Chapter Text
Zanka should have known. A letter from his family bearing the heavy, pristine wax seal of the Nijiku clan never brought anything but ruin. He knew it meant trouble, a suffocating shadow from a past he had bled to escape. But what made the situation truly twisted wasn't just the letter itself. It was the fact that when the mail arrived at Semiu’s desk, she hadn’t called him first. She had called Enjin. She had called Corvus.
Before Zanka even knew his bloodline had reached out to him, the boss and Team Akuta knew. What a pathetic joke. He had been in the middle of a training session, his muscles aching and covered in sweat, when the communicator around his wrist suddenly chirped.
Semiu’s voice, usually so calm, cut through the humid air of the training hall with an underlying sharpness “Zanka. I have a letter from your family here. Come to the reception. Now.”
The words hit him like a physical blow. He froze, his breath hitching in his throat. A letter from them could only mean danger. There was no escaping the invisible chains of his upbringing. Trying to swallow the rising bile of anxiety, Zanka forced his legs to move. He tried to maintain his usual Nonchalont, unbothered stride, but his pulse was racing so fast that his boots clicked against the metallic floor at an unnaturally hurried pace. When he pushed open the heavy doors of the reception, he wasn't just met by Semiu. The room was suffocatingly crowded. The entirety of Team Akuta was there, alongside Corvus.
Enjin stood near the center, leaning heavily against his umbrella, Umbreaker, which was planted firmly on the floor. His face, usually masked by a carefree grin, looked uncharacteristically tense.
Riyo sat perched on the edge of Semiu’s desk. Her usual bubbly energy was gone, replaced by a rigid, guarded posture.
Next to her stood Rudo. The boy looked irritated, his Red eyes darting around the room. He was only here because everyone had made a massive fuss about a simple piece of paper. Rudo didn't understand the terrifying weight of Nijiku familie or the scars they left behind, but he had followed Enjin and Riyo anyway. He sensed the shift in the air, a foul stench of dread that he didn't like one bit.
Beside Semiu, Corvus stood like a statue. His expression was a grim mask. As an experienced Cleaner, he knew exactly how dangerous it was when the Hell Guards’s decided to reach its hands out to them oh he knew.
Zanka stepped into the room, his eyes scanning the serious faces of his comrades before finally settling on Semiu. He forced a scowl onto his face, crossing his arms tightly. “Did you really have to call a whole damn town meeting for this?" Zanka snapped, his voice sharp, a desperate attempt to hide the trembling of his jaw. Deep inside, his chest felt hollow with fear.
Semiu didn't flinch. She simply let out a long, heavy sigh, her eyes boring into his. "I had a very bad feeling about this, Zanka. And knowing your stubborn pride, you would have taken this letter, hidden it, and never told a single soul what was inside. You're going to open it. And you're going to read it out loud."
Zanka’s eyes widened. A cold sweat broke out across the back of his neck, soaking his collar. He hated this. He absolutely loathed how the mere mention of his family turned him from a fierce, proud warrior back into a helpless, terrified child.
Semiu held out the envelope. The crimson wax seal of the Nijiku clan seemed to gleam like fresh blood under the dim lights.
Zanka swallowed hard. With stiff movements, he carefully leaned his beloved Vital Instrument, Lovely Assistaff, against the side of Semiu’s desk. His fingers brushed against the thick, expensive paper of the envelope. ‘This is bad. Really, really bad.’ He glanced toward the door, every instinct screaming at him to grab his staff, run into the deeper levels of the Pit, and burn the paper to ashes. But the heavy, expectant gazes of the Boss, and of Enjin the Enjin, the man he respected more than anyone pinned him to the spot.
Even the presence of that stupid Spherite kept him locked in place. He couldn't show weakness. Not here. With shaking fingers that he violently tried to keep still, Zanka broke the seal.He pulled out the parchment. The calligraphy was flawless, elegant, and sharp. But the moment his eyes scanned the very first line, his entire world ground to a horrific halt. His blood turned to ice. It wasn't a letter from Goka. It wasn't even from Kyoka. If it had been them, he could have fought back. He could have cursed them out. But the signature at the bottom... the authority bleeding through every stroke of the ink...Zanka’s whole body began to visibly tremble.
His vision blurred. He was cooked. He was absolutely dead. He tried to read the rest, but the words scrambled together in his mind. The sheer terror of what he could do to him, paralyzed his lungs. He couldn't breathe.
Enjin’s eyes narrowed as he noticed Zanka's pale face and the frantic, shallow rise and fall of his chest. Realizing his subordinate was slipping into a full panic, Enjin stepped forward, his tone deliberately lifting into his usual cheerful, booming cadence to break the tension. “Come on, it can't be that bad, Zanka! Let me take a look," Enjin said with a boisterous laugh, stepping into Zanka’s personal space.
Without waiting for permission, Enjin gently but firmly swiped the paper out of Zanka’s frozen grip. Zanka didn't even protest. He couldn't move a muscle. It felt as though his soul had entirely left his body, leaving a hollow, petrified shell standing in the middle of the room.
Enjin placed a heavy, warm, comforting hand on Zanka’s trembling shoulder, but Zanka barely felt it through the numbness.
Enjin’s eyes skimmed the elegant handwriting. As he read, the cheerful facade completely vanished from his face. His jaw tightened, and his brows knit together into a dark, dangerous frown.
Corvus stepped closer, his voice low and dangerous. "What does it say, Enjin?"
Suddenly, with a sharp, aggressive rip, Enjin tore the expensive parchment completely in half. He let out a harsh, mocking laugh that carried absolutely no warmth. “They have the absolute audacity to order Zanka back," Enjin growled, his grip tightening on the torn paper. "They are demanding he returns to the family."
