The atmosphere was already thick and suffocating, and with the added intensity of the moment, Axel was sweating buckets.
He couldn't fathom how his life had done a complete 180. The orphan kid from the tiny Rusty Ridge was now stuck in a room full of one of the world's most notorious clans, and to top it off, one of their crazy little shits had a katana at his throat.
"Calm down, Akira. I was the one who gave him my first name. So calm down."
The voice was stern, unmistakably Raiden's, and it seemed to come from right beside his ear. Axel felt a slight sting on his neck, his eyes darting downward to find two katana blades locked in a deadly embrace just inches from his jugulars.
One blade belonged to the wild girl named Akira, and the other to Raiden.
It seemed like the girl made the first move, and Raiden swooped in just in time to stop Axel's head from becoming a flying souvenir. For a moment, the sheer absurdity of the situation tickled Axel's funny bone, but then reality crashed back in, heavy as ever.
The two blades danced dangerously close to his throat, and one wrong twitch could turn Axel into a headless wonder. He could practically taste the metallic tang of blood in the air, a clear sign that he'd been nicked. Just a tiny cut, but enough to remind him of the deadly dance he was in.
Akira boiled with fury at the sight of her brother coming to the aid of the stranger who had insulted him. Raiden withdrew his sword, shoving Akira aside in the process. His eyes blazed with rage, while hers burned with pure hatred.
'When did she whip out her katana... in just that split second? Damn... she's freaking terrifying.'
Axel struggled to keep his cool in this hair-raising scenario. What baffled him even more was that he hadn't seen any sign of a katana on Raiden before. It was the same when they first met at the gate.
'Is it some kind of cyberware? If it is, then it's the coolest thing I've ever seen, and I'd totally splurge on it if I had the cash. Man... Raiden is seriously cool!'
Axel had always been fixated on upgrading his cybernetics, dreaming of decking himself out with all the latest gear. But his wallet was as empty as a rat's nest, and he couldn't even afford the most basic enhancements.
Witnessing Raiden effortlessly wield the coolest tech was a whole other level of envy.
The siblings locked eyes for a solid minute before Akira finally snarled and stepped back, hurling her katana in a fit of rage.
"Haa..." Raiden sighed, running his hand over his forehead.
"Don't mind my sister. She's always been like that. Anyway, sorry about the rough welcome."
Raiden scratched the back of his head, clearly embarrassed by the whole scene. But Axel's attention seemed to be elsewhere.
Raiden's katana wasn't your typical blade—it was high-tech cyberware, made of fancy nanotech stuff. It wasn't something he just pulled out of thin air—it actually came from within his arms. When he activated it, the blade unfolded right out of his palm, like it was spring-loaded or something.
It was like something out of a video game, and Axel couldn't tear his eyes away.
'Oh my god! A hidden blade? That's so damn cool.'
Raiden glanced at Axel's awestruck expression and couldn't help but smile at his innocence and naivety.
"We'll catch up later, buddy. My father might want a word with you first. But don't sweat it, you're safe here. My sister's the violent one in the family, but I've got your back. You're in good hands."
With a reassuring pat on Axel's back, Raiden stepped away, giving him some room to catch his breath.
Akira's glare bore into Axel, filled with pure loathing. It was as if Axel had personally wronged her, as if he'd murdered her lover and made a mockery of her in front of them.
'Stupid witch...'
Axel couldn't help but curse her silently, figuring it didn't matter anyway since nobody could read his thoughts.
He glanced at the lord, their eyes meeting briefly before he quickly looked away, not wanting to invite any more trouble.
"Come forward."
The lord commanded, his voice dripping with authority, sending shivers down Axel's spine as he complied.
His steps were smooth and precise, like every muscle in his body was working together in perfect harmony, flowing like a single fluid motion.
"You've been dragged into a clan war, whether by choice or not. You understand what that means, boy?"
Axel shook his head, feeling the weight of the situation settle upon him.
"It means, from this moment on, wherever you go in Little Maw, you're marked as a member of the Kuro clan. Not just any member, but Takeshi's best friend."
'Takeshi? Who's that now?'
He looked to Raiden, who nodded in confirmation. So, Raiden was Takeshi. Takeshi Raiden Kuro or... Raiden Takeshi Kuro? Maybe Raiden was a title or something. Otherwise, why would that little witch have tried to kill him?
"One of the Tsuki clan's members has fallen by one of our blades, and that won't go unanswered. Whether you like it or not, this is war."
Declared one of the big guys sitting left to the lord, his eyes boring into Axel and Haruki.
Haruki quivered at his words, refusing to lift his gaze from the ground.
"Hand them both over to the Tsuki clan. Both the gaijin and the killer!"
Another demanded, her voice dripping with hostility.
Amidst the tension, another voice spoke up, booming across the room. He was the largest person there, towering over everyone else like a mountain. In fact, he was the biggest person Axel had ever laid eyes on.
"A clan war within the Triumvirate? That's a recipe for disaster. No matter how strong the five clans are individually, if we're divided, they'll tear us apart. It's better to avoid a war, Lord Kuro."
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the room, and they didn't sound wrong. Even the lord understood that steering clear of a war was the wiser choice.
With time ticking away, Axel's fate dangled by a thread, at the mercy of the man perched on the throne. If the lord decreed Axel's sacrifice, he'd have to brainstorm quick for a way out. But no matter what plan he cooked up, Axel had this sinking feeling it wouldn't lead to a happy ending.