Final Act: The Universal Reckoning
Shingo’s Diary
Finally, I saw the light.
Destiny had reunited me with my long-lost sister.
From then on, we were always together, and nothing could separate us again.
Of course, my attention to Mariko didn’t diminish.
And she became closer to Shiori like best friends did.
However, destiny has reunited us with a purpose we have never thought of before.
The purpose of our separation was to be reunited someday as well-honed, well-trained, and well-experienced individuals.
However, the purpose of our reunion would reveal itself in the most unthinkable way,
even out of this world.
And only a mad scientist could think of such a thing.
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Jinbei held an urgent meeting with Hayato and Akiba in his office in the Ginjiro Donjon, a fortress in the northwest uptown of Daitoshi.
The three of them sat in a circle, discussing Hannya’s motives.
Hayato recounted the recent events, emphasizing his girlfriend’s abduction and the devil-masked man’s betrayal.
But Akiba had a different perspective. “On the contrary, I think Hannya’s plan is working perfectly,” he said. “Don’t you think so too, Jinbei-san?”
Jinbei nodded. “Indeed. Hannya only wanted to measure those pesky disruptors’ powers. He knew he wouldn’t be able to defeat them all once they are united.”
Hayato was taken aback. “W-wait. What’s the meaning of this? The devil-masked man is working for you all along? I thought he was our common enemy!”
Jinbei’s face was inscrutable. “I lied. For Hannya, I am a financier, a facilitator, and a partner, just like I am for your Godfather here.”
Hayato gritted his teeth. “I see! But, Hannya has abducted my girlfriend, Reika Diose! And he has abducted many other people with special powers or espers too! What is his, no, are you all playing at?”
Akiba shrugged, saying, “Why don’t you ask him personally?”
“W-what?”
At that moment, Hannya appeared out of the shadows, his face shrouded by a devil mask. He began to hypnotize Hayato, who was strong-willed but no match for the powerful Hannya. In a matter of seconds, Hayato’s fierce expression turned blank, and he became obedient to Hannya’s commands.
“You’re saying?” Hannya asked.
“I thought you tried to kill Hayato or he was going to attack you,” Jinbei commented.
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“Of course, I can’t allow either of those,” Hannya said. “Now he has changed from a tiger into a tame pussy cat. Just stroke his belly and he’ll obey you without question.”
Akiba stepped forward. “Good. I’ll handle him from here. Hayato, as we are going to the final stage of our plan, we’ll gather in JinCorp Mega Complex to see it to completion. So, you must stand guard in this fortress and prevent anyone from sticking his nose in our business. I shall lend you the Maeda family heirloom, the sacred Odenta katana. Use it well. Don’t worry, the best of the JinCorp security squad will assist you.”
Jinbei added, “Of course. They’re machines, after all.”
Hannya assured Hayato, “Don’t worry, Hayato. I’ll take good care of Reika Diose. I’ll try my best to keep her alive and in one piece, so you can reunite again.”
Under the spell, Hayato spoke flatly. “Your wish is my command.”
“Good, that’s a sweet pussy cat, all right. Now, shall we proceed with the final stage?” Akiba said, looking up at Jinbei and Hannya, his voice cool and collected.
“Just wait a minute,” Hannya said. “Because of those twins, their friends, and the strong union they’ve formed, we’re short of supernatural energy to summon and extract that infinite power.”
“What do you mean by that, Hannya? Will there be more delays?” Jinbei asked, a note of concern in his voice.
“Not necessarily so,” Hannya replied. “I already have a backup plan, in case the master plan fails.”
“No. Backup plan, I don’t like the sound of it. Either the master plan works or nothing at all,” Akiba retorted, his voice rising in frustration.
Jinbei interjected, his tone soothing. “Oh, come on. Be positive. The book ‘Ginjiro Strategem’ by Shogun Amigaharu Munetori, builder of this fortress mentioned this. ‘We must be ready and prepared for all situations and possibilities, from the best to the worst. There is no such thing as a perfect situation.’”
Akiba facepalmed, conceding to Jinbei’s logic. “Your words are so convincing when based on a valid theory tested with experience. I just can’t argue with that.”
“Convincing people with unfathomable knowledge, that’s what I do to get rich. Anyway, back to you, Hannya. What’s your backup plan, then?” Jinbei asked, his eyes curious.
“I can’t tell you now, because the master plan doesn’t fail yet. If I disclose it, the backup plan will spoil the master plan and the whole operation will fail. You surely don’t want that to happen, right?” Hannya explained, his tone dripping with confidence.
“Now this is where another quote comes in, ‘He who holds the key calls the shots,’” Akiba added, a sly smile on his face.
Jinbei nodded, acknowledging the truth in Akiba’s words. “Can’t argue with that too.”
“Good. Just spare me the pointless debates,” Hannya said, a hint of impatience in his voice. “Now that we truly understand each other, let’s all but Mori gather at the main stage for the final phase.”
Jinbei’s eyes widened, saying, “The JinCorp Mega Complex.”
As they made their way toward the final stage, Jinbei couldn’t help but wonder what Hannya’s backup plan was and whether it would be enough to ensure their success. He knew that the fate of their entire operation hinged on this one last phase and prayed that nothing would go wrong.
The weight of their mission hung heavy on his shoulders, and he could only hope that their hard work and dedication would pay off in the end.