Zanka’s eyes snapped up, wide with absolute horror. He was fried. He was utterly ruined. His father was the one who had brutally disowned him, stripped him of his dignity, and cast him out just for choosing the path of a Giver. And now, the man was demanding his property back.
Riyo’s eyes narrowed into slits, her usual playfulness replacing itself with a fierce, protective anger. "Wow. They really have some nerve after everything they did to you," she said, though she forced a reassuring, tight smile onto her face as she looked at Zanka. "Don't worry, Zanka. We won't let them take you. Not a chance."
Beside her, Rudo gritted his teeth, his gloved hands clenching into tight fists. He still didn't fully comprehend the politics of the high clans, but the suffocating dread in the room was making his blood boil. More than anything, he absolutely hated seeing Zanka the arrogant, strict Zanka who always reprimanded him looking so utterly broken and terrified.
"Well, obviously, the answer is a flat no," Corvus stated coldly, his arms crossed.
Semiu, however, kept her sharp, calculating gaze fixed entirely on Zanka’s face. She didn't look relieved. She extended an open hand toward Enjin. "Enjin. Give me the papers, please," Semiu commanded softly.
Enjin looked confused for a fraction of a second, but he obeyed, handing over the torn pieces of the letter. Semiu adjusted her glasses, her eyes scanning the top half of the text, lingering on the formal greetings and titles. Her brow furrowed. She looked back up at Zanka, her expression filled with a deeply unsettling gravity. "Zanka... I don't recognize this name at the bottom," Semiu said, her voice dropping to a quiet whisper that echoed ominously in the silent room. "Who wrote this? Who is this person?"
Enjin turned his head, his gaze shifting back to Zanka, his eyes filled with a sudden, protective worry. "Yeah... I didn't recognize the signature either. Who is he, Zanka?"
Slowly, painfully, Zanka lifted his head. His skin was completely devoid of color, paler than a corpse. His features were twisted into a mask of pure, unadulterated psychological horror. His lips trembled as he forced the words out, a choked, broken whisper "That's... that's my father."
The heavy silence returned, thicker and more suffocating than before. While Zanka spiraled into his own mind, the atmosphere in the reception area shifted drastically. Enjin, Semiu, and Corvus stood paralyzed by the sheer gravity of what they had just heard.
Riyo’s eyes narrowed into slits, her lighthearted demeanor evaporating instantly. She leaned her upper body over Semiu’s desk, desperately trying to get a closer look at the elegant, unforgiving handwriting on the torn pieces of parchment.
Yet, in the corner of the room, poor Rudo still didn’t get a single piece of it. He stood completely lost, his red eyes darting back and forth in utter frustration. Why the hell was everyone acting like the world was ending? It was just a parent writing a letter. More than anything, he couldn't comprehend why Zanka the loudmouthed, strict warrior who always bossed him around was suddenly looking like a prisoner facing a firing squad.
Zanka didn't notice Rudo's confusion. His mind had completely detached from the room. His hands went wildly through his hair, fingers clawing at the roots in a frantic attempt to ground himself. ‘This is bad. This is worse than bad. This is the absolute end of my life.’ What would he do? Why did that monster want him back now?
A sickening, icy realization crawled up his spine, a possibility he couldn't just push aside his father didn't do things out of love. He did them out of utility. If Zanka was no longer useful, his father would simply get rid of him to erase the stain on the family's pristine name. ‘I’m fucked,’ his throat tightening until he could barely breathe. ‘I am so heavily fucked.’ Even if his father didn't kill him, returning meant facing a brutal, systematic "correction" for his absolute treachery. They would lock him away in the dark, break his spirit, and violently beat the independence out of him until he was nothing but a mindless puppet again. He was cooked. He was fried, actually.
There was no saving him. Not if his father wanted him back. Nobody in the entire world could go against his father. Well... except for his mother. But she was arguably worse than him in certain, terrifying aspects. It was better to leave her out of his thoughts entirely, or he might as well just dig his own grave right here.
Semiu let out a long, heavy sigh. Watching Zanka's absolute terror, she found herself completely understanding his reaction. He had grown up under the heel of that man. Semiu had never met the head of the Nijiku clan herself, but the dark, blood-chilled rumors whispering through the underworld about him were more than enough to make her never want to know him. Still, there was no way in hell they would just hand one of their own over.
Corvus clearly shared her thoughts. He stepped closer, his arms crossed over his chest, narrowing his eyes behind his lenses. "Zanka, calm down," Corvus said, his voice dropping an octave, deadpan and freezing cold, yet entirely steady. "There is no way that you will leave. You are a member of Team Akuta. You are under the protection of the Cleaners. Don't worry. He can't do anything to you here." Every single word Corvus spoke carried the heavy weight of an absolute promise.
Enjin nodded firmly, stepping into Zanka’s personal space. He placed his massive, warm hand squarely on top of Zanka’s head, ruffling his hair to forcefully anchor him back to reality. "Yeah, let them come at us," Enjin said, his voice dropping its usual boisterous cheer, replaced by a low, fiercely protective rumble. "There is absolutely no way we are gonna let you go with them."
Riyo quickly nodded along, trying to bring back a sliver of normalcy. "Yeah, exactly! Now stop looking so panicked. It’s seriously unsettling to see you like this," she hummed, forcing a small, mocking smirk onto her lips to break the tension.
