Kuroda Renji and Amano Goro were the two captains tasked with escorting Kieta. Both had fearsome reputations, earned through years of merit, and with that came unparalleled experience. They waited patiently as Kieta urged them to stop at the door.
Since this was meant to be just a negotiation, the men carried only guns and machetes, with two shield bearers each in case defense was needed.
Kieta felt nervous as he stood at the entrance. He hadn't thought he would have to walk into the lion's den right after betraying them for his own jealousy. But his confidence steadied when he saw the two famed captains and their units with all their gear ahead of him.
Kuroda grunted impatiently. "Hurry up, kid. We don't have all day."
Amano, by contrast, gave a sympathetic nod. "Since you're with us, you shouldn't be worried."
Finally, Kieta exhaled and nodded. They entered the villa.
The shield unit formed up, four panels locked in to protect from harm. The others kept their guns ready, covering the rear. Kieta walked in the middle.
The first person he saw was Riku, sitting on a sofa inside the common room downstairs. His hands were behind his back, perhaps bound. A cut ran across his cheek, proof of a struggle. He wore only a simple shirt and pants—completely defenseless. With a single order, Kieta could have him executed. But anger burned hotter than mercy. Riku had to suffer.
Even though his nerves calmed a little, the absence of the others made him uneasy. He snarled at Riku.
"You fucking traitor. Where the hell is Ayane?"
Noise echoed from the staircase. Kieta looked up and froze. Ayane was descending, dressed in her bridal gown, a wine bottle in one hand and two glasses in the other. It was the same wine Anton had brought.
Kieta's heart pounded. He searched her face for rage, for disappointment—but instead found only a faint, amused smile. She moved without fear, placed the bottle and glasses on the table, then pulled out a familiar remote.
A hiss. From the entrance room's ceiling, the extinguishers sprayed down. Not water—liquid. The shield units flinched as they were soaked. The smell confirmed it instantly. Kerosene.
(A/N: Only the outer room was sprayed, so please don't mistake Ayane and Riku as being drenched — they're dry.)
Ayane's voice was light, mocking. "You come late to my wedding and bring guests. But isn't it rude to arrive with guns?"
Kieta and his escort teams stood drenched, every drop smelling of fire and death at the slightest spark.
Kuroda barked, unflinching. "Throw the guns. They're useless now. Stay in formation."
The hunters ditched their firearms and drew machetes instead.
Ayane tilted her head playfully. "Ara ara… so violent. Aren't we here to talk?"
Kieta forced his composure. "Listen, Captain. I don't hate you personally. But this is getting troublesome. Stop your games. Tell me where the rest of your team is. Don't forget—you're completely surrounded."
Ayane sank onto a sofa, gracefully and unbothered. She tapped the cushion beside her and smirked. "Why don't you join me? Let your men stand there. We can chat in peace. Besides…" She pointed at Riku, still bound. "Your captive is right here, in plain sight."
Kieta hesitated, but Kuroda growled. "Hurry up, kid. We're not standing here soaked in kerosene."
Amano passed him a machete. "Take this."
Kieta nodded, gripping the blade in his left hand. He walked forward, nerves hidden, and sat near Ayane.
Ayane slid a glass across to him. "How about a drink? Koshu. Twenty years aged."
He stared, suspicious.
She smiled. "I'll take silence as yes." She poured for both, sipped first without breaking eye contact.
Relief washed through Kieta. No poison. He tasted it too—delicious, smooth. The tension eased. He straightened. "So, Ayane. What do you want?"
Her smile softened, but pain flickered beneath. "Before we talk… I want to know something. For old times' sake. Why did you betray us? I thought of you as my own. I even saw you as a little brother. Why?"
Kieta laughed harshly, finishing his drink in one swallow gulp. He slammed the glass down.
"Little brother? Hah!" His eyes went wild. He glared at Riku, silent and stoic on the opposite sofa.
"I worshipped you for three years! You were a goddess to me. And you chose him? That filthy bastard who mocked you, who ogled you, who bragged about getting in your pants? That's the man you chose over me?"
His voice cracked with fury. "I'm the best hacker you'll ever have! I bled for you, and you ignored me. Do you know what that did to my pride? My ego? You made me nothing!"
He smirked, his voice dropping with a knowing tone that edged toward a confession."I get it—you're probably worried about your age. Desperate, maybe. But I still like you, Captain. And I still find you as attractive as aged wine."
