The most awaited day has finally come for the nation to be gifted with new official Susans this evening. In the Kazama Residence, Kageyama, unusual to wake up this early, is wearing his uniform.
Kamui wakes up, yawns, and then itches his entangled hair. He moves to the kitchen, picks up a shiny steel glass, and drinks water.
He sees Kageyama in a hurry, combing his white hair.
"You up this early ?"Kamui asks
"Well, we were called to organize the Susan ceremony"
"Brother, where is your Team 9 badge? And why are you wearing a Team 7 cloak ?"
"Actually, the badge is worn by captains on their shoulder, and a commander wears the white cloak. So, I was promoted to team 7 commander from team 9 captain.
Kamui's grin starts widening,
"Brother! You are an SSS rank now!"
"Well yeah! I am" Kageyama chuckles.
Toji comes out of the bathroom, wearing his new clothes, which were again a white t-shirt, but this time Kageyama glares at the letter written in bold and red - "O".
"Where did you get this t-shirt ?"
"I bought it" says the muscular boy.
"Ok...well, I have to hurry. You two, today is no school, so you can play around, but remember to be at Susan's ceremony hall at five sharp. Kageyama says.
Kageyama departs and the brothers walk outside the home too. They reach a crossroads, a circular pedestal lying in the centre with some Petunias on it.
Kamui and Toji sit on the red pedestal and wait. Kamui's heart is elevated by joy as he sees the pearl of the ocean in front of her, waving her hand, with a smile so beautiful that Kamui stares at the yellow cloth girl like a three-year-old child.
"Well, Sasori didn't come ?" She asks
"Why are you asking about him ?" Kamui asks in envy
"I also told him to be here at this time", she says.
"Why? You asked him to be here too ?" Kamui says in irritation.
"It's your problem with him, not with us" she says.
"Hey, idiot," a voice comes from behind. Kamui and Toji turn.
"Hello, Sasori," says Toji.
"Who are you calling an idiot ?" Kamui says.
"Of course, I am calling the idiot 'idiot' " he says.
"Enjoying your time huh?" A boy interrupts the trio with his two friends.
"Well, hello there, graduated ones." He speaks.
"What is this behaviour? Why are you all with a bat?" Priya asks.
"Well, that bastard cheated with us, so I must ensure that you three can't attend the ceremony today." He says.
Sasori gets annoyed and speaks, "Really? It was your problem, not to perform well."
" 'It was my problem', suck my dick." The other two laugh.
Clap, clap....
Abel, with his black cloth and spectacles, prevents the fighting.
"You should not do this mean work. I see no quality in you to be a Susan by the way. This mean work mirrors your true nature. First, learn some manners you three." Abel tells the mean boys.
"You got saved by him", he bites his lip in anger, and the three boys run away.
"Master !" Exclaims Priya.
"I am so happy to see you all today, where are the two others ?" Abel says.
"We kind of don't have that much friendship with them" Kamui says.
"I see, well, best of luck then, do good for the nation, and don't forget me, please," Abel says with his eyes full of tears.
The two boys and Priya get emotional and hug Abel. Abel's hands hold his children for the last time.
The kids went shopping, for fast food, playing, what not! To enjoy the brief moment before they officially start serving the nation.
"Well, the sun is about to go down" tells Sasori.
The three kids reach the ceremony hall, the second biggest building in the Indo capital, and also, situated at the centre. The building is oak-brown in colour, with four huge pillars in the corners, and in the middle, is written "INDO". The Sun slowly, seems to go down, drowning in the title of INDO.
Bob and Anukul wait for them at the crowded entrance. They all meet up and enter the hall. There are seats for the common people on the left and right sides of the hall, divided by short bars. On the front, there is a stage where, obliquely, two tables are set for the ten commanders sitting there. All the students stand on the ground in front of the stage.
The huge chandelier, glowing yellow, lights the hall.
The hue and cry of the crowd shuts as the leader paves its way to the centre of the stage. He clears his throat and speaks-
"My loving citizens, the day has come. I am accustomed to this hall as every year some students are chosen to serve the nation. But each time, I get a new feeling that these children are better than any of us. Today, I feel the same, I feel these children are the ones who would eradicate evil lingering here and bring peace. I have lived many years observing nature. "
He sighs and continues,
"I am known as the 'fear's fear,' but I feel this is contradictory to my nature. I am the biggest coward in this world. The scar on my chest is not a mark of bravery, but a mark of cowardice"
The entire audience starts murmuring.
"Be patient my citizens. What I am telling is the truth. When I encountered and defeated the two beasts at the seaside of Jinko. I commenced fearing the world. The fear of what lies ahead in this vast ocean. Whenever I see this scar, I get terrified, as those were only the weakest beasts. The actual strong ones, live ahead. For this, I stopped exploring. Because of me, the exploration was hindered as all thought that I, a thousand-year-old loon man, would dare to cross the sea once again. I fear that I am not the 'fear's fear'. "
He continues, "I am just an ordinary guy but I want these children not to have the flaws that I contain. These children would be greater than any of us and bring peace or explore the world by fighting their fear."
He pauses and continues-
"Well then, let's put aside my character. Let's just begin the Susan ceremony!" He shouts.
The entire audience gets excited and claps.
