Confirming Shingo’s words, the two muscular men instantly transformed into giants. The room was dimly lit, but the red and blue oni giants, Namba and Kuraagi Okabe stood out, even in the dark. The brothers grinned, wielding their clubs with confidence.

Shingo charged forward, his katana glinting in the low light. He swung at Namba, but the red one dodged his attack easily. Gale darted forward, striking Kuraagi with a series of punches and kicks, but the blue oni giant barely flinched.

Chiyo stepped forward, her hands crackling with electricity. She unleashed a powerful Lightning Bolt, striking both Namba and Kuraagi. The brothers stumbled back, momentarily stunned. Shingo seized the opportunity and lunged forward, striking Namba with his katana. The oni giant let out a roar of pain, but he was still standing.

Kuraagi retaliated with a powerful Earthquake, sending Gale and Chiyo sprawling to the ground. Shingo leaped back, avoiding the shockwaves. Chiyo quickly got to her feet and unleashed a Lightning Blast at Kuraagi, stunning him momentarily.

Namba was still reeling from the katana strike, but he wasn’t out of the fight yet. He charged at Shingo with his club, but the schoolboy was too fast. He sidestepped the oni giant and slashed him again with his katana. Namba let out another roar, this time in defeat. Kuraagi tried to attack Gale again, but he was no match for the kung-fu master. Gale dodged his attacks with ease and landed a powerful punch, knocking Kuraagi out cold.

In the end, despite their massive size and strength, the Okabe Brothers were no match for the teamwork and skill of Shingo, Gale, Hayato, and Chiyo. They were defeated, reverted to their original forms as cosplayers, and sprawled out on the ground, completely immobilized.

Hayato turned to the remaining gang members still standing in the room and spoke with a commanding voice. “Listen well, all of you. When your bosses come around, tell them to go straight to Godfather Akiba Maeda and beg him for forgiveness. That way, they’ll only lose a finger each. If they refuse or run away, the Skull Mask Squad will raid this hideout and kill everyone inside. And we’ll also hunt Okabe Brothers down.”

One of the cosplayer thugs stammered in response, “Y-yes, Hayato-sama. Anything you say.”

Hayato wasted no time in leading the team out of the hideout. The terrified gang members followed suit and left their leaders behind, sprawling on the floor.

Chiyo paused before following them and turned to Hayato. “Wait, isn’t it wise to leave them alone here? According to my observation, the Okabe Brothers will run away and abandon their gang here!”

Hayato grinned. “All the easier for the Silver Skull to take over the Onigami, right?”

Chiyo fell silent, and the four-person team quickly made their way out of the hideout.

==oOo==

When all had left the battle room, a mysterious figure in a Hannya mask suddenly appeared in a puff of smoke, right before the immobile Okabe Brothers.

“Thank you,” he said to himself in a sinister voice. “You all made it all too easy for me, again. It’s the soul-reaping time!”

==oOo==

Later that night…

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

After an uneventful ride on Shingo’s motorcycle, Shingo and Chiyo stood in front of the Daikuren Apartments, a modern-looking building with its lights illuminating the night sky. The sound of cars passing by and the hum of the city surrounded them as they talked.

Chiyo thanked Shingo for taking her home, and he replied, “It’s no problem at all.”

As they walked towards Chiyo’s studio in one of the towers, the air was filled with a sense of curiosity. Shingo was intrigued by this mysterious girl, and Chiyo was fascinated by this innocent-looking man who was involved in the Yakuza.

Chiyo looked at Shingo and remarked, “You mean you’re underage? I thought you were just looking younger. An innocent-looking man in a Yakuza gang, underage too? That makes you more and more interesting.”

Shingo was caught off guard by her remark and asked, “What do you mean by that, Chiyo?”

“I mean, you’re wearing your school uniform everywhere you go. So I think you should’ve been in a real high school, studying for a bright future. Why the Yakuza, then?” Chiyo replied with a smirk on her face.

Shingo sighed and hesitated before sharing his story with her. He began to tell her about Hannya’s raid on Miura Dojo, Miura’s demise, Shiori’s abduction, and his encounter with Hayato Mori. Chiyo listened intently, her eyes widening with amazement as he finished.

After he was done, Chiyo proposed to teach Shingo telepathy, which surprised him. She continued, “What if I teach you telepathy and be your tutor? That way, you can avoid exposure and pursue a better life.”

Shingo was taken aback by her offer and hesitated, “What? You shouldn’t have. We just met today, and I have a girlfriend.”

Chiyo replied, “Oh, you have a girlfriend? Okay, I have no problem with that. I know what to do.” This time, her face looked a bit dejected.

The painter’s gestures made Shingo curious. He asked, “So, what’s your real intention then?”

Chiyo explained, “As I said before, I think you’re a very interesting person to observe. You don’t have to pay me with money. In return for my tuition, I need you to be a model for my paintings.”

Shingo was shocked and protested, “What!? Do I have to…?”

Chiyo quickly clarified, “N-no need! I just want to observe and capture the expressions on your face! Putting a schoolboy image in the Yakuza is strange enough. And you react very differently than common gangsters when facing trouble and danger. That’s why I chose you, not Hayato or Gale.”

Chiyo continued, “Believe it or not, the contradiction between your heart and position can yield precious, unique expressions. So, I’m willing to pay for it with my time. Do you agree with this deal?”

Shingo thought about it for a moment before agreeing, “Very well, then. It’s a deal.”

The two new friends continued their conversation until late at night, discussing their pasts and their dreams. The city was quiet, but their voices echoed through the empty streets, creating a melody that was only theirs to hear.

==oOo==

Just a couple of hours after midnight, Shingo walked briskly towards the Daikuren apartment parking lot where his motorcycle was parked.

As he mounted his bike, he heard a voice from a distance. He froze for a moment and listened carefully. It was a girl’s voice, but it was unclear and indistinct. His mind raced, and he realized that it was Shiori’s voice.

His heart skipped a beat as he muttered, “Shiori?!”

Shingo looked around, but the darkness of the night and the lack of lighting made it difficult to see anything. He strained his ears, but there was no sound. He shook his head, thinking that it might be his imagination, and revved the motorcycle engine. He had decided to go back to the hideout and report back to Hayato and Gale.

==oOo==

At the same time as Shiori and Nishi were walking towards Nishi’s tower, chatting away about mundane things. Suddenly, Shiori stopped in her tracks, feeling an eerie sensation. She was sure that she felt her brother’s presence somewhere close, but she couldn’t see him in the darkness.

Shiori thought, “What the…? I feel Brother Shingo’s presence… around here?! But, I can’t see him anywhere in the dark!”

Shiori’s heart started racing, thinking this might be a sign that Shingo was still alive. She knew that she had to investigate further, but she also had to be careful not to draw any unwanted attention.

Nishi noticed her sudden change of demeanor and asked, “Shiori, is everything okay?”

“I’m fine, Nishi. Let’s go back to your tower,” replied Shiori.

Shiori didn’t want to worry Nishi, so she dismissed her strange feeling as her imagination and continued walking toward the tower. But, deep down, she couldn’t shake off the feeling that her brother was still alive and out there somewhere.

End of Act Three