«According to our pact, you were supposed to ensure the auction's success!» he turned to them furiously. 

«Instead look: the Tenshō Tower is about to collapse!»

Zo stared at him for a moment.

«Do you really think that pact means anything to us?» he said in a cold voice.

«What did you say!?» Reiji's expression changed instantly.

«Your mother warned us about the situation... but now you are useless to us.»

«We're useless!? Are you mocking me?!» he took a step toward the stage.

«Our Commander ordered me to tell you a couple of things.»

Reiji froze at Zo's words.

«First: he thanks you for the funding you've provided so far.» He raised his index finger.

«Second: he says he's sorry... but there is no way to bring back the person you've lost.» He raised his middle finger as well.

«So it's true...»

A voice broke the silence.

Akizame was the first to turn.

—She is...—

Chizuro Fuyumi had risen to her feet, staggering but determined.

«Mother!» Reiji ran toward her. «Are you okay!?»

Chizuro didn't answer. Her eyes were fixed straight on the Mugentamashii, as if no one else existed.

«Reiji... take your sister out.»

Her voice was faint, but firm.

«What are you talking about? We'll all leave — the three of us.»

He grabbed her shoulders, worried.

She looked him in the eyes, and that single look stopped him.

«Sorry... son. But I can't.»

She took a step forward, then another.

—Mother?—

«Kaito.»

The boy flinched.

Hearing his name from her, in that moment, froze his blood.

«Chizuro...?» he murmured, incredulous.

She gave him a bitter, almost resigned smile.

«Forgive me. In the end... you were right.»

A golden aura began to rise from her body.

With a sudden lunge, Chizuro threw herself at Zo and Kagetsu.

«You will pay for all of this!»

Her hand was covered in gold.

«Transmigration!!»

She managed to brush Zo with her fingers.

For a moment his heart stopped.

—Did I make it...?—

«Return to point zero.»

Zo's voice was icy, calm.

Chizuro's golden aura trembled, then went out. Her Transmigration did not advance an inch.

«That's not possible...!» she whispered, incredulous.

Zo stared at her.

«Chizuro Fuyumi.»

«You blame us... but the truth is those at fault are them.»

He pointed at the members of the Reikeitai, motionless.

«And them too.»

He shifted his gaze to Kaito and Yume.

«And finally, the blame is yours as well.»

A wave of spiritual energy exploded from his hand, piercing Chizuro squarely in the chest.

Her body was thrown off the stage, rolling among the rubble.

Kaito and everyone present gaped.

«MOTHER!!» Reiji screamed.

He rushed to her... but it only took an instant to understand.

The wrist was cold. Absent.

Chizuro Fuyumi, head of the Fuyumi family, was dead.

—It can't be...— Kaito thought, his mind frozen.

Reiji held her under his arms, unable to say a single word.

His face utterly drained.

Kaito clenched the blades, his knuckles white.

—I remember this scene well.—

His heart hammered in his chest.

—The same thing happened to me.—

His gaze rose, fixed on the Mugentamashii. There was no longer any hesitation.

«Pressure mode.»

The word came out like a growl.

On the stage, Kagetsu looked at Zo.

«We are done. Can we go?»

«Yes, sure. Now—»

He didn't finish the sentence.

Something struck him violently.

Zo shot his head up.

Kaito was there, a handspan from his face, the two blades glowing with spiritual energy.

«Return to point zero!» Zo repeated, with his usual glacial calm.

But this time it didn't work.

Before his eyes, his spiritual energy was forcibly absorbed.

And one of the blades even managed to cut his palm.

A drop of blood fell onto the stage.

For the first time, Zo widened his eyes.

Kaito landed on one of the chunks of debris littering the stage.

Knees bent, muscles tensed, blades drawn and humming.

«After all this time...» he murmured in a low voice. «I found you.»

He lifted his gaze, full of hatred.

«Mugentamashii!!»

Kagetsu watched Zo, visibly disturbed.

—He wounded him…? Zo was hurt?!— He still couldn't believe it.

«Boy... how dare you.» Kagetsu advanced toward Kaito, adjusting his black gloves in a threatening manner.

«Hahahah!»

A laugh split the tension in two.

Kagetsu turned. «Zo? What's wrong with you?»

Zo showed the palm cut by the blade.

«Haven't you understood, Kagetsu? He absorbed my spiritual energy.»

His eyes shone with a sick excitement.

«Explain yourself.»

Zo pointed at Kaito's wakizashi.

«They're one of those series. One of the series the Commander wants.»

«Are you kidding me?!» Kagetsu exploded, looking at Kaito as if he were a living treasure.

The words echoed in the silence. Everyone heard them.

—They want... those blades.— Akizame clenched his teeth, his look dark.

Zo raised his voice, impatient.

«Boy, what is your name?»

Kaito trembled with rage.

«So...» he snarled. «You don't even know the name of the person you took everything from!»

His eyes went as dark as night.

«Remember it well. And report it to your Commander.»

He sprang forward, blades ready to tear.

«I am the one who will kill you all! My name is Kaito!»

«Perfect!» Zo exclaimed, excited. «Soon you will hand over those wakizashi!»

A moment later, a cloak of ash fell from above, exploding outward.

Kaito was overwhelmed and immobilized by the pressure of the ash.

Zo and Kagetsu avoided it by a hair, leaping back.

—What is he doing...?— Tetsuya wondered.

Another figure had appeared on the stage: Akizame.

«Zo...» His voice was deep, strained.

«And you too, Kaito... those blades are not yours.» His gaze grew bloodthirsty.

«Their only owner... is Ren Ryuzen.»

At those words Kaito staggered.

—He knows my master!?—

The tower shook even more violently.

«What the—» Tetsuya exclaimed.

«The time has come.» Zo looked at Chizuro's lifeless body.

«Already!?» Akizame alarmed.

Spiritual energy began to seep out from the woman's body.

Kaito, still on the ground and trapped, noticed that Yume was slowly regaining consciousness.

«Yume!» he cried.

«Kaito... where are we...?» Her voice was weak, she too held back by the ash.

«Don't worry... now we'll leave.»

Then he turned to Akizame.

«Akizame! What's happening?!»

«Don't you know!? When a possessor dies, all the spiritual energy of their spirit is released!»

—It usually happens little by little... but it must be caused by the severe damage she had already suffered— 

he reasoned quickly.

«I guess this... is not the time.» Zo spoke.

Everyone turned to him.

«We're leaving. Thanks for the information you've entrusted to us...» he said, casting one last look at the blades.

«Where do you think you're going...!» Akizame's voice was drowned out by a roar.

Part of the tower collapsed.

And the Mugentamashii vanished, right before Kaito's eyes.