FSE

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In his dark hobo jacket, Kiryu found the disguise worked even better than expected. Not one kaiju looked at him, in fact most actively avoided for fear of being stopped by a beggar, whilst Saurose walked beside him. The long-necked reptilian with the head of a seahorse was even more distracting, his grand steps unlike his former biker days as he took on a more noble peerage.

But in truth he was struggling to hide his tears, after Kiryu gave him the news of Aosukawa's passing. He did not explain to him how she died, wanting her memory to be preserved as the kind priestess he always knew her to be.

"I'm sorry," Goji sighed.

"It...it's fine." Taijin sniffed looking ahead. "Sh-she...she always cared about me, you know? She had no reason to go outta her way for me but-"

"She cared about helping others. Biyante-sama knew her too, they can tell you what she got up to."

"I been talking with them, yeah...I was really hoping that...you-"

"I know." Kiryu patted his back. "I was hoping too...but I promise you this. I will make Gihei suffer, I will destroy his clan for what he did."

"Yeah." Titan grabbed his shoulder. "If you...you need any help with that, call me."

"I will, Saurose-san."

They stopped at the entrance to Little Asia, Saurose bowing with his whole neck as Goji stepped towards the goat at the gate. At first she muttered a warning in Korean, until Kiryu lifted his hood enough to reveal his face.

"Geum, yoilkkaji, oli ne mali."

The goat was shocked to see his face, a smile on her lips as she nodded and stepped aside. Entering the depths of Little Asia, Kiryu was shocked to see how much it had changed in the space of two weeks.

The sounds of its chugging air-conditioners were different from the old rumbling snarl. They sounded cleaner, brimming with energy as the more dilapidated buildings had been fixed up to look homely. Gone were the corrugated shutters to have windows instead, doors painted fresh and the roofs in exceptional quality.

Dogs and scaled horses greeted him as well as the odd phoenix, welcoming him with a few scraps of Japanese. Stepping up towards the Sa-Rhee restaurant, he heard the sounds of laughter, a joyous cackle that was rare in this slum as a new staircase invited him.

On the roof of the restaurant, a soccer pitch sprawled out before him with clean astroturf and two goals between a storage shed and rooftop door. A green fence with a ceiling net had been put up to keep the ball inside, whilst children and adults cried to each other.

"//JEON, JEON, I'M OPEN!//"

"//PASS IT, GET ROUND HER!//"

"//COME ON KIM, COME ON TACKLE HIM!//"

As a small audience ringed around the outside, two teams battled each other across the pitch. Sitting at the back, Kiryu watched with a smile at two players in particular, a stegosaur adult with long tail and burning eyes, who was given the golden ball by a young scaly foal.

Charging ahead, Yong-ga Sa-Rhee delivered a powerful kick to the goal straight past the goalie. His team cheered as he pulled up his purple shirt, sliding on his knees as Jeon hugged him tight along with his team.

"//YEAH, YEAAAAAAAAAAH, YOU DID IT!//"

"//WE'RE NUMBER ONE, WE'RE NUMBER ONE!//"

"//DID YA SEE US MOM, DID YA?!//"

"//I did sweetie!//" an older scaled horse waved from the side. "//You were wonderful my little striker, so proud of you!//"

Taking this moment in silence, Kiryu smiled in appreciation before his thoughts returned to Danzaki. Now he became conflicted, thinking of the goodness his friend had brought to this community, and even more troubled by his betrayal.

"You boys done good." A voice came from his side. "I wasn't expecting much but...damn, if my folks haven't been this happy in ages."

Looking up, he saw the leader of Little Asia smile at him. In his yellow shirt with bronze-tipped horns upon his black bovine face, Byul-ga Sa-Rhee seemed far less threatening than the last time they had met. The bull sat down beside him as they kept watching the game.

"How'd your mission go?" asked Byul-ga.

"Badly," Kiryu nodded, "friend I was looking for died, another friend betrayed me, and I got beaten the shit out of."

"Well...look on the bright side, at least you lost that ugly suit."

"Joke's on you, I have more of them at home."

"Ugh." The bull chuckled. "Sorry things went bad."

"I'll deal with it," Gojirama sighed, "I came to ask you something."

"Normally I don't do favours, but...considering you and that Danzaki made all of this, I'll make an exception."

"I don't come empty-handed." Kiryu looked to him. "I know who killed your friend Kurasawa."

"...hmm." The bull nodded tightening his fists. "Sounds a good trade by me. Alright, what's the favour?"

"A friend of mine at the temple wants to read Kurasawa's report. Someone who knows Daija, and what the Cold Death is."

"Lemme guess, some kinda weapon?"

"Worse." The Toho lieutenant sat up. "I'll bring the report back, I just need them to hear it."

"Alright, come with me."

Sa-Rhee led him back to his personal quarters in the restaurant, the old crummy living room stacked with third-hand furniture as the bull dug out Kurasawa's notebook.

"I'll send Yong-ga with you. He's worried about you."

"Worried?" Kiryu squinted.

"He likes you a lot...fuck knows why, but if you can make him a better kaiju then fine by me."

"You could start by not hitting him."

The bull snorted with a derisive look.

"Really? You're going to lecture me about raising him?"

"I know I have no place, but I've been meaning to say this a long time that beating your kid never turns out good."

"I don't do it every damn day," Byul-ga shoved the notebook in his hand.

"You shouldn't do it ever," Kiryu snatched it, "you want to teach your nephew to be better, be the creature you want him to be."

"Ugh....you sound just like Kama-kun." Sa-Rhee sat on his seat. "I miss him...I don't know why Yong-ga's the way he is, even when Kama-kun was around he was still a brat."

"I think I do." Kiryu bent down. "You don't like to show it, but you used to be like him."

"The fuck do YOU know about me?"

"I've seen enough creatures in this city to know when someone is hiding their true self. Sa-Rhee-kun didn't learn to be that way by himself, whether you meant it or not, he learned how to be that way from you."

"I was trying to teach him not to be naive about you Japanese."

"Instead you taught him bigotry. That's why you made me his babysitter, because you couldn't accept that about yourself, and what you think about 'us Japanese'."

"...you really are the most fucking annoying son of a bitch."

The bull smiled, shaking his head and pressing his thumbs on his horns.

"Fine, you made your point. Now what about your end of the bargain?"

"Alright." Kiryu nodded standing back up. "The one who killed your friend, Kurasawa, what do you plan to do?"

"What do you think?" Byul-ga sneered. "Make him suffer the same as my friend did."

"So you'll kill him?"

"So it's a he? Yes, I'll kill HIM." The bull stood up with piercing eyes. "I'll fucking gut his throat, and make him know how much I loved the only damn friend who could ever stand me, and the only reason I'm in this FUCKING CITY, was to give him a better life that SOMEONE thought he didn't deserve because of who he was, now TELL ME HIS FUCKING NAME!"

"...Khoumad Maung." Kiryu wiped the spit off his face. "He's one of Gihei's assassins, infamous in Yokohama."

"Huh...Maung? That ain't a Japanese name."

"It's not, does it matter?"

"...no," Byul-ga rubbed his head. "It's...fine, what's he look like?"

"I'll write it down if it helps, you got a pen?"

Offered a pencil and paper, Kiryu scribbled down the tarantula's description as best he could remember, down to the clothing and manner of voice. Once he was done, Byul-ga Sa-Rhee summoned his nephew after the match was over.

"//Uncle, UNCLE BYUL-GA! Didya see me and Jeon, we fuckin' NAILED their ass to the wall, three-one, you gotta-...huh?!//"

The stegosaur stopped at the restaurant door, seeing his uncle stand beside a familiar-looking kaiju. Without the suit it took him a moment for it to click, until Kiryu smiled with his husky voice.

"Yo. Sa-Rhee-kun."

