In the same setting, a man stands before a hole in a wall, phone pressed to his ear.

  “No, sir, there’s nothing here—but there are traces of core activation. I’ll continue the search. Also, it appears we weren’t the only ones that noticed the beams.”

  A voice on the line intones, “The Setai?”

  “Yes, sir. It seems they’ve sent two ashigaru and an okachi to investigate. May I dispose?”

  “Don’t make a mess of the mission.” the voice replies, and the line goes dead.

  Smirking, the man shows off his own matching bracelet.

  “Ahh, I love it when I have permission!” He raises his hand and decres,

  “Take form, Erebus!”

  The panels go bck as screams fill the air.

  “Now, where could my senpai of a Hoju have run off to? SHADOW DOGS!”

  Suddenly, four spectral dogs materialize in the alley. The man leans toward them, “Go find Ren and report back to me.”

  The dogs vanish into the shadows as he clenches his fist, “I think it’s time these organizations had a bit of a shakeup.”

  He then slowly sinks into the shadows himself.