The loud strums of a guitar fills one of the studios, before it get finished off with one hell of a riff.

"Always both of you going overboard." Rui can just say as me and Touko laughs from me having tried out her guitar. "Ah well, it's the end of our practice for today either way."

"Haha, I was about say! But yeah, no need to be grumpy when the two just has a fun time together." Tsukushi tells Rui as the latter nods.

As me and Morfoncia head out of the studio, we see Hello, Happy World entering the live house. However, Hagumi looks sad for some reason, which isn't usual for their cheerful bassist.

"What's going on?" I ask the band, as Misaki clears her throat to explain.

"The stadium has been closed down for unknown reasons. So, Hagumi is understandably upset."

"Damn, why not even state why they close it down? We are in Tokyo for heaven's sake-"

"Well, to be fair, Shinjuku-Shibuya isn't the only place in Tokyo with a stadium-"

"But it's the most local one!" Touko interrupts Misaki as the latter realizes the weight more of it suddenly closing.

"True, that's were I missed that fact, sorry..."

"Either way, perhaps we should try going to the bottom of it all?" I suggest as everyone looks to me. "It's not fun seeing my friends sad, so doesn't hurt, right?"

"Wait, really..?" Hagumi asks me, most likely surprised I would go for going to be bottom of this. But I nod my head, which makes her actually smile a bit again. "Yes! We shall do detective work then!"

"Nah, let's just head to the stadium at once. Who's with me?"

To no one's surprise, my beloved is the first one to come up to me, ready to go with me wherever I go. "Anyone else on board with Stephy's plan~?"

Soon following are everyone else except Rui and Misaki. The former is just planning to head home while the latter doesn't really feel up to it, which surprises me as I am pretty sure-

"N-no, wait, I don't want to come with you all, sorry..!" Kanon suddenly says as she walks back to Misaki. "I need to go home and study after all, so I really can't."

"Well, that's totally okay." I reassure her before I look to the group me and Touko have now. "Let's go then, shall we?"

"You know it, sweetie~" Touko replies as she clings to me as the others giggles. "Come on now, time to see why our stadium is currently closed!"

And so our journey begins, as the stadium is located a bit further away, so we take the subway. Hmm, subway, makes me want to have a Subway sandwich...

As we are taking the subway train, kids on there are very happy over seeing Kokoro and a few of her band members, at least the one's who really embraces the attention.

"Aaah, so many small kittens, flocking us all to show their appreciation~" Kaoru says as Kokoro and Hagumi give the kids hugs.

Meanwhile, Mashiro, Tsukushi and Nanami looks on as they giggle and converse about how Kokoro gets such a variety in her audience.

And then there is me getting kissed by Touko, heh...

"I love you, Stephy~"

"I know, my love." I reply to her as she continues kissing me, eventually deciding to sit on my lap as we begin making out...

"Eww, what they are doing?!" One of the kids says as he points to me and Touko, which catches the attention of the other kids and the other band girls as well.

"E-eh, why is Touko sitting on Stephan's lap while they are kissing..?" Hagumi asks as Tsukushi gets slightly embarrassed that she knows better than someone that is one year older than herself why one does this.

"Oh how fleeting! Little kitten Touko does no hesitation in showing her endless love to her knight in shining armor, Stephan~!"

Tsukushi soon faints from the embarrassment, which immediately prompts us all to stand up and help her wake up again.

As we arrive at our destination, we say goodbye to the rather confused kids before heading towards the stadium.

"...I feel not too good about the fact that none of the HHW members with us knows why you two did that..." Tsukushi tells me and Touko as we are a little unsure what to reply ourselves.

"Well, don't think too much about it. Just means you are more prepared for what this world has to offer." I finally tell her as she looks in front of her, most likely thinking about what I said.

"Yeah, you're right! As the leader of Morfonica, I shall find out more about the world, including the depths of se-"

"N-not in the public like this!" I say to stop Tsukushi. I know she is excited, but she can't just yell out the word 'sex' like that..!

Either way, finally at the stadium and like Hagumi said, it's indeed closed down for unknown reasons. Well, like she said, detective work begins now!

