The Hunt I

The night breathed against Kairi's skin as she vaulted over a ledge, landing effortlessly on a rooftop.

Behind her, Jin, Celeste, Aiko, Kasumi, and Unknown followed suit, their silhouettes slicing through the darkness as they moved with precision.

Jin landed beside her, grinning. "Hope you're not getting tired, Pacifist. We've still got a ways to go."

Kairi rolled her shoulders. "Please. I could do this in my sleep."

Aiko flipped onto a nearby air vent, casually reclining like she was on a lounge chair. "Not bad, but where's the style? You gotta make it look good."

Kasumi, deadpan as ever, sidestepped a rusted pipe and spoke without looking. "Says the girl who nearly tripped on a loose brick five minutes ago."

Aiko sat up. "That never happened."

Unknown, his voice smooth and unreadable beneath his mask, interrupted. "Focus. Ryotaro Arakawa's company is up ahead."

The energy shifted.

The tall, sleek skyscraper of Arakawa Industries loomed in the distance, its glass windows gleaming under the moonlight.

Celeste tightened her gloves. "Time to see if all this parkour was worth it."

Jin smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Time to introduce ourselves."

Kairi's eyes gleamed with anticipation. "Hope Ryotaro's ready to die."

And with that, they rushed forward, shadows cutting through the skyline—the beginning of the Arakawa family's reckoning.

The rooftop breeze carried the distant hum of the city below as Kairi and the others perched along the edge of a nearby building, their eyes locked onto Arakawa Industries. The glass monolith towered over Kurokawa, its pristine exterior hiding the corruption that rotted inside.

Jin adjusted the strap on his glove, scanning the perimeter. "Security's tighter than I expected. Guards at every entrance, a few patrolling the upper floors. They're ready for something."

Celeste pulled out a small pair of binoculars, her gaze sharp. "Snipers on the east and west ends. Armed. If we move recklessly, they'll put bullets in our skulls before we hit the ground."

Unknown, silent as always, simply nodded.

Aiko twirled a dagger between her fingers, grinning. "Well, I vote we just go in loud. Crash through the front doors, kill everyone in sight, and call it a night."

Kasumi, deadpan, stared at her. "And get shot immediately?"

"I never said it was a good plan."

Kairi cracked her neck, her fingers tightening around the hilt of her katana. Her eyes gleamed with malice, the city lights reflecting off their golden hue.

"Let me handle this."

The others turned to her.

Jin raised a brow. "You sure?"

Kairi grinned—that same grin that sent shivers down spines and promised a massacre. "I didn't come here to play. I came to kill."

And before anyone could respond, she was gone.

Kairi descended like a phantom, her movements silent yet filled with lethal intent. She landed just outside the main entrance, her katana glistening under the streetlights.

The first guard barely had time to react.

A clean slash tore through his throat, his windpipe severed before a gurgled scream could escape. Blood sprayed onto the pristine glass doors, painting them in crimson streaks.

The second guard turned, reaching for his gun—

Too slow.

Kairi whipped her blade across his midsection, slicing him clean in half. His torso slid off his legs, entrails spilling onto the pavement in a grotesque heap.

"WHAT THE F—"

A third guard's scream was cut short as Kairi drove her katana through his mouth, the blade bursting out the back of his skull. His body spasmed before going limp.

More guards rushed forward, their footsteps thunderous against the pavement.

Kairi licked a stray drop of blood off her lip, her sadistic grin widening.

"Come on, then. Bleed for me."

A guard lunged—she sidestepped, spinning her katana in a fluid motion before disemboweling him in a single stroke. His intestines unraveled, slapping against the pavement like wet rope.

Another tried to fire—she kicked his knee inward, snapping it, then drove her sword through his chest, twisting it cruelly. Blood bubbled from his lips as he choked on his final breath.

Gunfire erupted.

Kairi darted forward, weaving between the bullets like a specter of death. She launched herself off a wall, flipping over a guard before severing his head mid-air, his skull landing with a sickening thud.

The remaining guards hesitated—fear overtaking their instincts.

Kairi stood amidst the carnage, her katana dripping, the pavement drenched in red. She tilted her head, studying the last few men as they trembled.

"You boys didn't think I'd let you walk away, did you?"

Before they could react, she rushed them, her blade becoming a whirlwind of death.

One by one, they fell.

Bodies mutilated, throats torn open, limbs scattered like discarded trash.

The company's entrance—once a symbol of power—was now a blood-soaked nightmare.

And Kairi?

She was just getting started.

The metal doors creaked open, smeared with handprints of blood as Kairi strode through the carnage she had left behind. Shattered glass crunched beneath her boots, a sharp contrast to the eerie silence that had settled over the corporate battlefield. The once sterile-white walls were now streaked with crimson, bodies of guards slumped against desks and corridors, their eyes forever frozen in terror.

Kairi exhaled sharply, wiping a smear of blood off her cheek with the back of her hand.

She had carved her way through the lobby, the elevators, the security rooms—every last dog Ryotaro Arakawa had stationed here was dead.

Now, it was his turn.

A chime echoed as the elevator doors slid open, revealing the top floor.

Ryotaro's office.

The air reeked of cigar smoke and arrogance.

Kairi stepped forward, her katana dripping onto the marble floor.

She could already hear the faint scratching of a pen against paper.

The double doors to Ryotaro's office stood pristine, untouched by the slaughter downstairs. The golden nameplate shimmered under the dim lights:

CEO – Ryotaro Arakawa

Kairi took a deep breath. This was it.

