The Emperor's Fall

The tension in the air was suffocating. The rooftop of Tower Azabudai Hills Mori was vast, but in this moment, it felt like a cage. The cold night breeze swept through the towering skyline, but Hiro barely felt it. His focus was locked on the man standing before him—Yoshikawa Eichi, the Emperor of Japan.

Blood dripped from Hiro's lip, staining the rooftop beneath him. His ribs screamed in agony, and his vision blurred from exhaustion. But he refused to fall.

Across from him, Yoshikawa wiped the blood trickling from his nose, scowling. "You just don't know when to quit, do you?"

Hiro spat to the side, his body trembling from pain, but his voice steady. "I told you… insult me all you want. But insult my father again, and I'll make you suffer."

Yoshikawa smirked despite the situation. "Your father was a fool. Just like you."

Hiro didn't wait for another insult. He lunged.

Yoshikawa barely had time to react before Hiro was upon him. Their fists clashed, blocking, dodging, countering. Yoshikawa was strong, faster than Hiro anticipated, but Hiro had one advantage—he had nothing to lose.

A punch to the ribs sent Hiro stumbling back, but he recovered instantly, ducking under Yoshikawa's next swing and delivering a brutal knee to his stomach. The emperor gasped, but before he could recover, Hiro followed up with a roundhouse kick to his head, sending him crashing against the railing of the rooftop.

Yoshikawa coughed, blood dripping from his mouth. He gritted his teeth, glaring at Hiro. "You're persistent. I'll give you that."

Hiro exhaled sharply, keeping his stance firm. "And you're running out of tricks."

Yoshikawa chuckled. "Am I?"

In a flash, he reached behind his back and pulled out a concealed knife, its blade gleaming under the city lights.

Hiro's muscles tensed. He had expected a desperate move, but he had to be careful. One wrong step, and that blade would end everything.

Yoshikawa lunged with frightening speed, slashing at Hiro with deadly precision. Hiro barely dodged, the knife grazing his suit, cutting through the reinforced fabric. He countered with a kick, but Yoshikawa caught his leg and twisted, throwing Hiro onto the cold rooftop.

The impact stole Hiro's breath, but he forced himself to roll away as the knife stabbed into the ground where his head had been moments before.

"That was close," Yoshikawa sneered.

Hiro panted, his mind racing. He needed an opening. He needed to end this.

Then he saw it—the knife. The moment Yoshikawa pulled it free from the ground, his grip was slightly off. A small weakness. A split second was all Hiro needed.

Yoshikawa lunged again, but this time, Hiro sidestepped perfectly. As the blade slashed through the air, Hiro grabbed Yoshikawa's wrist, twisted it, and drove his elbow into his opponent's throat. Yoshikawa gasped, choking, and the knife clattered to the ground.

Hiro didn't hesitate. He delivered a final, crushing kick to Yoshikawa's chest, sending him hurtling backward.

The emperor stumbled, his foot slipping over the edge of the rooftop. His body teetered on the railing, the city lights reflecting in his wide, fearful eyes.

For the first time, Yoshikawa looked afraid.

Hiro stepped forward, standing over him. "It's over."

Yoshikawa chuckled weakly, coughing. "So, this is how it ends, huh? Kousuke's son, delivering the final blow."

Hiro didn't respond. His fingers twitched, debating what to do. Kazuya had given him a simple order—kill the emperor. But after everything he had learned… did he truly want to follow through with it?

Yoshikawa seemed to sense his hesitation. He scoffed. "You still don't get it, do you? Kazuya is worse than me. Worse than anything you can imagine. The moment you killed for him, you sealed your fate."

Hiro clenched his fists. He had never wanted to kill. He had never wanted to be a weapon for Kazuya. And yet, here he was, at the edge of a decision that would change everything.

Yoshikawa shook his head. "Leave the organization, Hiro. Before it's too late."

Hiro took a step back. "I—"

Before he could respond, the rooftop door burst open. A young boy, no older than ten, ran toward them, his small frame trembling. "DAD!!!"

Hiro's eyes widened. His heart sank.

The child ran to Yoshikawa, clinging to him desperately. "Please! Don't hurt my dad!"

Yoshikawa's expression softened as he looked at his son. "I'm sorry, my boy… I failed to protect you."

Hiro's breath caught in his throat. He suddenly saw himself in that boy—desperate, afraid, about to lose someone forever.

Yoshikawa looked at Hiro one final time. "I know you won't believe me, but I was never your true enemy."

Hiro took a step forward, reaching out. "Wait—"

But it was too late.

Yoshikawa gave his son one last embrace, then, without hesitation, threw himself off the edge—his child still in his arms.

"YOSHIKAWA!!!" Hiro's voice rang out, but there was nothing he could do.

The boy's terrified scream echoed as they plummeted into the abyss below.

Hiro stood frozen, staring at the empty rooftop, his mind unable to process what had just happened. His chest tightened, his body trembled. He wanted to scream, to lash out—to do something—but all he could do was fall to his knees.

He had failed.

A week passed. Hiro barely spoke. He barely ate. The images of that night haunted him every time he closed his eyes.

Now, he stood before Kazuya, who sat at his desk, leaning back with an amused smirk. "Hiro… I heard the mission was a success. Good job."

Hiro didn't respond immediately. His voice was hollow. "Thank you, sir."

Kazuya studied him for a moment, then raised an eyebrow. "Something on your mind?"

Hiro took a deep breath. "I want to leave the organization."

Silence filled the room. Kazuya's smirk faded. He leaned forward, lacing his fingers together. "Oh? Is that so?"

Hiro nodded. "Yes, sir."

Kazuya exhaled slowly before nodding. "Alright. Let's talk about this tomorrow, then."

Hiro blinked, surprised. He had expected more resistance. "Tomorrow?"

Kazuya's smile returned. "Of course. I'd hate for you to make such an important decision without thinking it through."

Despite the unease crawling up his spine, Hiro nodded. "Understood, sir."

He turned to leave, but as soon as he exited, Kazuya's expression darkened. The room felt heavier, suffocating.

The man leaned back in his chair, his fingers tapping rhythmically on the desk. He stared at the empty doorway before muttering under his breath, his voice laced with venom.

"So… Yoshikawa got to you, huh?"

His hand curled into a fist, slamming against the desk. His voice, now filled with rage, echoed through the room.

"You bastard."

(End of Chapter )

(End of Volume 2)