Mamoru drove like a maniac. The only thing he could think about was finding Shin. Angel still had no idea where they were headed, but she stuck close to Mamoru. Finally, Mamoru brought his motorcycle to a halt, and Angel pulled up beside him. She flipped up her visor and looked at the dilapidated building in front of them. It was an old textile factory, with only the basic structure remaining.
"Are you sure he's here?" Angel whispered in disbelief.
Mamoru turned off the engine, removed his helmet, and dismounted. "Yes, more than sure. This is the place where I shot his father back then. He wants to end it where it began." Mamoru pointed to a collapsed tower. "I was up there. Our squad leader had assigned me as a sniper for the first time. Celeste was in one of the ground teams back then, and you were still far from being assigned to external missions. They had her captive, and I was ordered not to shoot, but you know she's like a sister to me. I disobeyed the order and fired. Celeste managed to free herself because of that. It saved her life; that was all that mattered to me in that moment. I don't know how Shin managed to recognize me from that distance, but..." Mamoru trailed off. He had decided that Angel knew enough now. He didn't want to dwell on the past any longer. He would end it today. He would avenge Bunny. Shin would regret what he had done to her.
Unnoticed, Angel took her phone out of her pocket and sent her location to Celeste.
Mamoru scanned the area and pondered his next move.
Seiya was still by Bunny's bedside, holding her hand. There was a soft knock at the door, and his head snapped up. Yaten and Taiki entered the room quietly.
"Here, we brought you some things. There's a shower at the end of the hallway, so you can freshen up a bit," Yaten said, handing Seiya a bag.
"I won't leave her alone," Seiya replied.
"Seiya, it's just down the hall. Yaten and I will stay with her until you're back. She'll be safe," Taiki tried, looking down at Seiya earnestly. Seiya knew his brothers wouldn't let it go, so he gave in. He planted a kiss on Bunny's forehead, gently ran his fingers over hers one more time, and took the bag from Yaten. "I'll be quick. If anything happens, let me know right away."
Yaten settled into the chair Seiya had been in. "Man, she really took a beating."
Taiki nodded in agreement. "Yes, she's lucky to be alive at all."
Seiya was back in record time. He had tied his wet hair back, put on clean pants and an oversized shirt, but his face still looked awful. "Seiya, what about eating and sleeping?" Taiki tried to sound casual, but he was concerned.
"I've... slept at some point," Seiya muttered and sat back in his seat.
The two brothers exchanged a glance; one knew exactly what the other was thinking.
But they also knew how much of a stubborn mule Seiya could be and that they wouldn't get him to leave the hospital. Yaten patted Taiki on the shoulder. "I'll get him something."
Celeste hesitated as she glanced at her phone and saw the location that Angel had sent her. Swiftly, she got up, called Diamond and Saphir to her side. It had been a while since she had been on an external mission herself, but she couldn't help it. She had to go there herself.
Meanwhile, Mamoru and Angel had circled the building once. They couldn't see anything from the outside that indicated Shin's presence. They cautiously entered the building, their eyes scanning every corner. Mamoru had drawn his weapon, ready for action. Angel followed suit, also with her weapon drawn, ready to intervene at any moment. They passed old machines and broken windows when suddenly they heard a noise. Mamoru flinched and turned towards the direction of the sound. But it was just a rat scurrying through the building. He let out a relieved breath and they continued.
They reached a staircase leading upstairs. Mamoru held Angel back and signaled her to wait. He wanted to go up alone. Mamoru had just reached the first landing when a dark laughter echoed through the hall.
"Shin, you damn bastard! Where are you hiding, you coward?!" Mamoru yelled.
"I'm here, Chiba," Shin's voice boomed from higher up, and a shot was fired at Mamoru, narrowly missing him.
"I'll tear you apart for what you've done to her!" Mamoru hissed, thinking of Bunny. Shin's response was only another sinister chuckle.
"Give up, Chiba. You're rusty, as if you stand a chance."
"Against you, definitely!" Mamoru heard another shot being fired and jumped to the side.
"Coward! Stop shooting at me from a distance and face me like a man," Mamoru shouted, leaping to the next flight of stairs. Mamoru had noticed that the shots were coming from a different direction than Shin's voice. He hoped that Angel would deal with the shooter quickly. Mamoru allowed his gaze to briefly sweep the hall, but he couldn't spot anyone.
Upon reaching the top, he saw him—Shin stood leaning against a wall with his arms crossed. Mamoru glanced back briefly. In that moment, Shin took advantage. Without warning, he charged towards Mamoru and delivered a swift, targeted punch to his face. Mamoru staggered back but quickly regained his balance, bringing his right arm up to shield his face. He blocked another blow from Shin and then kicked him hard in the side. Shin stumbled but managed to hold onto the railing. Mamoru prepared for the next strike, but Shin swiftly turned away and delivered a strong blow to Mamoru's flank.
