On January 1, 2024, the dawn of a new year. Ominous clouds loomed overhead, and the heavens seemed to have torn open, pouring down relentless rain. In the evening in Kyoto, despite the city lights shining as brightly as ever, they appeared dim and ghostly under such a downpour, as if tainted with an air of foreboding and dread.

Within the Maple Leaf District, Ando Yuto lay in a bedroom warmed by the heater, enveloped in a spring-like comfort. Yet, within his heart, an icy chill persisted. The echo of his boss's words from the previous day resounded in his ears, filling him with a deep sense of unwillingness. But more than anything, Ando Yuto was consumed by a bitter hatred for his own weakness. If not for his inability to resist, he would not be facing imprisonment.

Ando Yuto was born into an ordinary family in a remote town on the outskirts of Kyoto. He dropped out of school after middle school due to poor academic performance and began training in martial arts under the guidance of a local master. At 18, he ventured to Kyoto alone with only 1,000 yen, determined to make his way in the world.

In an era where even college graduates struggled to find employment, his lack of education and connections left him with little hope. After two years of hardship, he hadn't earned much money, but he had grown wiser. By chance, he joined the largest underworld gang in Kyoto. After four years of relentless effort, he finally rose to the position of a minor leader within the gang. Just as his future seemed bright, his boss got into trouble, implicated in a kidnapping that caught the attention of the police, who were now investigating the matter thoroughly.

To save himself, the boss needed someone to take the fall, and Ando Yuto, newly promoted and without any background, was unfortunately chosen.

Ando Yuto got out of bed and slowly walked to the window, recalling the words his boss had said that day. He had been called into the room alone, where only a few words were spoken, unheard by anyone else. But from that moment on, Ando Yuto's future and freedom were destined to become nothing more than an unreachable illusion—"Ando Yuto, you know the police are cracking down on me. If I'm caught, things will get bad for you all." Ando Yuto thought to himself, if you're caught, maybe I could even become the boss. You should just turn yourself in. Though these thoughts flashed through his mind, his face remained expressionless, head bowed in the manner of a loyal subordinate. As Ando Yuto pondered his own situation, his boss's voice broke through his thoughts once more: "If someone were to turn themselves in, this matter would be resolved."

Hmph! I knew it would come to this. Every time something happened, it was always one of us who had to take the fall. I wonder which unlucky guy it'll be this time—wait, no! Ando Yuto suddenly realized something terrifying, and fear washed over his face. If the boss is looking for a scapegoat, then calling me here means... Before Ando Yuto could fully process this alarming thought, his worst fear came true: "I'll give you 40 million yen if you turn yourself in for me." "I..." Just as Ando Yuto was about to refuse, his boss interrupted, "Don't answer just yet, let me finish. Ando, I know your family is struggling. I'll raise it to 50 million yen, enough to change your family's situation."

"Boss, please let me go back and think it over."

"It seems the boss is determined to send me to prison. If I refuse, I might not even make it out of this door alive. I'd better stall for time and figure something out later," Ando Yuto thought.

"Alright, go think it over and give me an answer by tomorrow morning."

"Alright, I'll be heading back now," Ando Yuto nodded absentmindedly, heading for the door while sneering inwardly. "Think it over? Think it over my foot! 50 million yen to spend decades in prison? Is there really such a deal in this world? I need to leave Kyoto immediately. The boss is ruthless; though he can't force me to turn myself in, killing me would be effortless. I must get out of here. What a shame, just when I finally made it to a minor leader, all those years of effort wasted."

Just as Ando Yuto was about to leave, his boss spoke again. "Huh? What did you say, boss?" Ando Yuto turned his head and asked. "Ando, you don't need to worry about your parents' future. I'll send money to your parents back home and your sister who's studying at Kyoto University every month. Alright, go think it over carefully. I know you're a smart guy; you'll make the right choice, which will be best for everyone." These words stirred a storm within Ando Yuto's heart that wouldn't settle. He knew his boss was threatening him through his loved ones. If he didn't comply, with his boss's ruthless nature, there was nothing he wouldn't do. Ando Yuto walked out of the room, feeling numb, and onto the bustling street. Despite the crowds and lively atmosphere, his heart was devoid of any warmth.

