At the entrance of Nameless Street, the piercing wail of police sirens and ambulance horns alternated, breaking the long-standing silence of this ruin.
Teams of medical personnel in white uniforms, carrying stretchers, rushed into the abandoned building where a bloody incident had just occurred.
Smoky, La La, and a group of RUDE BOYS members stood solemnly beneath the building.
After the police reinforcements arrived, facing the heavily armed riot police, no matter how unwilling they were, they could only make way.
Ultimately, they were just unarmed "civilians," and seeing those dark muzzles pointed at them, their instinctive fear made them choose to retreat.
Smoky looked at the building before him, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
This place was extremely remote in Nameless Street; usually, no one would come here.
However, every core member of RUDE BOYS had their own patrol area.
They would inspect their assigned sections daily to ensure no outsiders had infiltrated.
If someone were to be active in this building, especially for something as large-scale and pungent as drug manufacturing, logically speaking, they couldn't have had no inkling at all.
Smoky thought again, this building happened to be in Shion's area of responsibility.
Could it be Shion... Thinking of this, Smoky shook his head abruptly.
He didn't want to think further; he trusted his comrades, trusted this family member who had grown up with him, and believed he would never do anything to betray Nameless Street.
Just as Smoky's thoughts were churning.
Inside the building, medical personnel carried out teams of stretchers.
Many of those stretchers were covered with a cold white cloth, beneath which human-like outlines were vaguely visible.
Seeing this scene, Smoky felt an increasing sense of unease.
He subconsciously wanted to search for Shion in the crowd but found that Shion had disappeared at some point.
But soon, he saw Shion.
But he was among the police.
His hands were cuffed behind his back with cold handcuffs, and he was escorted by two tall police officers, one on each side, with his head down, walking towards the police car.
Shion dared not look up.
He was afraid of seeing Smoky's eyes, afraid of seeing the disappointed and angry expressions of his family.
As he passed by Smoky, Smoky reached out and stopped him.
"Shion, is this matter related to you?"
Shion stopped.
He slowly raised his head and glanced at Smoky; his eyes, usually full of vitality, were now filled with guilt and pain.
"Boss... I'm sorry..."
These simple words proved everything.
The police officer escorting him, seeing him stop, immediately pushed him impatiently and sternly shouted,
"What are you talking about! Hurry up!"
Smoky thus watched, helplessly, as Shion, this family member he had always cherished, was escorted into the police car.
His chest felt a suffocating tightness.
"Cough... cough cough cough..."
The violent coughing made him unable to stand any longer.
He bent over, covering his mouth tightly with his hand, but bright red blood still uncontrollably seeped out from between his fingers.
Immediately after, his vision went black, his body went limp, and he fainted.
"Brother!!"
La La's mournful cry echoed over Nameless Street... Half an hour later, by an empty road.
Ryuzaki Shin stepped out of a white van.
The blood-stained hoodie he was wearing earlier had been taken off, replaced by a clean set of casual clothes.
Ryuzaki Shin lit a cigarette, leaned against the car door, and said to Kirisawa Jin in the car,
"I told you to get a few sets of gold jewelry earlier, how's that coming along?"
Kirisawa Jin took a folder from the passenger seat and handed it to Ryuzaki Shin, reporting at the same time,
"Boss, as per your instructions, three sets have been made so far, each strictly crafted according to the most traditional wedding customs of the great Eastern nation."
"This includes the golden phoenix crown and step-shake symbolizing nobility, the golden pig plaque signifying many children and blessings, and most importantly, the dragon and phoenix bracelets representing abundant blessings from family. Regular items like necklaces and earrings are, of course, included."
Ryuzaki Shin was astonished.
My goodness!
Kirisawa Jin really went all out, didn't he?
He had only thought of getting a simple necklace or bracelet, just to show some gesture.
Kirisawa Jin, seeing Ryuzaki Shin's surprised and uncertain gaze, was also a bit puzzled.
To do this well, he had specifically consulted many materials on the traditional wedding customs of the great Eastern nation before finally deciding on this plan.
Kirisawa Jin's habit of doing things was to always over-prepare rather than risk any oversight due to insufficient preparation.
Moreover, the batch of gold bars he had acquired earlier was simply too large.
If he only made a few bracelets, how much would that use up?
Even with these three intricate sets now crafted, it was merely a drop in the ocean compared to the entire gold bar reserve.
Ryuzaki Shin instantly understood what Kirisawa Jin was thinking.
He patted Kirisawa Jin's shoulder and smiled.
"Three sets aren't enough; if we're doing it, let's do it all at once. Go make a few more sets."
Ryuzaki Shin thought for a moment: Saeko, Junko, Asuka – these three definitely needed to receive gifts.
If he gave gifts to them all, wasn't there also Nanako, the little girl at home who was always sulking?
He might as well prepare a set for her too.
However, this would definitely require finding an opportunity to give it to her privately.
Kirisawa Jin immediately jotted down Ryuzaki Shin's request in his memo.
"Boss, is there anything else?"
Ryuzaki Shin thought for a moment and began to discuss serious matters.
"Next month is approaching, and we should be able to recover a batch of funds. We've been in the S.W.O.R.D. area for about ten days now, and I hope to take it over completely within a month."
"Sannoh Street and Oya High are already considered our territory. For Sannoh Street, we don't need to invest more money for now. The next focus is to acquire all the shops in Oya High and White Devil's territories and complete the commercial transformation as soon as possible."
Kirisawa Jin nodded, indicating he understood.
Ryuzaki Shin gestured for him to leave.
Watching the white van disappear into the night, Ryuzaki Shin was about to leave.
Now, it was time to go home.
Tonight, that guy named Aden would definitely be in big trouble after returning to Iemura-kai.
Tomorrow, it would be time to formally contact him.
Just then, his phone in his pocket suddenly rang.
Ryuzaki Shin took it out and saw that the caller ID was Saeko.
Ryuzaki Shin wondered, this woman had just carried out such a major operation tonight, why would she call him?
Shouldn't she be busy interrogating suspects and organizing reports right now?
Then, Ryuzaki Shin answered the call.
On the other end of the line, Saeko's voice, carrying a hint of laziness and provocation, immediately came through.
"My man, are you free tonight?"
As night deepened, about three kilometers from Saeko's apartment, in a private villa area.
Ryuzaki Shin stood alone in front of a brand new villa.
This was a property Kirisawa Jin had quietly acquired a while ago, as per his instructions.
The house prices here were only half of those in the Matsukazetai villa area, making them small villas.
However, this place excelled in its quietness; the occupancy rate of the entire villa area was not high, and it was relatively far from the bustling commercial district, making it safer and more private.
Before coming here, Ryuzaki Shin had already called Asuka.
On the other end of the phone, Asuka's voice was still gentle, and she didn't say much.
However, he could faintly hear Nanako's soft grumbling nearby: "Hmph, if a man doesn't come home at night, he must have someone else outside."
Asuka merely reprimanded her softly, then expressed understanding and told him to be careful.
Ryuzaki Shin decided in his heart that he must find an opportunity to completely deal with that little girl Nanako as soon as possible.
Otherwise, she would constantly cause trouble and stir up discord at home, and he didn't want his backyard to truly catch fire one day.
Not long after, a figure, completely bundled up, walked over from a nearby street corner.
The person wore a black bucket hat, with the brim pulled very low, and a large mask on her face. She wore a wide trench coat that enveloped her entire figure.
However, Ryuzaki Shin recognized her at a glance; this person was Saeko.
After arriving in front of Ryuzaki Shin, Saeko didn't say a word.
She simply reached out, grabbed his wrist, and walked straight into the villa.
After the two entered, Ryuzaki Shin casually pressed the switch on the wall.
With a "click," soft light instantly illuminated the entire interior.
The first floor of the villa had an open layout, with the living room, dining room, and kitchen connected as one, making the space appear exceptionally spacious.
The interior decoration style was mainly natural wood and off-white, without excessive ornate embellishments; everything focused on simplicity and warmth.
The soft fabric sofa, the thick carpet, and the floor lamp in the corner emitting a warm yellow glow all filled the space with the feeling of home.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at Saeko and said with a smile.
"Saeko, this is our home."
Saeko looked at the warm and bright interior decoration before her, at the clean and tidy kitchen, and at the large dining table that could accommodate many people, a trace of trance appearing in her eyes.
She had always rented housing in Toyaru City.
Ever since her father left, she had always felt like a rootless duckweed, drifting aimlessly in this vast city.
She had always harbored a deep-seated wish in her heart: to own a house that truly belonged to her in this city.
A small but warm place, a harbor where she could safely rest when she was tired.
When she walked into this villa, when she heard Ryuzaki Shin say, "This is our home," her heart was instantly filled with immense joy and satisfaction.
She didn't need Ryuzaki Shin to buy her a luxurious house, nor did she need expensive gifts.
However, the feeling of being cared for and having everything quietly prepared for her by someone completely melted her hardened heart.
Ryuzaki Shin saw Saeko standing there silently and thought she had something on her mind.
He was about to ask her if she wasn't supposed to be busy with the case today, and why she had time to call him over.
Suddenly, he was tightly embraced around the neck by a pair of soft arms.
Saeko stood on her tiptoes and kissed him proactively.
Well, isn't she proactive?
Ryuzaki Shin's heart stirred.
With his woman being so proactive, the long-suppressed fire was instantly ignited.
Let's get down to business first.
The next second, Ryuzaki Shin reached out, cupped Saeko's thigh, and lifted her entire body, letting her wrap around his waist.
As they kissed passionately, Ryuzaki Shin carried her towards the living room sofa.
