Date: December 24, 2017
Location: Kamurocho, Tokyo
Time: 7:30 PM
Among the bright lights and glamour of the city, it was easy to be seen, with everything illuminated so much that it was certain that a person would compare the sheer amount of light to the sun. In the district of Kamurocho, Tokyo, this was the usual scene. For nearly three decades, it was considered to be the heart of Tokyo's nightlife and where people could go for a night out with their friends.
But Kamurocho was not a place for those who light-hearted and enjoyed moral activities. Rather, it was the center of Tokyo's criminal underworld, where money flowed like liquor, where ladies of the night would search the streets for potential customers, and where people were robbed and beaten on a nightly occurrence. The most infamous rumor of this red-light district to the average passer-by was its reputation as a stronghold for the various clans of the Yakuza.
So it was no surprise that within the glamorous and exhilarating exterior was a world of shadows, where violence and greed ruled. It was in these shadows, in a certain part of the district that was especially run-down, with stores and apartment complexes packed so tightly that a paper couldn't pass through the space between them, in an empty lot in an area packed with dirt and trash that a man stood above another laying on the ground, blood flowing from his nose. Nearby was a used television screen, cracked in several spots, but perhaps could still be useful again with the necessary repairs given.
The man standing opened his wallet, removing the wads of cash from it, before he tossed the wallet back on the ground. Counting the money, he turned his gaze back to the man on the ground.
The beaten man shakily pushed himself up on his elbows, his breathes shallow as he looked at the figure standing above him, the black suit matching the darkness, with the exception of light from nearby lamps illuminating him in the darkness. His hair was short, clean cut, and professional, giving him an aura of confidence and power, but the most striking part of him were his eyes. Those eyes were filled with determination, the will to do what was needed, and perhaps, a sense of honor. But if there was honor, it was not here.
He strode towards the beaten man, who desperately tried to crawl away from him and from further harm, but his injuries made his efforts futile as the figure appeared right in front of him. But yet, he found it within himself to attempt to escape with a last burst of energy.
He didn't notice the figure clenching his fists so tightly that he could have heard it, who grabbed him by the shirt collar and tossed him further into the space, blood splattering the place he landed. He tried to push himself up until the figure's heel smashed into his face. At that, he fell on his back as blood flowed from his mouth.
"I'm Sorry…Sorry!" he whimpered to the figure.
"When someone like you decides to pick a fight in this town, you'd better pick that carefully. Especially when you got such a large wad of cash on you, otherwise things like this happen." The figure stated, and at that, he turned his back and strode into the night, not thinking about that man or what would happen next.
The figure left that dark, shadowy neighborhood and re-entered the brightly lit area of Kamurocho, which was packed to the brim with all sorts of people, but he didn't think about any of them. Not because that his personality, far from it, but rather he'd been focusing on a person whom he had business with. As he strode through the town, he walked by a group of men and bumped into one of them, knocking him down. Picking himself up, he hollered at the figure angrily.
He didn't respond.
Muttering under his breath, he ran at the man and grabbed his shoulder, demanding an apology. His friends were ready to back him up until they saw the face of the figure. He glared at them, ready to fight without mercy until they were on the ground. At that, they hesitated, apologized profusely and went back the way they came.
The figure scoffed at them and proceeded on his route.
People don't think about what they do, he thought as he strode forward. Yet he asked himself this often, recently more so in the past few weeks. Kazama had tried so long to keep him and Nishikiyama out of the Yakuza world, but he and his best friend had both been incredibly determined to join, so much so that Kazama relented.
He probably was right, but I'm too far in to get out now, he relented and arrived at a sparsely populated area of the city where barely anybody was, and stood next to a street when an expensive-looking car pulled up alongside him. A backseat window opened, and a man looked at him, eyes hidden by a pair of sunglasses, and a lit cigarette hung from his mouth.
Hantaro Shinjero, Loan Shark, he remembered Hantaro as the man who hired him to seize the money from the person he mugged.
"Kazuma Kiryu. How'd it go? He didn't try and fight?" he asked.
"It's done. He didn't try, not at all."
"Heh, figures, people like that don't bother getting their hands dirty, do they now?"
Like you, Kiryu thought.
"Sometimes they do. But regardless, here's the cash." Kiryu handed the man the seized yen.
He took the money and set to work making sure he received the correct amount. Kiryu could've sworn he saw the man's eyes become animalistic as stared at the cash. He turned back to Kiryu.
"You know, you boys from the Dojima Family are awfully fast and efficient when you get to work. Makes my life and the lives of your other customers pretty easy." Kiryu couldn't say he disagreed with that, after all, the Dojima Family had become the most powerful family in the Tojo Clan. Hantaro continued, giving him his pay for the job.
"Here, have this," he offered an extra amount of cash to Kiryu. "A little bonus for a job well done." Kiryu lifted his hand and professionally turned him down, saying it wasn't necessary.
Kazuma Kiryu had longed believed in doing the right thing, but yet it contrasted with what he was, a Yakuza. Words immediately associated with that: gangster, robber, and murderer. That was a line he'd never cross for the rest of life. It was one thing to merely to fight a person or threaten some people, but taking a life was too much. One's life was priceless, and taking a life would make one lower than the lower, suitable only for hell.
But then again, maybe I'm already destined for hell, he thought, before he was snapped back to his conversation with Hantaro.
"Look, think about it. People these days are just flouting around cash as if it were water, spending 10 grand on a taxi ride. So, shouldn't it make sense for a yakuza to live like that?" Kiryu thought about it, and agreed with how the world was at this point. The economy had recently been incredibly lucrative at this time, and money was in the hands of most of the population in the big cities, although he didn't know what how it was in the smaller towns out in the country.
