The Next Day…
Kojin sat in his office, exhausted as he tried to push through a mountain of paperwork. He rubbed his eyes and muttered under his breath.
Kojin:
"There's too much conflict going on in the city… and now I've got this damn file of paperwork to deal with..."
Suddenly, the door burst open. Kinto stormed in with a serious look on his face."Lord Kojin!" Kinto exclaimed.
Kojin:
"What is it now?"
Kinto explained "There's a big problem."
Hours Later...
On the bridge, Son, Deo, Baraka, and Mori were already waiting.
Son asked "What's taking Kinto so long?"
Mori (arms crossed):
"He better have a good reason for calling us to a place like this."
Deo (sighs):
"I know, right? He's taking forever to get here. I was just enjoying my video games until he sent me a message to get too the bridge."
Baraka added while nodding his head "Yeah, I was having a nap as well."
Son replied "Yeah, funny how i believe that"
Deo then replied son "Don't make fun of your ally like that son." "Whatever". Son replied.
Finally, Kinto approached the bridge, looking grim. Everyone turned toward him.
"What took you so long? And why'd you call us out here?" Son asked
Kinto with a serious look on his face replied " I have some disturbing news."
Mori asked with mild annoyance.."Just say it already. I don't have all day."
Kinto (clenching his fist) "Alex… was kidnapped last night."
Everyone froze in shock.
Son "What do you mean 'kidnapped'? That's a serious joke you're cracking."
Deo "Is this some kind of joke?"
Baraka added "Yeah kinto, that ain't funny!"
Kinto replied to his friends with a serious and tense look on his face "No joke. He was taken by one of the top-ranking members of the Dark Sign organization. Raquel told me the whole details this morning. I rushed to Alex's hous the moment i woke up and read the message. Raquel was shocked and scared at the same time when i appeared. "
Mori (irritated) "And where is this guy taking him?" Kinto replied "Most likely to the Dark Sign hideout. They don't operate anywhere near the city… they hide beyond the wastelands."
Deo then asked im confusion "But why would someone kidnap Alex of all people? I mean he's strong, but he isn't packing something special now, is he?"
Kinto replied "I don't know. But their end goal has him written all over it!" Kinto flashbacks to when Alex used his demonic powers in his fight against Kirihai and Mori "Could it be?..."
Mori proceeded to ask "So what's the plan? You've thought of something, right?".
Kinto explained "We believe the kidnapper is heading to the wastelands. The city's surrounded by forests, and past those forests is a valley that leads directly to the wastelands. But to get there, we'll need to go through the back of the city. The city is almost a kilometre wide. If we go there at full speed, we should catch up. But there's a possibility that the guy who kidnapped alex has left the city already. But at the same time, it's possible he hasn't left. The barriers of the city are switched off from 9PM at night till 8AM in the morning. And plus, even if the person is fast, they wouldn't want to waste too much energy on speed to get out of the place. So nine times out of ten, the kidnapper hasn't left the city yet."
Mori then asked "So the plan is...?"
Kinto replied "The plan is to go get the bastard that kidnapped alex!"
Baraka smirked "Alright… solid plan. But how are we supposed to beat someone who could take Alex down?"
Kinto replied "The person who took him… is B-rank level."
Everyone went silent. Baraka's eyes widened.
Baraka exclaimed "A B-rank?! We jut got into rank C, and we're on the low ends of rank C for that matter. How the hell are we gonna beat that guy?"
— Flashback to Two Hours Ago —
Kinto had just barged into Kojin's office.
Kojin asked "What's the problem?"
Kinto explained "Allex was kidnapped. By a Dark Sign member. The one you were talking about the other day."
Kojin sighed deeply. "TCH! So it's begun huh? I figured something like this would happen eventually."
"What do you mean?" Kinto asked.
Kojin explained "Im sure you have realised it by now, but alex is no normal kid" Kinto then replied "Offcourse not. He's an idiot!", kojin was abit stunned "Nah, that's besides the point." He continued to explain to kinto "Alex possesses a power called demonic energy, its something i dont know how to explain. Simply put, its the kind of power that puts a target on your back. Many nations, cities, and organizations want him, and the Dark Sign are among them. No one knows exactly why they want him, but if he dies… the fate of the world could fall apart. And I'd break the trust Ranpo placed in me."
Kojin clenched his fist, remembering Ranpo's words.