Then, the two of them tumbled heavily onto the soft sofa together.
Ryuzaki Shin's hands began to roam over Saeko's exquisitely curved body.
Before long, Saeko became flushed and breathless.
Just as Ryuzaki Shin's hand was about to cross the final boundary, Saeko grabbed his hand.
"No... not here..."
Ryuzaki Shin looked down at her and said with a mischievous smile.
"It's fine, this is our home; it's the same anywhere."
Saeko gently bit her lip, and a captivating look flickered in her hazy eyes.
She leaned into Ryuzaki Shin's ear and whispered softly.
"I want to... see if our bed is soft."
...In the master bedroom on the second floor, the brand new large bed began to sway rhythmically, emitting a "creak, creak" sound.
On the floor, various clothes were scattered, from police uniforms to trench coats, from shirts to stockings, strewn about in disarray.
In the room, the heavy breathing of a man and a woman, and uncontrollable moans, echoed.
After an unknown amount of time, with a man's low grunt and a woman's satisfied sigh, the shaking in the room gradually subsided.
Saeko proactively adjusted her posture, leaning into Ryuzaki Shin's arms like a lazy cat, resting her cheek on his firm chest.
Ryuzaki Shin lowered his head, looking at the woman in his arms, who had just been nourished and whose face was still flushed.
Saeko had become more and more 'human-like' overall.
At least, in front of him, she was no longer the stern, cold female police officer who always wore a straight face.
"Saeko, why do you have time tonight? Didn't you just finish the case? Shouldn't you be busy with interrogations and writing reports now?"
Saeko looked up at Ryuzaki Shin, a strange look in her eyes.
She didn't know why, but she felt that Ryuzaki Shin seemed even more handsome today than she had seen him before.
"I haven't rested much lately. After the operation today, my colleagues at the police station all said they would handle the rest and told me to get some good rest. I thought about it, and indeed, I don't need to personally oversee the interrogations and file organization later."
Ryuzaki Shin heard this and gently stroked Saeko's smooth back.
"Oh... I thought you missed me."
Saeko rolled her eyes at Ryuzaki Shin, then reached out and pinched his waist, not too lightly, not too hard.
"Stop being a smart aleck. Don't you know in your heart whether I miss you or not?"
Ryuzaki Shin gave a mischievous laugh, then rolled over and pinned her beneath him.
"I don't know, unless..."
Saeko looked at him, her eyes hazy, and asked.
"Unless what?"
Ryuzaki Shin lowered his head and leaned into her ear.
"Unless you get on top..."
...Meanwhile, in the conference room of Ryubi Tower.
"Useless! Incompetent!"
Nikaido roared furiously, his fists and feet raining down like a storm on the figure curled up on the ground!
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Dull thuds and the painful groans of the person on the ground echoed in the empty conference room.
Nikaido stood up, breathing heavily, and took two deep breaths, but he still felt the rage in his heart was unquenchable.
He stepped forward again and delivered two more fierce kicks.
Nikaido looked savagely at the figure on the ground, which was already unrecognizably human, and cursed through gritted teeth.
Nikaido
"I must have been blind! To have thought so highly of a useless person like you!"
Lying on the floor was Aden.
He struggled, using his dislocated arms to barely prop up his disfigured body.
Aden rolled over, painfully knelt on the cold floor, and buried his head deeply.
"I'm sorry… Nikaido-san… I…"
Nikaido suddenly backhanded him, grabbing his hair and yanking his head back harshly, forcing him to look up and meet his eyes, which were filled with rage and murderous intent.
"You call this bringing down the S.W.O.R.D. Area? You're clearly trying to bring down my factory!"
With that, Nikaido delivered another heavy kick to Aden's chest!
"Bang!"
Aden's body collapsed again, curling into a ball, twitching continuously from the intense pain.
He let out a painful groan.
It was no wonder Nikaido was so angry.
The drug manufacturing factory located in Nameless Street was established by him.
Why was he so highly regarded by Iemura Tatsumi, the leader of the Iemura-kai?
Aside from his own abilities and methods, the biggest reason was that Nikaido understood "filial piety."
A large portion of the factory's annual profits went directly into the private pockets of Iemura Tatsumi, the boss of the Iemura-kai.
In addition, the batch of "Red Rum" that was about to be shipped was enormous in quantity and astonishingly high in value.
Now, all of it had been busted by the police, all thanks to this useless Aden's stupidity and incompetence.
The financial loss was astronomical, not to mention the more troublesome fact that this incident could lead the police to trace it back and ultimately implicate him.
Although the Iemura-kai was nominally a branch of the Kowloon Group,
strictly speaking, it was not a core part of the Kowloon Group.
The Kowloon Group's attitude towards the Iemura-kai was just like Nikaido's attitude towards Aden.
If this dog didn't perform well, or even caused trouble for its master, then it could be abandoned at any time.
Therefore, if the Iemura-kai really got into such enormous trouble, the Kowloon Group would definitely not use its connections to bail them out.
They would have to figure things out on their own.
Although the Iemura-kai itself had some connections within the high echelons of the police force,
drug trafficking was too heinous a crime.
Unless the people at the top were insane, they would never think of covering it up.
If such a matter was not handled well, it could lead to losing their positions and titles.
Under various factors, Nikaido was so agitated and furious.
However, if there was anyone in the room who was happiest, it was definitely Kirinji.
Indeed, Kirinji stood among the onlookers, barely able to contain himself, almost bursting into laughter.
Kirinji
He was overjoyed to see Aden suffer and be beaten like a dead dog.
There was no direct conflict between Kirinji and Aden.
But then again, they were direct competitors.
Aden was definitely finished this time, becoming a discarded pawn.
So, who else could be chosen to handle matters in the S.W.O.R.D. Area besides Kirinji?
Just as Aden was groaning in pain on the floor,
Aden
Nikaido slowly lifted his foot and heavily stepped on Aden's chest with his gleaming leather shoes.
He lowered his head, staring grimly at Aden beneath his foot.
Nikaido
"I told you, our world does not allow failure!"
This sentence was effectively a direct declaration of Aden's death sentence.
Then, Nikaido no longer looked at Aden on the floor, straightened his slightly disheveled collar, and turned to leave the conference room.
After seeing Nikaido leave, Kirinji happily rubbed the back of his head and stepped out from the group.
He also walked over to Aden, lowered his head, and looked at this guy, who used to be his equal, with a schadenfreude expression.
Happy to the point of blurriness
"Hehe… You're… finished!"
...The next morning.
Ryuzaki Shin slowly opened his eyes in a warm ray of sunshine.
He instinctively reached out and touched the pillow beside him, feeling it empty and slightly cool.
Ryuzaki Shin sat up and found Saeko already dressed in her crisp police uniform, sitting at the vanity table applying light makeup.
Kirisawa Jin's preparations were truly thorough.
Besides the everyday clothes for two people, all other daily necessities that could be procured were fully provided in this villa.
This, of course, included a full set of top-tier cosmetics.
Saeko carefully drew her eyeliner while looking in the mirror, muttering to herself.
"You know what, this brand of foundation is really good; it doesn't cake at all. It's just too expensive. Such a small bottle costs tens of thousands. Tsk tsk, this damned rich people's life."
At this moment, Ryuzaki Shin quietly walked up from behind and gently rested his chin on Saeko's shoulder.
"Who are you scolding?"
Saeko didn't turn her head, she just glanced at the man who suddenly appeared in the mirror.
"I'm not scolding you, that's all. Alright, don't bother me, I'm going to the police station."
With that, she put down her eyebrow pencil, stood up, and prepared to leave without any hesitation.
Ryuzaki Shin raised an eyebrow, grabbed Saeko, who had just stood up, and pulled her back, making her fall back into his arms.
"Just leaving like that?"
Saeko stood on her tiptoes and quickly kissed Ryuzaki Shin's face.
"Alright, be good."
Ryuzaki Shin was speechless, as if he was a baby.
He directly held the back of Saeko's head and gave her a long, deep kiss.
After the kiss, Saeko gave Ryuzaki Shin a glare, but her face was flushed with a hint of sweetness.
She sat back down at the vanity table and carefully reapplied the lipstick that had been smudged.
As she was about to leave again, Ryuzaki Shin seemed to remember something.
"Saeko, among the criminals you took in last night, there's a person named Shion. Don't be in a hurry to convict him; I still have a use for him."
Saeko nodded upon hearing her man's instruction.
"Understood."
This small matter was something she could handle.
Then, she turned and left the villa without looking back.
After Saeko left, she didn't go directly to where her car was parked.
She walked out of the villa area and strolled alone for several hundred meters on the morning street before reaching her parking spot.
Saeko's face today was beaming with unconcealed joy… In the villa, after Saeko left, Ryuzaki Shin took a shower.
He changed his clothes and was also preparing to leave.
Just then, his phone rang. He picked it up and saw it was Kirisawa Jin calling.
Ryuzaki Shin answered the phone.
On the other end, Kirisawa Jin's calm and capable voice immediately came through.
"Boss, I have news about Aden, the one you asked me to monitor!"
Ryuzaki Shin was not surprised to hear Kirisawa Jin's report.
Everything was within his expectations.
Aden was the direct person in charge of that drug factory.
Currently, the entire factory had been busted by the police, all the drugs and raw materials confiscated, and more than half of the people arrested.
With such a huge blunder, he, as the person in charge, was undeniably culpable.
The previous failures in the S.W.O.R.D. Area, Nikaido, although angry, could still tolerate.
Because those were merely matters of face.
But this time, it had genuinely touched his fundamental interests, his very livelihood.
How could Nikaido possibly tolerate him still?
