"...So, you're telling me that Mark failed to retrieve Akira and was... killed?"
Sabushi's deep, menacing voice echoed through his luxurious home office as his fists clenched tightly, trembling with either rage or disappointment.
"Y-Y-Yes, sir," Lala, Sabushi's personal maid, replied, staring at the floor in fear of possible repercussions. "A-A-Akira managed to kill him without mercy, despite their connection. No one expected something like this." She added, her voice barely above a whisper, laced with fear.
A heavy silence followed, broken only by the sound of Sabushi's fingers tightening around the wooden armrest of his chair.
The boss was furious—far too furious. The air in the room was suffocating, and none of the men present dared to lift their gaze toward him.
One wrong move would mean certain death.
Tension hung thick in the air as Sabushi shifted in his seat. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, covering his mouth and nose with both hands—the way people do when they need to think.
Even the faint creaking of his wooden chair sent chills down the spines of those in the room.
"I see..." Sabushi sighed, rubbing his face in frustration.
Lala continued staring at the floor, while Haruto leaned against a column in the room, arms crossed, staying out of Sabushi's line of sight. Unlike the others, he didn't seem afraid. If anything, he looked furious.
"If that's how things are… then I guess I'll have to play really dirty." Sabushi's voice was low, yet laced with a sinister edge. "I had planned to spare that boy… to avoid making Hina hate me. So that she could return to him and, through him, back to me."
He rose from his chair.
The sound of his foot hitting the floor echoed through the room like a cannon blast, sending a shiver down everyone's spine.
Then, his massive figure emerged from the shadows.
A towering man, nearly two meters tall, with a broad, muscular build. His long, pitch-black hair framed a face of steel, and his gray eyes held nothing but emptiness.
His mere presence commanded fear.
Sabushi took a few steps forward, closing in on his maid.
"Lala." His voice was cold, almost aggressive.
The petite girl with twintails felt her heart skip a beat upon hearing him call her name.
She hesitantly lifted her head, and the moment their eyes met, a chill ran down her spine.
Her eyes widened.
Sabushi wasn't angry. No… his expression was one of disappointment and sorrow, as if he had been betrayed.
His gaze carried a heavy melancholy, with a hint of sadness lurking beneath.
"Y-Yes?! What is it, Boss?!" Lala stammered nervously.
"Starting tomorrow, you'll be attending the same school as Haruto. You will investigate Hina and her so-called boyfriend. I'm sure they're up to something and will act soon… especially with that damn bitch Sakura leading them." His voice was sharp and direct.
"W-What?! S-School?! With Haruto?! Isn't it a bit late for me to enroll?" Lala asked anxiously.
Truthfully, despite her small stature and youthful appearance, Lala was already 25 years old, though she looked much younger.
"I've already arranged it through one of my connections. I had planned to send you later, but I need you now." Sabushi crossed his arms, his tone final.
"Hmm..." Lala nodded, looking down for a moment, rubbing her thighs as if uncomfortable.
She had no choice.
Sabushi's orders were absolute.
"Haruto," Sabushi called, shifting his gaze away from Lala. "I'm giving you another chance to redeem yourself."
Haruto finally stepped out of the shadows, revealing himself.
"Of course, Father. But I think you've forgotten something important." His voice was cold, emotionless.
Sabushi shot him a dangerous glare at those words—he never overlooked a single detail. But beyond that, the fact that Haruto had called him "Father" visibly irritated him.
"Oh? And what, exactly, have I forgotten?" Sabushi asked, clenching his fists, struggling to maintain his composure.
"You've forgotten that Hina knows Lala perfectly well. She remembers every detail of her face and would recognize her instantly—even if she were in disguise." Haruto stated, his tone superior.
Silence.
Then, unexpectedly, Sabushi chuckled.
He raised a hand and slapped himself across the face.
The men in the room stared at him, some with admiration, others with unease, and a few with pure fear.
Then, Sabushi stepped closer to Haruto, bringing his face inches from his.
His expression shifted into something much darker.
However, Haruto did not step back.
He knew Sabushi wouldn't lay a hand on him—he was too valuable for the plan. So he refused to show any fear.
