Chapter 20: Ghosts from the Past

A week had passed since the incident with Daigo. The city slowly returned to a state of calm, but for some, that tranquility was merely an illusion. Inside a black car speeding through the streets, Commander Ishuri Narada stared at a tablet displaying an intelligence report. Beside him, his right-hand man, Iori Kuhera, sat stiffly in a military uniform. Kuhera’s jet-black hair and worried expression showed the gravity of the situation.

“So,” Narada said, his voice heavy. “They’ve finally shown their fangs again. It seems they never learn.”

“So Arata-san’s intel was correct about their threat,” Kuhera responded. “They’re not playing games.”

Narada nodded. “They never have. This time, they’re targeting Japan.”

Kuhera looked at his superior. “It would be best for you to contact Arata-san, Commander Ishuri.”

“I know you’re worried about your senior, Kuhera,” Narada replied. “But let him be for now. He’s still recovering from that incident.” Narada closed his eyes for a moment, recalling a dark past. “He chose his own path. He won’t return to this world unless he’s forced to.”

Narada opened his eyes again, his gaze now firm. “It seems there’s no other way. I’m giving you a task, Kuhera. Tomorrow, find Arata. Give him this information and tell your senior that the ARAAF (Asian Red Axis Army Forces) has sunk its fangs into Japan.”

“Understood, Commander!” Kuhera responded, his chest swelling with respect.

The next day, Arata went to school as usual. But something was different today. In front of the school gate, four students were already waiting for him with wide smiles. They were Akari, Shion, Mei, and Daigo. Daigo looked completely different from before; he was wearing his school uniform neatly, and his hair was now neatly cut.

“Good morning, Sensei!” the four of them said in unison.

As usual, the rivalry between Akari and Mei immediately flared up. Akari nudged Mei’s shoulder slightly. “Look at that, Mei! I was the first to greet Sensei!” she said in a smug tone.

“Ara-ara,” Mei replied, chuckling softly. “I was clearly the very first one to welcome Sensei.”

A frustrated Akari pouted, turning her face away from her rival. Shion and Daigo, on the other hand, didn’t compete. They simply observed the rivalry calmly. Daigo, with a faint smile, looked far more mature than he had in previous weeks.

“Is there something you wanted to tell me?” Arata asked, a small smile on his face as he watched their antics.

Shion stepped forward. “There are two things, Sensei. First, there’s a student from our class who just returned after three months in Paris. We haven't seen her yet, but I heard her name is Alena Fujimori. She was with her parents, who are human rights activists.”

“Yeah, we’ve heard about her,” Mei chimed in enthusiastically. “She’s very idealistic and loves to help people.”

Shion continued, “The second is a transfer student from another academy. His name is Reiji Narukami.”

The moment the name was mentioned, the calm Daigo let out a low growl, his jaw clenching. “That guy…” he muttered.

Shion looked at Daigo, his eyes full of questions. “What is it, Daigo-kun? Do you know each other?”

Daigo only shook his head, refusing to explain further. He looked at Arata, his eyes conveying his reluctance to meet Reiji Narukami. Arata, understanding the look, simply gave a small nod. He knew that today was going to be a long day.