"You know, you should come work for me, you can make so much more than what a Yakuza could make." Hantaro offered, hoping for Kiryu to consider it and perhaps take him up on that, but he didn't get that.
"Can't," Kiryu responded, "once you're a yakuza, there's no turning back. I would have considered it in the past, but now, I've made my choice." He locked eyes with Hantaro, and the two stared at each other for a long while before Hantaro took a long drag from his cigarette, smoking billowing from his mouth.
"Well, if that's your answer, then there ain't much I can do to change that, but if you do, give me a call." And with that, he rolled up his window and the car sped into the night. Kiryu stood there for a while, his hand moving to his face until he felt something wet. He removed it and checked what it was he had on his face.
Blood.
He swiped his sleeve over it, hoping it would be removed until he heard his cellphone go off. He checked the number to see who it was. Nishikiyama, he thought about for a second before he remembered what it was. Oh yeah, gotta go see him at Serena and hear what's going on, probably have some drinks with him too, he remembered. At that, he went to see his buddy through that city of light, the city of darkness.
-x-
Date: December 24, 2017
Location: Inaba
At the same time as Kazuma Kiryu journeyed through Kamurocho to meet his best friend Akira Nishkiyama, 150 miles to the north in the city of Inaba, Yu Narukumi and the Investigation Team were at the conclusion of their own journey. Adachi, the killer who had been tormenting their city had been brought to justice, Izanami had been bested, promising to leave humanity in peace, and perhaps most importantly, the group had formed bonds, bonds that were unbreakable.
At the moment, they had gathered at the Junes Food Court to unwind and celebrate the end of their long battle. The leader, Yu Narukumi, sat there, smiling at his friends. Friends, comrades, allies, these were the people who had helped him save humanity perhaps, but they were the ones who had made him into the confident leader that he was to them. Throughout their adventure, they had all changed from the people they were just a year ago.
Before, they were insecure about themselves. Some felt they didn't feel accepted, others didn't want to admit their true feelings, but regardless, they had all accepted their shadows and were now living a normal, happy life. Yu wished this feeling wouldn't end.
Suddenly, a nearby TV erupted into life, with a news report blaring to life.
"INABA MAN FOUND DEAD IN KAMUROCHO; MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES" was shown in a large font at the bottom of the screen.
Yu's head snapped to it so fast that he thought he heard Yosuke say he got whiplash. But he ignored and stared at, with the others watching as well. On the screen, the scene of murder was shown, a run-down part of the city, covered in dirt and trash, but that wasn't the part that caught Yu's eye. A TV screen could be seen, flickering on and off.
They stared at the screen for a good while, the happy atmosphere had ceased to exist, replaced by a feeling of dread.
Kanji was the first to say something.
"He! Didn't we already get the guy who was doing all this crap?"
"Yeah man, it can't be the same, it has to be a coincidence, right partner?" Yosuke asked, looking at Yu, hoping he had an answer.
"Regardless of a coincidence or not, we'll have to look deeper into this. If this is connected to what happened here, then we have a much bigger problem." Naoto stated, her eyes scanning her fellow investigators.
Yu sat for a long while, contemplating what to do. They could leave it with the cause of it being a coincidence and a single event, or the possibility of a repeat of what happened before in Inaba, and having more people die. It was an agonizing choice, for one part of himself wanted it to be over and have him and his friends be in peace, but the other part wanted, needed to act, to do the right thing and save lives. It was choice, and he made it.
"Teddie, head to the Midnight Channel and try to search for a human scent." He looked at Teddie as he said this.
The bear gave a salute and headed into the store, and at that, Chie stood up and looked at Yu.
"Hold up, you're seriously going to be a part of this." She asked.
"Yeah, if there is a possibility of people still using the Midnight Channel for this, then we need to act on it. Before people get killed."
Nobody argued with that point, and so they looked at each other, waiting for someone to say something. Yosuke would be the one to do that.
"Yeah! We're back in action!" He hollered at the group and threw his fist into the air, and soon enough everyone followed.
The Investigation Team was on the case, once again.
-x-
Date: December 24, 2017
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo
At a luxurious club, a man looked at the staff preparing for the night, people cleaning the floor, musicians rehearsing, and workers preparing lights.
His hands gripped the railing of the second floor balcony, and long puff of smoke escaped his mouth. His one eye looked everything over, and he muttered.
"It's showtime."
-x-
Date: December 24, 2017
Location: Shibuya, Tokyo
A black-haired teen sat on his bed, looking over his phone. Scrolling he checked the messages he had received from friends. Ryuji constantly texted him, as did Ann, the others like Yusuke and Makoto texted him only when needed.
A cat hopped on his lap and looked at him expectantly, its eyes seeming to know far more than he did. He looked at it, and he asked it.
"Are you ready?"
The cat nodded.
"Yeah, let's go steal some hearts."
-x-
A man sat on a sofa, his eyes staring at the window in front of him. A city, bursting with life and energy, and flowing in cash. Cash was there to be made, and to be delivered to the boss by him personally.
His mind calculated what was happening now and what would happen later, but the conclusion was inevitable. Just then the phone, and he picked it up.
"Yes?" he answered.
"Sir, a body's has been found at the Empty Lot, cops are on it like mad." A voice answered.
"Oh don't worry. I have it under control, now you just what you need to do, alright."
"Yes sir." He hung up.
Lying back on his chair, he sighed and muttered to himself.
"So it begins."