The neon signs outside Kotatsu’s Diner illuminated the street, casting a colorful glow on the faces of the protagonists who stood outside the entrance. Shingo, Keiji, Shiori, Nishi, Ryonoken, Mariko, Gale, and Chiyo had all gathered in front of the diner, preparing for a crucial meeting.

As they entered the diner, Uncle Kotatsu himself greeted them with a friendly smile, showing them to their reserved table. The interior of the diner was cozy and warm, filled with the aroma of freshly cooked food and the sound of sizzling griddles.

The group settled in their seats, their eyes meeting in a silent exchange of determination and unity. They had come too far to back down now, and they would do whatever it takes to uncover the truth behind Hannya’s actions and protect their people.

Shingo spoke up, “I’m sorry because there are not enough cheesecakes to go around. It’s one hour before closing time, and Uncle Kotatsu needs to take a rest for the night.”

Keiji nodded in agreement. “That’s all right. Anyway, I, Shiori, and Nishi will represent the GI in this meeting. Let’s make this as hushed up as possible.”

Gale chimed in, “Without mentioning the Ya—” He paused, catching himself before he could finish the sentence. “Er, our gang or organization.”

Chiyo facepalmed at Gale’s near slip-up. “You almost blew it in an instant, Gale.”

Gale grinned sheepishly. “Hu-uh. Sorry about that.”

Shiori stepped forward, taking charge. “Let’s get straight to business, then. As you are all well aware now, our common enemy is Hannya.”

Mariko, who had been standing silently until now, spoke up. “However, we discovered that he doesn’t act alone. The question is, who is behind Hannya’s actions?”

Ryonoken spoke up, “We have some obvious assumptions already, but to confirm the truth, we better ask our new friend here, Raijin.”

All eyes turned towards the high-schooler, who sat in the middle of the group like a defendant in a courthouse trial. Nishi reassured him, “Come on, don’t be afraid. We are your friends now. Just spill the beans out and you’ll feel better afterward.”

Raijin replied, “Shoot away then.”

Keiji asked the pressing question, “Is it true that JinCorp is behind Hannya’s actions all the time? Is it true that JinCorp facilitates the whole thing? Also, the closure of Evernaland Theme Park and Inazuma Integrated Transportation Center. Did JinCorp do that on purpose? JinCorp subsidiaries manage those sites, so Hannya can spring his death traps and swarm the whole place with mutants. Is that true as well?”

Raijin hesitated before answering, “Those are partly true. You see, JinCorp CEO and owner, Noboru Jinbei only acts as a facilitator. The thing is, Hannya just sows the seeds, lets others do the dirty work, and reaps the yield almost effortlessly when the crops are ripe for harvest.”

Chiyo voiced her concern, “Do you mean the people Hannya uses are you, Fuujin, and all of us?”

Raijin nodded, “Yes, and sadly, I only realized that after he took Fuujin away. I was wrong to put absolute faith in a false and deceitful teacher, and for that, I’m sorry.”

Keiji shook his head, “You don’t have to. Nobody, even Hayato Mori has to apologize and compensate with anything. Most of what happened wasn’t because of someone’s recklessness and folly. It was solely because of Hannya and his diabolic plan.”

Raijin seemed to find solace in Keiji’s words, “Thank you. Somehow, I’m relieved to hear that.”

The group fell into silence, mulling over the gravity of their situation and the extent of Hannya’s web of lies.

Shingo then spoke up with a sense of urgency in his voice. “Now that you’re relieved, maybe you won’t mind telling us how to find Hannya and his backer, Jinbei. We need to do a reckoning with them and rescue the abductees, too.”

Raijin, who was one of the enhanced humans, hesitated for a moment before speaking. “Well, now that’s a real problem. I and Fuujin were ‘enhanced’ in a laboratory, and I don’t remember or even know where that place was.”

The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.

Shiori, who had also undergone the same experiments, chimed in. “I was in that place too, and I never knew its location either!”

Shingo’s eyes widened with shock. “What? What happened to you, Shio?”

Shiori shuddered as she recalled the memories. “I… I’m not sure. I was barely conscious when those scientists did some sort of… experiments on me.”

Mariko, sensing the tension in the air, tried to diffuse the situation. “Let’s save it for later when you two are catching up to each other, okay? The lease continues, Raijin.”

Raijin nodded in agreement before continuing. “So, since then, we worked as ‘freelance troubleshooters.’ When we were not at school, we helped Master Hannya by doing some tasks and missions and got really good pay.”

Gale, who was always quick to spot the loopholes, commented, “Figures. That way, you wouldn’t quit the job because they didn’t pay you well enough.”

Raijin nodded in agreement. “Sometimes, we were called to the JinCorp HQ in Ginjiro Donjon for briefings if we were stationed or doing missions in JinCorp sites.”

Nishi, who was always keen to learn more, asked, “Like Inazuma Integrated and Evernaland Theme Park?”

Raijin nodded before elaborating. “Yes. Anyway, everything is automated in that Donjon office. The employees, except the workbots, work online from their homes. So, it is pretty much vacant in that spacious fortress. The things in there are mostly empty rooms with traps and switches, maybe to repel unwanted intruders or trespassers.”

Ryonoken, who had been quiet for some time, suddenly spoke up. “Ah, yes. It’s purely a fortress. Which reminds me, I’m very sorry I have failed to tail and spy on Hayato. He was in Akabeno, and then he disappeared. He probably went away in disguise or through a secret passage that I don’t know about.”

Shingo reassured Ryonoken, “That’s okay. Hayato is as elusive as a fox anyway. Back to you, Raijin. Are you sure that Jinbei is holed up in that donjon?”

Raijin nodded. “Most likely. Jinbei Clan is native to this city and fortress, and the caretaker of Ginjiro Fortress since it was built. So, Jinbei lives there.”

The group huddled around the table, their eyes fixed on Raijin, he spoke in a low and steady voice, as if he was revealing a secret that had been kept hidden for generations.

“The Ginjiro Fortress,” Raijin began, “was built by Hikari Munetori, who later became its master. When he rose to Shogunate, he occupied a bigger donjon in Arashi, the largest city in Shima. He then returned the lordship of Ginjiro Donjon to the Jinbei Clan and appointed Jinbei Rakubo as the Daimyo of Daitoshi and the whole prefecture under it.”

The group listened intently, nodding in agreement and appreciation for Raijin’s expertise. But Chiyo, the ever-skeptical one, couldn’t help but raise an important question.

“But, are you sure that we’ll find Hannya too in that fortress?” Chiyo asked, her eyes searching Raijin’s face for any sign of doubt.

Raijin paused, considering her question for a moment. “I don’t know,” he said finally, “but it’s our best bet so far. If Hannya is not in the headquarters, it means he is in the JinCorp factory and research center, namely JinCorp Mega Complex.”

Ryonoken, who had been silent until now, spoke up with a note of determination in his voice. “Well, hope we can gather enough information and uncover more mysteries in Ginjiro Donjon, so we shall be ready to fight Hannya again.”

Shiori chimed in, her voice filled with a mix of eagerness and trepidation. “So, it’s settled then. Next stop, Ginjiro Donjon.”

The group rose from their seats, excitement coursing through their veins as they prepared for their next mission. They knew that the journey ahead of them would be fraught with danger and uncertainty, but they were ready, at least in their mindsets first.