-The boss wants you to come with us. - a car stopped in front of me, windows down, a man with a cigarette face covered in shadow.
I thought for a moment. I have a power that can overpower anybody in this shithole yet I need these people's trust and money to execute my plan. Plus without proper training, I don´t yet have full control over The Something and a guy like Kurogumo could easily kill me.
He's by far the strongest person I´ve ever met after the demon who slaughtered my people.
And besides, I kinda want to see him again. A smile curved on my face. I got in the car, there was a sheet on the backseat, clearly so I don't stain it with all the blood dripping off me.
Staring back at the man's eyes in the mirror, my own red gaze met his reflection. He broke the stare and turned away.
They must see me as some kind of monster that could snap and kill everybody at any moment. Good. I want them to see me that way. My confidence was soaring, yet I had no idea when I'd be able to tap into The Something's power again. It was irritating to possess such immense power and be restricted from using it at will. Still, I wouldn't let them know about this limitation. Deceiving Kuragumo, however, would be difficult. He was intelligent, highly logical, and annoyingly arrogant—a trait, I suspected, that stemmed from his privilege and good looks.
The car stopped. We were back at the Kurogumo residence, except this was a different entrance. The building looked more prestigious than the one I visited before.
The man got out and opened the door. There was no gun pointed at the back of my neck this time. I looked back at the man standing behind me. I was expecting him and the two other men to grab me and escort me into the building like last time, but instead he gave me an intense stare and nodded, confirming that I should get moving.
Entering the hall, my eyes struggled to adjust to the darkness. Only dim lights cut through the gloom of the space, giving it the look of a classic, luxurious, yet incredibly dark vampire's residence—fitting for a mafia family.
I was led up the luxurious stone staircase to the first floor, passing through a narrow, dark corridor draped in velvet tapestry and lit by gold chandeliers.
"This is your room. Go inside and do not come out unless you are called," the man behind me instructed.
I stepped inside without a backward glance as the door shut. The room was stunning, like a five-star hotel suite. This is far too good to be true. Still, I will enjoy the Kurogumo family's grand hospitality. If this is what an employee gets, I could certainly get used to it.
An impressed smile crossed my face. I'm looking forward to seeing him tomorrow.
Later, lying in bed, my thoughts drifted. I wonder if I'm on his mind too.
My eyes narrowed in calculated anticipation. So the game begins.
A violent banging on the door jolted me awake. I brushed the hair from my face and pushed myself up, noticing for the first time the sheer size of the bed. Opening my eyes was a struggle due to the overwhelming light in the room. Ugh, it's far too early for such an uncultured awakening.
The incessant knocking continued. Slowly, I rose, slipped on the silken Yukata that had been laid out on the dresser, and opened the door. My eyes were still half-closed, and my hair was a mess.
"What?" I asked, annoyed and slightly indifferent.
"The boss requested to see you right now," the man from yesterday stated, his voice demanding and extremely serious—quite jarring for such a beautiful morning. "Get dressed and go downstairs. We'll collect you from there."
He turned to leave, then stopped, adding without looking back after a few moments of hesitation, "Oh, and there is clean underwear on the chair too." He paused, clenching his fist, clearly nervous about mentioning women's underwear, before finally leaving.
I shut the door. Geez, he's such an awkward guy for a gorilla. I smirked, then glanced at the pile of underwear. This looks... good. I'm impressed. And expensive too.
They really do everything properly here, don't they? Or perhaps Kurogumo wants to see me wearing them. I smiled. Either way, I won't give them the satisfaction of making me rush. I'll take a bath first.
"Wow!" I exclaimed upon opening the bathroom door. "This looks like the queen's suite!"
Meanwhile in the hall.
"It's been 30 minutes already. What's taking her so long?" My awkward escort mumbled to himself in the hall. His face was a mask of pure annoyance, clearly indicating he was thoroughly pissed off.
Meanwhile, I was leaning back in the bathtub, eyes closed. "Ah, this bath is amazing! They have so many oils and incenses. They're really looking out for me, huh," I mused. I hadn't enjoyed a bath like this in ages. Bumping into this guy was definitely a fine choice.
The room was quiet, an unusual silence for the typically noisy underground. I exhaled, fully relaxed.
"Right, it's time to obey and get out," I mumbled, pulling myself out of the tub. "I wonder what Kurogumo wants. It pains me to imagine that guy is my boss." He's about my age and way too full of himself. "Ugh, I'll play along for now. Until I get strong enough, at least."
"Are you my assistant now?" I called down from the top of the stairs.
Masaru spun around, his face etched with pure rage.
"I told you to be fast. Kurogumo doesn't like to wait."
"Alright, Masu. Show me the way," I said with a mocking, cheerful smile. It had the desired effect: he flushed with anger.
As I walked past him, he paused for a moment before letting out a sigh, adjusting his glasses and falling into step behind me.
The endless corridors and overly ornate halls—a bit much, frankly—left me feeling uneasy. The staff stared as if they'd seen a ghost.
A strange feeling washed over me, a sudden, powerful urge to kill. "The Something thinks these people should die," I mused. I couldn't entirely blame him though; they looked weak and useless.
I wonder where the rest of the Kurogumo family is. It's rather strange that I have only met Kiyotugu so far. Does he own this estate? Is he like the head of the gang or something?
The thought was interrupted by the halt of Masaru.
-Please enter. And only speak when you are spoken to. - he said while adjusting his glasses in an overly serious voice.
Wow this guy is really devoted to his master huh. - I mused while looking at him with a confused expression.
