With his hood now pulled up, Kurashi crept into the warehouse door. The room yawned before him, vast and dimly lit. Overhead lights flickered sporadically, casting a pale, sickly glow onto the stained concrete floor. The air was still—choked with the stench of sweat, chemicals, and stale tobacco. Wooden crates loomed in disorderly stacks, some precariously balanced on rusted shelves, others abandoned mid-transfer across the cluttered floor. 

Men filled the space like scavengers, some slouched at tables coated in lines of white powder, murmuring lowly as they wasted time. Others groaned under the weight of crates, sweat glistening on their brows as they shuffled through their labor.

Sitting at a table with three others, a lanky figure with a patchy beard paused mid-conversation, lifting his head from a pile of white powder. Squinting his eyes for a better view, he saw two figures standing at the entrance. Recognition flashed across his face, as he scrambled from his seat, pushing through the crowd toward the back of the warehouse.

"Daichi!" the man yelled as he ran through the working men.

The lanky man burst into the doorway of a secluded office in the back of the warehouse.

"Daichi, Sir! The girl...she's back."

In the cluttered office which reeked of alcohol and cigarette smoke, Daichi leaned back in his chair, blowing smoke out from his mouth. Wrinkled yen, cigarette buds, and an almost empty whiskey bottle crowded the desk before him. His black hair was slicked back with excessive gel, and his ill-fitting suit stretched awkwardly over his rounded stomach.

"Back you say? It's about damn time." Daichi stated as he fixed the cuffs of his suit.

His lips curled into a grin as he pushed off his chair to stand.

Daichi walked out through the office door to the main floor, and the lanky man followed behind like a dog to its owner. As they made their way to the front of the warehouse, Diachi and Kurashi's eyes met. Despite his stubby build, Diachi's stride leaked with confidence as he closed in.

Stopping a few feet away, Diachi fixed the buttons of his suit that had come undone, eyeing Kurashi up and down before looking over to the trembling girl.

"Now what'd I tell you about staying put..."

Daichi paused and took one step forward, crouching down to the girl's level.

"You didn't have to run, sweetheart. Everyone was worried about you."

His voice dripped with false sympathy.

"Mama..." the little girl whispered.

Looking up from Kurashi's hoodie, she spoke up a little louder.

"Mama...where is she?"

Standing back up straight, Daichi's demeanor reset.

"You know kid...that's a really good question. I couldn't tell you where she would be, but there is one thing I can say for sure."

Daichi paused a moment, suspense building in the girl's chest as a grin widened across his face.

"Bodies like hers? They sell for big cash...Only reason I'm still even in business."

Daichi couldn't help but laugh hysterically to himself, finding humor in the words he spoke.

But there was no humor.

No comedy

Only cruelty

The sinister laughter startled the girl, sending her retreating behind Kurashi once more. As Daichi calmed himself down, his gaze shifted from the girl to Kurashi.

"And you kid...get out of here. Consider letting you leave alive your payment for bringing the girl in."

With a silent signal, Diachi turned and tapped the man beside him on the chest, walking back to his office.

As the lanky man stepped forward, he leaned around Kurashi, reaching his hand out for the girl. The moment his fingertips brushed her sleeve, Kurashi unsheathed his katana in a single motion, severing the man's hand.

"Ahhh my hand! My Fucking hand!!!"

The man screamed in panic, stumbling back as blood spewed from his wrist. However, his cries were abruptly silenced as the blade pierced through his heart. Twisting the blade inside the man's chest, and then pulling it out, the man fell to the ground.

There was silence.

Bodies froze

Hearts dropped

And all eyes were on Kurashi.

The solitude of the warehouse was only interrupted when Daichi's voice screeched out.

"Get him!!!"

Armed with pocket knives and pistols, twenty-three men now surrounded Kurashi, all with the intent to kill him where he stood. The first few to rush in at him met their end with flashes of silver, their bodies collapsing to the floor. Kurashi's movement was seamless, utilizing the layout of the building to disappear between shelving. Gunshots echoed off the walls, and blood splattered as Kurashi's katana danced.

A sharp pain tore through his side as a knife grazed him, drawing blood and ripping through his hoodie, but he retaliated by brutally driving his katana into the attacker's throat. Bullets whistled past Kurashi, the gunners unable to track him as he dashed around. Through the gunfire, one bullet grazed his left shoulder, leaving a burning sensation as he continued. Ducking below a gunner's bullet, he swept the legs out from beneath the man, plunging his katana right into his chest. Few men remained, fear now replacing their rage. The incoming attacks were now uncoordinated, so Kurashi exploited every opening, killing the rest of the men with single yet vital strikes. In a matter of minutes, the warehouse was now littered with bodies, the floor stained with blood. Kurashi flicked his katana to rid the blood and sheathed it on his back. Looking down at the floor, he leaned down to pick up a pistol from one of the bodies. Behind him, a soft whimper caught his attention. Turning around slowly, Kurashi's cold stare locked onto Daichi. The once confident man was now frantic, the blatant panic seen in his eyes. But in his grasp was the girl, tears steadily streaming down her cheeks. The arms of Daichi wrapped tightly around her neck, pulling her close as he pressed the barrel of the gun against her temple.

All it took was one step from Kurashi to strike fear into Daichi.

"Stay back! Stay back or I'll blow her brains out!"

His hands shook in fear, causing the little girl to flinch.

"Please don't..." the girl pleaded.

"Shut up! Shut the fuck up! This is your fucking fault! If you didn't go running away, this shit would've never happened."

"Please...", the little girl whimpered out to Kurashi.

Kurashi remained unfazed, his emotionless eyes boring into Daichi.

As Kurashi lifted the gun, the tension snapped.

A bullet was fired.

Daichi staggered back, his eyes widened as blood poured from the hole in his chest. As his grip on the girl loosened, his lifeless body crumpled to the floor.

As the girl stood before Kurashi, she looked down at her chest, as blood began to soak her distressed white gown. When she looked back up at Kurashi, her eyes began to slowly shut.

"You...promised"

She reached her hand out for Kurashi as her eyes completely shut, collapsing to the ground in a pool of blood.

With a broken promise, Kurashi now stood above the corpses with only one thought in mind.

The mission was complete.