The Final Confrontation I

Jin and the others stepped into the office, their presence met with an overwhelming sense of authority and power. Ryotaro Arakawa sat at his desk, completely unfazed, his cold, calculating gaze locked onto them.

Behind him, his assassins stood at attention, poised like shadows ready to strike. The air was thick with tension, and the soft hum of the city beyond the skyscraper's windows was the only sound cutting through the silence.

Kairi stood in the center of the room, blood dripping from her katana, her breath steady despite the carnage behind her.

Jin's gaze locked onto Ryotaro, his voice cold. "You knew we were coming."

Ryotaro smiled slightly, his fingers interlocked. "Of course." His tone was effortless, almost amused. "You think I built an empire like this without expecting insects to come crawling to my doorstep?"

Celeste scoffed, rolling her shoulders. "Call us insects again, and I'll make sure you're the next corpse decorating this office."

Ryotaro's expression didn't shift. If anything, the amusement in his eyes only deepened.

Kasumi let out a chuckle, stepping forward as she licked some of the blood off her fingers. "He's a confident one." Her gaze drifted to the assassins. "Think that's gonna save you, old man?"

Ryotaro's fingers tapped against his desk. "They're not here to save me. They're here to bury you."

Unknown didn't waste words—he simply gripped the hilt of his sword, his stance shifting ever so slightly. The tension in the room was suffocating.

Then, in a flash, Ryotaro raised his hand—

And the assassins attacked.

The room erupted into chaos.

Aiko was the first to move, twisting her body just in time to dodge a blade slicing for her throat. She countered with a reverse spin kick, sending one of the assassins staggering backward before plunging her dagger into his side.

Celeste moved like a ghost, slipping past two attackers with fluidity before snapping a blade into one's throat. The assassin gurgled, collapsing onto the desk, knocking over a crystal whiskey glass.

Kasumi laughed. She ducked under a swing, grabbed the attacker by the wrist, and dislocated his shoulder with a sickening crack before stabbing him repeatedly. Blood sprayed across her face, but she only grinned wider.

Jin was precise. A single step forward, a palm strike to the sternum, and an assassin crumpled from the sheer force. He grabbed another by the collar and drove his knee into his skull, shattering bone.

Unknown moved like a shadow, his sword slicing through the air with silent precision. One assassin lunged—only to be severed in a single clean stroke. The body dropped before the head even hit the floor.

Kairi, already drenched in blood, spun through the carnage, her katana cutting down anything in her path. Her mind was focused, her every movement precise, but her eyes stayed on Ryotaro.

He still hadn't moved.

Ryotaro merely watched, completely still as his assassins fell around him. His expression didn't change.

And then, finally—he stood.

The moment he moved, the room froze.

Even Kairi felt it. A weight. A presence.

Jin's fists clenched. "So you're finally getting up."

Ryotaro adjusted his suit, brushing a single speck of dust from his sleeve. "You've had your fun." His voice was calm—unshaken. "But it ends now."

His hand moved.

And before anyone could react—

The real fight began.

The room was still. The last assassin had fallen, his blood pooling into the rich carpet of Ryotaro's office. The scent of iron hung thick in the air, mixing with the expensive cologne that clung to Ryotaro's suit.

Kairi stepped forward, gripping Ryotaro by the collar of his pristine white shirt. He didn't resist—he didn't fight back. Even as the blood of his men coated the walls around him, his expression remained unreadable.

Jin, Celeste, Aiko, Kasumi, and Unknown gathered around, their presence suffocating.

Ryotaro exhaled slowly, as if the weight of the situation didn't affect him in the slightest. His sharp, calculating eyes locked onto Kairi's, unfazed by the blood dripping from her face.

Jin's voice cut through the silence.

"Tell Sayuri. Tell Kayd. We're coming for them next."

A slow, tired smirk tugged at the corner of Ryotaro's lips. "You think this changes anything?" His voice was steady—devoid of fear. "You're still nothing more than a pack of rabid dogs, lashing out at the hands that built this city."

Kasumi scoffed, licking the blood from her knuckles. "Spare us the monologue, old man. You lost."

Celeste crossed her arms. "You don't get a last-minute power move. You don't get some grand exit." Her cold eyes burned into him. "You just die."

But Ryotaro chuckled.

