Third-Person POV

Yusuke and Momotaro had arrived at Toren's hideout some eight hours after starting their journey.

Upon looking at it, Momo realized that it was not made from any simple materials used to build a house, but a variety of crystals, like emeralds, jades and sapphires whose reflective properties had been dulled so as not to give off any light and blend in with the environment. It was highly likely she had built her home herself.

"Seems like we're a little early," Momo told Yusuke as they approached the front door. "I wonder if we'll be intruding."

"Don't worry!!" a girl's face dropped from above, before him, scaring him half to death. "We've been expecting you for a while now!"

The girl in question stood at a slightly shorter height than Momotaro. She had dark brown skin, short, spiky green hair, piercings on her nose and ears, and seven-line markings that ran from her forehead to just over her amber eyes. Momotaro chagrined to see her.

"How many times have I told you not to sneak up on me like that?"

"Only every single time we see each other, which is exactly why I do it♡." She gave him a teasing wink, then dropped to the ground from the branch she was hanging on to embrace Yusuke. "It's good to see you again, Grief-sama!"

"Same to you, Nanae," he said, patting her head like she was a child. "Is your partner here with you?"

"Purin's out on a mission now, but she'll be back soon." Opening the door, she gestured for them to walk in. "Come on in, the food's already prepared."

As they walked in, Momo looked to his right, and there in a room down the corridor was the dining table, fully set under a sky ceiling made from transparent crystals, with several dishes laid out.

"Sorrow-sama, they're here!!" Nanae called out.

What followed was the sound of steps coming from within the house. A moment later, Toren Uematsu appeared at the top of the stairs before them, decked out in a sparkling red dress and high heels. Her piercing blue eyes looked straight at Yusuke who returned the gaze with his pitch-black eyes.

"What you have to say had better be worth my time," she said.

The first few minutes of the dinner were tense. Momo was finding it hard to enjoy his miso-stewed mackerel as he sat between Yusuke and Toren who were subtly and yet profoundly, giving off internalized caution of the other. It was to be expected; the relationship between them was incredibly strained and often situational, with the bad vibes coming more from Toren than Yusuke. Everyone knew she intensely disliked the man and had their assumptions as to why that was, but no one knew the true reason, except maybe Despair whom she often confided in.

However, this level of wariness between the two parties was also strongly encouraged to be maintained. In Fukkatsu, there was no obligation or indenture to place more trust in a teammate than one was willing to give. Everyone, after all, had their reason for being there, and though the organization did have a singular objective that they all worked towards, they also acknowledged that for better or worse everyone came with their ugly side, therefore for one's safety, it was better to keep them at arm's length at all times.

Only Nanae was unbothered by the atmosphere in the room, as she loudly slurped on her soup and hummed in peace.

"This meal has been exceptional, Toren," said Yusuke. "Thank you again for arranging and taking time out of your day to meet. I'll get straight to the point so as not to overstay my welcome. I would like you to lend me half of your Hand* battalion, along with Nanae and Purin."

Nanae had stopped eating when she heard her name.

Toren's steely gaze did not relent. "What for?"

"Put simply, I've finally figured out what Despair's long-term goal is and now I want to do my part to help realize it."

"That doesn't answer my question."

Yusuke sighed. "A little patience would be appreciated, Toren, dear."

"I thought you said you were getting straight to the point," she shot back.

"I am--"

"Then answer my question."

He heaved another sigh. "Alright then." While he explained his plans to her, Momo and Nanae listened intently, and it was then that Momo realized just how much of a genius Yusuke was. However, Toren did not seem impressed.

Yusuke caught sight of her furrowed brows once he'd finished explaining. "I suppose the answer is a no?"

"I have another question, one I should have asked six years ago," she said. "When you came to us, you told us your ambition was to uncover the hidden truths of the world. With how often and how much time and resources you devote to helping Despair, are you any closer to achieving this goal?"

Momotaro saw Yusuke's mouth hang open in surprise for a moment before it twisted into a smirk.

"My, I'm shocked you cared to remember that! Can I rightfully assume that your offering aid is dependent on my answer?"

"Perhaps."

"Then how about this? I'll tell you if you give me your reason for having helped Despair as long as you have."

At that, Nanae, bored and barely tuning into the conversation, had perked up and exclaimed, "I'VE ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW THIS!! IS IT LOOOOVE♡♡?"