Angel crouched behind one of the old machines downstairs, scanning the hall. The sounds of the fight were reaching her from above. Angel was certain that Shiori was somewhere here. The gunshots were clearly coming from a different direction. As a third shot rang out, Angel located the source. Although she couldn't see Shiori, she could clearly make out the barrel of a gun resting on the railing at the other end of the hall. Her body was tense, every muscle coiled. No shots had been fired down at her so far. Perhaps she was lucky, still unnoticed. Stealthily, Angel climbed the stairs towards the shooter. Indeed, Shiori was positioned behind a sniper rifle on the elevated platform. Angel barely dared to breathe, fearing Shiori might hear her. She clutched one of her throwing knives tightly.
Shiori was making a pitiful attempt at being a sniper. Angel could see clearly that her hands were shaking. She observed the situation intently, knowing that any mistake could be fatal.
Shin gripped an iron rod and swung it at Mamoru, grazing his head. Mamoru felt his skin split as blood ran down his forehead while he fell to the ground. Mamoru quickly pulled himself up, skillfully parrying his opponent's attacks and launching quick strikes in return. Shin was fast and agile, but Mamoru was more experienced, able to quickly analyze his opponent's movements and respond accordingly.
Angel noticed that Shiori was aiming for another shot. Instinctively, she flicked her knife forward. Shiori cried out in pain as the knife embedded itself in her shoulder. Shiori turned around, her eyes shooting an angry glare at Angel. "Well, well, who do we have here? You've been on the list for a while now. It'll be a pleasure to finish you off myself," she hissed at Angel, reaching back to pull the knife out of her shoulder. At the same moment, she hurled it towards Angel. Angel barely dodged the flying projectile. She had underestimated Shiori, but she wouldn't make that mistake again. Until now, she had assumed that Shiori was only trained by the organization to handle leadership, and her amateurish behavior with the weapon had reinforced that impression. But apparently, she could fight. Shiori attacked Angel, who evaded to launch a counterattack. However, Shiori was quick and retaliated, forcing Angel back into a defensive stance. Angel had only one knife left attached to her leg. She had to choose her move carefully. An intense exchange of blows ensued, both between Angel and Shiori, and between Mamoru and Shin. Sweat was streaming down Mamoru's back. He and Shin were equally matched, neither able to gain the upper hand for long enough to finish off the other.
Angel found herself backed against a wall, with Shiori having cornered her. She tightly clutched her knife. All she had to do was get close enough.
Suddenly, a massive explosion shattered the ongoing fights. The large roll-up door at the end of the hall was blown open. Shiori reflexively turned around to see what had happened. Angel seized her chance, drawing her knife, rushing towards Shiori, gripping her by the neck, and slashing her throat with firm pressure. Blood sprayed, and within seconds, a large pool formed at their feet. Only when Angel was sure that Shiori was dead did she release her. Shiori's lifeless body hit the ground.
Angel looked upwards, her eyes following the trajectory of the dust settling. She saw Celeste, flanked by Diamond and Saphir, entering the hall. She instinctively reached for the sniper rifle and aimed. Shin had taken advantage of the distraction to his benefit. Mamoru was lying on his back, Shin was straddling him, pressing a rod against his throat. Mamoru struggled with all his might to push Shin and the rod away, but his strength was slowly waning. The cold metal pressed down further, constricting his airflow. Then a shot rang out.
Shin's movement slackened, and he fell to the side. It took Mamoru a moment to grasp what had happened. He struggled to his feet, his fingers tracing over his neck, where the rod had been strangling him just moments ago. He looked around and saw Angel on a raised platform opposite him. Angel nodded to him and leaned casually against the railing. Mamoru followed her gaze downwards.
Celeste was standing there, hands on her hips, grinning up at them. "Looks like I could have saved myself the trouble of coming here. Seems like you've got it all sorted out," she said, more intrigued than concerned. Angel laughed with delight. "You came at just the right moment. That was the distraction I'd been waiting for."
"Are either of you wounded?" Celeste asked, more curious than worried. Angel glanced down at herself. "Just the usual, bruises, small cuts. My arm might be broken, but it'll heal." Mamoru was still standing motionless. For him, once again, it was clear that he wanted nothing more to do with this whole Black Moon stuff. Their luck was that only Shin and Shiori had been here. If they had more people with them, it would have been his end.
"Mamo? What about you? Did you take a lot of hits?" Celeste yelled from below. Mamoru shook himself from his thoughts. "Nothing serious. I'll be down in a minute," he called back. He needed a moment for himself. Slowly, he slid down the wall, burying his hands in his hair. At least Shin was no longer a threat. He lay before him, lifeless, with a hole in his skull. Celeste turned to Diamond and Saphir. "You two take care of disposing of the bodies. I don't want anyone ever finding them!" Both nodded silently. They knew exactly what to do.
Celeste looked up again, but there was still no reaction from Mamoru. With determined steps, she made her way to him. She crouched down beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder. He lifted his head, tears glistening in the corners of his eyes, struggling to break free.
"Mamo, it's over. Come on, let's go home," she said gently.
"Where else can I go? She loves him, she's in a coma because of me and my stupidity. Just because I couldn't control my jealousy," everything poured out of Mamoru that he had been suppressing.
Celeste stood up and pulled Mamoru to his feet rather roughly. "Listen up. You're going home now, take a shower, put on something decent, and go to your Bunny, whether the singer likes it or not. When she wakes up, you'll talk to her and explain everything. Give me the key to the motorcycle. Saphir will drive you."