This is the 38th chapter. I don't own the series of Maken-Ki.
Somewhere in the ocean
Zane noticed that Takeru was able to get to the boat as he them wriggle his shirt while sneezed since he had to swam towards the boat, causing him to chuckle a bit which Takeru pretty much got what he deserves.
"Man...It's summer, but the ocean sure is cold in the morning." Takeru complains, but feeling guilty that he broke a promise with Inaho as he then head downstairs to meet with the others. 'Inaho, I broke our promise and turned you down like that.'
Azuki came upstairs, but noticed that Takeru was only half-naked and saw her brother was leaning against the rail as she then walk towards him.
"What happen to him?" Azuki asks, thrust her thumb at Takeru.
"Inaho tossed him overboard." Zane told his sister. "He broke her promise since they were young."
"I see." Azuki said with a sigh. "Guess that explains about Inaho being a self-proclaimed fiancé."
"Yeah, but she pretty much love Takeru, but she was hurt that he broke her promise." Zane said, changing the subject. "I take it Himegami told you?"
"Every word." Azuki nods. "I'll admit, I'm surprised that Himegami was over thousands of years old and being sealed from the hands of Kamigari."
"Her brother had a reason for doing that. I can understand how angry she was and I know she loved him very much." Zane stated. "But she can't stay mad at him forever."
"I know." Azuki said with a smile. "Just like I won't stay mad at you since you've been away for 11 years."
Zane then chuckled a bit since she's right about him. Until, they heard a cry that coming downstairs from the ferry as they rush down. When they got down the second floor of the ferry, they saw Kimi and Chacha crowded Himegami when she told her dark past, causing Zane to face-palm his forehead while Azuki sighed and rubbing her temple.
"What a painful past to have been bearing on your shoulders." Kimi cried in tears.
"If there's anything I can do for you, please let me know Kodama!" Chacha added, also in tears.
"Hey Haru, could it be that Himegami told everyone about her past?" Takeru asks, but Haruko was just silent, lost in thought. "Haru?"
That got her attention as she spoke.
"Y-Yes, that's right!" Haruko exclaimed with a blush. "I was just thinking, maybe we should have bread for breakfast!"
Zane and Azuki knew that something was off about Haruko since he did overheard of Inaho's conversation, but Takeru was confused as Inaho spoke.
"She told us about it. Whatever it is, she can rely on us, right?" Inaho asks with a smile.
"For heaven's sake! I didn't share my story for you guys to pity me!" Himegami said with annoyance, sitting on the sofa. "I wanted to make it clear that Takeru Yamato is not someone that middle-class ability users can cross swords with. A direct confrontation with him will become a battle in which casualties are inevitable. That said, if I dissociated myself from Tenbi and hid-"
"What are you saying?" Uruchi questions seriously. "Nothing but inconsiderate words."
"Uruchi, where'd you go?" Chacha asks.
"Why are you hurt?" Kimi added.
"I Also Went To Get Takeru!" Uruchi exclaimed with annoyance. "It's just that, at the time, Gouke-no, Takeru Yamato, he-"
"That sucks! You couldn't accomplish your mission, and to face calamity on top of that." Chacha said with a grin, leaving Uruchi groaned as she then points Himegami.
"Anyway! Fighting Takeru Yamato is no longer solely your business! Have some self-awareness!" Uruchi shouts seriously as she then pull Takeru's cheek. "The next time someone tries to do Haruko wrong, they'll have to go through me."
"Fwohh?! Hey, I'm not-"
"It's not just Haruko, they've all made Tenbi their enemies." Minori interrupts with a smirk. "We can't just let them off like that."
"She's right, you can't fight Kamigari or Yamato alone." Jin agrees.
"We'll make sure to pay this debt back in full!" Azuki added seriously.
Himegami was then felt speechless and stunned since Maken-Ki were already involved with Kamigari which she can no longer fight against Yamato alone which she got help as she spoke.
"You're all a bunch of idiots!" Himegami exclaims with a blush. "I won't be held responsible if you die!"
The members of Maken-Ki then smiled which Himegami was thankful for them, but she won't admit it.
"Boo-hoo...The young girl who awaits a ruthless fate: To face an overpowered enemy, and comrades who come together. It's a development worthy of a classic shounen manga. It sets my heart flutter." Kimi said with a smile, sheds a tear.
