ARAKAWA SENJI walked into the pub, and lots of noise and music filled the air. The whole pub reeked of alcohol, and he disliked it.
He had bright red hair and was a cool, handsome guy,and there was a scar on the left side of his neck that went up his jaw. He wore a black shirt with black trousers and shoes, and hung a red coat on his shoulders, and had loosened his tie.
He had a nonchalant demeanor as if he never cared about anything, which was mostly true.
"Oh what a waste,"he said to himself blankly," I'm broke, I need cash ASAP."he glanced around the bar. "damn it, if not for Takeda,you jerk!, I wouldn't have bought those blasted teacher's forms. Now I'm broke, how do I gamble,or purchase some cigarettes,dumbass!"ass!"
"Hey! If it isn't the famous Arakawa," a man said.
"Huh?"
"What! You've forgotten me!" the man yelled out of anger," the guy you gambled with three days ago and won everything I owned. You took all my clothes and left me stranded naked!" The man said the last part as if he would cry any moment.
"Sorry, dude," Arakawa said blankly," you just ain't ringing my bell."
"Anyway, my boss heard about my sob story and decided to challenge you to see if you're worthy of his praise,"the man said again.
"Sorry, dude, as much as I want to do this, I'm broke.""Don't worry, my boss is rich; he doesn't need your money. However, I'm sure he will give you some proposals to keep your side of the bargain. If not, what is the point, eh?"
"sounds juicy."
"Luckily, he just happens to be at the pub at the moment, let's go and see how things roll out."
Arakawa followed the guy to one of the VIP tables upstairs, and there sat one fat man in a suit with two stripper ladies beside him,flirting together.
"Sorry to interrupt- um,that,"the man stuttered," this is Arakawa, the guy I told you about. One of the best card players, ever!"
"Hmmm,"the fat boss man hummed," That's interesting, I didn't think you'd find him so quickly."
"Yes, sir, luckily I ran into him on the way here,"the man said.
"Okay, Arakawa, is it?"the fat boss man said.
"Yes""You can call me boss boogy,"he said,"and this is Victor."'What lame ass name is that!' Arakawa thought.
" I challenge you to a gamble. If you win 100,000 yen, and if I win, you work for me. How does that sound?"
"Deal!" Arakawa did not really think of it too much. He was excellent at the game and would win for sure. This was just free money to him; he smiled.
"Let's begin,"the boss man said, bringing out a full deck of cards.The match began. Boogy slammed down two kings, grinning widely. "Looks like I win already," he bellowed. But Arakawa didn't even blink. Instead, he lightly tapped the corner of Boogy's card with his finger.
The entire table gasped as the ink shimmered faintly—Boogy had marked it earlier with ash so he could identify it from his deck.Arakawa chuckled. "If you're going to cheat, at least try harder." Boogy only gritted his teeth.
He tossed down another set, this time a full house. He leaned back, proud. Yet before he could take the pot, Arakawa revealed his hand—a perfect straight flush. "You see," Arakawa said, sipping his sake, "luck is just another skill. And I happen to practice."Boogy's face turned purple. He began sweating, tugging at his collar. It was no longer just a card game—it was chess played with paper and deceit. Boogy relied on muscle and intimidation, but Arakawa? He thrived on pressure, on seeing through the cracks of men who thought themselves untouchable.The final round came. Boogy had stacked the deck; he was certain of victory.
His fat lips curled as he laid down four aces, slamming his hand on the table with such force the cups rattled. "Checkmate," he spat.But Arakawa only smiled. He laid his cards down one by one, slow as thunder, until the impossible revealed itself: five kings, a hand no one had ever seen."Oh, this guy is good!" one of the ladies beside Boogy smiled.
"sexy too."Arakawa gave a wink.
"How—" Boogy stuttered, eyes bulging.Arakawa leaned forward, his voice calm but sharp enough to cut. "Because while you were busy cheating, I was busy winning." He tapped his deck—the very cards he had folded and sealed with his own Kannen energy, each one impossible to predict(6 minutes later)
"10 against 0! I win!" Arakawa smiled as he took a bag of money that was his from his start.
The boss man was shocked,he had never been defeated in this game, so it came as a surprise to him, and embarrassment as the two ladies admired Arakawa to his hearing.
