation records.

“Okay, a drug dealer who gives out drugs that kill people through radiation. He’s also the most likely suspect in the radiation killings. And to top it all off, he has a damn serial killer working for him. Dammit… I’m lost.”

Slamming a hand to his forehead, Yamato rubs his scalp in frustration. He leans back in his chair, the weight of the case pressing heavily on his mind, his hands clutching his head as he digs deep for a connection. Then, suddenly, his eyes widened, a spark reigniting his focus. He rapidly shifts the papers until he finds the one he’s searching for. Fumbling for his phone, he dials a number, puts it on speaker, and waits.

A voice answers quickly, upbeat and familiar. “Hey, what’s up, Yamato?”

“Ski, I need your help with a case I’m working on.”

“Oh? You need my help?” Ski says, clearly excited. “How can I help?”

“I'm tracking a drug dealer who’s likely behind the radiation deaths. I just remembered something while reviewing my notes. I questioned a guy named Kazu Kato, who said the dealer mentioned something about ‘revenge for the sins of the past.’ I started thinking,a guy with a horrible burn covering half his face, someone who kills people with radiation but somehow leaves no trace of where the radiation comes from. What if something happened to him radiation related that caused him to unlock his powers? A person can only unlock their powers if they have a defining moment, a moment of extreme anger, sadness, or something like that.”

Ski’s voice grows serious. “You think something traumatic involving radiation triggered his abilities?”

“Exactly. And you know a lot about crazy things that have happened on this island. Anything come to mind?”

There’s a quick moment of silence as Ski takes time to think.“Actually, yeah. Oh my gosh, how has everybody missed this?”

“What?”

“Have you heard of the famous scientists Hideo and Aiko Nishima?”

“Yeah, a little. Didn’t they cause that radiation plant explosion a few years back?”

“Well, that’s what we were told, but I always suspected the story was incomplete. Here’s the thing, during that explosion, Hideo, Aiko, and their daughter, Emi Nishima, were all found dead near the plant. Their bodies were melted beyond recognition from the radiation. But here’s the catch: their son, Atsuki Nishima… his body was never found. Officially, they said it was entirely disintegrated, but…”

“You think it’s possible he survived?” Yamato interjects.

“If Atsuki had a defining moment during that explosion, then yeah, it’s possible. He could’ve developed radiation immunity and powers, but not before getting half his face burned.”

“Damn. That’s gotta be our guy,” Yamato mutters in realization. “Thanks, Ski.”

“Yamato...” Ski hesitates for a moment, her tone uneasy. “There’s something else.”

“What is it?”

“Today is the anniversary of that explosion. It happened exactly five years ago, tonight.”

Yamato’s eyes widen, pieces clicking into place like jagged puzzle fragments. “‘Revenge for the sins of the past.’ Revenge for his family. But who’s he targeting?”

“The mayor, Yamato!” Ski answers, almost shouting. “The mayor was the first to publicly blame the Nishimas for the explosion. He destroyed their reputation. Now, they’re despised by the entire island. If Atsuki’s after anyone, it’s him.”

“DAMMIT! I’VE GOTTA GO!”

“But you don’t have your stormcallers back yet!” Ski protests.

“I know, but I still have to go.”

Yamato hangs up abruptly and sprints to his car. Without hesitation, he starts the engine and speeds off into the deserted streets.

***

At the grand Hoshiga estate, Mei, one of the family maids, hums quietly as she finishes some late-night cleaning. Soft footsteps carry her to the front door as a faint knock echoes through the quiet hall.

“Who’s there?” Mei calls out, her voice steady but curious.

As she cracks the door open, the muted glow from the moonlight reveals a dark, hooded figure. Her breath catches in her throat as fear takes hold. Before she can react, there’s a sudden, sickening thump of something heavy crashing onto the floor and the sharp sound of breaking glass echoes through the house. Upstairs, Riku quickly wakes up, startled by the sound.

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“Hello? Dad? Faith? Mei?” she calls out, her voice uncertain.

Still in her pajamas, Riku climbs out of bed and tentatively steps into the darkened hallway. She glances around, searching for signs of life. As she reaches the living room, she spots her father, Haru Hoshiga, standing frozen alongside Faith, the other maid, both of them staring toward the front door.

“Dad? Faith?” Riku asks, confused. “What’s going on?”

“RIKU, STAY BACK!” Faith cries out desperately.

Alarmed, Riku flinches as she turns toward the source of their fear. Her heart pounds, her body trembling as her gaze locks onto the figure standing in front of them.

Before her is a man, young but menacing, barely older than herself. His face is marred by a vulgar burn scar covering half of it, and his black hair is streaked with hints of an unnatural green. One of his eyes is black as night, while the other, on the scarred side, is a soulless, milky white. Dressed in a black and green shirt, black pants, and a black lab coat, the man radiates an unsettling aura of madness. His devious, twisted grin sends a chill through the room.