"No, it's not," she shut her down almost immediately, clearly annoyed that it had been directed back at her. "It's not romantic..."

Nanae put on a huge frown and blew a raspberry. By now, all four of them had finished eating, and the Hand soldiers surrounding them had cleared the dishes from the table.

"Don't worry, there's no need for you to tell - I was only teasing," said Yusuke. "My truth is this, Toren: I am simply a naturally curious person who's always pondered life's biggest mysteries. Human nature, myths and legends, death, all of it. There's not a single concept or idea that has not piqued my insatiable desire for knowledge. Despair, Fukkatsu, and all they stand for is no different."

"So it's all just a game of 'why not?' to you?" Toren asked.

"On the contrary, it's an obsession."

Toren, Momo, and Nanae's eyebrows were all raised in surprise. Yusuke stood up and walked over to Toren's living room, where she kept a shogi board. He picked up a piece with the kanji 角行 written on it and gazed at it with mild interest.

"I love Fukkatsu," he said. "I love it because of its members. Each individual has helped me to satisfy my deepest and darkest desires. Despair is no different. I am no different. Each one of us are indispensable machinations, a cog to fulfilling our desires by a single unanimous one. It's beautiful."

Toren rested her chin on her hands while still looking at Yusuke. "You and Akio are planning on doing something insane, aren't you?"

"Yes. Yes, we are," he smiled, "specifically to do with Blood Prison."

"Blood Prison?" Momotaro spoke up. "As in, the most highly-fortified, impregnable, inescapable, high-tech federal penitentiary on the continent? You mean that Blood Prison?"

"Yep, that's the one! But it won't be called inescapable for much longer, because Akio and I have been planning on busting out Joaquin Ginchiyo for some time now. Name ring a bell, Momo? He's your childhood friend, right?"

Momo deadpanned. "Why am I not surprised you know that?"

"A mission to rescue Joaquin and make a mess of the most elite prison in the world? Oh, you've gotta let me and Purin join, Sorrow-sama! Pretty please?" Nanae sauntered up to Toren and made puppy dog eyes.

"You'd be crazy to think you can pull this off," Toren said to Yusuke.

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained," he shrugged. "So, do I have it? By which I mean your explicit verbal confirmation that you will support us."

Nanae continued to make puppy dog eyes and fluttered her eyelashes as well. Toren rubbed her forehead as she heaved a sigh.

"If this fails, it's all on you."

"No qualms there," said Yusuke.

"YAAAAAYYYYY!!" Nanae jumped for joy. "I finally get to do something!!"

"I assume you have a plan for how this is gonna go down?" Momo asked.

"You betcha! Listen closely, you two."

✧✧✧

"You're already familiar with Blood Prison so I won't bore you with the details and will tell you only what you need to know for this mission. Since a couple of years ago, the prison has acquired a new master, personally appointed by the Sixth Hokage. Her name is Kahyo of the Yuki clan, and she used to be a member of the Ryuha Armed Alliance, an organization of rogue ninjas that was created to free the ninja world from the corruptive influence of money. Needless, to say, it didn't last very long, and she was made to stand as Blood Prison's master as part of her sentence.

"There are three things to keep in mind about Kahyo. 1) She's a close friend of the Sixth Hokage, so we can expect her to have him on speed dial, a factor Akio and I plan on doing something about. 2) Her Kekkei Genkai, which is Ice Style, works the same way the previous masters of Blood Prison's Fire Style: Celestial Prison technique did, which is part of the reason why she was made Blood Prison's new master. And 3) She keeps a scroll on Jashinism which we're after, and that's where the other half of this plan comes in.

"There is an inmate by the name of En no Mugen there. He's a member of both the Tsuchigumo clan and the clan that had been masters of Blood Prison until the death of Mui. He's also a devout follower of Jashin and has secretly amassed a huge following of Jashinists within the prison's walls. He's agreed to lend us his forces and help us free Joaquin in exchange for helping him retrieve that scroll in Kahyo's keep and restoring him as master of the prison. He and Joaquin are the objective."

"And how is it you know all this?" Toren asked.

"Because Akio and I have been in contact with Joaquin who managed to reach out to Mugen and make the alliance. The success of this mission will be all thanks to him."

