Bab 19: Chapter 19: Into the Shadows
Reiji's POV
Reiji shoved his hands deep into his pockets as he wandered through the dimly lit streets of the underground district. The encounter with Chuuya replayed in his mind, over and over. He had tried to convince Chuuya to join him, but the man had walked away, unimpressed. It stung, but Reiji wasn't ready to give up.
He needed to understand Chuuya better, to find a way to connect with him. As it stood, Reiji didn't have much to offer—he was rebuilding a family that had long since crumbled, with no power or resources to back it up. But Chuuya was different. His power was undeniable, and rumors said he could bend gravity itself to his will. That was the kind of person Reiji needed by his side.
The question was, how could he prove himself?
He stopped at the edge of an alley, watching as a few shady figures gathered near a flickering streetlight. The underground district was always crawling with questionable characters, but these people might know something useful. Reiji took a breath and approached them, careful to keep his demeanor neutral.
"Hey," he called out, catching their attention. "I'm looking for someone. Chuuya Nakahara."
The men glanced at each other before one of them laughed, his voice a gravelly snarl. "You're looking for Chuuya? What are you, crazy?"
Reiji didn't back down. "I've heard he's around here. I need to talk to him."
The laughter faded, and one of the men stepped closer, his eyes narrowing. "You don't just talk to Chuuya. He's a mad dog. The kind that'll tear you apart if you get too close."
Another man, leaning against a wall, snorted. "Mad dog? More like a wolf. He's smart. Won't waste time on you unless you've got something worth his attention."
A third chimed in, his voice quieter but more serious. "He's one of the best in the underworld. Strong, but... rash. Doesn't take kindly to people messing with his business."
The conflicting descriptions swirled in Reiji's head. A mad dog, a wolf, someone rash, yet one of the best in the underworld. It was hard to pin down Chuuya's true nature from just these rumors. Still, it was clear that Chuuya was a force to be reckoned with.
Just as Reiji was about to ask more, the first man leaned in, his voice low. "You know... if you're looking for Chuuya, you might want to check out some of the weird SP users that have been popping up. Rumor has it, Chuuya's been looking for them—beating the crap out of anyone connected to them."
Reiji's eyes widened slightly. Weird SP users? Could it have something to do with that illegal drug he had heard whispers about?
"Where can I find them?" Reiji asked.
The man shrugged. "Word is they've been causing trouble down by the docks. You want to find Chuuya, maybe start there."
Reiji nodded his thanks and turned away, his mind already racing. If Chuuya was hunting these strange SP users, maybe Reiji could track them down too. And if he could take one of them down, it might be enough to catch Chuuya's attention again.
Hours later, Reiji found himself near the docks, where the city's underbelly stretched out into the darkened horizon. The salty air clung to his skin as he moved through the shadows, searching for any sign of trouble. His informant's words echoed in his mind: weird SP users.
It didn't take long before he found something. A group of men gathered near the water, their movements strange and erratic. Their auras were off—flickering and unstable, much like the thugs he had fought alongside Chuuya before. These men were on Amp, no doubt about it.
Reiji watched from the shadows as they talked in low voices, their bodies twitching unnaturally. The drug was affecting them, warping their SP abilities, and making them more dangerous but less controlled.
Steeling himself, Reiji stepped out from the shadows. "Hey."
The men turned, their eyes narrowing as they sized him up. One of them—a large man with a jagged scar across his face—stepped forward, cracking his knuckles. "What do we have here? You lost, kid?"
Reiji didn't flinch. "I'm looking for answers. Tell me about the drug you're using."
The man laughed, his voice harsh. "You've got a lot of nerve, asking questions like that. You really want to know? You'll have to go through us first."
Before Reiji could respond, the man lunged at him, fists flying. Reiji sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the blow, and countered with a swift punch to the man's side. The fight was on.
The other men joined in, their movements wild and aggressive. Reiji ducked and weaved through their attacks, his own fists striking with precision. It wasn't easy—these men were fast, and their enhanced abilities made them stronger than ordinary thugs—but Reiji had fought worse.
As the brawl intensified, Reiji felt the weight of the ring on his hand, the one connected to the Vongola flame. His mind flashed back to his fight with the drug-enhanced thugs before, and without hesitation, he summoned the flame once again.
The ring glowed, and flames burst forth from his hands, enveloping his gloves. With renewed strength, Reiji moved faster, each punch landing with burning intensity. The drug-enhanced men faltered under the onslaught, their wild attacks no match for the controlled power Reiji wielded.
Within moments, the last of the thugs hit the ground, unconscious. Reiji stood over them, catching his breath as the flames flickered and faded.
He knelt down beside the scarred man and grabbed him by the collar. "Tell me about the drug. Where's it coming from?"
The man coughed, spitting blood, but his eyes held defiance. "You think you can stop this? It's already too late. The shipment... it's going out tomorrow."
Reiji's grip tightened. "Where?"
"Warehouse... in the industrial district," the man gasped. "But you won't get close. They've got people guarding it... enhanced users, like us."
Reiji tightened his jacket as he made his way through the darkened alleyways toward the warehouse district. His encounter with the thugs at the docks had given him more than enough reason to believe something big was happening, and all signs pointed to the warehouse. If Chuuya was still chasing the illegal SP users or investigating the drug, this would be the place to start.
As he approached the sprawling complex of decaying industrial buildings, Reiji slowed his pace, staying in the shadows. He needed to be careful. The area was crawling with guards—likely hired muscle working for whoever was behind the Amp distribution. He wasn't sure what he was looking for exactly, but the place reeked of something dangerous.
Keeping his head low, Reiji slipped through the narrow spaces between shipping containers, his senses heightened with every step. He had gotten better at this—sneaking, observing, staying out of sight. It wasn't just about staying alive anymore; it was about gathering information, finding leverage, and figuring out who he could trust.
The warehouse loomed ahead, its windows boarded up, its surroundings deserted save for a few scattered guards pacing the perimeter. Reiji could feel the tension in the air—something was brewing inside, and it wasn't just a routine shipment.
He crept closer, moving from shadow to shadow, careful not to draw attention. His heart raced as he neared one of the back entrances. He could hear faint voices inside, the clatter of equipment, the sound of something being moved. He crouched down behind a stack of crates, straining to catch a glimpse of the operation.
As Reiji scanned the area, looking for a way inside or for any sign of Chuuya, a shiver ran down his spine. A sudden awareness crept over him—the unmistakable feeling of being watched.
His instincts kicked in, and he paused, eyes narrowing as he scanned his surroundings. Something wasn't right. He could feel eyes on him, but the guards were too far away to have noticed him. Someone else was here, someone watching him closely.
Slowly, Reiji turned his head, his gaze sweeping the darkness beyond the crates. Then he saw him—Shinya. Hidden in the shadows, watching him with sharp, calculating eyes. Reiji's breath caught in his throat as their gazes locked.
Shinya?
What was he doing here? Why was he watching Reiji? Was he here because of Shogo's operation, or was he following Reiji's movements?
Reiji's mind raced, torn between confusion and caution. The last thing he had expected was to run into Shinya in the middle of this, and now, he wasn't sure how to proceed. His cover was blown, and from the look on Shinya's face, he wasn't pleased.
Shinya stepped forward, his expression a mix of concern and frustration. His voice was low but sharp, cutting through the tension.
"What the hell are you doing here, Reiji?"
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone