Location: Star and Stripe HQ – The Main Tarmac
Date: Saturday | 01:00 PM (EST)
SIZZLE.
A thick cloud of white smoke drifted up into the clear New York sky.
Ethan flipped three massive, thick-cut steaks on a heavy iron grill, poking the meat with a pair of long metal tongs.
He was wearing a ridiculous apron with the words "Kiss the Pilot" printed on the front.
Jackson and Timothy stood next to him, holding plastic red cups and loudly debating something.
The military base didn't look like a high-security installation today.
It looked like a neighborhood block party. The hangar doors were wide open.
A large folding table was covered in potato salad, grilled corn, and massive coolers filled with ice.
It was the final day of Kaito Arisaka's three-month contract.
Kaito stood right next to the grill. He had finally ditched the formal suits.
He was wearing a plain black t-shirt, dark jeans, and holding a flimsy paper plate.
"Medium rare, right Kaito?" Ethan asked, pointing the metal tongs at him.
"Yes. Just try not to drop this one on the tarmac, Ethan," Kaito joked lightly, holding his plate out.
Jackson and Timothy burst out laughing. Ethan rolled his eyes and dropped a perfectly seared steak onto Kaito's plate.
"Hey, Kaito! Get over here!"
Cathleen Bate was waving him down from the tailgate of a military transport truck nearby.
She was in a baggy t-shirt and faded jeans.
Kaito walked over.
"Help me out," Sarah, Cathleen's sister, groaned. She was currently holding a hot dog high in the air, trying to dodge a very aggressive stray seagull. "Tell this bird to back off!"
"Just give it the bun, Sarah," Kaito smiled, sitting down on a nearby metal crate.
Mrs. Bate immediately walked over and dumped a massive scoop of potato salad right onto Kaito's plate.
"Eat up, Kaito," Mrs. Bate ordered, tapping his shoulder. "You work too many hours. You need some meat on your bones before you fly back."
"Thank you, ma'am," Kaito said, actually digging into the food. It felt good to just sit and eat without looking at a spreadsheet.
CRUNCH. CRUNCH.
Admiral Agpar walked over, his heavy boots sounding loud against the pavement.
He was wearing a casual polo shirt instead of his uniform, holding two cold beers.
He held one out to Kaito.
"Mine is still full, Admiral," Kaito said politely, pointing to the bottle next to him. "Thank you, though."
PSSH.
Agpar grinned and cracked the beer open for himself.
SIGH.
He took a long drink, letting out a satisfied sigh as he looked around the hangar.
He watched Cathleen laughing with her family and his pilots joking by the grill.
"I have commanded this base for years," Agpar said, his voice dropping into a sincere, quiet tone. "I have never seen my pilots this relaxed. I've never seen Cassie this light on her feet. The stress used to eat them alive."
Agpar turned and looked directly at Kaito.
"You didn't just fix our playbook, Arisaka. You gave them the freedom to actually do their jobs without Washington breathing down their necks. I really don't know how to properly thank you for that."
"You already paid the invoice, Admiral," Kaito smiled genuinely. "But honestly, they just needed someone to build a wall between them and the politicians. They are a great squadron. You should be proud of them."
"Excuse me. Arisaka-san?"
A new voice interrupted the conversation.
Kaito and Agpar turned around.
Standing just inside the hangar were three men wearing sharp, dark suits.
They had government security badges clipped to their belts.
They clearly didn't belong at a BBQ.
The lead suit, a man with greying hair and sharp eyes, stepped forward.
"I am Director Miller, Department of Hero Oversight," the man introduced himself. "I know today is your final day with Star and Stripe. I wanted to speak with you before you left the country."
Kaito set his paper plate down on the crate and stood up. He didn't lose his polite demeanor.
"What can I do for you, Director?" Kaito asked.
Miller cleared his throat, pulling a thick, sealed folder from inside his suit jacket.
"We saw the full results of the Atlantic Wargames," Miller said, getting straight to business. "The Pentagon is completely blown away. The legal loopholes, the physical restructuring of Cathleen's Quirk... it's incredible work."
Miller held the folder out.
"The United States government wants to extend your services," Miller stated firmly. "We have the files for the rest of the American Top 10 right here. You can choose which pro-hero you want. We are prepared to offer you a blank check. Name your salary. Name your benefits."
Agpar narrowed his eyes, clearly annoyed by the government suits crashing his party, but he let Kaito handle it.
Kaito looked at the folder. He didn't reach for it.
"I really appreciate the offer, Director," Kaito said calmly. "But I have to pass."