"...K-kiryu? KIRYU!"

Yong-ga smiled with a giddy little step, then suddenly corrected himself with a forced snarl and marched towards him.

"Where the FUCK YOU BEEN?! Not say a word, you gone for two weeks!"

"I just got back last night," Goji bowed, "it's a long story."

"You, y-you make Jeon-kun worry, he kept asking where Kiryu, where Kiryu, I don't know where you went, he sit up all night in bed thinking if you were hurt!"

"I know, I'm sorry for making you worry."

"Wha-NO, I NOT WORRY, Jeon-kun worry!"

"Right...Jeon-kun worried," Gojirama chuckled, "I see the new soccer pitch is looking great."

"Yeah, it...it's fun!" the stego smiled between joy and anger. "Real FUCKIN' awesome yeah, you want match, I kick your ass, you deserve it making Jeon-kun worry!"

"//Gods just fucking kiss him already,//" Byul-ga said behind him.

"//WHA-SH-SHUT UP UNCLE!//"

"//It's fine he can't understand us, anyways you're taking him to the temple. He's got Kama-kun's stuff, and I wanna make sure it comes back, so take this time to catch up.//"

"//Oh, yeah okay...OH!//" Yong-ga searched through his pants. "I got letter, for Kiryu!"

"Wait, you do?" the Toho member squinted.

"Yeah, it...oh, fuck it in my room, hold on!"

"Why did YOU get a letter for me?"

"I DON'T KNOW, SOMEONE SEND IT, WAIT!"

Rushing upstairs, Kiryu waited with Byul-ga Sa-Rhee who simply chuckled with a filthy look.

"What?"

"Nothing." The bull puckered his lips. "Thank you for being his friend...I'll think about what you said."

"No problem. I'll still be his friend, but not for your sake."

"GOT IT!"

The stegosaur popped back out with an oddly-weighted envelope, marked for Kiryu along with the words " PLEASE OPEN BEFORE NOVEMBER 16TH".

"It not a bomb, I check!"

"That's...good?" Gojirama sneered. "What is it?"

"Your phone, someone send me it!"

"My...what?"

Inside was indeed Kiryu's phone, the smartphone specifically. The letter read a set of instructions in fine writing, to check the latest video recording. Opening the file, he saw a lavish study with a wall full of books, a gorgeous ornate desk, and Doi Ighorashi beside a skull-headed creature.

"I see the monk has taken his medicine," said the dragon.

"The story worked," said the stranger, "he obeys your plan now."

"Thank you, X-san. Our quest to reshape Japan was already troublesome enough without a monk having a crisis of faith, what story did you tell him?"

"Hmm." The creature walked over to the shelves. "Let me find it for you."

"What the fuck?" gasped Byul-ga. "Is this gay porn or something?"

"No," Kiryu scoffed, "it's...that dragon, he's the head of the Jinuchu."

"Wait, THAT'S Gihei?"

"No, that's his brother Doi. I don't know who the other guy is."

"Why you record this?" Yong-ga sneered.

"I didn't. This...I don't recognise this place, I only met Doi once and it wasn't here, who sent me my own phone?"

"Do you have a date planned for the king's gambit?" asked Doi.

"November sixteenth," said X still scouring shelves, "even yakuza check accounts."

"Ahhh splendid! Good time to distract them in anticipation of your great plan."

"Have Jinuchu attack Toho properties, every district but Kaijurocho."

"Of course, give our other...friend some breathing room." Doi shivered slightly. "That red-headed bastard disturbs me, I truly do not know why my brother tolerates him."

"You fear him?" the skull looked back.

"I know that sort of creature, always smiling, never showing what they truly think. So easy he can turn traitor on us and kill my brother if it satisfied him."

"Yes. Beware him." X pulled out a gorgeous book of Hindu myths.

"Ohohhhh this one is lovely," Doi tented his hands, "bought this in Dubai on a venture."

"Good trip." The skull opened the book. "Your soldiers will draw Toho patriarchs away. I walk into headquarters, and kill Shisahara."

"That simple, really?"

"I will call you at 8pm, with Shisahara's head."

"Excellent." The dragon grinned as the door opened. "Ahhh Rai, did you need something?"

"Apologies," a voice came from off-screen, "I wished to borrow that book of Hindu myths, to help Ojha-san."

"Ohohhhh what a coincidence, X-san here just found it, we were discussing the story he told your friend."

A shadow came in front of the screen before it suddenly clicked off. Kiryu and both Sa-Rhees looked stunned at the revelation.

"They're going to kill Shisa-sama," Goji gasped, "this...no, I have to warn him!"

"Who the fuck they?!" snapped Yong-ga. "They hurt your friends?!"

"They're Jinuchu. I need to go, I have to-...wait." He rubbed his head with a furrowed brow. "Doi mentioned something about a red-headed traitor, didn't he?"

"Yeah, I heard it too," Byul-ga nodded.

"And they're not focusing on Kaijurocho...that must be Danzaki. Damn it, I don't know who I can tell!"

"What's the problem here?"

"Someone in the Toho sold me out, and I don't know if it's just him or others! If my own oath-brother betrayed me, who the hell can I trust in there?!"

"Danzaki betray you?!" gasped the stego. "MotherFUCKER, WHY THE FUCK HE DO THAT?!"

"I don't know!" Goji shouted. "This...they said they were going to kill him today, I need to get to Toho HQ and warn Shisa-sama, without any of the patriarchs seeing me."

"Anything we can do to help?" the bull asked leaning over. "Also, who the fuck sent you this? It could be a trap."

"Sa-Rhee, who sent you this?"

"Don't know!" Yong-ga shrugged. "Sent to my mail yesterday, said keep it for Kiryu!"

"Yesterday? So...that means someone knew I was coming back to Kaijurocho that day and I would contact you."

The Toho lieutenant made his way down to the street.

"I need to take Kurasawa's stuff to Biyante-sama, they're waiting at the temple."

"Alright," Byul-ga nodded, "Yong-ga go with him, report back to me when he's done."

"Got it." The young thug grabbed Kiryu's arm. "Come on, we get shit done!"

"What do you mean?" asked Goji.

"Your friends in trouble, we help them, fuck up Jinuchu!"

"Sa-Rhee, no this doesn't invol-"

"NO, you my friend, your friends my friends, anyone hurt you again, I FUCKING KILL THEM, LET'S GO!"

Heading back to the Temple, Kiryu was dragged with Yong-ga where they quickly hurried upstairs and met Kuribayante, along with Shoji and McCartin in the same room. As the doctor listened to Kurasawa's recording, their face became darkened as McCartin clutched his face.

"Perhaps I could make use of your little network," said Doi, "and take over duties on your behalf."

"I was just about to say," Manobu Date replied, "I would appreciate the load off my shoulders with my other regular duties. But entertain me for a moment, if you will Doi-san. Why would you, a modest CEO, want such a dangerous weapon in your capacity?"

"What else would we use a weapon? I'm sure you have your thoughts on Kankoran and well, all of Korea rather."

"That they're tainting this country and Kankoran is nothing but a drain on our resources?"

"I don't share your motivations, but I believe our end goals are the same in terms of economics. Reforging Japan to become the greatest nation in the world, pure and unsullied in its riches to the heavens."

"So the project shall be completed?" a telltale gasp from the old teacher. "Ohhh, how I have long waited for this day, to prove the strength of our nation."

"Then it's settled?" Doi's smile slithered through their ears. "You give me access to your eyes and ears, I obtain the deed, and you take control of R.O.S.E."

"Is that him?" Gojirama asked.

"Yes," McCartin sighed, "it...that is Date-san."

"He will get his comeuppance," Ukyo tented their hands, "for now, Kiryu, you need to warn your master."

"You want help?" Yong-ga sneered punching his fists. "I beat up anyone for you!"

