PART TWO

When the ship finally came to a halt, silence descended over the deck, broken only by faint voices and the rustling of wind through the worn-out buildings of Sakai Port. For a brief moment, life seemed to resume its usual chaotic rhythm—children chasing each other, vendors arguing over prices—but the ship's arrival had left an impression. Conversations began to bubble up among the onlookers.

"Who owns that thing? Royalty? A warlord?" whispered one dockworker.

Another shook his head. "Whoever they are, this ain't a friendly visit. Look at it—it doesn't belong here."

"Does any of us do?" another one added.

Speculation rippled through the crowd. Everyone could feel it in the air: something was about to happen.

Below deck, in the ship's dimly lit meeting room, tension brewed. The space was small but well-equipped, with digital screens lining the walls and a faint metallic smell lingering in the air. The hum of the engine was barely audible here, replaced by the quiet buzz of monitors displaying maps, surveillance footage, and encrypted messages.

"Thirteen ports. Freaking thirteen! And he chooses this dump." Payne slumped into a seat, his voice dripping with frustration.

"The air already stinks of shit. We're gonna catch something just standing here."

"Let it go, Payne," Katsuo snapped, leaning back in his chair. His tone was sharp, but his body language exuded ease, like someone too experienced to be fazed by whining. "Unless you want to go up there and argue with him about it."

Payne grunted but said nothing.

"Besides," Katsuo continued, a smirk tugging at his lips, "he's never wrong. Eight years, and not once has he been wrong. So why don't you shut your mouth and let him work? Right, Kento?"

There was no reply.

Katsuo frowned and leaned forward, his sharp eyes searching the room. "Kento? Hey, you still with us?"

Kento stood by the large operations board mounted on the wall, his back to the others. The board was cluttered with pinned maps, notes, and red string connecting various locations across Japan.

It was the culmination of weeks of planning, a web of strategies and contingencies leading them to this very moment.

He didn't respond immediately. Instead, he stared intently at the board, as though piecing together the final part of an unsolvable puzzle.

Kento's appearance was as striking as ever. His skin, pale to the point of looking ghostly, seemed almost otherworldly under the dim light. His fiery red hair was tied back loosely, but a few strands fell across his face, brushing against the faint tattoos that adorned his high cheekbones and neck. His black, hooded clothing added to his intimidating presence—a shadow among shadows.

Though quiet and contemplative, Kento's reputation preceded him. He was a man of precision, known for his intelligence and tactical brilliance. But beneath his calm demeanor lay a dangerous edge—ruthless and unyielding when his beliefs were challenged.

"Hey, Kento," Payne called out, waving a hand. "Why don't you go talk to the boss on my behalf? I'm sure he'd love to explain why we're wasting time in this hellhole."

Payne leaned back, his chair creaking, and pulled out a blade—a small, serrated knife with a matte-black finish. He began cleaning the grime from under his fingernails, his motions slow and deliberate. The faint scrape of metal against flesh filled the silence.

"I can get that lousy captain to swing this thing around in a heartbeat," Payne added, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "How exactly are we supposed to take over Japan from a place like this? What kind of strategy starts in a garbage heap?"

Kento raised an eyebrow at Payne's suggestion but said nothing at first, letting the tension hang in the air.

Payne, as usual, was casual yet provocative, leaning back with a smirk that betrayed his knack for stirring trouble. Though lean and unimposing, his reputation spoke of a man skilled in manipulation and unrelenting violence. A master thief, smuggler, and collector of rare antiques, his obsession with luxury was evident even in his peculiar, carefully curated white flashy outfit—a sharp contrast to his unpredictable demeanor.

"Don't be ridiculous," Kento finally replied, his tone sharp but steady. "The boss has a plan. We just have to trust him."

Payne gave a dismissive shrug, slipping a small blade back into its hidden sheath. "Suit yourself,I need to go bother someone else to death" he muttered before turning on his heel and sauntering out of the room. The soft clink of his boots against the metallic floor echoed faintly as he disappeared down the hall.

Kento didn't watch him leave. Instead, his crimson eyes returned to the large map of Japan pinned on the wall. His fingers lightly traced the lines marking the routes and ports they'd navigated over the past few weeks, each step meticulously planned.

The sound of the door creaking open brought Kento back to the present.

Katsuo entered, his towering frame filling the room. The eldest of the trio, Katsuo carried himself with the weight of experience. His broad shoulders and muscular build gave him an air of authority, and the golden hair tied tightly atop his head was a signature of his pride. Yet everyone knew the truth—if that knot ever came undone in a fight, it was the final warning before Katsuo unleashed the beast within.

"You think Payne's going to stay in line?" Katsuo asked, his gravelly voice cutting through the silence.

"He knows his limits,he knows he is on a short leash" Kento replied without looking up. "Payne talks big, but he's not stupid enough to cross the boss. Not yet, anyway."

Katsuo grunted in agreement but kept his gaze on Kento.

"What about you? You've been staring at that map since we docked. Something you're not telling me?"

Kento finally turned to face him, his hood shifting slightly to reveal the faint, angular tattoos etched along his jaw. His pale skin seemed almost luminous in the dim light, an eerie contrast to the dark cloak he wore. "Not yet," he said cryptically.

"But the air still smells of the Gold Tiger. I'll be heading out soon. Keep an eye on Misaki while I'm gone. You know how she is, and the boss doesn't want her leaving the ship just yet."

Katsuo's jaw tightened slightly, a sign of his concern, but he nodded. "Fine. Just don't get yourself into trouble."

"Trouble, Huh?"

Kento offered a faint smirk as he slipped past Katsuo, his steps purposeful and silent.

Elsewhere, Payne was creating his usual chaos. His sharp voice echoed through the lower deck as he rifled through supplies, arguing with one of the crew members over misplaced items.

Katsuo, hearing the commotion, rolled his eyes and left to deal with the troublemaker.