The meeting room was imbued with a solemn atmosphere, illuminated by the dim light of the hanging lamps that cast ominous shadows on the faces of those present. The walls were adorned with detailed maps of the continent and flat-screen monitors displaying real-time images of various strategic locations.
At the center of the solid oak rectangular table, the ambassadors from each major state sat in silence, with serious expressions and meditative gestures. Kim Rossman, with her elegant demeanor and piercing eyes, seemed to be analyzing every move of her colleagues. Tadeo Ferreira, with his intense gaze and furrowed brow, emanated an aura of authority and determination. Geovanny Armani, with his silver hair and distinguished bearing, maintained an upright and confident posture. And José Díaz, with his austere appearance and penetrating gaze, seemed to be calculating every word he uttered.
At one end of the table, the three rear admirals of the navy watched the ambassadors intently, each with their own distinctive aura. The Baron, with his resin helmet painted with a caricatured smile, exuded an imposing and mysterious presence. Mako, with his impressive physique and piercing gaze, radiated a sense of power and experience. And Pumba, with his towering stature and peculiar haircut, seemed to be the most imposing of the three.
Amidst the tense silence, the Baron finally broke the ice, his voice resonating in the room with authority.
"Welcome, ambassadors, rear admirals. We are here to discuss the current situation of the continent and take measures to ensure the security and stability of our nations."
The ambassadors nodded silently, aware of the gravity of the matter at hand. The meeting was about to begin.
The speaker at the center of the oval table stood as the epicenter of the discussion, ready to transmit the words exchanged between the participants.
"This is ridiculous. The northern brigade of the navy wiped out Onaji Nikami and almost his entire sect. The City of Zen just wants resources," Pumba exclaimed, his voice resonating with indignation as his fists clenched tightly on the table.
"Ambassador Kim, do you trust the word of Agent Crissalid Star?" Tadeo asked calmly, his gaze fixed on the ambassador from the City of Zen, searching for certainty in his eyes.
"Completely. Crissalid has dedicated several years of his life to hunting down the Sacros still at large after the sect's fall. That's why I called this meeting," Kim responded with determination, his voice resonating with authority in the room.
"Kim speaks the truth. I've had the pleasure of meeting Crissalid Star, and he's told me about his investigations into the Sacros. I don't doubt my comrade Pumba's abilities, but we're talking about Onaji here," the Baron commented, his tone revealing solid confidence in Agent Crissalid as he supported the ambassador from Central City.
"Fine, if the Baron trusts this agent, I can give him a chance," Pumba said, his voice reflecting a mix of reluctance and resignation as he nodded in agreement. Ambassador Kim stood up from his seat, his imposing figure casting a shadow over the table, and took a small remote control before pressing one of its buttons.
"Agent Crissalid Star is waiting on the line. I'm going to start the call so he can clarify your doubts himself," Kim announced, his voice resonating with authority as he prepared to establish the connection with Agent Crissalid.
Everyone in the room nodded, their gestures reflecting a mix of concern and skepticism as they listened to the white noise that preceded Agent Crissalid Star's voice.
"Good afternoon, members of the white room. Thank you for agreeing to listen to me. I am Special Agent Crissalid Star, and I am currently in the same building as Onaji Nikami," Crissalid announced, his voice resonating with determination through the speaker.
"Have you encountered him?" José asked, his trembling voice revealing a mix of incredulity and anxiety.
"Yes, but it's strange. It's as if he doesn't even believe his own words and threats," Crissalid responded, his tone of voice indicating slight uncertainty.
"Don't let your guard down, kid," the Baron warned, his firm and authoritative voice resonating solemnly in the room.
"That's a lie. If this Crissalid had encountered Onaji, he wouldn't be talking to us right now," Geovanny commented, his tone dripping with evident skepticism.
"No offense, kid, but I've fought Onaji, and I can tell you that Mr. Geovanny is right. You encountered an impostor. Onaji is dead. My fleet killed him," Pumba declared with the same firmness characteristic of the rear admirals, his voice resonating with authority in the room.
