The morning air was thick with the lingering chill of February as I walked through the city streets, heading toward the police station.

The academy seemed like a distant memory already, but the four months of grueling drills had instilled a quiet confidence in me—at least, that’s what I told myself.

It felt surreal to be done with training, yet the weight of Sasaki’s message from the night before hung in the back of my mind: "We start tomorrow. Be ready."

My footsteps echoed against the sidewalk as I approached the station.

It was a tall, imposing building made of cold, grey stone, much like the academy had been.

But this was different.

This place wasn’t about preparation; it was about action.

Every fiber of my being was buzzing with nervous energy.

As I stepped inside the station, I was greeted by the hum of activity—phones ringing, officers talking, the faint clacking of keyboards, and the ever-present shuffle of footsteps.

I headed toward the locker room where I’d been instructed to pick up my uniform.

There, folded neatly on the bench, was a crisp black jacket, complete with a badge that read "Mori."

Seeing my name there, etched into something so official, sent a thrill of pride through me.

I suited up, the uniform fitting snugly over the muscles I’d honed during training.

Adjusting my collar, I caught a glimpse of myself in the locker room mirror.

I didn’t look like the same guy who had entered the academy four months ago.

The old me had been scrappier, unrefined, but now… I was sharper.

Ready.

Or so I hoped.

With a deep breath, I made my way up to the second floor, to Sasaki’s office.

It was in a different place since last time but it wasn't a problem.

His door was slightly ajar, and as I stepped inside, the familiar sight of his stoic face greeted me.

Behind him, the walls were lined with case files, shelves packed with documents and evidence tags.

His desk, however, was meticulously clean—everything in perfect order, like the man himself.

Sasaki looked up from a report he was reading and gave a smile.

“Keisuke, right on time.”

I stood at attention, still feeling the ingrained instincts from the academy.

“Sasaki-san.”

“Relax”

He said, his tone as calm and commanding as always.

“You’re not in the academy anymore.”

I let my shoulders drop, though the tension still lingered just below the surface.

Sasaki leaned back in his chair and studied me for a moment, his sharp eyes assessing, always calculating.

“Good to see you’ve settled in.”

He said, gesturing for me to take a seat.

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“You really have changed from the 'man' I saw in that room of the hospital. We’ve got a lot to cover, but first, I want to introduce you to the rest of the team. You’ll be working with them closely from here on out.”

I smiled and then nodded, my mind racing as I wondered who else I’d be working with. I hadn’t met many other recruits after the academy, and Sasaki’s team wasn’t exactly public knowledge.

Just then, the door swung open and in walked Hana.

She hadn’t changed much since I’d last seen her— long black hair gathered in a ponytail, and the same soft expression on her face.

She was dressed in plainclothes, which meant she was already deep in whatever case they were working on.

Hana gave me a smile as she entered.

She stepped towards me and then she gave me a tight hug.

“Keisuke! I'm so happy you finally came working here!”

“I'm happy too.”

I replied, managing a small smile as we let go.

“Good to see you again.”

Sasaki smiled.

“You’ll be partnering with Hana for today’s assignment. I trust you two could make a good team.”

Before I could say anything, the door opened again, and another figure stepped inside—Detective Sugiwara.

I’d heard of him during the academy, and the rumors didn’t exactly paint him in the best light.

He had a reputation for playing it close to the edge, using whatever means necessary to get results.

His presence in the room was like a dark cloud hovering in the corner, and the slight narrowing of Sasaki’s eyes as Sugiwara entered didn’t go unnoticed.

“Detective Sugiwara”

Sasaki said, his voice neutral.

“We were just discussing the new recruit.”

Sugiwara smirked, his hands in the pockets of his trench coat.

“Mori Keisuke, right? Heard you’ve got some history with the Shima-Kai.”

His eyes gleamed with interest.

“That should come in handy.”

I tensed, but kept my expression neutral.

The last thing I needed was my past being dragged into every conversation.

“I’m here to do my job, Detective.”

I said carefully.

“Good”

Sugiwara replied, his smile sharp.

“Because that’s exactly what we need you for.”

Sasaki cut in before Sugiwara could say more.

“We’ll discuss your involvement with the Shima-Kai another time. Right now, we’ve got a different situation to deal with.”

He turned to Hana.

“Fill him in.”

Hana leaned against the desk, crossing her arms.

“There’s a local shop that got hit last night—a robbery. But the guy who pulled it off wasn’t your average thief. He got ties to some of the lower-level members of the Shima-Kai. More importantly, he is linked to a new group we’re investigating—the same one Sugiwara has been digging into.”

I felt my stomach twist slightly.

The Shima-Kai’s shadow still loomed over me, even after all these months.

It's because of them that Kento died.

Precisely, it was because of Nagasuki Mitsuo.

He is the reason why i chose to become a police man.

I'll talk with Sasaki about that after this case.

But this was different.

I wasn’t the prey no more—I was a part of the team hunting the preys.

“Why target a small shop?”

I asked.

Hana shrugged.

“Could be testing the waters. Could be something bigger. We need to find out.”

Sasaki nodded.

“Exactly. Keisuke, this is your first case with us. You and Hana are going to investigate the scene, interview the shop owner, and gather whatever information you can about the suspect.”

“And the suspect?”

I asked, glancing at the folder on Sasaki’s desk.

“He’s a known associate of gang that worked frequently with the Shima-Kai. Goes by the name Harada Sugo. Low-level thug, but dangerous enough.”

Sasaki’s voice was steady, but there was a sharp edge to it.

He handed me the folder, and I flipped it open, seeing a mugshot of Harada—rough-looking, with tattoos creeping up his neck and an expression that screamed trouble.

“Don’t underestimate him”

Sasaki warned.

“He’s slippery. But this is your chance to prove yourself.”

I nodded, feeling the weight of the folder in my hands.

“Understood.”

Hana pushed off the desk and gestured toward the door.

“Come on, let’s get moving. The longer we wait, the colder the trail gets.”

She gave a small smile as she was approaching the door.

I stood up, feeling the familiar mix of anxiety and excitement.

This was it—my first real assignment as part of the team.

No more simulations, no more drills.

This was the real world now, and it didn’t come with a reset button.

As we walked out of the station and into the brisk morning air, I glanced over at Hana.

She was focused, her eyes scanning the streets as we made our way toward the shop.

I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of deja vu.

The last time we’d worked together, it had been under very different circumstances—I was a fat jobless with debts with a gang.

Now, though, we were partners.

Equals.

“You ready for this?”

Hana asked, breaking the silence as we approached the shop.

I took a deep breath, steadying myself.

“Yeah. Let’s see what we can find.”

As we stepped into the small, dimly lit store, the owner—a nervous-looking man in his 50s—immediately approached us.

His hands trembled as he spoke, his voice shaky.

“Thank you for coming, officers. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

“We’ll do everything we can”

Hana assured him, her voice calm and professional.

“Can you tell us what happened?”

The owner began recounting the events of the previous night—a masked man breaking in, threatening him, taking cash from the register.

It sounded like a typical robbery, but something about the way he described the thief’s behavior seemed off—too calculated, too deliberate.

Hana shot me a glance, and I could tell she was thinking the same thing.

This wasn’t just a random crime.

This was a message.

As we began to piece together the clues, one thing became clear: Harada wasn’t working alone.