Kenzo and Endo navigated the underground tunnel together.
The revelation of the attendance of the man surprised Kenzo because he would be relinquishing power that he shouldn't be if his identity was known.
This leader headed a formidable death squad, feared even by cartels.
Kenzo pondered the enigmatic nature of this figure, whose identity remained a well-guarded secret, as if he existed in the shadows.
The tunnel, equipped with a lever capable of sealing it off without affecting the surface, showcased intricate architecture for both security and danger. Endo, motivated solely by financial gains, lacked Kenzo's curiosity. Despite its concealed danger, the tunnel boasted an elegant design, resembling a sophisticated hallway.
Unable to conceal his curiosity, Kenzo broke his usual demeanor, asking, "What do you think he looks like?"
"The boss? I don't care, as long as we get paid," Endo stated flatly. Just as they were about to continue their conversation, indistinct chatter echoed ahead.
"We're here," Endo muttered, causing Kenzo to brace himself. A metal door with sophisticated identification technology embedded beside it stood in their way. Entry wasn't granted to just anyone, and the reinforced door ensured security.
This tunnel interconnected with every part of Shinjuku, facilitating easy meetings for all the killers under their umbrella.
The door swung open, confirming their identification through optical means.
Stepping into the room, they found twelve chairs arranged, the usual number for their meetings.
However, Kenzo anticipated an additional chair to welcome the man responsible for making it all possible.
Everyone was present, and no one had their identification hidden except one person wearing a face mask that covered his lower face.
He had a dark complexion and black afro. Kenzo was wary of him, as he showed an unhealthy interest in Kenzo's life.
The man excelled in profiling, making Kenzo his chosen subject, but it never escalated to stalking or this man would have ceased to exist long ago.
Endo found his seat, with Kenzo following soon after, sensing the anxiety among the others.
"Your mask looks different today," the dark-skinned man noted, a detail even Endo, with his observant nature, couldn't discern.
Kenzo didn't bother responding verbally. It wasn't the first time he noticed something as irrelevant as this, showing his perceptiveness.
"You're so weird, Miles," replied Endo.
The others present ignored the ongoing conversation, waiting for the purpose of the meeting to be revealed.
Miles stared at Kenzo like a schoolgirl with a crush, but the assassin was used to such reactions.
Kenzo realized the head of the Death Squad wouldn't be physically present, supported by the big screen on the wall.
He felt disappointed but should have expected this revelation.
The large screen flickered briefly, then stabilized with a secured frequency, making it impossible for anyone to detect the wavelength or network. Behind the screen, there was no one—just an empty chair where they expected the boss to be seated.
They usually communicated with him through voice calls, but this was their first video call, and Kenzo was fine with the change because it meant he could see the man behind the organization.
The Death Squad recently clashed with other underground syndicates as they had began to monopolize the assassination business, posing a threat to groups making a living from it.
Despite the political implications, Kenzo wasn't concerned; he was in this business not for the money, but because he enjoyed taking lives.
There was a symphony in the cries of people about to face their fate; it felt pure, and that was the best music he had ever heard.
"The boss, who else?" responded Endo, but Kenzo realized in that moment that the boss hadn't called this meeting.
"It's a trap," Kenzo whispered, and all the other assassins focused on him.
"Eh? What do you mean by a trap?" Endo was genuinely clueless, while Miles admired Kenzo's quick deductive skills.
"This was never a meeting to begin with," Kenzo muttered with a sigh.
"This is my execution," Kenzo stated, yet there was no hint of fear in his eyes. Even without his newfound powers, he wouldn't flinch at the thought of death, but he understood that conventional means couldn't kill him.
Kenzo's deduction was accurate as someone swiftly slid across the table, wielding a katana in an attempt to decapitate him with a one-handed swing before he could draw his gun; she was exceptionally fast. Kenzo dodged just in time, delivering a punch to her torso, but she blocked it with her hand.
Suddenly, a gunshot rang out. Kenzo, noticing the barrel just in time through his peripheral vision, narrowly evaded the shot, although it grazed his left arm.
Confused by the sensation of pain as he should be impervious to such things.
"Blood?" He realized that, despite his powers, he still felt pain as a human would. Perhaps this ability didn't grant the immortality he had assumed. Recognizing the impossibility of facing all attackers simultaneously, he swiftly exited the room to avoid being slaughtered.
With four of the eleven killers in pursuit, having already inflicted injury on their target, Kenzo understood the danger. A wounded animal, however, could be formidable.
"This doesn't make sense. Why would anyone want to kill him?" Endo questioned, showing no emotional distress about what was about to happen.
"It's simple. He has become a liability. The dons have spoken, and I'm afraid the Oni's execution has been approved by the four dons who rule it," Miles noted.
How he got hold of this information was a mystery, but the dons were the four most powerful people in the underworld.
