## Gangnam District - The Peninsula Seoul Hotel - 12:47 AM
The black sedans pulled up to Seoul's most exclusive hotel with practiced precision. Kage stepped out onto the marble entrance, his three subordinates maintaining their formation as doormen rushed to attend them. The night manager, despite the late hour, was waiting personally—a testament to the kind of influence that preceded the King of Hell's arrival.
"Welcome to Seoul, Yamazaki-san," the manager bowed deeply, his voice carefully neutral despite the sweat beading on his forehead. "The penthouse suite has been prepared according to your specifications."
Kage nodded once, his dark eyes scanning the opulent lobby. Even at this hour, he could sense the eyes watching him—hotel security, government surveillance, and others he couldn't immediately identify. Good. Let them watch.
As they entered the private elevator, one of his subordinates—a scarred man named Koji—spoke quietly. "Sir, our contacts report unusual activity across the city. Multiple organizations have gone to high alert."
"Expected," Kage replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "How long until they make their first move?"
"Our intelligence suggests—"
The elevator dinged softly as it reached the top floor, cutting off Koji's report. But as the doors slid open, they revealed they weren't alone.
Standing in the penthouse's main room, hands casually in his pockets, was a figure that made even Kage's subordinates tense instinctively. Tall, imposing, with slicked-back black hair and eyes like chips of obsidian—Gun Park waited with the patience of a predator.
"You're faster than I expected," Kage said, stepping into the room without hesitation. His men moved to flank him, but a slight gesture from their leader kept them from drawing weapons.
Gun's expression remained neutral, though his eyes tracked every movement with surgical precision. "Charles Choi sends his regards. And his curiosity."
"Just curiosity?" Kage shrugged off his coat, revealing a lean but powerful build beneath his black shirt. "I'm disappointed. I was expecting a warmer welcome."
"This is warm for us," Gun replied, finally moving from his casual stance. "Though I admit, I wasn't expecting Shinigami's bastard to be so... civilized."
The temperature in the room seemed to drop several degrees. Kage's subordinates shifted slightly, recognizing the killing intent that suddenly filled the air. But their leader's expression didn't change—if anything, his slight smile grew more pronounced.
"Bastard," Kage repeated, as if tasting the word. "Is that what you call your own blood, brother?"
---
## Meanwhile - Workers Headquarters (Under Siege)
Eugene stared at the bank of monitors displaying feeds from around the Peninsula Hotel, his usual composed demeanor cracking under the weight of multiple crises. The Workers organization was hemorrhaging resources and allies—their recent defeats had left them vulnerable, and now this.
"Sir," Samuel entered the room, his own tension evident and a fresh bandage visible on his arm from their latest confrontation with the Allied forces. "Should we intervene? Or are we even in a position to?"
Eugene's laugh held no humor as he surveyed the damage reports scattered across his desk. Half their operations had been shut down, key personnel captured or turned, and their financial backing was evaporating by the day. "And do what exactly? Get between Gun Park and the King of Hell? We're barely holding together as it is."
The irony wasn't lost on him. Just as Workers faced its darkest hour, a new player had entered the game—one who might finish what Daniel Park and his allies had started.
"Alert what units we have left," Eugene commanded bitterly. "If this goes sideways, we might not have a Seoul territory to worry about anymore."
---
## The Peninsula Seoul Hotel - Penthouse Suite
Gun's eyes narrowed at the word 'brother,' but he didn't deny it. "So you know."
"I know many things," Kage replied, moving to the suite's bar and pouring himself a glass of whiskey. "I know that our dear father trained you to be his perfect weapon. I know that Charles Choi thinks he owns you. And I know that you're here to assess whether I'm a threat or an opportunity."
He took a slow sip of the whiskey, never breaking eye contact with Gun. "What I'm curious about is which conclusion you'll reach."
Gun remained motionless, but Kage could see the subtle shift in his stance—the minute adjustment that preceded violence. After years of fighting for his life, he could read these signs like a book written in blood.
"The reports say you killed two hundred men in Busan," Gun said finally. "Alone."
"Three hundred and twelve, actually," Kage corrected casually. "But who's counting?"
"I am." Gun's voice carried a edge now. "Because anyone who can do that is either lying, insane, or..."
"Or?" Kage prompted, genuinely curious about his half-brother's assessment.
"Or they're something our father never managed to create in me."
The admission hung in the air between them, loaded with implications neither man was ready to fully explore. Kage set down his glass and turned to face Gun fully.
"You want to find out which one it is," Kage observed. It wasn't a question.
