The skyline of Tōriku City shimmered beneath the night, towers glowing like polished knives. But in the alleys and offices hidden between those towers, a different game was unfolding—one that no spotlight could ever touch.
Inside a sleek, glass-walled boardroom, the CEO of Arakawa Industries—a man with cold eyes and a colder heart—leaned back in his chair. His company had just closed a multi-billion yen deal, swallowing a rival firm whole. On paper, it was a victory.
But then his phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
He frowned but answered. "Who is this?"
A voice, calm and sharp: "You've been playing a dangerous game."
The CEO's breath hitched. "What? Who the hell—"
"Check your inbox."
Click.
Confused and rattled, the CEO opened his laptop. His inbox pinged. One new message. No subject. He clicked—and froze.
Video files. Documents. All of it damning. Proof of his company's illegal dumping, bribery of officials, even whispered deals with known crime syndicates. Enough to destroy him ten times over.
He swore, reaching for his private line—but it rang before he could.
Same voice. "Tonight, you'll announce your resignation. Effective immediately. And you'll sell Arakawa's controlling shares... to the Kurogane Foundation."
Silence. The CEO clenched his fists. "Do you know who I am? You think you can threaten me?"
The voice didn't flinch. "You were a king. Now you're a pawn. Choose wisely."
The line went dead.
Outside that tower, far from the gleaming lights, Hiroshi stood on a rooftop, phone still in his hand, the wind tugging at his coat. His eyes were calm, watching the city move below like chess pieces.
Behind him, Yuki stepped out from the shadows. "It's done?"
He nodded. "He'll fold. Pride makes them hesitate—but fear always wins."
She smirked. "That's another titan crumbling. The news will explode tomorrow."
"Good," Hiroshi said. "We don't need to fight in the streets when we can win from behind desks."
But Yuki's eyes were sharp. "It's too smooth. We've been cutting through their ranks too fast. They'll strike back."
Hiroshi's lips twitched. "I'm counting on it."
At that moment, his phone buzzed again—this time a private channel.
A single message appeared: "UNKNOWN FORCE MOVING. TARGET: YOU."
Hiroshi's eyes narrowed. "It begins."
---
Across the city, in a smoke-filled bar hidden beneath an old subway station, a woman in a crimson dress sipped her drink, watching the news play on the screen above the bar.
"Another empire falls," she murmured.
A man beside her, scarred and silent, leaned in. "The Kurogane ghosts are making too much noise. The Council is nervous."
She smiled coldly. "Good. Nervous people make mistakes. It's time to remind this... shadow empire... that even ghosts can bleed."
She crushed her glass in her hand, eyes burning.
---
Back on the rooftop, Yuki adjusted her jacket. "What's next?"
Hiroshi gazed at the stars. "We tighten the noose. But carefully. They're sending something—or someone—new. A move we haven't seen yet."
He glanced at her. "Make sure the public face stays spotless. You're untouchable now. Keep it that way."
"And you?" she asked.
He turned, eyes dark and sharp. "I disappear deeper."
The city lights blinked below, but Hiroshi's silhouette had already melted into the night, vanishing like a whisper in the wind.
---
The game was changing. And Hiroshi Kurogane? He was ready for the next move.
Because in Tōriku City, the real power... is the strings you never see.