The Eminence in Shadow

Auxiliary Chapter

Rise of the Fancy Hoodlum Slayer!

Akane Nishino is a second-year student at Sakurazaka High School, and she hates one of her classmates with a burning passion.

The classmate in question has black hair and eyes, forgettable looks, and bags under his eyes that always make him look tired.

His name is Minoru Kageno. Not only does she hate him, but to make matters worse, his seat is the one right next to hers.

Kage

is Japanese for

shadow

, and true to his name, Minoru Kageno is as inconspicuous as a shadow.

He’s a C student, he’s unremarkable at sports, he isn’t in any school clubs, and although he doesn’t have a lot of friends, he has plenty of people he knows well enough to make small talk with.

He’s the kind of average, unremarkable student you could find in any school in the country.

Akane didn’t hate him at first. That wasn’t to say she liked him, but she got along with him about as well as she did with any of her classmates.

The more she interacted with him, though, the more she found that there was one thing about him that she just couldn’t stand.

It was the way he greeted her.

Every morning, the two of them get to school at the last minute possible—right before the gate is about to close.

And because they always get there at the same time, they always end up greeting each other.

Today, as usual, she runs into her least favorite classmate at the school gate. “Morning, Kageno,” Akane says to him.

Minoru replies in the same level tone of voice as always. “Morning, Nishimura.”

It’s Nishi

no

, not Nishi

mura

!

Akane screams internally. Outwardly, however, she keeps smiling as she heads for the shoe rack.

They’ve been in the same class for three months, and every morning since then, they’ve had the exact same exchange.

Akane didn’t say anything about it for the first month, assuming that he would eventually notice his mistake, but when Golden Week came and went and he still hadn’t gotten her name right, she eventually decided to correct him.

She can still remember in vivid detail just how that played out.

“You know, Kageno, my name isn’t actually Nishimura.”

“Huh?” Minoru blinks repeatedly and looks at her face with a mixture of confusion and curiosity. “It isn’t?”

“No, it’s—”

“Wait, hold up. I remember now. You’re a Named Character.”

“A what?”

Akane cocks her head at the unfamiliar term.

“Never mind. I make sure to memorize the names of all the important characters, but I guess sometimes I get one wrong.”

“Don’t worry about it. It happens to everyone.”

Minoru bows apologetically, and Akane smiles.

However, his next words cause her to freeze.

“Sorry about that, Nishitani.”

Akane clenches her fists, driven by an urge to sink a right straight punch directly into that idiot’s face.

“…It’s Nishino.”

“…Huh?”

“My name is

Nishino

.”

The two of them stare at each other. You could cut the silence with a knife.

Akane doesn’t say another word to him for the rest of the day.

Then, the next morning rolls around.

The two of them bump into each other by the gate, just like always.

The night’s passage has done a fair bit to quell Akane’s rage. After all, it’s not like Minoru meant any harm. There’s no sense in getting so worked up over a mere misremembered name.

She decides to greet him like normal and just forget about what happened yesterday.

“Morning, Kageno.”

“Morning, Nishimura.”

You’re right back where you started!

Akane wants to scream, but she hides that urge behind a steely smile.

The part that she finds most obnoxious is the way Minoru is acting as though the conversation they had yesterday didn’t even happen.

He’s calling her Nishimura just like he always does, and just like always, he isn’t even looking at her.

He does technically turn his eyes her way whenever they greet each other or chat, but it never feels like he’s actually seeing her. His gaze is distant, like it’s focused on something far off in the distance.

More than anything else, that’s what

really

pisses her off.

The name thing is annoying, but it’s not that big of a deal.

But the way she never feels like she even enters his gaze? She can’t stand it.

Once she notices that about Minoru, she starts hating his guts.

From then on, Akane starts going out of her way to avoid interacting with him.

She still greets him each morning, but that’s all. He keeps getting her name wrong, but she doesn’t bother correcting him anymore.

