#6, Who is he?

Chapter 6

The DVD Incident

The streets of Italy were bustling with life as Meito, Nodo, and Kishimata wandered through the city. Despite the seriousness of their mission, the trio couldn't resist taking a brief break to soak in the culture. The architecture, the food, the people—Italy was a whole different world compared to what they were used to back home.

Meito was munching on a slice of pizza when something caught Kishimata's eye. A couple of shady-looking figures stood across the street, whispering to each other in hushed tones. One of them discreetly handed a small package to the other.

"Looks like we've got some trouble," Kishimata muttered, eyeing them suspiciously.

Nodo's eyes lit up. "Finally, some action! Let's go check it out."

Before Meito could even finish his slice, Kishimata and Nodo were already moving towards the scene, subtly closing the distance. Meito groaned, swallowing his pizza in a hurry as he jogged to catch up.

As they got closer, they could hear snippets of the criminals' conversation.

"…make sure it gets delivered. Boss doesn't want any screw-ups this time."

"Yeah, yeah. I got it."

Without a second thought, Nodo stepped in. "Hey! Whatcha got there, fellas?"

The two criminals looked up, startled. One of them reached for something in his jacket, but Kishimata was faster. With lightning speed, he disarmed the guy, twisting his arm behind his back in a practiced motion.

"Alright, alright! We don't want trouble!" the other guy stammered, dropping the package as he raised his hands in surrender.

Meito bent down to pick it up, frowning as he examined it. "What the hell is this? A DVD?"

"Must be some kind of message or something," Nodo speculated, casually patting down the second guy for any other surprises. "What do you think, Kishimata?"

Kishimata shrugged, keeping his hold firm on the first criminal. "Whatever it is, it's enough to have them running around like scared rats."

After turning the two criminals over to the authorities, they gathered in a quiet alley to investigate the mysterious DVD. Nodo fished his laptop out of his backpack, tossing it onto a nearby crate.

Meito scratched his head, looking at the DVD in his hand. "So, you think this was supposed to go to someone? It doesn't look like anything special."

"Betcha it's something shady," Nodo said with a grin, plugging in his laptop. "Let's find out."

With a click, the DVD began to play. The screen flickered for a moment before the image of a well-dressed man appeared. He was sitting in a dimly lit room, his face partially obscured by shadow. Behind him, faint silhouettes of people loomed in the background.

"Greetings, Weisto von Gerald," the man's voice began, smooth and calculated. "This message is for you. The plan is proceeding as expected, and soon, we will reach our goal. However, there are three individuals you need to be cautious of."

The trio tensed, leaning in as the man continued.

"These three pose a potential threat to our operations. I trust you will deal with them accordingly. Their interference could ruin everything."

Meito's eyes widened as he realized what the man was implying. They were the three threats.

The man on the screen paused for a moment before continuing, his voice lowering slightly. "The names of these individuals are not important, but their involvement will lead to complications. Make no mistake, we must eliminate them before they get too close. Failure is not an option, Weisto. Do not let me down."

The screen went black, leaving the trio in stunned silence.

"Well, that's… ominous," Meito muttered, breaking the silence.

Nodo raised an eyebrow, leaning back. "Looks like they know about us. This Weisto von Gerald guy… he's at the bottom of the ladder, right? Must be working for someone higher up."

Kishimata nodded, deep in thought. "It sounds like this message was meant to warn him. Whoever that guy on the video was, he's probably one of the top dogs in their organization. We're dealing with something a lot bigger than we thought."

Meito sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Great. Just what we needed—an entire criminal organization targeting us."

"Hey," Nodo chimed in, a grin creeping across his face, "at least they think we're a threat! That's gotta count for something, right?"

Kishimata shot him a look. "This isn't a game, Nodo. If they're planning to eliminate us, we need to take this seriously."

Nodo waved him off. "Yeah, yeah, I know. But look at it this way—we're already ahead of them. We got the DVD before it reached its target, and now we know what they're planning. We've got the upper hand."

Meito nodded, though he still felt uneasy. This wasn't just a simple mission anymore—it was personal. Whoever was behind this operation knew about them, and they weren't going to stop until the trio was out of the picture.

"So," Meito said, glancing between his teammates, "what's the plan? We can't just sit around and wait for them to come after us."

Kishimata crossed his arms, his expression serious. "We need to figure out who's really pulling the strings. Weisto von Gerald is just a small fry. The guy in the video? He's the one we should be worried about."