"No shame whatsoever." Himegami groaned with annoyance.
"Manga...I feel like there's something we must've forgotten something." Chacha pondered, placing her hand on her chin, made Kimi realize something as she screams, earned everyone's attention.
"I submitted a leave of absence three months ago for the day after tomorrow. I forgot about the Comic Carnival!" Kimi exclaims with panic.
Both Aki and Furan slide away with a nervous look on their faces since they don't any part of the Comic Carnival.
"Comic Carnival?" Zane asks with confusion.
"It's like the Manga Collection Convention, but there, I intend to sell my own works of art." Kimi explained. She then got an idea that could help her. "Zane, I need you!"
"Me? What for?" Zane asks, raised his eyebrow.
"You see, I need to sell mine and Chacha's work, but there is so much to do that day that I won't be able to provide anyone for the new material to read. Since you and Chacha have been lovers, I ask you, please be her knight and shining armor." Kimi pleaded with begging eyes.
Zane then blushed with embarrassment, figured that his girlfriend would tell her best friend about him. He then nods with reluctance, making Kimi smiled.
"Good luck, Zane." Jin said with a snicker.
"You're gonna need it, tiger." Azuki added with a sly smile.
Zane then looked at the two with a growl and an angry look on his face, giving them the killing intent aura.
Tenbi, Comic Carnival
When the members of Maken have finally made it back to Tenbi, Zane was then getting dragged into the Comic Carnival event which he doesn't have any interest about manga. Zane was wearing his white sleeveless shirt, blue jeans, leather wristband on his left wrist, and combat boots. He sat behind a table with Kimi and Chacha's dojinshi of yaoi manga, trying to sell customers while the two young ladies were doing...whatever they were doing. The event was today and by the look of everyone, it was almost like they're in an illegal sweat shop since it was a hot day. Zane wasn't bothered because of military training which made him adapt to intense heat.
He then glance down at the work of art that Kimi wrote and illustrated the kanji sfx and backgrounds while Chacha illustrated the characters and produced it.
'Chacha never told me that she done mangas with Kimi. From the look of those two, they really were like two peas in a pod. Though, I'm surprised that they are such big fans of yaoi.' Zane mentally thought.
Zane then scanned the area when he noticed those people were on security patrol, noticed that they're not doing a good job blending in with the crowd, not to mention they were scaring people. He then sighed since he's going to be here for a while.
"Excuse me." The female customer said, earned his attention when he saw an orange-haired shoulder length girl wearing black shirt and khaki shorts, right next to her was a brunette girl tied into a ponytail with glasses with a sky blue shirt with pin-stripe green horizontal design and beige khaki shorts.
"What is this?" The orange-haired girl asked.
"It's Doujinshi." Zane answered simply.
"I figured, but what is this about?" She asked.
"I don't know much, but I'll try to be brief." Zane told her as he explains. "This story is about a boy who is extremely shy and too afraid of the world, he isolates himself. Until, the window breaks from a basketball that was a taller dark-skinned young man. He helped him overcome his fear of leaving his home and what happens next, they were in love."
"It sounds great." The orange-haired girl said with a smile, leaving Zane surprised.
"Did you make this?" The brunette asks.
"No, two of my friends did. They couldn't be here because they're busy with something. You know they are, whether big or small, there's always something to keep them busy." Zane said with his calm tone.
"That's so true." She said, giggling with her friend.
Zane then shook his head with annoyance, but kept calm.
"We'll take two." The orange-haired girl said.
Zane gave him a nod as he then stood up and handing them two yaoi doujinshi. They took out their money and gave it to him.
"My name is Aire by the way." Aire introduced herself with a smile.
"And I'm Airin." Airin introduced herself.
"Zane." Zane introduced himself.
Both Aire and Airin gave him a nod as they then left since they're excited of reading the yaoi manga. Nearby girls looked to notice the mercenary have given the girls a yaoi manga, but they think that Zane was cute and noticed the lean muscles on his arms as the group of girls then began to crowd him. Zane was surprised that the mob of girls crowded towards him. The girls started talking loudly, wanting to date him and even started complaining about not getting a chance to date him. Though, Zane tried to reason with them, but they ignored him.