He chuckled darkly, setting the machete on the table. His hand crept to her thigh.
"And maybe… maybe we can still fix it. You and me. With him gone, we can start over." He leaned closer, grinning. "Pour me another glass. As a sign."
Ayane's heart clenched. She saw how far he had fallen. Beyond saving. Her tears welled, but her voice was steady. "I see."
She lifted the bottle as if to pour. Then suddenly smashed it against his skull.
Kieta reeled, dazed, and before he could react Ayane pulled a dagger from beneath the cushion and plunged it into his chest. His eyes went wide with disbelief.
"Cap…tain…"
She twisted the blade. Tears blurred her vision, but she didn't stop until he gasped and slumped dead, with blood pouring.
"Fucking whore."
"Kill them all!"
The escorts, stunned, got enraged and moved to retaliate—when Riku suddenly stood.
His hands, hidden all this time behind his back, now revealed two live grenades, pins already pulled loose and trapped between his fingers.
"No, you don't!"
For all this time, the cut on his cheek had been a ruse. His "bound" hands were only an act.
He would've thrown them off earlier if they'd moved against him on spot. But thanks to them buying his performance, he stayed silent—giving Ayane the chance to take her revenge personally.
He hurled both grenades into the advancing hunters. The shield wall snapped up, but the blast tore through formation, the shockwave hurling bodies. Kerosene-soaked men ignited instantly as fire roared across the room.
Screams filled the villa. Survivors stumbled only to be shot down as Riku drew his twin 9mm pistols and executed them point-blank.
The entrance collapsed in flame and smoke, choking the house.
Ayane stood frozen, staring at Kieta's corpse, her dagger still red. She couldn't believe she had killed him.
Riku searched the body quickly, pulling a phone and wallet. His face hardened as he flashed an ID card.
"This bastard was PSIA. A government plant. They sent him to spy on us." He gripped Ayane's arm firmly. "Don't waste tears on him. He didn't deserve them. We need to move. Now."
Outside the Villa
David stood outside the burning villa, lips curling into amusement as flames roared out of the shattered entrance after ten sharp gunshots. The fire crackled against the night, smoke twisting upward. He glanced at Takeshi, whose jaw was tight and fists clenched with rage.
"Hm. Looks like your talks failed," David said coolly. "So, my friend… what will you do now?"
Takeshi's knuckles whitened. Charging through the entrance was suicide until the blaze died down. He knew Ayane would be driving her team toward the rear, so he snapped into his comm:"Units on rear—move with caution. Prioritize the hard drives. Shoot enemies on sight."
David chuckled, rolling his neck until it cracked."Finally. My units will cover the front if you fail—but I wouldn't mind giving you sniper support." He clapped Takeshi's shoulder, a patronizing weight, before signaling to his men and slipping away toward a nearby rooftop for a better vantage.
Takeshi ground his teeth, shame still burning from his earlier mercy that had cost him dearly.
Then the ground shook—The rear of the convoy erupted in fire, one vehicle launched skyward before slamming back down, knocking men sprawling.
"RPG, rooftop!" someone shouted.
Takeshi witnessed in horror as the Russian guy in priest robes fired another shot straight at him. He leapt aside just in time, barely dodging the blast. The explosion missed him, but several of his men in pursuit weren't so lucky and were badly injured.
Anton grabbed another round and prepared to fire again, but the men outside opened up with return fire, forcing him to duck down for cover.
Takeshi stood up, huffing, scanning the scene and checking the damage. His eyes darted about for the hostage they had captured earlier — Richard — but he was nowhere in sight.
It seemed Richard had slipped away, using the chaos of the blast as cover.
Takeshi muttered a sharp "Fuck," then snapped at a few of his men to search for him.
Meanwhile, outside, Anton had taken a hit. A bullet tore into his shoulder, though by luck it was only a grazing wound, ripping into flesh but sparing the bone.
Li rushed in with an AK-47, planting it firmly on the rear. "Is it done?" he asked.
Anton nodded, crawling forward to pass him the launcher. "Just hold it for five minutes."
Li opened fire, cutting down anyone who tried to rush straight in. The hunting squad responded by advancing with a turtle formation, shields raised in unison. But when they pressed close, Anton whipped out an RPG and blew the formation apart in a single thunderous blast.