"This is a dangerous assassin," Kiryu warned, "I'd rather do this alone-"

"But you no trust anyone in Toho, you fight him alone, he might kill you!"

"I-i think he's right," Gordon nodded, "too dangerous to go alone, if you can't trust Toho friends, trust someone who not Toho!"

"Yeah, he right! Who're you? I'm Yong-ga Sa-Rhee."

"Gordon McCartin," the beast bowed, "I Kiryu's boyfriend."

"You-...oh." Yong-ga curled his lip with a stiffening neck. "Cool. But yeah, stupid to go alone, Kiryu."

"Ugh," Goji palmed his face, "I hate you're both right, but I really don't want to involve anyone else in Toho affairs."

"A little too late for that," Shoji rolled her eyes, "much as I would rather not want anyone else be involved, going alone is dangerous."

"I'll have Myobi-chan drive you," said Biyante reading the notebook, "I will remain here, keep watch on the temple."

"Alright." Kiryu stood up kissing Gordon's head. "I'm sorry to leave you again."

"It okay," McCartin gripped his hand, "please...come back, okay?"

"I won't fail anyone again. I swear on that."

"He'll come back." Yong-ga stood up hiding a tear. "I...I keep him safe."

"Thank you, Sa-Rhee-san," the beast bowed to him, "I trust you, both of you."

"Come on. We tell uncle then we go."

"What if he doesn't let you?" Kiryu smirked.

"I tell him to fuck off, my friend need help." Yong-ga gripped Goji's hand. "Let's save your boss."

"Thank you...you're a good friend, Sa-Rhee-san."

Around 7:15pm on that same day, Sano was in the back of Hakura's limousine with a briefcase full of papers. A sigh of boredom filled the car as the yak looked at him in the rearview mirror, rumbling down the road to HQ.

"Fear not, Sano-san," said the driver, "accounts day is like a bandage, one swift rip and it's over!"

"Heh, heheheh, yeaaaah I guess," the ankylosaur sighed, "it just kinda sucks I gotta do it when Varan-san does it all the time."

"Have we heard word from Kiryu-san? I'm frightfully worried, as is my daughter."

"Nah," Anguirou looked away, "still nothing."

The yak however knew better, his soulful eyes sensing a quiet pain as the limo rolled down the highway.

"Did you hear my Yae-chan found a sponsor?"

"Oh no shit really?!" Sano grinned.

"A local gymnasium, I forget the name but Kiryu recommended them as one of our properties. She has told me the place is wonderful, and the owner is quite a prodigious beast!"

"I think I know the place ya mean, glad she's doing well. When's her next match?"

"Ohhh I'd have to ask," Hakura shook his head, "I'm not quite up to snuff on the calendar of pugilism."

"What's feudalism gotta do with that?" Anguirou smirked from his horn. "You studying politics now Hakura-san?"

"No, it...ah," the driver chuckled, "very droll, Sano-san."

"See YOU get it, I knew I was funny! Kiryu don't laugh at my jokes, such a sour ass he was sometimes."

"Is, you mean."

"...right." The spikeback nodded. "Yeah...thanks, Hakura-san."

"I am always here for the Toho, Sano-san."

They arrived at the headquarters with its splendid gate, the grand gardens stretching from end to end as the central courtyard greeted him with its red lanterns. The rain had left the cobbles with a silvery hue as he stepped out the limo, his phone beeping off with Obakimura's voice.

"Hey Sano, you make it alright to HQ?"

"I'm just rolling in now," said Sano, "what's this business you got anyway?"

"Sorry but, s'a private issue. You got all our accounts?"

"Yeah they're right here," he shook his briefcase. "You sure you're not just bunking off to play more Dragon Quest?"

"Don't smart-mouth me boy." Varan chuckled. "All you gotta do is give Shisa-han them accounts, an' then you can do whutever you want."

"Sure, no prob Varan-san. See ya when I get back."

"See you."

The call ended as Sano looked back to the chauffeur.

"I shall await you here," Hakura bowed, "to speed you off to the closest electronic arcade at your soonest behest."

"Heh, thanks," Anguirou bowed back, "take it easy Hakura-san."

The glorious pagoda stood rising above him, as a testament to the Toho's historic legacy against authority. Despite his frustrations of being made errand boy, Sano could not help but swell with pride at seeing those black lacquered roofs, those polished ornate doors and the Toho emblem adorning the front.

Other cars soon arrived with either patriarchs or messengers, all carrying suitcases as they marched through the crimson halls of splendid carpet and mahogany bannisters. A chandelier glinted above their heads, as they ascended the stairs with servants roaming back and forth ranging from foxes to kappas to long spindly birds.

Amongst the visitors Sano recognised a few patriarchs, Akayama the red cow in her sapphire suit, Byakkamoto the white tiger in a tan coat, and Itsumi the cockerel in his fiery red attire who squinted hard at Sano with sudden grin.

"Well well, look who's on bitch duty. Where's Obakimura? He fall asleep or he have to change his piss-bag?"

"He's busy," Anguirou bowed, "some things are more important than accounts, Itsumi-san."

"Tcheh, yeah," the rooster strolled past, "I'm sure that's what he calls his gaming time."

"You wanna make a complaint, send it to our office," Sano snarled following, "I'm just here delivering accounts."

"If I had Kaijurocho, I wouldn't be making my minions carry around such important files, your patriarch doesn't know how lucky he is."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that instead of being handled by a city kaiju who understands Tokyo, the crown jewel of our city is being fumbled by a sandal-wearing bumpkin who fobs off his duties to street punks."

"Varan-san chose me because he trusts me! You know what a family is, Itsumi-san? It's a group that trusts each other, to help each other!"

"I don't need a lecture from a foot soldier."

"And I don't need a lecture from some jealous cockhead!"

"Boys, boys."

A red pterodactyl swept in with a purple waistcoat.

"This ain't a nursery. If it was, Itsumi-san would be better dressed."

"OH, finally, Danzaki!" The cockerel snorted with wobbly head. "Nice to see you attend for once."

"Sup dude," Sano brofisted him, "I forgot you'd be here."

"I'm patriarch aren't I?" Roberto winked. "This cock giving you problems?"

"I was reminding Obakimura's soldier his place," scoffed Itsumi still walking, "some of us still care about discipline."

"Not your tailor apparently."

"Says the one whose oath-brother still keeps that gaudy white suit, whom every single charity shop in Tokyo banned him from selling."

"HEY!" Sano shoved his horn at the rooster's face. "DON'T YOU FUCKING DISRESPECT KIRYU!"

"Wh-what the-"

"You wanna talk shit to him, you do it when he's here, but don't EVER shit-talk behind his back you son of a BITCH!"

"You...arrogant little FUCK!" Itsumi shoved him back. "Who the fuck you think you are, back talking to a patriarch, you're nothing but a cocksucking bitch who spent more time in back alleys with your schoolboy gang, than you spent being a Toho member!"

"I been Toho for six years, I respect my family!"

"You should be respecting ME, as your goddamn superior!"

The moment the rooster grabbed Sano again, his arm was ripped back with a clenching creak that made him turn weak at the knees. The other patriarchs and messengers gave a wide berth expecting a fight to break out, as Danzaki tightened his grip on Itsumi's wrist.

"You talk shit about me, ni modo, but you don't fuck with mi hermano."

He pushed the cockerel back, who puffed up his suit and snarled with fumes from his beak.

"I'll be glad to see your accounts, Danzaki...or what's left of them after all the child payments you've dropped behind."

"Least I can still put eggs in la chicas."

The pteranodon made a kissy sound as they all marched to the meeting room. Sixteen chairs in two rows sat beneath another gorgeous chandelier, the prime seat of the Fourth Chair the grandest of all in its plush ornate glory as the reps sat down. They bantered amongst themselves as they waited for their leader, Sano grinning at Danzaki across the way.

