Shingo’s heart raced as he and his mentor and leader, Hayato Mori, dashed into each other in a fateful duel. Their blades clashed with a resounding impact, the clash of metal echoing through the air. Each strike was filled with purpose, their movements fluid and precise.

Round after round, they danced across the battleground, their swords a blur of steel. Hayato’s Odenta, a masterfully crafted weapon, seemed to have the upper hand, its brimming blue edge slicing through the air with deadly grace. Shingo fought with all his might, his katana a loyal extension of his will.

As they reached the third round, both warriors knew that they had to unleash their ogis, their ultimate skills, to gain an advantage. Shingo gathered his focus, channeling his energy into his signature move, Falling Sakura Petals. With a swift and elegant motion, he brought his katana down, releasing a flurry of strikes that mimicked the graceful descent of cherry blossom petals.

Hayato, undeterred, responded with his ogi, the Ogre Slaying Stroke. His blade moved with lightning speed, striking with a ferocity that could overcome any opponent. The clash between their ogis created a dazzling spectacle, the clash of forces creating sparks that illuminated the battlefield.

But as the dust settled, it became clear that the exchange had taken its toll. Shingo’s katana lay broken in two, a testament to the sheer power of Hayato’s attack. Blood trickled from a wound on Hayato’s side, evidence of the precision of Shingo’s strikes.

They stood, panting, their gazes locked. The air crackled with tension, the weight of their shared history heavy between them. Shingo’s eyes narrowed, his determination unwavering.

Hayato’s face softened, but his expression turned blank. As though suffering vertigo, he dropped Odenta on the roof and clawed his head with two hands. In that groggy state, he slipped and slid down from the roof to a free fall to his doom.

“Godbrother!”

Gale and Shingo, the closest ones to Hayato ran toward the edge of the rooftop and Shingo managed to grab Hayato’s hand just in time. Gale joined Shingo and helped to hold Hayato up.

“What happened?” Hayato asked, dazed. His skin-blackened forehead turned back to normal almost instantly.

“You were under a spell,” Shingo explained. “We caught you just in time, and looks like you’re free from that spell now.”

Gale nodded. “All we have to do now is pull you up to safety.”

But they were losing their grip. Hayato was slipping from their grasp, and they were in danger of falling as well.

“No, I can’t drag you two along to our deaths,” Hayato said.

But Shingo and Gale were determined to save him.

“This is no time to be reckless again, Bro!” shouted Gale. “You dragged me out from hell once, now let me return the favor!”

Shingo added, “The same with me! You gave me shelter and a job when I was alone, moneyless, and dying from the cold!”

The two begged Hayato to muster all his strength and began to pull him in.

“No, I can’t,” Hayato replied. “All my strength is drained out.”

Finally, Hayato revealed an important piece of information. Hannya, Jinbei, and Akiba were at JinCorp Mega Complex to undergo the last stage of their plan. He didn’t know what that plan was, but he urged Shingo and Gale to discover it and save Reika. “So, this is it,” he said. “I hope we can be real brothers, not just blood brothers in the next life. Thank you and goodbye.”

With that, Hayato released his grip on their hands and began to slide down the steep donjon roof. Shingo and Gale watched in horror as he disappeared from view.

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As Hayato fell, a shadowy figure swept past him, snatching him from harm’s way. It was Ryonoken, the one he had met earlier. Hayato’s eyes widened in surprise as he tried to get up, but his body wouldn’t cooperate. He spoke feeble words of gratitude, thanking Ryonoken for saving him.

“I thank you, but why now?” Hayato asked. “Why not before?”

Ryonoken replied, “That’s because I wanted to make sure you wouldn’t attack me even after I saved you. Besides, I deliberately waited until you revealed the secret about the conspirators and the place they’re going to next. That way, now we know for sure that the three conspirators are at JinCorp Mega Complex.”

Shiori, Gale, Mariko, Keiji, and Chiyo listened intently as Ryonoken spoke. They were all part of Hayato’s group, determined to take down the conspirators who had caused so much harm to Hayato.

Shiori was the first to speak up, thanking Hayato for the information he provided. “Let us go storm that site, demanding a reckoning for all that they have done to you, Hayato-san,” she said.

Hayato smiled feebly. “Sounds like a great idea, but I can’t go with you. I can’t feel my legs,” he said weakly.

Mariko checked Hayato’s wounds and confirmed that he was telling the truth. She suggested taking him back to Shingo’s garage in Shibeno Slums, where they could treat his wounds and work on a strategy to infiltrate JinCorp Mega Complex.

“No need,” said Hayato feebly. “Just place me back in Jinbei’s office and let my people collect me. If not, they’ll suspect me, Shin, and Gale of being traitors, and goodbye Skull Masks’ support.”

Chiyo replied, “Hayato-san does have a point there.”

“Ah, one more thing,” Hayato added. “Shingo, I want you to take Odenta in place of your broken katana. You can wave it in front of Akiba, the owner’s face to show that you’ve defeated me, fair and square.”

Shingo picked the blue-bladed katana up and thanked Hayato.

Gale chimed in, “If I’m not mistaken, JinCorp Mega Complex is not far from here. It’s the thick-walled industrial area, right?”

Keiji confirmed Gale’s suspicion, adding, “Yes. The JMC is not as vast as the Kubomaru Harbor, warehouses, and container fields. But everything is classified in there.”

Shiori was quick to point out that infiltrating that complex would be hard, even impossible. “To make impossible things possible, we need a strategy!” she exclaimed.

Shingo, the group’s leader, agreed with Shiori’s assessment. “Good thinking, Sis! So, let’s take Hayato back to my garage in Shibeno Slums. And then we’ll let the brains of the group, Shiori, Chiyo, and Keiji, work on a strategy.”

Ryonoken and Raijin, his partner, offered to spy on JinCorp Mega Complex and gather information, most likely to hack that place too. Gale and Nishi would round up the Silver Skull Gang and the GI agents for the raid.

The group would work on the strategy. “And then we’ll discuss the strategy with all our other friends. That’s some delegation, Shingo!” Chiyo said.

Shingo smiled, satisfied that they had a plan. “Well, that’s settled then. Come, let’s take a quick rest too in my garage,” he said, leading the group toward their hideout.

As they walked, Shingo’s mind raced with thoughts of how they would execute their plan. With their diverse set of skills and knowledge, he knew they would find a way to succeed. It was only a matter of time before they would take down the conspirators and bring justice to Hayato.