Aki lay sprawled on the hospital bed, bandages crisscrossing his torso and arms, breathing shallow but steady. Megumi hovered over him, carefully feeding him spoonfuls of soft porridge. Her eyes flickered with worry, but her hands never shook, moving with precision born of experience.
Ai sat beside them, laptop open, furiously scrolling through surveillance footage and reports from last night's attack. Her brows were furrowed, her lips pressed together in concentration.
Aki: "Where are the others?" His voice was hoarse, but determination gleamed in his tired eyes.
Megumi: "Yuta, Yuki, Fuji, and Anna… they're at the facility, collecting evidence. They're doing what they can."
Aki: "And Asuka?"
Megumi: Her hands paused mid-air. "Haven't heard from her since yesterday. She didn't check in."
Megumi leaned closer, spoon poised. She gave him one last bite of porridge when the hospital door swung open abruptly. Three men in black suits strode in, their movements precise and intimidating, flanking Asuka, who walked calmly between them.
Asuka: "So…"
Man in Suit: His tone was icy. "Unit 2… you've been charged by the Chinese government and Project Arean for violence and property destruction. You're under custody."
Ai: "What!? Why?" Her voice cracked, disbelief and anger mixing into a dangerous tension.
Asuka: "Everyone in this room knows it's true… but we have no choice. We can't stay here."
Aki: "Can't we fight back?" His eyes flared with suppressed energy, his body tense.
Another Suit: "You can defend yourself in trial… or act as your own lawyer. But be warned… this system isn't clean."
Asuka: "I'm certain they'll bribe the judge, manipulate the process. There's no way around it."
Megumi: sighs "Corruption runs deep…"
Asuka: "Anyway… time's up. Let's go."
---
Court Scene – Chaos Unleashed
Aki was pushed out of the police car, the handcuffs on his wrists faintly glowing, suppressing the flow of his elemental energy. Cameras flashed like lightning around him, reporters shouting questions in a chaotic chorus. The crowd pressed in, eager for a glimpse of the notorious Unit 2.
Inside the press crush, Aki's eyes caught a movement — a glint of metal aimed directly at him. A gun.
Without hesitation, he leapt forward. His body moved like lightning, instincts overriding thought. A spinning kick sent the gunman sprawling to the ground. Smoke erupted, thick and choking, blanketing the chaos in a gray haze. Figures with covered faces surged from the mist, their movements synchronized, almost ritualistic.
Aki: "Not today."
He grabbed one attacker by the wrist and hurled him into another, the impact sounding like a drumbeat in the muffled chaos. Another assailant lunged with a knife from behind. Reflexively, Aki yanked them forward, using the attacker as a human shield, only to twist the knife mid-air, biting down on the blade and driving it back into the attacker's gut. Sparks of pain shot through his teeth and hand, but his expression didn't falter.
More attackers swarmed, but Aki's movements were a blur — a combination of brute strength and elemental agility. He kicked, ducked, spun, and grabbed, each move precise and calculated. A knife whistled past his ear. He caught it mid-air, twisting it in his hand before throwing it with deadly accuracy, striking the next attacker squarely.
Finally, amidst the smoke and chaos, Aki produced a tiny key from his sleeve, unlocking the handcuffs that had been suppressing his energy. With a surge, his aura flared, golden sparks rippling across his body, illuminating the battlefield like the rising sun.
As the smoke cleared, only Aki stood — breathing hard, blood trickling from his hand, the aftermath of a battle that seemed to last an eternity. The masked attackers lay motionless around him. Police units, already neutralized, added to the surreal carnage.
Asuka ran forward, her hands gripping his injured arm.
Asuka: "Aki! You're bleeding! Are you… okay?"
Aki: "I'm fine… but what the hell just happened?" He flexed his hand, testing the damage, his body still tensing for any remaining threat.
---
Investigation Aftermath
Later, in the hospital, Unit 2 gathered around Aki. Lawyers and O.R.G.A.N.I.S.A.T.I.O.N members in black suits observed quietly, their presence a mix of authority and intrigue.
Aki: "Megumi, don't get clingy… everyone's watching."
Megumi: "No! You're hurt! I need to take care of you!" Her eyes flashed with fierce protectiveness.
Aki: "Good grief…" He exhaled, rubbing his temple.
Ai: "By the way… those guys who attacked us when we were kids…"
Aki: "Yeah…"
Ai: "…they were the same ones last night." Her voice was soft, almost a whisper, but the weight of her discovery hit hard.
Man in Black: "Also, Mr. Arashiro… you and Unit 2 will remain under surveillance during this investigation."
Aki: "So… my freedom officially ends here." He clenched his fists, the faint glow of his elemental energy pulsing like a heartbeat beneath his skin.
---
Night – Quiet Tension
Late that night, Aki pored over reports and files on the attackers who had separated him and Ai years ago. The house was silent, the only sound the faint hum of the refrigerator.
He walked to the kitchen and found Ai sitting there, her eyes wide and anxious.
Aki: "Are you okay?"
Ai: "It's just… everything that's been happening. I'm scared… you might disappear again."
Aki: "Hey, stop thinking like that. I'm not going anywhere."
He held her hand, pulling her into a hug, burying her face into his shoulder.
Ai: "You won't… leave me… right, big brother?"
Aki: "I promise… I'll always be with you."
For a long moment, the chaos of the world outside faded. The only thing that existed was the bond between them, unbroken despite every attack, every betrayal, and every trial they had endured.
---
Unknown Location – Villain's Plot
A tall figure leaned over the balcony, smoke curling lazily around him. A subordinate approached, trembling slightly.
Subordinate: "We… failed to kill him…"
Tall Figure: "This is your last warning. Their attacks destroyed our facilities… even the general demands swift action. No compromises."
Subordinate: "Y-yes, sir."
Tall Figure: "Good. I will not tolerate failure. End this… completely."
The smoke curled around him like a cloak, hiding his expression but amplifying the menace in the air. Shadows moved silently in the room, waiting for orders. The next chapter, the next battle, had already begun.