"Agreed," Nodo said, standing up and stretching. "Looks like our little Italian vacation just got a whole lot more interesting."

As they packed up the laptop and prepared to move on, Meito couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning. They had stumbled onto something big—something dangerous. But if there was one thing he knew for sure, it was that they weren't going to back down.

No matter how many threats came their way, they were going to see this mission through to the end.

---

Fun fact: Despite Nodo's laid-back attitude, he's actually the one who takes these kinds of threats the most seriously. He just uses humor to cover up how much it stresses him out.

Chapter 6, Part 2: Countdown to Chaos

The screen had just gone black when suddenly, a voice crackled back to life, catching them off guard.

"Wait, is that—?" Meito began, but was cut off as the voice on the DVD spoke again.

"This message will self-destruct in 1... 2... 3…"

"WHAT?!" Nodo nearly choked as his eyes widened. "Are you kidding me?!"

Without missing a beat, Kishimata Lan shot up, grabbing the laptop with one hand and the DVD with the other. "Out of the way!" he barked, his usual calm demeanor replaced with urgency.

The three of them scrambled, panic setting in. Meito dove behind a crate, still processing what was happening.

"Ten billion percent not how I imagined my day going!" Nodo yelled, dodging to the side as Kishimata launched the DVD toward a nearby dumpster with precision.

Meito's heart was racing, his mind blank for a moment. "Wait, hold on! Is it really gonna explode?"

Just as Nodo opened his mouth to respond, they heard a faint tick from the dumpster. The three of them froze in place, staring at the metal bin, bracing for the inevitable boom.

...

Silence.

Seconds passed, and nothing happened.

"…Was that it?" Meito cautiously peeked over the crate. "No explosion?"

Kishimata squinted, tilting his head slightly. "It seems—"

POP!

A loud pop sound erupted from the dumpster, followed by the unmistakable scent of… confetti? Small colorful pieces burst from the bin, fluttering to the ground like a sad parade.

The trio stared in disbelief.

"…Seriously?" Nodo muttered, picking a piece of confetti off his shoulder. "They rigged it with confetti?"

Meito stood up, still wide-eyed. "I almost had a heart attack!"

Kishimata shook his head, laughing under his breath. "Classic intimidation tactic. They wanted to make sure we knew they weren't messing around. It's psychological."

Nodo raised an eyebrow. "Psychological my foot. I thought I was about to get blown to pieces for the sake of a DVD."

"Good thing we didn't," Meito sighed, relief washing over him as he slumped against the wall. "But we can't ignore what we heard on that video. They know about us."

Kishimata nodded. "That's the real threat. The message was clear—they're onto us, and that guy in the video? He's got resources. We need to move carefully."

Still catching his breath, Nodo chuckled. "At least they got us with a confetti bomb. Could've been worse."

Meito groaned, rubbing his face. "I can't believe I was scared by confetti."

Kishimata smirked, crossing his arms. "Better than being caught off guard by something real. Let's stay sharp."

As the three of them dusted off and began to gather themselves, the tension eased, but the lingering sense of danger remained. They had gotten lucky this time, but the threat was still real, and the enemies they were dealing with were only growing more dangerous.

"Next time," Meito muttered to himself, "no more DVDs."

With their hearts still racing, the trio continued their journey, but now, they knew they had to be more careful. The game had just been taken to the next level, and every step they took from here would have to be smarter, faster, and more strategic.

Whatever lay ahead, they were ready. Or at least, they hoped so.

Chapter 6, Part 3: The Rising Tension

The trio continued walking through the narrow alleyways of Italy, their footsteps echoing against the cobblestones. The chaotic aftermath of the confetti bomb had left them on edge, and the gravity of the message on the DVD still lingered in the air like a storm cloud.

Kishimata Lan, normally calm and collected, had fallen silent, his sharp eyes scanning every shadow, every corner. Nodo Sei, who typically cracked jokes even in the most tense situations, was uncharacteristically quiet. Even Meito, the most naive of the group, felt something was wrong—something far worse than before.

"Does anyone else feel that?" Meito asked, his voice low.

Nodo nodded, gripping his fists tighter. "Yeah… like we're being watched."

The hairs on the back of Meito's neck stood on end. The air felt thick, heavy, as if something unseen was closing in on them. It wasn't just paranoia—it was real. A presence. A chill ran down his spine.

Kishimata stopped in his tracks. "Stay alert," he muttered, his tone dangerously serious. "We might have company."