"...."
Miller blinked. He looked completely taken aback, like he had misheard him. "I'm sorry? Arisaka-san, did you hear the part where I said 'blank check'?"
"I heard you," Kaito replied. "But it isn't about the money. I've been living out of a suitcase for three months. I have a grandmother waiting for me back home. And I still have clients in Tokyo who are relying on me."
"We can buy out those contracts," Miller pushed, stepping closer. "Whatever the Japanese Hero Public Safety Commission is paying you, we will triple it. You are wasting your talents managing local agencies in Tokyo when you could be directing the strongest heroes on the planet."
Kaito shook his head slightly.
"You already have America's Number Two running at peak efficiency," Kaito said, gesturing toward Cathleen and her squad. "You don't need me to hold your hand for the rest of them. My answer is no. You can reach out to my office in the future if a specific crisis requires a consultation, but I am going home."
"...."
Miller stared at the young man. He saw that Kaito wasn't bluffing. There was no amount of money or prestige that was going to make him stay.
SIGH.
Miller slowly pulled the folder back, shoving it into his jacket.
"The Japanese HPSC doesn't know how lucky they are to have you," Miller muttered bitterly.
"It's just simple principle, Director," Kaito corrected him, his tone dropping just enough to show he meant it. "I just know where my home is. Have a safe drive back to Washington."
Miller gritted his teeth. He turned around and signaled the other two suits.
They walked out of the hangar, looking deeply envious and frustrated.
Agpar watched them leave. A massive grin spread across his face.
"God, I hate those guys," Agpar laughed, clapping Kaito hard on the shoulder. "Come on, kid. Your steak is getting cold. Let's go eat."
_-_-_-_-_
Location: Christopher Skyline's Luxury Penthouse – Tokyo, Japan
Date: Sunday | 08:00 AM
"HAHAHA"
A loud laugh echoed through the living room of the Tokyo penthouse.
Christopher Skyline was lying completely upside down on his leather sofa.
He was wearing silk pajamas and eating a bowl of sugary cereal, his legs resting over the back cushions.
"Christopher, sit up. You're going to choke."
Pamela walked into the living room. She was holding their toddler on her hip.
She had decided to stay in Japan for a month or two to keep her husband in check and also to have a short vacation.
Exactly three days after she dragged him out of New York, she had the nanny fly the baby over.
"I'm fine, Pam! Just enjoying my morning!" Christopher grinned, taking another huge bite of cereal.
Pamela rolled her eyes and bounced the baby, who let out a happy little babble. "Well, keep it down. I don't want you spilling milk on the leather."
Christopher watched his wife walk into the kitchen. He smiled. He was actually in a really good mood today.
He thought back to what he did almost a month ago.
About twenty-five days prior, right after he got back to Tokyo, he had logged into the secure military servers using his Level 9 Pentagon clearance.
He just wanted to snoop around and see what his rival, Cassie, was doing.
He found the Atlantic Wargame video files.
When he watched the footage, his jaw hit the floor.
He watched Cathleen completely dismantle an entire fighter wing without throwing a single punch. He heard the audio logs of Kaito restructuring her Quirk.
Christopher had felt a sharp sting of jealousy. Cassie had gotten way stronger.
Kaito had turned her into an untouchable fortress.
And then, Christopher remembered Kaito was the root cause of it all.
Sure, the generals were the ones who called Pamela, but Kaito was the one who made him fly all the way to America.
So, Christopher decided to be petty.
He dragged the highly confidential video file into a new secure email and addressed it to the World Heroes Association (WHA) global database.
But he didn't just leak it. He added a very specific note: ["Kaito Arisaka's US contract ends in one month. Do not contact him until the exact date."]
Then, he hit send.
Back in the present, Christopher scooped up the last of his cereal.
He looked at the clock on the wall. The one-month timer was officially up.
He knew exactly what was happening in New York right now.
The second the top agencies in Europe and Asia realized the embargo was lifted, they were going to lose their minds trying to hire Kaito.
It was a harmless, perfectly timed prank to bury the guy in annoying phone calls.
Revenge was sweet.
_-_-_-_-_-_
Location: Kaito's Quarters
Date: Sunday | 06:00 AM
ZIIP.
Kaito pulled the zipper closed on his dark travel suitcase.
His temporary room on the base was completely empty. The place was wiped clean. He had his boarding pass tucked into his jacket pocket.
BRRR-RING.
Kaito stopped.
He pulled his private smartphone out of his pocket. It wasn't the agency line. It was his personal number.
