The Wanted and the Fallen

Sumire stood immobilized, her senses overwhelmed by the oppressive pressure that enveloped her. Sweat trickled down her brow as she struggled to breathe. The Judge's eyes glowed an ominous red.

"You shall speak," he commanded, his voice echoing through the chamber. "Unless you want this hammer to charge upon your fate."​

Sumire couldn't move, her body betraying her. She thought, (I have to break through his curse. Ryogan should do this.) Summoning her inner strength, she activated Ryogan. The darkness around her began to fade slightly as she channeled all her aura and pressure into her eyes.​

A drop of blood fell from her right eye as she broke free from the Judge's curse, collapsing to her knees.​

Panting, she wondered, I did it, but my body is refusing to move. Why?

The Judge's expression darkened. He thought, (That insolent woman dared to overcome one of the malevolent curses I so meticulously forged.)​

An assistant rushed to Sumire's side, grabbing her hands. "Did you break through Judge-sama's curse?"​

The Judge's eyes narrowed suspiciously. He sensed a dangerous and horrific presence. (Hiroshi... didn't you die?​)

Sumire felt the aura and smiled confidently. "He's back."​

The assistant, shocked and afraid, asked, "Huh? W-Who is back? Horrific aura?" She shook Sumire's hands tightly, her entire body trembling. "EXPLAIN WHAT'S HAPPENING!"​

Sumire grinned. "You'll see."​

Suddenly, the window above the main door shattered. Kenji entered, his longsword strapped to his back. The main door opened, and in less than a blink of an eye, Kenji targeted the Supreme Judge's throat with his longsword. Behind him, Raizen, with Raijin in his flat palm, aimed at the Judge's weak point in his neck.​

Standing stable without moving, Kaminari pointed his concentrated Bakura directly at the assistant's throat.

Kenzo walked slowly and casually through the door towards the Judge, chuckling. "Hehehe! Even if the sun starts to rise through the west, you will not leave your weird sense of justice. I want to say a line to you." He cleared his throat. "Roses are red, purple is violent. That holy law of yours—I wanna flush it down the toilet."​

The Judge's face turned serious. "Kenzo, the Shogun of Justice. It seems my assumption about your presence in the nation was true."​

The assistant, fear deep inside her, saw the Bakura at her throat.

Kaminari warned, "Leave her hand... Leave Sumire's hand, or I'll cut your damned ugly head down."​

The assistant thought, He's the Blood Warrior? N-no, he should be long dead. But... Bakura? The 7-star Hiroshi? I'm out of his league. She released Sumire's hands, and Kaminari lowered his sword.

"Who are you?" the assistant asked.

Sumire chuckled confidently. "He's the sun in the eternal midnight, the moonlight in the complete darkness, the sole star in a lone sky, the first raindrop in a drought, and the hope of this universe. Kaminari Hayamoto."​

The Judge looked at Kaminari through his pupils without moving his head. "Kaminari... Kuroshin-sama mentioned his name before. Such tremendous speed."​

Raizen, still targeting the Judge's neck, warned, "Speak a word more, and you'll lose your head."​

Kenzo chuckled. "Hehehe, are you still in a situation to talk? You see that man with the longsword? He'll cut you down without a second thought, just because you made him a 3-star criminal."​

Raizen commanded, "Okay, team, take Sumire and retreat! Our mission is completed here."​

Everyone lowered their weapons. Kaminari helped Sumire get up, and they retreated from the court.​

While traveling through the air, Kaminari noted, "Sumire has used up all of her aura."​

Kenji added, "Resting and eating is the best way of replenishing aura."​

Raizen said, "We have to leave this city as soon as possible. Remember, Kaminari, when we first entered that restaurant? We're going there again."​

They reached the shop.

The shopkeeper greeted them. "Raizen-sama, I'm extremely sorry. The vegetables are finished, and the extra ones are already booked by someone."​

Raizen replied, "But I don't have much time. I am on an urgent mission and have to leave this city quickly."​

The shopkeeper apologized, "We understand that you're busy, but there's nothing I can do."​

Raizen exclaimed, "Damn it! I'm buying the whole restaurant." He threw a voucher from his pocket. "This is a voucher. Scratch its code. 80 million yen. Keep the change."​

The shopkeeper, shocked, began cooking takoyaki for everyone.

Raizen, sitting at the table, said, "Now, Sumire, relax and try to tell me what happened in the court."​

Sumire explained everything.

"Then, when I entered the staff door, a moment later, I found a picture of a man with red hair and red pupils, with a red crossed mark on it."