Suddenly, the world around them seemed to grow darker. The sun, which had been bright and warm just moments ago, disappeared behind thick clouds, casting long shadows that crept along the buildings. There was no wind, no sound. Just... silence.

Then, it hit them—a sharp, oppressive force, like a wave crashing down. It was suffocating, making it hard to breathe. The unmistakable feeling of a killing intent.

Meito's heart pounded in his chest. His instincts screamed at him to run, but his legs felt frozen. "W-What is this?" he whispered, eyes darting around.

Kishimata clenched his jaw. "This is bad… real bad."

From the corner of his eye, Meito saw a figure move—just a blur in the shadows. His mind raced. Was it an enemy? Or was it his imagination playing tricks on him? Before he could react, the figure vanished, leaving behind only the lingering sense of dread.

"Ten billion percent," Nodo muttered under his breath, voice low, "someone is out there."

They stood in tense silence, waiting for something to happen, for an attack to come. But nothing did. Instead, the atmosphere grew thicker, more oppressive. The killing intent only intensified, pressing down on them like a physical force.

"Whoever this is, they're playing with us," Kishimata said, his voice steady but cold. "They want us to feel fear before they strike."

Meito's hands trembled. His mind flashed back to every comic and anime he'd ever read about assassins and killers who could mask their presence, only to strike at the perfect moment. But this wasn't fiction—this was real.

Suddenly, a voice echoed through the alley, deep and distorted. It sent a chill straight through their bones.

"You can't stop me..."

Meito gasped. "That's the same voice from the DVD…"

"Looks like they've got eyes on us," Nodo said, his fists clenched tight. "We need to move. Now."

But before they could take a step, a loud crash rang out from behind them, followed by the sound of shattering glass. Meito whipped around to see a shadowy figure standing at the entrance of the alley, barely visible through the darkness.

Kishimata's eyes narrowed. "Get ready."

The figure stepped forward, the sound of their footsteps unnervingly slow. Meito could feel his pulse in his throat. Whoever—or whatever—this was, they weren't normal.

Nodo cracked his knuckles, his usual lighthearted attitude replaced with focus. "We've got no choice but to fight our way out."

Meito's breath hitched. His mind raced with possibilities, his body tensing with the sudden need for action. His powers weren't much, but if he could just focus—

"Don't lose your nerve now, Meito," Kishimata said without looking back. "This is where we show them what we're made of."

The figure stopped a few feet away, their face obscured by shadow. The oppressive aura of death surrounded them, as if they were born from it. The air grew colder, the alleyway darker. And then, without warning, the figure lunged.

Kishimata, faster than Meito could react, moved to intercept, blocking the strike with ease. The sound of metal clashing echoed through the alley as the force of the attack reverberated through the ground.

Nodo leapt into action, aiming a heavy blow toward the figure, but they dodged effortlessly, disappearing back into the shadows.

"This isn't good," Meito thought, panic rising in his chest. He had no time to think. No time to plan. He had to do something—anything.

Before he could make a move, the shadowy figure reappeared, striking at Nodo from the side. But this time, Meito was ready. He reached out instinctively, focusing his energy on the ground beneath them.

"Fix it... go back..." he whispered under his breath.

In an instant, the cracked cobblestones beneath their feet seemed to shimmer, glowing faintly as they reverted back to their original form. The sudden change in terrain threw the figure off balance, giving Nodo just enough time to land a solid hit, sending the attacker stumbling back.

"Nice move, Meito!" Nodo called, a grin spreading across his face despite the danger.

Meito's heart raced, but he managed a small, shaky smile. "I-It worked…"

Kishimata took the opening to press the attack, his movements sharp and precise. "We don't have time to waste. We need to take them down—now."

The shadowy figure, clearly injured, melted back into the darkness. But the killing intent didn't fade. If anything, it grew stronger.

"They're not done," Meito whispered, his voice trembling. "This is just the beginning."

And he was right. The danger was far from over. Whoever this mysterious enemy was, they weren't just skilled—they were deadly. And they were far from finished with Meito, Kishimata, and Nodo.

The Proposal

The tension in the air was thick as the shadowy figure emerged fully into the dim light of the alley. His figure, tall and imposing, was anything but comforting. His right eye, glowing a fierce crimson red, cut through the darkness like a dagger, while his expression was neutral but unsettling.

Kishimata Lan's hand instinctively hovered near his waist, ready to strike if needed. Nodo cracked his knuckles, eyes narrowing at the stranger who slowly, deliberately walked toward them. Meito, still catching his breath from the earlier fight, felt a knot of anxiety tighten in his stomach.

