A red dot blinked on a GPS. Damn it, Mob, Reigen thought, You could have let me know if you had other plans. Why do you think I gave you a cellphone?

"You can drop me off here," he said, looking up at the driver. The taxi stopped in the middle of a forest.

"Th-thank you. That'll be 8,810 yen," said the driver tightly. Reigen dropped a packet of salt on his lap and the driver cringed away.

Reigen got out. "S-sir? Where are you going to do out so late?"

"Don't worry. I'm not planning to do anything rash." He tucked the salt into his suit jacket and began to walk into the dark forest.

"I don't... I don't think that was the concern."

"Also, this guy has no powers. What is he even going to do?"

What the heck is he doing out here?

Another flashback. Light shining through a canopy of green leaves. "I-It's okay, Ritsu! I'm pretty sure it's this way."

"Okay..."

Two boys walked through the forest, grasshoppers at their heels. Mob carried a net on a pole and a box.

Right. Ritsu remembered this. They were going to go look for frogs, but they'd gotten lost...

"Oh. This is the same place as earlier." The boys looked at a fallen log split in half.

"I'm sorry, Ritsu. It's my fault for saying we should go exploring..."

"Forget the apologies. Let's focus on finding a way back."

"Yeah... But how?"

Ritsu thought for a moment, then said, "Oh, I know!"

He dashed off. "Ritsu?"

"I learned this in science class. The side with moss growing on it is north. Moss always grows where the sun doesn't shine much!" He leaped over the log. "See?" The underside had grown thick green moss.

"This way is north. If we walk this way, we'll get to the river. Then we can get back to where we were barbecuing. Let's go, Nii-san."

Mob's eyes shone with awe. "Yeah!"

Everything went white. Mob opened his eyes. He was leaning against a cold metal wall, face scraped.

"Looks like you're awake." Teru walked over to him.

"Where am I-" Mob winced, holding his head.

Damnit. Reigen should have made sure the kids got checked out before going home. He hadn't known Mob got knocked out. He seemed okay now, but- ugh.

"Are you all right? Do you remember how you lost?"

"Not at all..."

"Nii-san, does your head hurt?" Ritsu still wore his school uniform. Mob looked up at him, eyes widening.

"What could it be? Nothing serious, I hope. I hope you didn't suffer any brain damage." Ritsu's face was even more scratched up than his brother's.

"Ritsu..."

Ritsu stopped, choking out a breath. His hands were shaking and there was sweat on his brow.

Mob stood, walking to him, then pulled him into a hug. He was smiling. "I'm so glad you're okay."

Most of the students smiled at this. One of the teachers- who had two sons- blinked tears out of his eyes.

Mob's arm was around him again. Ritsu leaned in.

Ritsu's face still looked saddened.

"You're okay, right?" Mob asked.

"Nii-san..."

Mob pulled back, holding his little brother by the shoulders. "Let's hurry home. right, Hanazawa-kun?"

"We can't," Teru said. "I'm not sure why, but we can't use our powers in this room."

The room in question looked very similar to a padded cell, but with no padding- stark white and empty.

"It was futile, no matter how many times I tried. Usually, it's be easy for me to bust a hole into this wall."

"Oh, you're right," Mob said, inspecting his hands. "But that's okay. Ritsu's with us."

Mob squeezed his shoulder.

"Huh?"

"What can your little brother do?" Teru asked, walking to them.

"He's really smart." Mob was smiling again. "Unlike me, who can't do anything without psychic powers, he can figure anything out and solve any problem. Even without relying on powers."

A tear ran down Ristu's cheek.

Yeah, Ritsu was about five seconds away from that himself. There was a lump forming in his throat and it wasn't going away.

"You're proud of him, huh? So much so that you rely on him."

"I admire him. I admire him immensely," Mob said without pause.

"That's not fair..."

"Hm?"

Drops of water spashed between Ritsu's sneakers. "You won't even let me apologize. That's not fair!" He managed. scrubbing at the tears on his cheeks. "Even I... I..."

"You have nothing to apologize for," Mob told him gently. "I'm sorry I didn't realize you were unhappy."

"It's not your fault."

The moon was high in the sky.

"Your sealed room is amazing as usual, Sakurai-kun."

"Of course. That aside, what now? Are we going to make these intruders a new part of the upper echelon?"