Zane knew that they're not here to get the doujinshi, they were here to ogle him. Even though, both Kimi and Chacha put in so mush work and effort into it and all these girls care about is him and his appearance. He doesn't care if they are interested in him, and he was trying to tell them that he has a girlfriend. He finally had enough as he then spoke.
"SHUT UP!?" Zane screamed, causing all of the girls to flinch when they notice the aura of the lion around him. "I'm not the attraction here! Two of my friends worked hard on these and I won't have their attention stolen from them! Either you're here for it or you can leave!"
Everyone stared at him with shock since the whole area remained silent for a long pause.
Suddenly, all the girls blushed red as they stared at him.
"I'll take four!"
"No fair! I'll take eight!"
"I'll take twelve!"
Suddenly, now all the girls were to buy as much of the doujinshi as possible which they're trying to get on his good graces.
"No, you'll only get one. No need to act greedy when there can be enough for everyone." Zane said with a stoic yet serious expression.
"I'll take one!" The red-haired girl said with a smile which she sitting at the table on the left side, raise her hand and leaning forward toward Zane.
"Shouldn't you be selling your own works of art?" Zane questions, raise his eyebrow.
"I can read while I wait." The red-haired girl told him.
The girls then started taking out their money to buy the doujinshis.
On the way towards the spot were Jin, Azuki, Takeru, and Kengo.
Takeru was wearing a navy blue sleeved opened button shirt with black shirt underneath, grey shorts with white lines on the side and grey with white shoes.
Kengo was wearing a white white with blue pinstripes horizontal and vertical lined short sleeved button up shirt with plain white t-shirt underneath, black shorts, and black with white shoes.
Jin was wearing a military short sleeve jacket with black shirt underneath, tan cargo pants, and black combat boots.
Azuki was wearing a white tank top shirt with yellow sleeved opened button shirt, blue shorts and white shoes.
They stopped and watched the girls crowding their friend.
"Man, I envy him." Kengo said.
"You have a girlfriend." Azuki and Takeru said in unison with deadpan expression.
"That's not it, I'm talking about the fact he doesn't get hot or cold anymore." Kengo clarified.
"He's trained in military long ago, remember? He's well-adapt when it comes to intense heat." Jin told him.
"Okay I get it, he's military trained." Kengo huffed.
They then scanned the area when they noticed some people were patrolling which they're not even trying to blend in and scaring people. Zane already knew which he's not that stupid to figure it out. The girls were really trying to earn Zane's attention, causing him to sigh with annoyance since he's not use to the big crowds.
"Alright, you girls had your fun with my brother! I suggest you ladies beat it before I decided to kicked your asses!" Azuki shouts with annoyance, causing the girls to make a run for it since they got the yaoi doujinshi mangas.
Zane then sighed with relief as he then sat back in his seat as they walk towards them.
"You okay, kiddo?" Jin asks with a small smile.
"Yeah, thank god. I barely could keep them all for taking more than once." Zane told him.
"And you did a great job of managing things too." The voice of Chacha said with a smile as Zane then turned his head, causing him to drop his jaws.
Chacha was wearing a long violet wig hair with bangs decorated with silver hairpiece with green gems. She wore a silver bra, a long orange loincloth decorated with silver, tan sandals. She also decorates her body with various silver accessories such as a choker, bracelets, anklets, and armband on her upper right arm.
Kimi was wearing an orange curly wig with blue pointy hat, blue cape, orange gloves, yellow shirt, leather black belt, black pants, and orange boots.
"You're pretty good, handsome." Chacha said with a wink and grin. She then walked up to him with her seductive eyes a and smile as her fingers started climbing to his chest, causing him to blush.
"Chacha, that's enough!" Azuki shouts with annoyance, pushing her away from him. "He doesn't need this right now."
"Sorry, I guess I got carried away." Chacha apologize, playfully sticking her tongue.
"In more ways than one." Jin told her with deadpan expression, causing Chacha to chuckle a bit as she then turned to her boyfriend.
"So, what do you think?" Chacha asks, pose in a sexy way.
Zane then stood up from the chair as he then take a better look at her.
"I think you look amazing. I'm also surprised that you're cosplaying as Maya while Kimi cosplayed as Alena from Dragon Quest series." Zane said, leaving Chacha and Kimi surprised.