✧✧✧

It was dark and cloudy outside the day they decided to carry out the mission. Yusuke and Momotaro stood perched outside the prison's gate beyond the bridge, just outside of the purview of any guards on patrol, with Momotaro on the lookout.

Using a telescope, he had his sights on a blonde-haired girl of average height dressed in the guards' uniform who was being admitted through the gate.

"Purin made it in," he said to Yusuke.

"Good stuff," he looked at Momo, "but your expression tells me you've got something else on your mind. Aren't you happy to finally be rescuing your friend?"

"It's not that... He's been in there for a long time now, and after hearing about this secret cult of Jashinists... what if he's been converted? Beyond this mission, they're not our allies, so what would we do?"

"If that is the case, then we'll have to kill him, simple as that," came a voice that belonged to neither of them.

From behind, a portal opened, and Akio Emon stepped onto the scene in a slick white coat, exposing the scars across his body for all to see. Behind him was a giant bundle of muscle for a man with bright red spiky hair, styled in cowlick, crazed eyes, and carried a bloodthirsty expression.

"But knowing Joaquin," Akio continued, "it won't come to that. A bunch of nonsensical cultists could never sway him."

This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

"Glad to hear you have some faith in your Sho," said Yusuke, handshaking him.

"Yeah, real comforting..." Momo said under his breath.

A minute later Nanae came swooping in to join them, having sprouted a pair of wings to fly around the prison parameter.

"All security and guards are running as usual," she said, "and I see Regret-sama and Michio are here. In which case, I think we're all set!"

Then Michio asked with glee, "Will I get to fight some strong people in this prison, Regret?" He knocked his fists together in a show of power.

"Nah, not this time, big guy," said Akio, "but if all goes well there'll be some later, right, Yusuke?"

"Indeed. Let's get this show on the road." Yusuke dusted his jacket and strode forward with Akio, the others following behind them.

⭕⭕⭕ At the same time ⭕⭕⭕

"Excuse me, I just transferred here today. I was told to see you to begin my orientation." The girl from the entrance gate saluted the chief of security.

He looked her up and down with a glint in his eyes. "Name, age, and where you transferred from."

"Purin Hagiwara, 19, from Kusagakure's Rehabilitation Facility." She handed him her records. "I'm looking forward to working with you."

"It all seems to be in order," he said, having read through it. "Welcome aboard, missy. Let's begin the tour."

They passed through different parts of the prison, including the garden, the infirmary, the security room, and the cafeteria where the inmates were huddled, having their one meal for the day. As the chief yapped on about things she could care less about, Purin spotted Joaquin.

He looked quite different from how she remembered him, given his now long hair and oncoming beard, but she could not mistake his bright red eyes, the bluish-grey colour of his hair, and the scar which ran over his nose and across his face.

As soon as he recognized her, his eyes widened then relaxed again. They nodded at each other and returned to what they were doing.

At length, she popped open a pack of bubblegum, threw one in her mouth, and began to blow a bubble, much to the chief's surprise.

She pretended to feign ignorance, then guilt. "Oh, my apologies, sir. It's to help relieve my anxiety and increase my focus, but I can take it out if you like."

"There'll be no need," he said, clearing his throat, "although, you wouldn't happen to have anymore, would you?"

"Unfortunately, sir, that was my last one." She blew a bubble, and it popped in his face.

"I see. It matters not. We've arrived where you'll be stationed, per our agreement with the Rehab Facility: the gatehouse."

"The gatehouse, huh?" Purin looked up at the construct in apparent wonder. "Pardon me, sir, but I scanned the perimeter during the tour and saw no other entry zone. Is this the only way in and out of the prison?"

"That's correct, what's more, the gate, and the Barrier Jutsu reinforcing the prison walls can only be accessed from inside the gatehouse."

"I see. That's good to know."

"Follow me and I'll give you a tour of the inside," he waved his hand for her to follow him as he turned his back to her.

"Oh, that'll no longer be necessary," she said.

Next, a piece of cloth extended from her forearm through her sleeve, and she whipped it at the chief of security so that it wrapped around his neck. Then she yanked on it with frightening strength and his neck snapped like a twig. The life went out of his eyes before he knew what was happening.

As she stood over his body, she took the headphones resting on her neck and slipped them over her ears, then she started playing the cassette in her Walkman, and rolled up her sleeves, revealing her arms covered in cloth.

