[Scene: Chiba
Police department
Sebiki and Ryu
9th August]

The memory wouldn't leave Ryu's head.

Samantha's uniform-once pristine and crisp from her victorious tournament-was now soaked in a deep, gruesome red. The blood had drenched every fiber of the fabric, from the collar to the hem, as if she had been standing in a storm that rained only blood. There was no mistaking it-no one could survive that much blood loss.

"Samantha was..."

The words echoed in his mind, unfinished, as if even his thoughts refused to complete the sentence.

"SHUT UP!!" Ryu suddenly screamed, his voice ripping through the silence.

Sebiki's eyes widened in alarm. Without hesitation, she clamped her hand over his mouth, pressing her palm against his lips before any more reckless noise could escape.

"What the heck, Ryu?" she hissed. "We'll get caught! Stay down!"

Ryu's breathing was uneven, his chest rising and falling too quickly. His heartbeat thundered in his ears. His entire body trembled-not just from fear, but from the suffocating weight of Samantha's death, of the scene burned into his memory.

"S-sorry. I-" he stammered.

"Yeah, whatever. It's okay. Just stay quiet now." Sebiki's voice was a whisper, but there was an edge to it, a silent warning that she wouldn't tolerate any more screw-ups. She slowly removed her hand, scanning their surroundings with sharp eyes.

They were crouched low behind the thick bushes in the garden of Chiba Police Department. The dim glow of streetlights barely reached their hiding spot, casting eerie shadows across the damp grass. Ryu swallowed hard, the tension of their mission pressing down on him like an invisible force.

He glanced sideways at Sebiki. She looked unfazed, completely in control. She always had this unshakable confidence about her, as if she was built for sneaky, reckless plans like this.

"...Is sneaking in the best idea you could come up with?" Ryu finally asked, his voice hushed but doubtful.

Sebiki turned to him, raising a brow. "Of course. You got a better idea, Ryu?"

Ryu opened his mouth, then shut it. He didn't.

"N-no... sorry," he muttered, looking away.

Sebiki huffed. "Thought so."

She had this way of making him feel small, but maybe that was because she was the only one who ever had a plan-any plan.

But still, breaking into a police department? This was insane.

And yet, here they were.

Thirty Minutes Ago - Chiba Police Department

Sebiki had stepped up to the front desk of the police station with her best innocent smile.

"Excuse me, Mister Police Officer," she had said sweetly, her voice as light as air. "Can we talk to the head of this department?"

The officer-a middle-aged man with thinning hair and a stern face-faltered immediately. His rigid stance wavered, and his fingers twitched at his sides. He had been expecting troublemakers, delinquents, drunks-anything but a cute, polite girl with big, pleading eyes.

"W-well," the officer stammered, visibly flustered. "Who are you kids, and... I mean, I'm supposed to be guarding this place."

Sebiki tilted her head, her smile widening just a fraction. "Oh, my fault. I merely want to meet the head," she said, voice dripping with sweetness.

The officer swallowed nervously. There was something... off about this girl. The way she spoke, the way she stood-she wasn't just any kid.

"U-uh," he fumbled, stepping back slightly. "I'm not allowed to send in kids. P-please wait here for a while."

Before Sebiki could respond, a sharp, authoritative voice cut through the air.

"Hey, you!!"

The head officer walked in. A man in his late forties, broad-shouldered and stiff as steel. His presence alone made the officer straighten up in fear.

"Whatever on earth is going on here?" the head officer demanded, his glare sweeping over the scene.

The guard flinched, his voice coming out hesitant and weak. "Well, these kids want to go in..."

"Absolutely not!!" the head barked, his voice booming through the station.

In the guard's eyes, the man in front of him was a terrifying demon, his face twisted into an expression of rage and power. His presence loomed large, suffocating the air.

In the head officer's own mind, however, he was simply doing his duty, enforcing the rules, keeping order.

But to Sebiki and Ryu, the head officer was nothing short of the villain of the story-the one standing in their way, the obstacle they needed to overcome.

And so, when words failed, they resorted to the only other option.

[Continuing
Scene: Chiba
Police department
Sebiki and Ryu
9th August]

Ryu crouched low beside Sebiki, hidden in the overgrown bushes near the back of Chiba Police Department. His legs were beginning to cramp from staying still for so long, but he didn't dare move. Not yet. His mind was still caught on what had just happened.

"I can't believe you managed to scare someone like that," Ryu muttered under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief.

Sebiki shot him a sharp look. "I will kill you."

"Sorry, sorry," Ryu said quickly, raising his hands in surrender.

He exhaled heavily. "No wonder she scared him off instead."