Even if Aden wasn't directly killed this time, being stripped of a layer of skin would be getting off lightly.
"Continue."
Kirisawa Jin continued, "He was beaten unconscious by Nikaido's men last night, then dumped in an abandoned building on the outskirts of the city.
Our people have been watching him since last night, and he hasn't come out of that building yet, so he should still be inside."
Ryuzaki Shin nodded.
After Aden was released from prison, he made the Iemura-kai his entire life's pursuit and refuge.
Now, his old friends were gone, and the Iemura-kai had also completely abandoned him like a useless dog.
Aden was now completely mentally broken.
He was like a drowning person lost in a vast ocean, unable to find the direction for tomorrow.
This was the best time to bewitch him and use him.
"Kirisawa Jin, go and approach Aden tonight.
I've already told you what exactly to do, so go prepare now."
Kirisawa Jin agreed and hung up the phone.
Ryuzaki Shin lit a cigarette and slowly took a puff.
Was he going to save Aden?
Of course not.
He wasn't like the hot-headed idiots of Sannoh Rengokai who constantly spoke of "friendship" and "bonds."
People like Aden should exert their last bit of usefulness in the final moments of their lives.
Then, quietly rot in the mud.
As for what he wanted him to do?
Heh heh, of course, it was to have him deliver a gift, one that would drive them mad, to the last organization in the S.W.O.R.D. Area—the Daruma Ikka... Iemura Tatsumi Building, conference room.
Ishii, with a cigar in his mouth, spoke unkindly to Kawada opposite him.
"Kawada, with such a big drug trafficking incident, how do you think this matter should be resolved?"
Kawada slammed the table, stood up, and pointed at Ishii's nose, cursing, "Bastard! Who gave you the guts to speak to me in that tone!"
The two men simultaneously stood up, approaching each other step by step, then stood at opposite ends of the conference table, glaring at each other, with daggers drawn.
The subordinates standing behind them were all silent, not daring to even breathe.
They could only, intentionally or unintentionally, glance out of the corner of their eyes at Nikaido, who sat alone in his seat, leisurely.
Nikaido watched with amusement as these two old men put on a show.
The exposure of the drug trafficking incident, to put it plainly, had nothing to do with Kawada and Ishii.
These two jumping out now were simply kicking someone when he was down.
It was just that they couldn't openly hold him accountable directly, so they were now performing a double act, deliberately escalating the matter, using the opportunity to disgust him.
And incidentally, to amplify the impact of this incident, so that his prestige within the Iemura-kai would be hit.
Just then, the heavy conference room door was pushed open from the outside.
"I say, you two old geezers, what are you quarreling about so early in the morning?"
It was Iemura Tatsumi who had arrived.
He had already heard the two of them making a fuss from outside the door.
He was an old fox; how could he not understand the little schemes they were concocting in their hearts?
Iemura Tatsumi had long been tired of these two old men.
They never did anything serious, only knew how to scheme and form factions within the organization.
Ishii and Kawada immediately stopped arguing when they saw Iemura Tatsumi enter.
They saw that Iemura Tatsumi ignored them and walked straight to Nikaido's side, looking at them both with a hint of displeasure on his face.
Both of them lowered their heads in unison, not daring to meet Iemura Tatsumi's gaze again.
Because, in the Iemura-kai, there was only one boss.
That was Iemura Tatsumi.
Iemura Tatsumi's action of standing next to Nikaido already indicated his attitude.
Of course, Iemura Tatsumi would certainly not truly do anything to Nikaido just because he made one mistake.
Nikaido was, after all, someone who could get things done.
Moreover, over the years, he had handled most matters perfectly.
However, this time, in the decision to invade the S.W.O.R.D. Area, he indeed did not perform well enough.
He still needed to be disciplined.
Iemura Tatsumi looked at Nikaido with a relaxed expression.
"Nikaido, you will handle this trouble beautifully, won't you?"
Nikaido immediately bowed deeply.
"Yes, President, I will definitely bring about a proper conclusion."
Iemura Tatsumi patted Nikaido's shoulder in satisfaction, then walked to the head seat and sat down.
"Alright, everyone sit down.
I have an announcement to make."
"From now on, matters concerning the S.W.O.R.D. Area will proceed according to Kirinji's previous plan.
We will use our connections to get Hyuga, the leader of the Daruma Ikka, released from prison early, and let him stir up a good commotion in that area."
Iemura Tatsumi turned his gaze to Kirinji.
"Kirinji, you won't disappoint us, will you?"
Kirinji's spirits were instantly lifted upon hearing this.
He stood up abruptly, nodded heavily, his face full of confidence.
"Yes, President! I guarantee I will not disappoint you!"
...Night, abandoned building.
Aden sat alone on the cold concrete floor.
His eyes were hollow, his expression dazed, his whole being like an empty shell that had lost its soul.
In his mind, scenes from the past constantly replayed, of him messing around with Yamato, Cobra, and the others from Sannoh Rengokai.
Back then, although they were poor, they were full of sunshine and hope.
He also recalled the desperate and painful memories of his time in prison.
Now, the friends of the past could never return.
And the Iemura-kai, which he considered his new life and refuge, had ruthlessly abandoned him.
He had stayed here all day, not going anywhere.
Because he didn't know where he should go.
He also didn't know where in this world his home was.
Aden painfully clutched his hair with both hands, letting out a suppressed growl.
Just then.
"Clatter!"
A still-steaming bento box was thrown in front of him...
Aden looked at the bento box that had fallen in front of him and slowly raised his head.
He met a pair of eyes filled with deep meaning.
Nikaido
The person who came was Nikaido.
At this moment, Nikaido had a gentle smile on his face, the usual ruthlessness and hostility completely gone, replaced by an amiable demeanor.
"You haven't eaten anything all day, have you?"
When Aden saw Nikaido's appearance and heard his words of concern, the heart that had originally been completely despairing suddenly rekindled a faint glimmer of hope.
Aden
"Brother Nikaido... I... I knew you wouldn't really give up on me..."
However, Nikaido's next sentence completely shattered the hope that had just risen in him, plunging him back into the bottomless abyss.
"This is your last meal..."
Aden looked up in disbelief, his eyes filled with confusion and fear.
"Wh-what do you mean?"
Nikaido's expression turned cold at this moment.
He looked down at Aden, who was kneeling on the ground, with no trace of pity in his eyes.
"The Iemura-kai no longer needs you. Now, you only have one path to choose."
After saying this, Nikaido took out an object wrapped in oilskin paper from the inner pocket of his suit and casually placed it on the ground.
Aden's pupils suddenly constricted.
The appearance of the object and the dull thud it made when it hit the ground clearly told him that it was a handgun.
Nikaido turned his back, not bothering to look at this failure again.
"Just end it yourself. Don't make me send someone to do it."
Then, he took his leave, walking away without looking back.
His back in the dim light appeared incredibly cold and resolute.
Watching Nikaido's figure disappear into the darkness, Aden finally could no longer hold on and collapsed to the ground.
He buried his face deep in his arms, and suppressed sobs intermittently escaped from his throat.
Tears fell one by one, soaking the cold concrete ground beneath him.
He lay there, crying in pain like a child abandoned by the whole world.
After an unknown amount of time, footsteps approached from not far away.
Aden thought Nikaido had changed his mind and returned.
He quickly raised his head, tear stains still on his face, a glimmer of hope rekindled in his eyes, hoping the other party would give him another chance.
However, what he saw was a shabbily dressed homeless man walking towards him.
The homeless man walked directly up to Aden, glanced at the bento box on the ground, then unceremoniously picked it up and began to eat it heartily, minding his own business.
Aden was stunned.
Immediately, a strong sense of humiliation surged within him.
Now, even a damned homeless man dared to be so presumptuous in front of him, dared to bully him?
He suddenly jumped up from the ground, pointed at the homeless man, and roared loudly.
"Put down my stuff!"
The homeless man, however, seemed not to have heard him, still wolfing down his food, muttering as he ate.
"Mmm... so delicious... It's been a long time since I've had such a warm meal..."
When Aden saw the other party's disregard for him, the anger in his heart was completely ignited.
He roared, stood up, and fiercely kicked the homeless man's back!
However, just as his foot was about to connect, the homeless man's body simply shifted casually to the side.
Aden's kick missed, and he lost his balance due to overexertion, falling to the ground with a "bang."
Aden was not convinced.
He struggled, roared, and climbed back up from the ground again.
By this time, the homeless man had eaten every last bit of food from the bento box.
He let out a comfortable burp.
"Ah... that was satisfying."
Seeing this scene, Aden's reason was completely consumed by rage.
"I'll kill you!"
He roared again, like a mad beast, charging at the homeless man!
The homeless man looked at the charging Aden and simply waved his hand casually.
"Slap!"
A crisp sound!
Aden's body was once again neatly knocked down.
This time, his face landed right next to the handgun wrapped in oilskin paper.
Aden's heart hardened.
With trembling hands, he unwrapped the greasy oilskin paper, revealing the black handgun inside.
Aden picked up the handgun, used all his strength to pull back the slide, and then aimed the dark muzzle at the homeless man who was still standing there.
"Now! Immediately! Get on your knees and apologize to me!"
The homeless man looked at the gun in his hand, but there was no fear on his face; instead, he showed a playful expression.
He slowly walked towards Aden, step by step.
"Heh heh... That guy in the suit humiliated you so much, why didn't you shoot him? Instead, you have such great courage to pull a gun on me, a homeless man who merely ate your bento?"
Aden was momentarily stunned by the homeless man's words.
But, in that split second of his distraction!
The homeless man moved!