Then she walked into the gatehouse.

From the outside, as Yusuke, Akio, and the rest approached the gate, they could hear the sounds of shouting, screaming, gunshots, and objects being thrown over. Then there was silence.

A minute later and the Barrier Jutsu surrounding the prison became visible, a blue sphere composed of hexagons, then it dissipated before them, and the gate opened. Purin stood at the entrance, chewing and blowing on her bubblegum.

Yusuke smiled. "Nicely done, Purin."

The group walked past her, giving various forms of thanks and gratitude. The last was Nanae, who ran up to Purin and threw her arms around her. As they gazed into each other's eyes, they kissed.

"You're awesome♡♡," said Nanae.

The prison break mission had officially begun. They strode through the courtyard as a group, but before they could enter the prison interior, a searchlight from above shone on them.

A second later, they heard footsteps thunder all around them, and in mere moments they were surrounded by security personnel on all sides, in front of them, on the rooftops, and in places they couldn't see, all armed to the teeth and aimed at them.

From the highest building, there stood a tall, blue-haired woman in a long white coat with golden tassels, looking down on them.

"You disabled the Barrier Jutsu and all of its security features within the gatehouse," she called down to them, "but I'll bet you didn't know it would trigger a personal alarm in my office, which is what's landed you in the situation you're in now."

Purin looked shocked, then bowed her head in disappointment. "Of course, why didn't I see that coming?" Nanae moved to comfort her.

"It's alright, Purin," said Yusuke. "There's little you could have done about it." Then he directed his attention back at the woman. "Kahyo of the Yuki clan, I presume? It's a pleasure."

"You can save your breath," she retorted. "As far as I'm concerned, you and your associates are just missing-nin idiots waiting to be put in shackles. I know why you've come here, but I think you'll find your little prison break mission more than you bargained for."

"Is that so?" Yusuke started smiling maniacally. "You're quite the character, aren't you?"

Kahyo was slightly unnerved by this unusual reaction but remained imposing. "You must not know who I am or what I'm capable of, so I'm giving you and your cohorts one chance to come along quietly." She raised her hand, and the sound of hundreds of firearms being loaded echoed across the courtyard. "Or this ends very badly for you."

"You said you know we've come to hatch a prison break," said Yusuke, "and you would be partially correct. In actuality, we also came to kill you, just so you've got the facts straight."

Momotaro grabbed Yusuke by the sleeve. "Grief-sama, what the hell are you saying right now?!" It wasn't that Yusuke was wrong, but Momo was currently more concerned about the guns aimed at them and would've much rather the man had kept quiet about that.

Akio shook his head in amusement.

Kahyo's gaze narrowed on Yusuke, staring deep into his soulless eyes. This man...to be so brazen about his motives and not display even a lick of fear at the situation he's in... He must know who I am and has a plan up his sleeve. "Kill them."

Momo facepalmed. Nanae and Michio cracked their knuckles. "Permission to go all out, Grief-sama?" she asked.

"Permission granted. Oh, and keep your comms on, everyone."

The first bullets were shot and the soldiers on ground level charged at them with their blades and stun batons held high. Akio reached into the deck box strapped to his waist and whipped out a handful of hanafuda cards. As soon as he said, "Play.", he and Yusuke were surrounded in a warp and vanished from the courtyard, leaving Momotaro, Nanae, Michio, and Purin to fend off the bullets.

"Guess we're on our own!" Momo said begrudgingly as he manifested Hainu.

"And I like it better that way! Seven Tails Transformation!!" Nanae sprouted wings from her back, her skin colour went from brown to blue, and her fingernails became incredibly long and razor-sharp. She flew into the air and started ripping the guard's faces off while dodging their gunshots and other projectiles.

Michio dove right into the fray. "Blood Style: Cardiac Spike!!" His body mass seemed to be getting bigger as his muscles bulged convulsively, turning him into a massive, walking train wreck and killing every single person who got in his way with a single punch.

⭕

In the cafeteria, Joaquin sat with his head buried low as he pretended to focus on the meal before him, a slosh of soup that looked barely edible, judging from the food poisoning he witnessed it give someone who had it before him. Considering all the times he had caused trouble, it was what he got, but now it no longer mattered. The time had come.