Arakawa got up to leave." It has been a nice game,thanks." Arakawa turned to leave.
"Please join my group, I need your talent,"the boss man said. He knew that Arakawa never cheated but was just exceptional.In fact, if anyone was responsible for cheating, it would be him, but to no means as Arakawa always caught him and found a way around somehow.
"No thanks, I've got my own job," Arakawa said and left.He walked out of the pub with a bag filled with a bundle of money. he smiled and walked out.
Although he sensed something about 10 men were stalking him at the moment.'Did Boogy Man send them? Aww, what a drag,I thought I could get this money for free, but I guess that's too far-fetched. Anyway, lemme take care of them now.'
Arakawa walked into a dark alley in hopes that they would reveal themselves now.
For a minute, no one showed up.
"Um, I know that you are all there, trying to hide, but I can sense you, so... cut the chase."Immediately, 10 men in black suits jumped down, holding guns and swords,and from the shadows, Boogy walked out slowly like a menacing lion."You think I'll just let you go like that!"Boogy snarled," Arakawa!!"He slipped his hand into his coat pocket, withdrawing only a single folded card,it glowing faintly with Kannen energy.Boogy barked with laughter. "A card? You're gonna fight me with a card?!" His men joined in, mocking, their guns raised.
Arakawa held the card . His voice was quiet, calm."This isn't just a card. This is your last chance to back away."
"Kill him!" Boogy roared.The night exploded with gunfire. Bullets tore through the air, sparks and thunder splitting the silence—but before any could strike, Arakawa flicked the single card. It spun like a blade, cutting the air with a whistle, deflecting every single bullet that came his way. His hand moved at such speed that you could only see after-images. Then, in the blink of an eye, he threw the card to land in the midst of the goons.For a heartbeat, the men thought he had missed. Then the card ignited.
Explosive Art: Mini Kannen Bomb
The alley erupted in a blinding flash of light, the sound like thunder rolling through the mountains. A shockwave surged outward, the force knocking Boogy's men off their feet, their guns flying from their hands. The ground cracked, stones splintering into the air
.When the smoke cleared, silence returned. Every one of Boogy's men lay unconscious or groaning, weapons shattered, their clothes singed. The only man left standing in the circle of destruction was Arakawa, coat swaying in the night breeze, his fingers still raised as though the card remained there.Boogy fell to his knees, trembling as his bravado evaporated. His mouth worked, but no sound came.All of the men were on the floor, unconscious and beaten ,black and blue."y-you are a monster!"Boogy yelled," How can you deflect bullets with a card!!"
"Call me whatever, " Arakawa said menacingly, " call off your men and never chase me again.""D-do you know who I am?"Boogy stuttered.
"No… but I sense filler episode energy coming from you." Arakawa smiled." By the way,thanks for the cash, I was really broke".***Arakawa sat at a ramen noodle street store and was having a call with Takeda Genji.
"damn you, idiot, you made me spend all my money buying that teacher forms for the satsujin academy!"Arakawa rattled, "I'd better get good students, you hear me!""Yeah,yeah, Arakawa is a hot-headed jerk as always," Takeda said. "Any way, let me give you a spoiler on your students,
KIN IKARI, RIKU SATO, KAITO AYANAMI."
" Wait, kin ikari! Isn't that the dude from Kaze Naki Haka, and Riku Sato for the esteemed Sata Empire, who is abandoning his wealth to be a satsujin hunter, and Kaito Ayanami, the heir to the Ayanami clan of satsujin - how interesting!"
"Wow, Arakawa, you're smarter than you look."
"What did you say!!!!!!"
***
BASIC WORLD INFOThe Kannen Hand Sign is made by raising the index and middle fingers together, while the ring and little fingers curl down beneath the thumb, forming a tight lock. The two raised fingers point upward like twin blades, glowing with the user's emotional energy.Thank you so much for reading this chapter! 💛 Your thoughts, theories, and feedback mean the world to me, so please drop a comment below—I'd love to hear what you think of Kin's journey so far.If you spot any non-standard content or anything that feels off, please kindly report it so we can keep this story safe and enjoyable for everyone.Your support keeps this world alive—see you in the next chapter! 🌌🔥