The night stretched endlessly, draped in silence, save for the occasional growl of a distant motorbike. Ren Nakamura stood poised on the rooftop, his sharp gaze scanning the alleys below. His thoughts drifted to Hana — her delicate hand against his chest, her lingering warmth etched deeper than any scar. Yet, duty never slumbered.
A faint rustle cut through the stillness. Instinct took over. His hand brushed the hilt of his concealed blade just as three shadows emerged from the far end of the rooftop. Rival syndicate dogs — young, eager, and desperate for glory.
"Shadow Dragon," one hissed, brandishing a short blade. "Your reign ends tonight."
Ren's lips curved into a cold, almost amused smile. The image of Hana's soft eyes still lingered within him, yet his world was this — steel, blood, and shadows.
The first assailant lunged. Ren sidestepped effortlessly, his elbow striking the man's jaw with bone-snapping precision. The second came fast, swinging a chain; Ren caught it mid-air, yanked hard, and sent the attacker sprawling across the gravel. The third, trembling yet reckless, rushed with a dagger.
For a heartbeat, Ren's mind flickered — Hana's hand slipping into his, her voice whispering his name. That single thought steadied him. The dagger flashed, but Ren twisted, catching the man's wrist, snapping it back with ruthless force. The blade clattered to the ground, useless.
Within seconds, the rooftop was silent again — three broken bodies groaning, their arrogance shattered. Ren did not even breathe heavily. His shadow loomed taller than the city lights, a reminder why the underworld feared the name Kage no Ryuu.
And yet… as he looked down at his gloved hand, the faint phantom of Hana's touch returned, soft against the steel-cold reality of his life. A warlord by night, but still a man whose heart belonged elsewhere.
Far across the city, Hana, seated at her window, pressed her palm to the glass. Somehow, she knew — tonight again, he was fighting, bleeding, surviving. And though distance separated them, she whispered into the night:
"Ren… come back to me."