"I'm sure it's him. He confirmed it himself. Besides, his hair..." Crissalid tried to argue before being interrupted by Mako.
"So those are your only proofs? That this 'Onaji' has a similar haircut and told you he was Onaji? Did his presence at least feel similar?" Mako questioned, his voice calm yet firm, challenging the foundation of Crissalid's assertion.
An uncomfortable silence took hold of the room as Crissalid struggled to find a convincing response.
"No... his presence doesn't resemble it at all, but..." Crissalid tried to explain but was interrupted by Tadeo.
"I think we've heard enough. Thank you for your time, Agent Star," Tadeo interjected, taking control to turn off the communicator and end the discussion.
"Wait, give me a camera and something to neutralize him. I'm sure if you see him, you'll believe me!" Crissalid exclaimed desperately, his voice full of urgency as he tried to convince the others of his truth.
The next day, Same wandered through the stadium's corridors, a somber expression on his face as he headed towards the restrooms.
"You're still here? How ridiculous," Yezauh mocked, leaning against a wall outside the stalls. Same simply ignored him and entered one of the stalls to urinate.
"You feel it too, don't you?" Bes asked, noting the tension in the air, but received no response. Same exited the stall and gave both men a cold look before letting water run over his hands to wash them.
As he left the restroom, Same began to feel strange. His hands wouldn't respond, and everything around him started to spin.
Ten minutes before the fight between Touko and Lewa was set to begin, the members of the white room were gathered again, this time with a large television in front, waiting for the live broadcast from Crissalid.
"Hello, can you hear me?" Crissalid's voice came through the speaker, but the screen remained black.
"We can hear you, Agent Star, but the screen is black," Tadeo responded, trying to hide his impatience.
"My apologies, I'm connecting the equipment," Crissalid said as he worked to resolve the technical issue.
"No offense, but how were you alone able to capture 'Onaji'?" Pumba asked, expressing his skepticism.
"Ambassador Kim sent me a bear tranquilizer along with the camera. I had been closely following Onaji, and when he entered a restroom, I swapped the liquid soap with the sedative," Crissalid explained, trying to justify his strategy.
"A navy platoon set out an hour ago to the Ming state for Onaji's execution," the Baron added, emphasizing the gravity of the situation.
Crissalid connected the video feed and slowly turned the camera until it focused on Same, who was sitting in a chair, his arms and legs bound with thick iron cables.
The white room fell into complete silence until José Díaz dared to speak:
"That's just a boy. It's not Onaji."
"According to my research, I deduced that Onaji has a Keiyaku capable of changing his form," Crissalid explained, trying to convince the attendees.
"That's impossible. Once you have a Keiyaku, it can't change, and Onaji has already shown us that his Keiyaku is the ability to stop time for three seconds," Mako refuted, his tone filled with incredulity.
"That's true. During the 'Night D,' we discovered that Onaji's Jibun was 'Chains of Hell' and his Keiyaku 'Perfect Time,'" Geovanny added, supporting Mako's argument.
"I have strong reasons to believe that the previously mentioned abilities are his Jibun, and the True Keiyaku is the one that allows him to change form. But there's no time for explanations now; the sedative's effect is about to wear off," Criss warned, a hint of nervousness in his voice. However, Same had already woken up and kept his eyes closed, listening and analyzing the situation.
"Where am I? Coach?" Same asked, pretending to be confused while keeping his eyes closed, trying to maintain his act.
"Boy, what's your name?" Tadeo asked through the video call, concerned about the situation.
"My name is Same Fixi," the young man responded, his voice calm but inwardly anxious about what would come next.
"Agent Star, release the boy immediately. He's Mr. Fixi's son!" Tadeo shouted desperately, leaving everyone in the room bewildered as they tried to process the new information.
"The lost son of that millionaire?" José asked, surprised by the revelation.
"He's deceiving you all, he's Onaji!" Crissalid yelled, frustrated at not being able to convince the others of the young man's true identity. But before he could continue, a blaring alarm sounded throughout the room, accompanied by flashing red lights, alerting everyone to an imminent emergency.
