That evening, an emergency council meeting was called at the Academy.

  Haikito and Shoto sat across from each other at a round table, their gazes locked in a silent battle of will. The tension was unbearable. Kenji stood between them, trying to maintain peace, while the other high-ranking officials observed the exchange.

  Seated at the table was Lord Hiroshi Fujiwara, a head elder of the Fujiwara Clan, his presence calming yet calculated. Lady Asakura, an honored warrior from a prestigious samurai lineage, sat with arms crossed, waiting for the argument to unfold. And finally, Takao Hoshigaki, the second-longest tenured member of the council, only behind Shoto. He remained silent, listening, watching.

  Shoto slammed his hand against the table. "An assassination! Right under our noses! And you still refuse to take action against the Assassin's Guild!? Not only do you refuse to act, but you also bring an assassin into the Academy and give him an honorary license?!"

  Haikito sighed, leaning back in his chair. His voice was laced with sarcasm. "Great observation, Shoto. Let's declare war against an unknown adversary. Surely that will cause no friction whatsoever." He scoffed. "Give me a break. Should we turn our heroes into executioners? We don't act without understanding the full scope of our enemy."

  Lord Hiroshi clasped his hands together, his voice even. "This assassination... does it not show that our walls have already been breached?" He glanced at Haikito. "If we do not retaliate, this will make us look weak. This is reportedly the second assassination attempt, the first being that boy, Rei."

  Kenji exhaled sharply. Everyone was piling on Haikito. He debated whether he should bring up his own suspicions—that someone inside the Academy might be orchestrating this.

  Lady Asakura broke the silence. "I must agree. The Assassin's Guild has always been a threat. A year ago, weren't you a target, Mr. Haikito? They have struck one of our own this time. We can no longer ignore this."

  Haikito's tone remained calm but firm. "It's not that we are ignoring this. It's rather... I must do what's best."

  Shoto scoffed. "Best for what, Haikito? Surely this isn't what's best for the Academy—by doing nothing."

  A pause filled the air. Haikito finally exhaled, his piercing blue eyes meeting Shoto's.

  "Correct. I'm not doing what's best for the Academy." His voice was measured. "I'm doing what's best for our world. And humanity itself."

  A wave of curiosity spread through the room.

  Haikito's expression remained unreadable. "We keep talking about the Assassin's Guild, yet no one here has mentioned the Underworld." His tone darkened. "What implications might they be brewing? The Assassin's Guild is the obvious enemy, but these villains—" he gestured vaguely, "they're receiving money from somewhere. They are attacking our country, gaining resources and power right under our noses."

  Lady Asakura frowned. "I'm confused. Are we discussing the Assassin's Guild or the Underworld? I was under the impression they were one and the same."

  Haikito turned to her, his expression softening slightly. "A common misconception, Lady Asakura. They are related but distinct." He straightened in his chair. "The Underworld consists of organized crime and gangs of sorcerers with concepts—far different from the petty criminals our heroes typically handle. They have hierarchies, territories, and codes."

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  He traced a circle on the table. "The Assassin's Guild, however, is like the black market within that ecosystem. They're mercenaries who sell their services to the highest bidder—sometimes to the Underworld, sometimes to corporations, sometimes even to government officials." His eyes flickered briefly to Shoto before continuing. "They exist alongside the Underworld but operate by different rules."

  Lady Asakura nodded slowly. "I see. So targeting one doesn't necessarily affect the other."

  "Precisely," Haikito confirmed.

  "We are so close to uncovering the truth, but you all would rather waste our efforts breaching the Guild and shedding more blood."

  A deep, resonating voice finally filled the room. Takao Hoshigaki spoke.

  "This Academy is becoming a battleground within itself. And that... is the most dangerous enemy."

  Kenji hesitated but finally took a step forward. His voice was careful but firm.

  "Takao is correct. The battleground may be closer than we think." Kenji exhaled, placing his hands on the table. "As head of the investigation team, I'd like to provide an update on these assassination attempts."

  The council members straightened, their attention fully captured.

  "My team has thoroughly investigated Rei's background. We've found no prior engagements or connections before his arrival at the Academy—his slate is remarkably clean. Almost too clean." Kenji's voice grew more confident. "More troubling is what I discovered when interviewing Mrs. Inosuke before her... incident."

  The room fell silent.

  "After her evaluation of Rei, she repeatedly called him 'the devil.' She was terrified, traumatized by whatever she saw." Kenji looked directly at Haikito. "I was planning to interview her again once she recovered, to understand what exactly she witnessed."

  Lord Hiroshi leaned forward. "Are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"

  Kenji nodded grimly. "I can't rule out that there might be a mole within the Academy orchestrating these events. Someone who wanted Mrs. Inosuke silenced before she could reveal what she knew about Rei."

  Gasps and murmurs erupted around the table. Lady Asakura's hand went to her sword instinctively. Lord Hiroshi's calm demeanor cracked, revealing genuine concern. Even Takao's stoic expression shifted slightly.

  "This is a grave accusation," Lord Hiroshi said, his voice barely above a whisper.

  Lady Asakura's eyes narrowed. "If true, it means we've been compromised at the highest levels."

  The air grew heavier. The idea of an internal betrayal was more terrifying than any external enemy.

  Shoto clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white. His breath was uneven, his entire body shaking with rage.

  "We're sitting with our hands up our asses while the enemy is attacking us! What kind of leadership is that?!"

  He stormed out, slamming the door behind him.

  The remaining officials sat in silence, the implications of Kenji's words weighing heavily on everyone.

  Haikito sighed, crossing his arms. His blue eyes gleamed as he turned to Kenji. "For now, we must investigate the breach. Kenji, your task remains. Find out how deep this corruption runs."

  One by one, the officials gathered their belongings and left.

  The Arrival of the Beast

  As Shoto stormed toward his office, his fury refused to subside.

  Then—he felt the ground shaking.

  A sudden wave of unease crawled up his spine. What now?

  He turned toward the Academy courtyard, where a towering figure in bloodied prison clothes entered the grounds.

  Guards scrambled to stop him, shouting warnings, but he ignored them—walking forward with absolute purpose.

  Shoto's eyes widened as realization set in.

  "Just who the hell do you think you are, walking into our facility like this?!" he roared.

  The massive figure grinned, his devilish smile widening.

  And then, he screamed—shaking the entire building with his voice alone.

  "HAIKITO!"

  The tremors in the ground intensified with every step.

  Haikito smirked, still seated in the council room, as if he had been expecting this. He leaned back slightly, his voice calm, almost amused.

  "Welcome to the Academy, Beast of the East."