Storm of Confusion

Ciel had made his decision to begin his first contact, however, due to how crucial the casinos were for The Red Tiger Gang's overall operations, oftentimes they would outright ignore or discard anyone which dared to approach them with a desire to join the gang. 

They already had their methods of recruiting new members and as such they did not need to heed anyone. However, Ciel was not just anyone, he already knew what bait to use as a bargaining chip in order to gain the attention of a high figure within the gang.

Previously, he planned to infiltrate via a similar method from his past life yet far more quicker, however upon realizing where within the outskirts' layout he was, he had decided to set his sights a little higher. Ciel's green eyes leisurely scanned his immediate surroundings, then after a few seconds of doing so he at last laid sight upon his target. Situated not too far from him was a burly man wearing a full black suit which did little to mask the man's impressive muscles. 

It was one of the security personnel, one of no specific importance but merely a convenient tool from Ciel's perspective. 

Ciel's feet then began taking one step after the other. Within half a minute he had arrived before the burly man, approaching him with a friendly smile. Upon noticing Ciel's trajectory, the burly man's bushy eyebrows knitted together. 

Soon his previous impassive expression turned utterly stern. 

Locking eyes, Ciel's polite smile only continued to blossom as he arrived before the man. 

"Hello there friend! You are part of the casino security right?" 

Ciel asked enthusiastically. The burly man stared upon him with a sharp glance before he answered simply. 

"Yes I am, what of it?"

Ciel's green eyes shone with excitement as he eagerly asked. 

"Really?! Hah-hah, I knew it, I mean what else could you be?! Anyways though, this is great! I am trying to find a few people who should be here but I can't seem to spot them. Think you could help me, friend?" 

Hearing Ciel's seemingly nonchalant request, the burly man allowed himself to relax somewhat. In truth, having been a member of The Royal Division for quite some time now, he had already had many encounters with intoxicated individuals approaching him in search of directions. 

However, there was still an issue.

"I can try, but if it's people you are looking for then I probably don't know them. If you know where in the casino they are meant to be then yes I can help by leading you there. Beyond that don't expect anything else." 

The issue was an obvious one, how could he help find people he knew nothing of? 

Despite the burly man's somewhat cold demeanor, Ciel did not show any signs of being offended. Instead his smile only continued to ascend in its radiance. 

Clasping his hands together, his amicable voice reverberated out as he nodded in understanding. 

"Yes, yes, of course! I understand… But, that said, I really do think you can help me. The people I am looking for are rather infamous after all." 

The burly man raised an eyebrow as he inquired. 

"Oh yes? Then who are the people you are searching for?"

It is time…

Thinking simply, Ciel's friendly smile turned somewhat eerie as he spoke the next words. 

"Kenneth Blake, Chase Ballard, Brent Knight, Bill Steele, Dominic Smith, Jay Evans, Callun Walsh, Ryan Ahren, Arlo Cole, Stephen Keevan, Joe Carson, and Severino Izzo… Might you know any of them?" 

By the time Ciel had finished uttering his words, the burly man had already taken a few steps back. His eyes were wide like saucers and his right arm had already reached into his suit's jacket where his gun rested upon its holster. 

He then questioned with a voice drenched in both surprise and wariness. 

"Those are… H-How do you know their names?! Who are you?!" 

As the burly man yelled out, Ciel's smile slowly began to fade. Soon only an indifferent look remained as he ignored the man's questions in favor of one of his own. 

"You know them right? I know you do… Now take me to one of them, I do not care which one it is. Do it or my friends outside this casino will send an anonymous tip to both the district police and The Silver Dragon Gang. You would not want that right?" 

It was only natural for the burly man to be as shocked as he was, after all, the names which Ciel had spoken were that of all 12 Tiger Heads which currently oversaw The Red Tiger Gang. Those were figures which hid their identities well with only members of The Royal Division allowed to even be told their names. 

The burly man's mind was experiencing a whirlwind of emotions. He was uncertain of what action to take next, on the one hand he was angry that this brat had dared to threaten them, yet he also could not help but allow fear to creep into his body as the brat's piercing cold stare made him feel paralyzed. 

Eventually however, after a few seconds of pondering, the burly man made a decision. 

With a complicated scowl etched to his face and a voice drenched with hostility and barely suppressed rage, he answered. 

"I'll take you…" 

Hearing the words spoken through gritted teeth, Ciel merely nodded. He then turned sideways and gestured with his head. 

"Shall we then?" 

The burly man continued to direct a murderous glare at Ciel's direction. Before he could settle the furious storm of emotions within him, both he and Ciel suddenly heard an irritated voice. 

"Hey Max, hear this, I just met some rich arrogant fucks back at—" 

*****

Just prior to the sudden arrival of a third individual, the very same figure was walking with hurried steps throughout the casino's expanse. All around people were pacing about, entering and exiting game areas with a myriad of different expressions. 

The figure which currently walked was a tall man with a lean body, blue eyes, and dark red hair. The man's face hosted a cut jawline and his eyes appeared sharp, appearing perpetually angry. Additionally, the man wore the same uniform as the security personnel did, however his was far more scruffy and wrinkled. 