"Im not always going to be around. You know me well kojin. Im always going around the world, fighting underground criminals and just wondering the world. Look after Alex for me. Okay buddy?".
Kojin sighed and explained to kinto "Kinto boy, how long have you been friends with Alex?"
Kinto replied "Since we were kids.".
Kojin explained to kinto "You and your group have earned promotion. I was going to officially make you all C-rank today… but that'll have to wait. Consider this your first C-rank mission: Save Alex. Not as a soldier… but as his friend."
— Back to Present —
Kinto:
"Alex is my friend. I'll put my life on the line if that's what it takes to save him."
He stretched his fist out
Kinto stretched put his hand "Alex is our ally and friend, so we'll save him. Who's with me?"
Son had a delighted smirk "I'm definitely in! I've been itching to have an excuse to burn shit up. And plus, anyone who's an enemy to alex is an enemy to me!"
Baraka replied as he stretched his hand in "I'm with son here. Let's save alex!"
Deo added with an excited smirk "Count me in. I've been training hard for a while, so I want an excuse to fight. I'm frustrated that someone could go out of their way to harm him, so I'm in!" "Nah, your reason sounds more of an excuse to just go wild." Son added with a wierd grin on his face.
Mori stayed quiet, looking uncertain.
Kinto asked him "Mori… you in or not?"
Mori sighed, then smirked " Dont look at me like that you explosive psycho boy, im obviously in. That idiot saved me when I was a selfish, arrogant jerk. I'd be a fool not to return the favor."
He extended his fist "I'm in." Mori exclaimed.
The five of them bumped fists, sealing their resolve "IN THAT CASE.. OPERATION SAVE ALEX IS ON THE MOVE!" Kinto exclaimed as he and the rest of the gand walk out together, each ready to fight.
Meanwhile…
Deep in the forest, Shinki was sprinting with Alex tied to his back. Red energy chains wrapped tightly around Alex's body as he struggled.
Alex:
"Let me go!"
Shinki coldly replied "Shut the hell up."
He suddenly slammed Alex into the ground. Dust and smoke kicked up as Shinki raised his sword, pointing it at Alex with a cold look in his eyes.
Shinki said to alex
"You try anything funny… and I'll kill you right here. Its bad enough that i couldn't escape with you yesterday without triggering any alarms. I had to stay back and wait till morning to get on the move without raising suspension."
Alex grinned "Awn, isn't that bad for you. My friends will be on the move to save me. And even if they don't, kojin woukd do something about it"
Shinki replied Alex's cocky words "Isnt that cute. Well if that's the case.....Then they better be ready to die."
Elsewhere, at the outskirts of the city…
Sorata stood atop a hill alongside Kenji and Zora, watching the city from a distance.
Sorata explained to them "Stick to the plan." Kenji replied "I'm not a screw-up, sorata."
Zora exclaimed while being irritated "I don't like how this plan flows. There's too many holes to it."
Sorata replied to Zora with mild irritation
"That's your problem. Just stick to the goddamn plan. And stay sharp!"
Kenji's phone rang. It was Kirihai. He answered. Kenji asked Kirihai on the phone "You in position?"
Kirihai(On the phone) "Yeah. I'm disguised in the soldiers' base. No one has noticed me yet."
Sorata nodded with a smirk "Put it on speaker."
Kenji gave him the phone.
Sorata explained to Kirihai
"The city's probably going to send backup for the demon kid. Once they do, you and Mirio distract the soldiers. Hit them hard. If possible,kill em.". Kirihai replied "Got it."
She ended the call and turned to Mirio.
"You really think this plan'll work?" Kirihai asked.
Mirio who was disinterested replied "I don't like it… but whatever. We'll do what we can. If things get too hard, we dip."
Kirihai teased him "That's the laziest reply I've ever heard in my life."
Back on the hill—
"What about the kids going after the demon boy?" Kenji asked. Sorata replied while smirking "Bara already sent five of his goons to take them down one by one. Each of those kids should be C-rank judging from the assassination exams. Although i watched a part of them that was displayed on screen in the city and left. It was none of my problems". Kenji replied with a smirk "Oh my God, so edgy!"
Sorata looked down at the city, he started to grin deviously "We'll blast anything that gets in the way, and I'll get to achieve my personal goal. Let the chaos begin." He said all this with his hair blowing with the wind.
END OF EPISODE