She also avoids talking to him whenever possible, despite the fact that they’re seatmates. If she absolutely doesn’t have a choice because of classwork or something, she keeps any conversations with him short and to the point.

She would prefer to just ignore him 24/7, but due to her unique circumstances, she wants to avoid doing anything that will make her stand out more than she already does.

And boy, does Akane Nishino stand out.

Her dark hair is sleek and elegant, and she’s so attractive she draws the gazes of boys and girls alike.

On top of that, she isn’t just a normal high school student. She also works as an actress.

Her classmates know all about her job, of course. If they found out that she and Minoru were on poor terms, it could give rise to all sorts of unfortunate rumors. Better to nip that possibility in the bud.

Akane was a fairly successful child actress, but around the time she started middle school, she was involved in a scandal and had to temporarily put her career on hold.

Ever since then, Akane has been forced to hide her true self.

She’s had to play the part of the honor student to avoid being hated by her teachers, as well as the part of the popular girl to avoid being hated by the other students. She’s lived her life trying not to give anyone a reason to resent her.

And so she’s done her utmost not to let that asshole Minoru hate her, either, nor to let anyone else realize how much she hates him.

Akane isn’t a member of any school clubs.

She normally heads straight home when classes end, but on that day, she has supplementary lessons to attend. She often has to skip class on account of her job, so those supplementary lessons are the only way she can make up her attendance.

Akane had some other things to take care of as well, so by the time she gets out, the sun’s already set.

“And my phone’s dead, too…,” she says with a sigh as she walks through the school gate.

She would normally call for her personal chauffeur, but with her phone being out of juice, that sadly isn’t an option.

However, her house is only half an hour away on foot. It’s certainly walkable.

On top of that, it’s early summer, so even with the sun being set, the temperature is still surprisingly pleasant. Akane decides to stretch her legs for a change.

Now that she thinks about it, it’s been a while since she last walked home from school. The last time was probably the walking bus her class used to do back when she was in elementary school.

Starting in middle school, her family decided to start sending a car for her each day.

Because of that, she’s kind of excited to head home on her own two feet for once. She walks down the darkened streets without a worry in her mind.

However, that excitement causes her to let her guard down.

All of a sudden, a shiny black station wagon pulls up beside her, and a brawny man gets out.

She doesn’t notice him until it’s too late.

“…Huh?”

The man wraps his thick arm around her neck.

“Ah…”

He squeezes tight. In a few seconds, she’s out cold.

The last thing she sees is a familiar-looking black-haired young man running toward them.

“Urgh…”

When Akane opens her eyes, she finds herself in a dimly lit warehouse.

Her wrists and ankles are bound, and there’s a gag shoved in her mouth.

She’s still a little out of it. She remembers the black car; she remembers the man choking her, and…she remembers spotting someone, maybe?

“Mmm! Mmmm!!”

She tries to call for help, but the gag prevents her from forming any words or generating any real volume.

“Oh hey, you’re up.”

She hears a hoarse male voice coming from behind her. She freezes.

“I’d quit struggling if I were you. Unless you wanna get yourself hurt, that is.”

The man looks to be about six foot three, and he isn’t just big, either. His muscles are well-defined, even through his clothes.

There’s another man behind him, as well. The two of them must be working together.

“Don’t worry, little missy,” the second man says. “We already sent the ransom note to your folks, and as long as they pay up, you’ll be home without a scratch before you know it.”

The big guy smiles evilly. “Gotta say, though, that was pretty careless. Heiress to Nishino Zaibatsu, walking home alone at night like that? Some bad men coulda snatched you right up.”

He chuckles mockingly and walks over to where Akane is lying collapsed on the ground.

“Mmmmm!”

Stay away!

Akane tries to scream, but the words won’t come out.

She crawls across the ground to try to put some distance between them.

“Whoop. Where you think you’re going, little missy?”

The big guy grabs her slender legs and yanks her toward him.

Then, he hoists up her jaw and takes a closer look at her attractive face.

“Damn, girl. No wonder they let you work as an actress.”

