Tokyo Manji Kai: The Dawn of the End - The Last Handshake to Save Mikey
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"I'll save him. Even if it kills me again."
Hanagaki Takemichi, 26, part-timer, failure at life. He spends his days avoiding the news—because every broadcast brings another crime committed by Bonten, the criminal empire built by the man he once swore to save: Sano Manjirou. Mikey. The friend who gave a weak, worthless kid a name worth fighting for. The friend now soaked in blood.
But when Matsuno Chifuyu appears at his door with a confession—*"We've been lying to you, Takemitchy"*—the fra
Tokyo Manji Kai: The Dawn of the End - The Last Handshake to Save Mikey - Losing Everything - Despair Amidst the Rubble
He stood alone atop the rubble.
The wind blew. Takemichi was still staring from the bowling alley's rooftop toward the direction that blond hair had vanished. His body ached everywhere. Mitsuya, Pah-chin, Peh-yan—all of them were covered in wounds, slumped where they sat.
But that wasn't all.
Mikey's final words echoed over and over in the back of his ears.
"You broke me."
That's wrong, Takemichi thought. He understood it in his head. I just wanted to save him. And yet—why had Mikey said something like that? Why had he looked at him with those eyes?
(Is it my fault?)
The center of his chest went cold.
Just then, his phone buzzed in his pocket.
He looked at the screen. An incoming call from Chifuyu.
"Chifuyu!"
Takemichi answered the phone almost shouting.
"Takemitchy! Where are you right now?! And Mikey?!"
Chifuyu's voice was urgent. Not a trace of his usual easygoing tone remained.
"Mikey... Mikey's gone wrong. The black impulse has completely—"
"I know. Mitsuya got in touch with me too. I'm heading your way now."
"Here? Don't, Chifuyu! It's dangerous!"
"What are you talking about? It's dangerous, which is exactly why I'm going."
On the other end of the line, he could sense Chifuyu running. His breathing was ragged. The clamor of the city echoed faintly in the distance.
"Which way did Mikey go?"
"I don't know. But probably... Mugen. That abandoned building of Toman's."
"Mugen, huh. ...Got it. I'll head there too. Takemitchy, you go on ahead. Don't leave Mikey alone."
"Chifuyu... why would you go that far—"
Takemichi's voice trembled.
It wasn't as if Chifuyu had some deep, direct connection to Mikey. He was the man who'd been Baji Keisuke's right hand. Even after Baji died, Chifuyu had stayed with Toman, always looking out for Mikey. Takemichi knew that. But to rush in first, at a time like this—
On the other end, Chifuyu let out a small breath.
"It's what Baji-san wanted to protect. We have to protect it for him."
At those words, something deep in Takemichi's chest grew warm.
Baji Keisuke. Once the captain of Toman's First Division—the man Chifuyu had looked up to more than anyone. Takemichi knew that Baji had risked his life for Mikey.
(Chifuyu is carrying on Baji's will.)
"...Got it. I'll wait at Mugen."
"Yeah. I'll be right there. And Takemitchy—"
"What?"
"I'm glad you came. Let's protect what Baji-san wanted to protect—together."
Takemichi couldn't say anything.
The back of his throat burned. Chifuyu's words pierced deep into his chest.
(I'm glad you came.)
The moment he heard that, a small light kindled in Takemichi's heart.
But at the same time, guilt came surging in.
(Maybe Mikey ended up like this because I came.)
(I'm dragging Chifuyu into danger.)
Takemichi clenched his fist.
"Yeah. ...I'll stop Mikey, no matter what."
He hung up.
Takemichi turned back to Mitsuya and the others.
"I'm going to Mugen. I'm going after Mikey."
Mitsuya lifted his face, pained.
"Takemitchy... you're still going?"
"I'm going. I have to stop Mikey."
Mitsuya looked like he wanted to say something. But in the end, he said nothing.
Takemichi broke into a run.
He tore through the Shibuya night at full speed.
Neon light streamed past the edges of his vision. He wove through the crowds. His shoulder slammed into someone. He had no time to apologize.
(Mikey, wait for me.)
(I'll stop you. No matter what.)
His breath ran short. His lungs hurt. But his legs wouldn't stop.
Mugen was an abandoned building in a Shibuya back alley. Once it had been Toman's gathering place. Now it was supposed to be empty.
That's where Mikey was.
Mikey, swallowed by the black impulse.
