The Three Crows

Ken's fist remained extended in the air, lightly smoking.

Before him, a few meters away, Tanimoto lay motionless on the ground, his eyes rolled back and a mark on his jaw.

Ken blinked, confused. The fury that had consumed him seconds before had vanished, giving way to a strange amnesia. He looked at his hands, bewildered. "What... what just happened?"  he thought. " I remember wanting to hit him, and then... And now he's lying there on the ground. "

The training yard was plunged into silence. No one dared to blink. The spectators looked at Ken not as the cheerful kid who just carried boxes, but as if he were a bomb that had just detonated.

It was Saito's raspy voice that broke the silence. The old man struck his cane against the ground with force. " THE WINNER IS KEN! "

The shout acted as a victory signal for Ken. " KEN! KEN! KEN! "

The crowd erupted. The civilians, tired of the arrogance of Kijin like Tanimoto, shouted with fury and excitement. Backslaps, whistles, and cheers of jubilation filled the air. Ken lowered his guard, looking around with a timid, dazed smile. For the first time in his life, he wasn't his brother's shadow. He was his own legacy.

But the victory was short-lived.

Amid the cheers, a bestial growl rose from the ground. Tanimoto was getting up. His face was swollen and purple from the blow, but his eyes distilled pure hatred. His pride, his status, his ego... everything had been shattered by some random civilian.

" You... " shouted Tanimoto, spitting out a broken tooth. " You didn't beat me! You cheated! Damn useless rat! "

Blinded by rage, Tanimoto shoved aside one of his subordinates trying to help him and snatched the katana from his waist. This wasn't a wooden or training sword. It was real steel, sharpened to kill Onis.

" Tanimoto, no! " shouted Saito.

But the Kijin was already charging at Ken. " DIE! "

Ken turned just in time to see the katana descending toward his neck. But he froze.

There was no sound of footsteps. Only three dry thuds against the ground, like heavy sacks falling from the sky. Three shadows landed between Ken and Tanimoto.

Tanimoto couldn't stop his attack. His sword came down with force. But the blade never touched Ken.

A sharp, metallic clang sounded through the area. The central figure, shorter and slimmer than the other two, had raised a hand. With a single, seemingly effortless motion, she had stopped Tanimoto's sword by grabbing it directly by the blade.

Ken's eyes widened in shock. With one hand? he thought. That should have cut her fingers off... But the figure's glove wasn't even torn.

The hooded figure twisted her wrist slightly, and with a light movement, the katana's blade snapped in half as if it were made of glass. Tanimoto stumbled back, falling on his rear, staring in terror at the broken hilt in his hand.

" W-Who are you? " stammered Tanimoto, scrambling back. " What kind of monsters...? "

The three figures straightened up. They wore long cloaks and hoods that hid their faces, with the emblem of a black chrysanthemum embroidered on their chests.

" Identify yourselves. " ordered Saito, stepping in front of Ken to protect him.

The central figure, the one who had broken the sword, took a step back. A gust of wind moved her hood slightly, and for a fraction of a second, Ken saw a flash of color beneath the dark hood: a lock of hair of an unusual purple and white hue.

It was one of the male figures, a tall man, who spoke. His voice was deep and amplified by some kind of mask or modulator.

" We are representatives of the Unified Government of Neo Kijin Japan. The supreme authority that supersedes the Citadels. "

A murmur ran through the crowd. For many, the  Unified Government  was a myth, a legend of ghosts operating from the shadows.

" Lies! " shouted Tanimoto, rising hysterically. " The government fell years ago! You're spies! Or worse, you're Onis in human form! "

Tanimoto, lost in his paranoia, tried to attack again with the broken hilt. The female figure sighed. It was a sound of pure exasperation. In the blink of an eye, she appeared behind Tanimoto and delivered a precise blow to his neck. The Kijin fell unconscious before he hit the ground.

" Silence. " she said. Her voice was cold and terribly young.

The group's leader turned to Ken, ignoring the fallen Kijin. " We have been observing, Ken Kurosu. We saw your recklessness against the Onis at the wall yesterday. And we saw... the singularity of your energy today. "

Ken swallowed. " And what do you want from me? "

" You have potential. " said the leader. " Or perhaps you're just stupid enough to survive where others die. In either case, you are of use to us. "

The figure pointed west, toward the dark mountains silhouetted against the red sky. " You will come with us to Hachioji. In the ruins of the mountain zone, we have our main base. That is where true Kijin are forged. Not like these children's games they play here. "

Ken frowned. " And if I refuse? "

The purple-haired woman took a step forward. The pressure in the air increased, making it hard for Ken to breathe from fear. " Then we will take you by force. " she said flatly. " You are an Unstable-Class asset. We cannot leave you loose. "

" Wait, wait. " interrupted the leader, raising a hand to stop his companion. " No need to be so... brusque. We have something that interests you, kid. Something you won't find anywhere else, not by punching walls or asking others. "

The hooded figure leaned forward, lowering his voice so only Ken could hear. " We have information. "

Ken raised a skeptical eyebrow. " Information? What good is that to me? "

" About Takeshi Kurosu. "

Ken's world stopped. His heart gave a violent lurch. " My brother? " he whispered. " Do you know where he is? "

" We know more than that. " said the leader, his tone hinting at secrets. " Your brother wasn't just any soldier, Ken. He was one of Japan's First Awakened. One of the first to manifest a complete Entity. His record is classified... and it's in our archives at Hachioji. If you want to find him, you have to follow in his footsteps. "

The doubt vanished from Ken's mind. The fear of the unknown, the attachment to his safe room, it all vanished. " Then I'll go with you... " said Ken. There was no hesitation in his voice.

Saito, who had been listening, lowered his head and closed his eyes in pain. He knew he had finally lost.

" Good. " said the leader, satisfied. " We will come for you and for the useless one on the ground. " he pointed at Tanimoto, " in 48 hours. An armored transport will pick you up at the north gate. "

The three figures began to retreat, merging with the shadows of dusk. But before disappearing completely, the leader stopped and looked at Ken and Saito one last time.

" Pack your things, Ken. And say your goodbyes to your friends and this place well. "

The wind blew, stirring up dust.

" Because once you enter Hachioji... it's very likely you will never see them again. "

The figures vanished, leaving Ken standing in the middle of the yard, with the promise of the truth about his brother in one hand, and the foreboding of a terrible fate in the other.