"Before that, I would be highly obliged to announce the two new commanders - Kageyama Akira of team 7 and Siddarth Gupta of team 8".
All clap for them.
"So, this year, only six students have graduated. Those who aren't, please don't get disappointed. You have one more year to prove yourself. So the graduated students' names are written in this list, provided by Mr. Abel. I am going to take the names and respect them as the embodiments of Indo."
He reads the list-
"Sasori Suwara, a great talent and a prodigy, is being assigned to team 7 as a C rank Susan under the commander Kageyama Akira."
All clap and Kageyama sees Saori and smiles.
"What? This can't be? Directly C rank? And with my brother?" Kamui thinks.
Yama continues, "Bob Batra, a real talent with extraordinary skills, is being assigned to team 1 as a D rank Susan under the commander Shika Nara.
All clap
"Next up on the list is Anukul Garg, a beautiful mind serving as a D rank Susan in team 2 under the commander Julius Shawn."
All clap
"Next up is the only graduated girl, from the Gupta clan, Priya Gupta, being assigned to team 10 under the commander Alexa Brown"
All clap and Kamui sees Priya, both smile.
"Next up is Kamui Kazama, brother of Kageyama, and he is being assigned to team 8 under the commander Siddarth Gupta.
All clap and Kageyama smiles, but Kamui's heart got broken. His rival is with his brother. How can he swallow it?
"Hey, it's fine," Priya gives him confidence.
"And the last but not least.." Yama continues.
Priya's brown eyes start looking around for Toji, and she scans the areas she could look at, but he is nowhere to be found.
"Where is Toji ?" She whispers to Kamui and he also starts looking around.
They try to look everywhere possible in this crowd. At the entrance of the hall, inside the building, two stairs from each side lead to the Mezzanine floor, where, in a circular path, people can look downstairs, but at the present time, neither the audience nor Toji was on that floor.
Yama continues, "--A new member of Indo, brother of Mr. Kageyama and Kamui, living in Kazama Residence, Toji Kazama-"
Bang!
The audience could behold through the chest of Yama. Blood is pouring its way downwards from the body and slowly dripping below on the ground from the stage.
Yama lies dead on the floor, commanders are frozen, not able to react to what happened. No voice can be heard, even the sound of a fly is echoing.
"Moksh: Vayu bullet"
Whispers the muscular boy standing behind a pillar on the mezzanine floor, now vanished without any trace.
"The leader is dead!! " All shout and run here and there for their lives.
Commanders try to control the situation, Kageyama comes near the body of the leader and thinks -
"Even the commanders and the leader can't locate the enemy's presence".
Someone comes and holds Kageyama; it's Kamui, crying in fear. Fear of who can do this dreadful work, fear of who can kill the most powerful of the three nations.
Kageyama stares at his crying brother then suddenly starts looking for the other one.
"Brother..."
Kageyama froze; it was like he had been assassinated, and he couldn't turn his back to look at him.
"Thank you for everything.....'S' ".
Finally, Kageyama turns back, but he is no longer there.
"Where's Toji , let's find him." Kamui cries.
Kageyama realizes the very moment that the devil who did this was none other than his own brother.
He decides to calm the situation of the stampede, he yells -
"Prepare for the funeral !"
The clouds weep, the angels cry in the song of sorrow. All around, people's mouths have only one question: "Who killed the leader?"
As rain adds darkness to the night, in the graveyard, all Susans stand to bid a farewell. All have tears in their eyes, but one who doesn't have is Kageyama, shocked by the betrayal.
Kamui holds his brother's hand, the innocent child doesn't even know the real situation, crying, crying, and crying.
Shika comes forward and speaks by facing the clouds. Accepting the tears of the gods and bends down to hail the mighty corpse.
"My people, do not let emotions sway you. Have your tears preserved for any other day, this night we should thank our lord for everything he has done for now, and may he finally have peace above the sky."
He raises hand to the clouds as he spoke 'sky' and tears started paving down from his eyes.
All come near the grave, say something, thank, give something, and mourn. It was Kageyama's turn but the man was shocked enough not to notice. Kamui pulls his shirt, Kageyama regains his consciousness, and paces towards the grave along with Kamui.
Kamui says, "Old man, thank you for everything." He again cries.
Kageyama puts his hand on the kid's head and brings up the straw hat holding on his other hand, which he shows him.
"Remember this ?" Kageyama asks.
Kamui nods and says, "I am not crying".
Kamui takes the hat from Kageyama and drops it on the grave as his gift.
"It was my father's. My father once said to me that no one is greater than lord Yama and I respect him as well as you."
Both head back.
As the funeral ends, the brothers return home and Kamui says,
"We can't just sit around when Toji is missing".
Kageyama is sitting idly on the bed.
"Brother" Kamui yells.
"He is not coming back !" Kageyama shouts and holds his head.
"He is not coming back", as Kageyama speaks, Kamui could feel the weep of Kageyama.
"What....do you mean by....not coming back ?" Asks the innocent child.
Kagyeama thinks -
" 'M' on the scroll, 'E' by Lucius, 'N' on the t-shirt, today 'O' on the same. Toji whispering 'S' ".
Kageyama's spine got chilled.
"Menos !"
As the people of Indo grieve, the devil sits on his throne, smiling to behold the catalyst of this grief kneeling in front of him.