7:23 a.m., October 28, 2022...the sun shines over the main temple of the base.

Standing outside of the main office door, a secretary waited patiently with a tower of papers in hand.

"Lord Fujita, may I enter? I have the documents you've asked for."

After no response, she slowly peaked into the office, her gaze widening at the scene.

"Ahhhhhh!"

The papers slipped from her grasp, fluttering to the floor as she stumbled back. In front of her, Lord Fujita's lifeless body slumped in the chair, his throat slit wide open.

Elsewhere at the base, Kurashi slid open the door of his modest room and moved to the kitchen. It was his day off from training, so he took his time making his morning coffee.

Once the brewing finished, Kurashi went to throw the used coffee bag away. Lifting the lid of the trash can, he saw that it was filled with a mountain of tissues, all of them tainted with blood. Without much thought, he tossed the bag on top and went to the living room.

Sitting on the couch with a steaming black coffee in hand, he grabbed the remote and turned the TV on.

"Good evening, everyone! This is Kana Suzuki coming to you live from the heart of Tokyo. With October coming to an end, it's that time of year again–Halloween is just around the corner! Whether you're dressing up as a classic ghost, a scary ghoul, or even your favorite anime character, it's time to prepare those costumes and sto-"

Click

"Tonight on 'Tokyo Insights', we delve into the secrets of Japan's hidd-"

Click

"Reports are coming in of rising concern as more young women have gone missing in Toyama Prefecture. Authorities have confirmed-"

Click

Kurashi then turned the TV off, as nothing seemed to pique his interest.

At the main office a few hours later, Hikari stood in the office alone, examining the lifeless body remaining in the chair, perplexed by the sight before him. The once wise and commanding Lord Fujita now sat motionless, robbed of all authority.

"Sir..." a man stated as he came up to the doorway.

Hikari didn't answer, his eyes still locked on the corpse.

"Ummm...Sir?"

Hikari looked over his shoulder, acknowledging the man's presence.

"We're ready to take the body."

"And the funeral?"

"It will be ready tomorrow morning."

Hikari turned his gaze back to the corpse sitting in front of him.

"Thanks for letting me know. Just...give me a moment please."

"Of course, sir..." the man responded in a bow.

As the man left, Hikari stepped up to the corpse, his fingers grazing along the desk.

"You always warned me about the weight of responsibility...How heavy it could be. You really did...and I never listened."

He paused for a moment, the lifeless office enveloping him.

"It wasn't that your words didn't mean anything to me. I just couldn't bring myself to believe something like this would ever happen...I'm sorry."

At the same time, Kurashi strolled through the base for some fresh air, his expression cold and detached. However, even for someone as disassociated as himself, it didn't take long for him to notice something was wrong. Along the streets, groups of members clustered together for discussion.

With his head down, he stopped as the whispers of a distant conversation reached him.

"Lord Fujita...assassinated?" a woman stated, her face becoming pale.

"Yeah, heard it was brutal..." a man responded in disbelief.

"But...who would do such a thing? Everyone respected Lord Fujita."

"Damn right, he was...but respect like that makes enemies too."

"Enemies? You think someone from the outside got in?"

"No, that doesn't make sense...It would have to be someone on the inside."

"A traitor? You really think so?"

"I mean think about it. Whoever did it knew his schedule...knew he stayed in the office late every night. Then killed him without being seen? That's not something a stranger pulls off."

"So someone here, someone we might know, did this?"

"I'm not saying it's for sure, but...isn't it possible? This place isn't exactly free from tension."

"I know...but to go this far? To kill him? That's...unthinkable!"

"Unthinkable or not, it happened...And if it was someone inside, that means they're still walking around, pretending to be just like the rest of us."

The woman fell silent, glancing nervously around the street.

"I just hope they found who did it. And soon."

"Me too...I heard Hikari is looking into it himself."

"Really? That's good to hear...but to have such a burden at his young age."

Tuning out of their conversation, Kurashi made his way back to the house.

Sliding the main door open, Kurashi walked into the living room to see Hikari sitting on the couch, his hands covering his face.

After hearing the subtle footsteps of Kurashi, Hikari lifted his hands from his face, his eyes red and puffy.

"Oh, your back..." Hikari said in a friendly tone, his voice strained yet attempting warmth.

Kurashi didn't respond, walking past him into the kitchen. Opening the fridge door, Kurashi grabbed a cold bottle of water.

"Is it true?" Kurashi asked in a whisper.

Turning his gaze towards Hikari, he stared with a blank expression.

"Is the lord dead?"

Hikari took a moment to respond, trying to find the courage to speak.

"Yeah...he was found this morning."

Kurashi's expression didn't change.

No sadness

No sorrow

He just merely stood there listening to Hikari's words.

"The funeral's tomorrow..."

Kurashi gave a subtle nod, taking this moment of silence to walk to his room.

Just as his hand touched the doorknob, Hikari spoke up.

"Kurashi, just show up...please."

The next morning, the overcast sky mirrored the somber mood of Naishotetsu. A gentle drizzle began as people dressed in black gathered at the gravesite, where the Fujita family's lineage rested. The air was thick with grief, muffled sorrows carried by the wind as the ceremony commenced.

Kurashi stood on the outskirts of the crowd as if he were watching the others. The rain grew heavier, the droplets pattering against the black umbrellas.

Hikari stepped forward, his figure silhouetted against the gray horizon. He took a deep breath, his voice loud enough to carry through the rain but trembling with raw emotion.

"Let us show one final sign of gratitude. Lord Fujita...may you rest in peace."

One by one, the gathered mourners lowered their heads, their collective grief forming out of their respect. 

The rain began to fall harder, as though the heavens themselves mourned the loss.

When the ceremony concluded, the crowd dispersed, leaving only Hikari behind. Standing motionless before the gravestone, the rain soaked through his clothes. It didn't seem to faze him, as he stared deeply at the name etched into the stone. After what felt like an eternity, he finally turned and made his way to the main office.

The office was eerily pristine given the tragedy that had unfolded. The desk was orderly, devoid of any trace of the man who had once sat there.

In the chair, Hikari gripped the armrests tightly, his gaze shifted to the ceiling.

"Everyone, I'll do my best...I promise."

As the rain continued to fall, Hikari remained there, alone with the weight of his vow.