Such a thing was only natural since he himself was a security guard, at least on the surface he was. 

Yet despite the man's apparent haste, it did not stem from actual urgency but rather pure, simmering rage. The source of which had been an individual who approached him along with his cohort in order to complain about the free drinks which were being handed out. That individual had stated that the quality was far beneath what he could tolerate before they then began a rant about their high status upon some company.

The tall man had tried to redirect the rich asshole which was before him, yet he was promptly thrown a half filled glass. The glass did not hit him, however, upon that moment the tall man almost lost himself. Had he not remembered where he was and what his rank was then he would have murdered that rich asshole then and there. 

My rank…

Recollecting something unpleasant, the red haired tall man felt even more furious. This time though, there was also resentment tinged within his rage. 

Bastards! After all the shit I did they fucking place me here! And with such a low rank! Fuckers! Every last one of them are fuckers! I'll show them! I'll show them what I'm worth!

As he thought such with a murderous glare, the tall man at last spotted a familiar face. It was that of his fellow Royal Division member, Max Nunez. With the two of them having known each other for some time now, the tall man suddenly felt like venting. 

After reaching closer, he did not mask his irritation as he called forth. 

"Hey Max, hear this, I just met some rich arrogant fucks back at—" 

The tall man had halted his walking and paused his words after noticing a strange scene. Not too far from where he stood was Max, however something about him was off. He appeared furious, extremely so. 

Granted so was the tall figure, but that did not mean it was for the same reasons. 

Sensing that something was not right, the tall man's head rapidly shifted to the side. The moment he did his blue eyes directly clashed with a cold green stare.

Then…

"W-Whoa?!" 

…He immediately lost himself to shock…

*****

Upon the arrival of a second figure Ciel would not have perceived it as anything unfavorable, after all his threat was not something which could be easily dismissed by anyone within this casino. Yet Ciel found his body suddenly pausing for a moment as his green eyes locked upon the new figure which appeared. 

What followed was confusion.

Why is Azik here?

Before him stood a man which he had known well in his previous life, the very person who had integrated him into The Red Tiger Gang and the one which oversaw his every action back then. Of course, the current Ciel was from the future, at least his soul was, however, from what he knew Azik should still be one of The Street Division's leaders; The Sixth Red Commander. 

If so then why was he here? Wearing the suit of a security personnel no less, the lowest ranked members of The Royal Division. With his many years of service as one of The 24 Red Commanders then he could have easily received a status just below one of The 12 Tiger Heads, perhaps even as an apprentice to one of them. 

It simply made no sense…

Before Ciel could process more regarding Azik's unexpected appearance and what his presence here meant, the subject in question had turned their gaze onto him. There was a familiar fury tinged within those blue eyes of his, however the moment their gazes met Azik's eyes shot open as absolute shock enveloped his expression. 

"W-Whoa?!"

Azik's body twitched and he involuntarily yelled those words out of shock. That prompted some which were passing by to turn their focus his way. 

However he did not seem to care about how strange he appeared as he promptly raised his trembling arm and pointed fiercely at Ciel. 

"Y–You… C-Ciel… Ciel is that you?!" 

With a stuttering voice, one etched with surprise and fear, Azik asked. Ciel's usually expressionless face suddenly experienced a change as his eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly. Such was a consequence of his name being called by a man which was not yet supposed to know him. 

Do not tell me…

Before Ciel could finish his conjecture, Azik's voice began to raise as the fear reflected in his eyes only continued to intensify. 

"No. No. No. No! It can't be him, It can't! He… He's already dead!" 

Azik's loud proclamation did not surprise Ciel. The moment his name had been mentioned, then it only meant that Azik had already met him and that he knew of Ciel's supposed death. If Ciel thought of it as such then he could make a few guesses. 

The first was the date, it was early November of the year 183 AJ, however he had met Azik and as a result entered The Intern Division of The Red Tiger Gang in August of the year 183 AJ within his previous life. This meant that if nothing changed before his arrival then he would have already known Ciel for around two months.

But there laid the issue… Things had changed. Ciel awoke in a cold body, somehow buried alive, not only that but Azik was not within The Central Region of the outskirts as one of The 24 Red Commanders. 

Such things had never happened before, nor could he think that the gang merely wanted to get rid of him as he awoke within the private graveyard of Stone-Dive's Corpse Entitled Program. The Red Tiger Gang never shied away from mundane assassination after all. If they had wanted him dead, then a simple bullet was all they would use. 

Ciel was now firmly inside a storm of confusion, yet at the same time he found that this was also good. He did not know the answers to all these questions, but before him was someone who might. 

I need to question him.

Immediately deciding such, Ciel readied to approach Azik. However as he tensed the muscles within his legs, Azik's following words made him freeze. 

"Ciel is dead… He's dead! He— He died three years ago! I– I saw his corpse! I saw it!" 

Huh…?

Upon that moment, Ciel was sent further into the storm of confusion.