Rudo took a step closer, crossing his arms and huffing. "Riyo’s right. This pathetic look doesn’t suit you at all, Zanka. And besides, what could one old guy even do against all of—"
But Zanka wasn't listening. He couldn't. That was the core of the problem none of them understood. None of them had any idea what that man was truly capable of doing. With a sudden burst of panicked adrenaline, Zanka violently pushed Enjin’s hand away from his head. He staggered back a step, letting out a shaky, ragged breath that rattled in his chest. His eyes were wide, bloodshot, and frantic. "You don't understand!" Zanka shouted, his voice cracking with a mixture of raw fury and helpless childhood terror. "He isn't like Kyoka! He is ten times—no, a hundred times worse than her! Kyoka is a damn angel compared to him! And now he wants me back?!" Zanka’s hands flew back to his head, his fingers digging into his scalp again as a violent shiver racked his entire body. He felt small. He felt pathetic.
In a split second, the proud Cleaner had vanished, and he was nothing but a terrified, trembling kid again. "I'm actually fried," Zanka whispered, his gaze dropping to the floor as tears of sheer frustration pricked his eyes. "There is no way any of you can do anything about it. If he wants me, he will tear this entire district apart to take me."
"Well, he is more than welcome to try, but don’t forget no one will get in or out of here without Shigake’s knowledge," Semiu said coldly, tapping the frame of her glasses with a sharp, rhythmic click. Her eyes narrowed behind the lenses, fixing Zanka with an unyielding glare. "And looking at the pathetic state you're in, it would be smartest to tell Shigake to not allow you to leave the security grounds."
Zanka’s whole body froze. His eyes snapped directly to her. Was she actually crazy?! Locking him in? Did she think a simple wall or security system could stop the head of the Nijiku clan?
Before he could even shout, Enjin let out a low, booming laugh, nodding in total agreement. "Oh yeah, definitely. That way we can make sure he doesn't go and do something stupid out of pure fear," Enjin said, his fingers already tapping the communicator on his neck, instantly barking the lockdown order to Shigake.
Zanka felt a wave of intense nausea hit him. He literally felt like throwing up. They didn't understand. By trying to protect him, they were making everything ten times worse. His father didn't need to physically march into the HQ and drag him out by his hair. His father wielded a terrifying brand of political and structural power. If the Nijiku clan wanted to, they could freeze the entire sector's resources. Worse, his father could effortlessly pull strings to declare the Cleaners an illegal, rogue organization, leaving Corvus to take the fall and get arrested.
‘Oh fuck,’ a cold sweat drenching his clothes. ‘This is bad. This is so incredibly bad.’
The smartest, most logical move to protect everyone in this room would definitely be to just go along with the order. To surrender himself. But they wouldn't let him. He understood why Enjin, Semiu, and Corvus were doing this they knew exactly how ruthless his high-class familie was, and they wanted to protect one of their own. But they weren't thinking ahead. They weren't calculating just how far his father was willing to go to get exactly what he wanted. He was a man who viewed people as assets, and a stolen asset had to be retrieved or destroyed.
Zanka was spiraling so deep into the horrific memories of his childhood that he didn't even notice Riyo walking over. Suddenly, she threw a heavy, casual arm over his shoulder, leaning her weight against him.
"Don't worry, Zankaaaaaaa! Don't underestimate us!" she warned playfully, though her grip was firm, a subtle reminder that she was ready to fight.
Beside them, Enjin laughed, the sound deep and rumbling. "She is right, boy. Relax."
But Zanka wasn't having it. The casual attitude of his team was suffocating. He violently ripped himself away from Riyo’s arm, marching straight toward Semiu’s desk. With trembling hands, he snatched the ripped pieces of paper from the desktop.
"You are the ones underestimating him!" Zanka hissed, his voice raw, cracking under the immense psychological weight.
His dark blue eyes frantically skimmed the elegant, terrifying ink, reading the words over and over again, trying to grasp the full extent of the nightmare. The paper simply stated that Zanka was expected to return to the family residence immediately, addressing him coldly as the "third-born son of the house," stripping away any identity he had built as a Cleaner.
But it was the very last sentence that caught his breath. His eyes locked onto the final line of flawless calligraphy, and his heart stopped completely.
“If not obeyed, there will be consequences.”
The ambiguity of that single word consequences made Zanka nearly faint. To anyone else, it was a generic threat. To Zanka, who knew the cold, calculated violence his father was capable of, it was a promise of absolute annihilation. The sheer, unadulterated panic sent a violent shiver straight down his spine. His vision blurred, and his legs turned to water as he placed the paper back onto the desk with violently shaking hands, completely paralyzed by the looming shadow of his patriarch.
Slowly, painfully, Zanka turned his hollow gaze toward Corvus."I have a request for you, Boss," he mumbled. His voice had gone completely dead, stripped of all its usual fiery attitude. It sounded like the voice of a man who had already accepted his execution.
Corvus raised a dark brow, his posture remaining rigid. Whatever Zanka was about to ask, the leader was ready to help. They all were. "What is it, Zanka?" Corvus asked, his tone deliberately softened to sound as supportive as possible.
"Yeah, don't you worry! We have your back, no matter what!" Enjin chirped in, stepping closer and suddenly pulling Zanka back into a firm, heavy side-hug. Enjin knew exactly how deeply the scars of the Nijiku clan ran in Zanka’s mind. He knew the absolute terror his subordinate was drowning in, and he wanted to be a physical anchor for him.
But Zanka didn't seem to care about the comfort. He didn't even lean into the hug like he used to. His unblinking eyes looked straight past Enjin, locking onto Corvus with a terrifying intensity. "This is a Nijiku family matter," Zanka said, the words falling from his lips like stones. "I ask you to stay out of it. Let me handle it alone."
