– The Funeral Grounds –
The day of the funeral arrived.
The air was heavy—grief hung like smoke. Rows of caskets lined the front, draped in white and silver flags.
Every seat was filled. Top heroes. Military generals. Political figures. Even civilians watched in respectful silence through countless cameras.
The general of the Military Anti-Terrorist Unit stepped forward, his boots echoing softly against the platform.
He adjusted the mic. His voice firm, yet solemn.
> "Today, we honor those who fell in the line of—"
Vrrrmmm—BOOM!
A deep, trembling sound rolled through the sky.
Heads turned upward. A fighter jet tore through the clouds, CODE's emblem painted boldly on its body.
For a moment, confusion rippled through the crowd. The general hesitated, thinking it was just a memorial flyover.
Then—
Whsshh! Whsshh!
Missiles launched.
The explosions ripped through the air. The ground shook violently as shockwaves hurled people backward. Screams. Smoke. The scent of burning metal and dirt.
Caskets shattered. Graves split open. The once-silent ceremony descended into chaos.
Heroes reacted instantly. K20, SEER, and Celestial blurred into motion—lightning, gold, and frost streaking across the sky.
They intercepted the jet, only to realize—
It was unmanned.
Remote-controlled.
Inside one of the jets, they found a lifeless body strapped to the seat.
K20 clenched his jaw. SEER silently retrieved the body as Celestial froze the debris around them before the remaining jets exploded mid-air.
---
– Inside the Unknown's Base –
Back at the base, laughter and cheers thundered through the room.
The Unknown celebrated wildly, raising bottles and shouting.
"Direct hit!"
"They'll never forget this day!"
But Demon didn't join in.
He sat still—eyes fixed on the screen, jaw tight. The reflection of the fire flickered in his pupils. His chest rose slowly… thump… thump…
Fang noticed, walking up quietly. He gave Demon a light tap on the shoulder before heading out.
No words. Just understanding.
---
– The Heroes' Response –
Back at the ruined funeral ground, the heroes scrambled to restore order.
Dust filled the air; people coughed and trembled.
SEER stepped forward, reaching into the corpse's jacket. His gloved fingers pulled out a folded note.
He opened it—and read aloud, his voice echoing across the world.
> "Why bother giving a peaceful rest to those who have already fallen into the Unknown?
How pathetic."
The silence that followed was deafening.
Gasps broke it. Murmurs followed.
SEER's grip tightened. His teeth clenched as faint golden light burned in his eyes. The note crumpled slowly in his hand.
---
– The Unknown Base, Moments Later –
"What note?" one of the members asked.
"That wasn't part of Hakimi's plan…" another muttered.
The celebration halted.
Eyes turned.
All of them… toward Demon.
He raised his hand lazily, lips curling into a faint grin.
> "Relax. I just added a little spice."
A hush swept through the room.
Fang's voice cut the silence, sharp and low.
"You should've told us," he said through clenched teeth.
Demon turned slowly—red eyes glowing faintly under the dim light. His voice dropped into a calm rumble.
> "The G.L.Ds… they're the ones backing CODE. And they've got their hands in almost every organization worldwide. I don't know about you, but I'm not about to sit around and get clapped by ghosts in suits."
---
– The Vow –
Shiver stepped forward, folding his arms.
> "So what's the plan, Demon?"
Click.
Demon lit a cigarette. The soft flicker of the flame painted his face in amber light.
He took a long drag, exhaled smoke that coiled through the air like fog, and finally spoke.
> "Alright… let's make it clear."
He began pacing slowly, the sound of his boots echoing through the hall.
> "If the world sees us as kigaisha—criminals, terrorists—then we'll be the kind they see in nightmares."
> "We ain't beggin' no damn system. We build in the shadows. Stack power like bricks. Burn our name into the underworld so deep, even oni whisper it."
He flicked ash onto the floor.
Eyes glowed.
His voice sharpened.
> "We hunt the hunters. No mercy. You cross us—sokushinu da. Instant death."
He paused. Took another drag.
> "And if I die? Fine. I'll die standin'. Blade in hand. Blood in my teeth. 'Cause I'd rather fall as a man than live as a lie."
His words hit like gunfire—each one echoing off the walls.
> "I ain't lettin' this world label me something I'm not. Ore wa ore da. I am who I am."
> "I did what I had to do—just to keep breathing. Just to survive in this hell."
> "And you think they'd listen if I explained all this?"
He laughed bitterly.
> "Uso da. Lies. They never listened. Never will."
> "So I fight. Not for fame. Not for praise. But because all I got left is kami to ore—God and me."
> "And I'm not letting either slip away. Not now. Not ever."
He lifted his head, smoke wrapping around him like armor.
His next words burned in the silence.
> "I'll go past it all—beyond fear, beyond doubt, beyond this broken world. Not for applause, but to carve a path through the dark… Straight into the michi no sekai—the Unknown."
> "Even if I vanish… maybe that path stays behind. For someone else. For a tomorrow that doesn't kill us for breathing."
The room vibrated with energy. Every heartbeat seemed to sync.
Demon looked up, voice low but heavy.
> "Now… who's walking that path with me?"
---
– The Oath of the Unknown –
For a few seconds, no one moved.
Then, slowly, one by one, each member rose to their feet—placing their right hand over their chest.
Their salute. Once reserved for CODE.
Now… reborn.
A roaring energy filled the air. The floor trembled as they shouted in unison:
> "Whoever falls into the Unknown… shall fear the Unknown!"
Their voices crashed like thunder.
---
– The Aftermath –
The news of the funeral attack flooded every screen.
Media outlets replayed the explosions. Debates erupted.
The Hero Association launched a full-scale global investigation.
But the world's fear… had already spread like wildfire.
---
– Swinder High –
Far from the chaos, in a quiet city of Cyprus....
Lawrence and Juice walked through the gates of Swinder High.
Their footsteps echoed softly on the pavement.
It had been a month since they vanished.
The students who once joked and laughed now stood frozen.
No cheers. No greetings.
Only silence.
Lawrence's calm eyes scanned the hall. Juice cracked a faint smile, but even that felt hollow.
Everyone could feel it.
Something inside them had changed.
They weren't just students anymore.
They had returned—
different.