Ranmaru gets unofficially transferred to the TOKKO division while still being under the official command of TOKKI, which pissed off Kunikida and thinks that Akiha may have been responsible for Ranmaru's supposed transfer. In a meeting with the Phantom Countermeasures Committee, lead by top NPA (and possibly Public Security Investigation Agency) officials, they accuse Ryoko of wasting her time in their investigation against the Phantoms and not doing anything to calm the public about the supposed serial murder cases since Ranmaru's own symbiote was awakened by her subordinates without enacting on their authorization. In the dead of night, Gaki Phantoms infiltrate a NPA office in Tokyo in order to assassinate Ryoko in order to halt TOKKO's investigation against them. In the subsequent fight, Ryoko gets minor injuries on her left arm and they discover Ranmaru's power, which was the ability to channel his symbiote energy on his broadsword to do a projectile attack. Ranmaru, through Akiha, understood why Ryoko wanted to be in charge of TOKKO. It was for vengeance when her fiancée died protecting her from one of the Phantom demons during the subsequent Machida massacre.
Ranmaru es transferido extraoficialmente a la división de TOKKO mientras aún está bajo el mando oficial de TOKKI, lo que enfureció a Kunikida y piensa que Akiha pudo haber sido responsable de la supuesta transferencia de Ranmaru. En una reunión con el Comité de Contramedidas Fantasmas, dirigido por los principales funcionarios de la NPA, acusan a Ryoko de perder el tiempo en su investigación contra los Fantasmas y no hacer nada para calmar al público sobre los supuestos casos de asesinatos en serie.