He looked at the caller ID. It was a long string of numbers with a +65 country code. Singapore.
Kaito swiped the screen and put the phone to his ear.
"Hello, this is Arisaka."
"Mr. Arisaka! Good morning!" a loud, panicked voice yelled through the speaker. "This is the management team for Big Red Dot! The Number One hero of Singapore! We are calling to formally request an immediate meeting!"
"....."
Kaito blinked. He hadn't expected international calls on a Sunday morning.
"We saw the wargame footage!" the manager talked so fast he was barely breathing. "The laser cages! The nested commands! Big Red Dot shoots highly pressurized water from his mouth. We need you to apply that same logic to his hydration systems! We are willing to wire two million SGD right now just to get you on a video call!"
"...."
Kaito stared at the blank wall.
"I appreciate the generous offer," Kaito said, keeping his voice polite and steady. "But I am currently heading to the airport. I am not taking any new clients right now. I'm sorry. Have a good day."
CLICK.
Kaito hung up.
"How did they even know?"
Before he could even put the phone back in his pocket, it rang again.
BRRR-RING.
He looked at the screen. +20. Egypt.
"Arisaka speaking."
"Arisaka-san! Peace be upon you! I represent the hero Salaam!" a new voice shouted through the speaker. "We desperately need your tactical mind! Salaam's Papyrus has hit a plateau. We saw what you did for Star and Stripe a month ago. We want to fly you to Cairo tonight!"
"....."
"I am not flying to Cairo," Kaito sighed lightly, feeling a headache starting to form. "I'm sorry, but I have to decline. Thank you for reaching out."
CLICK.
BRRR-RING.
Country code +44. Great Britain.
"Hello, Arisaka."
"Mr. Arisaka, this is Claire Voyance's agency in Otheon," a crisp, British-accented voice said. "We have a blank contract ready for your signature. Just tell us what you want."
"No, thank you. I am booked."
CLICK.
Kaito dropped his bag. He stood in the middle of the empty office.
His phone started vibrating uncontrollably in his hand.
Greece. The Bahamas. France. Spain.
For thirty straight minutes, Kaito stood there. He answered the calls because it was the professional thing to do.
He dealt with frantic hero managers from all over the globe. They were throwing ridiculous sums of money at him. They were begging him to fix their heroes.
He politely declined every single one, explaining he had prior commitments in Japan and needed to go home.
Finally, a call from a hero agency in Brazil popped up on the screen.
Kaito didn't answer it. He just stared at the glowing screen.
SIGH.
Kaito let out a long, quiet exhale.
He was just too tired for this today. He pulled down the settings menu on his screen and tapped the small airplane icon.
The screen went black. The vibrations stopped. Total silence.
Kaito shoved the phone deep into his travel bag and grabbed the handle.
He walked out of the office, eager to get on the plane and finally get some rest.
_-_-_-_-_
Location: Flight 108 – First Class Cabin (Over the Pacific Ocean)
Date: Sunday | 02:00 PM
VMMMMM.
The steady drone of the commercial jet engines vibrated through the floor of the First Class cabin.
Ethan had offered to fly Kaito straight to Tokyo in the back of an X-66 fighter jet.
Kaito turned him down flat. He didn't want to deal with heavy G-forces, flight suits, or radio chatter.
He just wanted a normal, quiet flight where he could actually sit back and rest.
He was in a window seat with his jacket off and his sleeves rolled up, reading a paperback.
THUMP.
Someone dropped into the aisle seat next to him with a heavy sigh.
Kaito glanced over.
It was a very tall, muscular woman. She wore a simple red flannel shirt that stretched tightly across her broad shoulders, paired with worn-in jeans.
She stretched her long legs out into the aisle and rubbed the back of her neck, looking completely exhausted.
A flight attendant hurried over.
"Can I get you anything to drink, ma'am?"
"Whiskey. Neat. Make it a double," the woman mumbled, rubbing her eyes. "It's been a long week."
"Right away."
The woman turned her head and squinted at Kaito.
She blinked a few times, her tired expression shifting into mild surprise.
"Wait," she said, her voice carrying a strong American drawl. "I know you. You're the Golden Manager. Arisaka."
Kaito put his bookmark in and closed the novel.
"I am," Kaito said. He looked at her features, noting the distinct horns partially hidden in her messy blonde hair. "You're Cow Lady. It's nice to meet you."
"Just call me Pam right now," she sighed, leaning her head back against the seat. "I am completely off the clock."
The flight attendant returned with the drink. Pam took a long sip and let out a heavy breath, her shoulders finally dropping a few inches.
