Chereads / Empire: ashes of the fallen / Ch-2(2): The Last Stand

Ch-2(2): The Last Stand

Disclaimer: Please note that the following chapter contains graphic descriptions of blood and gore. Reader discretion is advised. If you are sensitive to such content, please consider skipping this chapter or proceeding with caution. I aim to provide a realistic portrayal of the story and its characters, but I understand that some readers may find certain scenes disturbing. I do not condone or glorify violent behavior in any form. Thank you for your understanding.

As they neared the door, they noticed that it was already open. A sense of unease began to creep into Yuji's stomach, like a warning that something was amiss. Faint strains of music wafted from within, hinting at the mystery that awaited them.

"Something's not right," Yuji announced to his team, his voice low and controlled. "Be on guard. We're going in."

Both of the guards nodded, their hands resting on their holsters. Yamato spoke up, concern lacing his words. "Should we call for backup?"

Yuji shook his head, his gaze fixed on the open door. "No, we will handle this ourselves. Now let's move."

As they stepped into the apartment, the sound of their footsteps echoed in the empty room. Outside, the rain had intensified into a downpour, the drumming of the drops against the windowpanes adding an eerie undertone to their search.

Yuji's men fanned out, their eyes scanning the room for any signs of Jinzo. The tension in the air was palpable, the uncertainty of what they might find sending a shiver down their spines. They moved cautiously, aware that every moment counted.

The rain continued to beat against the windows, a steady rhythm that seemed to match the beating of their hearts as they pressed forward, determined to find Jinzo.

Despite their thorough search, Jinzo was nowhere to be seen. Yuji strained his ears, listening for any sounds of movement or footsteps, but the heavy rain and the music blasting from some source made it impossible to hear anything.

Yuji strained to hear any footsteps over the music, but the steady flow of music filled the room, drowning out any other sounds. The melody was hauntingly beautiful, each note ringing out like a mournful cry.

As Yuji stood there, listening to the music, a strange sense of familiarity washed over him. He felt as if he had heard the piece before, in a different context, perhaps in a distant memory.

Yuji's footsteps were slow and measured as he followed the source of the music, the steady beat of his heart accompanying the tune. The sound led him towards a table, where he saw Jinzo's phone lying in plain sight, its screen illuminated with the title of the song that had been playing.

Yuji's hand closed around Jinzo's phone, his fingers gripping it tightly as he stared at the screen, which displayed the title of the song playing in the background - "Lacrimosa." The haunting melody filled the room, adding to the already tense atmosphere.

Yuji's mind raced as he tried to make sense of the situation. Why was Jinzo's phone playing this music? Was it a deliberate message, a hint of some kind? Yuji stood motionless, completely lost in thought as he listened to the music.

Meanwhile, one of Yuji's guards entered Jinzo's bedroom in search of him. The man entered the room and was immediately enveloped in darkness. The sole window was obscured by a heavy curtain, blocking any natural light from filtering in."Where are you Jinzo? I'll find you."

The man moved cautiously towards the window, his ears straining to pick up any sounds in the room. However, his efforts were in vain, drowned out by the sound of music, heavy rain, and occasional thunder outside.

As the man opened the curtains, he saw the rain outside pelting against the window pane. Suddenly, a loud clap of thunder shook the room, causing him to startle. In that instant, a flash of lightning illuminated the room and the man caught sight of a shadow moving behind him in the reflection of the window.

Another bolt of lightning flashed, briefly illuminating the room with an eerie light. At that moment, the man caught a glimpse of Jinzo's face reflected in the window.

Before the man could react, Jinzo moved with remarkable speed and expertly applied a precise sleeper hold. The grip was tight, cutting off the blood flow to the man's brain and causing him to feel light-headed and disoriented. He struggled briefly, but within moments, the man's body went limp and he collapsed to the ground with a muffled thud.

Jinzo surveyed the unconscious man with a cold gaze before slipping out of the room and disappearing into the shadows. He knew he had to move quickly before anyone discovered his location, leaving the man to wake up and wonder what had happened.

As Jinzo stepped out of his bedroom, he spotted Yuji in the hallway, still lost in thought and completely absorbed in the music."Yuji is just down the hallway, but I still have two guards to deal with. Let's take them out first before making a move on Yuji."

Moving quickly and silently, he took advantage of the storm and music to mask the sound of his footsteps. Soon, he had crept into the kitchen and hidden beneath the dining table.

After a thorough search of the bathroom yielded no sign of Jinzo, Yamato let out a frustrated sigh and made his way to the kitchen. He was starting to feel uneasy about the situation and went to inform his boss.

Yamato's phone beeped and he glanced down to check the message. "Boss, T sent a message, it's important--" he began but was suddenly cut off. His words were cut off abruptly as he spotted Jinzo crouching under the dining table, eyes fixed on him like a predator lying in wait for its prey.

Before Yamato could even utter a sound, Jinzo moved with lightning speed. His left hand clamped over Yamato's mouth while he plunged his combat knife deep into the man's throat with his right hand. Yamato's lifeless body slumped to the ground with a dull thud.

Yuji, still lost in thought and absorbed in the music, remained oblivious to the dull thud of Yamato's body hitting the floor.

"What's wrong? what was that noise?" As the last guard burst into the kitchen and caught sight of Yamato's lifeless body and Jinzo lurking nearby, he cried out, 'Jinzo!' Without hesitation, Jinzo hurled his combat knife with deadly accuracy, piercing the guard's throat.

