The streets of Yokohama were bathed in the pale glow of streetlights as Toma, Shota, and Kazuya made their way toward Hiroshi's restaurant. The trio moved with practiced stealth, blending into the shadows as they approached their target. Kazuya's heart raced, a mix of adrenaline and apprehension coursing through him.
They stopped in a narrow alleyway a block from the restaurant, taking cover behind a stack of wooden crates. From their vantage point, they could see the restaurant's front entrance, guarded by horde of gangsters. Their tally seemed countless as they patrolled the area with a stoic expression.
"Their so many of them!" Kazuya whispered, his eyes narrowing as he observed the gangsters.
Toma nodded, his gaze focused on the thugs. "Yeah, and most of them are well armed, but their weapons aren't anything extraordinary.
Kazuya squinted, studying the gangsters and their weapons more closely. "Really? If that's the case, does it mean Hiroshi was wrong?"
Toma's face was set in a grim expression. "Not exactly, these guys we see here might be the low ranked henchmen, the big guys are inside that restaurant." Toma said.
"We'll need to be smart about this..."
Shota, ever the quiet observer, remained silent, his eyes darting between the gangsters and their surroundings. Even though he didn't speak, Kazuya and Toma knew he was already calculating their next move.
Toma then said "We need to gather more intel. We have to find out how many there are and if there are any other entrances or exits."
"Oh, look what we have here...."
A big man towered Kazuya and the others with a malicious grin. "Looks like I caught some naughty little roaches snooping around."
Kazuya, Toma and Shota were spotted and they were worried about what's going to happen next...
Kazuya's heart skipped a beat. Toma shot a quick glance at Shota, who remained silent and composed. They needed to think fast.
Before Kazuya could respond, Toma stepped forward, a disarming smile on his face. "Hey there, we're actually here on behalf of the boss. There was some... misunderstanding with the timing of our arrival."
The gangster frowned, clearly skeptical. "Boss didn't mention anything about new arrivals. Who are you supposed to be?"
Toma's mind raced as he spun his story. "We're the advance team sent to check security measures and make sure everything's in order before the main group arrives. You know how the boss is about security."
The gangster's grip tightened on his sword, but he didn't immediately attack. "Why didn't I hear about this? And more importantly why were you guys hiding?"
Kazuya was panicking as he thought it was all done for.
"Communication breakdown," Toma said smoothly. "It happens. And we were discussing about something important that's why stalled for a little bit. But we're here now, so why don't you call the guys inside and we can clear this up?"
The gangster hesitated, clearly torn between suspicion and the possibility of making a mistake. Finally, he nodded and barked an order to a subordinate. Moments later, several more gangsters gathered around them, their expressions hostile.
"What's going on here?" one of them demanded.
Toma didn't miss a beat. "We're the security advance team. There was a mix-up, and now we need to talk to your leaders to sort it out. We've got crucial information that the boss needs to hear directly."
They exchanged glances, there was clearly doubt on their faces. "Advance team, huh? And why should we believe you?"
Toma took a deep breath, knowing this was a critical moment. "Because if you don't, and the boss finds out we were delayed because of your doubts, it's gonna be your heads on the line, not ours. We're just following orders."
The tension in the room was palpable. The gangsters seemed to waver, uncertain whether to believe Toma or not. But finally they made their decision.
"Fine. We'll take you to the leaders. But if you're lying, you'll regret it."
Toma flashed a confident smile, though inwardly he was anything but calm. "Trust me, we're on the same side."
The gangsters led Kazuya, Toma, and Shota inside restaurant, their guards never lowering. Kazuya could feel his heart pounding with every step, the weight of the situation pressing heavily on him