Is that all of them?

''Yes, and the two new dark night leopards from the home country, as well as Master Lorenza, will be able to join us tonight.

　In the hotel room where the Dark Night's Leopards, who had been ordered by Cagliostro to abduct Marion, were hiding out, Hyakugan's expression disappeared and he looked over the documents.
　His subordinate who replied also felt a chill in the dimness of Hyakugan's eyes.
　Hyakugan has turned into a changed person since the failed attack this morning. There was a sharpness mixed with madness in his eyes, and his bulky lips were checking out the situation with the Chinese agent.

''Next time ... next time, I promise!　The little blonde girl.

　Stoppage, who was being treated by the window, stared at Hyakugan, who was mumbling words to himself, as if he were talking to himself.

(No longer........................has he lost his composure?

　Stopwater doesn't change his expression and looks at his own left shoulder. Although he is pierced by Yuto's posture, he has no problem with the next battle. At that time, the killing spirit that Yuto had directed at him was tremendous, and even now that he recalls it, even Stopwater, who is called a dead bird, felt a warrior's shudder.

He was a splendid man. Which Daoist.......or is he a hermit? And he's been to quite a few places. (Who the hell is he?)

　From his battle with Yuto, Stopwater could sense the wealth of practical experience that could be glimpsed from Yuto's abilities. After successfully inviting Yuto's anger and drawing out Yuto's true intentions, Stopwater immediately felt the greatness characteristic of a warrior who had passed through the death line many times that Yuto's talent alone could not fill.

(But enough about that. I don't care who that boy is.)

　Stopwater was glad now. For the first time in his life, Stopwater felt like thanking the heavens for the miracle of having such a man appear in front of him at this time.
　
　Although it was only for a few short years, Shi Shi taught him the heart, sensibility, and way of life that were natural for a human being, and because of this, he decided to watch over Shi Shi Shi's son Shih-pei and his children, who could be said to have been abandoned by society.
　However, after the death of Shi Shi, only a year later, people appear to prevent him from making this decision.
　This is the Dark Night Leopard, a Chinese unit of gifted men led by a man named Count.
　The story is simple. The story is simple: the Dark Night Leopard has come to investigate the whereabouts of the missing Stopwater, who is feared by many to be a dead bird, and contact... well, in other words, scout for him.
　
　He quickly realized that if he refused the Dark Night Leopard's offer.......no, he would make it impossible for him to refuse. In fact, Hyakugan, who had come as a scout for the Dark Nightmare Leopard, had conveyed words of concern for Shih-pei and his unattached children with every word of politeness, as well as accommodations for the children's future.
　Naturally, Stopwater understands that this is what they call a threat in the underworld.
　Hyakugan has a gentle, caring, worried look on his face.
　If he refuses, he'll "kill the kids"........
　Stopwater understands his own abilities and the situation he's in.
　Even if he killed Hyakugan and fought his pursuers, he would not be able to protect the children from the powerful organization that would come after him.
　
　The content is that he will not belong to the Dark Nightmare Leopard, but he will be willing to cooperate depending on the reward. And the cessation was greedy, nasty, and unapologetic, as much as he could think of, and put forth the terms of cooperation.
　Furthermore, he intimates that if he doesn't agree to these conditions and starts messing with me, I'll go get the head of the person known as the Count from here.
　There is a momentary tension in the air between Hyakugan, who has not cracked a smile, and the expressionless Stopwater.
　By taking them to threaten each other, Stopwater makes the dark night leopard think that killing the children is a case that he can't get his money's worth, and by daring to appear greedy, he tries to let them know that he doesn't care about them and has little role to play as a hostage.
　It was also a bargaining skill that Cessation had acquired from wandering in the darkness of society, in order not to let even a small amount of negative influence on the things he was supposed to protect.
　But ... once Hyakugan checked with his superior, he excused himself from his seat, and when he returned immediately, he responded with a big smile when he drank all of the terms that Stopwater had given him.
　When Stopwater heard this, he nodded and stood up. But Stopwater knew. There was no way this was going to be the only time this was going to happen. Perhaps the Dark Night's Leopard would use him down to the marrow. And if he was no longer useful, his treatment of the children would change, and the convenience would disappear.
　This is just stalling for time.
　From this moment on, Stopwater was soon looking for a way to protect the children from the Dark Night Leopard, and from China. And then an idea came to him.

(This cursed life of mine shall be mine alone. Can I put an end to this curse that has been placed on me?　Du Du Yuto. No, come to type!　I'm a dead bird. I won't skimp on the details. I don't want to cut corners and let you hold a flower. (Break off the wings of a real bird and raise them to the sky.

　A fierce, swirling light of determination lit up in the eyes of the stopping water.