The knife pierced the man's throat, and he let out a muffled scream of pain as he collapsed to the floor. Despite his injuries, he continued to writhe and crawl, leaving a trail of blood behind him

The muffled scream finally caught Yuji's attention, and he hurried to the kitchen. As he entered, he was confronted by the gruesome scene: Yamato's lifeless body, the wounded guard writhing in pain on the floor, and Jinzo standing nearby, weaponless and covered in blood."

Reacting quickly, Yuji pulled out his gun and aimed it at Jinzo. However, before he could pull the trigger, Jinzo grabbed a kitchen knife from the dining table and hurled it at the gun. The blade struck the gun, causing it to bounce out of Yuji's hand and clatter to the floor in the darkness.

"You're a feisty one, Jinzo," Yuji said as he pulled a knife from his holster. He continued with a smirk, "I'm going to enjoy this." He licked the blade of the knife as he spoke.

Jinzo quickly reached into his jacket and pulled out another combat knife, ready to face Yuji in a showdown.

The storm raged outside, the wind howling like a wounded animal as it battered against the window. The door banged relentlessly against its hinges, while the darkness of the sky was punctuated by occasional flashes of lightning.

Jinzo faced off against Yuji, their eyes locked in a deadly gaze. The tension between them was palpable, the air thick and heavy like the storm clouds ready to unleash their fury.

Jinzo's intense hatred for Yuji burned like a fire inside him, white-hot anger that demanded satisfaction. He gripped his combat knife tightly, his knuckles turning white with anticipation.

Yuji smirked as he twirled his knife in his hand, his eyes gleaming with excitement. The two circled each other, waiting for the other to make the first move. Jinzo knew that he needed to be careful, as Yuji was a skilled fighter with years of experience.

The sound of the storm outside only added to the tension of the moment, as if the very elements were bearing witness to their deadly dance. And then, in an instant, both men launched themselves at each other with deadly intent.

The sound of metal clashing against metal filled the kitchen as their knives collided, each one determined to gain the upper hand.: The fight between Jinzo and Yuji was intense, their blows were swift and calculated,

their movements becoming more fluid and precise with each passing moment.

The atmosphere was charged with intense energy, the silence is broken only by the sound of their clashing weapons and the occasional howl of the wind outside.

Jinzo struggled to keep up with Yuji's skill and technique, but he was determined to win. His movements were more erratic, fueled by his anger and hatred. The sound of their knives clashing echoed through the room, each strike sending sparks flying, Sweat dripping down their faces.

Jinzo was lightning fast, his knife a blur as he sought to land a fatal blow. But the loan shark was no slouch, his blade moving with deadly precision as he expertly parried the attack.

As the two men fought, the storm outside intensified even more, unleashing its fury upon the world. Lightning flashed in the sky, illuminating the hallway in brief, eerie bursts of light, casting strange shadows upon the walls. The sound of thunder rumbled through the building, drowning out the sounds of the men's grunts and the clashing of their knives.

Despite Jinzo's best efforts, as the fight dragged on, his moves became slower and less precise, his breathing ragged as exhaustion set in. Yuji's experience and cunning gave him the upper hand as the fight wore on. He knew that Jinzo would eventually tire, and he bided his time, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Jinzo's strike was a horizontal slash, but Yuji was quick to notice an opening. He stepped back to dodge the attack and seized Jinzo's wrist with his left hand. In a swift movement, Yuji plunged his knife deep into Jinzo's chest, causing him to drop his knife.

Jinzo fell to the floor with a thud, and Yuji quickly straddled him, his weight pinning Jinzo to the ground. As Jinzo groaned in pain, Yuji sat on top of him, breathing heavily. For a moment, it seemed like the fight was over.

Yuji smirked triumphantly as he caught sight of Jinzo's face, mocking him with a taunting gesture. But in a sudden, unexpected move, Jinzo spat out a mouthful of blood, aiming directly for Yuji's eyes. The warm liquid splattered onto Yuji's face, causing him to cry out in disgust and pain as he staggered backward.

Jinzo's body writhed in pain as he struggled to keep his eyes open. Through his blurred vision, he saw the gun that Yuji had dropped on the floor. Summoning all his strength, he stretched out his trembling hand and grasped the weapon.

Yuji winced in pain as he rubbed his bloodshot eyes with his hands, hoping to clear his vision. However, the blood only smeared further, making it even harder for him to see.

The loan shark was breathing heavily and his eyes were closed as he sat on top of Jinzo. When he finally opened his eyes, he saw Jinzo's trembling hands aiming the gun at him. Yuji's eyes widened in shock but before he could move.

Jinzo squeezed the trigger, unleashing a barrage of shots at Yuji. Recoil made his hands shake, but he kept firing until the gun clicked empty. All the bullets found their mark on Yuji's chest. As the final shot echoed in the hallway, Yuji's body slumped over Jinzo's, lifeless. Jinzo tried to shoot more, but the gun bounced out of his grip and clattered to the ground.

Jinzo lay there, his life slipping away, a small smile on his lips. He had taken his opponent down, but in the end, they both had fallen. As his last breath left him, Jinzo's body grew still and silent on the ground.

The storm had passed, leaving the room in an eerie silence. The rain outside had stopped, and the only evidence of the fierce storm was the occasional drip from a leak in the ceiling. The air was thick with the smell of blood and gunpowder as the two fallen men lay motionless on the floor, their fight now over.

The only sound was the soft ticking of the clock as it counted down the seconds, marking the passing of time...