Three months ago, in one of her many makeshift safehouses, Hime leaned over a cluttered desk, the soft glow of her monitors the only light in the otherwise dark room. The faint hum of her customized network server underscored the silence, while a half-finished glass of wine sat abandoned beside stacks of scattered papers. Her attention was riveted to the encrypted files flashing across her screen, her fingers moving with practiced ease over the keyboard. She had been operating in this city for years, shifting from one location to another with the precision of a phantom. No base ever lasted long; staying in one place was an indulgence she couldn't afford.
Tonight, however, felt different.
Her frontman, Berkeley, had called earlier with information that piqued her interest.
"I've been getting requests, Hime," he said, his voice crackling through the encrypted line. "Clients are asking about the boss of Kagezan. The whispers are getting louder. You know who I mean."
Her fingers stilled on the keyboard. She had heard the name Kazuki in passing—like everyone else—but no one truly knew anything about him. Not even her. The leader of Kagezan, a powerful organization operating from the shadows, remained an enigma. And this... this intrigued her more than anything else.
"I've looked into it," she replied, her voice calm but tinged with the faintest frustration. "There's nothing. No rumors. No leaks. It's like he's a ghost."
Berkeley chuckled dryly. "That's not like you, Hime. You always know everything."
She smirked faintly, her eyes narrowing. "Exactly. That's why I'm interested. If there's one thing I can't stand, it's being outsmarted."
"Should I—"
"No," she interrupted, cutting him off with a sharp edge. "Mars will be unmanned for a while. No landing allowed."
Mars—her current safehouse—was a small apartment-like setup hidden in an abandoned building. It was a transient base, functional and unassuming, perfect for staying off the radar. She never stayed in one location for long, and Mars would be vacated soon enough. For now, it served as her hub, a quiet haven amidst the chaos of her world.
Berkeley hesitated on the line. "But Hime, you never—"
"I'll handle this myself," she said, dismissing his concern with a certainty that brooked no argument. "I want to see this through. It's time I got my hands dirty."
Berkeley sighed, his reluctance evident. "You're sure?"
Her lips curled into a cool smile, a hint of amusement playing on her face. "I'm sure."
Two Months Later
The next two months were a blur of calculated moves and meticulous observation. Every day, Hime shifted between locations, never lingering too long in one place. Mars had served its purpose for a while, but by the time her infiltration of Kazuki's mansion was underway, she had already moved to another safehouse. She became a shadow in his world, slipping into his domain with practiced ease.
Sometimes, she posed as a member of the cleaning staff. Other times, she remained hidden for hours in the empty spaces of his sprawling mansion, observing, listening, and committing every detail to memory. The mansion was vast and cold, its opulence tempered by an eerie stillness. There were no maids, no staff—just Kazuki. It made blending in far more challenging, but Hime thrived on challenges.
Every observation, every piece of information she gathered, went straight into her mental archive. The layout of the mansion. The faintest changes in lighting. The tones of distant conversations. Her years of training allowed her to recall even the smallest details with perfect clarity. She left no trace—no files, no recordings. Everything she learned was locked away in her mind.
Her usual methods of manipulation and indirect control didn't apply here. With Kazuki, it was different. The more she observed, the more captivated she became. He was as elusive in person as he was in the scarce records she had uncovered. The power he wielded was frightening, but there was something about him that demanded her attention—a mystery she couldn't resist unraveling.
And the more she watched, the more she realized how deeply his influence ran. He was a force in the shadows, pulling strings that few dared to question. Hime's intrigue grew with each passing day, and yet she remained careful, patient. The masks they both wore were still intact, but she knew it was only a matter of time before they shattered.
For now, she watched. She waited.
And when the time came, she would be ready.