First Meeting 2

"Her condition is perfect, sir. Just a few scratches on her knee and palm—nothing to worry about." The doctor bowed in front of the expressionless man, who simply stared at him. Without another word, the doctor left.

Now, the man turned his gaze toward the boy sitting across from him. Wet black hair clung to the boy's forehead, his oversized black T-shirt and matching pants giving him a casual yet imposing presence. His green eyes, sharp and unreadable, remained fixed on the TV screen displaying a horse race. He casually bit into an apple, one leg crossed over the other.

A blonde, muscular woman standing behind him suddenly turned off the TV. The boy clicked his tongue in annoyance and finally looked at the man in front of him.

Just then, a phone rang. The man answered, his face unreadable at first. But with the boy's enhanced hearing, he had no trouble eavesdropping.

The man's expression twisted, veins bulging in barely contained rage. His voice was low and cold.

"Kill him slowly until his father agrees to the deal. After that, send the head to his father... and the rest, piece by piece, to all the moles in the company."

He ended the call, his face suddenly shifting into an eerily calm smile.

"First of all, thank you for saving my daughter," he said smoothly. "As for the compensation—you can check the amount yourself. I added a little extra for my partner's misbehavior earlier."

The woman behind him scoffed in a thick Russian accent. "I did him a favor. He was reeking like a pig."

Toji ignored her comment, letting out a whistle as he picked up the check. Just as he turned to leave, the Russian woman stepped in front of him, blocking his path like a solid wall, her arms crossed.

The man chuckled, retrieving another check and extending it toward Toji. "Please, stay a little longer. Just a chat."

In a blink, Toji was back in his seat, the second check already in his hand. His eyes gleamed with amusement as he inspected it.

"I knew you were rich," he mused, tapping the check against his palm. "But I didn't know you were this rich."

The man smiled. "Let's start with your name."

"Toji."

Nothing else. No family name. The way he said it—like he despised the very idea of having one—made the man pause for a second.

"You have huge potential—"

"Nah." Toji cut him off, shrugging, as he casually let the checks fall to the table.

The man raised an eyebrow. "What's a kid like you going to do with that much money?"

"Gamble," Toji replied without hesitation, already getting up again.

The man laughed. "Ah, I figured. I saw the way you looked at those horse races… Easy way to lose money. Easy way to make it. But what happens when it runs out? You'll be back on the streets again. How about—"

"I don't do slavery work," Toji interrupted, smirking as he glanced at the Russian woman like he was provoking her.

The man leaned forward slightly, his smile never faltering.

"One billion. Every six months. How does that sound?"

.

.

.

The woman scoffed, crossing her arms. "Why such an offer… to a kid?"

The man let out a heavy sigh, rubbing his temple. "You saw it too, didn't you?" he said quietly. "...What he did back there. It's… impossible."

The woman's brow furrowed, recalling the fight — the horrifying, inhuman way the boy moved. She had been through countless wars, seen hardened killers, monsters bred on battlefields… but that boy was different. The way he didn't hesitate, the way his expression never changed, the way his body devoured pain like it was fuel. It was like watching a wild animal who had accepted death long ago — and now he simply danced with it.

"Tch… still, he's just a brat," she spat. "We've killed worse. Why not just eliminate him now? It's not like he'll respect any deal."

The man smiled bitterly. "You think so?" he chuckled, but there was no humor in his voice. His gaze lingered on the check that Toji had casually discarded. "...I don't think money was his leash."

"Then what?" the woman pressed. "He's driven by something, but it sure as hell ain't money. That makes him dangerous. So why the hell not cut his throat while we can?"

The man's face suddenly darkened. "...Because my father tried."

The room fell dead silent. The woman froze, her eyes narrowing. "...What?"

The man leaned back, his fingers slowly tracing the edge of the check. His voice lowered, heavy with something raw. "I was a kid when I first saw something like this. My father was grooming me to take over the business, teaching me the ropes. He said there were only two things a man should fear —" he paused, his eyes cold. "...His death. And the man who isn't afraid of it."

The woman's expression shifted.

"My father always said, 'When you meet someone who doesn't value their own life, walk away.'"

"And what did your father do?"

The man swallowed hard. "...He didn't walk away."

The air in the room thickened. The man's face darkened as if his mind had traveled back to a time he didn't want to remember.

"I still remember the first time my father laid eyes on someone like him. A monster. It was in the 0th generation — you remember them too, don't you?"

The woman's pupils dilated slightly, her jaw tightening.

"Don't tell me…" she muttered.

"Yeah." The man let out a bitter laugh. "The monster who ruled the pregeneration where death and blood was as normal as breathing… the one everyone tried to forget."

The woman swallowed thickly. She had seen him once — no, not seen. She had survived him once. The terror that name brought was still fresh in her bones.

"Your father tried to kill him?" she asked slowly.

The man gave a slow, painful nod. "My father thought power and money could leash anyone. He put a bounty on him — 100 million won to anyone who brought him down. A hundred men, the best of the best were sent after him. And you know what he did?"

The woman's throat felt dry. "...What?"

The man smiled darkly. "He killed them all. One by one. And when my father realized his mistake, he tried offering him more money... everything. You know what he did right"

The woman swallowed hard. "...And you think that kid is like him?"

"No." The man's tone was grim. "I think he's worse."

The woman froze.

"Because that boy isn't driven by survival or power." The man looked toward the door where Toji had just walked out, his soaked black hair still imprinted in his mind. "...He's driven by pure instinct. A need to destroy. And the scary part is… he doesn't even care if he survive as long as kills the one in front. That's why he doesn't fear anything."

"Then why the hell keep him around?" The woman's voice cracked slightly. "You can't control someone like that. You'll only make him worse."

The man grinned. "That's where you're wrong."

"How?" she snapped.

"Because unlike my father, I've already found his leash." The man's eyes darkened, but his grin widened.

The woman raised a brow. "Money isn't his leash. Then what is?"

The man's grin widened further. "...Desire."

The woman looked confused.

"Everyone wants something," the man leaned forward. "And that kid? He has a desire buried so deep that not even he knows it exists. Something primal. He doesn't want power. He doesn't want money. He doesn't even want peace." The man smiled sinisterly. "...He just wants to feel alive."

The woman clenched her fists. "...And what if he stops wanting that?"

The man chuckled. "That's the beauty of it. He won't. Every time he feels close to death, it'll push him harder to find something else to break. The more destruction, the more he feels alive."

The woman still looked skeptical. "...And you're confident you can control that?"

"No," the man admitted, his tone dark. "But as long as he keeps walking toward death, he'll keep coming back to me for something to chase. That's the leash."

The woman didn't reply. Her gut twisted — this didn't feel right.

"And what happens when he realizes you're the one keeping him leashed?" she asked coldly.

The man leaned back, letting out a bitter laugh. "Then I'll die."

A heavy silence.

"But until then…" The man's eyes glinted. "I'll make sure his bloodlust is pointed exactly where I want it to be."

The woman shivered. This man… was playing with something far more dangerous than he realized.

"You're creating another monster," she warned quietly.

The man's smile widened unnaturally. "I'm not creating one… I'm unleashing one."