Return

The low hum of a flickering bounty board cast an eerie glow over the smoke-filled room. Neon light reflected off empty bottles and mission files that lay scattered across the long metal table, where S-Rank Squad No.5 lounged in casual disarray. Laughter echoed between sips of alcohol, idle chatter filling the haze.

Zera leaned against the wall, arms crossed, a glass in hand. She raised it for another sip, but her eyes were drawn to a sharp beep from the digital board. The screen flashed red, and a new alert replaced the old listings.

Her body stiffened mid-sip.

Her drink nearly slipped from her fingers as her jaw dropped.

"…What the hell?!" she blurted, eyes wide with disbelief.

The others looked up at her in confusion, their conversations pausing. Zera pointed sharply at the screen, where the alert now screamed in blood-red font:

BOSS-RANK THREAT – CODENAME: HOLLOW FANGReal Name: UnknownBounty: $100,000,000Threat Level: Beyond S-Rank – Classified as BOSSWarning: Engage at your own risk

A moment of stunned silence swept over the squad.

Zera kept staring at the numbers, her voice hushed with disbelief. "How's this even possible…? A person's first bounty… being a hundred million dollars?! And the threat level—higher than S-Rank?!"

Kairo slowly stood, arms folded, his gaze cold and calculating as he studied the screen. The flicker of crimson data reflected in his narrowed eyes.

"This is a tempting offer…" he murmured. "But I can't overlook the threat level."

Rein chuckled and leaned back in his chair, yawning lazily as he propped his legs on the table.

"Duuuh~" he mocked with a smirk, "We can just find a new dump boy to use like Asahi, haha."

Kamuro leaned forward, a wicked grin spreading across his face. His fingers tapped rhythmically on the steel surface.

"Heh… You just made me remember that pitiful look on that kid's face…" His voice dripped with sadistic amusement. "At least he died being useful, hehe."

Laughter erupted around the room, cackling through the smoke and neon haze.

All except Kairo.

He remained silent, unmoved by the cruel humor. 

Far away, in a mist-veiled valley beneath the thunderous crash of a towering waterfall, Kuragiri sat motionless atop a jagged boulder. The white torrent raged down on him, soaking his silver-white hair, which clung slickly to his face and neck. His bare upper body glistened under the pale daylight filtering through the treetops, muscles taut yet composed.

Eyes closed, he breathed steadily. His aura pulsed faintly, synchronizing with the natural rhythm of the falling water.

After a few moments, he stood in silence. Water cascaded from his form as he stepped down from the boulder, barefoot on the moss-covered stone. He walked calmly to the dry ground, where his vest and black crimson-lined cloak were folded neatly.

Without a word, he dressed, his movements fluid and deliberate. As the cloak fell around his shoulders, its crimson lining fluttered lightly in the breeze. His cold, unreadable gaze turned toward the distant skyline, where the city shimmered beneath the horizon.

He began walking—quietly, steadily.

The city was alive.

Neon lights buzzed in technicolor symphony, traffic roared, and the crowd pulsed like a living organism. Kuragiri moved through it without a sound. His tall, imposing figure towered over most passersby, He arrived at a towering skyscraper—its glass exterior gleaming under the sky's dull gray. Without hesitation, he stepped through the entrance. The guards didn't question him. They bowed slightly, subconsciously aware of the presence that eclipsed their instincts.

The elevator ride was silent. Floor after floor passed in quiet motion until it stopped with a soft chime.

The doors slid open, revealing a luxurious office—marble floors, minimalist decor, and a glass desk large enough to serve a war council. Sitting behind it, a man in a sleek designer suit with flowing dark hair awaited.

Eun Woo—the infamous Korean assassin turned guild master. His smile was casual, charismatic, almost playful.

"Here for your pay~?" he asked brightly, leaning back in his chair.

Kuragiri said nothing. He didn't even look at him. His boots echoed as he walked to the desk, picked up a thick envelope, and pocketed it 

PAY FOR THE DRAGON KING ASSASSINATION – $10,000The bold letters on the front glared back in silence.