We split up to find anything that is akin to clues, with me obviously being with Touko. Although, Tsukushi decides to hang with us two as well, so we become a trio.

Going around the stadium, we look to entrances and try to see if there isn't any sort of flyers hung up to indicate information regarding this sudden closing down.

And speak of the devil, there is! Albeit when I go up to it, it's instantly familiar. "Oh god damn it..!"

I take the flyer off the door and show it to Touko, and not too surprising, she sighs. "So it's them again, huh..? What horrible things are they planning this time for my Stephy?!"

"Who's planning?" Tsukushi suddenly asks, also reminding us that she is in fact present and overheard us two.

"...Do you want to say it?" Touko asks me as I hesitate for a moment, before nodding and looking at Tsukushi.

"Hey, you know about Night Hawk, right?"

"Heh, why wouldn't I? He's all the talk here in Shinjuku, with how he does great battles and even has a replica of Mechagodzilla!"

"Yeah, well... I am him." I tell her as the enthusiasm in her expression almost instantly fades away.

"...Come on now Stephan, you can't just joke that you are him. I mean, you would probably fit even better as a hero, but-"

"No, Tsukushi, I really am Night Hawk. Touko and Chiyu has known about this since before that day where I got exposed during my fight with Skelter-Helter." I interrupt her as Touko nods as well.

"But I don't get it, if you just suddenly reveal to others you are Night Hawk, it won't be any better!"

"Please understand that I am only revealing this to you to add context. I am done with hiding why for my most closest friends."

"I see..."

"Look, Fusuke, I know it's a lot to take in, but it really, really is the truth. Stephy would never be the one to lie to me, you or anyone else, ya know?" Touko reassures her bandmate as the latter keeps on processing what she has just been told.

"...So, what's going to happen? Why is it closed?"

"The exact reason I cannot say at this time, but they will most likely use the stadium like a battlefield, again."

"W-what the, again?!"

"Fusuke, he just said he has done this longer than once his presence as Night Hawk became known!" Touko says, apparently a little irritated that Tsukushi doesn't get it already.

"Calm down, Touko, okay? This is a lot for her to process, so go easy on your leader, alright?" I tell her as she nods and apologizes to the still confused band leader.

"Alright, so no one else in the group will know about this?" She soon asks me as I think for a bit, before shaking my head.

"No, no one else will, at least not here and now. But I plan on telling Mashiro, Nanami and Rui once the time comes." I tell her as I look to Touko. "It's through my everything I were able to meet you guys as well and have the greatest friends. So I will trust you guys the most."

"Oh you~" Touko replies as she blushes really red before hugging onto me while I look back to Tsukushi.

"So yeah, no one else will know, and hopefully never. I am quitting being an assassin after I become number one, and end the UAA for good."

"So Night Hawk will be no more soon enough?"

"Exactly, and it's for the better. I've already seen merch getting sold of my assassin image, which Touko has tried protesting about on her social media in hopes of such junk not being sold anymore, but to no avail."

"Huh, guess being an influencer doesn't always help..." Tsukushi replies as both me and Touko nods. "Well, all in all, I guess I should've thought outside the box. You came back as soon as Night Hawk showed himself for the first time, and same day coincidences aren't that coincidental of them."

"Yep, so now here I am, genuinely pretty mad that they have taken up a whole fucking stadium for whatever the hell they are planning." I say as I look at the flyer still in my hand as Touko lets go of the hug as well. "I shall call Miu and see what she has to say about this."

"Wait, Miu? Miu Tamade?!"

"Yes, Tsukushi, it's her, and that's why Chiyu knows too; Her mother runs the association." I tell her as it looks like her world is bit by bit falling apart.

"S-sorry, I really need a moment. It's just so much information in one go..!"

"Take your time, or not. We should honestly start regrouping and head back home." I tell her as she nods as the three of us begin making our way back to the entrance.

"Found anything, young knight?"

"More like Dark Knight. If I ever want to be a sort of 'knight', I rather be Batman." I tell Kaoru as the others giggles. "Anyhow, yes. It's something for Night Hawk to participate in, so we shouldn't lay ourselves in that business."

"Night Hawk, huh... PAREO said she actually got an autograph from him even." Mashiro tells us all as I just sigh from that moment. But I had to, otherwise she would've just been sad, and ain't good for people to be sad after all.