Ando Yuto stood by the window, recalling the events of the previous day. His expression remained unchanged, as if these matters no longer concerned him. Yet, the desolation in his gaze deepened, accumulating in the empty corners of the room. Beneath his weariness lay a profound bitterness, revealing the hidden softness and sorrow within his heart.

A long sigh echoed through the silent room, followed by the faint murmuring from the window, adding an eerie atmosphere to the darkness. The voice whispered, "My parents raised me with such care, yet I’ve failed to fulfill my duties as a son—this is already an unforgivable sin. I cannot allow them to suffer because of me. If I cannot resist, then I must face it." Ando Yuto turned away from the window and slowly walked toward the door. Though his pace was slow, his steps were unusually resolute.

"Who knows how long it will be before I can leave. I just hope that when I do, there will still be a chance to repay my parents for their kindness." As he reached the police station, Ando Yuto murmured to himself.

Ando Yuto picked up a mop and walked to the faucet, slowly turning it on and watching the water trickle down... Before he realized it, he had already spent three months in prison. His once long hair had been cropped short, and he wore a gray-blue prison uniform, his entire demeanor lifeless. Today, it was Ando Yuto’s turn to clean the restroom. It was the time for lockdown, so the restroom was empty, leaving him alone in the cold, quiet space.

A sharp creak of the door suddenly jolted Ando Yuto back to reality. He turned his gaze toward the entrance of the restroom, where a tall, heavily muscled man had entered. Despite the prison uniform, his bulging muscles were clearly visible, giving him a menacing appearance.

Ando Yuto glanced at the man and then continued cleaning. After finishing his business, the man approached the sink, seemingly to wash his hands, but he moved closer to Ando Yuto, either intentionally or unintentionally. A sudden sense of alarm surged within Ando Yuto. He caught a glimpse of a glint of metal in the man’s hand—it was a knife. Ando Yuto’s face remained calm, but his mind raced with questions: "Why is he holding a knife? I’m the only one here. Could he be here to kill me? It must be the boss who sent him. The boss doesn’t trust me, afraid I’ll change my mind."

By now, the man had reached his side. Ando Yuto, under the guise of mopping, slowly moved toward the open space in the center of the restroom. He had barely taken two steps when he heard the sound of a blade cutting through the air—so fast! Ando Yuto quickly stepped forward and spun around, striking the man with the mop handle. The man raised his knife to block the blow, the sharp blade slicing the mop handle in half. Ando Yuto reacted swiftly, using the remaining half of the handle to strike at the man’s head, but the man took the blow head-on, slashing at Ando Yuto’s chest in return.

The knife and mop handle struck their targets simultaneously. The man staggered to the left as Ando Yuto’s strike landed on the right side of his head. But a ten-centimeter gash had also appeared on Ando Yuto’s chest, staining his gray-blue prison uniform a dark red.

"Did the boss send you to kill me?" Ando Yuto asked quietly.

"Seems you’re not as stupid as I thought," the man replied, lying on the ground, clutching his head, clearly badly injured by Ando Yuto’s heavy blow.

"Then you can go to hell!" Ando Yuto said, driving the broken mop handle into the man’s throat just as the man’s knife swung toward him once more...

Heavy, labored breathing echoed from the wall where a bloodied figure sat, head bowed, panting heavily. Though Ando Yuto had killed his attacker, the man’s suicidal attack had left him gravely wounded as well. "With all this blood loss, it seems I won’t survive either," Ando Yuto thought weakly, glancing at the pool of blood around him. Am I really about to die? Is it the thought of my family that makes me so unwilling to go? Or is it the fact that I cannot take revenge on my enemies? Am I really about to die? I wonder if my parents and sister have been harmed... I miss them so much. If there’s a next life, I, Ando Yuto, will never let anyone control my fate again. My life will be mine to command... Thud... The restroom fell into complete silence.