"Thanks for the backup."

"De nada," Roberto leaned back stretching his winged arms. "Howsit going, you good?"

"Yeah, yeah, just, things are tense, yanno with the temple explosion and everything."

"Yeah that shit was loco."

"Did you hear what happened on Tenkaiju?" Sano leaned forwards. "Some fucking vashers spray-painted the Poppo store, threatened McCartin!"

"Wait WHAT?!" Danzaki nearly shot up. "He alright?!"

"Yeah he's fine, we sent him to the temple, he's all shaken up but Shoji-sama'll keep him safe. Hey, you heard anything back from Kiryu?"

"Nope," Roberto shrugged, "not even a text, he's not back yet?"

"No...not gonna lie, I'm kinda worried, this is the longest I've not heard from him and McCartin-san's worried too.

"Hey. Sano." The pterosaur walked over to grip his shoulders. "Kiryu's fine. I know he is, that fresa's always taking his time with his slow ass, trust me."

"Mmm...yeah." He smiled back. "I'll keep an eye out, thanks Danzaki."

"Ni modo."

"Ahhh, thank for you coming!"

Kin Shisahara stepped out from his office, hobbling slightly on his cane before he sat down on his ornate chair. His long sandy ears swished onto his shoulders, as a fox and crane stood waiting to take their documents.

"I understand it's a busy time of year, so let's make this brief. Let us go by alphabetical as we all do, Akayama-san please start us off."

"Thank you, Shisa-sama," the red cow handed her case to the fox, "Hannyajuku remains in an upswing of profits, we've made a landmark deal with investors from Toulouse to ship materials."

"Excellent," the Fourth Chair rubbed his eyes, "forgive me if I seem a little tired, business is always rather hungry near December. Byakkamoto, how is Ittangaya?"

"The printers' strike has been resolved," the white tiger gave his case to a crane, "thanks to your intervention, we managed to find a peaceful resolution with the unions, for a better pay from the companies."

"And in return we invested more, to receive an extra surplus. Chin-san, how is Akatebara?"

"New investments from Were-Enix have stalled," said a heron handing his suitcase in turn, "they've become rather stingy with products since the new management took over, we're currently having a legal standoff with copyrights of all things."

"Regretful," Kin shook his head, "Danzaki, how is Kappongi?"

"Swimming with dinero," Roberto handed off his accounts, "we got some great new revenue from some African businesses settling in. It was a bit touch-and-go with a couple high-pressure tactics but, we managed to smooth things out and everyone's simpatico."

"Fantastic to hear, now-"

"Uhh, s-sorry."

Danzaki felt his phone vibrate intensely. Then Byakkamoto's, then Akayama's then Itsumi's and Akatebara's. All the patriarchs were receiving calls, leaving Sano and the other underlings looking confused as the heads excused themselves before answering.

"What is happening?" Shisahara gripped his seat. "That's...odd."

"Hello?" Akayama answered. "Yes I'm at the HQ, I-...what?!"

"Alright, calm down!" Byakkamoto said. "Where did this happen?"

"Are you SERIOUS?!" shrieked Itsumi. "Who is responsible!? Do you have any names?!"

"Shit alright," Danzaki muttered, "go to plan Toluca, protect the nightclubs, there's more folks there, the embassies can handle themselves."

"Wh-what's going on?!" Anguirou gasped. "Danzaki, dude what-"

"Someone just bombed one of my nightclubs."

"WHAT?!"

"Chuo University was attacked!" gasped Byakkamoto.

"And Takeshisa street!" cried Akayama.

"JINUCHU!" Itsumi roared. "My family just told me, they saw Jinuchu thugs running from the bomb!"

"My family too," a heron shook his head, "this...what is happening?!"

"Everyone, meeting is cancelled!" Shisahara stood up. "Those of you who received calls, return to your districts immediately and control the damage, help your locals best as you can."

"Yes, Shisa-sama!" the patriarchs bowed as one.

"The rest of you remain here, unless you receive a call otherwise from your families."

The leaders left, hurrying to their rides with Danzaki giving a look to Sano. As they left to leave the subordinates carrying on the work, Sano pulled out his phone to try and contact Obakimura. No response came.

"I don't believe it," a kappa beside him shook her head, "they were never this bold before, what's even happening?!"

"Didn't they bomb the temple in your area?" a hammerhead shark looked to Sano. "I heard rumours it was them."

"Dude I don't know," Anguirou groaned, "I wasn't meant to be here today, my boss was busy with something urgent, and now I can't contact him!"

"Where is Sanjin?" Kin turned his head to him. "It's not like him to miss a chance to speak with me."

"He uh...he said it was something private."

"Ahh...I see." The Fourth Chair stood up. "Can I speak with you in my office, Sano-san?"

"Uhhh, s-sure, Shisa-sama."

Sano stood up and bowed to the other subordinates as they tried to contact their leaders. From the windows they saw the patriarchs leaving, dashing off in limousines out into the night. The cherry blossom trees had long withered from the days of summer, leaving behind bare twisting branches over dark shallow ponds.

Hakura sat in his limo still waiting for Sano, reading a novel whilst classical rock played from the 1970s. His head bopped along to the dirty grind of guitars before suddenly bashing a drum solo across the dashboard. Getting caught up with a favourite song, he looked up from his book and saw all the other cars leaving.

"What on earth?" He called Anguirou on the phone. "Sano-san, what happened?! Everyone is leaving."

"Uhh hey Hakura, can you wait a bit?" he replied. "Something big happened, I'll tell you more when I get back."

"Do you require any assistance?"

"Nah just, hang tight, I'll call you when I'm leaving."

Hanging up, the yak returned to his reading all the more perturbed by the ankylosaur's tone. Thunder was lurking from the east as he sighed at the miserable weather, losing himself in his novel about two sisters surviving war in the 16th-century. Half-an-hour would pass until he saw someone approaching the grounds.

"Hmm? Who is that?"

A black-suited creature approached the doors of the building, the fox butler halting them with a stiff lip. Hakura watched the visitor toss his long silver briefcase high, headbutt the servant, and grab his case from above to crush down his head.

"OH, g-gods!"

The fox was slammed against the side of the entrance and kicked down the stairs, a long river of blood trailing behind his broken skull as the killer opened the doors. The driver slumped in his seat to hide before frantically calling Sano.

Inside his office, Kin Shisahara sat at his cherrywood desk trying to call Sanjin Obakimura. Sano sat at one of the black sofas beside a glass coffee table, staring at the Toho emblem above his boss with samurai sword underneath.

"Still nothing," Kin sighed, "this is very unlike him."

"He's been frazzled since Kiryu left," Anguirou rubbed his hands, "I dunno why."

"I suspect it's because he relied on Kiryu too much. Much as I trust my friend, he has become rather sedentary."

"He's not that bad, he does go out sometimes, he just had a stroke and he's taking it easy."

"True true, and he did camp out at that store, so...hmmm."

The lion-dog twirled his cane between his hands, pondering to himself as Anguirou asked:

"Is that cane new, Shisa-sama?"

"No," Kin tapped it, "I've had it since Okinawa."

"I just don't remember seeing you with it."

"Well you hardly come to headquarters, Sano-san."

"R-right...heh," the ankylosaur looked down at his feet, "if this really is the Jinuchu attacking us, what're we gonna do?"

"An attack on this scale," murmured the Fourth Chair, "would mean war between our clans. We cannot tolerate this level of assault, but the timing of this bothers me, why would Jinuchu decide to attack us on this day?"

"Well, we're all here aren't we? It's accounts day-oh, sorry." The spikeback pulled out his phone. "Hakura, I said I'd call you ba-"

"SANO, TAKE SHISAHARA AND RUN!"

"Wait, what?!"