After some more conversating, we finally decide to wrap it up and head back to Shinjuku central to head home to our respective homes.

On the way to our home, I decide to give Miu a call about the whole stadium occupation deal.

"Ah yes, I've been expecting to hear from you!" Miu says as I can hear her munch on something. "Sorry, ordered a pizza for dinner, tastes way too good-"

"Just tell me already!"

"Alright, alright. Not too interested in pizza, it's more tacos for you I have heard." She says before finishing up her slice before finally speaking. "But yes, I see you have seen about the stadium we got to borrow~"

"Borrow, quite a funny joke there."

"Right, right. Anyways, so the stadium is perfect for what the UAA is holding, and that is none other than a battle royale!"

"Battle royale? Are we going to make Fortnite a real thing suddenly?"

"Well, not really that kind of battle royale where you drop down from the air to land at Tilted Towers or whatever those names are-"

"No landing on Tilted, that place is just filled with sweats and tryhards. Much more fun landing on other places-" I say before stopping myself, realizing that I am going off on a tangent. "Anyways, but why is this being done?"

"Because otherwise there would be no activity! All assassins below rank 10, except you, are sooo lazy and don't even care to rank up, so that's where you come into the picture of it all."

"So if I get a Victory Royale, I get a free rank 10?"

"Exactly! Maybe even higher up once we confirm one thing and another~"

"Confirm what?"

But as I ask that, I suddenly hear a quiet "Oh no" coming from Touko, which makes me turn to her, but she turns away, holding her arms behind her head and whistles. That's... actually really suspicious, and I don't get suspicious of my own beloved.

"Aha, you don't know yet, that's good. But you'll see!" Miu tells me as she is eating another slice of pizza. "But tomorrow it will take place, make sure to be there!"

I say my quick goodbye before hanging up the call. "...How the hell does she know I like tacos. And Touko, why did you react to what I said..?"

"It's nothing, I swear! I maybe heard wrong, just... please trust me."

"...Heh, I always trust you though, Touko. But I won't press you any further then." I soon say, figuring she won't talk now about her reaction. But I shall not pressure her either, we better just take it easy for tonight.

Once at home, I help Touko with some yoga and even massage her a bit, before we soon head to bed in my small bed. Our king sized bed has not come yet, so low budget couple sleeping will do for now...

The next day, I wake up at 5 am like Touko, and we decide to do some stretching at the balcony, taking in the early morning breeze from the warm air we are getting now.

"Just a few weeks more until we all go up one year. It feels so exciting~!" Touko tells me as I can't help but agree, although it still feels scary. I am a third year very soon, and after that comes college, which I won't look forward to too much.

But hey, once Touko also graduates, we will be able to be in the same college perhaps, so that's a plus!

After the stretching, we head inside to prepare breakfast and such, before... we basically just sit down. Hmm, perhaps I should get myself a big Lego set for all the money I still have from working so much, so me and Touko can do something recreational together?

Well, just a food for thought, I maybe won't have the time later on anyways to build something like an Imperial Star Destroyer or AT-AT now when I will most likely be in rank 10 of UAA's ranking board.

After some time passes of us just cuddling, it's soon time for me to participate in that battle royale so I can default dance on other assassins. Not sure if there exists any assassin out there that can build like in Fortnite, because I rather not fight anyone that cranks 90s and builds the White House in a matter of seconds.

Putting on my outfit and visor, I have everything prepared. Kissing Touko goodbye, I soon head out.

...

Touko's phone soon calls, to which she picks up with a heavy sigh.

"Yes, he went outside now. Yeah, the bank and the local movie studio, got it."

She soon hangs up, before sighing again, wiping away the few tears almost running down her eyes. "Please don't hate me for this, Stephy. I promise I will tell you everything after you are done with your fight..."

...

Arriving at the stadium, there is very few people, but the doors are open at last. So I head in, with the doors closing as I enter, me most likely being the last one to arrive.

The cell I arrive in looks almost like a prison cell, just with a lot more space than usual. So I just have to sit down and wait for now just like pre-game lobbies, I suppose.

