Akihiko stood perched on the edge of the rooftop, his gaze locked on the glowing skyscraper across the street, the headquarters of Ryokai Industries. To the world, the company was a symbol of modern innovation, a bastion of clean energy and cutting-edge technology. To Akihiko, it was a fortress for the Templars, their influence spreading like a disease through the heart of Tokyo.
This skyscraper is the main headquarters of this company.
Tonight, that fortress would fall.
Akihiko raised his wrist, activating a discreet communicator embedded in his bracer. "Team A, positions."
"North side secured," came a hushed reply from Kana, a sniper stationed on a neighboring rooftop.
She is one of Akihiko's subordinates, he has known her for a few years now when she was recruited in the Order following the death of her parents at the hands of the Templar bastards.
She is a beautiful girl, her short, jet-black hair is tied into a small ponytail, piercing gray eyes that rarely miss a detail. She wears a streamlined version of the Assassin's uniform, designed for agility, with lightweight armor and a tactical holster for her rifle slung over her back.
"West entrance ready," answered Ryo, a wiry infiltrator crouched in the alley below.
Ryo is one of his trusted friends, he joined the order due to his heritage as an Assassin, much like him. He's also a pretty talented guy according to him.
His dark brown hair is cropped close to his head, and his olive-toned skin is faintly scarred from past missions. His hazel eyes are pretty warm for an Assassin. He wears a sleeveless variant of the uniform, complete with utility belts crammed with tools and gadgets.
"Main hall clear for now," added Haru, the group's strategist, who had already infiltrated the building, masquerading as a security guard.
Finally, Haku is someone he has known for a long time. He is in some ways his elder even if he is currently under his orders.
Haru has a sturdy, dependable build. His neatly combed dark hair, streaked with gray at the temples, gives him a more mature and authoritative presence. His deep-set brown eyes are thoughtful. His version of the Assassin's attire is more formal, resembling a security officer's uniform, allowing him to blend in with guards during infiltrations.
"Good. Remember the objective," Akihiko said, his voice steady. "Remember, only eliminate the targets. No innocent."
Being both in school and doing this job was annoying, especially since he had recently gotten engaged, making it harder for him than it was. This mission was very important to the Assassins, if they could land such a major blow to such an important Templar base, their influence over Tokyo could expand.
He leapt from the rooftop without hesitation, his black cloak billowing as he descended. A grappling hook shot from his bracer, latching onto the edge of the skyscraper across the street. He swung silently, landing on a terrace three floors below the top of the building.
Through the glass, the bright lights of a lavish party gleamed. Men and women in expensive suits mingled, their laughter and champagne glasses masking the sinister dealings of their hosts. Akihiko's eyes locked onto one man in particular, Tadashi Nakahara, CEO of Ryokai Industries, and a key Templar operative. Nakahara was laughing, his face illuminated by the golden glow of the room, blissfully unaware that death loomed just outside.
"Target acquired," Akihiko murmured.
---
Inside, Haru adjusted his tie, blending seamlessly with the security personnel. He pressed a discreet button on his earpiece. "East stairwell clear. Cameras looped. You're good to move, Akihiko."
"Proceeding," Akihiko replied.
From the terrace, he slipped through a maintenance door, dispatching an unsuspecting guard with a swift twist of his hidden blade. Blood pooled silently on the floor as he dragged the body into the shadows.
On the 15th floor, Kana adjusted her scope. "Three guards patrolling the corridor outside the executive office," she reported.
"Leave them to me," Akihiko said. His face was devoid of pity, these people were his natural enemies. They know the risk of working for these people, even if they have a family. These bastards have no pity so why should he have any?
After stripping the body, he escaped so as not to be spotted.
---
Ryo, crouched near the building's west entrance, disabled the final electronic lock. The door clicked open. "I'm in," he whispered, slipping inside. His task was to plant explosives on the lower levels, an insurance policy in case anything went wrong.
As he moved, he encountered a lone guard on patrol. Before the man could draw his weapon, Ryo's dagger flashed, slicing through the air. The guard collapsed with a soft grunt.
Using firearms in such a place would make too much noise, this mission has been planned letter by letter by the Mentor, he and his group simply need to do their part.
"All charges are in place," Ryo reported.
"Hold your position until extraction," Akihiko ordered.
---
Back on the executive floor, Akihiko pressed himself against the wall as the guards walked past. With fluid precision, he sprang into action. His hidden blade sank into the first man's neck before the others could react. The second reached for his gun, only to have Akihiko disarm him with a swift kick, following it with a fatal stab to the heart. The third guard faltered, stumbling backward in terror.
"Please..."
The man's plea was cut short as Akihiko silenced him with a slash across the throat.
"Corridor cleared," he announced, stepping over the bodies.
Being accustomed to killing at this age is sad indeed.