He glanced at Mugen who was enjoying a delectable bowl of ramen. He was a deathly pale man, with black hair that went to his waist, small red eyes, and purple ritualistic symbols, tatted over his face. Meeting his gaze, he knew they were both aware of what was happening. All the inmates noticed the loud sounds beyond the cafeteria and wondered what it might be about.

Then, just when they might get an answer, a red siren went off and started flashing, letting out a loud alarm. A guard burst into the building a moment later, crying, "PRISONERS, RETURN TO YOUR CELLS AT ONCE!!"

Immediately voices of discontent rose, complaining that they had not finished eating or demanding an explanation as to what was going on, but all they got in response was the guards firing up their stun batons and tasering the inmates, forcing them to comply.

"BACK, GET BACK, YOU MONGRELS!!" they bellowed. "YOU'D BETTER DO AS YOU'RE TOLD IF YOU KNOW WHAT'S GOOD FOR YOU!!"

With no other path to follow, Joaquin and Mugen let themselves get caught up in the mass exodus, being shoved around and bodied by the inmates as they tried to avoid getting shocked. At that moment, they looked at each other and nodded.

"Hey, where the hell is it?" Joaquin barked.

Mugen feigned disgust. "What are you talking about it?"

"Don't play f#@$ing dumb, where's the extra portion of food I was promised?! Did you eat it, a$$hole?!" He violently shoved Mugen so he hit someone behind him.

"And what if I had, huh?" Mugen raised his fists. "What exactly are you going to do about it?"

Within the almost nonexistent space they had, Joaquin and Mugen got into an altercation. As they wrestled each other, they started bumping into multiple inmates, confusing people about who hit who, and causing a chain reaction of similar arguments to erupt across the masses. In a matter of seconds, everyone was fighting each other. The guards tried to get them to shut up but it all fell on deaf ears as they were dragged into the roughhousing themselves.

Then an inmate crept up behind one of the guards and slit their throats, followed by another doing the same thing, and another, and another, until all the prison guards present in that building were offed. Raising their bloodied knives in the air, they all cried out, "FOR JASHIN!!!"

Without the guards to stop them, and having equipped themselves with the stun batons, the riot was now able to move outside to the courtyard where the inmates took the fight to the guards head-on. Even despite Kahyo's Earth Chains of Ice technique inhibiting their movement, they couldn't stop all of them simply due to their overwhelming number.

Momotaro and Purin who were present in the area were shocked to see this happen.

"I'm grateful for the help and momentary break," he said, wiping his new wakizashi of blood, "but what or who exactly caused this?"

"Momo! Purin!" Joaquin called out.

He separated himself from the rest of the masses to go see his friends. Momotaro gave a grin that was filled with both elation and respect. "Of course," he said in discovering the answer to his question.

"It's good to see you again," said Purin, hugging him.

"Same to you. I'm guessing Nanae is somewhere in the area?"

"You know how she is."

Joaquin and Momo fist-bumped. "You look and smell like s#$t," said Momo.

"Yeah, for a state-of-the-art penitentiary, they don't have a single decent shower here."

"ALL UNITS, TO THE COURTYARD!!"

From the armoury appeared a second wave of guards, fully equipped and armoured. They came in like a storm to assist their comrades and ruthlessly beat the inmates, killing some in the process. The second they spotted the Momo, Joaquin, and Purin, they converged on their location.

"Looks like our reunion will have to wait," said Purin.

Joaquin held up the stun baton. "I'm sorry, I wish I could do more to help, but this cursed seal is preventing me from using ninjutsu."

"Don't worry about it," said Momo, "with any luck, Grief and Regret-sama are dealing with that right now."

"Damn, I have no idea where we are," said Yusuke.

Akio sweatdropped. "I thought you said you knew this place like the back of your hand."

"I thought I did. It has been almost ten years since I was last here, they must have had it renovated since then."

"It amazes me how you can go from being a menace to a clown so easily."

The pair continued to wander the halls of the prison, wondering how they were going to get to Kahyo's office. As they passed by a surveillance camera, Yusuke flicked a needle at it.

At that moment, Kahyo had arrived at the security control room.

"Why is no one requesting aid from Kusa?!" she demanded. "Our personnel are falling like flies out there!!"

"We tried, sir, but the comm links were down! I suspect it was likely the intruders' work. We've managed to reboot it but it's going to take a few more minutes before it's up and running again."

