I.L.U.'s investigation

As April 3rd rolled around, no new news on Ookuma emerged other than the fact that supporters of her opposition were seen marching towards her house in the early morning hours. Nonetheless, I.L.U. decided to call a sudden meeting.

"I have decided to convene this meeting because I am anxious. Neither I nor Hilda have been able to contact Ruchi Ookuma since she turned in for the night on August 31st. The report I received from the foot soldiers stated that they arrived to find the house already burnt. Her car was still there, yet tire tracks could be spotted leading away from the house back down the main path. Akuma, do YOU have anything to say about this?" the leader glared.

"Huh!? The hell you blaming me for!? Why would I off MY daughter?" Akuma fumed.

"Because YOUR daughter will be replacing you on the council in 11 days flat."

"But her achievements count as mine-"

"A majority of the council sides with your daughter."

"Bullshit! She hates guys like us."

"No, despite her public misandry, she believes strongly in I.L.U.'s values. Besides, even if she becomes president of the council, we will all still be able to indulge in our tyranny as freely as we always do. Perhaps we could even retire and let the younger generation have a go," a shadowy figure stated.

"Hell no! I'm older than dirt, and lemme tell ya, some of my descendants did some of the dumbest things that if I had let them live, they'd have brought Illumous to ruin if we let em take the reins!" another shadowy figure fumed.

"And how bad were they, Max?"

"Want a council full of pacifists and Frank Linguas!?" Max fumed as he glared at Frank.

"Why the hostility? I merely don't feel like causing needless misery everyday," Frank shrugged as he turned the page of the book he was reading.

"Why were you even allowed to be a foundin' member!?"

"I satisfied all the criteria and then some, did I not?"

"You don't have heirs, yet you weren't threatened to be kicked off the council!" Akuma fumed.

"ORDER GENTLEMEN!" the leader shouted as he slammed a gavel down. "Akuma, you have grown more powerful, but are still amongst the weakest members. Frank is the strongest member of the council, thus we must begrudgingly accept him," the leader stated.

"Tch! Bet the rouge Bombinos blew up the place. That would explain why she left in a hurry," Akuma grumbled.

"Those traitors were accounted for. I had Engetsu from our strongest branch family inform me that he spotted them far away from Ruchi's place. Yuugen's troublesome daughter was also injured earlier that day, making it unlikely that she'd be able to so much as land a hit on Ruchi. Come to think of it, have you ever visited her place, Akuma?" Antonio asked.

"I would if I could! That rebellious little brat has an omnidimensional security system. I get within a few kilometers, and bullets and laser beams are firing at me. I want to make sure she isn't molding my granddaughter to be someone that'll oppose ME! Hell, has anyone even been to her place since she renovated it almost 16 years ago?"

"I believe Hilda was there to disable and remove the security system so as to allow everyone to pass by and not arouse suspicion a few days ago. Hmm, It seems we are at an impasse. We will send a team to survey the wreckage while we wait to hear from Ruchi," the leader glared.

"Er, maybe she abandoned us, wah," Stromboli suggested.

"Are you still wearing the costume my foolish brother asked you to wear?" a shadowy figure groaned.

"Yeah, it's comfy, wah."

"Stromboli, did we not warn you after the Halloween incident to not get exposed?" the leader glared.

"He does cosplay quite well. I doubt he'll be so easily exposed. Besides, did Jackal not publicly show himself?" Frank mused.

"And he was nearly killed by Muramasa Jouzu," the leader stated.

"Think he's the one behind this?" Antonio asked.

"No, at least not the main perpetrator. Though I would not be surprised if he's the reason we're all in the dark on this issue. Only the great leaders can match him in power."

"You mean the one that was killed when the Roboborg union was destroyed?" Frank snickered.

"You indolent bastard! Lord Averice-"

"Is the weakest, Max. Though I heard he would have died had Lord Gula not been there."

"Much to my dismay, that is correct. And worse, I can't contact Lord Superpia. I fear that bastard, Muramasa Jouzu is involved," the leader glared.

Hilda nervously twirled her hair around as she failed to connect with Ookuma. "You better be planning a great reemergence, cause even I'm starting to get anxious," she thought.

...