"You knew Dragon Quest?" Kimi questions.
"Yeah, I use to play Dragon Quest games when I was a kid." Zane replies. "But I quit playing it long ago."
"Mercenary work?" Chacha asks, earned a nod from him.
"Anyway, thanks for watching the booth for us." Kimi thanked him with a smile, earned a nod from him.
"We were lucky that we stepped in, those girls were crowding him." Azuki explains. "Plus, they have the nerve to ask Zane out for a date."
"What!?" Chacha exclaims, starting to angry. "So, these girls were trying to make a move on my boyfriend and have their way with him!?"
"Easy there, I tried to reason with them, but they won't even listen." Zane assures her. "I was lucky enough that Azuki break up the crowd."
Chacha then nods with an understanding, felt relieved that Azuki helped him out.
"So, why wasn't the girls asked to do this?" Takeru inquired curiously.
"We asked Miss Nijou and Furan to help out last year. Even got them to cosplay." Chacha explains, causing Takeru and Kengo excited, getting bonked from Zane and Azuki. "But, Furan had a hard time saying 'no' to people. I convinced the two of them that they wouldn't be doing anything suspicious or out of their comfort zones if they helped out. It was all good, up until I made them cosplay. Man, she really beat up the nerdy photographer guy who did something creepy. It took a lot a effort to stop them."
"I see, guess that explains why." Zane said with a sigh, not blaming Furan for what she did.
"Dude, sucks to be you." Kengo said.
"Zane isn't used to get around the big crowd. Whenever he gets his mission done, he'll be long gone." Jin told them.
"But still, why go through the effort to buy books that you can buy in bookstores or online?" Takeru questions which he made a big mistake as Kimi then placed her hands on his shoulders.
"You really don't get anything, Takeru!" Kimi said with her dark tone, causing Takeru to sweat drop. "Yes, it is a place crammed with people in all this steamy heat. And yes, trying to get into the convention is quite a hurdle, too. But coming here also means you get to meet others that are sharing this once-in-a-lifetime experience with you. There are doujinshi that you can find in book shops. But there are also some that you can only find here. And it's not just books, but cosplay too. Artists want their work to be seen alongside with this extravaganza. This is the holy ground, where people gather because they want to see these works!"
That got Takeru scared of Kimi which he doesn't think that Kimi was so passion about manga. Even Zane and Jin were surprised of her passion.
"Seriously?" Kengo asks with a dull look.
"But, this book is produced by Chacha, right?" Takeru asks when he looked at the yaoi manga, causing Kimi to fell to her knees with depression. "I'm so sorry, I mean no harm. It's there screen tones, I guess? I heard that Kimi did these."
"Kimi can't really illustrate characters, but at least her skills in drawing backgrounds and applying screen tones are astonishing." Chacha explains with a chuckle.
"Look! No one's gonna buy crap like this!" Kimi exclaims with teary eyes, showing her poor drawing which both Takeru and Kengo were shocked.
"But still, I'm surprised that the both of you were into making mangas." Zane said.
"Yep, but we're mostly big fans of yaoi manga." Chacha told him. "Anyway, when this happens, Kimi doesn't recover for a while."
"This pretty much happens when she tries that since last year, but Chacha give her a helping hand when in comes to making manga." Azuki explains to her brother, earned a nod from him with an understanding.
"Zane, how about you go and hang out with Jin, Azuki, Takeru, and Kengo. Just to explore the place." Chacha suggested.
"You sure about this?" Zane asks.
"Positive. You've earned it with all the help you've given us." Chacha said with a smile, kissed him on the cheek.
"Well, if you're sure, I guess I'll take up your offer." Zane said as he then grabbed his jacket. "Good luck selling the rest."
"Don't worry about it." Chacha waved it off with a grin.
With that, Zane then joined the others to explore the Comic Carnival, leaving Chacha and Kimi selling the yaoi mangas to the customers.
Zane, Jin, Azuki, Takeru, and Kengo were exploring the Comic Carnival, seeing cosplay girls, doujinshi work and toys were sold.
"So, anyone what Venus were doing?" Takeru asked.
"Venus were able to get out of Kamigari HQ without getting caught since they got what they're looking for." Jin told him. "What we've learned about Yamato was that he can use his 'Soul Collector' ability to possess someone else's body and revive himself, but he manage to make clones in his lab."