"S-SOMEONE KILLED SAMSON, IT'S AN ASSASSIN, RUN!"

It was then they heard the sounds of violence, as swords and gunfire rang through the halls causing them to lurch from their seats.

"What is happening?!" gasped Kin.

"It...Hakura just told me there's an assassin, killed the guy at the door!"

"What?!" the Fourth Chair tapped his intercom. "Kono-chan, what's going on?!"

"S-someone, SOMEONE'S COMING, HE KILLED SAMSON, OH GODS NOOO-"

The machine cut off with a scream as Shisahara gripped his cane.

"Sano, I need you to guard me."

"Got it!" the spikeback saluted. "No fucker's gonna get past me!"

"I need to call all the patriarchs, until then you and the others in the meeting room must protect me."

"I won't leave you, Shisa-sama. You can count on me."

Marching out to where the other subordinates waited, Anguirou called on them to take arms and stand against the door. The five who came in place of their patriarchs readied themselves with fists and weapons, the sounds of murder and fury ringing out through the hall.

The walls thudded with bodies beaten and brutal cracks of the bone, gasping sobs filling the air as the doors shook with each thudding step. Sano braced himself, balling his fists with a shudder of adrenaline when a body slammed through the doors like a missile.

"SH-SHIT, FUCK!"

Dodging the corpse that flew dead into the room, a shark with a collapsed skull, the last defence of Shisahara stood trembling but resolute. The assassin stood before them, a black suit with reptilian skull, white bony pauldrons, and a long forked tail. His eyes gleamed with a cruel red as Sano roared:

"Who the FUCK ARE YOU, ARE YOU JINUCHU?!"

" Yes." The killer patted his long suitcase. " I am here to kill Shisahara."

Arriving just a few minutes after the assassin, a pickup truck rumbled up to the gates where Yong-ga and Kiryu leapt from.

"I'll wait out here," said Myobi from the driver's seat, "for the love of gods, don't fucking die on me."

"I won't," Kiryu nodded, "Sa-Rhee let's go."

"Woah," the stegosaur gasped, "this where your boss live? Fucking fancy!"

"AH, K-KIRYU!"

From the limousine nearby, Hakura rolled down his window to wave at them.

"Hakura-san!" Gojirama hurried over. "What happened?"

"A-ASSASSIN! I-I SAW HIM GO IN, PLEASE YOU HAVE TO STOP HIM!"

"Alright, sit tight, LET'S MOVE!"

Running up through the courtyard, Kiryu found the fox with the broken head slumped down the steps. As they stepped inside they found more scenes of death and destruction; a kappa maid had her neck twisted back; a tortoise with a cracked shell; two sharks had their own knives driven through their eyes; and a monitor lizard had her face turned to a puddle. Only a few of the guards were alive, but their wounds were so great that most would not survive before the end of this night.

"F-fuck," Yong-ga shivered, "this guy a psycho."

"We can't hold back," Kiryu shook his head, "I need you to be at your worst and most fierce, I need you to fight harder than we ever did."

"Yeah...YEAH!" the chef pumped his arms. "Come on, we go save your boss!"

Upstairs in the meeting room, Sano charged towards the assassin. X dodged his punch with a savage counter to the stomach, kicking him back as a red wolf drew his katana to lunge with a stab. The creature parried with his suitcase to knock the sword away, grabbing the canine's throat and cracking it in one snap. A pale-faced monkey shot the killer with a gun, the skull lunging close to grab, snap his arm back, then gouge the gibbon's eyes with piercing fingers before tossing his twitching body.

A hammerhead shark grabbed a chair to attack, the assassin rolling under the swipe to bash his long metal case to the back of the leg. The shark fell and was suddenly grabbed by the dorsal fin, screeching when he felt the tearing of flesh from his back. When Sano tried to attack again, he was beaten across the face with a bloody fin, as a kappa lunged for X's stomach with a knife.

The killer grabbed the water-imp's blade, driving his knee hard in the kappa's face before wrenching the dagger free, and plunging it through the top of his head. Gurgling shivers came from the amphibian, the water in his scalp turning crimson as he collapsed with deathly spasms. The hammerhead sobbed trembling to stand from the loss of his fin, his back drenched in red as he grabbed the katana from the fallen wolf to come slashing with frenzy.

The eyes of the killer glowed with a shocking scarlet as lightning sparked with a simmering froth. Bolts of gold shot from his crimson pupils and pauldrons to violently electrocute the shark, his anguish ringing through the hall as the sword magnetised his hands. His heart collapsed, his brain overcooked and he would finally collapse in a smoking charr.

"YOU...YOU FUCKING BASTARD, YOU'RE NOT GETTING THE FOURTH CHAIR!"

Sano stepped back to roll himself into a ball of spikes, revving up hard with a shrieking tear of the carpet as he charged towards Mr. X. The killer put down his briefcase and bared his arms, squatting like a sumo wrestler at the rolling dirge of spikes. Suddenly Sano felt himself roll on the spot, screeching harder when X grabbed his sides and hurled him against the window.

Cracking glass behind him, the spikebacked soldier unfurled himself in a rolling start to leap high with a heavenly strike. Punching the skull's head to knock him back, he rushed X in a dozen blows of hammering fists, the killer barely flinching until he grabbed the eleventh punch, countered with a gutpunch and swung a brutal haymaker that knocked Sano across the room.

Flying into the Fourth Chair's seat, Anguirou watched X come marching forth before the ankylo leapt with a lunging headbutt. The skull-headed creature grabbed his neck mid-flight to try and snap his throat, but Sano grabbed his waist and threw himself forwards in a body slam. On top he came down with a punch, that the killer blocked before headbutting Sano in turn.

The spikeback resisted the blow and lunged suddenly with his bite, crunching for the killer's throat with snarling rage as X staggered from the weight. Teeth dug into his hard-scaled neck as he grabbed the ankylosaur's head and ripped himself free, the smallest of scars peeling off his throat. His hands tightened on Sano's maw, a slow terrible creak filling the soldier's head as his eyes briefly flickered in fright.

One violent snap twisted his jaw clean, cracking it off his joints as he screamed in agony. Sano collapsed with a whimpering cry, his bottom teeth hanging in a painful swing as blood trickled from his mouth, his tongue limp and dangling with it. The killer took up his suitcase and kicked down Shisahara's door, the Fourth Chair awaiting him with cane at the ready.

"So, you've come," said him with a sneer, "know that I will not go down lightly."

" Good." X clenched his fist with a smile. " Doi-san will savour your head on his wall."

"I am not a trophy, and neither is this city, who will NEVER bow down to such murderous greed!"

When Shisahara lunged with his cane, X blocked with one hand and grabbed for the leader's throat to slam him on his desk. The lion-dog mauled his shoulder with a powerful bite, forcing X back with a double kick to knock him against the wall, before the killer sparked his eyes with deadly force. Lightning shot free from his stare and his pauldrons, four terrible bolts that ripped across the walls, melted old newspaper clippings, and scarred the Toho emblem.

But whenever they hit Shisahara, his eyes trapped every bolt in his sclera, forming a brilliant light as he roared with a devastating blast of even stronger lightning. The assassin flinched at his own power being reflected, clutching his chest with a murmur in his heart from the lancing volts shrieking past his arms.

" Nnnngh! Im...impressive." X smiled putting down his case. " So this, is why you are the Fourth Chair."

"I carry the blood of rebels," said Kin, "four generations who defied the powers that be!"

" Yes. Four generations. There will not be a fifth."

In the moment that Sano was defeated, Kiryu was twenty seconds behind kicking open the door to the meeting room. He saw his friend crumpled at the side, a broken jaw and stricken by the sight of his friend.

"K-...KHHRYU!"

"SANO!" Gojirama rushed over to him. "Where is he?!"

"Sh-shu, SHISUH, HURRY!"