He was speaking to the person in the gas mask.

"You're jumping the gun," they replied. "First, we need to brainwash them thoroughly."

No one seemed particularly pleased about that, least of all the teachers.

"Hey, hold on a second, you guys."

The speaker was a child, blue eyed and red haired. "Are you planning on turning decent talent into junk? That group of middle schoolers will be recruited into HQ."

"Suzuki-kun, was it?" Asked gas mask. "I call all the shots in the 7th division, including personal decisions."

"I'm going to take them, especially the kid in the uniform," Suzuki said, standing up. "We really connected. He'll be a great friend."

Sakurai stepped towards him. "Quit acting like you're more than a temp trainee. I'm not very kind."

"Oh, don't get so mad. Are you actually upset about your coworkers being defeated? Apparently, you guys got along better than I thought."

Sakurai's sword fell into his hand. He held it to the boy's throat.

"Calm down, old man. That was a compliment."

"Stop it, Sakurai," said the tall bald man in the funny robe.

"Everyone at HQ hates one another," Suzuki continued, waving his hand. "I feel at home here."

"So who is this kid, exactly?"

"We don't know, Master."

"Hmph. Kids these days..." He sheathed his sword anyway. The man in the gas mask watched.

The scene changed. The sound of footsteps. A group of henchman. One of them whipped around. "Hey! Who the hell are you?!"

They were clustered around the front gate. Reigen was approaching them.

"What do you want?"

"Is he with the intruders?"

"Hey, get the others!"

Reigen stopped, looking far to casual for this situation. "Hey, what are you guys talking about? What's going on inside?"

"Don't move, you suspicious jerk! Tell us who you are!"

"Oh, yeah..." Reigen reached into his jacket. The guards moved back.

"Does he have a gun?! Be careful."

Ha, Ritsu laughed to himself. Reigen with a gun. Imagine that.

"Ah... crap. I ran out of business cards."

'B-business cards?"

"Did he say business cards?"

"Anyway, listen, you guys," Reigen continued, ignoring their muttering, "Is something going on inside?" He started walking towards them again. They pressed back, shouting at him.

"I- wait. Wait." Teru said. "You didn't do it on purpose?"

"Nah. They just assumed I was the boss. I didn't even realize until halfway through the building."

"We have nothing to say to some weird outsider!"

"Hmm.. that's strange.."

Reigen stood, one hand in his pocket, the other rubbing his chin, before a group of people in black. "I'm usually informed when something happens." He pulled his phone out. "But I haven't heard anything."

The group stared at him. "What are you talking about?"

"Could he mean..."

Reigen snapped his phone shut. "So, let me get straight to the point. Can you all use psychic powers?"

"H-how does he know about that?"

"He knows about our organization?"

"He's acting pretty important..."

"Sorry, but I'm getting nowhere with you guys." Reigen started walking again. One man grabbed him by the shoulder.

"Hold it, you damn intruder!"

"S-stop it! He might be..."

"I think so, too..."

"Let go," Reigen said, eyes obscured. He looked over his shoulder. "I'm only here to talk about work with my subordinate."

"Subordinate?"

"Subordinate? Could it be?"

An image of the man in the gas mask. Everyone here is the 7th Division Leader's subordinate. But Division Leader Ishiguro is a direct subordinate of the boss... which means...

Students started to catch on.

"Well, apparently that's the plan. Huh."

"Oh my gods."

"The good old Bavarian Fire Drill. Classic." The student nodded approvingly.

The man cluched at his chest, breathing heavily. I was so rude! i-I'm going to be killed!

"What? Are you not feeling well?" Reigen asked. "Hey, someone help him in. Surely you guys have a break room."

"H-He's so kind!" Said a brown-haired woman.

"He totally exudes a superior aura... It's gotta be him!"

"He's Claw's boss!"

"He's come back to Japan!"

"He's coming through!"

"Make way!"

By this point, most people were snickering.

"I can't believe this is real." The teacher ran his hand over his face.

A man rushed into the sealed room. "Pardon me. Reporting!"

"What is it?"

"The boss is here from HQ."

The Scars all looked up sharply.

"What?" Asked Ishiguro. "But he said he'd be coming next month."

Reigen walked down the hallways, ringed by guards. "Hm?"

One of the boys Ritsu had been imprisoned with was leaning around the corner. He pulled back.