“Mmm! Mmmm!!”

She shakes her head to try to resist.

When she does, the man slaps her across the cheek.

“

!”

“Don’t fight it.”

Akane can feel the taste of blood fill her mouth. The teardrops that had been welling up in the corners of her eyes finally start falling.

“Y’know, I hear this ain’t your first ride on the kidnapping train.”

Twitch.

Akane freezes.

“It was right when you first started middle school, right? Although last time, I hear it was a stalker who did it.”

The memories she’d tried so hard to forget flood back through her mind. Her whole body begins trembling.

“Y’know, I totally get how the guy felt. Now, why so scared, kid?”

“…Mmm! Mmmmmmmmmmm!!”

“Give up. No one’s comin’ to save you.”

Akane tries to twist away, but the man uses his muscular arm to pin her down.

Help!

Then, right as she screams internally, it happens.

Kshhhh!

The sound of glass shattering echoes through the warehouse.

“Who’s there?!”

One of the windows is broken.

Moonlight streams in, illuminating the intruder standing atop a pile of glass shards.

He’s wearing a black sweatshirt, black sweatpants, and black work boots, and he has a black ski mask over his face.

He looks sketchy as hell, dressed all in black like that. At first glance, it seems clear that he’s with the kidnappers.

Clop. Clop. Clop.

His boots click against the floor as he slowly strides toward them.

“Who the hell are you?!” the big guy shouts.

“Who, me? I’m just…a normal old Fancy Hoodlum Slayer.”

The Hoodlum Slayer stops to adjust his ski mask. The eye holes were misaligned.

“What is this, some sorta joke?!”

As the big guy roars, his accomplice sneaks up behind the Hoodlum Slayer and swings a bat at him.

It’s the perfect surprise attack—yet the Hoodlum Slayer dodges it like he has eyes in the back of his head.

“Huh?!”

“You cast a shadow in the moonlight. You’re a rank amateur.”

With that, the Hoodlum Slayer whirls around and slams his fist into the second man.

Between his black clothes and the dark warehouse, his attack is nigh impossible to see.

There’s a muffled sound, and the accomplice crumples from the knees down. He doesn’t move another inch.

“That jaw strike… This guy knows what he’s doing.” The big guy lets go of Akane and rises to his feet. He cracks his neck as he glares at the Hoodlum Slayer. “Too bad for you, though—I’m ex-military.”

He draws a knife and holds it at the ready.

The Hoodlum Slayer lowers his center of gravity and stands at the ready as well. “A military man, huh? Perfect. I’ve always wanted to try fighting a soldier.”

The two men square off in the darkness.

They close the gap bit by tiny bit, and then—

“Die!”

The kidnapper makes the first move.

Using an oblique stance, he steps in and swings his knife.

It’s easy to believe that he used to be a soldier. Despite his bulky frame, his movements are nimble and efficient.

The knife strike is aimed at his foe’s throat, and the Hoodlum Slayer attempts to block it by raising his right arm.

A loud, metallic

clang

rings out.

“What?!”

The knife is caught on the Hoodlum Slayer’s hand.

On closer inspection, the Hoodlum Slayer is holding something—a black crowbar.

And what’s more, he’s wielding it almost like a

tonfa

.

“A-a crowbar?!”

“Crowbars are great. They’re sturdy enough not to break, you can buy ’em anywhere, they’re portable, you can talk your way out of having one if the police question you… At least, you probably can. But best of all, you can use ’em like

tonfas

.”

“What?!”

In the blink of an eye, the Hoodlum Slayer spins his arm under the kidnapper’s.

His crowbar draws an arc through the air and smashes into the other man’s arm.

The knife tumbles from the kidnapper’s hand.

“Shit—”

Not a moment later, the crowbar makes for the kidnapper himself.

The big guy responds immediately by putting up his fists and countering.

The crowbar slams into his beefy muscles, and his punch grazes the Hoodlum Slayer’s ski mask.