The ankylosaur pointed to the office as the Toho lieutenant rushed in. He saw his fourth chair clutching the desk, but a danger sense alerted him to a backfist coming from his side.

"KIRYU LOOK OUT!"

Shisahara's warning came late, but the saurian was quick to block the killer and grab his arm to hurl him against the wall. Yong-ga Sa-Rhee came in behind with a brutal barrage of fists into the assassin's gut as Kiryu held him, before the skull-head lifted his legs to trap Yong-ga's neck between his thighs.

Twisting hard he threw the stegosaur down, rolling on top to pummel the chef with savage strikes. Gojirama grabbed X's fist, wrenched him off of Sa-Rhee and stunned him with an uppercut, before kicking the murderer backwards onto the glass table. Launching himself, Kiryu elbow-dropped hard into X's stomach, shattering the glass underneath as the killer grabbed the thickest shard and lashed Kiryu's face.

Flinching from the scar of red across his scalp, the saurian pulled back when Sa-Rhee rushed over to X's head. The killer retorted with a wild stab in Sa-Rhee's leg, twisting his ankle like coring an apple as the stegosaur shrieked stumbling back. The assassin pulled himself free from the glass shards and lunged for Yong-ga, but Kiryu grabbed X's tail and swung him hard against the wall then crunched his foot into the belly.

When the assassin grabbed Kiryu's leg to try and twist it, Sa-Rhee came flying with a spinning kick and drove his bad foot through the murderer's face. Kiryu joined him as the saurian crunched X's jaw from one side, whilst Yong-ga back-kicked his heel from the other.

" Kiryu." The assassin sneered between foot and fist. " You are still alive."

"You disappointed?" snarled Goji.

" No. I am delighted."

The killer grabbed the stegosaur and swung him against Kiryu, hurling them both to the back wall where Shisahara stood.

" Doi-san will be pleased to have your head as well."

"Yong-ga!" cried Kiryu. "Take Shisa-sama and run!"

"What?!" gasped Sa-Rhee. "You can't fight him alone-"

"I know, but YOU have to protect him, if he dies the Toho is gone, please!"

"Ugh...alright." The chef took Shisahara's hand. "Kiryu, if you die, I'll never forgive you!"

"Gods protect you Kiryu," the Fourth Chair nodded, "young sir, please, help me outside if you will."

" Yes." X looked back to them. " I will find you, after Kiryu is dead."

"Is that so?" Gojirama cracked his knuckles. "Sorry but, I'm still on the clock, and dying's just a waste of my time."

" So am I." The killer cracked his own. " I heard stories of your strength. One who managed to face Gihei and Rai, and survive."

"And Doi will be next, after I take you DOWN!"

Yong-ga grabbed Shisahara as they raced out the room, hurrying over to Sano and helping him up to safety. In the Fourth Chair's office, the crimson-eyed X stepped through the broken glass, then hurled the shard he had in his hand for Kiryu's face. Dodging quick, the saurian rushed with an uppercut that X crushed with an elbow, before headbutting Kiryu hard to make him stagger.

Grabbing the Toho member's throat, X tried to twist before Kiryu slammed his arms underneath then between the killer's own, throwing them back to double-fist X's skull then drive a punch straight through. Reeling back from the blow, the assassin ducked for a ruthless gutpunch that Goji blocked with his knee, kicking X's head before the killer spun himself round to slash the saurian's arm with his forked tail.

Tearing through the black hobo jacket, the vicious appendage lunged for his heart as Kiryu grabbed it in a dodge, wrenching it hard to pull the killer back towards him. With a wild haymaker he went for the back of X's skull, but the killer blocked with an elbow strike behind, then spun the other way with his own brutal haymaker.

Gojirama fell against a set of drawers, tearing one out when the tail came driving down for his scalp like a scorpion's sting. The drawer blocked it briefly, shattering in splints as the forked tip pulled back for another lunge, before he threw another drawer at X's head to stun him. Rushing close, Kiryu grabbed a table leg and walloped the killer's head, beating him across both cheeks before the assassin blocked on the fifth blow.

The creature stomped Kiryu's foot and twisted hard to drive his elbow through the chin, knocking him back towards the desk. When the murderer came lunging, Kiryu grabbed the intercom machine and whacked X's face, wrapping the wire round his neck to yank him hard towards the wall. In his stumble X shot out his tail towards Kiryu, missing his stomach but shredding the jacket enough to expose his bare chest with nurtured wounds.

" Not yet healed?" X tutted. " Shameful. Not at your full power."

"Don't worry," Goji thumbed his snout, "I'm more than enough. Is that all you got?"

" Hm. No." The killer walked over to his suitcase. " I have a special weapon, for you."

Hearing this, Kiryu felt the samurai sword on the wall behind him. The First Chair's katana shone with a sense of justice, as he leapt on the desk and grabbed its fine velvet handle. The killer opened his case and brought out a long two-handed sword, a blade of European hilt with curving hooks above the hilt.

"That's a big weapon, for an assassin," said Kiryu.

" Some targets require more. You...require more."

They brandished their swords with steady grip, the samurai versus the templar with feet spread into a battle stance. The killer swung for his head, Kiryu dodging to lunge with his weapon before they suddenly crossed blades in a sparking cross. Pushing his zweihander down against the katana, X punched Goji back to make a vicious stab that sliced past the kaiju's waist, and buried deep into the Fourth Chair's desk.

Clenching his gut from the searing pain, Kiryu drove forth with a thrusting kick before slashing down X's chest. The killer pulled back to block him, scarring swords across each other as the creature slammed his fist in Goji's jaw, before spinning his entire body to make a ruthless decapitating blow. Kiryu ducked fast and slashed one of X's knees, blood dripping thin when the kaiju followed with upwards slash.

In a sudden rush the assassin headbutted Kiryu, interrupting his slice and grabbing his throat to slam him down on the desk to pull back for a cleaving chop. The Toho member rolled when the zweihander carved the desk clean in half, a deafening burst of timber when Kiryu strafed behind X's back to slash down his suit. The assassin shuddered from the deep sting near his spine, his tail lashing out to grab the katana and twist it away from him.

Gojirama kept a firm grip as he was thrown with the sword, staggering against the door when X turned with a wild grin and came rushing with a torpedo kick. Knocking the kaiju hard into the meeting room, the killer brought his zweihander up high and slashed through the chandelier above them. The sword became caught in in its strands, glass raining down upon them as Kiryu rolled with a sweeping kick, knocking X down on one knee to punch the back of his head.

The chandelier fell when X ripped his blade free to pull the entire thing down, shattering in half when he made a whirling strike that Kiryu parried with the katana. The kaiju forced the zweihander above his head, shoulder-charging X and bowling him over into a chair that fell backwards. The assassin rolled further to keep his momentum, then pounced forth with a ruthless plunge of his blade.

Kiryu made a wild swing of his katana, scarring the side of the two-hander to force it past his side and headbutt X in the skull. With an arm round the killer's neck, the Toho lieutenant hurled him towards the window to smash his head through, and jumped forth ready to carve his back. But the assassin threw himself back against Kiryu, smashing his chest and turning fast to kick him through the doors.

"SHIT!"

Yong-ga stumbled hearing the crash of Kiryu's body. Shisahara clutched Sano, turning towards the stegosaur and nudging him forth.

"Go, help Kiryu!"

"What?!"

"I'll be fine, just stop him! Sano, come with me!"

The lion-dog carried his wounded soldier, still nursing his broken jaw as the chef ran towards the killer. When Kiryu fell on his back, Yong-ga drove a flying kick to the assassin's face.

"//YOU TOUCH MY FRIEND, I FUCKING KILL YOU!//"

When the creature lunged for him with his zweihander, Sa-Rhee dodged and shoved forwards in a body-slam before shrieking a burning flame, blasting the skull point-blank and causing X to flinch in surprise. Yong-ga scissorkicked the chin then made a side kick to the neck, as Kiryu got up with katana at the ready.

