Chereads / The Avenger of NTR / Chapter 15 - Chapter 14: 潜む影 (The Hidden Shadows)

Chapter 15 - Chapter 14: 潜む影 (The Hidden Shadows)

The morning light streamed through the narrow blinds of Riku's hideout, casting long shadows on the walls. Riku sat hunched over his laptop, his fingers gliding across the keyboard as he pieced together the information Mina had gathered. Okada's financial trail was as convoluted as it was corrupt, layers of fake companies masking the truth. It was a familiar puzzle, but the stakes this time felt higher.

He could feel the tension creeping up on him. Yusei's warning from the night before, Haruto's cryptic message about "something bigger," and Mina's own instincts—it was all pointing to something darker than a simple revenge plot. But Riku thrived in the unknown. The more tangled the web, the more satisfying the unraveling.

His phone buzzed, pulling him from his thoughts. It was a message from Yusei:

"Meet me at the usual spot. It's urgent."

Riku shut his laptop and grabbed his coat. Yusei rarely sounded this tense, and that was enough to raise a red flag.

The "usual spot" was an old warehouse near the harbor, abandoned for years and forgotten by most of the city. It was perfect for clandestine meetings. Riku arrived to find Yusei pacing back and forth, his expression grim.

"What's going on?" Riku asked as he approached.

Yusei stopped and looked up, his usual laid-back demeanor replaced by one of unease. "Okada's onto you. Or, more accurately, his people are. They've been tracking your movements since yesterday. Someone in his circle is feeding them intel."

Riku's eyes narrowed. "You think they know about Yuki?"

Yusei shook his head. "Not yet. But they're watching anyone connected to you. They've got ears in places you wouldn't expect."

Riku processed this new information quickly. Okada's group had resources, no doubt, but if they were closing in, it meant he had less time than he thought.

"Anything else?" Riku asked, his tone calm despite the tension in the air.

Yusei hesitated for a moment, his brow furrowing. "There's another player involved. Someone bigger. I couldn't get a name, but there's talk about a silent partner funding Okada's operations—someone who has ties to the criminal syndicates deeper than Okada does. If you go after Okada, you'll be poking a hornet's nest."

Riku's gaze sharpened. This was the missing piece. Okada wasn't working alone, and whoever his silent partner was, they were the real threat. Yuki's revenge had just become a much larger and more dangerous operation.

"So, what's the plan, Riku?" Yusei asked, his voice tense. "You can still back off. There's no shame in cutting your losses when things get this deep."

Riku smirked, his eyes dark with determination. "I never back off, Yusei. If there's a bigger player, that just means there's more to dismantle."

Yusei sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I figured you'd say that. Just... don't do anything reckless. Whoever this partner is, they won't hesitate to come after you."

Riku nodded but said nothing. He had been in tight spots before. This wouldn't be any different.

That evening, Riku sat in the dim glow of his apartment, contemplating his next move. The stakes had shifted. Okada was no longer the only target—there was someone bigger, someone in the shadows pulling strings. It was a delicate balance, and Riku would have to play his cards carefully.

His phone buzzed again. This time, it was Yuki.

"When do we strike?"

Riku stared at the message for a moment, his mind racing. He had to keep Yuki focused, but he couldn't let her rush into this blind. The revenge she sought wasn't as simple as taking down Okada anymore—it involved forces she couldn't even begin to understand.

He typed a quick reply:

"Soon. Wait for my signal."

As he set the phone down, the door to his apartment opened slowly. Riku's hand instinctively moved toward the small knife he kept on the table, but he relaxed when he saw who it was.

Mina stepped inside, her eyes scanning the room. She moved silently, like a shadow herself, her presence almost undetectable if you weren't looking for it.

"I've been keeping an eye on Okada's people," she said softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "They're on the move. Something's happening tomorrow—something big."

Riku leaned forward, his interest piqued. "What did you find?"

Mina handed him a small envelope. "They're meeting at a private club downtown. High security, no entry for outsiders. But I've got contacts who can get you in."

Riku opened the envelope and pulled out a small passcard, his mind already calculating the possibilities. If Okada and his associates were gathering in one place, it was the perfect opportunity to strike. But he had to be careful—one misstep, and everything could unravel.

"I'll be ready," Riku said, slipping the card into his pocket.

Mina nodded, her eyes lingering on him for a moment longer. "Just... don't get caught in the crossfire. This isn't like the other jobs."

Riku smirked, standing up and walking toward the door. "I'm always in the crossfire, Mina. That's where I do my best work."

The next day, as the sun began to set, Riku stood outside the private club, dressed in a tailored suit that helped him blend in with the high-profile clientele. He wasn't just here for Okada anymore. He was here to find out who the silent partner was—the one pulling the strings behind the scenes.

As he made his way inside, passing through layers of security with Mina's pass, he felt the familiar rush of adrenaline. The game was about to begin, and this time, the stakes were higher than ever.

Riku entered the lavishly decorated club, his eyes scanning the room. Okada was here, along with his associates, laughing and drinking as if they were untouchable. But it wasn't them he was after.

It was the man sitting in the far corner, watching everything with a quiet, calculating gaze.

The silent partner.

And now, Riku had found him.

End of Chapter 14