"Someone just hid," Reigen said.

"What?! It's either an intruder or an escapee! Capture them!" The guards went thundering down the hallway.

Ritsu shot him a look. Reigen shrugged back. "I didn't even know what was happening."

The kids were sweating. "We got caught again."

"Hey, don't be violent to kids," Reigen cut in as one of the men raised his hands.

"It's outrageous that the situation is so bad that the con man becomes the morally upright one."

"S-sorry, Boss!"

"So you are their boss," said the boy with sharp hair.

"No, I'm not that important."

"Oh, come on, now."

"The real deal doesn't brag to children," one woman said admiringly.

Looks like we might actually be able to get through to him.

"Um, we were suddenly kidnapped and held captive here. Our friend is still in custody. Please help!"

"Were you guys really doing that?" Reigen asked, turning.

"Huh? But we were just following orders..."

"You're blaming others?"

"I'm very sorry!"

"Not to mention, it's not right to commit villainy just because you were ordered to. When underlings are too obedient, they're nothing but trash."

"B-But... We believed in-"

"You fools!"

Even Ritsu looked amused. "Again, I can't believe this worked."

The guards looked terrified.

"Even if you're able to climb to the top like that, all you'll see when you look down is the filth you left in your wake. I'm not sure what you're trying to do, but getting to the top only feels good when you do it the right way! Repent and reflect!"

"T-true..."

"We've been doing such petty things..."

"W-wow, they changed instantly..."

"I guess the boss would be in a league of his own."

Reigen clicked his tongue. "Well, they really only changed their minds because they thought I was their boss. If they formed their own opinions, maybe they could have come to the shocking conclusion that kidnapping is bad."

Two metal doors. Two guards on either side.

"Have you thought of anything, Ritsu?"

"It's probably best we don't try anything right now. They'll come check on us for sure. Let's conserve our energy until then."

"You're right," Teru agreed. "The moment we get our powers back will be the decisive moment." He made a fist. "We can count on your strength, too, right, Little Brother?"

"Huh?" Mob asked. Ritsu, too, made a fist.

"It's my fault for involving you two. I'll do what I can."

"Will he be okay?"

"Hey, I was almost burned to death," Teru joked. "But, well, if you get serious, the two of us won't even have to fight." Then he noticed something. A noise? He turned his head. "They're here."

A group of guards with Reigen at their front continued down the hall.

"It's good we didn't have to break out of the room itself," Teru said, trying to stay positive.

"And they're moving in a pack, as always."

Reigen came to a stop. "Hey, Mob. What the heck are you doing in a place like this?"

The two brothers looked at him in shock.

"Oh, your little brother's here, too. What's up?"

"Wh-Who are you?" Teru asked. "Do you know the Kageyama brothers?"

"Hey! Don't talk that way to the boss!"

"The boss?!"

"What are you doing here, Master?"

"Master?" Cried everyone but Ritsu.

Reigen was looking at the haystack on Teru's head. "Is that a wi- Who's he? Your friend?"

Teru silently thanked Reigen for dropping the matter.

Th- That's Kageyama-kun's master and Claw's boss? But this is our chance!

"We're being held here against our will!" Teru shouted. "Please let us go!"

Reigen glanced back at the group. "Why do you have them trapped in here?"

"Huh? Well..."

One of the guards whispered something in Reigen's ear.

"Why are you whispering?"

"Well, it's top secret..."

Reigen leaned back. "No, really... Guys, that's a crime."

The line was so jarring against the talk of secrets and psychic powers that several kids just burst out laughing.

"Exactly," a teacher said, jabbing a finger at the screen. "Finally, a real adult and not a group of cosplaying weirdos."

They all bowed at once, chanting, "We're very sorry!"

"You're amazing, Master." Mob's eyes were gleaming with that light again. Did he really manage to fool them?

"I'm... almost inclined to agree after seeing that."

"Anyway, let's get out of here."

"Yes!"

"Finally!"

One student exaggeratedly raised his hands to the heavens. "At long last."

Ristu was staring at Reigen hesitantly. Are we saved?

"Okay." They began to walk.

"Boss, where are you going?"

"I said we're leaving."

"You should at least wait for Division Leader Ishiguro..."

Reigen stopped. "Oh?"

The Scars- and Ishiguro- stood in his way.

"Never mind! Everything is fucked."