A large man poked and prodded the wreckage of Ookuma's home with his sword as he and a team of I.L.U. agents investigated the wreckage. "Hmm, the safe was indeed kicked in, but I imagine it was done to either take it's contents or ensure they were burnt. I know not what was kept inside, thus it is of little importance. The wood though, tells a greater story. It was heavily burned as though it was drenched in flammable liquid. Perhaps Dame Ookuma decided to enhance the effects. Well, I doubt any besides a master of flames such as I would be able to tell," he thought as he plunged his sword into the drain where the bathtub had been.

"Find anything!?" Akuma fumed as he arrived on the scene.

It was now clear to make out Akuma's characteristics now that he was in the daylight. He was tall, old, and lanky and had pale light green hair, a long wavy mustache, and long and sharp fingernails. He was clad in a light green kung-fu outfit as he strolled up to Engetsu.

"It is as our agents within the police reported. Nothing new has been found," the man stated as he pulled his sword back up and lit it ablaze with fire before sheathing it.

"Little brat wouldn't even let me visit," Akuma fumed as he walked over to the safe. He stared at it before kicking it and shattering it to bits. "Keeping secrets from me too huh!? Little brat! I have allies on the council too!" he fumed as he further tore through the wreckage.

"Do try not to leave traces that you were here, Ookuma-dono. News crews are still coming to film footage of this place," the man sighed.

Once Akuma had his fill, he left in a flash. The large man and the other I.L.U. agents followed shortly after him.

"You may unleash the paparazzi," Akuma growled over the radio.

A sleep deprived Purin groaned and ordered the officers to let the agitated paparazzi through the barricade. Purin then groggily swayed towards her squad car and flopped into the passenger's seat.

"U ould use a ace eam, Uu [You could use some face cream, Pupu]," Inoka chuckled.

She was decked out in a bathrobe, fuzzy slippers, a hairnet and hair-curlers. Her face was also covered with a beauty cream mask which mostly obscured her mouth.

"We're ON duty you idiot," Purin glared.

"Om, earin muh uniorm unda eith [I'm wearin my uniform underneath]," Inoka chuckled as she began wrapping up Purin's hair in curlers.

"The hell are you doing! Drive us over to the scene!" Purin protested.

"Om akin a ook eutiful, Uu [I'm main ya look beautiful Pupu]."

...

Purin glared as Inoka dragged her out of the squad car. Like Inoka, she now had her face covered in beauty cream and had her hair in a hairnet wrapped up in curlers.

"IF muh air arts urling uz f is, ur ed [IF my hair starts curling cause of this, you're dead]!" Purin glared as she shoved past the paparazzi to look at the burnt wreckage. "Tch, left the place as it was my ass, that averice ass-wad kicked whatever this was to bits!" Purin thought as she gazed at what was left of the safe.

She the surveyed a bit more before storming back to the squad car with Inoka. The two then left for the station as the remaining officers struggled to hold the paparazzi back.

...

Reika sighed as she watched all the footage from the camera Mutsumi had planted. "So it was destroyed to bits. I assume this means I.L.U. sent an investigation squad of its own. Though they didn't destroy it instantly, meaning they probably assumed at first one of their agents from within the police planted it. Though since the press is allowed to view the scene, this likely means their investigation is over," Reika thought as she pulled out her phone. "Hmm, going by this footage, it seems the safe was shattered to bits. Some fresh slashes were also discovered on the wreckage. Must be Akuma. I'm glad I had Rika clean out the drains, if she hadn't, it would have been over," she thought as she entered Mao's apartment to find Mao lying on the bed.

"So how long does it take for hair to grow?" Mao asked.

"It should be visible in 3 to 4 days. That actually leads me to another topic. We need to get a new ID for you so you can go out and explore the world without issue," Reika stated.

"New ID? Oh, yeah. Guess that means I gotta change my name too. Well not like I mind, I hate the name that piece of shit gave me."

"Mao is a fairly common name, though I do think it would be safer for you to change your first name as well."

"Mao's a common name? Never really knew. Thought it was rarer. Well, not like I'm an expert on the outside world."

"Try to come up with a name by the time your hair begins to grow. That way, we can have your ID card made and I can enroll you in school."

"School!?"

"I take it you've not received a proper education. Fear not, I'll ensure you are able to get into a good high school."

"It's not that, well kinda, but I'll be surrounded by people I don't know, some of whom might be I.L.U. goons."

"You are going to need to get used to living and surviving in the world on your own. I'm only staying by your side and coddling you in order to get you accustomed to your new life."

"I get it," Mao sighed as she picked up the gaming console and began playing.

Reika simply smiled as she sat down and watched. "Really is like having a child or another younger sister," she happily thought.