Raizen recognized it. "That's my brother. Ahh!" He relaxed. "Takoyaki with Brother Hiroshi brings me back."​

Kaminari asked, "Raizen? How did you two used to live? I'm curious."​

Sumire added, "I'm curious too."​

Raizen reflected, "In my eyes, Hiroshi was a great man. He always took care of me and trained me." He smiled with his heart. "You see, he had one thing fixed... He never cut his hair after Mom and Dad died, but he used to forcefully cut my hair. I used to hate him for that." He laughed, then smiled. "Now I have no one to cut my hair. Neither do I have anyone left in my family, but I'm the sole survivor."​

Kaminari reassured him, "I'm here for you. We all are. I'm your brother. Now you become Hiroshi for once, and let me become Raizen. Big brother!"​

Raizen's pupils dilated. "Younger brother?" He forcefully stopped his tears and smiled. "I am blessed by the gods to get you people as friends. Brother," he patted Kaminari, "I'm blessed to get you. I'll always be there for you!"​

Kenji, holding a glass and smiling while looking at Raizen, said, "Don't forget us. We're also here for you. We're family."​

Raizen responded happily, "Yeah! Thank you all!"​

The food arrived at the table. Kaminari energetically pulled a chair close to Raizen and put his arm on his shoulder.​

"Let's start eating, everyone!" he exclaimed.

Everyone joined hands together energetically. "Thanks for the food!"​

They began eating.

Kenzo, after eating, said, "Man, I'm full."​

Raizen reminded them, "We have to leave this city now."​

Sumire asked, "Why?"​

Kenzo replied, "Hide and see."​

Newspapers started to distribute rapidly like wildfire. On digital TV, news began showing about new criminals in the nation.​

"Now to the next news," the TV announced. "It is said that Kuroshima Central's court has been infiltrated by heinous criminals. Almighty Judge-sama was threatened."​

A crowd watched the news on a digital TV in front of a building. Raizen and others looked from a distance, hiding between buildings.​

"Their bounty is as follows," the TV continued, displaying the text:

Wanted | Raizen | 5-star | Dead or Alive.​
Wanted | Kenzo | 5-star | Dead or Alive.​
Wanted | Kenji | 4-star | Dead or Alive.​
Wanted | Sumire | 3-star | Dead or Alive.​

"Now to the next criminal," the TV added. "After a century, we have another super criminal in history. A criminal with a 7-star rate named Kaminari. The government wants him only alive."

Kenzo scoffed. "Now it's a good chance of getting hunted by the warlords."

"Three stars?!" Sumire exclaimed. "I didn't do anything."

Kenji clenched his fists. "Only one star increased?! Damn that judge, I should've beheaded him."

Kaminari's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Bounty!! I have bounty now!! I am a threat to this nation. Hehehehehehehe!!"

Raizen growled, frustrated. "Tch! We got bounty now. We have to defeat Kuroshin immediately. This mission is failed."

Two civilians passed by them in the street, unaware of the group's presence.

"I want Kuroshin-sama to be dead," muttered one.

"My maternal side family is in the red zone," the other added, placing a hand on his head.

Kenzo overheard and perked up. "Hmm, I remember Chandra told us that the army is ready and Chandra wants to see us in the 9th yellow zone town."

Kaminari trembled with excitement. "I'm getting super excited," he declared. Sumire looked at him, concerned. Suddenly, Kaminari burst with a wide smile and eyes burning like fire. "I will destroy the Government!!"

Kenzo shook his head. "We have no other choice. Let's go."

A shout rang through the air.

"There they are," a warlord called out, drawing a bow. "Each star means 10 million."

The group immediately sprang into action, ascending into the sky. Kaminari conjured wings made of blood blades and soared upward. The warlord fired an explosive arrow directly at him. The explosion was fierce, but as the smoke cleared, Kaminari stood unharmed, his wings shielding him. In a flash, he launched his blood blades toward the warlord and flew ahead to rejoin his companions.

"Who're these warlords?" Kaminari asked, catching up with the group.

"They're bounty hunters," Kenzo replied. "They hunt bounty and sometimes even destroy people's property."

Raizen frowned. "They always give me such negative vibes. My, my!"

Sumire looked around, concerned. "I wonder if Chandra is there or not."

From above, the warlord shouted, "You thought you could escape?"

Kenzo glanced ahead, noticing something. "Huh?" he muttered. Squinting his eyes, he added, "Oh, he's... Raizen, he's your ex-fiancée Shiori's son."

Raizen's eyes widened in shock. "So he's..."

—To be continued