"A hero?" Takahashi's voice cut through the quiet like a blade. "What kind of fight involves a hero, Kazama?"

"Master, this is—" Kazama began, but his words faltered under the weight of his guardian's penetrating stare.

Hana leaned forward, as she read aloud. "It says here you were 'involved in an altercation with a licensed hero during early hours.'" She looked up, her expression a mixture of concern and barely contained frustration. "This is serious, Raiden."

This is a really tough situation to get out of, Kazama thought, his mind racing. Not only did my lie get busted, but also the fact that I took on a hero on top of that. The weight of his double life pressed down on him like a physical force, threatening to crush the careful balance he'd maintained for months.

"It seems to be a misunderstanding," Kazama said, forcing his voice to remain steady. "They might have mistaken me for someone else. I will clear it up today itself."

Takahashi's eyes narrowed slightly, the expression of a man who had spent decades reading people like open books. "A misunderstanding. Hmm." He leaned back. "In my experience, licensed heroes don't file formal complaints over simple misunderstandings, Kazama. They're trained to de-escalate situations, not create paperwork over mistaken identities."

Hana, sensing the growing tension between the two men, quickly intervened.

"Well then, let's just wait for Raiden to deal with this on his own," she said, her tone deliberately light and diplomatic. "We don't know all the details, and if it's a misunderstanding and Kazama can prove it, then it's all fine, right?"

She punctuated her words with a sharp elbow to Kazama's ribs, her eyes conveying a message that was crystal clear: Don't make this worse.

"Right," Kazama managed, grateful for her intervention.

Takahashi studied them both for a long moment before nodding slowly. "Take Hana with you then."

"Wait. Why me?" Hana's diplomatic composure cracked slightly, revealing the typical response of a teenager suddenly dragged into unwanted responsibility.

"You are on the student council," Takahashi explained, his tone brooking no argument. "If we are going to trust him, then he would need all the help he can get."

Hana let out an exaggerated sigh, her shoulders sagging in defeat. "Ugh. Fine."

Despite the gravity of the situation, Kazama couldn't suppress a small smirk. Even in the midst of potential disaster, there was something comforting about the familiar dynamic between them.

"Can't believe I'm going to school at 5:30 PM," Hana muttered. "And not because of club activities or student council meetings. No, no, no. Because my brother is stupid."

"It's not my fault," Kazama replied, though his tone lacked conviction.

"Well, it is." Hana's frustration boiled over, her pace quickening as her voice rose. "The letter was signed by Shirai Takeru himself. I didn't say anything back there so that Master doesn't get involved and you could deal with this on your own, whether it was your fault or not. And now I'm on cleaning duty."

Shirai Takeru filing an official complaint changes everything, Kazama thought, his mind churning through the implications. He's not just suspicious—he's actively building a case. But why go through official channels? Unless...

"Hey." Hana's voice cut through his internal deliberations. "At least say thanks for covering your ass. You're just lost in your thoughts."

"Oh. Thanks," he replied absently, still processing the ramifications of the hero's involvement.

"Hey. You're still lost." Hana stopped walking and grabbed his arm, forcing him to meet her eyes. "You know you can talk to me, right?"

Her concern was genuine, and for a moment, Kazama felt the overwhelming urge to tell her everything—about the vigilante work, about the corruption he'd uncovered, about the impossible position he found himself in. But the words wouldn't come. How could he explain that her "stupid brother" was actually trying to protect the city from shadows that most people didn't even know existed?

"It's nothing," he said finally. "I mean, I just want to clear this up as quickly as possible. Don't want such distractions when the Japanese Qualifiers are so close."

Hana's expression softened slightly. "Oh. Well, the student council isn't participating, so be assured. Otherwise, if I faced you in the next round, I would kick your ass."

"Far more concerning opponents I can think of," Kazama replied with a slight smile, grateful for the return to their usual banter.

"I will kick your ass right now," Hana threatened, but there was no real heat behind it.

"And make the great Shirai Takeru wait even longer?"

"Ugh. You're right." She resumed walking, her irritation returning. "Never liked that guy, to be honest. I mean, yeah, he's saved a lot of people in his career, but his popularity is unjustified. Kind of overrated."

Kazama let out a small sound of amusement, a genuine laugh escaping despite the circumstances.

"What?" Hana asked, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"We're not related, but our thoughts are alike—like real siblings."

