The sun shines on Daimon Island, beams spilling over every corner. Days have passed since Yuto’s fight with Kairo. The aftermath of that night has faded, and the island is quiet once again. In Shunji’s house, Yuto lies in bed, still recovering from his wound. Shunji walks into the room to check on him.
“You seem to be recovering faster than usual,” he says, with relief.
“Power users heal faster than normal people because of our enhanced bodies. That’s probably why,” Yuto replies.
“You still need to stay in bed for a couple more days.”
Shunji watches Yuto silently for a moment, his face nervous and uneasy.
“Yuto… do you know what you’re going to do now? Is it over?”
Yuto turns his head and stares at the ceiling, his thoughts swirling in his mind.
“That night, when I fought Kairo… it opened my eyes. I realized there’s more to avenging my parents than taking down Kairo. Kairo was only a pawn, a tool used by the real culprits behind my parents’ deaths, the mayor and the underworld. I want to take down Mayor Hoshiga, but I can’t do that without dismantling the underworld. That’s where he gets his power. He hired killers from Shoma Jiro, and those killers worked for Madam.”
“What about Riku? Do you still want to be friends with her?” Shunji asks carefully.
“Riku isn’t responsible for her father’s actions. I’m positive she doesn’t even know what Mayor Hoshiga is doing behind closed doors. She’s also my friend. I don’t hate her.”
“It’s going to be a long and tough journey. Hate and anger will only carry you so far,” Shunji warns.
“I know… When I was standing over Kairo, I wanted to kill him and satisfy my rage. But then I remembered something my dad said years ago, and in that moment, all my anger disappeared. I knew I was more than just anger and hate. I knew I had the potential to be different, to bring change to this island the way my father tried. And no matter how much I wanted to, I couldn’t kill just to satisfy my hate. That’s how I’d become the very thing I hated. I know now that I’m more than that. I’ll prove to this island that there’s still a chance for redemption. I have to let my hate go. That’s the only way I’ll become something strong enough to take down the underworld… a ‘Black Knight.’”
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Yuto remembers the ‘Brave Knight’ show he loved as a kid. Flashes on the knight went through his head. It’s armor and design is similar to Yuto’s vigilante suit.
Shunji looks at Yuto, pride flickering at how Yuto has changed. But before he can say anything, both of their attentions shift to the TV in the corner of the room. Onscreen, Sierra Reeds of RMN is covering yet another major event on the island. She stands with a crowd of media outside the entrance to a large building.
“This is Sierra Reeds of RMN, coming to you live from the Daimon Island Precinct, where Shoma Jiro has just been found guilty on all accounts. He’ll be escorted out by the police at any moment,” she announces.
The doors of the precinct swing open, and Shoma Jiro appears in handcuffs, accompanied by his son, Shou Jiro. Senior detectives Kiria and Kaeya lead the escort, followed by rookie detectives Kai, Hibiki, and Ava, as well as other officers. Sierra Reeds and a crowd of reporters surge forward, shouting questions and jostling for position. Officers bark orders at the crowd, urging them to clear a path, as people push and shove each other to get closer.
“MR. JIRO! MR. JIRO!” Sierra calls out, standing firm with her microphone extended, trying to avoid the chaos.
Shoma, noticing the respect in Sierra’s composed demeanor, turns to face her. He walks over to her microphone, his expression sharp but calm.
“Mr. Jiro, with everything happening in Daimon, it seems like the underworld of this island is about to come under attack. Is there anything you’d like to say before you go to jail? Anything that might help us stand against the underworld?” Sierra asks clearly, her voice steady and professional.
Shoma leans into the microphone, but before he can answer, a sudden gunshot pierces the air. The bullet rips through his head, and his body collapses instantly to the ground as the crowd erupts into chaos.
“FATHER!” Shou screams desperately. “NOOOOOO! FATHER, NOOOOO!”
Senior Detective Kaeya grabs Shou, dragging him to cover, while the rest of the crowd scatters in panic. People flood the street, halting cars and triggering a frenzy of honking horns. Shoma lies lifeless on the ground, blood pooling beneath his head. The scene devolves into chaos, officers shouting, reporters scrambling, and screams echoing through the streets.