Volume 1. Chapter 26. The Search.

Haruko's eyes burned with frustration as her voice sliced through the silence.

"So what, we're just sitting here doing nothing? Why didn't you say something earlier?!"

Tadashi let out a heavy sigh, leaning against the table.

"That's exactly the problem, my lady..." he muttered. "I've tried reaching out to him multiple times... But it's like he just disappears. This is... a pure anomaly, an absolutely unique case in medical history!"

His eyes dulled, as if merely thinking about it poisoned his mind.

"What...?!"

Haruko suddenly grabbed his shoulders, her claws digging into the fabric of his clothes. Her crimson eyes flared with an intense, eerie glow. A chilling dread radiated from her, but in this moment, it was her rage that stood out the most.

"You... Are you serious? Is this some kind of dream?"

Tadashi barely managed to stay upright. He had never seen her like this before—her will was like the tip of a blade, poised to strike. And he wasn't sure he wouldn't be the one it struck.

"I don't understand it myself," he continued, trying to steady both her and himself. "It's like his traces vanish within minutes. There are just too many... variables. And none of them lead to an answer."

He hesitated for a moment before speaking again.

"All I know is that he... or his base... is somewhere on the outskirts of Tokyo, my lady. I've already hired people to comb through the area, but..."

Tadashi trailed off, feeling his voice lose its confidence.

"No traces. Nothing concrete."

Haruko didn't rush to release his shoulders. Her gaze was cold, yet it concealed an unimaginable force. She wasn't accustomed to failure, especially not of this magnitude.

"Do you understand what this means?" Her voice was quiet, but sharp as a knife. "Do you even realize what kind of person this is, if they can't be found so easily?"

Tadashi met her gaze, and for a fleeting moment, he thought he saw something dark and irreversible in her eyes. Something that couldn't simply be anger.

"I understand," he replied, unable to suppress a heavy sigh. "But even the best of my men can't find the slightest trace... It's like he's just vanished."

A snap of her fingers, and the guards instantly lined up along the walls, like arrows shot from a bow, ready for any threat. Their faces were stone, not the slightest hint of doubt. They waited for orders, with no thought of disobedience.

Haruko, undeterred by their sternness, turned to Tadashi with a chilling look. Her eyes glittered, burning with a determination that could melt any metal. Even with the guards present, she spoke directly to them.

"You all heard, right?" Her voice was soft, but carried such weight that it cut through the air like a blade. "Find me this man. What's his name, by the way, Mr. Tadashi?"

Tadashi slowly lifted his gaze, distant, as though fully aware of the gravity of the moment. He thought for a moment, then replied.

"Keito... or at least, that's what he was called. But that name might just be a mask. It's unlikely anyone knows his real one."

"Keito," Haruko repeated, stretching the name slowly, as if testing how it felt on her tongue. Her lips didn't twitch, but in her eyes, the fire was already burning. "Find him. And if you fail... say goodbye to your lives."

Her words struck like a blow. Without waiting for the sentence to finish, the guards turned and disappeared down the corridor, leaving behind a heavy silence that seemed weightless but pressed heavily on their shoulders. Tadashi remained standing, but a flicker of unease passed through his gaze. He knew that if the men didn't return with results, it wouldn't just be an empty threat. Haruko didn't forgive failure.

The television in the corner of the room flickered faintly. On the screen, a small point pulsed, barely visible — a bug securely embedded somewhere in the shadows. But Haruko's attention was immediately drawn elsewhere. On the far side of the screen sat she — mysterious and unfathomable.

The beautiful face of the woman, framed by the gleam of dark hair, radiated calm confidence. Her eyes, as dark as the night, concealed an entire world, filled with intrigue and danger. Her posture was flawless — slightly tilted, one leg elegantly turned to the side, like a cat poised for a leap. The outfit she wore was simple, yet luxurious — a dark dress that seemed to cloak her body in shadow, exquisitely accentuating every line of her figure.

Around her, like seemingly inconspicuous shadows, stood her guards — large, silent men, clad in black, yet they seemed like nothing more than the backdrop to her majestic presence. Her gestures were minimal, each one effortless yet full of determination and power.

She lifted a wine glass, aged and refined, much like her own strength. The sip was smooth, and her gaze never wavered from the television screen. When her voice cut through the silence, it was like ice, with an undertone of something ominous.

"Did you hear that, dogs? Find the man in the bandage!" she spoke, her tone emotionless, yet her words carried a chilling threat.

The guards nodded silently, then, like shadows, quietly disappeared into the dark corridors, ready to carry out her command.