The room went ice-cold. Corvus just stared at him, his face unreadable. Semiu let out a frustrated breath and pinched the bridge of her nose, her glasses shifting slightly.
Riyo huffed loudly, crossing her arms in sheer annoyance.
And Rudo? The poor brat still didn't get shit. He just stood there, scowling, completely unable to fathom how one single man a father could reduce a fierce warrior like Zanka to a pleading, broken mess.
Enjin’s smile didn't fade, but the grip of his massive arm tightened around Zanka’s shoulders, pinning him in place.
Corvus slowly shook his head. But before the Boss could even voice his refusal, Enjin spoke up, his voice low but carrying a heavy, undeniable warmth. "Well, we are your family too, ain't we? So it’s absolutely perfect if we get involved."
The words caught Zanka completely off guard. A light, embarrassed blush immediately crept up his pale cheeks, contrasting sharply with his terrified expression. He violently shook his head, trying to wiggle out of Enjin's suffocating grip. "Enjin, this isn't funny! Just—"
"No one is saying that this is funny," Corvus interrupted. His voice dropped, ringing through the small reception area with absolute finality. He stepped up to Semiu’s desk and picked up the two torn pieces of the expensive parchment. "But you are a Cleaner, Zanka. You are a part of our family now. And I don't care who demands you back be it a your Father or the king of the upper world they will have to go through me first."
Zanka’s breath hitched in his throat. He looked at Corvus, his lips parting but no sound coming out.
Corvus turned his back to the room, the Nijiku letter gripped tightly in his hand. "Now, if you'll excuse me... I have some trash to burn." With that, the Boss marched out of the room, leaving a stunned, trembling Zanka in the heavy silence of the Cleaners' sanctuary.
Once Corvus left the reception hall, a suffocating, heavy silence settled over the remaining group. Zanka stared at the empty doorway, his eyes wide and hollow, looking after the Boss like the man had completely lost his mind. Didn't they understand? Burning a piece of paper didn't burn the threat away.
Before he could take a step, Enjin’s massive arm tightened around his shoulders again, pulling him close. "Zanka, calm down," Enjin murmured, his voice a low, steady rumble. "No one is coming in here. And you aren't going out." The last sentence was a sharp, unyielding reminder. Enjin knew exactly how Zanka’s self-sacrificing mind worked. The lock-down order to Shigake wasn't just to keep the Nijiku clan out, it was a physical cage to prevent Zanka from handing himself over to protect the Cleaners.
"I'm going to my room," Zanka mumbled, his voice flat, trying to pull away.
But the firm, vice-like hold from Enjin didn't budge. "No, you're not. The second you're alone, your thoughts will only spiral out of control. You're staying right here with me, Riyo, and Rudo."
Riyo nodded, her sharp eyes sparkling with an intensity that masked her own worry. "I'm starving. Let’s go to the mess hall and get something to eat."
"Now that you mention it, I definitely feel the hunger too," Enjin said, his cheerful persona sloppily slipping back into place.
Without giving Zanka a choice, Enjin began dragging him down the corridor. Zanka didn't fight it. He was like a lifeless ragdoll, letting himself be dragged along while his mind already descended into a terrifying downward spiral. The core of his panic was terrifyingly simple. No one understands. No one in this headquarters comprehended how truly dangerous his father actually was. And that blind ignorance was going to get them all killed.
Rudo slowly followed a few paces behind them, his brow furrowed in a deep scowl. His golden eyes never left Zanka's rigid back. He still didn't get it. He couldn't wrap his head around how a guy as stubborn and arrogant as Zanka could look so utterly broken by a simple message.
When they finally reached the mess hall, Enjin gently but firmly pushed Zanka down into a wooden chair.
Zanka immediately slumped over, planting his elbows onto the table and burying his face deeply into his trembling hands.
A few minutes later, Riyo, Enjin, and Rudo returned to the table with food. Enjin, actually thinking ahead for once, placed a loaded tray right in front of Zanka. But as he looked at the boy, the smile vanished from Enjin’s face. He had dragged Zanka here to prevent him from spiralling, but staring at the boy's shaking shoulders, he realized he had failed completely. An ache bloomed inside Enjin's chest. ‘What did that man do to you?’ he thought bitterly. ‘What kind of hell did you survive for you to be this terrified?’ Enjin dropped heavily into the chair next to Zanka, deliberately giving him a hard nudge with his shoulder to break the trance. "Come on, Zan-Zan. Eat your food," Enjin said, forcing a bright, encouraging smile.
But the moment the nickname hit Zanka's ears a playful name they had used a dozen times before without issue his entire body violently stiffened. A long, agonizing silence stretched across the table. "Don't call me that," Zanka whispered into his palms, his voice chillingly cold.
Enjin tried to let out a casual laugh, though the knot of worry in his gut was twisting tighter by the second.
"Just leave him alone for a bit. Let him calm himself down," Riyo said, pointing her fork sharply at Enjin.
Enjin let out a heavy sigh, nodding. She was right. Pushing too hard would only make the wall go up. He needed to give the kid some space.
"Why the fuck is Zanka acting like this?!" Rudo suddenly snapped, slamming his hands lightly on the table.
The outburst immediately caught Riyo and Enjin’s attention.
Enjin let out a grim chuckle. Right. He had forgotten. This kid didn't know a single damn thing about Zanka’s background. Truthfully, even Riyo only knew fragments she knew the Nijiku family lived under immense pressure and status, but the real, nasty, deeply traumatizing details were a secret shared only between Enjin, Semiu, and Corvus. And even they only knew the surface.
"Right. You're the one who knows absolutely nothing," Riyo muttered, her sharp gaze fixing on Rudo.
