Tokyo Chaos
The front and back doors of the bank were sealed shut.
The hostages were herded into the lobby outside the counter. Including Taii Hideo, there were twenty of them—three ordinary civilians who had come to withdraw cash, and sixteen bank employees.
Shiraishi lounged casually against the counter, smiling as he reassured them:
"Relax. This is Taii Hideo, the boss of the Tai Group. With him here, the police won't dare act recklessly."
Boom.
An explosion erupted from the back room. The hostages flinched in terror.
Suì-Fēng emerged without a trace of emotion, dusting her hands off.
"The vault door is open."
Of course, she hadn't needed Kidō or her zanpakutō—her raw skill was enough to bypass human security measures.
"Appreciate it," Shiraishi said smoothly. He pointed at several of the stronger men. "You, come with me. We're moving cash."
He turned to Suì-Fēng.
"Watch them."
Her curt nod was all the reply he got.
Inside the vault, stacks of currency were piled high. Cabinets remained locked, but that didn't matter. Shiraishi hefted an armful and led the men back. Outside, sirens blared, and the low thrum of helicopter blades rattled the windows.
Some of the stronger hostages had tried to overpower Suì-Fēng during the trip, thinking her small frame an easy target. They now lay groaning on the floor. The rest had gone completely docile.
Four trips later, the money was stacked in the lobby.
From behind the steel shutters, a voice boomed:
"Attention! You're surrounded. Release the hostages and surrender peacefully!"
If Shiraishi had stepped outside, he would have seen the spectacle of a blockbuster film:
Streets cordoned off, police cars lined bumper to bumper. Armed officers crouched behind barriers, rifles trained on the bank. A dozen snipers had taken positions on nearby rooftops.
Takayuki Tanimoto, Chief of the First Investigation Division of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, was personally on scene. The government had made it clear: the hostages must be saved at all costs.
Taii Hideo wasn't just any businessman. As head of the Tai Group, he controlled hundreds of subsidiaries and trillions in assets. His sudden death could shake the nation's already fragile economy.
The Prime Minister, the Governor of Tokyo, and the Superintendent-General had all called to demand results. Failure was not an option.
For Tanimoto, however, this was more than pressure—it was opportunity. If he succeeded here, he could become the youngest Superintendent in history.
"Enough shouting," he ordered, pushing aside a subordinate. He turned to a man slouching near a squad car.
"Keiichi. You're up."
Kimura Keiichi stepped out, chocolate bar in hand, chewing lazily as if bored. His curly hair was unkempt, his back hunched. He looked more like a tired salaryman than a police negotiator.
"Are you sure about this?" asked the Karakura Police Chief nervously.
Tanimoto smirked. "That sloppy image will work in our favor. Criminals like these distrust authority, but they'll see themselves reflected in someone who looks… ordinary."
Keiichi strolled up to the shutter door. His posture straightened, and his voice boomed with unexpected strength:
"My name is Kimura Keiichi! I'm a negotiation specialist, unarmed. May I come inside to talk?"
The shutter lifted—not to a crawl space, but fully, offering a clear view of the hostages, the criminals, and the mountain of cash.
Keiichi's eyes lit up. This wasn't about money. It was something stranger. Something interesting.
"Come in," Shiraishi beckoned.
The negotiator entered, the shutter closing behind him.
"Your name, sir?" Keiichi asked lightly, avoiding business for the moment to ease the tension.
"Shiraishi. This is my girlfriend, Suì-Fēng. And the stray cat she picked up."
Keiichi chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "I envy you. I'm almost thirty and still a lonely virgin. Society's unfair, huh? Rich men get all the women, poor guys can barely hold hands."
Shiraishi snorted. This man was amusing—but he wasn't here to banter.
"Let's get to the point. My first request: bring in Tokyo TV. I want to be interviewed live."
Keiichi's brows rose. He'd heard strange demands before, but this…
"I assume you have more conditions?"
Shiraishi nodded, smiling faintly.
"After the interview, I want to ride the Ferris wheel at Maji Amusement Park. Watch the fireworks. Then…" He clasped Suì-Fēng's hand. "…jump from the highest point. Live on television. Don't worry—no hostages. Just us."
Keiichi studied his eyes carefully. The man was serious.
Then he burst into laughter. "Hah! Tokyo's leaders are going to lose their minds. You kidnapped Taii Hideo—for this? If I told them, they wouldn't believe it!"
"Isn't that hilarious?"
"It's absurd," Keiichi admitted, still grinning. "But fine. I'll relay it. If they don't cooperate, the hostages suffer, yes?"
"Exactly."
Shiraishi raised the shutter to let him leave. Then he turned to Taii Hideo.
"Mr. Taii. If you want to live, use every connection you have. Force them to agree."
"I'll… try," Hideo said bitterly, already dialing his sons and subordinates. The Ferris wheel was trivial. But a national broadcast? That was humiliation at the highest level.
Ten minutes later, Keiichi's voice rang from outside:
"Shiraishi-san, the government has agreed. Tokyo TV is here."
Shiraishi flipped open Taii Hideo's limited-edition lighter. With deliberate flair, he flicked the flame alight—then tossed it onto the pile of cash, staring into the TV cameras as the fire roared upward.