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"So… you're their boss?"
Saeko tilted her head slightly as the middle-aged man stopped in front of her.
"That's right. I run this place. Tell me, sweetheart, what do you want with me?"
His grin widened, his gaze crawling shamelessly over her body.
"Would you… spar with me for a while?"
Saeko asked it softly, almost shyly. The thought of what she was about to do sent a flush to her cheeks.
The boss let out a laugh, misreading everything. "Oh, I'd love to! How do you want to play, gorgeous?"
But the next instant, his world flipped. Darkness swallowed his vision, the floor rushed up at him, and pain tore through his body like it had been ripped apart.
When he finally blinked his eyes open, he was flat on his back, coughing up something hard. He spat, and a tooth streaked with blood hit the ground.
"T-This is amazing… absolutely amazing…"
Saeko's cheeks burned pink, her smile radiant as she stroked the wooden blade in her hands, eyes shining with thrill.
"She's wet," Venom's low, sly whisper curled in her ear. The symbiote clung to her body, aware of every detail of her state.
"Mhm."
Saeko gave the faintest nod. Whether from embarrassment or excitement, even she couldn't tell anymore.
"You bitch!" the boss roared, dragging himself upright, coughing blood. "Get her! Don't kill her—I want her alive so I can break her myself!"
His men snapped out of their daze, grabbing pipes, bats, whatever they had, and charged at Saeko.
"They're coming," Venom murmured, voice smooth as poison. "Let them entertain you. Show me more of who you are."
"Then keep your eyes on me."
Saeko's lips curved into a smile. Her eyes gleamed with feverish excitement as she raised her wooden sword, then surged forward like a storm.
She slipped between strikes, every motion sharp and deliberate, sending bodies flying as though they were nothing more than sandbags. From a distance, the crowd looked like a wave breaking against her, men toppling one after another.
Her sword cracked across ribs and shoulders, the dull thwack echoing like thunder.
One young thug crept up behind her with a bat, but before he could swing, Saeko turned smoothly, blade leveled at his chest.
He froze, terror written all over his face, not daring to move.
The others faltered, gripping their weapons tightly, but too shaken to rush her.
Saeko lowered her sword slightly—only to whip it back with brutal precision. The strike landed square on the man's torso, sending him airborne like a ragdoll.
That snapped the others back into motion. They swarmed her again.
It didn't matter. In minutes, the floor was littered with groaning bodies, blood spattering the scene like a macabre flower bed.
And at the center of it all stood Saeko Busujima, the violet that bloomed brightest in blood.
"You bitch—I'll kill you myself!"
The boss grabbed a folding chair and charged, swinging it wildly down at her.
Saeko Busujima saw the attack coming and quickly shifted sideways, dodging the strike. In the same motion, she lashed out with a kick that sent the gangster boss flying.
The man hit the ground hard, coughing up a mouthful of blood. He struggled to push himself up, but Saeko stepped forward and pinned him down with her foot.
The boss raised his head with difficulty.
At that moment, part of Saeko's skirt shimmered and melted into a black liquid, stretching outward to form sharp, black spikes.
"Argh!"
The gangster's scream echoed through the warehouse as the black spikes pierced straight through his eyes.
"This is mine—what the hell were you staring at?"
Venom's voice came casually, and the spikes retracted, flowing back into her clothes as if nothing had happened.
"How does it feel?"
On her shoulder, the fabric wriggled, morphing into a miniature version of Venom.
"It feels incredible!"
Saeko smiled as she answered. Her whole body, mind and soul were buzzing with satisfaction.
"But why didn't you finish them off? I thought we talked about this."
Venom turned, eyeing the groaning gang members still rolling on the ground.
"I…"
Saeko hesitated. No matter how much she tried, she still couldn't bring herself to cross that line.
"It's fine. If that's your choice, I'll respect it."
Venom's voice softened with understanding. After all, she had never killed before. Expecting her to start now wasn't exactly easy.
"Let's go. We've got another stop waiting."
"Mm."
Saeko nodded, excitement flickering in her eyes. Turning away from the warehouse, she disappeared into the night.
Over the next few days, gangs all across the city were ambushed. The survivors all swore the attacker was a beautiful goddess.
"....."