"Damn right I know nothing!" Rudo gritted his teeth, his eyes flashing with frustration. "And I want to know what kind of man this has to be for Zanka to be so scared! If he’s bad, then we will just beat him up like we always do! Why the hell is he trembling like a coward?!"
"Well, kid..." Enjin started, taking a slow bite of his food as his demeanor turned unusually solemn. "Zanka is from a noble family. The Nijikus. They are a powerful clan, and the entire family works for the Hell Guards. His big sister Kyoka holds a pretty high position as a Commander. His father and mother are the literal heads of the entire clan. They despise Givers, and they absolutely hate us Cleaners. They are beyond strict. Now, you can imagine what kind of a massive problem arises when Zanka, the third-born son of that elite lineage, decides to become a Giver and join the Cleaners."
Rudo’s Red eyes widened. The realization hit him like a physical blow. A noble family. That was what Enjin had meant when he joked back then about Zanka growing up sheltered and privileged. It was mind-blowing to Rudo, who had known nothing but the filth of the slums. He clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white. "So? He made his decision. He chose us. We can just tell them 'no' and screw off!"
"That ain't how they work, Rudo," Enjin sighed, his smirk returning but devoid of any warmth. "I only know his big sister Kyoka and his older brother Goka. Intense, brutal people. If they want something, they take it. And if his mysterious father is personally reaching out to grab him... that means real trouble. Because that man will do absolutely anything to get Zanka back. Ain't that right, Zanka?" Enjin nudged him again, hoping for a sarcastic comeback, a spark of the usual fiery Zanka.
But Zanka didn't answer. He didn't even move. Enjin’s smirk faded into a deep, heavy frown.
Rudo gritted his teeth, his chest tight with a chaotic mix of anger and confusion. He still didn't truly get the political terror of the ground, but before he could bark out another question, Riyo leaned over and slapped him hard on the back. "Enough now," Riyo ordered, her voice sharp and final. "We can talk about this tomorrow. Enough of the sulking. You hear me, Zanka? Get yourself together."
But Zanka still didn't react. He stared blankly at the wooden grain of the table, his eyes entirely dead. Riyo's words didn't reach him. Enjin's warmth couldn't touch him. Because in his own mind, beneath the towering shadow of his father's ultimatum, Zanka was already a dead man walking.
Zanka grabbed Lovely Assistaff and stood up slowly. "I'm going to bed."
But before he could take a step, Enjin yanked him back down. His smile was there but tighter than usual. Wrong. "You stay right here. Where we can see you." His grip was firm. Stern. Not asking.
Zanka's fingers tightened around Lovely Assistaff. His thumb traced her wooden form, trying to ground himself. But instead of calming down, he only panicked more. If they got him when they got him they would destroy her. His family wouldn't let him keep a Giver's tool. They'd snap her in half and throw the pieces at his feet. He would have to hide her. Leave her here in his room. Not carry her anymore.
Just the thought was painful. He didn't want to think like that. But he couldn't risk her getting destroyed. He would rather leave her behind than watch it happen. The fact that he wasn't even strong enough to protect his own Vital Instrument the thing that made him a Giver made something crack inside him. Why did he have to be so weak? So utterly weak. His grip tightened around her. He didn't even notice he'd bitten his cheek raw until the metallic taste of blood flooded his mouth. It grounded him. His eyes snapped up.
Enjin had been watching him. Trying not to be obvious about it. But it was clear. Of course it was. Zanka had a panic attack over a letter from his father. How utterly pathetic.
He looked at Riyo. She gave him a smile trying to be supportive.
Then at Rudo. The stupid trashback was glaring at him. He still didn't understand why Zanka was so scared of his father. Of a single man.
Zanka let out a shaky breath. There was no getting away anyway. He could think about the rest later when he was alone. Right now, it would be smarter to spend his last moments with his friends. He had to accept it. Slowly, he let go of Lovely Assistaff. He would give her one last thorough cleaning later. One last time. He picked up his fork and started to eat.
Instantly, Enjin smiled a real smile and ruffled his hair. "There you go."
Zanka glanced at him. Enjin seemed happy. Like Zanka had suddenly found his will to fight again. As if he would fight against it. It pained him. He didn't want Enjin to have false hope. But there wasn't much he could do.
The rest of the evening passed. Zanka tried to be his usual self. Maybe even more talkative. More present.
And obviously, at some point, Riyo, Enjin, and Rudo noticed he was acting different.
When it was finally late enough, Zanka stood up from the common room couch. "I'm going to bed now." He mumbled it. Turned to leave.
But before he could, Enjin grabbed his wrist. "Zanka." His voice was low. Serious. "There is no way we're letting you leave. Alright?" It was supposed to be comforting. Reassuring.
It only made Zanka's chest ache. He gave Enjin a small smile and nodded. "Alright." That was his biggest mistake. Enjin knew Zanka well enough. Knew that he didn't just smile around. He smiled to be respectful. He smiled when he was praised. His usual face was pretty much the same flat, serious, focused. So him smiling was the cherry on top. He'd been acting weird all day. After spiraling. And now this? Enjin knew. Zanka had already made up his mind. All hope of Zanka actually fighting left Enjin's face. His expression fell. Slowly, he let go of Zanka's wrist.
Zanka regretted it immediately. But there wasn't much he could do now. He grabbed Lovely Assistaff. He had to give her a good cleaning. Take good care of her tonight. It would probably be the last time. Knowing his family, they would come for him tomorrow morning. Especially since they expected him to obey the same day. There was no way he could do anything. He walked down the hall toward his room. Left Enjin, Riyo, and a still-confused Rudo behind in the common room.
