Without a second thought he grabbed his jacket and ran towards the railway station.
After fifteen minutes he arrived to his destination, the railway station. His breath heavy and uneven but without wasting much time, he immediately started to find Kazuki, but he couldn't find him anywhere, the station was strangely empty.
"Damn Kazuki where are you?", he said it out of frustration. With every second his heart started to fill with anxious feeling.
As he reaches the dark side of the station, suddenly he felt a strange pain on the backside of his neck, he got a blow on his neck, he collapsed immediately and started to feel dizzy, and then the darkness closing in. Before getting unconscious he spotted two men in black costume front of him.
What happened to me and why?
He completely lost consciousness.
Several hours passed.
When Koyo finally stirred, a dull aching pain pounded in his head. His eyelids felt heavy as he struggled to open them. Darkness surrounded him, thick and suffocating, pitch black as the charcoal.
"Ugh… where am I?" Koyo groaned, his head still throbbing.
His thoughts were a mess, swirling between confusion and panic. Wait… am I dead? No, that wasn't it—his body still ached, his breathing was normal, he pinched himself and felt pain it was pretty sure that he was very much alive.
Slowly, his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Rough cement walls and floor, and a chilling silence surrounded him, "Was I kidnapped? But why?".
"Damn it… I don't have time for this". He took a deep breath, trying to push away his rising anxiety. "It must've been some thieves". A quick pat of his pockets confirmed his suspicion—his phone and wallet were gone.
But he didn't care about that anymore. Right now, only one thing mattered.
"I have to meet Kazuki. No matter what."
Clenching his teeth, he forced himself to stand, his legs shaky. Using the wall for support, he dragged himself upright.
"Is someone there? Can anyone hear me?" he shouted, his voice echoing in the empty space.
The heavy silence was in that filled that place.
And then—
He heard a strange sound behind him—the low rumbling of stone scraping against stone. It wasn't just a door opening; an entire section of the wall shifted down, revealing a passage.
Looking behind Koyo's breath hitched. "What the hell…?"
Then, a familiar voice drifted from the shadows.
"Well, well… you finally decided to wake up, Koyo."
His eyes widened. That voice—there was no mistaking it.
"K-Kazuki?", Koyo stammered.
Koyo's eyes flickered with disbelief as he took in Kazuki's appearance.
Dressed in a sleek office suit a colorful cloak over it, sombrero hat resting atop his head. With one hand, he held the brim, as if someone wants to look cool.
"Who can it be… none other than me?" Kazuki's voice carried a strange, playful edge.
Koyo blinked a few times as his gaze locked on the sombrero hat on Kazuki's hand. For a moment, he was silent—then, out of nowhere, he burst into laughter.
"Hahahaha! Bro, what the hell is up with the cloak and that hat? That thing looks lame as hell!"
Kazuki's cool demeanor shattered in an instant. "Wait, what?! Lame?!" He looked genuinely offended. "I thought it looked cool on me!"
Koyo wiped away a tear from laughing so hard. "Nah, man, it's not. You looks like a comedian."
Kazuki clicked his tongue in frustration, pulling the hat off and running a hand through his hair. "Ah shit. I was going for a mysteriously cool look, damn it."
After a few moments, Koyo finally calmed down, wiping the last traces of laughter from his face.
Kazuki, started walking toward him, closing the distance between them.
Koyo took a deep breath, his expression turning serious. "I have a lot of questions to ask you right now—ugh!"
Before he could finish, Kazuki suddenly droves his fist into Koyo's stomach.
Koyo doubled over, gasping in pain. "What the hell was that for?!" he groaned.
Kazuki's gaze darkened. "For trying to take your own life," he said, his voice sharper than usual. "You really thought I wouldn't know?"
Koyo froze, his breath hitching.
"You could have contacted me," Kazuki continued, his tone calmer but still firm. "Or… do you not consider me your friend anymore?"
Koyo clenched his fists, guilt weighing heavy on him. "No… it's not like that," he murmured.
Kazuki clicked his tongue in irritation. "Tch. dude, you're as dumbass as ever." He exhaled, then softened his tone. "Alright, the past is the past. I won't nag you about it."
He placed a firm hand on Koyo's shoulder and looked him straight in the eye. "But from now on, don't do anything reckless. And remember one thing—dying isn't allowed."
"Now, about Tsukiko… follow me. Will tell you about everything in the Captain's office," Kazuki said, turning away.
Koyo rolled his shoulders. "You can walk right?" Kazuki asked.
"Bet I can," Koyo replied with a smirk, pushing himself forward.
As they moved, the tunnel started widening, the dim lighting revealing old, reinforced walls. The musty air carried a hint of dampness, making Koyo more curious about this place.
"Where are we exactly?" he finally asked.