His movements were incredibly fast; Aden only felt a blur before his eyes and a sharp pain in his wrist, and the handgun instantly flew from his grasp!
When Aden looked up in horror, the cold handgun was already pointed at his forehead.
Aden looked at the dark muzzle, feeling the breath of death emanating from it, and all the strength in his body instantly drained away.
He collapsed to the ground, his eyes filled with despair.
"You... just kill me. Anyway, I'm just a useless piece of trash."
The homeless man looked at him like this and clicked his tongue twice.
"Useless? Even useless things can be useful. For example, when I pick up some waste cardboard on the street and sell it to the recycling station, after a while, don't they turn into new cardboard boxes again? You, too, might not be unable to turn waste into treasure."
Aden couldn't be bothered to listen to this unknown homeless man lecturing him.
"Heh heh... Easier said than done."
The homeless man, however, shook his head at this point.
He slowly squatted down, looked into Aden's eyes, and said word by word.
"Do you still want to return to the Iemura-kai?"
Aden's whole body trembled when he heard this sentence.
Only then did he fully realize.
This person in front of him was definitely not an ordinary homeless man!
How could a homeless man have such terrifying skills?
And how could a homeless man know about the Iemura-kai?
"You... who exactly are you?"
The homeless man narrowed his eyes and told him meaningfully.
"You can call me, A Ren..."
The next day at noon, the heavy steel gate of Toyaru Prison slowly opened a crack.
A man with messy hair and a somewhat pale complexion from long-term lack of sunlight slowly walked out of the gate.
He raised his head and looked at the sky.
The sunlight overhead was a bit dazzling, causing him to squint his eyes involuntarily and raise a hand to shield them.
On the roadside not far away, Ryuzaki Shin sat astride a black heavy motorcycle, a unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth, his eyes calmly watching the man who had just exited the prison.
This person was none other than the leader of Daruma Ikka, the most mysterious and dangerous organization among the five major forces in the S.W.O.R.D. Area—Hyuga Kiku.
Hyuga Kiku
Speaking of the last of these five major forces, Daruma Ikka.
They truly had some history.
The origin of Daruma Ikka can even be traced back many years, to the era when the MUGEN organization ruled the entire S.W.O.R.D. Area.
At that time, under Kowloon Group, there was an emerging organization called the "Hyuga-kai."
As a new force within Kowloon Group at the time, in order to quickly make a name for themselves and strengthen their power, the Hyuga-kai made an extremely bold decision.
That was to brazenly invade the S.W.O.R.D. Area even in that era.
Logically, they would first have to overcome MUGEN.
However, in the face of MUGEN's overwhelming and crushing absolute power back then, the Hyuga-kai's invasion ultimately ended in a tragic and utterly devastating defeat.
And Kowloon Group's attitude towards losers was always just one: complete abandonment.
The Hyuga-kai was, of course, no exception.
The Hyuga family's reputation was ruined from then on, becoming the laughingstock of the entire underworld.
It was at this time that a man stepped forward to salvage the Hyuga family's long-lost reputation.
That man was named Hyuga Kiku.
Hyuga Kiku
He swore to take complete revenge on the remnants of MUGEN and on Kowloon Group, who had treated them as pawns.
In his eyes, both organizations were his enemies.
Hyuga Kiku was a man with a stubborn and insane personality, willing to use any means to achieve his goals.
To put it bluntly, he was a living, breathing mad dog.
In battle, he would even abandon all techniques, using his teeth to tear at the enemy's flesh.
He led his remaining subordinates to constantly harass Kowloon Group's various businesses, making Kowloon Group extremely annoyed.
Ultimately, Kowloon Group could only find an excuse and use their connections to send him to prison.
He would not rest until his goal was achieved.
No matter how many times he was knocked down, he would always return.
Daruma Ikka
This was the destructive family of revenge!
Daruma Ikka.
Daruma Ikka
Ryuzaki Shin looked at Hyuga Kiku in the distance and shook his head with a smile.
This Daruma Ikka was actually the most feared existence by the other four major forces in the S.W.O.R.D. Area.
They had a large number of members, and each one was a powerful, reckless lunatic.
At the same time, they were also not short on money.
Although the Hyuga family had fallen, the vast fortune they had accumulated remained entirely intact.
This was the first point.
Secondly, and most importantly, this organization was the only truly organized, traditional yakuza gang among the five major forces in the S.W.O.R.D. Area, with a complete organizational structure.
This naturally made people wary of them.
This was why Kirinji of Iemura-kai said that as long as this mad dog, Hyuga Kiku, was released, he would surely turn the entire S.W.O.R.D. Area upside down.
Hyuga Kiku looked at the empty road around him; no one had come to pick him up.
In fact, his sentence had not yet ended.
Today, he was inexplicably informed by the prison guards to pack his things and be released.
Although Hyuga Kiku was wild, he was still intelligent enough.
He could guess that it must have been someone from Kowloon Group pulling strings behind the scenes for him to be released early.
Heh heh, they must need something from him.
Otherwise, how could those guys, who would even pick clean bone fragments, be so kind?
I hope you don't get burned this time.
Hyuga Kiku took a deep breath of the free air outside the prison, then started walking, preparing to return to Daruma Ikka's territory.
He walked and walked, and after several hundred meters, completely out of the prison's surveillance range.
He casually picked a foxtail from the roadside grass and put it in his mouth.
He pondered Kowloon Group's true purpose for releasing him this time, while also planning his upcoming revenge.
Just as Hyuga Kiku was lost in his thoughts.
A white van stopped beside him.
The car window slowly rolled down.
Aden, wearing large sunglasses that covered half his face, looked at Hyuga Kiku outside the car.
"Hello, excuse me, do you know the way to Daruma Ikka?"
Daruma Ikka?
Hyuga Kiku looked at the person in the car with some confusion.
Why was this person asking about that place?
He subconsciously asked.
"What are you going to that place for..."
Just then, Aden suddenly pulled out a black pistol from his embrace!
He aimed the gun at Hyuga Kiku outside the car window and pulled the trigger twice without hesitation!
"Bang! Bang!"
Because the distance was too close, Hyuga Kiku had no time to react at all.
Two bullets solidly struck his chest!
Two blood blossoms instantly bloomed on his chest!
The intense pain and impact made him stumble backward two steps.
Hyuga Kiku ignored everything else, turned around, and ran towards the woods by the roadside.
But he only ran a few steps before his vision went black, and he fell heavily to the ground.
Inside the car.
This was Aden's first time firing a gun, and his first time killing someone.
His face, pale with tension and fear, he quickly shouted at the person in the driver's seat.
"A Ren! Quick! Drive away! Why are you stopping?!"
A Ren, in the driver's seat, now wore a smile that Aden couldn't comprehend.
"It's time for me to leave, but you! This is your stop."
Before Aden could react, A Ren delivered a backhanded chop to Aden's Adam's apple!
Aden instantly felt a sweetness in his throat and difficulty breathing.
Immediately after, a sharp pain shot through the back of his neck, his vision went black, and he instantly passed out.
A Ren unhurriedly opened the van door, dragged the unconscious Aden out like a dead dog, and casually tossed him into the roadside grass.
Then, he got back into the car and floored the accelerator.
The van roared and instantly disappeared at the end of the road... Ryuzaki Shin had stayed at the prison gate from the very beginning.
When he heard the two clear gunshots from a distance, he knew that things should have been done.
He had just gotten on his motorcycle, preparing to leave.
Inside the prison, a piercing alarm blared...
Half an hour later, by an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Toyaru City.
Ryuzaki Shin leaned alone against his motorcycle, waiting patiently.
Not long after, a white van drove up from a distance and stopped in front of him.
The car door opened, and Kirisawa Jin stepped out.
He came before Ryuzaki Shin and bowed slightly.
"Boss, it's done. All the loose ends have been cleaned up."
Ryuzaki Shin nodded, then asked,
"The photos, did you find someone to take them?"
A smile appeared on Kirisawa Jin's face.
"Don't worry, Boss. I sent our own people ahead of time to find the best angles and capture the entire process. It's absolutely clear, no problems whatsoever."
Upon hearing this, Ryuzaki Shin pulled out a cigarette from his pocket and lit it.
This was Aden's last value.
Last night, Kirisawa Jin, following his instructions, went to find the despairing Aden.
Just as Ryuzaki Shin had expected, Aden was like a drowning man, desperately clutching at any straw.
Kirisawa Jin then incited Aden, telling him, "Isn't Kirinji of the Iemura-kai trying to use Hyuga Kiku to disrupt the entire S.W.O.R.D. Area?"
"You go and eliminate Hyuga Kiku before everyone else, completely destroying his plan."
"At that time, the Iemura-kai will definitely be put on the defensive because their plan has been disrupted."
"I'll then secretly help you achieve something in the S.W.O.R.D. Area, proving your capabilities to Nikaido."
"By then, you'll not only redeem yourself but also make a glorious return to the Iemura-kai."
This spiel, to put it plainly, was nonsense meant to deceive a three-year-old.
However, the Aden at that time was already completely despairing and utterly incapable of discerning the truth.
For someone who couldn't even see tomorrow, any glimmer of illusory hope was enough to make him sacrifice everything.
As for whether he could truly kill Hyuga Kiku, that was irrelevant.
Hyuga Kiku's life or death was not important at all.
What was important was to use the photos of Aden shooting Hyuga Kiku to make the mad dog, Daruma Ikka, relentlessly bite the Iemura-kai.
After all, Aden was still openly a member of the Iemura-kai.
Let them also experience what it means to lift a rock only to drop it on one's own foot.
