Editing BlazBlue:Calamity Trigger Part 1 Chapter 2 (section)

===Part 2===

'''December 30, 2199, 9:23'''

Normally, the eastern sky of Kagutsuchi would be illuminated by the brilliance of the sunlight, its dazzling light making one forget about the stagnant seithr on the earth's surface. But today, unfortunately, thick clouds covered the sky from early morning. They were rain clouds. The damp air told him that it would rain before noon.

On the outskirts of the 13th Hierarchical City of Kagutsuchi, there was a city that wasn’t built as part of the city but was constructed spontaneously by refugees who had drifted to this place. It was called Ronin-Gai.

This city was built by the losers of the Ikaruga Civil War, which ended five years ago, and who had lived in the Ikaruga Federation. Their homeland had been lost in the civil war. The displaced people of Ikaruga scattered all over the world, and those who had fled to Kagutsuchi had gathered here to make a living. It was a complex terrain, far from ideal for building a city. Located below the high mountain where Kagutsuchi was situated, the area was rocky, with many cracks and cliffs.

Nevertheless, the Ikaruga refugees had built a city that seemed to be half-floating in the air, with intricate structures built on rocky platforms, bridges spanning chasms, and stairs carved into cliffs.

It was a small city, a makeshift city built from whatever materials they could find. But despite that, the city was neat and tidy, with a distinctive Ikaruga atmosphere. And today, a man’s loud voice echoed through the streets.

“Hey everyone! I hope you're all doing well and in peace today!! Hmm, good, good, very good! Hahahahahaha!” The owner of that thick, resonant voice was Bang Shishigami. A large, muscular man, he was walking down the main street of Ronin-Gai, greeting everyone he passed with a hearty hello.

With his bushy black hair tied up high and wearing a unique deep green outfit, he was dressed in traditional Ikaruga ninja attire. Normally, ninjas were supposed to work in the dark, but Bang Shishigami was the complete opposite—he was always trying to attract attention.

A strong, large physique, a broad back that couldn't be hidden, a cross-shaped scar etched on his face, and a bright red cloth wrapped around his neck. Every time that red cloth fluttered in the canyon wind, no one could help but look back at him. It wasn't the distinctive outfit that caught the attention of the people in the Ronin-Gai. The long, red cloth wrapped around him like a scarf was a mark of identification.

It was the symbol of Bang Shishigami, the leader of the Ikaruga ninjas, who had gathered the lost refugees, led them to build the Ronin-Gai, and now walked through the streets daily, checking if the residents faced any troubles or problems.

"Good morning, Bang-sama!"

"Bang! Thank you for helping us capture the runaway chicken the other day!"

"Bang-sama! Hello!"

Bang waved his hand in response to the calls from all directions and returned a cheerful smile.

"Yes, good morning! Oh, that's right—since it looks like it'll rain today, if there are any houses leaking, just call on me! I'll fly over immediately and help with repairs!" He said as he continued walking forward, his voice echoing through the streets.

The weather wasn't great, but Bang's heart was as bright as ever. He had comrades, and a place to live. How fortunate this was—Bang, who had spent years running behind the scenes of war as a ninja, now fully understood and cherished this peace every single day.

Peace was good. Love could only exist in peace.

"Hmm?" Bang grunted in surprise as he noticed someone ahead of him. It was a man he didn't recognize. Bang had memorized the faces and bodies of every Ikaruga refugee living in the district.

The man had short blonde hair and a slender build. From the way he walked, Bang guessed that he was still young. But what really caught Bang's attention was the man's clothing. The blue and white uniform he wore was undoubtedly that of the Novus Orbis Librarium.

"Hey, you there! Wait!" Shouting out, Bang leapt high into the air. In a moment that seemed to defy gravity, he soared over the young man’s head and landed directly in front of him. The unfamiliar man stopped in his tracks, furrowing his brow in confusion at Bang’s sudden appearance.

As expected, he was a young man, still carrying the traces of youth. There was no mistaking that his outfit was the uniform of the NOL, and he was holding a sword in a blue sheath. Bang's brow furrowed even deeper, filled with growing suspicion.

"What are you doing in our town? You're wearing the uniform of the NOL, aren't you?" Was he a Kagutsuchi guard? Bang didn't recognize him. If he was a guard of Kagutsuchi, it would be unusual for him to come down to such a lower level, and if he were from a different branch, he would have entered Kagutsuchi from a higher tier. The sight of someone wearing the Librarium's uniform in this street felt completely out of place.

The blonde young man didn't answer, but simply looked at Bang with cold green eyes. Eventually, he parted his pale lips and murmured in a low voice.

"That outfit... an Ikaruga ninja?" His voice was far from friendly. Some might have heard disdain or mockery in those words. However, Bang chose to interpret the cold tone as a form of caution, rather than hostility.