As they spoke, Kahyo spotted Yusuke and Akio on the video footage right as the needle destroyed the surveillance camera. To the ordinary person, there would not have been enough time to properly ascertain their whereabouts, but Kahyo had studied every inch of the prison since having arrived (courtesy of her distrust of government-owned facilities). She knew exactly where they were, and where they were headed.

"Get it working as soon as possible," she said, "and when you do, don't just contact Kusa, but Konoha as well."

"Yes, sir!"

She left.

Back with Yusuke and Akio, somehow the pair had managed to find themselves in the cell blocks since Yusuke's shocking realization.

"Just admit that we're lost already, will you?" said Akio.

"Alright, I concede. Still though, to think we wound up in the cell blocks. It being empty means the plan is going well."

They sauntered down the corridor, indifferent to the glaring siren flashing red above them, when, from around the corner, a guard appeared before them. Judging from the number of badges he wore and how different his uniform was from the rest, they guessed well enough he was probably the second-in-command.

"Ah, you two are the orchestrators of this mess, aren't you?" he pointed his sword at them. "Perfect, once I defeat you, I'll finally get that promotion I've been yearning for, and I'll get transferred out of here!! HahaHAHAHAHAA!!! I HOPE YOU'RE READY FOR THE THRASHING OF A LIFETIME!!!"

He charged at them and swung the sword wide. Akio stepped forth and evaded the attack then connected his fist to his face and sent him flying into a steel bar. They heard a crack and his body was still, blood oozing from his head.

"What was that even about?" Akio asked.

Yusuke shrugged. "Jobbers will be jobbers."

However, right as he took another step, the atmosphere changed. Where it used to be at room temperature, it suddenly dropped to well below zero, creating a sudden chill that threatened frost. But that wasn't all. There was an immense pressure overlaid on them, one that threatened to crumble them like paper.

"Akio..."

"Yeah, here she comes."

Kahyo stepped out of that same corner the second-in-command came from. With a flick of her wrist, the siren went off and it was silent. The only sound in the cell block now came from her heels as she strutted across the corridor and then came to a stop.

No one spoke immediately. The prison master made a glance at the second-in-command and heaved a deep sigh. "You should have analyzed the opponent instead of underestimating them."

"Perfect timing," said Yusuke, "we were just looking for you!"

She closely examined the two of them before she spoke again. "There were almost no records in the Bingo Book concerning you two, but I was able to find something. Yusuke Honoo and Akio Emon. One the former heir to the prestigious Honoo clan and the other a Guardian of the Tamatebako, both turned criminals. How you fell from grace, I don't care to know, but what I would like to know is why you would go to all this trouble just to rescue one or two prisoners. This could easily have been a covert op. There would've been no need to start a riot, and there'd be no need to kill me. So, you must be here for something else. You must have another purpose, and you're going to tell me what it is."

Yusuke smirked and put a finger to his lips, seemingly gesturing for her to keep quiet. "I wonder, Kahyo if, in your time as master, you ever discovered the dark secret concerning the very ground this prison was built on."

"Are you referring to the Box of Ultimate Bliss?"

"That's only part of it. The scroll of Jashin you carry is part of it, too. Satori, the puppet of the Box, and Jashin, the progenitor of an ancient cult, both originate from a hidden truth older than the Sage of Six Paths himself. A truth that first came into being right here on this solitary rock, and I intend to uncover it. That, if you must know, is the true reason why I have come."

"Uh, Yusuke..." Akio cut in.

"What?"

He pointed down, and Yusuke saw a plethora of red dots spread across their bodies, coming from various points of the prison.

"You sly dog," he grinned, "you got me monologuing!"

The guards took the shot, but Akio moved faster. He played ten hanafuda cards from his deck box, all of which spiralled around him and Yusuke at the speed of sound, absorbing every single bullet that came within that nanosecond.

Kahyo immediately moved afterwards and manifested a wave of ice swords in the vicinity then hurled it at them.

This time, Yusuke was the one to intervene, summoning his Infernal Flames to consume them all.

A natural counter to me, Kahyo thought as she strutted forward again. He's going to be a problem.

Yusuke walked ahead to meet her halfway, fixing his headband on straight.

"Want my help?" Akio asked.

"No need. She's mine."