Takemichi plunged into the back alley.
There were few streetlights. The smell of garbage stung his nose. Graffiti on the walls floated up faintly in the dark.
And then he saw it.
The broken shutter of the abandoned building, "Mugen."
Before it stood a blond man.
It was Mikey.
Takemichi stopped dead.
His heart pounded loud enough to be sickening.
"Mikey..."
Takemichi murmured.
Mikey turned around slowly.
His eyes were completely hollow.
There was no light in them.
He wore an innocent smile, and yet only his eyes were empty.
"Yo, Takemitchy. You're late."
Mikey's voice was cheerful.
But that cheerfulness was, conversely, terrifying.
"Mikey, what are you—"
Takemichi's voice shook.
Just then, he heard footsteps behind him.
"Takemitchy!"
Chifuyu came running.
Breathless, he stood beside Takemichi.
"Mikey-san...!"
Chifuyu looked at Mikey.
In that instant, Chifuyu's expression went rigid.
He had noticed that something was wrong with Mikey.
"Oh, Chifuyu came too. Perfect timing."
Mikey approached Chifuyu, grinning.
"Mikey-san, come back to your senses. You're not the kind of man who does this."
Chifuyu stepped forward.
Mikey tilted his head.
"Hey, Chifuyu. Did you start hating me?"
At those words, something cold ran down Takemichi's spine.
(Why would he ask something like that?)
(Does Mikey think Chifuyu hates him?)
Chifuyu looked Mikey straight in the eye.
"No way I'd hate you. You're my president."
Chifuyu's voice didn't waver.
Mikey's smile deepened for an instant.
And then, the next moment—
Mikey's right leg slammed into Chifuyu's side.
A heavy thud.
Chifuyu's body went flying into the rubble.
"Chifuyuuu!!"
Takemichi screamed.
Chifuyu's body crashed against the ground.
He didn't move.
"See, I told you. Don't come near me."
Mikey murmured, still smiling.
Takemichi rushed to Chifuyu.
"Chifuyu! Chifuyu, hey, stay with me!"
Takemichi lifted Chifuyu's body.
Chifuyu's face was pale.
His eyes were closed.
He was unconscious.
"Chifuyu... Chifuyu...!"
Takemichi's hands trembled.
Blood was seeping from Chifuyu's side.
Mikey's kick had carried enough force to shatter bone.
"Why... why would you do this to Chifuyu—"
Takemichi looked up at Mikey.
His vision blurred with tears.
Mikey was still smiling.
"Because Chifuyu came, didn't he? I told you, didn't I? Don't come near me. And yet you brought Chifuyu along too."
"No... I just wanted to keep Chifuyu out of danger..."
"Protect him? You? Don't make me laugh, Takemitchy. You're the weakest one of all—what exactly are you protecting?"
Mikey's words stabbed into Takemichi's heart like blades.
Takemichi laid Chifuyu down on the ground.
And then he stood.
His legs shook.
But he had to stand.
"Mikey, stop it already. You're not the kind of man who does this."
Takemichi took one step toward Mikey.
Mikey tilted his head, still smiling.
"Hey, Takemitchy. I finally figured it out. You broke me."
"No... that's not it, Mikey. I just wanted to save you."
"Save me? You? Every time you show up, I fall apart more and more. Every time I see your face, the black thing inside me grows bigger. You broke me."
Mikey's voice was innocent.
That innocence only carved deeper into Takemichi's heart.
"I... I came to save you..."
"Save me? Who? You? Impossible, Takemitchy. You can't. Because you're the one who broke me in the first place."
Mikey grabbed Takemichi by the collar.
And then he slammed him against the wall.
A dull thud.
Pain shot through his back.
"Guh—!"
"Hey, Takemitchy. Do you want to die? Or do you want me to kill you?"
Mikey's face was right there.
His hollow eyes peered into Takemichi.
"Mikey... you're not the kind of man who says things like this..."
"I'm not me anymore. You made me this way."
Mikey's grip tightened.
His throat was being crushed.
He couldn't breathe.
That was when it happened.
"Mikey! Stop!"
Mitsuya's voice rang out.
Takemichi desperately turned his eyes—Mitsuya, Pah-chin, and Peh-yan had arrived.
All of them were covered in wounds.
But they were standing.
"Oh, everyone's here. This is getting fun."
Mikey let go of Takemichi.