Thinking of this, Ryuzaki Shin took a puff of his cigarette, then tilted his head back and looked at the sky.
Iemura-kai, how will you respond next?
I'm really looking forward to it... Night, Matsukazetai.
At the dining table, Ryuzaki Shin, Asuka, and Nanako were quietly eating dinner.
Ryuzaki Shin glanced at the clock on the wall; it was exactly seven in the evening.
He picked up the remote control from the table and directly switched the TV channel to the Toyaru City Daily News.
Nanako was originally engrossed in her idol drama, and seeing Ryuzaki Shin change the channel again, she took a deep breath, just about to protest.
However, she looked up and met Asuka's warning gaze.
She subconsciously touched her forehead, not wanting to be hit by chopsticks again.
So, she could only lower her head indignantly, turning her grief and indignation into appetite, burying her face in her bowl of rice.
At this moment, the Toyaru City evening news happened to interrupt with an urgent report.
"Latest news from this station: This afternoon, outside Toyaru Prison, a vicious shooting incident occurred. According to eyewitnesses, a man who had just been released from prison was shot multiple times by another man."
"Our reporter has verified that the victim is Hyuga Kiku, the leader of the delinquent group 'Daruma Ikka.' The armed assailant has been identified by the police as Aden, a member of the Ryubi Group."
"Currently, Hyuga Kiku has been rushed to Toyaru Central Hospital for emergency treatment and is not yet out of critical condition. The suspect, Aden, has also been arrested by the police. Our reporter will continue to follow up on whether this case involves deeper gang conflicts."
After hearing this news, Ryuzaki Shin switched the TV back to the idol drama Nanako had been watching.
It seemed Kirisawa Jin's mind worked quite fast.
This news was released very timely.
This way, he wouldn't need to send people to inform Daruma Ikka himself.
Those lunatics should have already received the news by now... Night, Ryubi Building, conference room.
The three top executives of the Iemura-kai were gathered.
Iemura Tatsumi sat in the main seat, his face grim.
On his two sides sat cadre Ishii and Kawada.
There was no one else in the entire conference room besides these three.
Ishii looked at Iemura Tatsumi and was the first to speak.
Ishii
"Chairman, as long as Daruma's Hyuga causes a good commotion in that area, the S.W.O.R.D. Area will eventually be destroyed by internal strife."
Ishii had always looked down on the major forces in the S.W.O.R.D. Area.
In his opinion, those brats were nothing more than a disorganized rabble, completely insignificant.
Daruma Ikka, after all, was once a branch of the Kowloon Group.
A lean camel is still bigger than a horse.
Having them deal with the other forces would be an easy task.
Their deal with Hyuga Kiku was that the Iemura-kai would use their connections to get him released from prison early.
However, after his release, he had to be the one to turn the entire S.W.O.R.D. Area upside down.
Kawada also spoke up at this opportune moment.
Kawada
"This way, if we take over the S.W.O.R.D. Area, in the upcoming struggle for the family's succession rights..."
Iemura Tatsumi heard Kawada's words, raised an eyebrow, and glanced at him.
The Kowloon Group would soon be undergoing a leadership change.
At this critical moment, if they could successfully take over the vast S.W.O.R.D. Area, it would mean that the Iemura-kai would have more say in the Iemura-kai and at the general meeting of the entire Kowloon Group.
However, it was still too early to discuss that.
For some reason, Iemura Tatsumi always felt that things weren't that simple.
Daruma Ikka and the Kowloon Group had a long-standing grudge.
How could they so meekly help him?
Relying entirely on Daruma Ikka to take over the entire S.W.O.R.D. Area was far from enough.
Iemura Tatsumi's eyes fixed on Kawada.
"Don't underestimate S.W.O.R.D.."
Kawada was somewhat puzzled; he didn't understand what Iemura Tatsumi meant by that sentence.
Iemura Tatsumi cursed him as an idiot in his heart.
He couldn't even understand such a simple principle. But his face remained impassive.
"If there are too few pieces, we still need to add new ones in time. You two should know that we don't have that much time left."
Ishii, at this moment, nodded with a serious expression and said in a deep voice,
"Chairman, rest assured, I already have a lead on new pieces."
Oh?
Iemura Tatsumi glanced at Ishii.
This old man is finally willing to put in effort?
Ishii had indeed been secretly contacting a new organization recently.
However, negotiations were still ongoing.
He and Kawada were still somewhat different.
If the Iemura-kai failed to complete the mission of invading the S.W.O.R.D. Area this time, they would completely lose power within the Kowloon Group.
He and the Iemura-kai would either prosper together or suffer together.
Whether to go all out also depended on the timing.
Kawada, that fool, was still thinking of preserving his strength and reaping the benefits at this time.
By then, whether things succeeded or failed, he wouldn't gain anything good.
In the conference room, the three of them were silent, each harboring their own ulterior motives.
Iemura Tatsumi's gaze grew fervent.
The position of the family's successor?
I also want to sit there and see the view from the top...
The next day.
Daruma Ikka's territory.
On a platform at the highest point, two people were seated.
They were Sakyo and Ukyo, two of Daruma Ikka's core executives.
Ukyo
Sakyo
Below the platform stood a red-haired man, Kato, Daruma Ikka's gatekeeper.
Kato
Daruma Ikka's organizational structure was simple and efficient.
The leader was Hyuga Kiku.
Below him were the two core executives responsible for specific affairs, Sakyo and Ukyo.
Sakyo
Ukyo
Further down was Kato, the gatekeeper, responsible for external battles and territorial defense.
Kato
The rest were numerous, fearless subordinates.
Just then, the roar of engines approached from a distance.
Several black luxury cars brazenly intruded into Daruma Ikka's territory.
The car doors opened, and a group of men in black suits stepped out.
The one leading them was Kirinji of the Iemura-kai.
Kirinji looked at the three people on the platform and, without any pleasantries, asked directly,
"Where is Hyuga? Tell him to come out and see me."
Sakyo and Ukyo on the platform did not speak.
They merely stared coldly at Kirinji below with eyes as sharp as blades.
A hint of killing intent emanated from their gaze.
Kato, below, stepped forward, blocking Kirinji's path, and asked in an unfriendly tone,
"What are you saying?"
Kirinji thought they were playing dumb with him, and he lowered his head, smiling grimly.
Kirinji
"Heh heh... Stop pretending. We went to such great lengths to get him out of prison. Now it's time for him to come out and repay our kindness."
Hearing this, Kato suddenly turned his head and looked up at Sakyo and Ukyo on the high platform, smiling.
Sakyo and Ukyo also stood up from the high platform at this moment, walking down step by step.
They walked up to Kirinji and stared intently at him.
Sakyo slowly began to speak.
"You Iemura-kai are really interesting. Do you really take us Daruma Ikka for fools?"
Ukyo followed, his voice filled with anger.
"Don't you Iemura-kai know where Boss Hyuga is right now?"
After saying this, Ukyo suddenly reached out, grabbed Kirinji's shoulder, and held him tightly.
"However, since you've come, it saves us the trouble of making a trip to your Iemura-kai to demand an explanation."
Sakyo clapped his hands softly at this moment.
"Clap! Clap!"
Hundreds of Daruma Ikka members in red robes slowly emerged from the surroundings.
Each of them held steel pipes, chains, and baseball bats, encircling Kirinji and the dozen or so Iemura-kai members he brought.
Kirinji now felt a hint of unease.
He was somewhat flustered.
"W-what do you mean by this?"
Sakyo looked at him and said with a cold laugh,
"What do we mean? That's a truly amusing question. A few days ago, you sent that guy named Aden to negotiate with us. When negotiations failed, you directly sent him to shoot our boss, Hyuga. What? Were you trying to intimidate us?"
Kirinji was completely dumbfounded.
What was going on?
What shooting Hyuga?
When did the Iemura-kai ever do such a thing?
Not everyone read the Toyaru City Daily News.
This news was also an exclusive provided by Kirisawa Jin specifically to that TV station.
These yakuza members, whenever they had free time, would go out to carouse and enjoy themselves. Who would be idle at home watching TV news?
So, they naturally did not get this news immediately.
And Daruma Ikka, of course, would not know that the guy named Aden had already been disowned by the Iemura-kai as a scapegoat.
In their eyes, this incident was a tactic by the Iemura-kai.
After all, that Aden was an Iemura-kai member in their eyes.
Even if Kirinji was stupid, he now understood that there must have been some huge misunderstanding.
Just as he was about to open his mouth to explain.
Ukyo suddenly delivered a powerful knee strike, fiercely hitting Kirinji in the abdomen!
"Bang!"
Kirinji felt a sharp pain in his abdomen, and his entire body instantly curled up like a shrimp, falling heavily to the ground.
Seeing this, Kato let out a furious roar and raised the steel pipe in his hand high.
"Beat these bastards to death! Then, we'll all go to the Iemura-kai to get justice!"
Hundreds of Daruma Ikka members, who had been holding in their anger, heard the command and instantly lunged at the dozen or so Iemura-kai members who were already terrified!
For a time, the scene was filled with the clanging of metal, the crisp sound of bones breaking, and piercing screams.
Ten minutes later, a dozen or so disfigured bodies lay on the ground.
Some had arms twisted at grotesque angles, some had broken legs, and some were covered in blood, already unconscious.
Ukyo coldly glanced at these dog-like figures on the ground, then shouted,
"Take them all! We're going to the Ryubi Building now to make them give us an explanation!"
The Daruma Ikka members roughly dragged the half-dead Iemura-kai members onto the cars.
Then, twenty-odd cars formed a long line, their engines roaring deafeningly, and sped majestically towards the Ryubi Building.
