The moment they arrived—

  Ayase was already moving.

  He didn’t pause. Didn’t expin. Didn’t so much as gnce back.

  A single, zy wave of his hand was all the squad got before he disappeared into the mist.

  “I’ll expin ter.”

  That was it.

  And with that—

  The squad knew.

  This was bigger than they thought.

  The camera lingers on Watari. His expression is unreadable.

  But in his mind—those words linger.

  ? “You are not Ancient.”

  ? “You’ve missed a lot.”

  ? “What power did you think I possessed?”

  A sharp exhale.

  Watari’s fingers twitch at his sides.

  Then—

  CUT TO KOHARU & AYASE

  Inside the Jūmonban Chambers—

  The golden mist curled softly around the dimly lit room, casting long shadows against the walls. Koharu sat at her usual seat, eyes scanning the reports before her, the weight of responsibility pressing against her shoulders.

  Ayase entered without a word, his usual smirk subdued—something sharper, more serious settling into his expression.

  He dropped the report onto her desk.

  She gnced at it. Then at him.

  “…You can’t mean the one from all those years ago.”

  Ayase exhaled through his nose. “Yes.” His tone carried no doubt. “It seems to have made a resurgence.”

  Koharu’s eyes flickered across the page.

  “That’s strange…” she murmured. “Especially considering they said that formu was created by the first Shingan.”

  Ayase’s gaze didn’t waver. “Yes. I thought it was strange as well.”

  Silence.

  Koharu leaned back in her chair, fingers steepled. Her thoughts ran fast—calcuting. Then, her gaze sharpened.

  “…Do you think they’re watching us?”

  Ayase hesitated. Then, with quiet certainty—

  “They must at least know of the boy’s lineage.”

  A pause.

  Koharu let out a slow breath, her fingers tapping lightly against the desk. Her voice, when it came, was simple.

  “I assumed as much. Also the Gomonban chaining up someone whose form deals with chains?! These other gates truly worry me.”

  Ayase studied her for a moment. His eyes narrowed slightly, like he was trying to gauge just how much she had assumed.

  Then, he shifted the topic.

  “But Captain,” he murmured, “I truly think it may be time for us to give them actual training.”

  Koharu let out a short, knowing exhale. She already knew this was coming.

  “…Yes.” She rolled her shoulders, already bracing herself for the effort ahead. “If we’re going into this, that is for sure what they’ll need.”

  Her gaze darkened slightly.

  “They can’t even think of the simple ways to use their Tamashkii.”

  Ayase chuckled. “Captain, that’s not exactly fair. You were the first one to think of the unconventional uses for our abilities.”

  A brief pause.

  He tilted his head slightly, an old memory surfacing.

  “I still remember when you told me to cp.” His smirk returned, smaller but amused. “So simple, yet so efficient. I would’ve never thought of it myself.”

  Koharu’s lips curled into a smirk of her own.

  “Well, that is why I’m your captain after all.” A slow exhale. “For better or for worse, the warriors here will learn from me… so I may as well make sure they learn something useful.”

  She flicked the report aside.

  “Give them a bit more time to settle.” A small sigh. “Then we’ll commence their training.”

  Ayase’s usual uneasy smile crept back onto his face.

  “Of course, Captain. Also…” He tilted his head. “Knowing that boy, he’ll probably be coming to you with some ridiculous request soon.”

  Koharu let out a deep, exhausted sigh.

  “Yes, I’ve already made arrangements for a meeting with the Elders.”

  She slumped slightly in her seat.

  “Him and that girl are truly a stubborn couple.”

  Her expression fttened.

  “…I really would’ve loved to avoid another trip to the Judgment Hall.”

  A long, suffering sigh.

  “I hate that pce.”

  ?CUT TO BLACK.