"Yes, Lady Linfei," they replied with absolute obedience, and though their words sounded like a formality, their voices betrayed not only discipline, but also a slight tremor from the knowledge that she could destroy them in an instant.

It was clear now: this girl was not just an heir to a vast empire, not just someone's daughter. She was one of the most dangerous figures in the world of Chinese business and magic. The daughter of Zhao Linfei, a powerful mogul and investor who had lost much after being poisoned in his complex, became a person who could not afford to make mistakes. She was the one who, in the dark corners of society, decided the outcomes of wars. But now, her task was far more difficult — to find this man. And no matter what it took, she was prepared to go all the way.

The search dragged on. Every movement, every step drained their energy, resources were being spent at such a rate it seemed like they would never run out. But everything was shrouded in mist. Haruko and her men moved along the trail, with no idea of what they might face. Information was like water, slipping through their fingers, disappearing before they could gather anything concrete. Until one day, the moment came when they hit a real wall of silence.

The leaders of the Japanese syndicate, men unaccustomed to fear, seemed to feel a cold wind in their chests when they heard the name Keito. One glance — and everything became clear. The faces of these powerful, ruthless men drained of color, as if an invisible shadow had passed through their hearts. The cursed name. They fell silent, as though trapped in the fog, trying not to give the slightest hint that they knew anything.

"What do you know about Keito?" Haruko's voice was filled with threat, but there was also a growing unease. She couldn't afford to lose face in front of her men. She couldn't allow a mistake.

But those on the other side only exchanged glances, and their silence was so heavy it could have been cut with a knife. They were afraid. Truly afraid. It wasn't just an ordinary silence — it was a wall of fear that had risen between them.

Not a single word was spoken. And yet, everyone understood perfectly well that they were hiding some terrible truth.

The authority of Keito...

This man's name wasn't just a legend. It was something more than fear. He was the one who could overshadow the entire strength and power of the syndicates, something immeasurably powerful. Even Haruko's family couldn't stand against it. And it was clear. He was the one capable of bringing the darkest secrets to light, making mafia kings tremble and close their eyes to reality.

Haruko understood that what lay before her wasn't just a trail to follow, but an enemy she couldn't even begin to imagine how to fight. Who was this Keito? And what did he hide, that he could make the darkest souls in Japan fear his name?

The silence in the room was deafening as Haruko sat, her elbows resting on the table, her eyes focused, thoughts swirling. She had already prepared for the worst — a war with the syndicate, a clash with forces that could not even be predicted. But, as is often the case, everything turned out differently.

The sharp ring of the phone cut through the tension. Haruko picked up the receiver, never taking her eyes off the screen. On the other end was Dr. Tadashi — his voice slightly weakened, but there was something more than just exhaustion in it.

"Lady Haruko," he said, "we've picked up a trail. We've found him."

Her heart skipped a beat, but Haruko quickly regained her composure, giving no hint of anxiety. In this world, emotions were always a hindrance; they only got in the way. Still, there was something in Tadashi's voice, an unease, as if even he couldn't believe what he had just said.

"Keito?" she asked, trying not to reveal her tension.

"Yes. But..." His voice faltered slightly. "It's not as simple as we thought. He's not hiding — he was just... waiting for us. We've pinpointed his location, but we still can't figure out what he wants."

There was something in Tadashi's words that immediately caught Haruko's attention. She pressed the phone to her ear, not looking away, as if trying to read between the lines of what he was saying.

"Tell me everything you know," she ordered, her tone even colder than usual.

There was a brief silence on the other end, as if he was gathering his thoughts. Then he continued:

"We traced the lead to an old, almost abandoned base in the southern districts of Tokyo. There were a few guards, but... they didn't say anything. Everything was like in a fog. But one thing I can say for certain — it's not just a person there. It's... something more."

"Not just a person..." Those words, like a sign, suggested that Keito was something Haruko couldn't yet fully comprehend. His name had already struck fear into the syndicates. And now, even after all this time, this man remained hidden, like a shadow that left no trace.

"Understood," she murmured quietly, though in her mind, the questions that had been plaguing her for days began to crystallize. He wasn't hiding, wasn't afraid. He was something greater than the world could have ever imagined.

Without needing more words, Haruko carefully hung up the phone. The tension in the room didn't dissipate; instead, it deepened. She stood and walked to the window, gazing out at the illuminated lights of the city, which seemed so peaceful and ordinary, despite the chaos unfolding beyond its borders.

"If he was truly waiting for us..." Her thoughts sharpened, like the edge of a knife. "Then what is he preparing for us?"

The answer was right in front of her. But Haruko wasn't sure if she was ready for what awaited them ahead.