The boss of the Death Squad worked under one of those dons and had no choice but to comply with their orders.
Endo had a look of concern in his eyes for a brief second but he realised that this was Kenzo, the man that has defied death so many times.
Endo couldn't help but smile, it was ironic that Kenzo had spoken about killing him should the order come in and now, he was the one being hunted
Kenzo, unsurprised by the contract on his life, understood that the trouble taken wasn't necessary if they merely sought his demise, as he had no intention of succumbing to death.
Despite bleeding and his wound refusing to close, Kenzo pressed on, sleeves soaked with blood, mindful of the limited time.
They relentlessly pursued him with the sole aim of ending his life. Fearless, Kenzo believed he could confront them more effectively in a broader environment.
An assassin closed in on Kenzo, pulling the trigger.
Tired of being a target, he knew escaping this predicament was improbable.
Rolling on the floor, narrowly evading a headshot, Kenzo swiftly countered, sweeping the assassin off his feet with a powerful kick.
However, the man, defying gravity, somersaulted backward, using his left hand for support while unleashing a barrage of bullets with the weapon in his right hand.
Kenzo swiftly evaded, recognizing the need to confront this man.
Even though the others lagged behind, patience would have been wiser as they would have a better chance at killing Kenzo if they attacked together; nonetheless, who could resist claiming such a prized victory?
Taking down this man would undoubtedly elevate one's reputation. Yet, Kenzo felt slighted by the assumption that this man thought he possessed the skill to end his life. In response, he opted for an offensive approach, charging with the singular goal of disarming him.
The man, quick to react, attempted to fire his gun, but Kenzo strategically threw a dagger into the barrel. The gun imploded, severing the man's right hand.
Bewildered, he pondered the anomaly briefly, only to lose his head—literally—moments later with Kenzo swiftly disappearing from view.
As the remaining three assassins arrived, they were met with the grim sight of one of their own slain by Kenzo's hand.
This marked the perfect conclusion, and they grinned because they understood the kind of monster Kenzo was, intending to enjoy the hunt for one of the best in Japan.
"I warned you, you can't eliminate him," Endo replied, catching up to them, his gaze fixed on the decapitated head of a former military personnel.
"That man is extraordinary..." Endo mused, a wide grin spreading across his face.
He couldn't fathom how Kenzo had dispatched an enemy within minutes.
This explained why Kenzo was so feared, yet the irony lay in the fact that Endo was the one hunting him.
He paid no heed to the reason for being pursued; everyone sought the glory that came with killing Kenzo.
Meanwhile, Miles remained in the room, detecting something peculiar in the video.
If Kenzo hadn't witnessed what he did, he wouldn't have been alarmed, making it easier to eliminate him.
Their boss wouldn't make such a careless mistake, and that was what interested him.
Miles's gaze remained fixed on a woman who was dressed professionally; however, even beneath her corporate attire, the prominence of her ample bosom was evident. Occasionally, she would unbutton the first few buttons, exposing the top of her cleavage to allow some air in.
However, she was surpassed only by Kenzo. Despite the recent events, she remained silent and unmoved.
Kenzo successfully escaped, but he realized this was only the start.
Living on the run wasn't sustainable, and he needed to uncover the reason behind being hunted. Was there a bounty on his head? It couldn't be true; otherwise, other assassination agencies would have exploited this tactic long ago.
Kenzo puzzled over his inexplicably fragile body and felt the grazed area growing numb. He thought his supernatural abilities were about to be awakened, but his legs gave out.
"I-It seems I've been poisoned," he stammered.
A bullet was deadly, but one coated in venom turned even a graze into a fatal wound. Impressed that they nearly took his life, Kenzo anticipated greater challenges if the second assailant decided to strike.
He stumbled into a dark alleyway, discarding his mask in the process.
He knew having it on him would make it easier for them to identify him.
A trail of blood led right to where he was but fortunately, the thunder in the distance implied that rain was about to fall.
He knew that they wouldn't give chase and realised the only reason they did so was to ensure that the poison spread faster.
There was nothing that he could do in this situation but flee but what intrigued him the most was that the top three of the Death Squad excluding himself didn't move an inch despite the order given.
If they did, this would have been a much different story.
He drank a strange liquid that he kept in his pocket but most of the content had already poured out thanks to his earlier fight.
Kenzo's back was against the wall, he couldn't move anymore.
He knew he needed to stay awake but his eyes found themselves closing.
"Huh?" He murdered to himself as cold fluids touched his face.
Kenzo realized that rain was falling and this was what woke him up from his slumber.
But his blurry vision caught wind of a woman holding out and umbrella, inquiring frantically if he was alright but the assassin was too weak to respond.
But unknown to Kenzo, his body was undergoing a strange transformation.
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