Kazuki didn't even glance back as he answered, "We're underground. This is a bunker built during World War II. It was transformed to serve as the headquarters for our organization."
"What kind of organization are we talking about here?" Koyo raised an eyebrow.
Kazuki nodded. "It's A 230-member squad working directly under the government to Illegal activities and other threats to society and we call ourselves 'Kage no Koroshiya'."
"And that's also the reason why I kidnapped you here. We can't let just anyone know this place exists"
"Oh, that makes sense now… Wait, what?! You were the one who brought me here?" Koyo replied with an awkward smile on his face.
Kazuki chuckled. "Yeah, sorry about that all kidnaping stuff. But you see there were no other ways."
Koyo sighed, rubbing the back of his neck where he had been struck earlier. "But still you know, you could've just, agh I don't know, maybe use some other friendly method to knock me out!"
Kazuki smirked. "Where's the fun in that?"
Koyo rolled his eyes. "Right, because knocking your best friend is so entertaining."
Kazuki smirked, "Indeed it was entertaining, hahaha."
They continued walking through the underground corridor. The deeper they went, the more high-tech the place seemed—walls lined with monitors, armed guards patrolling the halls, and doors that required keycard access.
Koyo's curiosity grew. "So, tell me something if Tsuki is really in danger can we save her?"
Kazuki's expression turned annoyed. "Stop asking stupid questions, once we get to the captain's office, you'll know everything" He paused before turning to Koyo, locking eyes with him.
"But one thing is that Tsukiko didn't leave you because she wanted to. There's a lot you don't know about her."
"What… do you mean?"
Kazuki stopped and gestured toward a large steel door at the end of the hallway. "You'll understand soon enough. The captain is waiting inside."
Koyo clenched his fists, his heart pounding in his chest.
Kazuki pressed his keycard against the scanner, and with a soft beep, the heavy steel door slid open with a mechanical hiss. A dimly lit room stretched before them, illuminated by the glow of multiple holographic screens displaying data, images, and surveillance footage. At the centre of it there is a large table and a woman is sitting on a chair, she was reading something as they walked in she observed their arrival.
"Koyo Ishikawa," she said, her voice calm but firm. "We finally meet."
Koyo narrowed his eyes. "And you are?"
The woman turned slightly, adjusting her glasses but before she could answer Kazuki start speaking, "She's Reika Tatsumine. The 2nd division captain of Kage no Koroshiya."
Kazuki stepped forward. "Ms Reika, he's all yours. But don't drop everything at once—he just woke up from being knocked out."
Reika shot Kazuki a glare. "We really need to work on your methods. And what's up with the hat? Put it away right now."
Kazuki groaned, taking off his sombrero hat and tossing it onto the table. "Ah Man, nobody appreciates good fashion these days," he muttered.
Ignoring him, Reika turned her attention to Koyo. "Take a seat," she instructed. Reika folded her hands on the table. "By now, I'm sure you've figured out why we called you in."
At the mention of her name, Koyo's breath caught in his throat. His fingers curled into fists. "Yes, I do, about Tsukiko."
"Koyo. She was forced to leave you."
Clinching his fists, he asked, his voice tight with worry, "she was forced to? What do you mean by forced to? Forced by whom?"
Reika and Kazuki exchanged glances before Reika spoke, her tone serious, "I will explain it in simple way, have you ever heard of the gang name 'Jegan'?"
"Jegan? Nah never heard of them." Koyo replied with confusion.
Kazuki, who had been listening intently, finally spoke up. Koyo's eyes locked onto his best friend as he began, "The Jegan, it's a gang that operates in the shadows. They murder peoples and rob huge organizations; their final goals are unknown. But it seems like they really love to kill peoples, we still don't know how many members are there, and many more things about them."
Kazuki takes a breath and started again, "do you know what's the criteria to join the gang?"
"What?" Koyo asked, a mix of curiosity and unease in his voice.
"A minimum kill count of five," Kazuki said coldly. "And to verify it, they require the fingers of the murdered victims as proof."
Koyo's eyes widened in disbelief. "You're kidding, right?"
Reika stepped forward, her tone cold and serious. "No, he's not kidding. Fifty fingers from dead men—that's all it takes to get into the gang."
Koyo's voice trembled with a mix of shock and anger. "But what does all of this have to do with Tsukiko?"
Reika crossed her arms. "Apparently, the gang leader Kurogami has grown greedy. He wants more power, more control. Marrying Tsukiko gives him access to her father's influence and fortune."
"Wait, what? But Tsukiko's father is just a doctor…" Koyo's eyes narrowed in confusion.
Reika let out a sigh, "That was a lie," she said firmly. "Tsukiko kept it hidden from you for a reason. Her father isn't some regular doctor—he's the fifth richest person in the entire country."
Koyo froze there, trying to process what he just heard.
