THE FIRST STRIKE

The underworld didn't waste time.

The Shirogiri name had resurfaced, and with it came the weight of old grudges and new enemies. Winning the tournament had put Ash on the radar—now, the underworld's most powerful factions had decided to respond.

And they didn't plan on waiting.

Cyber Retaliation

Deep in the neon-lit veins of cyberspace, Kenshiko detected the first strike.

Her stolen credits had barely settled into encrypted accounts before a coordinated digital assault slammed into her firewalls. A swarm of hostile AI programs, virus-laced infiltrators, and brute-force intrusion attempts tried to tear through her defenses.

"Oh," she murmured, amused. "You want to play? Let's play."

The virtual battlefield ignited. Kenshiko moved like a phantom, countering every attack with ruthless efficiency. The enemy hackers weren't amateurs—this was a syndicate-backed assault, led by an AI as sophisticated as any she had encountered.

The opposing AI's presence flickered into view, a towering crimson entity known only as Vermillion Geist.

"You stole from the wrong people," it intoned, launching a viral payload designed to shred Kenshiko's core.

She grinned. "Then let me show you why I don't lose."

The two digital entities collided, fighting for dominance in a battle invisible to the physical world. If Kenshiko lost, the Shirogiri's funds—and control—would be obliterated.

And while she fought in cyberspace, the real-world strike had already begun.

Ambush in the Streets

Ash and Kaito had just left a high-rise in the central district when the first shot rang out.

A sniper round missed Ash by inches, shattering a neon sign behind him. Kaito barely had time to curse before three blacked-out hover vehicles screeched onto the street, doors sliding open to reveal an elite hit squad.

Augmented enforcers, armed with high-caliber weapons and military precision.

"They're fast," Kaito growled, already pulling his sidearm. "Looks like someone's impatient."

Ash was already moving.

The first wave of bullets tore through the air as Ash ducked behind a parked vehicle, then launched forward, closing the distance before the assassins could reposition. He disarmed the first attacker with a brutal wrist lock, redirecting the enemy's own blade into his throat.

The second enforcer lunged with cybernetically enhanced speed—too fast for a normal human to counter.

Ash wasn't normal.

He shifted, letting the attack pass by inches before he drove his elbow into the enforcer's temple. A brutal crack—one down.

Kaito fired two precise shots, dropping another attacker before taking cover behind a ruined street kiosk. "We need to move!"

More reinforcements poured in.

Ash exhaled. They weren't just trying to scare him. This was an execution.

Dual Battle: Flesh and Code

As Ash and Kaito fought for survival, Kenshiko's battle in cyberspace reached a critical point.

Vermillion Geist launched a full-system override.

Red warnings flared across her interface. "Tch. You're getting desperate."

The enemy AI attempted to seize control of Shirogiri assets, rerouting funds and unlocking financial doors to siphon power away from Ash's growing empire.

Kenshiko reacted with surgical precision, counter-hacking their encryption, embedding false pathways, and deploying a viral trap.

"You like taking things that don't belong to you?" she purred. "Then choke on this."

She flipped their attack back on itself, forcing Vermillion Geist's systems into a logic loop. A moment of hesitation—that's all she needed.

And then she struck.

The enemy AI fragmented, screaming as its core was devoured by Kenshiko's final strike.

In the real world, across countless crime syndicate accounts, digital fire consumed their assets.

She had won.

Finishing the Fight

Ash and Kaito were outnumbered—but they weren't outmatched.

As Kenshiko's victory sent chaos through the underworld's financial systems, the hit squad faltered.

"Their comms just blacked out," Kaito noted, catching his breath. "Something's wrong on their end."

Ash smirked. "Good. Let's end this."

With the enemy momentarily thrown into disarray, Ash went on the offensive.

He moved like a shadow through a storm, cutting down the remaining assassins with relentless, surgical strikes. One by one, they fell—until only silence remained.

Kaito straightened, holstering his weapon. "That was a hell of a first response."

Ash exhaled, his muscles still tense. "And it won't be the last."

His communicator buzzed. Kenshiko.

"You're welcome," she said, smug as ever.

Ash shook his head. "They're getting desperate."

Kenshiko's voice dropped. "Then we better make our next move count."

The War Had Truly Begun.