YESSS, that makes way more sense. Since Renjiro, Ren, and Kenji are already participants, having them witness the aftermath gives us a natural way to let the reader realize: something much bigger than a tournament match just happened.
And I LOVE the idea of formally naming the operation. I'd call it:
Operation: Kurokage — Black Shadow
A TQI investigation into Kuroya Shidou's disappearance and the violation of the Third Tournament Regulation.
For ranks, we can give TQI a Japanese hierarchy:
Inshō (印将) — Inquest CommanderKensa (検査) — Senior InvestigatorShihai (支配) — Field InvestigatorJunsa (巡査) — Junior Investigator
Let's rewrite Chapter 2 around that. 👇
Chapter 2: Operation Kurokage
The doors of the Divine Crucible slammed shut.
The arena fell into chaos.
"WHERE DID HE GO?!"
"Was that some kind of teleportation?!"
"Did anyone see him leave?!"
The spectators shouted over one another as tournament officials rushed across the arena.
Renjiro stood among the competitors' viewing area, staring at the empty battlefield.
His eyes narrowed.
"He just… disappeared."
Beside him, Kenji watched the officials search the arena.
"That wasn't normal."
Ren looked toward the battlefield.
"Do you think he used his Shōin?"
Renjiro shook his head.
"If he did, someone would've detected it."
Kenji frowned.
"Then where the hell did he go?"
None of them had an answer.
Across the arena, Kaito Aramaki was being escorted toward the exit.
He struggled against the officials.
"Wait! I didn't cheat!"
"Keep moving."
"I said I didn't cheat!"
Renjiro's expression changed.
"Kaito."
Kaito looked toward the spectators.
His eyes met Renjiro's.
"Renjiro!"
The officials continued dragging him away.
"I DON'T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED!"
The doors closed behind him.
Renjiro remained silent.
Kenji looked at him.
"You believe him?"
Renjiro stared at the closed doors.
"I don't know."
He looked back at the arena.
"But something about that fight was wrong."
Two Hours Later
The tournament had been temporarily suspended.
The Divine Crucible's administrative district had been sealed.
No spectators were allowed inside.
No fighters were permitted to leave the tournament grounds without authorization.
Inside one of the main administrative halls, several tournament officials stood around a long black table.
At its center was a single file.
KUROYA SHIDOU.
An official opened it.
"Participant registered under the Ice Shōin classification."
Another official spoke.
"Confirmed."
"Any previous violations?"
"None."
"Known affiliations?"
"None."
"Family?"
"Records indicate no immediate relatives."
The official frowned.
"That's strange."
"What?"
"The records are incomplete."
Before anyone could answer—
Knock.
The doors opened.
Five figures entered.
Every conversation stopped.
They wore identical black coats extending below their knees.
Their collars were high.
Their gloves were black.
Thin metallic lines ran along their sleeves and shoulders.
At the center of each coat was the symbol of the Onyx Inquest:
an eye surrounded by a fractured circle.
The man at the front stepped forward.
He was tall, with short black hair and a thin scar running beneath his left eye.
He placed an identification badge on the table.
TQI — INSHŌ
The highest field rank of the Onyx Inquest.
His name was Akihito Kurogane.
"Give me the report."
The officials immediately straightened.
One handed him the file.
"During today's match, participant Kaito Aramaki violated the Third Tournament Regulation."
Akihito looked up.
"The Third?"
"Yes."
"What was the violation?"
"Unauthorized Shōin interaction."
Akihito continued reading.
"And the opponent?"
"Kuroya Shidou."
"What happened to him?"
The official swallowed.
"He disappeared."
Akihito stopped turning the pages.
"Explain."
"He was standing in the arena."
"And then?"
"Gone."
"Exit?"
"Sealed."
"Teleportation?"
"Undetermined."
"Outside interference?"
"None detected."
Akihito slowly closed the file.
"Then this isn't a violation investigation."
He looked at the other investigators.
"This is a disappearance."
The Onyx Inquest
Akihito turned toward the four investigators behind him.
"This investigation will be conducted under a temporary operation designation."
He removed a black identification plate from his coat and placed it on the table.
