Then the monster saw Rin and was suddenly terrified because despite the modifications and changes in Rin's appearance, it could sense and remember him and the encounter it had with him and Chris that night years ago in Nara.
Its slimy black venom-like body quivered violently, the dark oily surface rippling and contracting in erratic waves as instinctive fear spread through its gelatinous form.
The creature's amorphous mass shrank back slightly, tendrils retracting inward as if trying to make itself smaller, the glossy black substance glistening under the Niigata daylight while faint tremors ran across its entire unstable shape.
Even with Rin's fiery red hair streaked with gleaming gold threads swaying in the coastal breeze, his piercing golden eyes glowing with otherworldly intensity, his taller and more muscular frame radiating quiet power, and the imposing dark triad Chinese emperor-style clothes adorned with coiling golden dragons across the high-collared tunic and flowing robe, the monster still recognized the familiar magical presence beneath the disguise.
Memories of that night in the quiet Nara bedroom clearly flashed through whatever passed for its consciousness — the failed escape, the bursts of magic, and the two figures who had nearly captured it — causing the creature to freeze in visible panic, its form trembling uncontrollably.
Then Rin looked and saw that the monster was already surrounded by a group of SCO agents — members of the Supernatural Control Organization.
The SCO was no ordinary agency. It stood as a powerful international body that operated not only across Japan but worldwide, its authority reaching into every corner where supernatural threats emerged.
Unlike the more public-facing Heroes Association, which focused on flashy battles and protecting civilians from visible dangers, the SCO functioned as the hidden governing force behind it all. They sponsored the Heroes Association, issued directives, provided critical intelligence, and supplied resources for large-scale operations.
More importantly, the SCO held ultimate power and authority to interfere directly in any situation involving supernatural creatures or rogue heroes.
They could monitor, detain, or even eradicate anyone — hero or civilian — who opposed their mandates or threatened the delicate balance between the human world and the hidden supernatural one.
Their agents moved with disciplined precision, dressed in tactical dark uniforms reinforced with subtle magical wards, faces partially obscured by visors or masks that hid expressions while sharp eyes scanned every movement of the trapped Bakuteriya.
A vivid flashback from the recent robbery incident involving Chiyo and Yuri. During that chaotic event, the man named Kurt had revealed himself as a member of the SCO.
His intervention had been swift and calculated, showcasing the organization's reach and willingness to step in when supernatural elements spilled into public crimes.
Kurt's presence had underscored how deeply the SCO could embed itself into situations, watching from the shadows and acting decisively when necessary.
The SCO's interest extended far beyond single incidents. For some time now, they had been quietly investigating Chris — the androgynous primordial demon who served as Rin's efficient manager and wrote detailed books chronicling real criminal and supernatural events.
Chris's stories contained exact, precise information about crimes and battles that even the SCO lacked full access to, raising strong suspicions.
The organization watched Chris closely, hoping to catch him off guard and uncover the source of his seemingly impossible knowledge.
They lacked concrete evidence to convict him outright, so their surveillance remained patient and calculated, waiting for any slip that could link the books to forbidden sources.
What the SCO did not yet fully realize was the deeper connection between Rin and the mysterious figure known as Ryū in Chris's books.
Ryū was portrayed as the Dragon Lord — a tall, commanding warrior with striking red hair streaked with gold that shimmered like living flame, piercing golden eyes that glowed with intense power, a fully grown manly physique featuring broad shoulders, a large muscular chest, defined abs, powerful arms and legs, and an overall imposing yet controlled presence.
He wore dark triad Chinese emperor-style clothes: a high-collared tunic and flowing robe embroidered with intricate, coiling golden dragons that seemed almost alive, paired with tailored black trousers and sturdy boots that completed the aura of dangerous imperial authority mixed with underworld elegance.
In the books, Ryū emerged to fight strong monsters across the land, his battles described with breathtaking detail and precision.
In reality, Ryū was Rin himself. Rin had been venturing out for years to confront powerful supernatural threats while disguised in this exact transformed appearance.
Chris simply documented those real fights in his books, turning Rin's actions as the Dragon Lord into gripping narratives.
The SCO had been investigating the enigmatic Ryū for a long time, analyzing every described battle for clues about this elusive figure who consistently neutralized dangerous creatures before the agency could fully respond.
They studied the books for patterns, trying to predict where the Dragon Lord might appear next, never suspecting that the tall, red-and-gold-haired warrior in the dragon-embroidered emperor attire was actually the same young man attending university in Tokyo under his ordinary guise.
Standing on the Niigata rooftop in his transformed state — red hair with golden highlights catching the wind, golden eyes scanning the scene below, muscular frame filling the dark imperial robes with quiet strength — Rin observed the SCO agents tightening their perimeter around the terrified Bakuteriya.
The slimy black venom creature continued to shiver and shift its form nervously, its glossy surface reflecting the surrounding buildings as it sensed the closing net.
The agents moved with coordinated efficiency, some holding specialized containment devices that hummed with suppressed magical energy, others scanning the area for any additional threats.
The coastal air carried the faint salt scent from the nearby Sea of Japan, mixing with the tense atmosphere as the standoff unfolded beneath the clear sky.
Chris, Muganda, Inferna, and Yuri remained positioned nearby, their postures alert yet composed, watching the developing situation with careful eyes while Rin's new golden gaze remained fixed on the surrounded monster and the powerful international organization that now controlled the immediate battlefield.
The weight of the SCO's global authority hung unspoken in the air — their ability to govern the Heroes Association, sponsor operations, and eliminate opposition creating an invisible pressure that affected every supernatural encounter in the city.
Rin's disguised form, identical to the legendary Ryū from the books the SCO had pored over for clues, stood silently as the pieces of a larger hidden game continued to shift around the trembling black slime creature below.