Kaien arrives at the powerful mafia shop, still panting and his body burning with exhaustion from the run.
— Oh, my… I'm exhausted…
He shakes his head, takes a deep breath, and eyes the storefront. Large, imposing, yet disguised as an innocent chocolate shop. Every detail seems meticulously designed to fool anyone.
Still breathing heavily, Kaien thinks:
— So this is it…
His blue eyes scan the environment quickly, alert to any suspicious movement. He pulls a fake spy beard from his blue backpack, puts it on, adjusts it, and finally steps into the shop.
Inside, a clerk watches discreetly. Nothing about her is ordinary; Kaien immediately realizes she's more than just an employee.
— Hello… I'd like to know if you have chocolate of… — Kaien swallows, improvising — actually, chocolate bars? — his deep voice fills the space, firm and casual.
The clerk nods:
— Right over there, sir.
Kaien feigns interest and walks to the shelf, picking up a chocolate bar. His eyes continue scanning every corner of the store. He notices the bathroom, discreet, and heads there, locking the door behind him. The clerk watches, but nothing seems unusual.
Kaien removes the fake beard and takes a quick bite of the chocolate bar.
— Good…
Then, a loud, crashing sound, like metal breaking, echoes. Kaien jumps in surprise, dropping the chocolate bar.
— What the…
He closes his eyes, concentrates, and realizes the sound is coming from beneath the bathroom. His mind races.
— So it's here… my car. But how am I supposed to break the floor? How do I get in?
Kaien looks at the floor, takes a deep breath, pulls the blue backpack, and grabs a hammer. Then he draws his weapon from his waist, mentally preparing. Every muscle is tense, ready for action.
As he strikes the floor, the clerk enters the men's bathroom, suspicious of the noise.
— Sir? Are you okay?
Kaien feigns pain, his voice muffled:
— Yeah… I'm… on the toilet…
The clerk blushes and steps back, respecting his space:
— Oh… right… sorry.
Kaien seizes the moment and, with force, breaks through the bathroom floor. He falls onto an old car… his car! Pain shoots through his back:
— Ah… my back… that hurt…
He hides beneath the vehicle, his blue eyes studying every shadow, every movement of the employees.
The clerk notices and quickly calls the boss:
— Boss… we have a visitor.
The mafia boss elsewhere immediately becomes alert.
— Understood…
Kaien feels the tension, the danger hanging in the air. He climbs out from under the car and tries to open his vehicle, but something's stuck.
— Jammed…
Irony shines in Kaien's blue eyes:
— Seriously… this is really bad…
Suddenly, the mafia boss and her henchmen arrive. Kaien reacts instantly, drawing his weapon and firing. The sound echoes through the shop, shattering wood and glass. He rolls on the floor, dodging bullets, his reflexes keeping him alive. Every shot is calculated.
He takes down two henchmen but soon realizes the weapon is empty.
— Ah, my stars… this is bad…
A henchman grabs him by the neck, lifting him into the air and slamming him brutally onto the ground. Kaien feels his head hit, spits blood.
— Shit…
Two more henchmen immobilize him. The boss laughs, approaching confidently:
— Well… who would have thought…
Kaien notices a screwdriver by his foot. He takes a deep breath and feigns defeat:
— Okay… I lost…
The boss approaches, distracted, along with her henchmen. Kaien takes the opportunity: he kicks the screwdriver with precision, hitting one in the face. He crouches, grabs the tool, and begins a deadly dance of strikes. Two henchmen fall; Kaien rolls to the side, dodges a kick, and lands precise blows. Every movement is swift, lethal, calculated.
The boss draws a weapon and fires. Kaien rolls again, evading. He advances, uses the screwdriver to disarm her, and with one final push, knocks the boss down, defeated.
Kaien collapses, exhausted, bloodied, panting, every muscle burning. He looks around at the chaos in the shop and finally faints.
---
That night, in the hospital…
Kaien wakes slowly, a throbbing pain in his head, his body heavy. Yuki, by his side, gently touches his face:
— Are you okay?!
Kaien nods and smiles faintly.
— Yeah… I think the sleepyhead's fine…
Yuki, vulnerable:
— Kaien… why did you do this?
Kaien responds casually:
— Because they stole my car…
Yuki slaps his shoulder:
— But you faced a mafia boss and her henchmen…
Kaien smiles confidently:
— Yeah, but I made it, didn't I?
Yuki smiles faintly:
— Yes… you did… but go back to work tomorrow! Huh!
Kaien chuckles softly:
— Will do…
And so the chapter ends, with Kaien wounded but victorious, his blue eyes still shining with determination, ready for the next challenge.