"Heading to Japan for a case?" Kaito asked.
"Vacation," Pam corrected him, resting the glass on the armrest. "Two weeks. I finally bullied them into approving my time off. Honestly, I feel like my bones are turning to dust. If I had to do one more talk show or ribbon-cutting ceremony, I was going to throw a car at someone."
Kaito smiled slightly. He understood that completely.
"The American circuit is brutal," Kaito agreed. "The media demands too much. They treat pros like celebrities first and first responders second. It burns people out fast."
Pam let out a dry laugh.
"Hehe... You hit the nail right on the head," she said, looking at him with genuine appreciation. "People think this job is just smiling for the cameras and punching bad guys. They don't see the lawsuits, the endless PR training, the paperwork. It eats you alive."
She swirled the whiskey in her glass, looking down at the amber liquid.
"I heard about what you did for Star and Stripe and her squad," Pam said, her tone softening a bit. "You know, I really idolized her since I was still little. You didn't just give them a pep talk or tell them to hit harder. You actually took the weight off their shoulders. That takes real guts, standing up to the Pentagon like that. Most managers just want to milk us for brand deals until we drop."
"They needed a shield from the politicians, not another PR campaign," Kaito said. "Heroes can't save people if they're too exhausted to think straight. I just fixed the environment so they could breathe."
"...."
Pam smiled. It wasn't the bright, flashy smile she used for the press. It was just a tired, honest smile from a woman who wanted a break. After all, she was just 28 years old, she decided to take a breather every now and then.
She raised her glass toward him.
"Well, here's to letting us breathe," Pam said.
Kaito picked up his plastic cup of ginger ale and tapped it against her glass.
"Enjoy your vacation, Pam," Kaito said.
She finished her drink and handed the empty glass to a flight attendant walking by.
She pulled a sleep mask out of her pocket and slid it over her eyes, crossing her massive arms over her chest.
"Wake me up when we hit Tokyo, Arisaka," she mumbled.
Within a few minutes, she was fast asleep, snoring softly over the sound of the jet engines.
Kaito opened his book again. He looked out the small window at the blue expanse of the Pacific Ocean.
It was going to be a quiet flight.
_-_-_-_-_-_
Location: Shie Hassaikai Compound – Japan
Date: Monday | 07:00 PM
CLACK.
A pair of wooden chopsticks set a piece of grilled fish onto a small ceramic plate.
The dining room inside the Shie Hassaikai compound was warm.
It was a traditional room with tatami mats and a low wooden table in the center.
Sitting at the head of the table was the Boss. He was an older man with deep wrinkles and a thick grey mustache.
Right now, he didn't look like a Yakuza head. He just looked like a tired grandfather having dinner.
Sitting across from him was his daughter, Aika, smiling as she poured tea.
Next to her sat her husband, Yamato, a quiet, kind-looking man who was currently trying to stop a toddler from throwing a rice ball across the table.
"Whoa, easy there, Eri," Yamato laughed, gently catching the little girl's hand.
"Hehe"
Eri, a tiny three-year-old with silver hair and a small, budding horn on the right side of her forehead, just giggled.
She babbled something incomprehensible and shoved the rice into her mouth, getting sticky grains all over her cheeks.
"Eat slower, sweetie," Aika smiled, using a napkin to wipe Eri's face.
The Boss watched them.
A genuine, warm smile touched his face. He loved his family.
He kept them completely separated from the criminal side of his life so they could have exactly this—a normal, happy home.
SIP.
But the smile faded as the Boss picked up his small cup of warm sake. He took a slow sip and stared blankly at the table.
Yamato noticed. He set his chopsticks down.
"You've barely touched your food, Pops," he said. "Is everything alright? The men outside seem a bit on edge lately."
SIGH.
The Boss sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.
"Just a lot on my mind," the Boss muttered. "The streets are getting really loud again."
Aika looked up, pouring him some more sake. "Worse than usual?"
"A lot worse," the Boss said, his voice heavy. "We used to have rules. Things made sense. Then All Might showed up years ago and broke our backs. He drove us into the shadows, but we adapted. We survived. Now? Even the shadows aren't safe."
Yamato frowned. "Is it the police? The pro heroes?"
"The pros are definitely a headache," the Boss grunted. "They aren't just showboating for the cameras anymore. They're getting sharper. Their raids are too fast and way too coordinated. But they aren't the real problem right now."
The Boss took another sip of sake.
"It's the amateurs. Specifically, the new rising vigilantes who probably idolized Hero X," the Boss explained.
