[After the brutal standoff with Yggdrasil—one of the Four Fiends—Shirou had been pushed to his physical limits. Her relentless speed left him bloodied and broken. By the time officers and backup arrived, it was already too late. The battle had ended.]
[A few days later - Hospital Room]
[Shirou slowly stirred, groaning in discomfort. His body felt like it was stitched together with pain. As he opened his eyes, the first thing he saw was Shizuka—seated beside him, gently holding his hand, her expression pale with worry.]
Shirou: groans softly Shizuka...?
Shizuka:relieved, eyes glistening Shirou! You're awake! she leaned forward and embraced him tightly Thank you... for saving me again.
Shirou: manages a faint smile I'm just glad... you're safe.
[He attempted to sit up, but his body screamed in protest. The effort sent a sharp pulse through his side, forcing him back down.]
[The door opened. A tall man stepped inside, his presence composed yet weary. His ID badge read: Seijou Yakihiro - Orthopedic Specialist. With maple-toned eyes framed by faint eye bags, a sharp gray wolf-cut, and glasses perched on his nose, he towered at 6'4".]
Dr. Yakihiro: Don't push yourself, Mr. Fukushima. You're still far from full recovery.
Shirou:grunts Fine...
Dr. Yakihiro: From now on, I'll be overseeing your condition personally. Consider me your attending physician.
Shirou: confused Wait... why the special treatment?
Dr. Yakihiro:smilesfaintly I owe you. You saved someone very dear to me.
Shirou: Someone...?
Dr. Yakihiro: Kei Yakihiro. My cousin.
Shizuka: surprised Wait—Kei has a cousin?
Dr. Yakihiro:chuckles dryly Ms. Tenkou, most people do.
Shizuka: embarrassed O-oh, right. I didn't mean it like that...
Dr. Yakihiro: Seijou Yakihiro, at your service. But just call me Seijou if that's easier.
Shirou: Alright then, Seijou-san. Thanks for looking after me.
Seijou:smiling Pleasure's all mine.
[Just then, the door opened again. Kei stepped in, holding a plastic bag of fruit, but stopped short upon seeing his cousin.]
Kei: Shizuka, I brought something for—oh. Seijou?
Seijou: Hey, Kei. Long time, huh?
Kei: nods slowly Yeah... three years, I think.
Seijou: with a dry smirk And you still haven't forgotten what happened.
Kei:quietly Of course not...
[Before the room could fall deeper into silence, the energy shifted. Mio barged in with her usual spark.]
Mio: Man, this vibe is so heavy. Lighten up, will ya?
Seijou: adjusts glasses Apologies, miss.
Mio: Anyway! How's our knight in shining armor?
Shirou:sighs Better now, thanks. And please, don't call me that. Especially not in front of everyone.
Mio:smirks Stiff as ever, huh? You've no idea how worried Shizuka's been since you passed out.
Shirou:blinks Eh?
Shizuka: blushing W-What are you talking about?! I was just a little... concerned, that's all!
Shirou:gently pats her head Thanks... It means a lot.
Shizuka:her face suddenly getting redder I-It's nothing... really.
Seijou: I'll return for a full examination later. For now, rest. See you soon. he stepped out
Kei: I'll head out too. Someone has to watch the house. he followed after Seijou
Shizuka: Take care, both of you.
[Elsewhere - Sovereign Circle Base]
[Yggdrasil stood before a grand oak desk, her gaze piercing through the smoke—filled room. Her return was met with a smirk from a man seated in the shadows.]
???: Ah, Yggdrasil. Did you bring the targets?
Yggdrasil:expression unreadable Not yet. I wanted to test their potential first.
???:chuckles Cocky as always. But don't get too comfortable. If the police catch wind of us, we're both dead meat.
Yggdrasil: coldly I understand, boss. Next time... I won't hesitate.
???: pours red wine, handing her a glass I'm trusting you more than the others. Don't make me regret that. raises glass To your rise.
Yggdrasil:clinks glasses To the Sovereign Circle's ascension.
[Meanwhile - Investigation Unit HQ]
[Ryou slammed his fist against the desk.]
Ryou: Damn it! We were stationed too far from that warehouse... We were late!
Shin:calmly Ryou, breathe. Regret's natural—but we move forward. Focus on the evidence.
Ryou:grits teeth, then nods Right...
