The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth as Takeshi and Akari trudged through the woodland path, the canopy above letting through specks of light.
They had been summoned by the Conquerors, while Rikuu and Ichika were tied up with other appointments, leaving the two of them alone on this mission.
Akari adjusted the strap of her bag, her eyes scanning the shadows between the trees. Takeshi moved ahead, his hand gripping the hilt of his karambit hidden under his jacket.
Something rustled in the underbrush.
"Shoe yourself!" Takeshi yelled, stepping forward.
A man stepped out, his dark coat bearing the logo of Kaosu with two kneaded crowns stitched in it.
"Well, well, well," the Kaosu member drawled, raising his hands mockingly. "You've got good instincts, huh?"
Takeshi's eyes flickered to the man's coat.
Akari stepped forward, her eyes blazing.
"Is that you? Are you the one who killed them?"
The man tilted his head, smirking.
"Killed who? You'll have to be more specific. But if I did, I'd enjoy watching you cry about it."
Rage boiled in Akari's veins as she pulled out her gun, aiming it directly at the man.
"Answer me! Did you kill my family?!"
The man's smirk widened as he pulled out his karambit, twirling it lazily in his fingers.
"Maybe you need more skill before you go around asking questions like that, little girl."
Takeshi lunged forward, slashing with his blade, but the man dodged easily, dancing backward with a laugh.
Akari fired a shot, but it zipped past the man's shoulder, embedding itself in the tree behind him.
"Oh, how kind of you! You haven't killed me yet," the Kaosu member taunted, kicking off a branch to flip over Takeshi's next attack.
"Shut up!" Takeshi shouted, striking again, their blades clashing with a harsh metallic ring.
Akari fired again, her hands trembling, each shot missing by inches as the man twisted out of the way, mocking them with every movement.
"You're wasting bullets," the man sang, flicking his karambit toward Takeshi's neck. Takeshi ducked, feeling the blade graze his ear.
They kept going, their movements slowing as exhaustion set in, but neither Takeshi nor Akari was willing to back down. Their breathing was ragged, sweat dripping from their faces, but they continued to fight.
"Takeshi, move left!" Akari shouted, adjusting her aim.
Takeshi nodded, faking a high slash before dropping low, slicing at the man's left side.
The blade caught a small piece of the coat, tearing it away.
The Kaosu member's eyes widened in shock, just as Akari's gun fired.
A single bullet pierced the man's right chest, the sound echoing in the silent forest.
The Kaosu member staggered backward, clutching his chest, blood soaking into the shredded piece of the coat.
"W-what the hell... is this..." he gasped, falling to his knees.
Akari lowered her gun, her eyes cold.
"Did you really think we were helpless? Maybe we are, but our intelligence can't be overcome to someone like you."
The Kaosu member fell forward, lifeless, the forest going silent once more.
-FLASHBACK-
The morning before they left their hideout, Takeshi had called Akari into the hallway.
"Hey, Akari!"
"What do you want from me now?" Akari asked, crossing her arms.
Takeshi looked serious, pulling out the coded paper he had hidden.
"Listen carefully. If you remember the logo, you'll understand what I'm about to say."
Akari frowned.
"The logo we saw?"
"Exactly," Takeshi nodded. "If you remember the coat Rikuu found, you'll remember how it looked like."
Akari blinked, processing his words.
"And what are you getting at?"
"It's simple. If we run into Kaosu members on the way, don't kill them until we get the logo off their coat," Takeshi explained. "It will help us gather clues."
Akari's expression hardened.
"But didn't Rikuu say not to tell the higher-ups about it?"
"Yes, this stays between us," Takeshi confirmed. "Remember, get the logo first before you pull the trigger. Got it?"
Akari sighed. "Fine. But if I see the person who killed my family, I won't hesitate."
Takeshi nodded, patting her shoulder. "Understood."
-PRESENT-
Takeshi pulled the blood-stained logo from the dead man's coat, folding it carefully and placing it in a locked pouch.
They stood in silence for a moment, catching their breath, before continuing their way toward the headquarters.
-KAKUSU'S HEADQUARTERS-
Shoto was waiting for them as they entered, his arms crossed, eyes sharp.
"Did you encounter anything strange on your way here?" Shoto asked, his gaze flicking between Takeshi and Akari.
"Yes, an opponent, I guess," Takeshi replied calmly.
Akari shot him a worried glance, her mind racing. Is he really going to betray my brother's instructions like this?
"Did you uncover any evidence?" Shoto asked.
Takeshi shook his head.
"No."
Shoto's eyes lingered on him for a moment before he nodded, accepting the lie.
Akari let out a quiet breath of relief.
Takeshi stepped forward.
"May I ask a question? What do the crowns on our coats symbolize? Why do some have one, two, three, four, or even five, while others have none?"
Nagisa, who had been reviewing documents nearby, looked up.
"Ah, you're curious about the ranking structure."
Nagisa stood, folding her arms.
"Let me explain. Members who wear coats without any crown means they're an aide—they clean and maintain the headquarter, fetch supplies, etc. Members who wear coats with one crown means they're an analyst—they investigate given materials, guard the headquarter along with aide, handle reports, etc. Members who wear coats with two crowns means they're a explorer—they drive the other members to their destination, locate crime scenes, etc. Members who wear coats with three crowns means they're an operative—they fight the opponents, intervene in crime scenes, and investigate in the outside world. You two, along with Rikuu and Ichika, hold this rank. Members who wear coats with four crowns means they're a commanders—they coordinate operations, whether investigating or leading attacks, etc. Finally, members who wear coats with five crowns mean they're a conqueror—those who have completed missions at every level and now command the entire clan's operations."
Takeshi nodded, his eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "I see... thank you for explaining."
Nagisa smiled faintly.
"Do your best, operatives. We will need your strength in the coming days."
"Yes!" he responded with determination in his looks.
"Why did you lie to them earlier?" Akari whispered.
Takeshi glanced at her, his expression unreadable.
"Because if they knew what we found, they'd take it away. And what we found... is for Rikuu, for your family, and for us. We will uncover the truth ourselves." he whispered back
"Fine. But you'd better not die before we get our revenge, Takeshi."
He smirked, ruffling her hair. "Same goes for you, Akari. We're in this together."
"What are you guys whispering about?" Shoto asked with sharp eyes.
"N-nothing, just checking out if she's okay!"