As the figure approached, his movements were slow, methodical, like a predator circling prey, but something was off. He wasn't attacking.

He stopped just a few feet away from the trio, his red eye gleaming as he looked at each of them in turn. Then, to their surprise, he spoke.

"Relax," the man said, his voice deep and oddly calm. "I'm not here to fight. Name's Darchi Zieregar."

The trio exchanged confused glances. This didn't feel like a trap—it felt stranger than that.

"Who the hell are you?" Nodo finally asked, fists still clenched. "And why do you look like you just crawled out of a horror movie?"

Darchi chuckled darkly, seemingly unfazed by Nodo's usual bluntness. "I get that a lot," he replied, his red eye glinting. "But I'm not your enemy—at least, not right now."

Meito blinked in disbelief, still trying to process what was happening. "Wait… then what are you doing here?"

Darchi sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as if he were explaining something mundane, like fixing a broken chair, not standing in an alley after trying to intimidate them. "I'm just a cook."

That stopped them in their tracks.

"A cook?" Meito repeated, dumbfounded.

Kishimata's eyebrow raised in suspicion. "You expect us to believe that? You've got the aura of a killer, not a chef."

Darchi shrugged. "Believe what you want. It's the truth. I'm a chef for the Vionse gang." He paused, then added, "Though, I'm also one of their strongest fighters, which is why I'm here."

"And why are you here, exactly?" Kishimata asked, his tone sharp.

"To offer you a deal," Darchi said plainly. "You see, I'm sick of my boss. The guy's been running this gang into the ground, and frankly, I've had enough."

The trio stared at him in silence. A gang member fed up with his boss? It almost sounded too absurd to be real.

"So, let me get this straight," Nodo said, crossing his arms. "You, a supposedly strong fighter for the Vionse gang, are here to… what? Betray your boss and ask for our help in taking him down?"

Darchi nodded, completely unbothered by the skeptical looks he was getting. "That's the gist of it, yeah."

Meito scratched his head, thoroughly confused. "But… why us?"

Darchi's face darkened, the red glow of his eye flaring briefly. "Because you three are the only ones strong enough to actually pull it off. The others? They're too weak or too scared. Plus," he added, lowering his voice, "there's something about you that's caught the boss's attention. I'm not exactly sure what it is, but he considers you three a threat."

Kishimata tensed. "And how do you know we won't just kill you and move on?"

"You could try," Darchi said, his voice laced with amusement. "But trust me, I'm not that easy to kill. Besides, I'm more valuable to you alive than dead."

The group fell silent again, weighing the bizarre proposition. On one hand, Darchi clearly wasn't someone to be trusted—he was part of a criminal gang, after all. On the other hand, if he was serious about turning against his boss, he could be a powerful ally.

But something didn't sit right with Meito. "Hold on," he said, stepping forward. "You said you're sick of your boss. But why? What did he do?"

Darchi's face darkened even further, a cold anger flashing in his crimson eye. "That's personal," he muttered. "But let's just say… he destroyed everything that mattered to me. And now, I want to destroy him in return."

There was a chilling finality in his words, but something about the way he said it seemed genuine. Meito wasn't sure why, but he believed Darchi. Maybe it was the look in his eye or the bitterness in his voice. Whatever it was, it made him think this guy was telling the truth—or at least part of it.

But then, Darchi added something that made the situation even weirder. "The thing is," he said slowly, "I don't even know who my boss really is."

Meito blinked. "Wait, what?"

"You heard me," Darchi said, crossing his arms. "The boss is a mystery. No one knows his real identity—not even me. We get orders, but we never see his face."

Kishimata narrowed his eyes. "That's... bizarre."

"Yeah," Darchi agreed, his voice low. "And dangerous. The guy's paranoid—hides behind layers of secrecy, never revealing himself to anyone. I've been with the gang for years, and I still don't know who he is."

Nodo whistled. "Man, you guys are one messed-up organization."

"You don't say," Darchi muttered.

Meito, who had been quietly listening, finally spoke up. "So, let me get this straight… You want us to team up with you to take down a boss whose identity you don't even know?"

Darchi nodded. "That's right."

"And you expect us to just… trust you?" Meito asked, incredulous.

Darchi smirked. "You don't have to trust me. But think about it—if we work together, we've got a better shot at taking him down. You want to stop his plans, right? And I want to take him out. Our goals align."