Three characters were engraved into its surface.
黒影
Akihito spoke.
"Operation Kurokage."
The investigators immediately acknowledged.
"Understood."
Akihito pointed toward the first investigator.
"Kensa — Maki Shirogane."
A woman with long dark hair stepped forward.
"Evidence analysis and Shōin residue examination."
He pointed toward the second.
"Shihai — Daigo Arakawa."
A broad-shouldered man nodded.
"Field investigation and witness interrogation."
The third investigator stepped forward.
"Shihai — Sora Mikazuki."
A young man adjusted the glasses resting on his nose.
"Records, registration, and identity verification."
Finally, Akihito looked toward the youngest member.
"Junsa — Yui Tsukishiro."
Yui nodded.
"Surveillance and tracking."
Akihito turned back toward the officials.
"The Onyx Inquest will determine three things."
He raised one finger.
"First: whether Kaito Aramaki intentionally violated the Third Regulation."
A second finger.
"Second: how Kuroya Shidou disappeared."
A third.
"And third…"
His eyes hardened.
"Who Kuroya Shidou actually was."
Meanwhile
Renjiro, Ren, and Kenji stood in a corridor overlooking the administrative district.
They had been ordered to remain in the designated competitor area.
Kenji leaned against the wall.
"So that's TQI?"
Renjiro looked through the window.
The investigators were moving through the halls below.
"I've heard of them."
Ren looked confused.
"They actually investigate tournament violations?"
"Not just violations."
Renjiro watched Akihito Kurogane walk through the hall.
"They investigate anything that could threaten the integrity of the Divine Crucible."
Kenji crossed his arms.
"So Kuroya disappearing is serious."
Renjiro nodded.
"Very."
Ren looked toward the arena.
"And Kaito?"
Renjiro didn't answer immediately.
"He said he didn't cheat."
Kenji looked at him.
"You believe him?"
Renjiro's eyes narrowed.
"I believe that he believed he wasn't cheating."
Kenji raised an eyebrow.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Renjiro remembered the fight.
The strange distortion.
The way Kaito had suddenly reacted.
The moment when Kuroya's movements seemed to change.
"I don't know."
He looked toward the administrative building.
"But I don't think we've seen the end of this."
Far beneath the main tournament arena, another set of doors opened.
Kaito stepped inside.
The atmosphere was completely different from the main divisions.
There was no cheering.
No excitement.
Only silence.
A guard unlocked the final door.
"Third Division."
Kaito stepped forward.
His fists clenched.
"I shouldn't be here."
The guard didn't respond.
Kaito looked down the enormous corridor.
Hundreds of fighters watched him from behind the barriers.
Some smiled.
Some laughed.
Others simply stared.
Then Kaito heard a voice from somewhere in the darkness.
"New arrival?"
Kaito stopped.
A figure slowly stepped forward.
His presence alone made the corridor feel colder.
Kaito's eyes widened.
The man's eyes met his.
"What's your name?"
Kaito swallowed.
"Kaito Aramaki."
The stranger smiled.
"Interesting."
He turned away.
"Welcome to Third Division."
Kaito stared after him.
"Who are you?"
The figure stopped.
Then looked over his shoulder.
"The Shadow King."
Kaito's blood ran cold.
Back inside the administrative district, the Onyx Inquest stood before the empty arena.
Maki knelt beside the battlefield.
"There is something unusual here."
Akihito looked down.
"What?"
"Ice Shōin residue."
She paused.
"But there's another signature mixed into it."
Akihito's eyes narrowed.
"What kind?"
Maki stared at the residue.
"I can't identify it."
"Can you trace it?"
"No."
Akihito looked toward the place where Kuroya had disappeared.
"Then we start with the victim."
Daigo turned toward him.
"Kaito Aramaki?"
Akihito nodded.
"Find out everything about him."
Sora opened his tablet.
"Family?"
"Friends."
"Previous battles?"
"Everything."
Yui stepped forward.
"And Kuroya?"
Akihito looked at her.
"Find him."
A brief silence followed.
Then Akihito spoke the words that would begin an investigation that would spread far beyond the tournament.
"Operation Kurokage begins now."