Carefully, they crawled through the damp grass, inching their way toward the building. Their goal was clear-the vent near the back entrance. Sebiki had made sure of the details beforehand. The guards who usually patrolled this area would be on their lunch break around this time. She had learned this from her connections within the authorities, but those same connections had done nothing to get her inside the department through legal means. So, sneaking in was their only option.

As they reached the vent, Ryu hesitated. The cold metal surface was just inches away, yet something about this felt deeply wrong.

"Are we really helping a detective?" Ryu asked, his voice barely above a whisper. "I feel like a criminal."

Sebiki didn't answer. She simply turned toward him with an unreadable expression before shifting her gaze toward the entrance.

"I will check. You stay here, Ryu," she whispered.

"Yeah..." Ryu replied, though his voice lacked conviction.

Sebiki straightened, brushing dirt from her skirt, and walked toward the entrance with complete confidence. She moved like she belonged there, her steps light but assured. Ryu could only stare, his heart pounding as he watched her approach the guard.

The moment she stepped into the open, the man at the entrance stiffened. His wary eyes locked onto her immediately.

"You again?" The guard's voice held a mix of suspicion and exasperation.

Sebiki tilted her head slightly, her expression shifting into something almost innocent. "Sir, I want to meet my father."

The guard scoffed. "Hah. What's your name?"

"Sebiki," she answered smoothly. "I'll just give him a call."

The guard blinked. "Huh?"

Without waiting for a response, Sebiki pulled out her phone and dialed. She held it up to her ear, her posture completely relaxed, as if she did this every day.

Moments later, the heavy thud of approaching footsteps filled the air. A tall, broad-shouldered man strode toward them, his presence commanding immediate respect. The guard straightened and bowed instantly. The man waved him off with a simple flick of his wrist.

Ryu swallowed hard, suddenly feeling an invisible weight press against his chest. "This is Sebiki's father?"

The officer's cold, calculating eyes swept over them, a sharp contrast to the faint, unreadable smile on his lips. He was terrifying-more than any of the guards, more than the head officer himself. There was a reason people whispered about him in fear. This was the man known as the Monster of the Police Army.

And yet, Sebiki stood in front of him without a hint of fear.

"Sweety," her father said, his voice carrying a quiet authority. "Why are you here at this hour?"

Ryu felt his throat tighten. Even the way he spoke sent shivers down his spine.

Sebiki turned slightly, signaling Ryu to step forward. He hesitated for a fraction of a second before obeying. Soon, he found himself standing directly in front of the man, forcing himself to maintain eye contact.

The officer regarded him with an expression that was impossible to read. "Who might this be?"

Sebiki didn't hesitate. "Meet Kamanoji Ryu, Daddy. He's my friend from school."

There was a long pause before the man gave a slow nod. "I see. Nice to meet you."

Ryu's palms were clammy. He quickly bowed, his voice coming out stiff. "M-my pleasure."

Sebiki, ever unfazed, pressed on. "Daddy, I want to see the office from inside."

The officer raised a brow. "Hm?"

"May I?" she asked, her tone light, almost playful.

Her father glanced between them. There was something strange about his expression, as if he was already trying to read between the lines. "I-I guess? Along with this boy?"

"Yep," Sebiki said cheerfully, grabbing Ryu's wrist before he could even process what was happening. "Come on, Ryu. Daddy works in an amazing office!"

As she pulled him forward, Ryu couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. His gut twisted uncomfortably. Slowly, he turned his head-only to find Sebiki's father staring directly at him. His eyes were still as ice, his hands folded neatly in front of him. But there was something else in his gaze, something that made Ryu's stomach churn.

He knew.

Sebiki's father knew something was off.

The tension didn't break until Sebiki's voice rang out. "Look! We're here."

She tapped on the cold, metallic door in front of them, snapping Ryu out of his thoughts. He forced out a small, nervous chuckle. "Right, haha..."

Before he could ask how she planned to get inside, Sebiki reached for the chain around her neck and pulled out a small silver key. Without hesitation, she slid it into the lock and turned it. The door clicked open.

Ryu blinked. "You have a key to the door?"

Sebiki smirked as she tucked the chain back under her collar. "Yeah. You should be careful, though. My daddy likely suspects you."

"Yeah, no kidding," Ryu muttered.

As the door shut behind them, the overhead lights flickered on, casting a dim glow over the office. The metallic scent of paper and faint traces of coffee filled the air. Sebiki walked ahead without hesitation, her footsteps echoing slightly against the polished floor. She made her way toward the large desk in the center of the room, where an old but powerful-looking computer sat waiting.

Ryu hesitated at the doorway, still shaken by the encounter with her father. But Sebiki was already typing away on the keypad, completely unfazed.

He let out a slow breath before stepping further inside, his eyes scanning the room. He had no idea what they were about to uncover.

But one thing was certain.

They had just stepped into dangerous territory.