"You don't understand something, Haruto." Sabushi's voice was a deep, menacing whisper. "I know that. And I also know that Hina won't be able to lay a single finger on Lala as long as she's inside that school."
"So what? What's the point of sending her there? Isn't my presence enough to investigate?" Haruto asked, crossing his arms.
"You still don't get it..." Sabushi sighed. "My real intention is to send a message to Sakura. Lala's presence will prove that I know exactly what they're planning." He leaned in closer, his gray eyes locking onto Haruto's.
They bore into him, as if searching his very soul.
Yet, Haruto didn't flinch.
Not even by a millimeter.
But deep inside, he felt defeated by his "father's" authority.
Sabushi didn't need to say it aloud—his piercing stare spoke for him.
"You still have a long way to go before you can stand at my level."
"They want to kill me, Haruto." Sabushi finally stepped away, his voice cold but unwavering. "And I'm sure this time, they've even involved Rei's vigilantes. All because I hold information about a very important device..."
His gaze swept over the men in the room.
Not a single one of them dared to meet his eyes.
Sabushi took a slow breath, then exhaled.
"...All of this… because I want my daughter." He said, when he was in the center of the room, looking at the ceiling.
A sudden movement.
In the blink of an eye, Sabushi spun around and locked eyes with Haruto.
For the first time that night, Haruto flinched.
It wasn't much—just the slightest tensing of his jaw, the faintest twitch in his fingers. But it was enough.
Sabushi had noticed.
He strode forward, and before Haruto could react, his massive hand landed on his shoulder—clamping down like a vice.
The pressure was immediate, suffocating. Haruto felt his muscles tighten as a dull pain spread from his shoulder down his arm.
The grip was strong... way too strong, as if Sabushi was stopping the blood from flowing.
"I'll give you one last chance, Haruto."
Sabushi's voice was low and razor-sharp, slicing through the suffocating air between them.
"If you fail... forget about everything until now. I'll find a replacement for you." Sabushi said.
His words left no hidden meanings.
He basically said "If you fail, you're dead."
One simple sentence that was enought to make young man blood boil in fear.
Haruto's teeth clenched, his fingers twitching slightly.
He knew what this was.
Sabushi wasn't just issuing a warning or a threat—he was reminding him of his place.
His father had never intended for him to inherit the empire.
No... that right had always belonged to her.
Hina.
The perfect daughter.
The one he favored.
The one who bore his blood yet despised him.
The perfect assassin, the perfect leader, perfect and cold in every single aspect.
Hina, who had abandoned them.
Hina, who had everything Haruto wanted.
But it didn't matter how much he worked, how much he fought, how much he bled for this family—he would never be her.
Sabushi's grip loosened as he finally released Haruto's shoulder, stepping away with the same cold, calculated demeanor as before.
"Everyone except Lala and Haruto must return to their duties." Sabushi said, with a firm tone of voice.
His voice was final.
The men in the room didn't hesitate.
They turned and swiftly left, as if desperate to escape the suffocating weight of his presence.
Only Lala and Haruto remained.
Sabushi turned to Lala, his gray eyes empty of warmth.
"Keep me informed at all times." He said.
Lala swallowed hard and nodded. "Y-Yes, sir!"
With that, Sabushi left, his heavy footsteps echoing down the hall like the tolling of a funeral bell.
Silence.
Lala finally let out the breath she had been holding.
Then, she turned to Haruto, tilting her head slightly with a clumsy, sheepish expression.
"Haruto… I'll be counting on you."
Her voice was light, almost playful—but it only made his irritation worse.
Haruto exhaled sharply through his nose, stuffing his hands in his pockets.
His fingers brushed against the cold surface of his lighter as he pulled out a cigarette and placed it between his lips.
With a flick, the flame ignited.
He took a slow drag, letting the smoke coil through his lungs before exhaling.
Then, without looking at her, he muttered:
"Do whatever you want. I'll see you tomorrow outside the school."
He turned on his heel and walked away, his footsteps steady, but his mind—raging.
Because no matter how much he tried to suppress it, there was one truth he couldn't escape.
No matter what he did, no matter how much he proved himself...
Hina would always be the one Sabushi truly wanted.
And Haruto… was nothing but a shadow in her wake.