Crowbar and fist clash again and again in the moonlit warehouse.

However, the Hoodlum Slayer is gradually getting pushed back. Each time he blocks the kidnapper’s heavy punches, he has to fall back one step, then another.

“Heh. That’s one hell of a handicap you’re working with,” the big guy says as he sends the Hoodlum Slayer reeling yet again. “You’re tough, sure. And I can tell you’ve been in a couple fights. But you’ve got one big weakness. You’re, what, five seven, maybe one hundred and thirty pounds? But see, me, I’m six three and two hundred and fifty. Physically, we aren’t even in the same league. Crowbar or not, all

I’ve

gotta do is protect my head. But you? A single one of my punches anywhere would put you on the floor.”

The man’s voice rings with confidence. The Hoodlum Slayer quietly fixes his gaze on him. “You’re right. The sad truth is, the way I am now, even an ex-soldier can give me trouble…”

“You wanna throw in the towel?”

“Nah… It just means I’m gonna have to get serious.”

The Hoodlum Slayer adjusts his stance.

“What?”

“The way I saw it, crowbars had a bright future. The

tonfa

-like shape, the weight, the sturdiness, the portability…they were full of potential just waiting to be unlocked. So I went out, night after night, and as I beat up all sorts of obnoxious, motorcycle-riding delinquents, I arrived at a conclusion…”

“No way!

You’re

the Ski Mask Berserker who’s been terrorizing the local motorcycle gangs with nothing but a crowbar?!”

It’s practically a legend how all the motorcycle gangs in the area have started actually wearing helmets on account of the Ski Mask Berserker. Wearing a helmet is the only way to stay safe when you don’t know when an attack might be coming.

“See, the conclusion I reached after beating up those motorcycle gangs is that while you

can

use crowbars like

tonfas

…the best thing to do with ’em is just whack people!”

The Hoodlum Slayer brings his crowbar crashing down toward his opponent’s face.

It’s a big swing, but the motion is fast as hell, and it’s brimming with pure, unbridled violence.

The kidnapper brings his arm up to protect his head, but when he does, a dull noise sounds out.

“Rrgh! M-my arm…,” he moans, clutching his arm in pain.

“It’s probably broken. See, the trick to unlocking a crowbar’s potential is to strike with the outside of the part that bends to the side. You’d think that hitting with the pointy bit would be best, but that’s an amateur’s mistake.”

He shifts his grip as he explains. Not like

this

, like

this

.

Then, he strikes the kidnapper again.

He hits him with flowing movements, like it’s the most natural thing in the world. The kidnapper catches a brief glimpse of who he really is—at the man who beat up hundreds of bikers.

“Agh! W-wait, hold on—”

Wham, wham.

“C-cut it out, we can—”

Wham, wham, wham.

“Geh… Guhhh…”

Wham, wham, wham, wham!

The dull noise echoes through the warehouse on repeat.

Violence is power, and the Hoodlum Slayer the embodiment of that ideal.

He keeps single-mindedly bringing his crowbar down, and eventually, the burly kidnapper stops moving.

Drops of blood drip from the crowbar.

Drip. Drip.

“It’s no good. How am I supposed to get there if I struggle against some lowly ex-soldier? I need to become stronger.”

He looks up at the moon hanging in the sky outside the window—

“I need more

power

…”

—and wistfully extends his hand.

It’s like he’s trying to grasp hold of the moon, even though his hand will never reach it.

He shakes his head in an act of rebellion against that simple truth, then turns and fixes his gaze on Akane.

He picks up the knife the man dropped and approaches her.

“Mmm—MMMMM!”

Akane senses she’s in danger and tries to flee, but there’s nowhere to run. The knife comes down on her with merciless efficiency.

“Mmm?”

It slices through the restraints on her wrists and ankles.

Now that she’s free, she looks up at the sketchy man in black with the ski mask and the crowbar.

He looks down at her in turn—

“From now on, be more careful on your way home.”

—and offers her a piece of advice before leaving.