Capítulo 18: Chapter 18: Threads of Chaos
Shinya Kogami stepped out of his dimly lit office, the cold evening air brushing against his face as he made his way down the empty street. His mind was racing. He had spent the entire day chasing leads on the illegal SP-enhancing drug, "Amp," but none had brought him any closer to Shogo's operation. The city was sinking into chaos, with more and more enhanced SP users wreaking havoc. And Shogo was orchestrating it all.
Shinya's frustration grew with each dead-end he hit. The criminal underground was notoriously difficult to infiltrate, but this time it felt different—darker, more organized. Shogo was working behind the scenes, pulling the strings as if it were all some twisted game. He had seen Shogo manipulate people before, but this time, with Amp in the picture, the stakes were much higher.
Shinya's hand instinctively moved to his pocket, where the Cloud Ring rested. It had been weeks since he had taken it from the Vongola mansion, and though he still hadn't used its power, the ring's weight was ever-present. The mystery surrounding it, and its potential to give him an edge against Shogo, gnawed at him. But Shinya wasn't ready to rely on something he didn't fully understand. He still preferred the cold, solid weight of his gun.
For now, it was enough to know the ring existed. But he couldn't help but wonder—what would happen if he did use it? Would it change the course of this fight? The thought haunted him as he navigated the darker parts of the city.
As Shinya walked deeper into the city's underworld, the streets narrowed, growing darker with every step. This part of town was different from the rest of the city—a place where the law held little sway, where SP users thrived, and violence was a currency. Graffiti littered the walls, and broken streetlights cast eerie shadows over the cracked sidewalks. Shinya scanned the area carefully, ever alert. It was the perfect breeding ground for Shogo's scheme.
A figure stepped out of the shadows. One of Shinya's informants, a small-time crook who had his ear to the ground. The man's face was drawn with worry, his eyes darting around nervously as if expecting trouble to strike at any moment.
"You came," the man muttered, glancing over his shoulder as if expecting someone to follow. "Things are heating up, Kogami. There's talk of something big happening soon. They've been pushing more of that drug, Amp. But there's a problem."
Shinya narrowed his eyes, his gut twisting in anticipation. "What problem?"
"Users are starting to die." The informant's voice dropped to a whisper. "Some of the stronger SP users can handle the effects for a while, but their bodies break down. It's getting out of control. The word on the street is that Shogo has plans to escalate even further—he wants a war."
A chill ran down Shinya's spine. This was Shogo's game—creating chaos, throwing the city into turmoil, and then vanishing like smoke before anyone could hold him accountable. He had seen it before, but this time it felt different. More dangerous. More calculated.
Shinya crossed his arms. "Where's the drug coming from?"
The man hesitated before answering, clearly wary of revealing too much. "There's a distribution network—small-time dealers are moving it all over the city. But I've heard something else. There's a warehouse in the old industrial district. It's where they're storing the next big shipment. Shogo's people have been guarding it heavily."
Shinya felt a surge of adrenaline. This could be the break he needed. If he could intercept the shipment, he could shut down a major part of Shogo's operation.
"When's the shipment moving?" Shinya asked, his voice sharper now.
"Tomorrow night," the informant replied. "But listen, Kogami… there's something else. I heard a name. Chuuya Nakahara. He's been asking around about the drug too. I don't know why, but if he's involved, things are going to get messy."
Shinya's eyes narrowed. Chuuya Nakahara was notorious in the underground—a powerful SP user who played by his own rules. The man was a walking force of destruction, feared and respected in equal measure. If Chuuya was tracking the drug as well, it meant Shogo's plan was reaching even deeper into the city's underworld.
Shinya nodded to the informant. "Thanks for the tip. Keep your head down."
The man scurried off, leaving Shinya standing alone in the dimly lit street. His mind was already working through the implications of what he had just learned. If Chuuya was involved, things were going to get complicated. But that wasn't what worried Shinya the most. It was the fact that Shogo seemed to be pulling even the most powerful figures in the underworld into his web.
With that thought in mind, Shinya turned and walked away, his mind spinning with the new information. He needed to move quickly if he was going to catch Shogo before the next shipment left the warehouse. But the mention of Chuuya nagged at him. Was the gravity manipulator hunting Shogo's operation too, or was he just looking to protect his own turf? Either way, it complicated things.
As he made his way toward the industrial district, the streets became more desolate, the buildings abandoned and crumbling. This part of the city had been forgotten by most, left to decay in the wake of urban sprawl. But for criminals like Shogo, it was the perfect place to hide illegal activities—hidden in plain sight.
The industrial district loomed ahead, an eerie maze of empty factories and warehouses, long past their days of productivity. Shinya moved with caution, his senses on high alert. He could feel the tension in the air, the kind that came before something big.
It didn't take long for Shinya to locate the warehouse. A massive, decaying structure, its windows boarded up and its walls covered in graffiti. The place had been long forgotten by the city, but now it was alive with activity. Shinya could see men moving crates, some of them SP users, their auras faintly visible in the dim light.
Shinya took cover behind a stack of abandoned pallets, watching the scene unfold. There were more of them than he had anticipated—at least a dozen men, some of them clearly enhanced by Amp. Their movements were twitchy, erratic, a telltale sign of the drug's influence. But they were still dangerous, their enhanced strength and speed making them formidable opponents.
Shinya clenched his jaw. He had to be careful. There were too many of them to take on alone, and without backup, he was walking a dangerous line.
But as he observed the scene, something else caught his attention—movement in the shadows, just beyond the warehouse. A figure, slipping through the darkness, avoiding the guards with practiced ease.
Reiji.
Shinya's heart sank. What the hell was Reiji doing here?
He watched as Reiji moved closer to the warehouse, his eyes scanning the area with the same determination that Shinya had seen back at the Vongola mansion. The kid was up to something, and whatever it was, it was reckless.
Shinya's mind raced. Reiji was in over his head. He had no idea what kind of operation he was walking into, and Shinya couldn't let him get caught in the crossfire. The people guarding that warehouse wouldn't hesitate to kill him if they found out what he was after.
Staying low, Shinya moved closer, keeping his distance from Reiji but staying within range. He needed to figure out what Reiji was planning and get him out of there before things went south. The tension in the air was thick, and Shinya could feel it building. Something was about to happen—he just didn't know what.
Reiji's movements were careful, deliberate. He was clearly looking for something, but Shinya couldn't tell what. He watched as Reiji circled the warehouse, slipping past the guards with surprising ease. It was clear that the kid had learned a thing or two since their last encounter, but that didn't make the situation any less dangerous.
Shinya's mind was racing. He needed a plan, and fast. If Reiji got himself caught, it could blow the whole operation. But if Shinya acted too soon, he risked exposing them both.
Shinya cursed under his breath, his eyes never leaving Reiji's figure as he crept closer to the warehouse entrance. He couldn't let Reiji get caught, but he also couldn't afford to make a move until he knew what Shogo was planning.
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