As Kuragiri turned to leave, Eun Woo leaned forward, resting his chin on his clasped fingers.

"Hey, kid… I've got an offer for you—"

"No thanks," Kuragiri replied flatly, not even glancing over his shoulder.

His footsteps faded into the hallway. Eun Woo's smile slowly faded, replaced by a quiet frown.

In the crowded heart of the city, the tide of pedestrians moved endlessly.

Zera walked among them, her stride casual, her eyes scanning the streets with predatory ease. She stopped when she spotted a boy—barely fifteen—wandering near a billboard, looking around anxiously.

She approached with a smile painted in sugar and silk.

"Looking for a job?"

The boy blinked, startled, then nodded eagerly. "Huh? Uh… yeah, I am!"

Zera tilted her head, letting her voice drip with honey. "Heh… well, I've got one for you — if you don't mind carrying a few things for my squad during missions. You'd be our gear handler. The pay's huge, and you'll have full safety insurance. Sounds good?"

His eyes lit up, face brightening. "R-Really?! I can do that! I mean—"

"I've heard those words before."

The cold voice sliced through the air. Zera and the boy froze.

She turned sharply, frowning. "Huh? Who the hell—?"

A few meters away, stood a tall figure. His black cloak danced in the wind, crimson lining flaring like blood. Snow-white hair shadowed part of his face, hiding the dead calm in his eyes.

Zera narrowed her gaze. "And who are you supposed to be?"

The figure took one slow step forward, voice colder than death.

"Your nemesis."

Zera burst into laughter, tossing her head back mockingly. "Pfft—HAHAHAHA! Seriously?! That's the line you went with? My nemesis?! Oh, please—"

But her words never finished.

A gust of wind brushed past her. Her world twisted.

CRACK!

Agony shot through her body—her arm twisted violently behind her back. She screamed in pain as her knees buckled under Kuragiri's grip. His hand was ice-cold, his presence like a void swallowing warmth.

He leaned close, whispering by her ear, voice devoid of emotion. "You should've never picked another boy to throw away."

She hissed, gritting her teeth. "Hey—aren't you the Hollow Fang everyone's hunting? Release me now, or I'll expose you!"

"Feel free to do so," he replied calmly. "After all… it'd only benefit you. You won't be going to the land of the dead alone."

Rage twisted Zera's face. With a scream, she wrenched herself free—ripping her own arm off in a sickening, wet crunch. Blood splattered across the pavement, but her expression remained unfazed.

The limb regenerated in seconds, reforming through Morphic flesh. "I'm a Morphic Type," she said with a confident smirk. "Your little tricks won't work on me."

But before her smirk fully settled, Kuragiri's palm was already on her face.

BOOM.

He slammed her through a concrete wall, her body crashing through it like a cannonball. Dust and rubble exploded outward. She rolled back onto her feet, bloodied but grinning.

Crystalline shards erupted from her body, launching with sonic force. The air cracked, slicing through the street—but Kuragiri weaved through them with graceful, deadly precision.

He answered with a fire beam, searing the air with blistering heat.

Zera vanished, teleporting behind him. Her hands morphed into claws and slashed—drawing blood from his back. Kuragiri flipped forward, dodging the follow-up strike.

"Heh… I guess S-Ranks aren't a joke after all," he muttered.

Zera raised her arm. "Slash Loop: Cutter!!"

Kuragiri chuckled. "Cringe as hell attack name. What a disappointment—such power wasted on someone who doesn't even have a brain to name it right."

The air exploded—dozens of invisible slash loops tore through buildings, trees, people—an apocalyptic vortex of razors.

Even Kuragiri was grazed—blood dripping from his cheek, arms, and cloak.

"Tch—fuck," he thought, clenching his teeth. "I let my guard down!"

Zera lifted her arm dramatically. "Those who stand against me shall be purged by my—!"

SHIKK.

She froze.

Kuragiri stood behind her again—silent, cold, deadly. One dagger at her neck.

"Huh…?" she whispered, trembling.

Kuragiri's voice was like death's whisper. "That move you pulled earlier? …This is how it's done."