"...Hey, anybody here? When the hell do we start? Not even Fortnite on Switch takes this long time!"

No reply, so I just got to continue waiting. Waiting so much that I eventually begin juggling with Blood Berry, Tsbuaki Mk. 3, the cross and my recently obtained Peony.

Chiyu gave Peony to me as a means of crowd control in case many henchmen tries to gang up on me in fights and such. Hard hitting and long range, at the cost of me having to put more power into my swings and the blade reducing in lenght as battery depletes.

This really is just the boner beam katana, huh..?

An alarm is suddenly blaring, which most likely is signaling the start of this supposed battle royale. The gates open and I take a sprint.

But as I am heading to the center of the stadium, I see other people, most likely the fellow assassins, get flung up into the air as they get disintegrated. What in the world am I about to fight..?

Slowing down my approach to the center of the stadium that has now gotten the appearance of a colosseum for its interior, I soon spot the one who delivered such a deadly blow. And it's a giant machine..?!

"Visual sensors suggest carnage level satisfactory. Who is my next victim. Question mark."

Well, no one else here after all, better to just take a step forward. This causes the machine to slowly turn to me, before speaking again.

"Surprised gasp. You are identified as Stephan Klausch."

"The one and only, you big pile of metal junk! Oh and... a big brain?"

Wait a minute, don't I know this metal piece of shit? I swear I have seen him before...

"Luck is an irrational concept. But your presence defies probability. Do you remember me. Question mark."

"Uh, I think I do?" I reply to him, before I connect the dots. "No wait, you are that machine that I didn't get the chance to kill last year! How in the hell did you come back?"

"Affirmative. After near fatal decimation, I had no choice but to take on this modified form."

"Hard to say if it's a good mod you got or a significant downgrade. You are huge now, but hey, you seem to move around more freely now."

The machine, or rather, Dr. Letz Shake as he is known as, begins hovering over to be more in the center and look out over me.

"Hardware was affected but my pride is not. With determination levels maximum." He begins as I look to him as well now, seeing the red optics staring back at me. "I thought only of winning. It was meaningless. Futile. Illogical. But such is the curse of being run by a human brain."

"...Well, you get to talk way more because of being inside a machine. I don't get though why are you angry at me when I wasn't even the one who delivered the killing blow, but sure, go ahead."

"All I desire is a duel with you. Desire level: one hundred percent."

I just shake my head, wondering if this guy's smarts got dumbed down as well. Well, he didn't talk this much and let someone else take care of him previously, so perhaps more independent?

"Well, again, the one who actually blew you up wasn't me. It was Travis, and I don't think he is even around anymore." I tell him as I just shrug my shoulders, feeling that this fight can be avoided.

Granted, we are the last two present in the arena, so it really is just a 1v1. I don't think the size of Letz Shake will be much problem either.

"Revenge on primary target was previously accomplished. Behold. Said dramatically." Letz Shake tells me as he turns around, and there I see a man, frozen in what looks like carbonite almost. Did he capture Han Solo or what?

Either way, that does not look like Travis in the slightest. I am still sorta far away from Letz Shake, so can't really make out the details of this person, but I better not say anything regarding that.

"Cool, but how did you come across him?"

"The UAA offered him to me from your descriptions of said man. It is my trophy to show my utmost determination when in battle." Letz Shake says as he turns back to face me again. "Now with him out of the picture, I could finally do my second goal that should have been my primary: Defeating the UAA's most top ranked assassins until I come to you."

"Well, will be a pleasure then to fight you again, and for real this time. No one making cameos or thirdparting, just a true 1v1 experience!" I reply as I prepare Tsubaki Mk. 3, just to start with before I move onto Peony.

"Devilish laughter. Activating main engine."

"Going slow this time as well, huh? You will be easy either way it seems!" I tell Letz Shake as I begin running towards him, ready to beat him up for real this time.

"3, 2, 1. Fire. Battle cry." He says as he slams down his "legs" into the ground as entire parts of the arena flies up and it all becomes a maze almost, before falling back down.

He has become way faster than last time. No wonder he killed those other assassins with ease, they got caught off guard from the sheer brute force from just one sole machine.