Raising his body, which had tensed in preparation, Bang hurriedly extended his hands in a gesture of reassurance.

"No, no, please don't misunderstand. I have no intention of fighting you. This is indeed a town of the Ikaruga people, and I was once an Ikaruga ninja. But the Ikaruga Civil War ended five years ago." Bang crossed his thick arms and nodded solemnly several times as he continued. "True, the cause of the end of the war wasn't a battle, but rather the explosion of our capital, Ibukido." The Ikaruga Civil War had started when the Ikaruga Federation, with the 5th Hierarchical City of Ibukido as its capital, declared its independence from the Novus Orbis Librarium. The NOL attempted to suppress this by force, and the Ikaruga Federation fought back with military resistance.

This war had continued for four years until one day…

Suddenly, an unexplained massive explosion occurred underground in Ibukido, the center of command for the Ikaruga Federation, and the city was annihilated. The explosion dealt a severe blow not only to the Ikaruga Federation, but also to the NOL, which was in the midst of the conflict. Both sides lost enough strength that they could no longer continue the war.

In the end, the Ikaruga Federation fragmented and lost its shape as an organization. But the NOL was too busy recovering from its own losses to pursue further retaliation, and the civil war gradually fizzled out and ended without anyone really noticing.

"Still, we lost. I will not throw away the peace we now have to foolishly oppose the Librarium," Bang said with a bitter smile, reaching up to touch the cross-shaped scar on his forehead with a thick hand. That scar had been caused by the explosion during the accident. Whether the accident that ended the civil war had been a blessing or a curse for him, Bang still couldn't decide. All he knew was that the people of Ikaruga had fought enough. Now, he wanted them to live in peace, even if it wasn't an easy life.

The blonde young man said nothing, quietly staring at Bang. It was impossible to discern his thoughts from his blank expression, which seemed almost absent, as if he were lost in thought. There was no sign of emotion or intention in his face. 

Was he even listening? Bang, feeling uneasy, repeated his earlier question.

"So, who are you, and what are you doing in Ronin-Gai?" 

"...I have no business here." Finally, the young man gave a direct answer to Bang's question. It was a curt and dismissive response, but Bang felt relieved. 

If the young man had drawn his sword and said something like, "I'm here to hunt Ikaruga remnants," Bang would have been forced to put on a big display in the middle of the town, which was bustling with people. That would have caused some collateral damage, with a few houses possibly getting caught in the crossfire, and maybe a few people injured.

The young man remained expressionless, his gaze now turning toward the mountains looming in the distance. On top of those mountains were several city districts, and at the peak stood the Kagutsuchi branch of the NOL.

"I'm not interested in you people. I just want to go up."

"Up? Do you mean the Librarium's branch?" Bang asked.

"You're in the way. Move... or, no." The young man spoke coldly, but then, as if reconsidering, he lowered his voice, still remaining distant. "By the way, have you seen a man with white hair and a red coat in Kagutsuchi?" His expression remained as frozen as before, but for a brief moment, Bang could have sworn the green eyes glimmered with something like amusement.

Bang scratched his chin and thought for a moment. "White hair and a red coat... Hmm. No, I haven’t seen anyone like that around here. If he had such a noticeable appearance, I’d remember him after a glance..."

"I see. That's fine." As if he had instantly lost all interest in Bang, the youth glided past him, walking smoothly and without hesitation. The wind that passed by them was strangely cold, as if it had brushed against ice.

"Oh, you there!" Bang called out to the young man’s retreating back. "I am Bang Shishigami. What is your name?"

But the man didn't turn around. It was as if Bang's words hadn't reached him at all. As if guided by something, the young man disappeared into the outskirts of Ronin-Gai.

Bang stood there with his arm still outstretched as if trying to stop him, his face twisting in confusion. He turned his neck and muttered to himself.

"Hmm... What a strange man. It's as if his soul is missing... like he's being possessed by something." 

But it was midday, and the sun was getting higher. Such ghostly phenomena—like losing one's soul or being possessed—were clearly not the kind of thing that would happen in broad daylight.

Shaking off the strange thoughts, Bang refocused his energy and straightened his chest. His patrol of Ronin-Gai wasn't over yet. The sky was growing steadily darker, and the rain would start soon. He needed to check if any houses needed repairs before the rain hit.

"Tch, these young people today, they're lacking in spirit! They walk around looking so gloomy. They need to be more dignified, stronger, and more passionate! Just like me, Bang Shishigami, the ninja of love and justice!" Laughing loudly, his voice echoing throughout the area, Bang resumed his patrol. 
Once this was done and his subordinates’ training was finished, if there was still time, he planned to head to Orient Town to visit and greet the woman he admired. He had already made plans in his mind.

Ronin-Gai was peaceful today.

And that, above all, was wonderful.