Takemichi crumpled to the ground.
Coughing.
"Mikey, snap out of it! You're Toman's president!"
Pah-chin shouted.
Mikey looked toward Pah-chin.
"Pah-chin, you're going to stop me too? One kick from me and you're dead, you know."
"Bring it on! I won't let the president run wild alone any longer!"
Pah-chin charged at Mikey.
But Mikey's kick was far too fast.
With a heavy thud, Pah-chin's body slammed into the ground.
"Pah-chin!"
Takemichi shouted.
Next, Peh-yan threw a punch at Mikey.
But just the same, he was downed in a single blow.
Mitsuya faced Mikey too.
But before Mikey, swallowed by the black impulse, no one stood a chance.
One after another, his comrades fell.
"Stop... please stop, Mikey...!"
Takemichi, crawling along the ground, clung to Mikey's leg.
"Takemitchy, you're still doing that? It's useless. I can't be stopped anymore."
Mikey shook his leg free.
Takemichi's body rolled across the ground.
"I'll stop you... I'll stop you, no matter what...!"
Takemichi stood again.
No matter how many times he was knocked down, he stood.
That was the kind of man Hanagaki Takemichi was.
But Mikey didn't look at Takemichi.
Mikey kicked the wall of Mugen.
A crunching sound.
A huge hole opened in the wall.
Then he smashed the windows, one after another.
"It breaks. Everything breaks. Everything I touch breaks."
Mikey went on destroying the abandoned building.
Takemichi could do nothing but watch.
(I'm powerless.)
(I can't stop Mikey.)
(Chifuyu, Mitsuya, Pah-chin, Peh-yan—I got them all hurt.)
(It's my fault.)
(It's all my fault.)
Mikey stopped destroying.
And then he turned back toward Takemichi.
"Don't come anymore. When you come, I break. You break me. You understand now, Takemitchy."
Leaving those words behind, Mikey disappeared into the darkness.
Takemichi stood there, rooted to the spot.
The strength drained from his body.
His knees buckled.
He crumpled to the ground.
"...Aaaaaaah!!"
Takemichi screamed.
The tears wouldn't stop.
"Why... why did it have to come to this...!"
Takemichi pounded the ground with his fist.
Blood seeped out.
But he felt no pain.
The pain in his heart was many times—dozens of times—greater.
After a while, Takemichi lifted his face.
Around him lay his fallen comrades.
Chifuyu.
Mitsuya.
Pah-chin.
Peh-yan.
None of them moved.
"Chifuyu... Mitsuya... everyone..."
Takemichi crawled over to Chifuyu.
Chifuyu's face was drained of color, his breathing shallow.
"Chifuyu, don't die... please, don't die..."
Takemichi gripped Chifuyu's hand.
It was cold.
That was when a voice came from behind him.
"You... it's your fault."
Takemichi turned around.
Mitsuya was standing, clutching his side.
His eyes were fixed straight on Takemichi.
They were eyes mixed with anger, grief, and disappointment.
"Ever since you showed up, something's been off with Mikey. What are you?"
Mitsuya's voice was low and cold.
"I... I just wanted to save Mikey..."
"Save him? You? Chifuyu ended up like this because you came!"
Pah-chin shouted from where he lay.
"No... I didn't want to drag Chifuyu into this..."
"Didn't want to drag him in? Then why did you call Chifuyu here!"
At Pah-chin's words, Takemichi had nothing to say.
(That's right. I called Chifuyu.)
(I brought Chifuyu to a dangerous place.)
"Because you set Mikey off, Chifuyu's this badly hurt. It's your fault. All of it, your fault."
Pah-chin's voice pierced Takemichi's heart.
"...I'm sorry. I'm so sorry..."
Takemichi hung his head.
Apologizing was all he could do.
"Apologies don't fix this. Get out of here."
Mitsuya's voice was cold.
"What..."
"Didn't you hear me? Get out. I don't want to see your face anymore."
Takemichi looked at Mitsuya's face.
Mitsuya was dead serious.
"...I understand. I'll go. But Chifuyu—please, save Chifuyu."
"I know. You don't need to tell me."
Takemichi rose slowly.
His legs shook.
Again and again, he nearly fell.
But Takemichi started walking.
Out of Mugen.
Away from his comrades.
(I've been driven out.)
(Because of me, Chifuyu got hurt.)
(Because of me, Mikey broke.)
(It's
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