At an intersection not far away, Ryuzaki Shin was leisurely leaning against a wall, smoking.
He watched the Daruma Ikka convoy pass by him, car after car, and a smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"The show is beginning..."
...Ryubi Building, lounge.
Nikaido sat alone on the sofa, smoking one cigarette after another.
Ashes constantly fell onto his expensive suit, but he remained oblivious.
Suddenly, the lounge door was violently pushed open.
A subordinate ran in, his face full of panic.
"Boss! It's bad! The Daruma Ikka are causing trouble downstairs! They even brought Kirinji..."
With a "clink."
The cigarette in Nikaido's hand fell to the floor.
As a meticulous person, Nikaido naturally paid more attention to outside news than others.
Yesterday, he had already learned about Aden shooting Hyuga Kiku through police channels.
Why didn't he mention it?
The reason was simple.
That Kirinji was secretly supported by Ishii.
He knew Kirinji would definitely go to Daruma Ikka today.
He deliberately didn't say anything, wanting Kirinji to hit a wall and suffer a big loss.
Secondly, he himself was indeed a bit uneasy and didn't know how to explain Aden's matter to Iemura Tatsumi.
After all, dealing with the Aden problem was something Ryubi had personally instructed.
And he had specifically told him to handle it cleanly.
Nikaido didn't want to dirty his own hands.
In his opinion, Aden was just a minor character who couldn't stir up much trouble.
But he never expected this good-for-nothing to cause such a huge mess for him.
Nikaido took a deep breath, forcibly calming himself down.
He slowly stood up, adjusted his collar, and walked downstairs.
Since trouble had arrived, it had to be resolved, didn't it?
Below Ryubi Building, the area was already a mess.
The thirty-odd black luxury cars belonging to Iemura-kai, parked in the parking lot, were now completely wrecked.
Car window glass was shattered everywhere, the car bodies were dented and pitted, and all the tires were punctured.
In the central open space of the parking lot, nearly a hundred people from both sides were fiercely fighting each other with various weapons.
On one side were the well-trained Iemura-kai members in black suits.
On the other side were Daruma Ikka members, clad in red robes, fighting fearlessly like mad dogs.
Steel pipes clashed with baseball bats, emitting ear-piercing sounds.
Fists met flesh, producing dull thuds.
Roars, screams, and curses mixed together.
Nikaido walked out of the building and, seeing the chaotic, battlefield-like scene before him, his face instantly turned extremely grim.
He took a deep breath, then, using all his strength, he roared.
"Everyone, stop!"
Hearing Nikaido's voice, the Iemura-kai members who were fighting all paused their movements simultaneously, then stopped their hands in unison and retreated.
As for the Daruma Ikka members, being involved in the underworld, they naturally knew Nikaido's role within Iemura-kai.
They also temporarily ceased their attacks, but the ferocity in their eyes showed no signs of diminishing.
Sakyo looked at an Iemura-kai member who had just stopped, his eyes cold, and he suddenly threw a punch, hitting the opponent squarely in the face!
"Bang!"
The man fell backward to the ground without even having time to scream.
Sakyo spat out a mouthful of blood, then, with Ukyo and a group of Daruma members, walked up to Nikaido.
Ukyo said nothing, simply raised his hand, and delivered a heavy punch squarely to Nikaido's cheek!
"Bang!"
Nikaido took the punch head-on.
A trickle of fresh blood immediately flowed from the corner of his mouth.
The subordinates behind him, seeing their boss being hit, instantly became enraged and were about to rush forward.
Nikaido, however, raised his hand and waved it, signaling them to stop and indicating that he was fine.
Then, he pulled a clean white handkerchief from his pocket and gently wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth.
He looked at the other party with a calm expression, his voice cold.
"We, Iemura-kai, did not lay a hand on Hyuga."
Sakyo narrowed his eyes, and seeing his composure, he threw another punch towards Nikaido's face!
"Do you think we'll believe your nonsense!"
This time, Nikaido did not stand still.
He suddenly raised his hand and firmly caught Sakyo's incoming punch.
Then, he looked into the other party's eyes and forcefully flung his hand away.
"Use your pig brain and think carefully. If we, Iemura-kai, really wanted to deal with Hyuga, it wouldn't be impossible to hire someone to kill him directly in prison. Is it really necessary to expend so much effort to release him first and then make a move?
"And to open fire directly on the street in front of so many people? Do you think we, Iemura-kai, are that stupid?"
Hearing Nikaido's words, Sakyo and Ukyo calmed down slightly.
What Nikaido said indeed made sense.
Even if they really wanted to deal with Hyuga, they could have done it secretly, making it completely undetectable.
There was no need to open fire directly on the street, not far from the prison.
Wasn't that clearly leaving a weakness for the police?
Nikaido saw that the two had finally calmed down, he snorted, and continued.
"Let me tell you clearly, we went to the trouble of releasing Hyuga precisely to use him to disrupt the entire S.W.O.R.D. Area. We have no reason to act against him."
"As for that guy named Aden, he was already kicked out of Iemura-kai because of his previous incompetence. You can ask around about this; it's no longer a secret."
Ukyo looked at Nikaido, his eyes still full of suspicion.
"Then what reason would he have to kill Boss Hyuga?"
Nikaido cursed inwardly.
I'd like to know what that lunatic is thinking too!
However, Nikaido's mind raced. He suddenly felt that something was amiss.
Ever since Iemura-kai started getting involved in the affairs of the S.W.O.R.D. Area, things had felt consistently unlucky.
Take his drug manufacturing factory on Nameless Street, for instance. Logically, its location was extremely discreet, and there was no reason for it to be exposed.
Yet, the police somehow showed up, without any prior investigation, launching a direct raid.
This meant that someone had definitely tipped off the police about this.
But who were the beneficiaries of this?
Nikaido felt his mind was a bit muddled.
He always had a feeling that an invisible hand was manipulating everything from behind the scenes.
However, he then thought of Aden's background and immediately had a new idea.
"I'm really not sure about this, but you could go ask the Sannoh Rengokai. After all, Aden is an old friend of theirs!"
Sannoh?!
The Daruma Ikka members, hearing that name, instantly became agitated.
The Daruma Ikka had two sworn enemies.
One was the Kowloon Group.
And the other was MUGEN!
And the two leaders of Sannoh Rengokai, Yamato and Cobra, were precisely former core members of MUGEN!
Therefore, the Daruma Ikka and Sannoh Rengokai were already at odds.
It could be said that among the five major powers in the S.W.O.R.D. Area, the Daruma Ikka and Sannoh Rengokai were ancient enemies.
The level of animosity between them was the highest.
Nikaido watched their reactions and continued.
"I've said all I need to say. Now, please leave."
Sakyo and Ukyo both gave Nikaido a deep look.
"Let's go!"
The group from Daruma Ikka came quickly and left quickly.
They got into their cars and soon left Ryubi Building.
In the car.
Sakyo said to Ukyo.
"Are we just going to believe what they said? I have a feeling we're being used by someone else."
Ukyo sneered.
"We must investigate Boss Hyuga's matter thoroughly. Right now, do we have a choice? Even if we are truly being used by someone right now, once we uncover everything, whoever it is will pay the price they deserve!"
Now, even if they knew there was something fishy in these waters, they couldn't stop.
Sakyo smiled.
"Yes, that's right to think that way. And it's been a long time since we've seen our old friends from Sannoh Rengokai. It's about time we paid them a good visit..."
Not far from Ryubi Building, in a small alley, an inconspicuous black van was parked.
The windows were covered with thick black heat-insulating film, making it impossible to see inside from the outside.
Inside the van, a set of remote directional listening equipment, considered top-tier for that era, was installed.
A device resembling a radar receiver was silently aimed in the direction of the Ryubi Building not far away.
Through this device, all conversations within a certain range of the target location could be clearly heard.
Kirisawa Jin had recently acquired this set of equipment through special channels, spending a large sum of money.
At this moment, Kirisawa Jin was wearing professional monitoring headphones, clearly hearing all the conversations that had just taken place downstairs at the Iemura-kai building.
When he heard Nikaido's last words, his brows furrowed involuntarily.
"These people are going to Sannoh Street?"
"No, I must tell the Boss about this immediately."
Then, Kirisawa Jin immediately took out his phone and dialed Ryuzaki Shin's number.
"Boss, we have a slight situation."
From the other end of the phone came Ryuzaki Shin's calm and steady voice.
"What do you mean? Did the Daruma people not clash with the Iemura-kai?"
Kirisawa Jin immediately reported.
"A clash did occur, and it was quite fierce, but later the two sides seemed to have reconciled. It looks like the Daruma group plans to go to Sannoh Street later."
Upon hearing this, Ryuzaki Shin pondered for a moment and instantly understood what they had talked about.
"It seems these Daruma people aren't completely brainless after all."
"What can they do by going to Sannoh Street now?"
"They must have been provoked by Nikaido and are preparing to confront Cobra's group to clarify Aden's situation."
"At the same time, it's also time to 'visit' their 'old friends' from MUGEN."
However, Ryuzaki Shin wasn't overly nervous about this.
Releasing Aden was originally a casual move, primarily intended to annoy the Iemura-kai.
If it succeeded, and the two sides fought tooth and nail, that would naturally be for the best.
If it didn't, there would be no loss for him.
He never intended to subdue the Daruma group from the start.
Those people were a bunch of pure madmen, united solely for revenge.
Moreover, the combat strength of their cadres was mediocre.
Including their subordinates, they fought purely with a reckless abandon, without any real strategy.
Now, among the five major forces in the S.W.O.R.D. Area, only Nameless Street and Daruma Ikka were not under his control.