That got Takeru, Azuki, and Kengo shocked with dread, knowing that Yamato would try and strike Tenbi which they thought that he was dead since Zane cleaned his head off with his gunblade.
"I just hope Minerva was safe." Kengo said with worry.
"Relax, this is Venus we're talking about. Sure they're strong and all, but if they can get out of this situation, then so can we." Azuki assures.
Kengo knew that she's right as he then give her a nod.
"Takeru, I've heard you talk things over with Inaho." Zane said.
"It wasn't easy, but I had to be honest." Takeru said with sad look. "Even though I remember her from my childhood, but I still fall in love with Haruko. I couldn't lead her on."
"Good man. Although, you could've waited a bit longer." Kengo said. "After all, the punishment of getting flicked into the ocean seemed kind of overboard."
"Yeah, even though he pretty much got that one coming." Azuki agrees, causing Takeru face fault down to the floor.
"Whoa." Kengo said, causing Zane, Jin, Takeru, and Azuki to stop as they saw him notice as they saw him notice a very long line.
"What is this line about?" Takeru wondered.
"Red-eyed goddess." A thin dark-haired young man with glasses said, pointing up the sign above the line said 'Red-Eyed Goddess: Middle of the Line.'
"This was a line!?" Kengo exclaimed with disbelief.
"Sirs and ma'am, make a turn at that corner to get to the end of the line." Minerva chimed.
"That voice...Where have I heard it before?" Takeru wondered.
"Minerva, was that you?" Jin questions with his raised eyebrow.
Minvera poked her head out more to see Zane, Jin, Azuki, Takeru, and Kengo.
"Oh my, it's been a while you five." Minerva said with a smile.
"Wha...What are you doing here!?" Takeru questioned.
"Better question is, what is she wearing?" Kengo whispered to Zane with a blush on his cheeks.
Minerva was wearing a skin tight school swimsuit with a pair of fake black cat ears on the top of her head, making her look like a nekomata school girl prepared for swim class.
"I'm releasing my doujinshi, obviously." Minerva answered with a smile, showing off her own doujinshi. "Please take five copies! It's meant for a male audience, so by all means, enjoy the night with it! Staff, pass me five copies, please!"
"We're not into mangas." Jin and Zane told her in unison with deadpan expression.
"Seriously, you need to try reading this. It's a doujinshi for the male demographic. It's already a big plus." Kengo said to Zane, giving him a thumbs up with a perverted grin.
"As! Thank you very much, Minvera!" Takeru exclaimed with a blush. "Yeah...The Doujin's great, but don't you have to worry about Venus?"
"Seriously, I understand if either Zane or Jin asked me that because we're fellow mercenaries. There are more interesting things to talk about, right? Like 'Ha...Ha...Minerva's school swimsuit nekomimi cosplay is totally crazy...I'm gonna die from moe overload!' Right?" Minerva said, impersonating Takeru's voice the best she could as she then shook her butt to the five, making Kengo's nose gush blood as he was red, Takeru was blushing, both Jin and Zane face palmed his head, knew that she would try something perverted, and Azuki then blushed with embarrassment. "Ara~, it looks like I got Kengo's attention."
Minerva then rubbed her body up against Kengo, leaving him smile with perversion.
"What kind of characters do you take us for anyway?" Takeru questions.
"Well, it's obvious that both Zane and Jin are real men while Azuki is a fiery woman. But you, you're the type of character that always averts his eyes, despite being a perverted harasser. Male virgins are so cute, Takeru." Minerva said with a blush and smile when she placed her hand on her left cheek, causing Kengo to laugh.
"Leave Me Alone! The harasser is you, by the way." Takeru defended himself.
"I don't know, she got you there spot on." Azuki said with a smirk, causing Kengo to laugh even more while both Zane and Jin bonked Minerva's head, leaving a big bumps on her head.
"Knock if off, Minerva!?" Jin and Zane shouts in unison, making Minerva rub her sore head.
"Geeze, you two have no sense of humor." Minerva pouts. "Setting aside the jokes, someone important is escorting me for today's Comica."
"HAHAHA! Comica takes priority over any escorting jobs!" A tall muscular man exclaimed with enthusiasm.