He smirked, satisfied. "That should buy us some time." But the relief was short-lived. Gunfire intensified, spraying wildly toward their position. Anton and Li were forced back into cover, ducking low as bullets shredded the air. The two laughed despite the danger, Anton even miming a mocking "boom" gesture.
Moments later, Ayane and Riku arrived with few belongings.
Ayane immediately crouched beside Anton, checking his wound. "You good?" she asked. Anton gave her a wordless nod.
After a tense stretch, the gunfire suddenly lulled. Riku shifted position carefully, peeking from a vantage point. From what he could see, their assault had driven the hunting units back. They hadn't expected Anton's RPGs and grenades, which had turned the tide. Now the enemy regrouped outside, forming new squads. Some paired off at the entrance, prepared to minimize losses if another RPG came their way.
The problem was, Riku's team was running low. Ammunition was nearly gone, explosives fully spent. All they had left to hold on to was time. That's when they heard it — the sound of a yacht engine. It was Richard, returning with the boat, edging it to the far corner — the only safe angle for an escape.
Li didn't waste a second. He yanked out a grappling gun from his pack, aimed at the yacht, and fired. The hook locked on perfectly. Richard scrambled to help secure the line, giving a thumbs up once it held firm.
Riku tied it off on their end with Li's help, then turned to Anton. "You go first."
Gunfire suddenly erupted again. Enemies had shifted their fire, now targeting the yacht. Richard ducked low at the helm, shouting for them to hurry.
Ayane slung her AK-47 over her shoulder and barked, "All of you go — I'll keep them busy." Without hesitation, she laid down covering fire, cutting into squads trying to pin the yacht.
Riku pulled his pistols. "I'll help too." He took another angle, unleashing shots to split enemy attention and shield Ayane's flank.
Anton hesitated, torn, but Li shoved him toward the line. "Move! We don't have time!"
Grunting, Anton hooked on. He dragged himself across one-handed, clutching his wounded arm, and crashed hard onto the yacht's cabin. He rolled over with a groan, flashing a thumbs up despite the pain etched on his face.
Li followed right after.
Riku called out, "Ayane, your turn!" But she kept firing, head shaking. "I'll come last. Someone has to hold the line."
In a sudden rush, Riku grabbed her by the arm and pulled her close, pressing his lips to hers. Ayane froze for a moment, then melted into the kiss as bullets whistled past. For a fleeting instant, the chaos of battle vanished — there was only them, suspended in their own world. When they finally broke apart, Riku whispered, "Come fast, sweetheart," before clipping onto the belt and sliding across. He left another harness for her escape.
Ayane smiled faintly as she watched him go, then turned back to unleash a fresh burst at anyone who dared step forward. On the yacht, Riku immediately pulled out his dual pistols, handing one to Li. Together, they laid down fire to buy Ayane space. She readied herself for the leap — but just as she stepped forward, a bullet tore straight through her head. She was sniped and her body crumpled lifelessly to the ground.
Everyone screamed, "Captain!"
Rohit jolted awake in panic, his chest heaving. The last image of losing his wife burned in his mind like a fresh scar. But the battlefield was gone. He was in a hospital bed. He wasn't the mercenary Riku anymore — he was Rohit, a high schooler in India, fighting not wars but for love.
His blurred vision focused on a grim scene: a doctor frozen in place, his neck trapped in Rohit's grip, scissors clutched threateningly in Rohit's hand. The man was the same fraud doctor with whom he once colluded and now he wheezed, choking for air.
Rohit's voice came out low but furious. "The fuck are you doing here?"
Then a familiar voice broke through, steady and grounding. "Young master, please, be at ease. Everything is alright." It was Balwindar.
Rohit turned and realized he truly was in a hospital room. Outside, police were being kept back by his bodyguard, Chanu. Several others stood nearby, but what caught him most was Ragini — sitting at his bedside, her head resting against his thigh. Exhaustion had overtaken her, but when she stirred awake, her eyes welled with tears.
"Rohit… you're finally awake." She threw herself into his arms, hugging him tightly.
For the first time, a calm washed over Rohit. His adoptive mother who had always been distant for so long — was now holding him like the woman he had longed for. Deep down, he was simply relieved she was safe and unharmed.
But then he felt it — a gaze burning into him.
Turning to his left, he saw Aria, his second sister. Her eyes glared with unmasked hatred, like she was barely restraining the urge to strangle him with her own hands.