Gachan had finally recovered, while his underling lay unconscious on the floor.
"Just who the fuck are you?" he asked.
"Just a concerned citizen," replied Seon-mi.
It was clear now that Gachan was at a disadvantage, and his facial expressions betrayed a mix of fear and uncertainty.
The system box suddenly appeared, presenting Seon-mi with three options.
YOU HAVE CORNERED THE LEADER OF MOYASHI, YOU NOW HAVE THE UPPER HAND.
HOW WOULD YOU LIKE TO PROCEED?
SPARE HIM (+50 COINS)
KILL HIM (+25 COINS)
INTERROGATE HIM (+10 COINS)
"What's this?" she thought. "Does it mean he's lost the will to fight, or am I just that much stronger than him? Either way, it seems like the ball is in my court. I could finish him now and be done with this whole thing, but I have bigger fish to fry, and I don't even know where to start. He might have some useful intel."
Seon-mi relaxed a little, savouring the upper hand she held in the situation. As she untied the ropes from her wrists, she engaged Gachan in conversation.
"So, you're Gachan, huh? Originally, I was just gonna come and kill you, but it seems like you might know a thing or two about the man I'm looking for. So, I'll give you two options."
Gachan cut Seon-mi off, "You think you've won just because you're free from those restraints? Don't get cocky, you little bi—"
He reached behind his back and brandished a small pistol that was tucked into his waistband, but before he could finish his sentence and aim the gun, Seon-mi sent her foot flying in his direction.
The impact struck his ribs with a faint crack that could be heard, and he flew to the side, crashing through the paper screen doors and landing face first in the hallway. The gun dropped at Seon-mi's feet.
She looked down at it momentarily, kicked it away into the corner of the room, and then began approaching Gachan, who was coughing up blood on the floor.
It was evident the kick had broken a few of his ribs, causing internal bleeding. She loomed over him as if she was the very harbinger of death, come to take him to the land of the dead. She used her foot to flip him over, then stepped on his chest, causing him to cough up even more blood as he struggled to lift her foot.
"As I was saying, you have two options. Option one, you die, end of the story. Or, option two, you answer my questions truthfully, and maybe I just might let you live, but if you even think about lying, I'll know, and you die. So... what'll it be?"
"Option two! Option two! Please just let me live," Gachan barely managed to get the words out, his voice was hoarse and blood gargled at the back of his throat.
"Smart choice," replied Seon-mi, her foot still pressing down on him.
The boy who had followed Seon-mi stood and watched this entire interaction unfold; he couldn't believe his eyes. A small, seemingly fragile girl, single-handedly taking on two of the men that had terrorized his life for the past two years. It was a sight to behold.
"This woman, she's not normal, but if I stick with her, then just maybe..." he thought to himself.
"I'm looking for a man named Kyosuke Yamashita, this man used to be a police officer but it seems he resigned about a week ago, where can I find him?" Asked Seon-mi.
"I don't know that name, I swear!" He replied
"Well you're useless to me then, goodbye." Seon-mi lifted her leg like she was about to crush his chest in a single step.
"Wait! Wait! I don't know who he is but I know someone who might. There's a news reporter who goes by the name Minoru Bushida. He works at the Channel 5 news station uptown but he's secretly employed by the Takenaka clan, if you're looking for anybody in Kanda, he'll definitely know where to find them." he explained.
"You see, that wasn't so hard was it." Seon-mi
Seon-mi released her foot from Gachan's chest, turned around, and walked back into the room. Gachan began to gasp for air, coughing up blood.
Seon-mi's every step echoed through the room as she picked up her katana from the floor. The dim light flickered as she unsheathed the blade, its gleam dancing in the air. With calculated determination, she walked towards Kabito, still unconscious, lying defenseless on the floor.
The air tensed as Seon-mi raised her katana, the cold steel catching the glint of the room's muted illumination. Time seemed to pause as the blade descended, meeting no resistance as it plunged into the side of Kabito's head. A swift withdrawal followed, blood trailing the blade's edge.
Seon-mi wiped the blade on her sleeve, the fabric now bearing witness to the violent act. Turning away from the lifeless body, she faced the boy with a stoic expression.
"Shit, I've seen too much... am I next?" Thought the boy
Seon-mi elegantly flipped the Katana in one hand, with the blade now facing her and handed to the boy.
"You said he killed your father. What're you gonna do about it?" said Seon-mi
In that suspended moment, the boy's eyes locked onto the offered weapon, an emblem of potential destinies. The weight that this small gesture carried was substantial, and he knew this choice could shape the narrative of his future.
As he deliberated, Gachan, recovered silently, and began a stealthy approach toward Seon-mi from behind. Even with her back turned, she sensed his intent, choosing to trust that the boy would pick revenge over anything else. Gachan, fueled by the remnants of his strength, lunged at them both.
In a swift response, the boy grabbed the katana from Seon-mi, a decision made in the crucible of the moment. The blade, poised inches from Seon-mi's face, brushed past her cheek with a whisper of danger and embedded itself into Gachan's eye.
A chilling silence enveloped the room, each participant frozen in the tableau of a transformative encounter. The boy, now holding the blood-stained katana, had forged a destiny within the echoes of that shared gaze.
A small smirk played on Seon-mi's face, "The kid's tougher than he looks, maybe he could be useful"