Things on Nameless Street couldn't be rushed; the time wasn't right yet.
But Daruma Ikka was different.
The True Dragon Society, which he had personally founded, had been dormant for so long, it was time for it to reveal its true fangs to the entire Toyaru City.
"Kirisawa Jin, listen and remember what I say now," Ryuzaki Shin's voice suddenly turned cold.
"First, immediately use all our power to blockade the entire Sannoh District. All shops are to be forcibly closed. Expel all idlers from the street as quickly as possible; you come up with the reason."
"Second, gather all the elites of the True Dragon Society and tell them to sharpen their blades."
Upon hearing this, Kirisawa Jin's pupils sharply contracted.
He knew that the Boss was no longer planning to hide his strength.
"Boss... are we preparing to officially step into the spotlight?"
Ryuzaki Shin chuckled at his words.
"After Daruma Ikka is annihilated, won't there only be Nameless Street left in the S.W.O.R.D. Area? And Smoky, the Boss of Nameless Street, is a sick man who won't live much longer."
"The so-called Five Major Forces, the so-called S.W.O.R.D. Area."
"After today, they will completely become a thing of the past. It's time for us to reclaim what rightfully belongs to us."
Hearing Ryuzaki Shin's words, Kirisawa Jin's lips also curled into a bloodthirsty arc.
Why would these old veterans, who had climbed out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, willingly submit to a young man?
Wasn't it because the burning passion in their hearts hadn't cooled!
The True Dragon Society, having rested for so long, it was time to show its blade to the world!
"Boss, don't worry! It's time for those young punks to see some blood!"
Upon hearing this, Ryuzaki Shin hung up the phone.
Then, he thought for a moment and dialed another number.
The phone rang twice before being answered.
"Heh heh... Ryuzaki-kun, what made you think of calling me?"
From the other end of the phone came Akutsu's slightly hoarse laugh.
Ryuzaki Shin also laughed heartily.
"Brother, if I call you, it's definitely because there's a big business deal I want to give you."
Hearing that Ryuzaki Shin was getting down to business, Akutsu stopped the pleasantries.
"Oh? Ryuzaki-kun, tell me about it."
Ryuzaki Shin lit a cigarette for himself and said unhurriedly.
"Later tonight, on Sannoh Street, Brother, send a few more refrigerated trucks over. I have a batch of excellent 'materials' here, all young and strong, enough for you to make a fortune."
Akutsu narrowed his eyes at his words.
"Heh heh... Ryuzaki-kun, could it be that you have another big move planned? It seems the northern part of Toyaru City will sooner or later be the domain of your True Dragon Society."
What Akutsu said was true.
The entire northern district of Toyaru City, its main body was the S.W.O.R.D. Area.
As long as S.W.O.R.D. could be successfully taken, it would be equivalent to taking the entire northern district.
At that time, the True Dragon Society would truly be able to rise to prominence in Toyaru.
He had long thought that Ryuzaki Shin would surely achieve great things in the future.
He just didn't expect this day to come so quickly.
Ryuzaki Shin smiled.
"Brother, you flatter me too much. These are all small skirmishes, nothing that can truly be considered significant."
Akutsu no longer wasted words.
Since it was a business deal, it had to be treated as such.
"How do you plan to settle payment for this batch of 'goods'?"
Ryuzaki Shin flicked the ash from his cigarette at the question.
"This batch of 'goods' is my gift to you, Brother. Let's not talk about money; it spoils the sentiment."
Ryuzaki Shin intended to completely eradicate Daruma Ikka from this world tonight.
At that time, the bodies of hundreds of people would indeed be difficult to deal with.
And Akutsu perfectly fit the role of handling these bodies.
Furthermore, why didn't he want Akutsu's money?
The business of human organs wasn't like selling videotapes, where buyers could be easily found.
The money-making cycle was slow and unstable, and it was also very easy to leave behind evidence.
Last time, Akutsu did him a favor.
This time, it was considered repayment.
Besides, Akutsu, despite always appearing amicable on the surface, definitely had ulterior motives regarding him behind the scenes.
This person also clearly knew his background, which meant he was a dead man walking.
In the future, when the two of them completely fell out, he would just kill him.
Wouldn't all of Akutsu's money then belong to him?
Akutsu didn't say much more when he heard that Ryuzaki Shin was giving them to him for free.
"Heh heh... Then, Brother, I'll respectfully accept. You must still be busy over there, so I'll go make arrangements now. Let's leave it at that for now."
Then, the two exchanged a few more pleasantries and hung up the phone.
Ryuzaki Shin fiercely stubbed out the cigarette butt in his hand against the wall.
"After today, there will be no more S.W.O.R.D.…"
On the outskirts of Toyaru City, deep within the mountains.
Over four hundred shirtless young men were undergoing hellish training.
Each of them carried a fifty-kilogram boulder on their backs, traversing rugged mountain paths on a long, arduous trek.
Sweat had long soaked their pants, dripping down their muscular calves, leaving damp footprints on the muddy ground.
On the other side of the mountain path, a group of people was engaged in brutal sparring training.
They wore no protective gear, fighting bare-handed, using the most primitive and direct methods to land punches and kicks fiercely on each other's bodies.
Every strike was accompanied by a dull thud and a suppressed roar.
Blood and sweat mixed, continuously dripping from their mouths and foreheads.
Further away, others were undergoing extreme strength training.
They hoisted massive logs onto their shoulders, performing squats repeatedly until they collapsed from exhaustion, only to struggle back to their feet amidst the roars of their companions.
Just then, a sharp and urgent whistle echoed from deep within the valley, reverberating through the entire mountain forest.
Everyone in training paused.
"What's going on? Why are we gathering so early today?" a young man doing push-ups asked, puzzled.
His companion, panting heavily, replied, "I don't know, but since it's Instructor Ishida's whistle, it must be something important."
Though filled with questions, the group said no more.
They put down their weights, wiped the sweat from their faces, and ran as fast as they could towards the assembly point.
On the high platform at the assembly point, one of the Four Dragon Generals, the Martial Dragon General Ishida Goro, who was responsible for training, was already waiting.
He was dressed in a black, form-fitting outfit, tall and powerfully built.
Ishida Goro looked down at the more than four hundred figures who had quickly assembled and lined up neatly below the platform.
He observed these sturdy, sharp-eyed, and fierce-looking young lads.
A strong sense of accomplishment involuntarily rose within him.
These were all the people he had led out in this past month.
He took a deep breath and spoke loudly.
"The training period has been considerable. How much sweat and blood you've shed here, only you yourselves know best! Now, it's time to test the results of your month-long training!"
"Tonight is the moment for our True Dragon Society to truly bare its fangs! I hope no one falters!"
"Now, everyone, objective: Sannoh Street! Move out!"
...Dusk, Sannoh Street.
The sun was setting in the west, and the last rays of twilight painted the entire land with a dark red hue, like blood.
Normally, this time would be Sannoh Street's busiest.
But today, the entire street was unusually deserted.
All the shops were tightly shut.
The street was empty, not even a shadow of a pedestrian was visible.
Occasionally, a desolate autumn wind swept through, rustling a few fallen leaves and scraps of paper on the ground, making a "shusha" sound, adding a few more eerie, murderous undertones to the empty street.
Just then, a chaotic and heavy sound of footsteps came from the end of the street.
Not long after, a large group of the Daruma Ikka surged in from the street entrance.
Ukyo lit a cigarette, looking at the empty street before him, his brows tightly furrowed.
"What's going on? No matter how desolate Sannoh Street gets, it can't be completely devoid of people, can it?"
Sakyo's eyes also grew wary.
"Something's wrong, it's too quiet."
Just then, the roar of a heavy motorcycle engine came from far away, growing closer.
Not long after, a black harley motorcycle appeared at the other end of the street.
Then, it slowly stopped about a hundred meters away from them.
Sakyo looked at the person on the motorcycle.
He looked young, like a youth.
He shouted loudly at the other party.
"Hey! Kid! Are you from Sannoh?"
However, the person on the motorcycle did not respond.
He merely slowly removed his helmet, revealing a handsome face with a hint of wickedness.
Then, he leisurely lit a cigarette for himself.
"Sannoh? What's that?"
When Kato saw the other party's arrogant demeanor, he immediately flared up.
"Damn it! What are you acting so high and mighty for! Answer what you're asked! Are you looking for death!"
Ryuzaki Shin heard Kato's curses and slowly lifted his eyelids, glancing at him.
It was just an ordinary glance, but for some reason, it made Kato feel a chill run down his spine, as if he had been targeted by some terrifying beast.
At this moment, Ryuzaki Shin slowly spoke.
"Cherish the opportunity you have to speak now, after all, this is the last time you'll ever open your mouths."
Ukyo, relatively speaking, was more composed.
He felt that something was amiss, but he wasn't so easily intimidated by Ryuzaki Shin's single sentence.
"Little brother, we're here to find Cobra and them. If you don't want to cause trouble, you should leave here quickly."
Ryuzaki Shin heard this, and smiled provocatively.
"Cobra? Oh, you mean that guy who was beaten like a dead dog? He should still be lying in the hospital right now."
Sakyo really couldn't take it anymore.
This kid, who appeared out of nowhere, was simply too arrogant.
"Kid, if you don't have some background, I'm afraid you won't be leaving this street today."
Ryuzaki Shin heard this, and a cruel arc formed at the corner of his mouth.
"Is that so?"
Just then, the dull and massive roar of heavy truck engines suddenly came from both sides of the street!
Four black heavy trucks, like steel behemoths, appeared at each end of the street, front and back!