The moment he was inside his room, the door locked behind him, he collapsed onto the floor. His breathing was ragged. He curled into a ball, pressing himself against the wall. He was scared. So, so scared. ‘Why? Why now?’ He went wildly through his hair, trying to ground himself. His other hand gripped Lovely Assistaff so tightly his knuckles went white. He hated how he was right now. He hated how pathetic he was. He took a shaky breath. Tried to ground himself. Nothing helped. He fell deeper. And deeper. And deeper. All the things that could happen. That would happen. He was cooked. Cooked was still merciful. He was burned. He was the ashes of burned food. He was so done.
His eyes fell on Lovely Assistaff. Right. He had planned to clean her. To spend time with her. To give her all the love he had. He slowly stood up. Grabbed the supplies from the table. Settled down on the bed, cross-legged. And began to methodically clean her. Whispering. All the things he loved about her. All the memories. All the times she had helped him out of his crises. All the times a simple stick had helped him. He truly was pathetic.
Every ten minutes, he would stop working entirely. Curl into a ball. Go through his hair. Go through a silent panic attack. How pathetic.
---
Back in the common room, the air remained dense and suffocating long after Zanka’s door had clicked shut.
Rudo stood near the couch, practically steaming out of his ears. His chest heaved with pure, unfiltered frustration as he glared at the remaining Cleaners. "Okay, what the heck is going on?!" Rudo burst out, slamming his fist against the armrest. "Why is he this scared of his father? Isn't a father supposed to protect his kids?!"
Enjin let out a heavy, exhausted sigh, shaking his head as the carefree demeanor completely slipped from his features. He stepped closer and roughly ruffled Rudo’s hair, trying to force a reassuring tone. "Don't you worry about it, kid."
But Rudo wasn't having any of it. He violently swatted Enjin’s massive hand away, his red eyes flashing with anger as he growled. "I want explanations!"
Riyo didn't say a word. Her sharp eyes were fixed entirely on the dark corridor Zanka had vanished down. The silence stretched between them until she finally spoke up, her voice uncharacteristically serious. "Though... I do have to admit, Enjin," she murmured ignoring Rudo, her knuckles whitening as she gripped her arms. "He looked like he was already a dead man." Her words hit like a physical blow, making Enjin noticeably tense. Deep down, he knew this wouldn't be as easy as he hoped.
The invisible chains of a noble upbringing weren't something you could just chop through with a blade. Still, Enjin gritted his teeth, forcing a wave of stubborn optimism into his voice. "But he isn't," Enjin stated firmly. "No matter what, we won't let him leave!" Despite his conviction, the declaration did nothing to lift the heavy, paralyzing dread that had settled over the entire headquarters.
Semiu had already briefed the rest of the staff about a potential high-level threat from the upper world, and while every single member was fiercely supportive, a dark shadow hung over the corridors. Whenever anyone tried to offer Zanka an encouraging word throughout the evening, Enjin had silently signaled them to back off.
They all knew his family background was a minefield, so they left it at that but none of them, not even the most experienced scrapers, knew the true, horrifying depths of what Zanka was actually facing.
Nobody in Team Akuta slept that night. In his private quarters, Enjin sat in the dark, the orange cherry of his cigarette glowing faintly as he stared at the wall. The image of Zanka’s hollow, lifeless face burned behind his eyelids. He was worried. He was so deeply, viscerally worried that he finally stood up, slipped out of his room, and walked down the cold corridor. He didn't knock. He didn't try to go inside. He just stood directly outside Zanka’s door in the dim light of the defensive grid, watching, listening, unable to explain even to himself what he was doing there.
Riyo wasn't doing any better. To her, Zanka was like an older brother her cool, unshakable, loudmouth big brother. Seeing him completely reduced to a petrified shell was sickening. She sat on the edge of her mattress, her Siccors, The Ripper, in its normal form as she constantly spun it between her fingers to release the mounting stress. Unable to take the confinement anymore, she left her room and wandered down the hall toward Zanka’s quarters.
To her surprise, she found Enjin already standing there. He was leaned against the wall, quietly smoking, looking just as exhausted and stressed as she felt. His eyes widened slightly when he noticed her approach, a faint, tired chuckle escaping his lips.
"Why are you here?"
Riyo didn't answer.
Enjin let out another sigh, stubbing out the remains of his cigarette against the metal grating before immediately lighting a new one. They just stood there together in the heavy silence, two watchers guarding a door that felt more like a tomb.
"Should we go inside?" Riyo asked after a long while, her voice dropping to a fragile whisper.
Enjin stared at the locked metal panel, his shoulders slumping. "I don't know."
Riyo nodded slowly, her gaze falling to the floor. "I don't believe that something will actually happen... but the way he's acting really scares me," she finally mumbled.
Enjin glanced at her, surprised by the raw vulnerability in her voice. Without a word, he threw his heavy arm over her shoulder, pulling her tightly against his side and resting his cheek against the top of her head. "Don't you worry. I won't let anyone take him."
Riyo gave a small, hesitant nod, burying her face into his coat.
Meanwhile, a few doors down, Rudo was tossing and turning in his own bed. He couldn't sleep either. He was angry, confused, and deeply unsettled. The memory of Zanka’s frantic hands digging into his own hair wouldn't leave his mind. He gritted his teeth, punching his pillow in frustration. ‘Stupid stick-freak,’ he thought bitterly, glaring at the dark ceiling.