---
Inside the executive suite, Nakahara poured himself another glass of wine, oblivious to the chaos unfolding just outside. He turned to the sound of the door opening, expecting one of his aides.
Instead, Akihiko stood there, his hood casting a shadow over his face.
"Who the hell are you?" Nakahara demanded, his voice shaking.
Akihiko didn't answer and just rushed at the man before he could attempt anything.
Even though deep down he could guess the identity of the guy in front of him, it was more denial that spoke. Shit, there were hundreds of men, they were all killed?? When did they prepare an attack of such magnitude? The Templars must be sending me reinforcements...
Nakahara scrambled for his desk drawer, fumbling for a pistol, but Akihiko's blade was faster. It plunged into his chest.
"Be sorry for being a Templar," Akihiko watched the man's life drain from his eyes, as blood dripped from the corner of his lips.
"Never, bastard. You and all the assassins will going to die..." Before he could finish, Akihiko gave him one last stab to his throat with his hidden blade, silencing him forever.
---
The operation was almost complete. Haru, Ryo, and Kana regrouped at the extraction point, their tasks accomplished without a hitch. Akihiko joined them moments later, his blade freshly wiped clean.
They had done their part, other groups took charge of taking care of the guards, while others had to make sure to evacuate all the innocents outside. There were to be no witnesses either, they had a rather simple mission to eliminate the CEO, if they had to take care of all the Templars here, they wouldn't have even been able to get near Nakahara.
"Status?" he asked.
"All targets eliminated," Haru confirmed.
"Good," Akihiko said, leading them toward their escape route. As they vanished into the night, a series of explosions erupted behind them, consuming the skyscraper in flames.
From a distant rooftop, Akihiko turned to watch the inferno. Even if they have succeeded today, there is no guarantee that they will not suffer losses as well. The Templars will be furious when they learn of the destruction of one of their "dogs".
His voice was low, but the others heard it clearly. Something his late mother taught him when a person die, bad or not.
"Requiescat in pace."
-----
Akihiko slipped through the school's main gate, his heart racing. He darted through the dimly lit campus, careful to avoid the patrolling staff. Every step closer to the dormitory increased the risk of being caught.
He is wearing his school uniform, he hid his assassin robe in a forest near the school so he wouldn't get caught. The only thing he always keep was his hidden blade located under his arm finger
Finally, he reached the dorm building, scaling the side with practiced ease. His window on the second floor was left slightly ajar, a precaution he always took. He slipped inside, landing silently on the wooden floor of his room.
"Made it, but I still have this shit to deal with..." he muttered under his breath, allowing himself a brief moment of relief. But as he straightened up and turned toward the door, a voice cut through the silence like a blade.
"Where were you?"
Akihiko froze, his instincts immediately sharpening. He turned to see Mari standing in the doorway, her arms crossed and her piercing gaze locked onto him.
He had already notice her presence of course, if she was here it meant only one thing: that those stupid boys had been caught. Seriously, did they really think they could get away with this? That crazy woman won't let him go now.
"Out," he replied coolly, feigning nonchalance as he shrugged off his jacket.
"Out?" Mari's voice was as sharp as the edge of a dagger. "Care to elaborate, or are you going to insult my intelligence further?"
Akihiko smirked, leaning casually against his desk. "What, are you my mother now? Relax. I just went for a walk. Needed some fresh air."
"This is my room, by the way, I didn't know we were already so close" His gaze at Mari hardened, not understanding why she held such hatred towards men, was she cheated on in the past by chance or something like that?
Mari's expression didn't waver. "A walk? At midnight? Conveniently when those idiots were caught on the roof?"
Akihiko raised an eyebrow, pretending to be confused. "What roof? I don't know what you're talking about."
Mari stepped closer, her voice dropping to a dangerous tone. "Don't play dumb with me. You think you can just do as you please and get away with it? I'll have you know..."
"Look, President Kurihara," Akihiko interrupted, his tone light but firm, "I don't know what's got you all worked up, but I have nothing to do with those guys or whatever they were up to. Maybe you should focus on them instead of breathing down my neck."
Mari's eyes narrowed, her fists clenching at her sides. "You think this is a game? Men like you..."
"Men like me?" Akihiko cut in, his voice tinged with amusement. "What does that even mean? C'mon, My Dear President, if you hate me so much, why waste your time talking to me?"
The tension in the room was palpable, Mari's icy glare meeting Akihiko's infuriatingly calm demeanor. Finally, she huffed and turned on her heel.
"This isn't over, come to the USC (Underground Student Council) office tomorrow." She muttered as she left, slamming the door behind her.
Akihiko sighed, running a hand through his hair as he leaned back against the desk.
"Never a dull moment," he said to himself, a faint smirk playing on his lips.
But as he glanced out the window, his smirk faded. What if his identity were to be discovered here? After all, he couldn't know if there were Templars or not in this school. He has never met Mari's father yet, one of the reasons why he is here.
"Only time will tell I guess."