Reika continued, her tone turning serious, "And that's exactly why the Kurogami wants to marry her. With her by his side, he'll gain access to power, money, and influence beyond anything he has now. And once he gets what he wants…" she paused, her eyes cold, "he'll kill her. Quietly. Cleanly. And no one will even know."
Koyo clenched his fists. His voice trembled with urgency. "No… no, we can't let that happen. Isn't there any way to save her?"
Reika nodded, her expression unwavering, eyes sharp with determination. "We have. That's exactly what we're going to do,"
"Our mission has two clear objectives — first, rescue Tsukiko before the wedding takes place. Second, eliminate both the leader and vice-leader of Jegan. It's our once and only golden opportunity."
Koyo's eyes burning with resolve. "So, what can I do?" he asked, his voice firm. "I will do anything. For that to happen."
Reika met his gaze, unwavering. "We need you to tell us everything you know about Tsukiko. And about her house in Kanagawa, you've been there before, haven't you?"
looking at him sharply. "We need you to recreate the layout — every room, every hallway, every possible exit or entry point. With your memory, we can build a complete schematic and plan our infiltration."
Koyo gave a small nod, mind already racing back to that place — the corridors, the garden, the narrow stairs beside the kitchen. He clenched his fists again. I'll remember everything. I have to.
Koyo leaned back in his chair, exhausted. He had poured out everything he remembered — Tsukiko's habits, her daily routines. He gave them a rough layout of the house: the garden exit, the double-door living room, the narrow stairs leading up to the second floor, and even the attic room no one used.
When he finished, he took a breath and sat quietly for a moment.
"That's everything I could remember," he finally said, voice steady but low.
Reika, standing at the head of the table with arms are on the table, gave him a slight nod.
"Mr. Ishikawa, thank you for your assistance,you may leave now." she said. Her voice, though formal, carried a sense of genuine appreciation.
Then she turned her head towards Kazuki, who was leaning casually against the wall, arms folded and smirking.
"Kazuki, you can drop him home now. But don't be hard on him like last time."
Koyo stepped forward he's shocked. "Wait, what? You brought me here to just ask me that? Ms Reika, I want to be a part of this mission please let me in"
Reika scoffed. "Part of this mission? Do you have any idea how risky it is? We can't let an ordinary citizen get directly involved."
"Yes, I'm aware of it," Koyo replied, his voice trembling with emotion. He remembered his moments with Tsukiko. "She saved me when I needed her the most and right now, I want to be the one to protect her. I want to save her on my own."
"Just leave everything to us. We will protect her," Reika said sharply. Then she turned to Kazuki. "Kazuki, why don't you say something?"
Koyo clenched his fists, and locked his gaze on Kazuki.
Kazuki looked at him for a moment, then spoke with a serious tone. "Koyo, dude go outside and wait for me there. I have something to discuss with Ms Reika"
Before Koyo could say anything, Kazuko stared at him and added, "Its an order not a request."
With frustration Koyo said, "Tch, Alright."
As he walked toward the metal gate, it slid open automatically, unlike before. He stepped outside and began waiting for Kazuki. Just as the door was closing behind him, he turned and gave one last glance back at him.
Kazuki relaxed his posture and said, "He's gone… now I can finally do this."
He leaned forward, placing his forehead and both arms on the table in a pleading pose. "Reika," he said, almost dramatically, "please let him be part of this operation. I will train him and we can give him the least dangerous work"
After what felt like an endless stream of dramatic pleas, exaggerated hand gestures, and heartfelt arguments, Reika finally let out a long sigh and crossed her arms.
Reika stood silently for a moment, arms crossed, watching him. She wasn't easily swayed, but Kazuki's tone wasn't his usual over-the-top self. This time, he meant it.
With a sigh, she finally responded, "You really believe in him that much?"
Kazuki nodded without hesitation. "More than anything."
"Alright, alright fine," she said, trying to sound stern, though a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "He is in."
Kazuki immediately shot up from the table, eyes wide with surprise and excitement.
"Wait, seriously?! You mean it?"
Reika rolled her eyes, but her tone softened. "Yes, maybe because he might actually be useful."
Kazuki lifted his head, eyes lighting up. "You won't regret it, I promise!"
"I better not. You're vouching for him now—so if he screws up, it's on you." she muttered.
Kazuki grinned. "Deal."
Kazuki rose from his chair, a satisfied smile tugging at his lips, and walked toward the gate where Koyo stood waiting.
As soon as Kazuki approached, Koyo looked up, his voice uncertain. "Kazuki, I..."
Before he could finish, Kazuki stepped forward and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. With a warm grin, he said, "Welcome to the team, Dude."
Koyo blinked, caught off guard. "Wait… really?" His voice cracked just a little, disbelief and hope mixing in his tone.