In his left arm, he holds Mei, his grip tight as she struggles futilely. In his right hand, he presses a gun firmly to her head.

“Oh! Nice of you to join us, Riku Hoshiga, we’re just having a friendly chat, nothing to worry about.”

Riku takes a small step back, her body trembling with fear. The man grips Mei tighter, pressing the gun harder against her head.

“DON’T!... Why leave? That’s hardly how you treat a guest... IS IT?!”

“Wh-What do you want?” Riku stammers.

“Oh, what an amazing question!” The man chuckles, his tone dripping with mockery. “Me and your father were just talking about that, weren’t we… Mr. Mayor?”

“You’re insane,” Mayor Hoshiga snaps.

“I AGREE! Because that’s what you turned me into!”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Is that right? So the Nishima family doesn’t ring a bell?”

“Nishima?” The mayor freezes, his body begins to tremble, and his breathing grows erratic. “No... No, it can’t be. Are... Are you?”

“YES! THAT’S EXACTLY WHO I AM!. You should know how much trouble you’re in now, huh, MR. MAYOR?!”

Mayor Hoshiga stares at the ground, breaking into a cold sweat. He doesn’t respond, but his silence says it all. His heart pounds in his chest, the full reality of the situation sinking in.

“D-dad?” Riku looks at him nervously, her voice trembling with concern. “What’s he talking about?”

The mayor’s frightened eyes snap to Riku’s. He opens his mouth as if to speak, but no words come out. He stays silent, consumed by guilt and fear.

“TELL HER!” Nishima commands. “TELL HER exactly what I’m talking about.”

Before the mayor can answer, heavy footsteps echo from the doorway. Yamato steps into the wide-open entrance, his gun raised and fixed on Nishima.

“DIPD! Let her go!”

Nishima tilts his head and smirks. “OH! LOOK AT THIS! The star rookie detective of this ACCURSED island.”

“Are you Atsuki Nishima?” Yamato asks.

“Yeah. That’s me. Just call me Nishima.”

Mayor Hoshiga collapses to his knees, desperation etched across his face. “It... It really is you?!”

“THAT’S RIGHT!!” Nishima shouts, his voice booming. He glares at Yamato. “Detective Fujimura, if you knew everything I know about this man, you wouldn’t be protecting him.”

Yamat remains calm, though his grip tightens on the gun. “What I do know is that you’ve murdered multiple people using radiation and that you’re working with Ryota Shima, a known serial killer. You’re dangerous, Nishima, and you need to be stopped.”

Nishima lets out a low, humorless laugh. “So you even know about Ryota, huh? Damn, you’re good. With everything going on in this horrid island, I figured the cops would be too busy to notice me. Guess I underestimated y’all.”

“Not entirely.”

Nishima glances at Yamato’s gun and begins to laugh hysterically. “AHAHA! A simple pistol? Oh, come on. Those aren’t even your famous stormcallers. Hell, do you even know how to use that thing?”

“Only one way to find out.”

“Just let me kill him, the man deserves it anyway. You’d know if you weren’t so blind.”

“I’m not letting you kill anyone else,” Yamato replies firmly.

“FINE! I’ve got bigger plans anyway. I’ll just save our dear mayor for later.”

Nishima points his gun at Yamato, but before he can fire, Yamato darts back behind the front door, using it as cover. Gunshots echo through the house, the sharp cracks of Nishima’s weapon ringing in Riku’s ears. She screams in terror, clutching her hands to her chest.

Amid the chaos, Nishima rips off one of his gloves with his teeth and grabs Mei by the throat with his bare hand. Mei gasps before falling to the ground, coughing violently, her throat burning. Faith rushes to check on her, panicked.

The gunfire briefly pauses as Yamato steps back into view, aiming his pistol at Nishima. The two stand locked in a standoff, circling each other carefully. Yamato maneuvers to keep his body between Nishima and the Hoshigas.

“You know,” Nishima sneers, reaching into his pocket. “This has been fun,” He pulls out a small, black-and-green circular device, his grin widening. “This is just a prototype, but let’s see how it does.”

He presses a button, and the device begins beeping ominously. He throws it into the middle of the room, right between Faith, Riku, and the mayor.

“GO FETCH, DETECTIVE!” Nishima taunts.

Yamato sprints forward, grabbing the device and tossing it to the second floor just before it explodes. A deafening blast shakes the house, sending everyone sprawling to the floor. Green mist pours from the device, spreading through the air. Yamato struggles to get to his feet, his vision blurry from the shockwave.

Through his haze, he sees Nishima grab a screaming Riku. She thrashes, trying to escape, but Nishima’s grip is unrelenting. Yamato tries to crawl toward them, desperation fueling his movement, but his body refuses to cooperate. He can only watch helplessly as Nishima drags Riku outside and throws her into his car.

Sirens wail in the distance, their noise growing louder as they approach the scene. But by the time they arrive, Nishima and Riku are gone.