Chapter 13 – No Turning Back

The streets of Tokyo were drowning in blood and chaos. The Viper Gang's attack had shattered the fragile balance of power, and what remained of Kaito's gang was being wiped out in brutal skirmishes. Taro, Mia, and the few who had chosen to stand with him were now on the run.

There was no more hiding.

Taro gripped his gun tightly as he led the group through the dark, rain-soaked alleys. His breath was steady, but his mind burned with thoughts of vengeance. Ken was gone. Kaito was dead. The Viper Gang wanted complete control. And now, with the revelation about Mia's past, this war had become personal.

The past few hours had been a nightmare—gunfire had erupted in the heart of the city, businesses had been torched, and corpses littered the streets. Taro's group had barely escaped the Viper Gang's first assault, and now they were cornered, with nowhere left to run.

A cold wind blew through the streets as Taro pushed open the door of an abandoned warehouse. Inside, Kenji Sato had arranged a temporary hideout. Old crates, flickering lights, and the smell of gunpowder filled the air. The survivors gathered—faces bruised, blood staining their clothes, their weapons low on ammunition.

Mia sat in the corner, her hands shaking as she stared at the bullet-riddled corpses of their fallen allies. The Viper Gang had been ruthless.

Taro placed a hand on her shoulder. "We have to move. They'll find us soon."

Mia looked up, her eyes red. "There's nowhere left to run, Taro. This city belongs to them now."

He shook his head. "Not yet."

Suddenly, gunshots rang out. The doors to the warehouse burst open, and a hail of bullets rained down on them. The Viper Gang had found them.

"AMBUSH! GET DOWN!"

Taro dived behind a stack of crates, returning fire as the others scattered. The warehouse erupted into chaos—bullets shattered metal beams, sparks rained down from broken lights, and the smell of burning wood filled the air as the gangsters set the entrance ablaze.

Mia pulled out her pistol, firing at a masked gunman who was advancing on them. The man staggered back, blood spraying against the concrete wall.

"We need an exit!" Kenji shouted, reloading his rifle.

Taro's eyes darted around—there was only one way out, but it was blocked by fire. They had been lured into a death trap.

No More Mercy

Taro clenched his teeth. Enough running. Enough hiding.

He grabbed a discarded submachine gun and sprinted forward, emptying the magazine into the Viper thugs. He moved like a shadow—darting between crates, weaving through gunfire, his every step fueled by rage and survival.

Mia covered him from behind, firing precise shots that took down enemies trying to flank them. Kenji threw a grenade toward the burning entrance, the explosion sending debris flying and momentarily halting the Vipers' advance.

But they just kept coming.

A masked gunman charged at Taro with a knife, screaming. Taro sidestepped, grabbing the man's arm and twisting it before slamming the knife into his throat. The body dropped, but there was no time to think—another attacker was already on him.

He ducked as a bullet grazed his cheek. Too close. He turned his gun and pulled the trigger—click.

Out of ammo.

With no hesitation, he grabbed a steel pipe from the ground and swung it full force at his attacker's skull. A sickening crack. Blood splattered across the floor as the man collapsed.

Mia and Kenji fought desperately at his side. The smoke from the fires filled the warehouse, making it harder to breathe. They were losing ground.

If they didn't escape soon, they were dead.

Taro's mind raced. Think. There has to be a way out.

His eyes locked onto a window high above, half-broken from stray bullets. It was their only chance.

"Mia! Kenji! We're going up!" he shouted.

Kenji nodded, throwing down suppressive fire. Mia dashed toward the nearby stack of crates, using them to climb up to the second level.

Taro covered her, taking out two more gangsters with precise headshots. He followed, jumping onto the crates as bullets whizzed past him.

Kenji was right behind them—but then he stopped.

Taro turned in horror as Kenji fell to his knees, clutching his stomach. Blood poured from a fresh bullet wound.

"No…" Taro jumped down to him, ignoring the danger.

Kenji coughed, blood staining his lips. "I'll cover you… You two go."

"No! We leave together!" Taro yelled, gripping his friend's arm.

Kenji weakly smiled. "Taro… You still have a future. Get out of here."

The Viper Gang was closing in. More men flooded into the warehouse, their gun barrels flashing in the darkness.

Kenji took one last deep breath, lifting his rifle with shaking hands. "Go!"

And then—he turned, unleashing a barrage of bullets at the Vipers, forcing them back.

Taro clenched his fists, his heart breaking. He had to move.

Mia grabbed his wrist. "Taro! Come on!"

Taro swallowed hard and forced himself to climb. He didn't look back.

The last thing he heard before leaping through the shattered window was the sound of Kenji's gunfire… and then a single, final shot.

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Nowhere Left to Run

They landed hard on the pavement outside, rolling as the explosion from the warehouse rocked the street behind them.

Mia gasped for air, her body trembling. "He's… he's gone…"

Taro was silent. Kenji was dead.

He clenched his fists so hard his knuckles turned white. This wasn't just about survival anymore.

This was war.

Taro stood up, bloodied and bruised, looking toward the distant skyline of Tokyo.

The Viper Gang thought they had won.

But they had just started a war they couldn't escape.