It was early morning, the sky tinged a pale orange as the city slowly woke from its slumber. Hiroshi stood alone on a rooftop, eyes narrowed as he watched the horizon. Below, Tōriku City pulsed with life—clueless to the storm that brewed beneath its polished surface.
His phone buzzed. It was Yuki.
"Another rumor's hit the net," she said briskly. "They're speculating about a hidden faction manipulating the board members of Orochi Corp."
Hiroshi smirked. "Let them. The more they dig, the deeper they fall into our web."
He turned as footsteps approached. It was Kai, one of his newest recruits, carrying a tablet. "Boss, you need to see this. One of our informants inside the Ministry just leaked footage of an emergency meeting. They're panicking about the Kurogane Empire's silent rise."
Hiroshi's eyes gleamed. "Good. Fear keeps them predictable."
Kai hesitated. "But there's more. A new player's entered the game—a syndicate called Black Viper. They're old-school, ruthless, and they've taken an interest in Yuki."
Hiroshi's expression darkened. "I expected roaches to crawl out sooner or later. Prepare a shadow team to watch her 24/7."
Down at Tōriku International College, Yuki strode confidently through the courtyard, her presence magnetic as always. But today, her eyes flicked to shadows, her posture just a bit tenser.
Her earpiece crackled. "Stay sharp," Hiroshi's voice came through. "They might test your limits today."
"I'm ready," she whispered back, adjusting her blazer.
By noon, an unmarked black van pulled up near the campus gates. Inside, masked figures checked their weapons. But before they could step out, their radio hissed—a chilling voice whispered, "Boo."
Boom.
The van exploded in a controlled blast, shattering windows but hurting no civilians. News crews flocked to the scene within minutes, speculating on gang warfare.
Watching from afar, Hiroshi clicked his mic. "Message sent."
Yuki allowed herself a small smile as reporters swarmed, cameras flashing. "And the legend grows."
That night, Hiroshi met with his inner circle in a dimly lit underground chamber. Maps, blueprints, and digital feeds sprawled across the walls.
"The Black Viper move was sloppy," Hiroshi began. "But it tells us they're bold. We can use that."
Vega, the strategist, tapped the table. "I say we bait them. Leak false intel—make them think we're vulnerable."
"Agreed," Hiroshi said. "But subtly. We want them overconfident, not suspicious."
As plans were set into motion, Hiroshi stepped outside, the cool night air wrapping around him. He looked up at the stars, eyes burning with quiet determination.
"This city," he murmured, "has no idea what's coming next."
And neither did the enemies who thought they could cage a ghost.