Inside the room, completely oblivious to the two figures standing guard right outside his door, Zanka slowly dragged himself up from the floor. He had just endured his tenth suffocating panic attack of the night. He was currently wearing his casual clothes and his grey Kimono, and a wave of bitter relief washed over him that he wasn't wearing his official uniform. Moving like a ghost, Zanka walked over to the closet and pulled out his Cleaners uniform the one August had meticulously crafted for him. The uniform that made him a part of Team Akuta. The uniform he loved more than anything because it was the very thing that had erased his cursed last name and made him part of something special.
With trembling hands, Zanka pressed the heavy fabric against his face, inhaling the scent of the workshop. He knew this was the last time he would ever see it. The last chance he would ever have to wear it. Gently placing Lovely Assistaff onto the mattress, Zanka shed his clothes, and slowly dressed himself in the uniform. Every button felt like a weight, every seam a painful reminder of the life he was being forced to abandon.
He stood before the small mirror, staring at his reflection for several long, agonizing minutes, trying to memorize the sight of himself as a true Cleaner. Finally, he sat back down cross-legged on the bed, keeping the uniform on as he went back to methodically cleaning Lovely Assistaff. He poured all his focus into the wood, wiping it down before curling inward again, his forehead resting against the staff as the panic ebbed and flowed.
He was so completely absorbed in his own misery that he didn't even register the faint smell of cigarette smoke leaking through the ventilation or the subtle shifting noises outside his door. On any other night, his sharp senses would have picked it up instantly. Not tonight.
After what felt like hours of pouring his remaining affection into his vital Instument, Zanka slowly stood up. It was late past midnight. He needed to get at least a fraction of sleep. Who knew when he would ever have the luxury of a bed again? If he would ever have it again.
With painful, heavy movements, Zanka undressed. He carefully folded the Cleaners uniform, smoothing out the creases with his palms before placing it neatly in the center of his desk. He slipped his grey Kimono back on, his eyes lingering on the folded fabric before tracking over to Lovely Assistaff. ‘I should leave a note,’ he thought desperately. ‘I need to tell them to take care of her.’ He sat down in the wooden chair next to his desk, pulling out a blank piece of paper and a pen. He stared at the white surface for a long time before he finally forced his hand to move.
But halfway through the first line, his hand abruptly froze. A violent tremor racked his entire arm. He stared at the ink. He hated it. He absolutely loathed it. His handwriting was flawless, elegant, and perfectly structured just like the handwriting of his father. Just like Kyoka, Goka, and everyone else in the pristine Nijiku family. It was a brand he couldn't wash off. Gritting his teeth in a surge of self-loathing, Zanka ripped the paper violently in half and crammed it into the trash can with far more force than necessary.
Who was he kidding? Why should they have to watch over her anyway? She was his Vital Instrument. It wasn't their responsibility to carry his garbage. He walked back to the bed, collapsed onto the mattress, and pulled Lovely Assistaff tightly against his chest. He hugged the wooden staff like a lifeline, burying his face into his arms as he did everything in his power to swallow his suffocating tears, refusing to let a single sound escape into the quiet room.
After a long, agonizing wait in the dark, his exhaustion finally won. He fell into a restless, shallow sleep though it could hardly be called sleep at all. It was an uncomfortable, terrifying limbo, filled with the looming, suffocating shadow of the morning to come.
---
The whole night, Enjin and Riyo hadn’t left their post. They didn't know exactly what kept them anchored to the cold concrete floor outside Zanka’s room, but a heavy, unspoken dread simply wouldn't let them leave. So, they had stayed.
Riyo sat with her back against the wall, her fingers nervously tracing the lethal edge of The Ripper, twirling the blade over and over to bleed off the rising anxiety.
Next to her, Enjin sat in a tense silence, his massive hands gripping Umbreaker so tightly his knuckles were white. They were guarding a little brother who was actively drowning in his own mind. The second the faint, sickly light of early morning began to bleed through the hallway windows, the silence was shattered.
The communication chokers around Enjin’s and Riyo’s necks chirped violently, and Semiu’s sharp, strained voice rang out. “Enjin. Come to the front desk immediately. The Hell Guard... they actually showed up.”
The moment the words registered, Enjin’s eyes widened in genuine shock. The breath caught in his throat. The instant the words left the collar, Enjin’s eyes widened in genuine shock. A heavy lump formed in his throat. Zanka’s terror had been entirely justified. They hadn't even waited for a response they had actually come.
Enjin bolted to his feet, his gaze instantly snapping back to Zanka’s locked door. Inside, there was absolutely no movement. Semiu had purposefully bypassed Zanka’s frequency, she was keeping him in the dark to protect him.
Enjin turned his grim face toward Riyo, who was already standing at his side, her weapon drawn. “Maybe you should stay here?” Enjin started, his voice low and urgent. “Watch the door. Make sure he doesn’t try to sneak out.”
But Riyo fiercely shook her head, her jaw set. “No way. If he wakes up and hears only me outside, he’ll get suspicious instantly. And you know damn well he won’t listen to a word I say if he panics.”
Enjin let out a harsh sigh. She was right. There was no time to argue. Turning their backs on the quiet room, the two of them sprinted through the empty, echoing halls of the headquarters. All around them, the building was coming alive. The heavy clattering of boots and the rustle of gear echoed from the barracks Semiu had clearly blasted the emergency alert to every single Cleaner in the facility, leaving only Zanka out of the loop.
When Enjin and Riyo burst into the front reception area, Enjin noticed immediately that Semiu’s desk was abandoned. She had already headed out to the front lines.Without wasting another second, Enjin yanked the heavy iron main doors open, sprinting out into the courtyard.Right there, precisely where the shimmering, translucent edge of Shikage’s invisible defensive barrier marked the boundary of the Cleaners' territory, a tense standoff was already underway.