He was there as the door opened, seated behind a massive, intricately carved wooden desk in a chair that resembled an ornamented throne. His appearance was dangerously flawless. Although I was late, he seemed unfazed, his expression nonchalant, a smooth, calculating, and cocky smile playing on his face. His white hair partially obscured his features, lending him a charming air of mystery. His yellow eyes, glowing with confidence and power, were undeniably beautiful. He wore an unbuttoned white shirt, revealing a surprisingly masculine chest. The scars etched on his pale skin hinted at a dangerous past, marking him as someone who had fought battles and emerged victorious.
-Please accept my apologies for the delay in our arrival Sir! - Masaru started bowing with the intensity of someone who had just committed the greatest crime in human history. - She took longer to get ready then I anticipated Sir! Please forgive us Sir!
"Damn, this guy is intense." - I thought watching the dramatic display of apology.
-It's all good, Masu, you may leave. - Kurogumo said with a light but slightly sarcastic tone dismissing the gorilla who bowed one more time and swiftly left the room.
I chuckled. He calls him Masu too? No wonder he got embarrassed earlier. So cute.
The door shut, and Kurogumo rose from the chair. He approached me slowly, his hands in his pockets, moving with the casual confidence of a predator examining its quarry.
"Did you find the room we provided you to your liking?" he drawled, the slow, mocking tone almost a taunt.
I glanced around before answering, just grasping the full extent of the Kurogumo's wealth.
When I looked back, he was mere inches away.
The sudden closeness made me gasp, but I quickly regained composure, forcing a confident, nonchalant expression.
"It was better than the shack I used to sleep in," I said, sounding utterly unimpressed, which brought an amused smirk to his face.
He held my gaze for a few seconds, still smiling. I lost control of my expression, mesmerized, drinking in every detail of his face. My focus eventually settled on his lips, and before I could fix my expression, he spoke.
"That comes later." His voice was deep, almost patronizing. He must have noticed my attraction.
He lingered for a few seconds, enjoying my helplessness, then stepped away, turning around.
I gasped. Here I thought I had the advantage, but he already had complete control over me. I felt a rush of warm blood to my cheeks and lips, my heart pounding. He likely sensed it, too, and would use it to his advantage.
"We need to begin your training immediately. There's no time to waste if you are to be of use to us."
He turned and leaned against the desk. "I sensed it earlier in the car, and I feel it again now—there is something strangely powerful about you. I want to see what you are capable of."
Raising an eyebrow, I replied, "Is that so? Where do we begin?"
-We begin by you showing me your Aspect. - He said. His voice and his face was serious, demanding.
I raised my hand with a pink flame glowing in it. - His expression was slightly amused but still indifferent.
"A flame Aspect. Versatile, dangerous even." He paused, then the smile returned. "Good. We can make use of that."
He started walking towards me again, and the atmosphere around him immediately shifted. A black energy erupted, plunging everything into darkness. His yellow eyes began to glow, and the pressure from his Aspect was overwhelming. Yet, his hands remained in his pockets, a sign that his mood was unchanged—he was simply that powerful.
As he closed the distance, the dark energy around him wrapped around me with suffocating density. I could feel the dark particles of his Aspect invading my body, and I lost all control. The pain was immense, making the difference in our power brutally clear.
-This is my Aspect. It allows me to inflict pain on others. It has other uses as well. You will soon see all of them. - he said, looking into my eyes still smiling, studying the pain on my face.
He did all this as a power demonstration. I thought about fighting off the pain, trying to hold his gaze.
-To gain control of your power, you must become stronger than I am. Few in this place possess the strength to challenge me, and none would prevail. We will engage in relentless daily physical and mental training until you master the power within you. However, to begin, you must first learn submission—and that is where I intervene.
Hayato Kageyama´s pov:
"That will be 10,000 yen."
I set the empty shot glass down. The man opposite me was barely conscious, pissed drunk but a consuming rage was beginning to overtake him.
"How the hell do you win all the time Kageyama?! You must be cheating! I aint giving you a single yen, you can kiss my ass!"
"I won fair and square. Now give me my money before make you regret that you were born"
"I have a better idea! How about I lend you my wife for the night huh? She´s pretty good when she has to be and you look like you could use some dusting, you haven't been laid in a while have you?" - The merchant bursted out in laughter as he leaned forward to take a closer look at me.
"I'm declining your offer. I'm not here for anything illicit; I'm here for the money. Stop wasting my time and pay me before I kill you."
"Why do you have to be so damn serious all the time Kageyama? You are seriously depressing me."
His unsettling and extremely annoying eye contact, coupled with a stupid grin, made it clear he had no intention of giving me my money.
Blue flames consumed the bar, eliciting screams from those trapped inside. Kageyama strolled down the street, his hands casually tucked into his pockets.
"I seriously need to get a job. So damn serious huh? How can you not be serious when you are an assassin. Well a jobless one nobody knows about at that."-I mumbled to myself keeping my gaze on the ground completely indifferent to the chaotic underground life around me.
"Hey you! Tall guy with the overly serious depressed expression!"-A middle aged short guy, clearly a common folk rushing towards me nearly stumbling on his own feet.
"What's wrong with being serious?!" The question instantly twisted my face into an expression of extreme annoyance.
Finally, the man reached me, collapsing onto his knees, desperate and panting to catch his breath. He looked truly pathetic.
"Are you a bearer? - he looked at me with panic in his eyes. - Can you help me, my daughter….they took my daughter! Please, you look like an assassin."
"Can you save her?"