[Shinlays out evidence From Roenji Trading's rooftop: fake ID, office clothes, a wig. From the warehouse: spent light-caliber and .50mm bullets, a double-edged katana, and a torn dark cloth with a logo.]
Ryou: There's a lot here... but where do we start?
Shin: inspects the cloth This logo... a lotus? I've never seen a brand use this. Might be custom.
Ryou: A cloth designer might help identify it.
Shin: Also-these bullets. Sleek, custom-made. Can be fired from either a pistol or SMG.
Ryou: So we're dealing with someone fast, skilled, uses disguise, a katana or a gun, and wears a black coat...
Shin: Highly trained. A specialist.
Ryou: clenches fists Shirou really got himself into a mess...
Shin: We still lack details. But we've got leads. Next time there's movement, we respond immediately—call backup later.
Ryou: determined Hell yeah, Shin-chan. Let's catch those bastards.
Shin: smirks Finally. Now I can rest... for a bit.
[Back at the Hospital – Evening]
[The sky outside glowed in warm orange hues, casting long shadows into Shirou's hospital room. The soft hum of medical machines blended with the chirping of distant birds. Shizuka had fallen asleep beside his bed, her hand gently wrapped around his.]
[Shirou watched her in silence, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.]
Shirou:softly You really stayed all this time, huh...?
[He slowly reached out with his free hand and brushed a strand of hair from her face. Just then, a quiet knock echoed from the door before it creaked open.]
???: Mind if I come in?
[It was Captain Reina Kanzaki—commander of the Special Investigations Unit. Her crisp uniform contrasted with the fatigue in her stern, silver-eyed gaze. Waves of silver hair framed her composed, if slightly weary, face.]
Shirou: You're the captain Officer Ryou mentioned… Reina Kanzaki, right?
Reina: stepping inside quietly Don't strain yourself. I just wanted to check in—personally.
Shirou: sighs Didn't expect someone like you to bother.
Reina: You risked your life. That deserves more than a memo. sighs, softening
Besides… you weren't supposed to be caught up in this.
Shirou: Wasn't exactly part of my plan. Yggdrasil found me first.
Reina: We've confirmed she's tied to the Sovereign Circle. That group's been dormant for years… until now.
Shirou:frowning Sovereign... Circle?
Reina: The name shows up across most underground intel. A large-scale mafia syndicate. Connected to murders, robberies, slander—plenty of illegal acts in just the past few months. It's a big deal, Shirou.
Shirou: So we're tangled up in something even worse...
Reina: Exactly. And something bigger is coming. The cloth fragment we recovered? Custom-made. The bullets? Traced to a black-market dealer in Kaizuka. Shin and Ryou are heading there tomorrow.
Shirou: after a pause
…I want in.
Reina: raising a brow You can't even sit up without wincing.
Shirou: That won't stop me. I can't forgive what they did to her. Even if Shizuka and I only met months ago… I've always felt like I had to protect her. Even if it costs me everything.
[He gently brushed Shizuka's hair again, her sleeping form peaceful beside him.]
Reina: placing a hand on his shoulder Then rest. Heal. We'll talk when you're stronger. You're both important to this.
[Shizuka stirred at the sound of voices, blinking awake.]
Shizuka:groggily Huh…?
Reina: smiling faintly
Still as stubborn as ever, I see. Take care of him, Shizuka.
Shizuka:blushing, flustered
H-Huh?! Ah—yes! Of course!
[Reina gave a small nod before stepping out, her phone already ringing as she disappeared down the hall.]
[Sovereign Circle – Unknown Chamber]
[Deep underground, an eerie blue glow bathed the walls of a hidden chamber.]
[Yggdrasil stood silently, rebandaging her wounds from the last encounter. A man approached—his oceanic-blue hair slicked back, a jagged scar cutting across his jaw. One of his eyes, mechanical and cold, glowed faintly in the gloom.]
[FLOOD OF THE FOUR FIENDS: LEVIATHAN]
Leviathan:
Quite the wound.
Yggdrasil:startled, then calm …Levi. It's just you.
Leviathan: reading her expression I saw your performance earlier.You hesitated.
Yggdrasil: returning to her stoic tone I'm aware.
Leviathan:snorts Emotion dulls the blade. You were trained better than that.
Yggdrasil:quietly
And yet... I'm still alive.
Leviathan: That Shirou boy. You see something in him?
Yggdrasil: after a beat Not yet. But I want to.
Leviathan: Careful, Yggil. Curiosity's killed more than just cats.