"Sa-Rhee, get back!"

"NO, WE FIGHT HIM TOGETHER!"

"HE HAS A SWORD!"

"HE STILL A BITCH!"

The killer braced himself for another attack, blocking Yong-ga's fist with his blade and shoving him back to chop for his head. The stegosaur ducked too late and lost the tops of his plates, the sword scarring the back of his head as with blood running down his neck. When the assassin tried to stab him, Kiryu defended with katana sweeping in a parrying cut, to drive the zweihander into the wall.

But X gave a smile with his dark crimson eyes, crackling a terrible force as Kiryu grabbed Yong-ga and raced down the hall towards the front entrance. Diving for the stairs, they dodged the blast of lightning that ripped through the corridor with violent streak. Scorching bolts peeled the walls with black scars as Yong-ga and Goji waited for X to come closer.

His heavy steps crunched on the carpet as he approached the stairs, Kiryu bracing himself with katana in hand as he turned with a vicious swipe the killer blocked. Kicking the kaiju back, the creature came for a cleaving strike before Sa-Rhee tackled his legs, and threw him against the wall. With a backfist he struck the skull, leaping back to blast the murderer with fiery breath and raise his own leg for a brutal axe kick.

The assassin blocked Yong-ga's foot coming down on his head, wrenching it hard to throw the stegosaur down before stomping his knee. A violent crack rang through the hall as Sa-Rhee screamed in anguish, the shattering of bone bending his leg out of joint until Kiryu slashed X's back.

"HEY, YOU FORGET ABOUT ME?!"

" N-...no."

The killer lunged his tail out behind him, grabbing the sword and throwing Kiryu across the top of the stairs.

" Your friend will not interfere."

One last kick to Yong-ga sent him flying down the corridor, his leg twisting in the roll as he clutched himself with sobbing tears. To further terrify him, X summoned a spark of bolts to shoot down the corridor and electrocute him. But he was interrupted when Kiryu, in a desperate move, jumped for the grand chandelier of the main hall and swung it hard with his entire weight.

The grand ornament smashed against the wall and dragged over the carpet of the second floor, crushing the assassin who punched it back and with a mighty roar slashed it apart in two. Kiryu jumped off in time before the chandelier was carved open, bolts of fury trembling through the killer's sword to shatter a thousand pieces.

Through the microshards, the killer swung for Goji's legs as the lieutenant jumped onto the bannister, which was immediately destroyed by the sword as as he fell down to the first floor. The assassin joined him in a downwards stab, eyes seething as Gojirama parried midair with the katana, sparks singing past his cheek.

They landed in the entrance hall, the door still wide open as X plunged his sword deep through the floor, whilst Kiryu rolled away amongst the bodies. But before Gojirama could attack him, his phone went off as he quickly checked to see a message from Hakura. MOVE.

From the entrance he saw the limousine with its lights turned off, revving up fast with a furious spin as Goji jumped out its path. The yak chauffeur gripped the wheel, his hairy knuckles turned white as he came tearing towards the HQ and vaulted through the doors.

"_BEGONE YOU FILTHY CUR! _"

The killer was crunched against the front grille, his sword pulled free along with him as Hakura drove through beneath the stairs. The fine wood and plastered walls fell apart, sliding doors smashed to wrap around the creature's back, his feet scraping hard against the floor until the limo reached the inner garden. With a warrior's scream Hakura braced for impact, and crushed Mr. X against a huge ornamental rock.

The waters shook with fright from the impact, the ponds trembling in the night as small wooden bridges rattled, lanterns were knocked over and the engine stalled with a smoking bonnet. Kiryu looked through the holes to see the chauffeur peek out his window.

"Your ride...is here, Kiryu-san."

The yak smiled as Gojirama shook his head, astonished but relieved at the crash only breaking the front hood of the car. Then the limo started to move, trembling with unholy rage when the front of the grille was shoved back revealing the killer. Pushing himself free from the stone and metal, his skull glimmered with flaming eyes as the yak hurriedly reversed.

The wheels spun out when X lifted the front of the car, trembling through his arms with a savage roar as he hurled the limo aside to flip thrice across the garden, before shooting his bolts that tore along the undercarriage. The limo exploded, moments after Hakura pulled himself free covered in cuts and bruises, the blast throwing him at the killer's feet who grabbed the yak, and smashed his head twice against the rock.

"H-HA, HAKURAAA!"

" Your ride...has been delayed."

He dropped the chauffeur's bleeding head and marched over to his sword whilst Kiryu rushed into the garden. The claymore had been snapped in two, as X tore one of his sleeves to wrap round his hand to pick up both the hilt, then the other half of the blade.

" I shall take you instead...to Hell."

"You're only one creature," Kiryu bared his sword, "you had to fight off all of us, you're getting tired."

" But I am not dead. Your clan will be."

"KIRYU!"

From another door that opened to the garden, Kin Shisahara and Anguirou Sano had witnessed the carnage. The ankylosaur hobbled with his broken jaw, as the Fourth Chair tossed his cane through the air.

"IT'S A SWORD, TAKE IT!"

"Wh-WHUH!?" Sano wheezed. "You hud zhut zha whole TAHM!?"

"I was about to to use it until Kiryu saved me!"

Goji took the staff and pulled free the hidden blade, the cane-sword and katana now shining together against the fearsome X. The creature smiled with bitter chuckle, his suit torn and dishevelled with bruises lining his cheek and exposed arms. They circled each other in the moonless garden, dark thunder reflecting in the ponds.

"You know a lot of arts," said Kiryu with blades out front, "travel often?"

" Yes." The assassin grinned. " Africa, Oceania, Europe."

"Your sword...that style wasn't Japanese."

" I learned swords from knights in Poland. I learned fists that kill from American prisons. I learned this...from Colombia."

He twirled his two broken blades and bowed in a taunting gesture, beckoning Kiryu close as he put his foot next to Hakura's skull threatening to crush him. Goji rushed him with a dual-swipe that the killer blocked, the kaiju shoving him back from the chauffeur's body.

When Kiryu struck low, the assassin spun one blade to parry on the backhand, slashing Goji's face with the other before the Toho lieutenant lunged with his sword cane to gouge through the shoulder. Wedging beneath the bony pauldron, the kaiju stabbed in a sawing motion as the creature roared and slashed down Kiryu's leg.

Goji took the brunt of the slice to suddenly kick X's stomach, bludgeoning his head with his fist holding the katana as the killer rolled to one side. Slashing for the back of Kiryu's knee, the assassin watched Gojirama jump and turn with a tailswipe to the head, bludgeoning the skull again who stood back up in a slight stagger.

The two clashed again with double swords, blocking each other high and low in a desperate dance of blades between X's experience and Kiryu's reflexes. Katana struck hilt in a parrying of the wrist, sword-cane struck blade in a deft scrape of the dirt aiming for Kiryu's knee. When Goji tried to thrust, X blocked with his blades crossed and twisted hard against the sword-cane to wrench him forwards, before scarring Kiryu's back with the jagged zweihander.

Stumbling towards the burning car, the Toho member roared in a turning slash when he heard X's feet come running. The killer suddenly rolled under his swipe and carved open his knee, causing Goji to fumble with a snarl as he hobbled back from the assassin. The charring smoke of the limousine blotted his eyes when he saw the killer's silhouette, the pale head of scarlet eyes like the Reaper.

Kiryu waited for the assassin to come lunging through the smoke, the creature leaping off the broken car to make a cleaving strike for his head. Goji stood his ground and blocked with both swords crossing hard, before rolling himself back to slam both feet into X's stomach, kicking him into the water.

