The morning air was thick with rumors.
By sunrise, the entire city was buzzing about the sudden downfall of Arakawa Industries. News anchors, bloggers, and social media couldn't get enough of the shocking resignation of its CEO and the mysterious rise of the Kurogane Foundation.
But to Hiroshi, it was just another quiet victory.
In the corner of a cozy café, Yuki sipped her tea while scrolling through her phone, a small smile playing at her lips. Every headline praised her composure and intelligence. Reporters were calling her the "Young Queen of Tōriku," a rising star in the business world.
A perfect mask.
Her phone vibrated—a secure message from Hiroshi.
"Meeting tonight. Usual place."
She replied with a simple: "Understood."
But before she could leave, a tall man in a sharp suit slid into the seat across from her. He had a predator's smile and eyes that didn't match his polite tone.
"Miss Kurogane," he said smoothly. "A pleasure."
Yuki didn't flinch. "Do I know you?"
"Not yet," he said. "My name is Kazuma Raito. I represent... certain interests who are concerned about the speed of your Foundation's rise."
"Concerned?" Yuki tilted her head. "Sounds like a personal problem."
Kazuma chuckled. "Clever. But understand—when you shake the tree too hard, sometimes... snakes fall out."
He slid a card across the table. No logo, just a single word: ONYX.
Yuki's eyes darkened, but she kept her smile. "Is this supposed to scare me?"
Kazuma stood, brushing imaginary dust off his sleeve. "It's just a friendly warning. Watch your back, Miss Kurogane. The game's changing."
He walked out, leaving the card behind like a dropped dagger.
Yuki stared at it for a long moment, then pocketed it and stood.
---
That night, at the abandoned train station that served as their secret meeting spot, Hiroshi was already waiting in the shadows. The faint rumble of distant trains echoed through the empty tunnels.
Yuki approached silently, her footsteps echoing.
"Heard the news?" she said, tossing the card to him.
Hiroshi caught it mid-air and studied it. His eyes sharpened. "ONYX."
"You know them?"
"Not personally," Hiroshi said quietly. "But they're whispered about in the deep circles. A mercenary group. Not thugs—elite operatives. Government ties, corporate backers. If they're moving... it means we've hit a nerve."
Yuki crossed her arms. "Kazuma Raito. He's their face here."
Hiroshi's jaw tightened. "Then we watch. And wait. Let them think they're hunting us."
Yuki hesitated. "Hiroshi... they won't play fair."
He looked at her, eyes cold and certain. "Neither do we."
A long silence stretched between them, broken only by the hollow roar of a train speeding by below.
Finally, Yuki spoke, her voice low. "What's the next move?"
Hiroshi's lips curled into a razor-sharp smile. "We set the board. And force the queen's gambit."
---
Elsewhere in the city, Kazuma Raito stood by a high-rise window, watching the skyline with narrowed eyes. Behind him, a figure in tactical gear waited silently.
Kazuma spoke without turning. "Kurogane is clever. But we'll smoke him out. Prepare the first strike."
The operative nodded once and vanished into the shadows.
Kazuma raised a glass of whiskey and smirked. "Let's see how long your little empire lasts."
---
Back in the night, Hiroshi and Yuki disappeared into separate alleys, moving like ghosts through the veins of the city. The board was set.
And the next move?
It was going to be deadly.