"Right. Except for the fact that you're stupid."

"You're not worthy of any compliment."

They continued their familiar banter as they approached the school gates. Empty and silent, it felt completely different from its usual vibrant atmosphere.

The teachers' staff room was right ahead. Shirai Takeru stood near the windows, his hero costume immaculate despite the late hour. Beside him, Fujimoto-sensei shuffled through some papers with nervous energy. Tanaka was notably absent, but there was another familiar figure present.

"Oh, here they are," Fujimoto-sensei announced with obvious relief. "Oh, Yamamoto is also here."

Kazama's shock was carefully concealed, but internally, his mind reeled. The flame user from the alley stood casually against the wall, his presence confirming Kazama's worst fears.

So Shirai isn't even hiding the fact that he's with the Kurotsuki mafia, Kazama thought, his jaw clenching involuntarily. Or perhaps he doesn't care, or he knows that no one can prove it or touch him. He brought this scum as well, probably for identification.

"Sorry to bother you, Kazama Raiden and Miss..." Shirai's voice was smooth, professional, with just the right note of apologetic authority.

"Yamamoto," Hana supplied politely.

"Miss Yamamoto. But the matter was so serious that I had to look into it personally on urgent notice."

Hana straightened, her student council training kicking in. "We would cooperate in any way possible. Please let us know your concern."

Shirai nodded appreciatively. "You see, there was an incident last night. Made it to the news as well. It involved an individual—a masked individual who has some sort of electrical powers."

The reaction was immediate and damning. Both Fujimoto-sensei and Hana instinctively glanced at Kazama, their knowledge of his electrical abilities making the connection impossible to ignore. Shirai's sharp eyes caught the telltale exchange, and his professional smile grew a fraction wider.

"So, Kazama-kun," he said, his tone remaining conversational but gaining an edge of focused interest. "It seems you also have some sort of electricity-based powers."

There was no point in denying what was already known. "Yes. I do."

No point in hiding now, Kazama thought grimly. But I need to play this smart.

"And also, this very morning, you got into an altercation with my colleague, a known hero, Tanaka Kujou."

"I did."

Hana shot him an annoyed and frustrated look, her eyes clearly asking why he was being so blunt. But she remained silent, choosing to trust his judgment despite her obvious concerns.

Shirai leaned forward slightly, his posture casual but his attention laser-focused. "So would you like to tell me where you were last night and what you were doing at the same alley where the incident took place in the early morning?"

"I was at home," Kazama replied without hesitation. "Preparing for the next day at school and brushing up some topics for the upcoming qualifiers."

"Qualifiers. I see. And this morning?"

"I already told Tanaka-san that I was going to train with my senpai before going to school. He mistook me for someone else and used his powers against me."

"Oh my," Fujimoto-sensei gasped, her hand flying to her mouth.

"Huh?" Hana's eyebrows rose in surprise.

Shirai's expression remained professionally neutral. "For that, I apologize. We are still looking into this behavioral issue."

Hiro, the flame user, couldn't contain himself any longer. "Hey! What about your electrical powers, huh?" His voice carried a sneer that made Kazama's hands itch to form fists.

Shirai raised his right arm halfway, a gesture that immediately silenced his subordinate. "I will do the questioning." He turned back to Kazama, his eyes studying the young man's face carefully. "So this senpai—Tachibana Kaito, right?"

The pause was barely perceptible, but it was there. Kazama felt the weight of the lie like a stone in his chest. "Yes."

Shirai noticed the hesitation, filing it away for future consideration.

Kaito-kun? Hana thought to herself, confusion evident in her expression. When did Raiden get familiar with him?

"Hmm. Your alibi is good," Shirai conceded, though his tone suggested this was far from over. "But still, there are concerns. You see, this individual we're looking for is very dangerous. Not just this incident, but upon further investigation, we have noticed a lot of activity from this 'vigilante' in the past six months."

"So what are you saying?" Fujimoto-sensei asked, though her voice suggested she already feared the answer.

"I'm saying that even if Kazama-kun on paper was not involved, we need to take him in for further investigation and evaluation from our end."

"How long would that be for?" Hana's voice was tight with concern.

"That could last... about two to three months."

"What!" Hana's composure finally cracked completely.

Shirai Takeru. We both know that's bullshit, Kazama thought, his mind racing through the implications. You're going to lock me up for that period to see if the vigilante shows up. And now that I know you're with the mafia, I might get tortured or worse if the former stands true.