"Charles Choi wants answers," Gun replied. "I want to know if I finally have competition worth my time."
Kage's laugh was soft but carried an edge that could cut steel. "Competition? Brother, you misunderstand the situation entirely." He began walking toward Gun, each step measured and deliberate. "I'm not here to compete with you. I'm here to show you what you could have become."
Gun's hand moved to the inside of his jacket, where Kage knew he kept his weapons. But the movement was more reflex than serious threat—they both knew that if violence erupted here, it wouldn't be settled by simple tools.
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
Kage stopped just outside Gun's personal space, close enough to strike but showing no aggressive intent. When he spoke, his voice carried the weight of absolute certainty.
"It means that while father taught you to be his weapon, he taught me to be his successor. While Charles Choi made you his enforcer, I've been building an empire. While you've been playing games in Seoul..." He paused, his smile becoming genuinely predatory. "I've been preparing to take over the world."
The two men stared at each other in silence, the air between them crackling with tension. Finally, Gun spoke.
"Prove it."
---
## Across Seoul - Various Locations
### HNH Group Emergency Command Center
Manager Kim watched the surveillance feeds with growing concern. "Tom, are you seeing this?"
Tom Lee's voice crackled through the secure line. "Yeah, I'm seeing it. And I don't like it one bit. If those two start throwing down in the middle of Gangnam..."
"The collateral damage would be catastrophic," Manager Kim finished. "Should we mobilize containment teams?"
"What containment teams?" Tom's bitter laugh echoed through the speakers. "You got anybody who can contain Gun Park when he's serious? Because I sure as hell don't. And this kid might be even worse."
### Big Deal Territory
Jake Kim stood on the roof of his crew's headquarters, looking toward the distant lights of Gangnam. His phone buzzed with urgent messages from his intelligence network—everyone was reporting the same thing. Two monsters were about to collide, and Seoul might not survive the impact.
"Boss," Jerry approached carefully. "The boys are asking if we should evacuate the area."
Jake was quiet for a long moment. "No. If we run every time someone dangerous shows up in Seoul, we'll never stop running. But tell everyone to stay sharp. If this goes bad, we might need to help with civilian evacuation."
### Ansan Public High School
Even this late at night, Daniel Park couldn't sleep. Something felt wrong—a tension in the air that he couldn't explain. His phone buzzed with a message from Jay: *Stay inside tonight. Something big is happening.*
Daniel looked out his window toward Seoul's skyline, wondering what new chaos was about to descend on their already complicated world.
---
## The Peninsula Seoul Hotel - Penthouse Suite
"Prove it," Gun had said, and Kage's response was immediate.
"Gladly."
But instead of attacking, Kage pulled out his phone and made a single call. When someone answered, he spoke in rapid Japanese, his voice carrying an authority that made even Gun pay attention.
"Thirty seconds," Kage said after hanging up.
Gun raised an eyebrow. "Thirty seconds for what?"
Before Kage could answer, every light in Gangnam District went out.
The blackout was surgical—only the specific blocks around the Peninsula Hotel lost power, while the rest of Seoul remained lit. Emergency lighting kicked in immediately, but for those crucial few seconds, one of the busiest districts in Korea was plunged into darkness.
Then, just as suddenly, the lights came back on.
"That," Kage said calmly, "was a demonstration. I have people in positions you've never imagined, resources you've never dreamed of, and influence that spans continents. The question isn't whether I'm a threat, Gun. The question is whether you're going to stand with me or against me when I reshape this city."
Gun stared at his half-brother with newfound respect and wariness. "You're not just here for Seoul."
"Seoul is just the beginning," Kage confirmed. "But it's an important beginning. Because this is where our father's other son has built his reputation. This is where I prove that blood doesn't lie, and that the strongest wolf always leads the pack."
Gun was silent for a long moment, processing the implications. Finally, he asked the question that mattered most.
"What do you want from me?"
Kage's smile was answer enough, but he spoke anyway. "I want you to choose, brother. Be my greatest ally, or be my greatest challenge. Either way, you'll help me prove what we both already know."
"Which is?"
"That the age of kings playing at being businessmen is over. The real monsters are taking control now."
---
*To be continued...*
**Author's Note**: *The first meeting between the brothers sets the stage for everything to come. Kage isn't just strong—he's connected, intelligent, and absolutely ruthless in his ambitions. Gun finds himself facing not just a powerful opponent, but a mirror of what he might have become under different circumstances. Meanwhile, all of Seoul holds its breath, knowing that the outcome of this conversation will determine the shape of their world for years to come.*