It was slow, deliberate—a sound that didn't belong to a man on the verge of death. He tilted his head, looking at Kairi with something eerily close to amusement.

"You really believe you're in control, don't you?" His voice dipped lower, like a whisper only meant for her. "Do you even know what you're fighting for anymore, little monster?"

Kairi didn't flinch. She had no words for him—no need for explanations or arguments. Her blade had already spoken for her.

She gripped her katana tighter—then drove it straight through his chest.

The blade tore through muscle, bone, and the last remnants of his power.

Ryotaro gasped softly, the first sign of genuine surprise flashing across his face. His smirk faded, replaced by the cold realization that he was no longer untouchable.

Blood spilled from his mouth, staining his teeth a deep crimson. His knees buckled, but Kairi didn't let go. She held him there, staring into his fading eyes.

His breath shuddered.

"Heh…" His lips curled into something almost nostalgic. "Kayd will burn this city to the ground before he lets you win."

Kairi twisted the blade.

Ryotaro choked, his body convulsing as blood poured from the wound. The light in his eyes flickered—then died.

She let him drop.

The mighty Ryotaro Arakawa collapsed onto his own office floor, surrounded by the corpses of the empire he had built.

Silence.

Aiko cracked her neck, wiping the blood off her cheek. "One down."

Jin took one last look at the lifeless body, then turned to the others. "Let's go."

Kairi stared at Ryotaro for another second, then finally exhaled. She stepped over his corpse, moving toward the exit. There was no need to stay here.

The Arakawa bloodline wasn't finished.

Not yet.

The flames climbed high, consuming the Arakawa Corporation in a roaring inferno. Glass shattered, steel groaned, and the empire that Ryotaro had built crumbled into ash. The group stood at a safe distance, watching the flames lick at the sky, reflecting in their eyes like the ghosts of the past.

Kairi exhaled slowly, feeling the heat of the fire on her skin. It wasn't satisfaction—it wasn't relief. Just another step forward in a path soaked in blood.

Aiko cracked her knuckles. "Damn. Kinda poetic, huh?" She glanced at the others. "Rich bastard sits at the top for years, then boom. Just another pile of rubble."

Kasumi let out a chuckle. "Bet his brat's crying himself to sleep tonight."

Jin's gaze was fixed on the flames, but his voice was sharp. "This isn't over." His tone left no room for doubt. "Sayuri and Kayd won't just sit back and let this slide."

Celeste nodded. "This was only the first cut. Now we see how deep the wound festers."

Kairi remained silent. Her mind wasn't on the Arakawas—not in this moment. She turned slightly, her voice quiet but firm.

"Before we move forward…" she hesitated, then finished, "I want to visit a gravesite."

That caught their attention.

Jin raised an eyebrow. "Whose?"

Kairi didn't immediately answer. She just started walking. The others followed, intrigued but not questioning her decision.

They walked for a while. The bright orange glow of the fire faded behind them, replaced by the quiet hum of the night. Eventually, they reached a small cemetery on the outskirts of the city. It was old—weathered stone and overgrown grass, a place forgotten by most.

Kairi stopped in front of one particular grave. Rika.

The name was carved into the stone, simple and unembellished. A traitor. A victim. A fighter.

Celeste crossed her arms. "Didn't she try to kill you?"

Kairi let out a dry laugh. "She did." She crouched down, staring at the grave with an unreadable expression. "But she didn't deserve to die the way she did."

Unknown, silent as always, simply observed.

Jin exhaled, rubbing the back of his neck. "You still think about that fight?"

Kairi didn't look at him. "I think about all of them." Her fingers traced the rough edges of the stone. "The ones I kill. The ones I don't. Rika was a pawn in something bigger. She thought she had control, and then—" she snapped her fingers, "Tomas threw her in front of my blade like she was nothing."

Aiko shifted uncomfortably. "You almost sound like you regret it."

Kairi smirked, shaking her head. "Nah." She stood up, brushing the dirt off her hands. "I just like remembering the ones who fought."

Kasumi tilted her head. "You planning to do this for everyone we kill?"

Kairi turned to face her, her eyes sharp. "No. Just the ones who deserve it."

Jin nodded, seemingly satisfied with that answer. "Then let's go. We've got more work to do."

They all turned away, leaving the gravesite behind as silently as they came. The night wasn't over.

And neither was the war.