"Attention all participants and spectators. Stay in your rooms or proceed to the hotel's meeting room if you don't have one. We have a level three emergency, the police are en route," announced a robotic voice through the venue's speakers, urging everyone to take safety measures in the face of the risk.
Crissalid understood the seriousness of the situation: stopping Onaji was crucial, but his immediate priority was his students, whom he needed to protect.
Without hesitation, he sprinted down the crowded hallway, dodging the crowd on his way to the meeting room.
"Please, stay calm and exit in an orderly fashion," Crissalid tried to say, but his words were drowned out in the prevailing chaos as people pushed and hurried to get out.
"Teacher Crissalid!" Lyra shouted from a distance, while helping Touko out of the infirmary, her arms bandaged and affected by anesthesia, making movement difficult.
"Go back to your rooms, I'll take care of finding your classmates in the plaza!" the coach yelled above the noise, before continuing on his way to the plaza, determined to locate his students and ensure their safety.
"They're in the arena!" Touko shouted, but Crissalid had already moved away and couldn't hear the blonde over the bustling crowd filling the hallways. Lyra sensed the urgency in Touko's voice and nodded resolutely, taking the lead and guiding her through the sea of people towards the arena, where the presence of a strange man caught her attention.
The ridiculously muscular and imposingly tall man, nearly rivaling Pumba in size, had an disproportionately large mouth filled with sharp teeth, giving him a menacing appearance.
"Quite easy to find you with that haircut," the man muttered as he held Ik by the neck, unconscious, before starting a strange song in an incomprehensible language. A peculiar spiral began forming on the left side of Ik's forehead, transforming into an enigmatic tattoo. Simultaneously, thick black lines appeared around Ik's closed eyes, while his nails turned a deep black, as if imbued with shadow.
"Hey you, let go of my friend now!" Lyra shouted, her voice resonating with determination after leaving Touko at the entrance and preparing herself for a confrontation. The formidable man slowly turned, exuding an intimidating presence. However, before Lyra could even plan her next move, the man disdainfully dropped Ik's body to the ground.
The assailant appeared right behind Lyra, defying all expectations of time and space. Startled by the man's sudden proximity, Lyra had no time to react before receiving the hardest blow she had ever experienced in her life. Paradoxically, it was the weakest punch the muscular man had thrown, but its force was so overwhelming that it left Lyra paralyzed with shock.
Touko, watching helplessly, felt desperation consume her. Unable to confront the threat before her eyes, her only option was to run in the opposite direction, desperately searching for Crissalid.
"Damn, I've drawn too much attention already," the attacker muttered under his breath as he hoisted Ik over his shoulder and vanished into the dust and debris falling behind him, like a shadow fading into darkness.
As chaos gripped the white room, Same seized the opportunity amidst the turmoil to break free from the cables restraining him with astonishing physical strength, leaving everyone present stunned. In an instant, his appearance drastically changed, shedding his chubby form to transform into the man who had fractured Shori's arm before the tournament: Onaji Nikami.
"It's him, he's alive!" José Díaz exclaimed with a trembling voice, as his comrades struggled to comprehend Same's sudden transformation. Without even sparing them a glance, Same destroyed the camera with a swift blow, cutting off the transmission.
Meanwhile, amidst the mounting tension, the Baron, visibly agitated, shouted into the phone:
"What do you mean 'on the way'? They left a damn hour ago, they should have executed him by now!"
The white room fell into a tense silence, uncertainty and fear palpable in the air as they tried to process what they had just witnessed and the implications of Onaji Nikami's reappearance.
Same slipped through the crowd in the hallways, taking advantage of the confusion to blend in among the moving people. Upon reaching the dining area of one of the plazas, he paused for a moment and met the frustrated gaze of Crissalid, who watched him from a first-floor vantage point as people continued passing by them. The special agent's eyes were filled with concern and determination, but there was also a hint of recognition in them, as if he sensed Same's true identity. Although the crowd kept swirling around them, at that moment, it seemed like time had paused between the two, each silently assessing the other in a tense silence filled with meaning.