With a single powerful kick, the doors burst open, the hinges snapping from the force.

Inside, sitting behind a grand mahogany desk, was Ryotaro Arakawa.

Unlike his son, he was an older man in his late fifties, yet his presence was suffocating. His graying hair was slicked back, and his cold, calculating eyes barely flinched at the bloody warrior standing in his office.

Cigar in hand, whiskey untouched, posture unfazed.

He had expected her.

Kairi tightened her grip on her katana, her voice a low growl.

"You look way too calm for a man who's about to die."

Ryotaro took a slow, measured drag from his cigar, then exhaled, the smoke curling in the dim light.

"You've made quite the mess, girl. My janitors won't be happy."

Kairi grinned, baring her teeth. "You'll be too dead to care."

Ryotaro finally set his cigar down, leaning back in his chair.

"I knew you'd come eventually. I just didn't expect you to be this… entertaining." His voice was smooth, unwavering. "Tell me, Pacifist—do you even know why you're here? Or are you just a rabid dog who bites because it's all she knows?"

Kairi's golden eyes burned, her muscles tensing.

"You and your son put a hit on me. You sent every lowlife, every gang, every assassin my way. You tried to kill me. And for what?"

She took a step forward, the blade glistening with fresh blood.

"I don't need a reason to kill you anymore. You signed your own death sentence."

Ryotaro smirked.

"Did I?"

The doors slammed shut behind her.

Kairi froze.

From the shadows of the room, figures emerged.

Black suits. Gloves. Hollow, soulless eyes.

The elite. The men Ryotaro Arakawa never sent to do the dirty work. The men who only moved when something needed to be erased from existence.

Kairi clicked her tongue. "Cute. You waited until the end to bring out the real bastards?"

Ryotaro simply smiled, reaching for his whiskey.

"Welcome to the real game, girl."

And just like that—everything erupted into chaos.

Jin crouched on the edge of a rooftop, gripping Celeste's binoculars as he scanned the bloody aftermath unfolding inside Ryotaro Arakawa's office. Even from here, he could see Kairi standing her ground, blade dripping with the blood of countless guards, while Ryotaro sat like a king, unbothered—his real killers stepping out of the shadows.

Jin's jaw tightened.

"Shit."

Celeste, standing beside him, crossed her arms. "What do you see?"

Jin didn't answer at first. His grip tightened around the binoculars, his expression unreadable. Then, he slowly lowered them and turned to the rest of the group.

"Kairi's been baited." His voice was sharp, serious. "Arakawa had a trap waiting for her. We're moving in."

Aiko, stretching her arms, grinned. "Finally. I was getting bored."

Unknown, who had been leaning against a vent, adjusted the grip on his sword. "How many?"

Jin's gaze flicked back toward the window, then at Kairi's stance. Even from here, he could tell—she wasn't backing down.

"Enough that it's not a fair fight." He let out a slow breath, before slipping Celeste's binoculars back into her hands. "Get moving. We get in, cut down anyone in the way, and back her up."

Celeste frowned. "And if she doesn't need backup?"

Jin chuckled, rolling his shoulders. "Then we make sure she doesn't have all the fun."

The group exchanged glances, before moving in unison.

The hunt was on.

The air inside Arakawa Corporation was thick with the scent of blood and gunpowder. The sounds of distant alarms echoed through the halls, but no reinforcements came—because there was no one left to send.

Jin and the others moved quickly, stepping over the broken bodies of Ryotaro's security, their boots squelching against blood-soaked carpets. Kairi's work. Aiko let out a small whistle, amused.

"Damn, she really doesn't leave anything standing, huh?"

Celeste shot her a glare. "Focus."

Jin raised a fist, signaling for everyone to halt just before the massive double doors to Ryotaro's office. He placed a hand against the wood—warm, from the bodies that had collapsed against it minutes ago.

Unknown gripped his sword, shifting his weight. "What's the plan?"

Jin exhaled. "We don't wait. We go in now."

The black-haired girl—Kasumi—smirked, stretching her fingers as she positioned herself to strike. "Fast and brutal, then. I like it."

Jin didn't waste any more time.

With one swift kick, the doors burst open.

Inside, the battle was already underway.

Kairi stood in the center of the lavish office, her katana coated in fresh blood, her chest rising and falling in measured breaths. Surrounding her were three of Ryotaro's personal guards, bodies still twitching from fatal wounds.

And at the far end of the room, Ryotaro Arakawa sat calmly behind his desk, fingers laced together, watching the scene with cold amusement.

Jin's gaze flicked toward Kairi. She was hurt—but standing.

"You're late," Kairi muttered, not even glancing their way.

Jin smirked. "Figured you could handle the warm-up yourself."

A chuckle left Ryotaro's throat. The kind of measured, dangerous laughter that came from a man who had spent his life untouchable.

"So," Ryotaro mused, finally looking up. His gaze swept over the group before settling on Kairi once more. "You've brought friends. How thoughtful."

Jin stepped forward, hand resting on his weapon. "We're not here to talk."

Ryotaro tilted his head slightly, unimpressed. "No, I imagine you're here to kill me." His eyes darkened. "Shame, really. You've made it this far—just to die."

He snapped his fingers.

The hidden doors lining the office slid open.

From the shadows, elite assassins in tailored suits stepped forward, weapons gleaming in the dim light. Silent. Efficient. Killers.

Kairi licked the blood off her lips and grinned.

"Finally," she murmured. "A real fight."

Jin tightened his grip on his weapon. "Don't get cocky."

The tension snapped.

The room erupted into chaos.