Chapter Two: Nox

After the high-level meeting concluded, it was agreed that the battle would commence on April 15th, just one month away. Excitement and anticipation buzzed through each organization as they prepared for the historic event. The search for the perfect fighter began in earnest, with each group determined to find the champion who would lead them to victory.[Samsara Headquarters]In a dimly lit room, a black figure sat in a chair facing away from the group of eight people standing around it. All dressed in suits, they waited in tense silence. The chair slowly turned to reveal a tall, middle-aged woman with a scar on her face. Her dark brown eyes resembled a fiery sea, a tsunami ready to drown the world. She wore a suit and a long coat. As she faced them, everyone bowed deeply."Boss, the meeting is over," one of them announced. It was clear that the true leader of Samsara had not attended the meeting, instead sending an executive in her place."Raise your heads and tell me what happened," the boss commanded. One executive stepped forward, detailing the decisions made during the meeting."Boss, who shall we pick? I have brought a list of all the elite fighters from around the world," said the first executive, holding out a folder.The boss glanced at the list, her eyes scanning the names before she sighed and closed it. "None of them.""None of them? But boss, these are the best fighters in the world. We cannot afford to lose this match," protested a second executive."Have you already thought of someone, boss?" asked a third executive, puzzled by her decision.Before the boss could answer, the door swung open with a bang. A tall man strode into the room, a confident smile on his face."President Ken? I thought he was abroad!" murmured one of the executives in surprise."Isn't it him?" Ken asked, his smile widening."Yeah," the boss confirmed."Who?" the executives chorused, bewildered."Nox," the boss replied, her voice calm and decisive.The executives were stunned, exchanging confused glances. None of them had heard of this fighter, and they began murmuring among themselves. Sensing their confusion, the boss stood and addressed them directly."I will personally go and bring Nox. Meeting dismissed."The executives stood up, bowed, and filed out of the room, their minds buzzing with questions. Only President Ken remained behind."Do you think he'll come?" Ken asked, his tone serious now."It'll be hard to find him, but yes, he'll come," the boss replied with quiet confidence.With that, the room fell silent, the weight of their task settling heavily upon them. The search for Nox had begun, and the fate of Samsara—and perhaps the entire underworld—hung in the balance.[Yokohama, Japan]It was raining heavily, and the streets were slick with water. A tall figure, standing 6 feet tall with broad shoulders, approached an abandoned building. The hood of his black hoodie was pulled low over his face, shadowing his features. He moved deliberately, each step echoing his purpose. As he entered the building, a group of four to five bald men quickly surrounded him."Who's he, and why is he here?" one of them demanded, his voice filled with suspicion."I'm here for the girl," the hooded man replied calmly."So you're here for her? Get out of here before we kill you, you punk," one of the bald men threatened, his tone dripping with menace."What if I don't?" the hooded man replied, unflinching.Suddenly, a loud thunderclap resonated through the building, and the lights went out, plunging the room into darkness. The sounds of struggle, grunts of pain, and agonizing screams filled the air. When the lights flickered back on, the hooded man stood alone with blood dripping from his fist, the bodies of the bald men lying lifeless around him.Unperturbed, he began to climb the stairs, moving with a quiet intensity. More men came at him, attempting to stop his progress, but he dispatched them with ruthless efficiency. His movements were precise, almost mechanical, as he cleared his path of anyone who dared to stand in his way.At last, he reached the top floor and found the girl hiding inside an old cupboard. She was trembling with fear, her eyes wide as she saw the man with a knife."Oh," he said, realizing her terror. He tossed the knife aside and extended his hand toward her. "Don't worry, I'm here to rescue you."The girl remained silent, paralyzed by fear. The man gave her a gentle smile and said, "Do you know there's a ghost inside this building? If you don't come out of the cupboard, the ghost will come and eat you. Come out now. I promise I won't harm you and will take you somewhere safe."Terrified of the imaginary ghost, the girl quickly emerged from the cupboard and began to cry. The man hugged her, whispering reassurances. They started to make their way out of the building, and he covered her eyes with his hand to shield her from the gruesome sight of the bodies scattered along their path.Once outside, the rain continued to pour, but the man spoke gently to the girl. "Will you come with me to a place where you'll be safe and find many friends?"The girl hesitated, then said, "I'll only come if you tell me your name.""Nox," he replied. "That's my name.""Brother Nox," she said with a small smile. "I'm going to call you Brother Nox from now on."They got into Nox's car, and he drove away, the rain washing away the blood and the pain of the night's events.