" You...I like you." The assassin pulled himself up soaked and bedraggled. " I am glad...I had the chance to kill you, Gojirama Kiryu."

"The pleasure's all yours," the lieutenant waded in, "I'll send you back where you belong, with those golden bastards following you NEXT!"

Charging through the water, Kiryu's strength resurged with a desperate frenzy as he slashed and chopped the killer with reckless abandon. X was startled briefly by the savage response, blocking the first four strikes before dodging low to try and stab Kiryu's stomach. The kaiju dodged, turning with an elbow strike to the head, then kicking the bowed skull and slamming his arm against X's throat against a wooden bridge.

With his neck being crushed, X began to charge a brazen bolt of lightning, dark crackles radiating from his eyes as Kiryu felt the water start to sizzle. He climbed onto the bridge with a mighty heave, just before the assassin electrocuted the pond in a howling screech, the thundering heavens almost responding to its accursed brethren. Every fish in the pond was exterminated, dozens floating up to the surface with twitching little fins and gaping mouths.

Climbing up onto the bridge he duelled against Kiryu in the darkened storm, striking for his head with a sweeping double-cut before spinning his body to stab over his own shoulder and surprise Goji. The jagged blade ripped through Kiryu's arm to the bicep, chipping off the bone as he made a tackling lunge to sock the killer's jaw twice, then stabbed both swords through the knees.

X roared a shuddering gasp, two sharpened steels driving down his kneejoints and sticking out behind his thighs as Kiryu grabbed the killer's throat. He slammed the skull into the bridge's railing, over and over, cracking the old wood until X's jaw started to bleed and twist out of joint. When the killer tried to shove him back for a brazen stab, Kiryu dodged just enough to let the blade slice over his belly, then pulled the assassin close for a savage headbutt.

In his moment of weakness, X felt his arm being grabbed and snapped with a vicious knee, forcing him to drop half his zweihander before he quickly turned to try and plunge the broken hilt in Kiryu's neck. The Toho member grabbed hard at the wrist, both gritting their teeth with trembling rage and burning arms of exhaustion.

Grappling each other, X pushed the jagged tips closer towards Kiryu's throat. His eyes burned wrothful, stygian pupils that tore deep into Gojirama's heart, searching for the weakness that would kill him once and for all. But he found nothing. No fear, no panic, only the startling force of a piercing blue light that began to bloom from Kiryu's throat.

" SKREEEOOONK!"

It was a brief atomic blast, not enough to blow him away, but enough to force X to stagger with a small burn in his growing cuts. He simply laughed, a brief but terrible cackle as he charged up his electrical energy, and gripped both sides of the bridge with glowing eyes.

"KIRYU, GET DOWN!"

The voice of Shisahara alerted him as Kiryu ducked, moments before the storm ripped past his head and struck everything in its passing. Golden tongues would obliterate lanterns, carve through stone and electrocute water, punching holes through sliding doors and snapping tiles from the roofs in one single cataclysm.

But standing in the centre was Kin Shisahara, bloodied but unbowed as he spread his arms and approached the waiting storm. In his frenzy X shot for his head, all of his might focusing upon the Fourth Chair to try and detonate his body to a million pieces. But he had forgotten Shisahara's special technique. Every bolt of lightning was sucked into his eye, a solar vortex that absorbed his thunderous indignation, then shot back at three-times the power.

The assassin cried with his ultimate anguish, his own power destroying him with a maddening blast of electrical magnitude he had rarely felt in his existence. His body was sent flying across the entire garden to crash through one of the roofs, volts ripping his arms and polarising his legs with the two steel blades still thrust in them.

Trapped on the roof like a weathervane, the crackling seizures charred his ribs and blackened his skull. The heavens would come calling as lightning from above came down through his heart, a spear of justice plunging deep with gold becoming purple, incensed by such arrogance from mortal creatures who would profane its art.

X somehow would not die from all of this, but he would close his eyes and fall from the roof with a crunch, comatose and crippled with smoking body. The Fourth Chair stumbled towards Kiryu with gasping relief, his head burning from reflecting such power as he grabbed the bloody, bare-chested lieutenant.

"Kiryu, KIRYU! Are you alright?!"

"Y-yes," he gasped, "are you?"

"I am...thank you, Kiryu. You saved the Toho Clan."

"No...not just me." The kaiju staggered on his feet. "I had...friends, who saved my life."

"I shall honour them as well," the lion-dog shook his hand, "what happened to you?"

"First let's...get everyone checked. SANO, YOU GOOD?"

"NNNNGH!" the ankylosaur clutched his broken jaw. "GHHT, HRRPITUL!"

"Wait, HAKURA!" Goji ran over to the chauffeur. "Hakura, are you alright?!"

"N-nnnngh...no worse...for wear, sir." The yak lifted his head with a throbbing pound and bleeding skull. "Tis fortunate us...yaks have very hard heads, Kiryu-san."

"Hah, and you worried about your daughter."

"Hmhmhm...a-aah...Shisa-sama, I must apologise for my conduct."

He looked at the burning car still sizzling on its back.

"I shall await my deductions in due course."

"Deductions, for saving my life?" Shisahara patted him. "I can replace a limousine, eventually. But not a Hakura, to which I owe my life to."

"Hah...thank you sir," the yak bowed with a wince, "shall I...call for the ambulance?"

"Please do, I'll assist."

"I need to find Sa-Rhee-san," Kiryu limped back indoors, "we'll take stock at the hospital."

"I agree," Kin bowed, "go to your friend. I will also need to have the assassin put under control."

After returning both sword-cane and katana, Gojirama made his way back to the stairs through the car-shaped hole in the wall. Yong-ga was sitting amongst the dozens, his leg broken and his face reflecting a quiet tentative fear he had not felt in years. Then he saw Kiryu, and his smile returned when the Toho lieutenant offered his shoulder, and helped the stegosaur back downstairs.

The ambulances arrived to take the most severely wounded, including the mysterious Mr. X who was kept bound and restrained but still unconscious. Kiryu almost collapsed in the back of the ambulance, the rumbling of the wheels soothing him as dozens of cuts purpling bruises would slowly heal.

On the outskirts of Kaijurocho, the Kouho Hospital was busy with many disturbing casualties reported across the district. Gojirama clutched himself as Shisahara took his hand, heading through a wide open hall with white pillars and green sanitary floors littered in comfy chairs. The central heating was a warm relief, as the Fourth Chair approached the wolf at reception.

"Good evening. My name is Kin Shisahara, my clan were assaulted tonight, and we wish to log ourselves in."

"Oh, yes sir," the receptionist nodded, "names of the wounded?"

"Gojirama Kiryu, saurian. Yakumo Hakura, bovine. Anguirou Sano, saurian-"

"Yong-ga Sa-Rhee, saurian," Kiryu added, "he's not with us, he's a civilian. There's also an assassin who tried to kill us, we don't know his name, I think he's saurian. But he's very dangerous so keep him restrained, and inform the police he was sent by the Jinuchu Clan to kill us."

"Another one?" the wolf gasped. "Oh my gods, what...what's happening out there!?"

"What do you mean, another one?"

"You...you didn't hear? We have a Sanjin Obakimura and Gonkuro Obara listed here, they're part of your clan yes?"

"They, they are!" Shisahara gripped his desk. "What happened, were they were attacked too, are they alright?!"

"I...I'm sorry." The receptionist bowed. "Obara is currently being observed but...Obakimura, he...he passed away."

"...no." Kiryu shook his head. "Are you...are you certain it's him?"

"Our doctors recognised your clan badge. He came in an hour ago, we can take you to see him, after we treated your wounds."

"I...yes. Thank you but...what about Obara, what happened to him?"

"I think you should go upstairs, and see for yourself."

The wolf buzzed for an escort to come take them, as Gojirama limped towards an elevator with Shisahara, to see the fate of their friends.