Kishimata exchanged glances with Nodo and Meito. This wasn't exactly what they'd expected when they landed in Italy, but the situation had escalated quickly. If Darchi was telling the truth, this could be their chance to strike a major blow against the gang.

But there was still something off about the whole thing.

"One last question," Meito said, looking Darchi dead in the eye. "What's your plan after you take down the boss? Are you going to just walk away, or do you have something else in mind?"

Darchi's smile faded, replaced by a grim expression. "Revenge. That's all I care about. Once I've gotten it, I'm done with the Vionse gang. They can rot for all I care."

The alley was quiet again as the trio considered their options. It wasn't an easy decision. Trusting a gang member, even one with a personal vendetta, was risky. But if they didn't take this opportunity, they might never get another chance to hit the Vionse gang where it hurt.

Finally, Kishimata broke the silence. "We'll think about it," he said coolly. "But don't expect us to jump into this without a plan."

Darchi nodded, as if he'd expected that answer. "Fair enough. Just don't take too long. The clock's ticking, and the boss isn't going to wait."

With that, Darchi turned and melted back into the shadows, leaving the trio standing in the alley, the weight of their decision hanging heavily in the air.

Meito let out a long breath. "This just got a whole lot more complicated, didn't it?"

Nodo laughed, though there was no humor in his voice. "Welcome to Italy, kid."

Kishimata stayed silent, his mind already racing with strategies. Whatever they decided, one thing was certain—things were about to get a whole lot more dangerous.

The Ace in the Shadows

As the trio walked back to their temporary hideout, the moon hung low in the sky, casting long shadows across the cobblestone streets of Italy. They hadn't spoken much since their bizarre encounter with Darchi Zieregar, each lost in their own thoughts, trying to make sense of what had just transpired.

Meito, as usual, was the first to break the silence.

"Man, I still can't believe that guy's just a cook," Meito muttered, kicking a stray pebble on the road. "Like, how does someone like that end up in a kitchen instead of... I don't know, fighting in underground death matches?"

Nodo let out a loud laugh, slapping Meito on the back. "I know, right? The dude's got major scary vibes, and then he's like, 'Oh, by the way, I make pasta for the bad guys.' What a twist!"

But Kishimata remained quiet, his eyes focused ahead, deep in thought. The other two noticed and fell into silence, sensing he was onto something.

Finally, after a few more minutes of walking, Kishimata stopped and turned to face his companions. "Listen up," he said, his voice calm but serious. "Darchi might seem like some loose cannon who's had it with his boss, but I think there's more to him than what we've seen."

Nodo raised an eyebrow. "You're not seriously thinking of trusting that guy, are you?"

Kishimata crossed his arms, his mind still churning with possibilities. "It's not about trust, Nodo. It's about using the resources we have. Right now, we don't have much intel on the Vionse gang. We don't even know the identity of the boss. But Darchi? He's been on the inside for years. That makes him valuable."

Meito furrowed his brow. "But he said he doesn't even know who his own boss is. How does that help us?"

Kishimata leaned against a nearby wall, considering his next words carefully. "True, Darchi might not know who the boss is, but he knows how the organization operates. He knows the players, the strategies, the weak points. And more importantly, he wants the boss gone just as much as we do."

Nodo smirked, folding his arms behind his head. "So, you're saying we use him like a wild card?"

Kishimata nodded. "Exactly. Darchi's like a joker in this game—unexpected, unpredictable. He could be the key to blowing this thing wide open. But we have to be careful. He's dangerous, no doubt about it, but he's also desperate."

Meito's eyes widened as he started to understand. "So, if we play this right, we could use him as our ace."

"Right," Kishimata confirmed. "But we don't let him in on everything. We keep him close enough to use as a guide, but not so close that he can betray us. If he tries anything funny, we'll be ready."

Nodo nodded slowly, a grin spreading across his face. "Man, you've really thought this through, huh? You're scary when you get like this, Kishimata."

Kishimata gave a rare smile, though it was fleeting. "We don't have the luxury of messing up. Not with everything at stake."

Meito, still unsure but trusting Kishimata's judgment, looked between the two. "So... what's next? Do we contact Darchi again?"

"We wait," Kishimata replied, pushing off the wall and resuming his pace. "He'll come to us. Like I said, he's desperate. And when he does, we'll be ready to make our move."

The three continued down the street, their footsteps echoing in the quiet night, but this time with a newfound sense of purpose. Darchi Zieregar was no longer just a strange cook with a grudge—he was their new lead, their wild card, their potential ace.

Whether they could control the chaos he would bring, though, was a question for another day.