Asagi was at her wit's end searching for Kousuke. She had exhausted all her connections and resources, yet found nothing. Nearly ready to give up, her gaze fell on a photo of her beloved, Kyousuke—Kousuke's older brother. After the tragic incident that claimed Kyousuke's life, Asagi had promised to take care of Kousuke with all her heart. But now, things were spiraling out of control. Her title as the strongest Taimanin came with heavy burdens, particularly due to her ongoing conflicts with underground figures who constantly haunted her life.
As Asagi found herself lost in memories of peaceful times with Kyousuke, a mocking laugh suddenly shattered the silence. Her combat instincts instantly kicked in.
This was her apartment. Only she and Kousuke knew the door's access code. If someone had entered, the only way was through the window. However, her apartment was on the 50th floor—something no ordinary human could do.
"Fufufu~ Surprised, Asagi?" A voice emerged from behind the thick white smoke that suddenly filled the room.
"Oboro?" Asagi's gaze sharpened.
Standing before her was Clone Oboro—the evil version of Oboro she had once fought.
"That's right. I've returned from the dead just for you, Asagi," Clone Oboro sneered.
Three years ago, Asagi had defeated Clone Oboro during a mission to destroy ONT, an evil organization made up of rebel Taimanin. Oboro was the leader of that group. Once, Oboro had planned an attack on the village of Gosha, but Asagi, along with the DCST (Department of Countering Supernatural Threats), thwarted the plan and crippled ONT before the assault could be launched.
But now, Oboro was resurrected. Edwin Black had seen great potential in her, and with the help of Kiryu Sabato, the head scientist from Nomad, they combined science and sorcery to bring Clone Oboro back to life. This time, her body had been modified, making her far stronger.
"What do you want, Oboro?" Asagi asked, her voice firm and eyes burning with anger.
"What else? Revenge!" Clone Oboro answered as she revealed a ball of flesh shaped like a human face, which suddenly spoke in a horrifying voice.
"Asagi…" the voice called, chilling and heart-wrenching.
"K-Kousuke?" Asagi immediately recognized the voice. Her body trembled as she took in what Oboro had done. She couldn't believe that Oboro could be so cruel.
"Fufufu~ Yes, that's the expression I was hoping for!" Clone Oboro laughed as she licked the grotesque ball of flesh wickedly.
"You!" Asagi exploded in rage, her aura flaring with power.
"But you can't attack me now, can you? Or else…" Oboro threatened as she gently squeezed the ball of flesh.
A piercing scream of agony came from the ball—Kousuke's scream.
"Stop!" Asagi shouted, horrified and helpless as Kousuke suffered.
"Fufufu~ That's more like it, Asagi…" Clone Oboro smirked with satisfaction.
Asagi couldn't move. Her opponent held a hostage too dear, leaving her paralyzed.
"What do you want, you coward?" she asked bitterly.
"Not much. I just want you to come to the Chaos Arena and participate as one of its contestants," Oboro replied, her voice dripping with triumph.
"What? That place… it's still operational?" Asagi was stunned. The Chaos Arena should have been shut down some time ago after she and her team destroyed its operations.
"Of course, and this time it'll be more grand than ever. Why? Because we have a special guest… The strongest Taimanin will be our honored participant." Oboro laughed darkly, her eyes gleaming with hatred. "Fufufu~ I can't wait to crush you in the arena."
"Kuh—" Asagi growled, clenching her fists tightly. Her body shook with restrained fury, but she knew she couldn't act rashly. Kousuke was still in the enemy's grasp.
"Well then, I'll see you in the Arena~" Clone Oboro chuckled before disappearing into a swirl of white smoke, leaving the room cold and silent.
Asagi stood still, her legs weak, barely able to hold her up. She bit her lip, fighting back the pain welling up inside her. "Urgh…" She truly felt powerless now.
Kyousuke's only legacy was Kousuke, his younger brother. When Kyousuke took his last breath in her arms, he entrusted Asagi with the responsibility of caring for Kousuke. But now… it was all falling apart.
The image of Kousuke, helpless and transformed into something unrecognizable, spun in her mind. It felt like a massive nail was driven into her heart, guilt and helplessness flooding her entire being.
"I've failed…" Asagi muttered quietly, her voice barely audible. She pressed her hand to her chest, trying to suppress the overwhelming pain. Seeing Kousuke in that condition was like witnessing her own child being reduced to an unspeakable creature—something no mother could bear.
Tears threatened to fall, but she held them back. "No… I can't stop here. I will save Kousuke. I promise, Kyousuke…" she thought, quickly wiping away the tears.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. The emptiness in her eyes was now replaced by a steely resolve. The Chaos Arena. That was where everything must end.
"Asagi," she spoke to herself, "This is your trial. If you fail here, you will have betrayed everything—your love, your responsibility, and justice."
With clenched fists, she steeled herself for the hell awaiting her in the Chaos Arena.
---
When Kaoru assumed the identity of Hatoru Danzou, he donned Edo-era ninja attire, making him blend into the shadows of nighttime Tokyo. In the dead of night, Hatoru moved with light steps, sneaking through dark alleys, searching for information about the mysterious Chaos Arena.
Behind him, a masked Taimanin—Oboro in her true form—watched him intently. Though their alliance was built on mutual distrust, Oboro couldn't simply leave Hatoru alone. Aside from their alliance, a sense of curiosity kept her observing from a distance. Oboro wanted to know what kind of power Hatoru possessed.
They arrived at a seedy bar filled with demons, high-level criminals engaged in a secret meeting. Without a word, Hatoru launched an attack, mercilessly cutting them down. His sword moved with such speed, slicing through the enemies with deadly precision. From afar, Oboro watched quietly, impressed by Hatoru's swiftness and accuracy in combat.
All that remained was a large orc, the bar's owner. Blood and demon corpses were scattered across the room, but Hatoru showed no sign of hesitation. He left the orc alive, who was now trembling in fear.
Hatoru approached, his cold gaze fixed on the orc. "So, the Chaos Arena is beneath Tokyo?"
The orc nodded frantically but replied with a tinge of irritation. "That's right! An illegal event like that couldn't be held in the open. Use your brain!" The orc dared to scold Hatoru, even though he was cornered, as if his understanding of the situation hadn't fully collapsed.
Hatoru merely let out a small snort, unfazed. "It's none of your business to teach me how to think. But… you've just signed your death sentence."
Before the orc could protest, Hatoru vanished into the shadows, and the sound of breaking bones echoed as the large body crumpled to the ground, lifeless.
From a distance, Oboro nodded slightly. She had suspected that Hatoru wasn't someone to be underestimated. "Interesting…" Oboro muttered, then disappeared into the night's shadows, still keeping her distance, waiting for an opportunity to see more of Hatoru's power in the Chaos Arena.