"The guy with the reality powers?" Aika asked, pulling Eri a little closer to her lap. "I saw him on the news a while back. But he doesn't kill anyone, right?"
"Yes, dear. That guy appeared about 7 or 8 years ago. His Quirk is incomprehensible. He is probably the strongest man alive right now. Especially with his feats of defeating All For One and handling the recent Sky Egg disaster." Yamato replied.
"Then what's the problem?"
"That is exactly the problem," the Boss said, tapping his finger on the table. "He doesn't kill. He just completely embarrasses top-tier villains, makes the pros look slow, and walks away. Because of that, he became a symbol. A role model."
"So people are copying him," Aika realized.
"Exactly," the Boss nodded. "Now every arrogant punk who idolizes him thinks they can play hero by choice. We are getting swarmed by wannabe vigilantes. They're hunting our street dealers. They're hitting our supply lines. They look at Hero X and think they are untouchable too."
"We're getting squeezed," Yamato said quietly. "Between the pros getting better and these new vigilantes running wild."
"There's no room left to breathe," the Boss sighed.
"So what do we do Pops?" Yamato asked.
"We sit tight," the Boss said firmly. He looked at his family, his expression turning serious but protective. "We are Yakuza. We keep our honor. We don't panic and we don't resort to the madness of street thugs. We lay low, keep our heads down, and endure until this stupid trend passes."
He picked up his chopsticks again and finally took a bite of his fish.
"Anyway. Let's not talk about work at the dinner table. Eri needs her grandfather to eat so he can keep up with her."
Outside the peaceful dining room, far down the dark, wooden corridors of the compound, someone else was awake.
STEP. STEP.
Kai Chisaki walked down the dim hallway. Hari Kurono walked a half-step behind him, scrolling through a burner phone.
Kai was a rising subordinate, but he wasn't invited to these family dinners. He didn't care.
He had actual work to do. He wore his dark olive jacket, raising his hands to pull on a pair of crisp, white surgical gloves.
Snap.
The latex snapped sharply against his wrists.
"The Boss just sent the order down to the street crews," Kurono said quietly, not looking up from his phone. "He wants everyone to completely stand down for the rest of the week. Lay low. Wait for the heat from the pros and the vigilantes to cool off."
Kai stopped walking. He reached up and adjusted the thick leather straps of his bird-like plague doctor mask.
"Lay low," Kai muttered, his voice dripping with disgust. "He sits in there playing house, preaching about honor and waiting out the storm. It's pathetic."
"He just doesn't want the yakuza wiped out, Kai," Kurono pointed out.
"The family is already dying because he refuses to look at the actual problem," Kai shot back, his golden eyes narrowing in the dark. "Honor isn't going to save the Yakuza, Hari. Hiding in the shadows isn't going to stop the heroes, and it definitely won't stop hundreds of idiots in cheap costumes running around imitating Hero X."
Kai started walking again, his footsteps heavy on the floorboards.
"It's not the police. It's not the vigilantes," Kai continued, his voice going cold. "It's the disease."
"...."
Kurono stayed quiet, knowing exactly what his friend was talking about.
"Quirks," Kai spat the word out like it was literal poison. "They plague the world. They make every random street thug think they're special. It's a sickness that causes all this chaos. As long as people have that disease, the Yakuza will always be treated like outdated relics."
Kai stopped at the top of the basement stairs. He looked back over his shoulder toward the direction of the dining room.
"The Boss is content to hide and let the Shie Hassaikai fade away into nothing," Kai said, his fists clenching tight. "I'm not. I'm going to find a real cure for this sick society. I will put us back on top where we belong. I just need the right breakthrough to make the plan work."
He didn't know about the little silver-haired girl eating fish in the other room. He didn't know about her parents or the dormant power sleeping inside her blood.
But Kai was patient. He would find a way.
He turned away from the hallway and walked down into the shadows of the basement.
_-_-_-_-_
[Author's Note]
Hey everyone. Sorry this took so long. I actually had a complete version of a chapter drafted out, but I forgot to save it and lost the whole thing.
I had to sit down and rewrite two entire chapters from scratch. It was incredibly draining and took up a lot of time, but honestly?
It's a win-win. The new draft came out way better and much more detailed than my original one anyway.
That being said, I'm totally burnt out. I'm taking a day off to just rest my head, catch up on actual work, and take a break from writing before I even think about starting the next chapter. Thanks for the patience and support, see you in the next one!
.....
Support the journey here:
patreon.com/Dr_Chad
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