Chapter 31: Fire in the Docks

The night sky hung low over the east docks, its usual silence broken by the hum of cranes and the shouts of workers unloading crates marked with Kurogane's insignia — a crimson snake wrapped around a silver blade.

Hidden in the shadows above, Hotaru adjusted her earpiece. "Tora, you in?"

Tora's voice crackled through. "Already sipping their data like fine wine. Cameras are looped, alarms are muted, and their comms are about to play static jazz."

"Remind me to hire you if I ever start a criminal empire," Ryuuji whispered beside her, only to get elbowed in the ribs by Mira.

From a rooftop across the dock, Sai's voice came through, calm and collected. "Phase one — distraction — begins now."

At once, Ryuuji stood up, dramatically flipping his coat and striding into the open like he owned the place. "Evening, gentlemen!" he called out, waving at the confused guards. "Anyone order a midnight disaster?"

Mira dropped down from the other side, landing like a meteor and sending one guard flying into a stack of crates.

"Damn, I missed this," she grinned, cracking her knuckles.

Alarms should have blared — but thanks to Tora, nothing but eerie silence echoed back.

Hotaru, with Kuro perched on her shoulder, slipped past the chaos and into the warehouse. The crates were stacked high, sealed tight, but Kuro hopped down, his nose twitching. He pawed at one crate, meowing sharply.

Hotaru sliced it open with a flick of her knife. Inside — weapons, drugs, and... files. Thick, leather-bound files stamped with the Kurogane crest.

Her fingers hovered over them, heart pounding. These could hold the key — the proof of every crime Kurogane ever committed, names of allies, dirty deals, and maybe... just maybe, answers about her family's fall.

She grabbed the files, stuffing them into her bag just as footsteps echoed.

"Hold it right there."

Three Kurogane guards blocked the exit, guns raised.

Hotaru's smirk was ice-cold. "You should have brought more."

She darted forward, blade flashing, Kuro leaping into one guard's face, claws out. Mira crashed through the back wall seconds later, tackling the second guard into the water outside. Ryuuji, somehow shirtless already, swung down from a crane and landed boot-first on the third.

"Why are you shirtless?!" Hotaru snapped.

"It's for the drama!" Ryuuji winked.

The dock erupted into chaos. Tora kept their escape route clear, hacking into the crane controls and swinging cargo containers like wrecking balls to block reinforcements. Sai guided them from above, sniping guards who got too close with stunning precision.

As they neared the exit, flames burst from one of the crates.

"Who the hell started a fire?!" Hotaru shouted.

Mira coughed. "Uh... might have been my punch."

The flames spread fast, licking at the crates, the dock creaking under the heat.

"We need to go — now!" Sai's voice was sharp.

They ran, the files secured, the flames roaring behind them. As they reached the van, Hotaru glanced back at the inferno, the crimson snake insignia melting into ash.

"Let it burn," she muttered.

Kuro meowed in agreement.

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End of Chapter 31