On the front of each truck hung a black flag.
On the flag, a lifelike, fanged, coiling Dragon was embroidered with golden threads!
The eight trucks completely blocked the entrances and exits of the entire street.
Immediately after, the tailgate of the truck beds were opened simultaneously.
Dense rows of True Dragon Society members, dressed in black, jumped down from the trucks.
On the back of the clothing of every True Dragon Society member, a ferocious coiling Dragon was embroidered with gold thread.
Each of them carried a sheathed long sword at their waist.
There were two hundred people at the front and two hundred at the back of the street.
Their movements were uniform, and they quickly formed ranks, sealing off the entire street like an iron barrel.
As this scene unfolded, the previously boisterous street instantly fell silent.
The members of the Daruma Ikka, seeing the enemy arrayed before them like an army, felt beads of cold sweat break out on their foreheads.
At this moment, Ukyo was the calmest.
He looked at the young man still sitting on the motorcycle and said in a deep voice.
"Little brother, is there some misunderstanding between us?"
He had never met this young man before, let alone formed any enmity.
Moreover, judging by this posture, they were definitely a professional yakuza organization.
Today, this was probably not as simple as just a fight.
Ryuzaki Shin didn't want to waste any more words with them.
He casually waved his hand.
A tall and powerfully built figure stepped out from the ranks behind him.
It was the Martial Dragon General Ishida Goro.
He quickly walked to Ryuzaki Shin's side and bowed slightly.
"Boss, please give your orders."
Ryuzaki Shin flicked the ash from the cigarette in his hand.
"I don't want to get bloody today. I didn't bring a change of clothes when I left, and I still have to go home for dinner tonight, so... make it clean."
Ishida Goro nodded heavily after listening to Ryuzaki Shin's words.
He walked past Ryuzaki Shin, his tall figure like a moving mountain, slowly approaching the tense members of the Daruma Ikka on the opposite side.
At the same time, the four hundred True Dragon Society members, who had already formed ranks at both ends of the street, began to advance with synchronized steps, like two black walls, pressing slowly, step by step, towards the Daruma people trapped in the center of the street.
Each step landed with a dull yet powerful sound.
The synchronized footsteps of the four hundred men made the air solidify.
Just then, Ishida Goro, who was leading the way, suddenly raised his right hand.
Everyone behind him instantly stopped.
"Everyone, prepare."
Ishida Goro's voice was cold and devoid of emotion.
As soon as he finished speaking, all True Dragon Society members pulled out a black triangular silk scarf from their pockets, skillfully wrapped it around their mouths and noses, and then tied it tightly behind their heads.
In ancient cold weapon battlefields, blood splattered during close combat.
Covering the mouth and nose with cloth could effectively prevent respiratory problems, or even suffocation, caused by inhaling too much blood mist.
This was a primitive, yet highly effective, battlefield survival skill.
Ishida Goro didn't utter another word of nonsense.
He slowly raised his right hand, then sharply swung it down, letting out a thunderous roar!
"Kill!"
"Clang—!"
Four hundred long blades were drawn simultaneously!
The crisp sound of metal friction converged into a symphony of death!
The chilling glint of the blades reflected a terrifying cold light!
"Kill—!"
At both ends of the street, four hundred True Dragon Society members, like two black torrents, let out an earth-shattering roar and charged towards the hundred-odd members of the Daruma Ikka in the center of the street!
The members of the Daruma Ikka, seeing the hellish scene before them, knew that they had fallen into a desperate situation today.
Sakyo and Ukyo also didn't utter another word of nonsense.
At this point, any cowardice or hesitation would be equivalent to seeking death.
"You brats! Let them know the might of our Daruma Ikka!"
At the brink of life and death, the members of the Daruma Ikka also had their innate ferocity completely ignited.
They roared, gripping their weapons tighter, and quickly formed a circle, preparing for their final desperate stand.
The next second, the two tides of people collided heavily!
Ishida Goro led the charge, his tall and burly figure standing out prominently in the crowd.
The custom-made long blade in his hand, a meter long and heavy, wielded terrifying power with every swing, as if it could split mountains and shatter rocks!
A Daruma member roared, swinging a steel pipe in his hand, and smashed it fiercely towards Ishida Goro's head!
Ishida Goro didn't even bother to look at him, drawing a simple upward arc with the long blade in his hand!
"Pfft!"
That person, along with the steel pipe in his hand, had an arm severed by a single strike!
Immediately after, two more people attacked simultaneously from both sides with iron chains!
Ishida Goro spun sharply, and the long blade in his hand swept out like a whirlwind!
The bodies of those two people instantly froze in place.
The next second, their upper bodies slid cleanly off from their waists.
The third was a guy holding a baseball bat.
He launched a sneak attack from behind, taking advantage of the moment Ishida Goro had just killed two people!
Ishida Goro didn't even turn his head, striking back with a reverse swing!
That head, wearing a red bandana, shot skyward, tracing a bloody arc in the air.
The True Dragon Society's subordinates also displayed astonishing combat power.
A Daruma member had just knocked down a True Dragon Society member with a steel pipe, but before he could deliver the second blow.
A companion beside him suddenly let out a scream.
He looked back and saw a long blade had already pierced through his companion's back!
In another corner, a True Dragon Society member was accidentally knocked to the ground while fighting an enemy.
Just as the enemy was about to end his life, two companions beside him immediately abandoned their own opponents and, without hesitation, used their bodies to block the fatal attack for him!
At the same time, three other long blades instantly pierced into the enemy's body from different angles!
This was the "Three-Three System" squad support system they had honed through countless sparring sessions and bloodshed in the training camp.
On the battlefield, individual bravery was important, but mutual cooperation and support among comrades were the key to survival.
Kato, the gatekeeper of the Daruma Ikka, was also seeing red at this moment.
The steel pipe in his hand whirled with fierce power, knocking down several True Dragon Society members in succession.
He was about to continue his attack when he suddenly felt a chill in his chest.
A long blade silently pierced out from his back, directly 貫穿 ing through his chest from the front!
He coughed up a mouthful of blood, slowly looking back in disbelief.
However, in that moment of his daze.
Another three or four long blades simultaneously pierced into his body from different directions!
Sakyo's eyes instantly turned blood red when he saw this scene!
He roared, wildly swinging his weapon twice, forcing back the enemies in front of him.
Then, like a madman, he rushed to Kato's side, forcing back those True Dragon Society members.
He held the already blood-soaked Kato tightly in his arms.
At this moment, Kato's body was covered in deep, bone-visible blood holes, and blood continuously gushed from his mouth and nose.
"Sakyo... Big Brother... you... must... live... to... get... out..."
After saying these words, his eyes suddenly widened, and he completely lost his breath.
A hot tear rolled down Sakyo's cheek.
He let out a heart-wrenching roar to the sky, then picked up a long blade from the ground that someone had dropped.
Sakyo, with all his strength, swung down fiercely at a True Dragon Society subordinate in front of him!
However, to his shock, the person he struck only staggered back a few steps, and aside from his clothes being torn, he suffered no substantial injury.
Sakyo looked at that subordinate, at the black undershirt beneath the clothes torn by the long blade.
He let out a sorrowful laugh.
Sakyo realized it.
Everyone was wearing bulletproof vests under their clothes.
The enemy outnumbered them to begin with.
And their equipment was superior.
This time, they likely wouldn't be able to escape.
Ryuzaki Shin had invested heavily in his combat personnel.
Whether it was daily salaries, nutritional meals, or combat gear, he had maximized everything within his current capabilities.
After all, it wasn't easy to train a qualified combatant.
Just then, Sakyo saw Ukyo, who was already heavily surrounded not far away.
He steeled his heart, roared, and charged towards Ukyo!
Sakyo rushed behind Ukyo, using his body to block a blade coming from behind!
"Pfft!"
Sakyo spat out a mouthful of blood, his body swaying.
Ukyo's eyes were bloodshot when he saw this scene!
Sakyo, however, grabbed his arm and said with his last ounce of strength.
"Ukyo... listen to me... I'm afraid... I won't... make it... I'll... clear a path for you now... You... you must... get out alive!"
Tears instantly welled up in Ukyo's eyes.
"Fool! I will definitely take you with me!"
Sakyo swung twice, forcing back the enemies who were closing in again.
Due to excessive blood loss, his steps had begun to falter.
"Ukyo... stop talking nonsense... if this continues... no one will get out... listen to me... after you leave... don't seek revenge for us... take everyone's... hope... and live... well... these people... are not someone... we can deal with..."
After saying these words, Sakyo's eyes burst with the brilliant light of his last moments of life!
He completely abandoned all defense, and the long blade in his hand, like a mad demon, swung wildly at the enemies in front of him!
Ukyo gritted his teeth fiercely when he saw this scene.
He knew that Sakyo was right.
Brother, I will definitely get out alive!
But in this life, I will definitely avenge you all!
Under Sakyo's reckless, life-or-death slashing, he actually managed to carve out a bloody path, a gap in their encirclement.
Sakyo protected Ukyo, fighting his way to the entrance of a small alley by the street.
"Ukyo... from here... you should be able to escape..."
Ukyo gave Sakyo a deep final look, then turned his head to glance at Ryuzaki Shin, who was still leisurely sitting on his motorcycle, smoking.
He etched the young man's appearance deeply into his mind.
Then, without looking back, he plunged into the dark alley.
Sakyo looked at Ukyo's retreating figure and smiled with relief.
He turned around, facing the dense crowd of True Dragon Society members who had caught up, raised the long blade in his hand, and roared.
"Come on! You brats! Let me show you that we, the Daruma Ikka, have no cowards!"