Grand Theft Auto Experience
It was already too late to shout.
Shiraishi had been guarding the elevator door, and when it opened, he swung his hammer inside. The heavy metal blocked the closing doors, forcing them open.
He crouched low and stepped into the spacious hall. The twenty-one bodyguards inside had no time to draw their guns. In such a crowded space, opening fire would have been suicide; they'd risk hitting one another before hitting him.
They had no choice but to rely on their karate-trained fists.
A scream followed almost instantly.
No matter how disciplined their strikes, flesh and bone were no match for steel. Shiraishi gritted his teeth and let their punches rain down on his prosthetic body. With strength like a bull and none of the finesse of a martial artist, he simply swung the hammer in brutal arcs.
After a few sweeps, nearly every bodyguard was down, clutching their limbs and groaning. Only Taii Hideo, the company president, remained upright. Panic flickered across his face, but he forced calm into his voice.
"What do you want?"
Shiraishi cracked his neck, exhaled, and gave a mocking smile.
"Congratulations—you've been kidnapped. Will you walk out of the elevator yourself, or do you want me to drag you out?"
Taii Hideo's face darkened, but he complied, stepping out.
"Don't worry," Shiraishi said smoothly. "As long as you cooperate, you'll be safe."
"How much are you asking?"
"I'm not interested in money."
Hideo sneered, convinced otherwise. No one risked prison or execution without profit. He convinced himself they were asking too much—or worse, that this was some elaborate scheme by one of his sons to eliminate him and inherit everything.
Shiraishi tapped the hammer against the floor. "Don't overthink it. Just do what I say."
A young woman sat nearby on the stomach of a downed guard, a black cat perched neatly on her shoulder. Suì-Fēng's presence puzzled Hideo even more—what kind of kidnapper dragged along his girlfriend and a cat?
"Open the car door," Shiraishi ordered. "You know how to drive, right?"
"Yes," Hideo admitted, cautious.
"Good. Take us to the largest bank in Karakura Town."
His doubts deepened. A kidnapping that led straight to the bank? Was this lunatic trying to cash out in front of the police?
Or was it an inside hit? Maybe his own son, Taii Masao, had staged this. If Hideo died suddenly, primogeniture meant Masao would inherit the majority of the fortune.
"Masao sent you, didn't he?" Hideo tried bargaining. "Whatever he paid, I'll double it. I won't even press charges."
Shiraishi just rolled his eyes. "You talk too much."
The older man sighed inwardly as he slid into the driver's seat. Cautious by nature, he always kept his keys on hand. Still, he hadn't personally driven in nine years. His foot slipped, confusing the brake for the accelerator. The luxury car lurched awkwardly before settling into a smooth roll out of the parking lot.
The security barriers outside were already dismantled, and the guards unconscious. Hideo's gut twisted. These weren't ordinary kidnappers.
"My name is Taii Hideo," he said carefully. "And you are…?"
"Shiraishi. She's Suì-Fēng—my girlfriend."
Hideo forced a smile. "You're strong. You could make money anywhere. Why risk your life breaking the law?"
"You don't get it," Shiraishi replied. "I want to break the law."
The car halted at a red light. Shiraishi spotted a sleek motorcycle at the curb, and without hesitation, he opened the door. "Suì-Fēng, keep him in check."
He strode toward the rider.
"Afternoon. You've just been robbed."
The biker frowned, confused. The next second, Shiraishi's fist smashed into his face, followed by a savage kick to the stomach. Man and machine toppled together.
Shiraishi yanked the motorcycle upright, leaving the groaning rider sprawled on the asphalt. The light turned green. He swung his leg over the bike, set his hammer on the gas tank, twisted the throttle, and roared off.
The nearby drivers gawked. Daylight robbery in quiet Karakura?
Even the victim dared not call the police—he'd stolen the motorcycle himself.
"Hah!" Shiraishi laughed as the engine screamed beneath him. It felt just like Grand Theft Auto: raw chaos, violence, theft—unchecked freedom.
For the first time, he felt intoxicated.
Taii Hideo, watching from the car, finally realized the truth. This wasn't about ransom, or inheritance. His captor wasn't calculating. He was simply insane.
Ten minutes later, Shiraishi spotted his destination: Karakura First Bank.
He gunned the throttle, the bike shrieking down the street. The security guard barely had time to shout before diving aside. The motorcycle launched off the steps, soaring through the glass doors in a stunt straight out of a film.
Shiraishi hurled his hammer ahead of him. The tempered glass shattered with a spiderweb of cracks before bursting entirely as the bike slammed through. Bank employees screamed and dove behind counters.
The motorcycle skidded to a halt, colliding with a table and toppling in a mess of scattered documents. Shiraishi hopped off, boots crunching on shards of glass.
He lifted the hammer again, smiling wickedly.
"Don't panic. First—hit the alarm. Then lock the bank doors. Cooperate, and no one gets hurt. Resist, and you'll regret it."