Standing safely inside the shield were Corvus, Semiu, and a thoroughly pissed-off Rudo, who was already baring his teeth.
And just on the other side of the barrier, cloaked in the cold morning mist of the Pit, stood the terrifying vanguard of the Hell Guards.
Gripping their weapons tightly, Enjin and Riyo rushed forward across the concrete, joining the others at the edge of the line.
The moment Enjin got a good look at the figure leading the Hell Guards, his heart violently slammed against his ribs. Standing at the front of the battalion was a massive, towering man. He was broader, taller, and physically more imposing than Corvus a realization that felt completely surreal and terrifying. He had the unmistakable, vibrant red hair, just like Kyouka, and eyes that looked like shattered flint. His face was an unreadable, frozen mask of pure aristocracy. The worst part? He didn't even look at the Cleaners. His eyes were fixed on the horizon right past them, as if Corvus, Semiu, and Rudo didn't even exist. As if they weren't worthy of a single microsecond of his attention.
Directly behind him, flanking his right, stood Kyouka with her usual stern, military posture. On his left stood Goka, motionless like an iron wall.
Enjin did the math in his head, and the terrifying conclusion hit him like a physical blow. If Kyouka a high-ranking Commander and Goka were willingly standing behind someone else as mere bodyguards, this man held the absolute highest authority. Coupled with the letter Zanka had received, there was no doubt. This was the patriarch. This was Zanka's father.
‘Damn.’ For the first time, Enjin truly understood Zanka's paralyzing fear. A cold, heavy dread seeped straight through Enjin's jacket and settled deep into his bones.
Nobody spoke. There was only the suffocating, tense silence of the morning mist until Kyouka finally stepped forward. Her voice was ice, her posture stiffer and more formal than ever before. It was obvious that her father’s mere presence forced even her into total submission. “We already sent a letter,” Kyouka stated, staring straight at Corvus. Her words were sharp, matter-of-fact, and devoid of any human warmth. “We are here for Zanka. This is not a matter up for debate. He has had more than enough time to play around with his stick in the mud.”
Corvus met her gaze, his voice low and unwavering. “Sorry to disappoint you, Commander. But Zanka is a Cleaner. And by our laws, that puts him under the absolute protection of this organization.”
“Zanka is a member of the Nijiku bloodline,” Kyouka snapped, her eyes narrowing. “That single fact invalidates any 'laws' you trash-collectors make up with your rotted brains. I will not ask again. Where is he?”
“As if we would ever tell you, you stuck-up uniform freaks!” Rudo barked, his red eyes blazing with fury as he stepped forward, his fists trembling.
The most devastating part, however, was their reaction. Or rather, the lack of it. Neither Kyouka, Goka, nor the father even twitched. They didn't look at Rudo. They didn't acknowledge his voice. To them, the Spherite was less than a speck of dust on the concrete. In any other situation, Enjin would have made a joke to break the tension, but right now, nothing was funny.
“Zanka is a part of the Cleaners,” Enjin cut in, his voice losing all its usual cheer. “His last name doesn't mean shit to us. Especially since, from what I remember, you people disowned him the second he became a Giver.” That sudden revelation instantly snapped the attention of Riyo and Rudo. Rudo tilted his head, catching Riyo’s completely confused expression. At least he wasn't the only one completely left in the dark about Zanka's past.
Kyouka let out a cold, pitying huff. “Simple spoken words do not constitute a legal disownment. For a Nijiku to be truly stripped of his name, it must be carved into official parchment. Our father merely used the term 'disowned' as a method to motivate him. To force him to prove his worth to the clan. Instead, the boy chose to throw a tantrum, flee the academy, play with a wooden stick, and pretend to be a Cleaner. We have indulged him in this little fantasy long enough. It is time for him to return to his rightful place.”
Enjin’s jaw clenched so hard his teeth ached. ‘Motivate him?’ Using a traumatic rejection as a twisted psychological tool to break a kid's spirit this fucking family was completely sick.
He opened his mouth to spit a curse at them, but Corvus spoke first, his deep voice vibrating with absolute finality. “It doesn't matter what your twisted methods are. The boy stays—”
“This was not a question, Corvus. It was an order.” Kyouka interrupted him, her voice cutting through his words like a guillotine. She placed her hand firmly on the hilt of her sidearm. “If you know what is good for you, and for the rest of your little charity workers, you will stop testing our patience. Bring my brother out here. Now.”
Instant, suffocating silence fell over the courtyard.
Enjin’s heart rate spiked. Rudo gritted his teeth, a low growl rising from his throat. Riyo looked exactly two seconds away from leaping over the line and tearing Kyouka’s throat out. Noticing her posture, Enjin quickly threw his heavy arm around Riyo's shoulders, physically restraining her before she could do something incredibly stupid.
Semiu shot a tense, worried glance at Corvus.
Corvus stood his ground, his face a tight mask of unyielding anger. There was no way in hell he was going to hand Zanka over. He knew the Hell Guards could make their lives a living hell, but he was ready to declare war right then and there to protect his crew. He opened his mouth to deliver the final rejection
when the heavy main doors of the headquarters creaked open in the distance. Slowly, Zanka stepped out into the cold morning air.
Enjin’s eyes widened in horror. ‘Why now?! Why the hell did he come out?!’ And then, the ultimate realization hit Enjin like a physical blow Zanka’s hands were completely empty. Lovely Assistaff wasn't with him. He had left his soul behind.
“Zanka! Go back inside!” Corvus ordered, his voice booming across the concrete.
But Zanka completely ignored the command. His eyes were blank, his skin deathly pale as he walked with slow, mechanical steps right up to the front line, embedding himself right next to his friends.