"Alright, I will give you that. Way quicker this time, but let's see how long you can keep that up!" I yell at him before preparing myself again, now ready to do this!

A little unsure what to do first, I suppose going for attacking the doctor at once is my best bet-

"3, 2, 1-"

Alright, never mind, he is going to keep on using that shit. Luckily enough, some platforms doesn't rumble and are safe to stand on as other platforms launches up around us two.

"FIRE!" He calls out as he slams his legs into the ground, and I stand on a stable platform, waiting it out.

As he stops and the platforms falls back, I immediately rush at him, before quickly striking him with the Tsubaki, before he hovers away, quite fast at that.

"'Hardware was affected', my ass! You can battle just fine!"

"Devilish laughter." He replies as a beam charges up from the top of his head, before shooting it right at me. "Chew on this!"

I manage to block it, but get slightly burnt on my hand by the yellow beam. Well, I will just try rolling out of the way instead, as I didn't expect a god damn beam from him.

"3, 2, 1, LETS SHAKE!"

Once again I have to stop to not get caught up in the platforms, before continuing on with striking him. Seems this will go easy!

Continuing on, Letz Shake continues with his pattern to slam his legs into the ground, but counts down slow or fast at times, which makes the time window even tighter to get to safety once the latter happens.

But that doesn't stop me from continuing on to take him down, because this menace is too dangerous to be kept alive!

"You are a strong fighter. But can you manage this. Question mark." Letz Shake asks me as he spins and slams me with his legs as I approach. But I get up again to continue taking him down.

"My determination level is also one hundred percent, you metal shit!" I yell at him as I do a mighty swing with the Peony, dealing a final blow, which causes the doctor to yell out from the apparent pain.

-music end-

Jumping back, I run up to him again, before taking a very big leap after jumping up on one of his legs, before I shove Peony into Letz Shake's brain.

Moments after, he explodes, definitely dying for real this time. But I also get launched back from the explosion, and fall onto the ground, rolling along it until I come to a stop.

The frozen person Letz Shake had as a trophy also flies past me, but remains in tact once he hits the ground.

"Oww..."

"Stephan Klausch gets #1 Victory Royale, and is now rank 8!" I suddenly hear a familiar voice say as I slowly get up again, before realizing what she had just said.

"Wait, rank 8? What do you mean rank 8?! I mean, I am not complaining, but Dr. Letz Shake was rank 10, no?"

"That is very true, but!" Miu says as she looks behind her. "Touko, you can come forward now!"

Touko..?

And directly after, there she comes, my everything... But she is wearing a black attire that is quite similar to my outfit, but more incline on her own tastes of clothing, so her legs show like with her casual clothing.

I also notice the scythe like weapon she has on her back, which makes me start realizing...

"...Touko, why... Why are you an assassin?"

"I am so sorry Stephy... I only wanted to do this for you." Touko says in a very meek voice, almost on the verge of crying. "I've been training extra hard once your parents got murdered as I got offered to take down some targets for you. I wanted you to reach that Jasper and take him down, as revenge for your parents' death..."

She holds tightly onto my hands, shaking even. I think... she is scared I would be very angry at her for revealing this, but...

I hug her, and a very tight embrace at that. "...Even if I wouldn't want you to be an assassin, even as just an one time thing, I will forgive you. Just don't continue afterwards."

"I don't plan to. It was definitely very demanding, but I am glad to have just done some help to get you up in the ranks quicker." She replies as she kisses me on my lips. "Let's go home, you maybe want to hear about my adventures before you have to go for your next target, heh~"

"Yeah sure, why not. Will be interesting to hear how you managed with these two you met."

"Technically three, but I will get to that once I come." Touko replies before looking to the carbonite frozen man. "What about him though?"

"I can take him with us to our apartment so this carbonite like thing can possibly melt away." I tell her as she nods as we both carry him on both sides before heading to the exit. "Well, good luck cleaning up the mess here, Miu. Call me once the next fight is ready."

"You bet." She just replies as the cleaners arrives at the place as well as me and Touko leaves the stadium.

Well, at home it will definitely be something to hear the story that Touko defeated rank 9 and 8 while I had my battle with Dr. Letz Shake...

To be continued.