"That's a bit too much," Fujimoto-sensei protested. "Two to three months? You're talking about missing a lot of academic time and also the qualifiers."

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but that's protocol," Shirai replied, his tone suggesting the matter was settled.

"But still, that's a bit harsh," Hana added, though her voice lacked hope.

Hiro's evil smile widened with satisfaction. "It's all sorted then."

The weight of defeat seemed to settle over Fujimoto-sensei and Hana like a heavy blanket. Their heads bowed as the reality of the situation sank in. But Kazama wasn't finished yet.

"I think we got over the Tanaka-san situation too quickly," he said, his voice cutting through the resignation in the room.

"What do you mean?" Fujimoto-sensei looked up, confused.

"I was unarmed and I'm underage," Kazama explained, his tone gaining strength with each word. "Yet irrespective of me being an ordinary student, Tanaka-san attacked me using powers. It was Tachibana Takemi who saved me from him. And you can confirm it from her. Also, we can check the surveillance."

Understanding dawned on Hana's face like a sunrise. "So that means we can take legal action against the Japanese Hero Association!"

The shift in the room's dynamic was immediate. Hiro leaned toward Shirai, whispering urgently, "They can do that?"

"Shit. Yes," Shirai muttered under his breath, his professional composure slipping for just a moment.

"I did say we are still looking into it internally," he said aloud, recovering quickly. "And we will take appropriate action."

"Who's 'we' here?" Kazama pressed, sensing the opening. "We as in the Japanese Hero Association?"

Shirai understood the implication immediately. The distinction between his official role and his unofficial allegiances had been called into question.

Hiro, growing frustrated with the turn of events, stepped forward aggressively. "Look, kid. You're just a student and we're professionals. We know what we're doing."

"But you guys are assuming I'm something else," Kazama replied, his voice calm but pointed. "That me being an ordinary student is actually better than professionals. I'm being framed as someone who goes out at night and beats up who knows what and has been doing it for the last six months without anyone noticing."

"But..." Hiro started, but Shirai cut him off with a sharp gesture.

"Stop. He has a point." The hero's admission was grudging but necessary. "We don't know what the vigilante looks like and are going off on speculation. Framing a student and an aspiring hero is the last thing we should do as heroes and as professionals."

"It's all sorted then?" Hana asked hopefully.

"One final thing," Shirai said, holding up a finger. "Tachibana Takemi can vouch for you in the morning, Tachibana can again vouch for your agenda for being in that place in the morning. Who can vouch for you at night? Or in fact, all nights for the past six months?"

"My guardian who also runs the dojo where I train."

"May I know his name?"

Kazama looked at Hana, seeking her silent permission. She nodded, understanding the gravity of what he was about to reveal.

"Takahashi Genzo."

The effect was immediate and dramatic. Shirai's face went pale, his composure cracking completely. "Takahashi... Genzo?" His voice broke slightly on the name, as if speaking it caused him physical pain.

Kazama noticed the reaction immediately, his suspicions sharpening. There was history here, and it was significant.

Shirai cleared his throat, struggling to regain his professional demeanor. "Okay then. We have everything we need. We will update you on the situation if we find anything. Thank you for your time."

"Anytime," Fujimoto-sensei replied, though she still looked shaken by the entire encounter.

Kazama couldn't resist one final jab. "And thanks," he said, his tone carrying just a hint of sarcasm. "For keeping the streets safe."

Shirai tipped his hat in acknowledgment and moved toward the door, Hiro following reluctantly behind him.

They stopped at a corner just outside the school grounds, the evening shadows providing cover for their urgent conversation.

"That's it?" Hiro's frustration boiled over. "We should at least get a warrant or something and toss his house."

"We are not going to do that," Shirai replied firmly. "The situation is different now."

"How? He has the same figure as per Tanaka-san and he's got electricity powers."

Shirai turned to face his subordinate, his expression grave. "You don't understand. His dojo master. He is a problem, and I can only make a call after consulting with higher-ups or perhaps the boss himself."

"Who is this Takahashi Genzo anyway? Never heard of him."

"Then you are a fool," Shirai said harshly. "He is a former hero."

"So? He's retired then?"

Shirai's laugh was bitter, devoid of any humor. "He was also the right-hand man of the previous boss. Was also known as The Spear of the Kurotsuki Mafia."