Chapter 45: The First Strike

The air inside the safehouse was thick with tension and excitement. For the first time, they had a real chance — not just to run, not just to survive — but to fight back.

Hotaru spread the map across the table, its edges worn and stained with years of regret. Sai traced a finger across a red circle near the southern docks.

"This is the closest black site. It's small, mostly a storage and transfer hub, but if we hit it hard enough, we'll send a message," Sai explained.

Tora smirked, already cracking his knuckles. "And I've been itching to blow something up."

Ryuuji stretched, casually leaning over Hotaru's shoulder. "Any chance they've got some cute female guards? I can be very persuasive."

Mira smacked him upside the head. "Focus, lover boy."

Even Kuro seemed excited, his tail flicking back and forth like a metronome.

"Alright," Hotaru said, her voice sharper than usual. "We go in fast, silent if possible, loud if necessary. In and out before they can call for backup."

Sai nodded. "I've got some old equipment stashed here — smoke bombs, flashbangs, even some hacking gear."

Tora grinned wide. "Now you're speaking my language."

---

That Night – Southern Docks

The rain hammered down, masking their footsteps as they crept toward the black site. It was a low, squat warehouse, its windows glowing dimly from within. Security cameras scanned the perimeter, but Tora was already on his tablet, fingers flying over the screen.

"Cameras disabled," he whispered. "We're ghosts now."

Sai led the way, his every step silent, his body moving like someone who belonged to the shadows. Hotaru followed closely, her daggers strapped to her thighs, her mind sharp and focused.

Mira and Ryuuji covered the rear, with Kuro perched on Mira's shoulder, his eyes glowing faintly in the dark.

They reached the side entrance, a rusted door with a keypad lock.

"I got this," Tora whispered, but before he could even pull out his tools, Kuro leapt off Mira's shoulder, landing squarely on the keypad. His paw pressed several buttons in rapid succession — and with a soft beep, the door slid open.

"Are you serious?" Tora hissed. "Even the cat's a hacker?"

"Highly intelligent," Kuro meowed smugly.

They slipped inside. The warehouse was stacked with crates — some marked with strange symbols, others with Kurogane's logo slashed across the side.

"Fan out," Hotaru whispered. "Find anything useful — files, weapons, tech — anything."

The team moved quickly, scouring the space. Sai opened a crate, pulling out several syringes filled with a glowing blue liquid. His face darkened.

"Kurogane's enhancement serum," he muttered. "This stuff destroys the body from the inside out."

Mira flipped through a folder filled with reports — names, locations, and experiments conducted on living subjects. Her hands shook. "They've been experimenting on kids again."

Hotaru's jaw clenched. "Burn it all."

Tora planted small charges along the walls, his grin sharp and dangerous. Ryuuji stacked every document he could find into a pile, soaking them with oil he found near the entrance.

Suddenly, a voice echoed from above.

"Did you really think you could sneak in here without me noticing?"

They all froze. A figure stood on the catwalk — tall, wrapped in a long black coat, his face hidden behind a silver mask.

"Who the hell is that?" Ryuuji whispered.

Sai's fists tightened. "That's Wraith — one of Kurogane's top enforcers."

The figure raised his hand, and the lights flared to life, blinding them briefly. When their vision cleared, half a dozen heavily armed guards had surrounded them, guns raised.

"Well," Hotaru sighed, drawing her daggers. "So much for silent."

Mira pulled out her staff, spinning it effortlessly. "Time to go loud."

Tora detonated the first charge, blowing a hole in the far wall. Chaos erupted.

Hotaru leapt at the nearest guard, slicing through his weapon with one smooth strike. Mira's staff cracked against another's skull, dropping him instantly. Sai fought with brutal efficiency, his movements precise, no wasted motion.

Ryuuji, of course, managed to flirt while fighting. "Hey gorgeous," he grinned at a female guard before disarming her and tying her hands with her own cuffs. "Call me."

Wraith jumped down, landing gracefully in front of Hotaru.

"I've heard about you," he said, voice distorted by the mask. "The ghost who escaped Kurogane. Let's see if the rumors are true."

Hotaru didn't answer — she attacked. Their blades clashed, sparks flying. Wraith was fast, unnaturally fast, his movements fluid like liquid shadow. But Hotaru was faster.

She drove her knee into his ribs, then spun and slashed at his mask. It cracked, revealing a scarred mouth curled into a smile.

"You're better than I expected," he said. "This will be fun."

But before he could counter, Sai grabbed him from behind, driving a blade into his side.

"No fun for you," Sai growled.

The charges detonated one after another, flames consuming the warehouse.

"Time to go!" Mira shouted.

They sprinted out, the heat licking at their backs, smoke choking the air.

They didn't stop running until they reached the far end of the docks. The warehouse collapsed in flames behind them.

"We did it," Tora panted, hands on his knees. "We actually did it."

Hotaru looked back at the fire, her expression unreadable. "This is just the beginning."

Sai nodded. "One site down. Dozens more to go."

Kuro sat beside them, tail flicking. "Meow."

Mira grinned. "Let's burn them all."

End of Chapter 45