Morning. Everyone gathers at Kiyoshi's house.
"Everyone here yet?" Kenji asks.
"Nope. Ren, Ana, and Aoshi aren't here yet," Izumi replies.
"What do you mean Aoshi isn't here yet?" Kiyoshi frowns.
"Wait… is Aoshi already here?" Izumi asks, confused.
"She's in her room. She'll come down once everyone's here."
"Wait—her room?" Izumi blinks. "You're telling me she lives here?"
"Yeah? Why are you so surprised? Don't your siblings get their own rooms?" Kiyoshi raises a brow.
Izumi's jaw drops. "You mean to tell me… Aoshi is your sister?!"
Kiyoshi bursts out laughing. "Dude! Why do you think our names are so similar?"
Izumi looks like he just got hit by a truck. Kenji chuckles—he figured it out earlier when Kiyoshi mentioned Aoshi in passing. It's a hilarious moment, even for the usually sharp-eyed Izumi to miss something so obvious.
Ren, Ana, and Aoshi arrive just then. Kiyoshi fills them in on Izumi's discovery, and the whole room breaks into laughter.
The moment passes. Back to business.
Ana sets her laptop on the table and shows them the mind map she uncovered.
Kiyoshi lays out the plan. "According to the map, they're going to bomb a building near Raidon's place and send him a message. There are four buildings nearby. Izumi suggested we rule out the shortest—it wouldn't make a statement. That leaves three."
He pulls up a floor plan and labels them:
Building A – Mid-rise
Building B – High-rise
Building C – Skyscraper
"Ren and Aoshi will scout A. Kenji and Izumi, you'll take B. I'll cover C. Ana, you'll stay here and support me via earpiece—feed me building schematics and external updates. Operation starts at 9 p.m., wraps by 11. We all regroup outside Building A and report anything weird. Clear?"
Everyone nods.
"We have one hour before we move," Kiyoshi says. Then, turning to Izumi, "Try calling Raidon. Just in case."
Izumi dials. Unexpectedly, Raidon picks up.
"Izumi? What's up?"
"There's a planned bombing near your building. The Reminder's trying to intimidate you."
"That doesn't make sense," Raidon says.
"I know. But it's real."
"Can we meet?"
"Sorry, kiddo. Too risky now. I can't let anyone near the building. But you did save my life, so… we'll talk soon. Just not in person. I believe you're trying to help—but don't throw yourself at danger. You're still a kid."
The call ends.
"What?! You can just call Raidon like that?" Kenji stares, stunned. "And he trusts you?"
Izumi explains everything—from meeting Raidon and Ana, to discovering the Reminder, the Gamma Gem, the cube, and all the tech. He tells him everything except Naomi's death.
Kenji blinks. "Man, this is like a sci-fi movie. What are we now, Japan's secret defenders?"
Everyone laughs.
They gear up. Ren and Kenji are the only ones without any tech.
Before leaving, Ana pulls Izumi aside. "Hey… I'm sorry for telling Kiyoshi and Aoshi. I just got scared when you said you were scouting every building."
Izumi smiles softly. "It's okay. Actually… I'm glad. I don't want to do this alone anymore."
Ana nods, relieved.
Everyone departs and takes position at their assigned buildings. The operation begins.