Genji woke up, immediately reaching for his throat, trying to soothe a pain that no longer existed. As he looked around, he realized he was back in his bedroom at The Den. The sound of Ripper knocking at his door echoed through the room, but Genji's mind was still consumed by the brutal experience of his fourth death in this world. He took slow, deliberate breaths, testing his throat to make sure it was functioning properly.
Though the knocks grew louder, Genji couldn't rush to answer the door. The weight of his recent death left him feeling weak and vulnerable. It took all his strength to finally drag himself out of bed and approach the door.
As Genji opened the door, there stood Ripper with an energetic grin. "Morning, mate! Ready for the big day ahead?" Ripper asked with enthusiasm. However, Genji couldn't find the strength to respond. His sleepless night already had taken a toll on him, and the weight of his recent death lingered heavily in his mind. Concern flashed across Ripper's face as he noticed Genji's exhaustion. "Mate, did you sleep at all last night?" he asked.
Ignoring the question, Genji looked directly into Ripper's eyes. "Let's head downstairs. I have something on Copperhand," Genji said, his voice still strained. Without waiting for a response, he passed by Ripper and started making his way downstairs. Ripper, momentarily confused, quickly followed Genji.
This time, however, Genji couldn't care less for Dare and his crew. The recent confrontation with Copperhand, where he had just died in his hands, consumed his thoughts. Compared to the ruthless crime lord, Dare and the others seemed insignificant, like wingless birds. As he sat beside Ripper, he looked around at the group and thought, *All of them are too weak to do anything to Copperhand.*
The workers once again brought him and Ripper food, but Genji did not have an appetite as the thought of swallowing something didn't sit right with him after his death. "Don't worry, I already ordered for you two," Pip said with a warm smile. However, her kind gesture didn't have much of an effect on him this time.
As Ripper was about to begin eating, Genji raised his hand, signaling for everyone's attention. "We need to talk about Copperhand's henchmen, especially the one called Viper," he said. It made perfect sense to Genji that the man with the snake tattoo had to be Viper.
Dare's curiosity got the better of him as he tilted his head, inquiring, "Viper? Why single him out?" Genji responded, "He's the most dangerous out of all of them." In his mind, he thought, *From that fight, it's evident he's the most strongest.* Though each henchman presented a significant threat, Viper stood out as the most dangerous adversary to him.
Ripper leaned in closer to Genji, his voice hushed as he asked, "How the hell do you know about Viper, mate? You didn't even know about Copperhand." Genji didn't have a ready answer, so he simply brushed off the question, choosing not to respond. Pip chimed in, trying to ease the tension, "Well, I've heard a bit about him, but not much." The rest of the group echoed similar sentiments, admitting their limited knowledge about Viper.
Genji clicked his tongue in frustration, thinking, *Useless.* But he quickly reprimanded himself, *Why did I think that? They are still more useful than me.* The constant deaths were starting to take a toll on his sanity, and he noticed these dark thoughts creeping into his mind, thoughts he had never experienced before. The weight of his predicament was becoming overwhelming, and he struggled to keep his composure amidst the inner turmoil.
Dare's anger flared when he noticed Genji clicking his tongue, and he couldn't hold back his frustration. "Hey! We're at least trying to think of something unlike you!" he snapped, his emotions getting the better of him. Seeing someone as weak as Genji act that way pissed him off. Ripper attempted to intervene and speak in Genji's defense, but before he could, Genji himself retorted, "Oh, really? Sorry, I didn't realize that you were capable of thinking!" It surprised even Genji that he spoke with such biting sarcasm, but the memory of Dare's helplessness in the fight infuriated him. He couldn't stand the hypocrisy of being criticized by someone who did nothing while he had managed to slash Copperhand.
Dare's surprise at Genji's retort was evident in his expression, and as he looked closer at Genji, a sense of confusion washed over him. *Is he the same kid from last night?* he wondered, finding it hard to believe that the timid boy he met earlier could speak with such sharpness now.
Before the situation could escalate further, Pip interjected, trying to diffuse the tension. "Hey, Dare, calm down," she said gently, hoping to ease the growing conflict. Dare glanced at Pip, still feeling irritated, but her words made him pause. "Me? He started it first," he argued, trying to justify his reaction. Pip shook her head, trying not to pick sides but still wanting them both to calm down. "Okay, let's just take a deep breath and focus on what we need to do," she urged, hoping they could find common ground and focus on their goal.
Ripper turned to Genji with a puzzled expression and asked, "What's gotten into you, mate?" Genji's annoyance was evident as he replied, "I just spoke the truth, nothing more." Dare, on the verge of getting angry again, was interrupted by Gin, who appeared behind him and playfully shushed him. She then turned to Genji, her eyes sparkling with amusement as she observed, *He looks even more lifeless now, almost like Copperhand.*
Genji's mind raced, searching for a way to defeat Copperhand and avenge his previous death. *How can I take him down?* He pondered the question, his thoughts consumed by the desire for revenge. Copperhand's ruthless actions had left a deep scar on his psyche, and the need for revenge slowly started to consume him.
Genji's mind raced with determination as he asked Gin, "Do you have any fertilizers or can you get some?" Confusion spread among the group, but Gin replied, "I can get some from the market, but why?" Undeterred, Genji shifted his gaze to the bar and instructed Ripper, "Buy every single bottle of alcohol you can."
Ripper's confusion deepened, and Dare couldn't hold back his frustration. "What the hell are you planning?" he demanded. Genji's smile was unwavering as he declared, "I'm going to make him suffer for what he did. It's as simple as that." In his mind, he added *Screw the greater purpose. Right now, it's all about revenge.* Genji no longer cared about the reasons for his existence in this world; all that mattered was his burning desire to take down Copperhand for the pain he had caused.