He has a black spikey hair with bangs covered on his right side of his forehead with a white bandana around it, his eyes were black, but his pupils wire like four pointed stars. He wore a white shirt with a kanji on it, black cargo pants, and grey with black shoes.
"Don't you five find this a fabulous moment of youth!? You escaped Tenbi and made your way here to buy Minerva's books. This is some serious passion you all got!" The man cheered with a smile. "But what a shame! This book is suitable for all audiences!"
When he passes five doujinshi mangas to them, Zane and Jin doesn't have interests in that, but Kengo accepts it and Azuki waved it off.
"I take it Minerva have told you about us?" Takeru questions.
The man then suddenly grabbed Takeru's hands with his left while grabbing Kengo and Zane's hands with right, shaking their hands.
"I go by the name Koushi Aomi, and I'm part of the executive staff of Yomatsuri! I've heard rumors of you five! The three of you fought Ouken and won!" Koushi introduced himself with a grin.
"True, but really he was just possessed by Himegami's uncle. Zane's the one who finished that guy off." Takeru told him.
"Incredible! Modest! Strong! Youthful! You Five Are The Pinnacle Of The Future Of Our Youth! I Am Honored To Be In Front Of You Five!" Koushi said, flexing his biceps and then giving a thumbs up and shining wink as he showed his teeth.
"Wow, he's pretty enthusiastic." Azuki said with deadpan expression.
Zane and Jin sighed with annoyance while Takeru and Kengo were surprised, shocked, and slightly creeped out.
"Why is it ridiculously hot?" Takeru questions.
"Anyone who's around Koushi will find their body temperature goes by 3 degrees Celsius. Try to stay careful." Minerva chimed with a warning.
"So you're the ones who took on and defeated Takeru Yamato." The boy said, sitting on the desk.
He has an appearance of a teenager with white hair with three long locks over his forehead acting as bangs, two at the sides, curling at the ends and one going down the middle of the forehead, and he stood at an average height. He also wore a white short-sleeved dress shirt with a black tie and blue slacks with black dress shoes.
"Ah! He's also one of my escorts! He's the same as Gouken and the others! A Takeru Yamato Clone!" Koushi exclaimed.
"What!?" Takeru shouts with shock.
"No way!" Azuki shouts with shock.
Zane and Jin just stood silent, not surprised to see that teen was a clone. Kengo was also stood silent, but in shock.
"Kai Aomi...Remember my name." Kai introduced, curled his lock with his right finger. "I guarantee it's the name of someone who will be of use to you."
"Gosh! Get back to work, you guys! And you shouldn't be putting those on the table!" Minerva exclaims, causing Aomi to scratch the back of his head.
"We'll go into details after the closing ceremony!" Koushi said with an open mouth grin.
With that, Takeru and Kengo then decided to help Minerva sold the doujinshi mangas while Zane heads back to Chacha and Kimi to help them sold their doujinshi mangas.
'With this, the 86th Comic Carnival comes to a close!'
"Good work, everyone. Thanks to you guys we were able to sell out again!" Minerva chimed, clapping her hands together.
"We ended up helping until the very end." Takeru said with exhaustion, placing the stack of boxes on the floor.
"Only because we had nothing else to do." Kengo said, resting his arm on the cardboard box. "Besides, why are you complaining? This wasn't the most strenuous thing we've ever done."
"Sorry, force of habit." Takeru said with embarrassment, causing Kengo to glare with annoyance. Until, Kengo was kissed upon the right cheek, making him turn to Minerva.
"Consider that my show of gratitude, Kengo." Minerva said with a smile.
"N-N-No problem." Kengo said with a blush.
"Good work." Kai said, extended the water bottle to Takeru, causing him to look at him. "To think that this many people would come here...It's kind of shocking...seriously."
"Thanks, Aomi." Takeru thanked him, taking the bottle.
"Kai is fine, since I'm calling you 'Takeru' anyway." Kai said with a smile. "By the way, where's your friend?"
"Well, he's...umm..."
"He's over there." Kengo answered, thrusting his thumb where Zane was at which he's with Chacha and Kimi. "He hurried back to give them a helping hand few minutes ago."
"I see." Kai nods with an understanding. "What was his relationship with them?"
"Zane was a friend of Kimi since they're on good terms." Jin explains. "But for Chacha, she and Zane were currently in a relationship."
"Then what about Azuki?" Kai asks.
"They're brother and sister." Kengo answered. "Basically, they're siblings."
Kai then nods with an understanding as Takeru spoke.
"Kai, what you said about a clone-"
"I shall be the one to talk about that!" Koushi exclaims with a grin, causing Takeru to give him a dull look. "So you know about how Takeru Yamato has been growing clones of himself, right?"
"I heard from the Principal that Kamigari were the ones responsible for it." Takeru told him.
"You see, Kai was...one of the people who escaped from there." Koushi told him.
"One of the people who escaped...so, there were others as well?" Takeru questions.
"The only one I was able to rescue was Kai! There were some who were captured, as well as some who blended in with normal people!" Koushi explains. "I've heard about Ouken...Takeru Yamato's obscene rumors before, but hearing Kai's side of the story had me completely convinced. I tried to convince the Yomatsuri, but they were intimidated by Takeru Yamato and would not take action. However! With Akaya's evidence and this incident as well as both yours and Zane's achievement, having proven that powerful ability users can rival Takeru Yamato, under the condition that Venus acts as bodyguards for the executive staff Yomatsuri has given permission to defeat Takeru Yamato!"
"Leave it to Akaya informing Yomatsuri while we fight against Yamato." Jin said with a sigh. "But since he found something, I guess we'll have to work with them, for now."
"I will also help." Kai said, earned their attention. "It's ironic...Perhaps it's a trait I inherited from my powerful original self for an escapee clone to have such strong ego. I keep thinking about wanting to retaliate against Takeru Yamato, Takeru Ooyama's power along with Zane Shinatsu's power that took down Yamato. May I test it out?"
Takeru, Kengo, and Jin knew that something was off about Kai since they felt a killing intent aura around him.
"No thanks." Takeru said with a nervous smile. "My abilities are being suppressed right now anyways. Besides, you're different from Gouken. I don't feel any Dark Element from you, and I can hear the sincerity in your words. In which case, our objectives are the same. Even if you test my strength, there shouldn't be a need for us to fight each other, remember?"
"That's right, Kai!" Koushi agrees. "This is where we need to extend the hand of friendship so we can gain allies for the fights to come."
"That's right." Kai said as he was about to hit Takeru, he felt a cold steel from his neck as he turned to Zane held his gunblade.
"It wouldn't be wise to start a fight here in the convention center." Zane warned him.
"Is that so?" Kai asks with a smirk. "Well then, you were able to sense my killing intent."
"I was able to sense your Dark Element within you." Zane told him seriously. "If you try that again, I'll slice your head off cleanly and your friend here won't save you."
"I was only trying to attack him lightly." Kai stated. "But since you kill all the fun, I suppose I'll stop."
"Sorry about that! He's not disciplined!" Koushi apologize to him as he then lowered his gunblade while Koushi scolds Kai.
'Lightly? If Zane didn't stop him, that palm would've been deadly! Yet, isn't it weird that I didn't sense any killing intent or presence from him? I wouldn't have known if Zane didn't intervene!' Takeru mentally thought as he spoke. "What Kai said about wanting to take down Takeru Yamato is true?"
"He is currently hiding, but a search is conducting as we speak." Koushi informed him. "Once we find him, Yomatsuri will also work together to take down Takeru Yamato will all their might! It's a full-on battle between two factions!"
"You and Yomatsuri will have to get in line." Zane told him with a scowl. "Because Takeru Yamato will die by my hands."
With that, Zane then began to leave the convention since he didn't finish the job by killing him permanently. Even though, Kamigari was retreating to have Yamato fully recover. Jin and Azuki knew that something was on his mind and they figured that is was Kamigari.
Kamigari HQ
Meanwhile, Miyabi was checking on Takeru Yamato since she placed him in the pod to recover him which the agents of Kamigari were eligible to place his head back in it's place.
"Synchronization 30%. Ouken's body hasn't even reached the halfway point yet. If his body had reached perfection, there would be no way he would lose to that group." Miyabi said as she then look at Yamato with her lustful gaze. "Please leave it to me. Until then, I Miyabi, will protect you. Lord Takeru Yamato."
That's it for the 38th chapter. Sorry about the delay.