Okabaru, Sunny, Sakura, and Mekamaru reached the 10th floor… They opened the north gate.
Auren: "Sunny, are you alright? Nice to see you." Sunny stepped forward. "Thank you… for helping me. I'm deeply thankful to both of you." Auren waved it off. "Don't say thank you—we're friends." Sunny: "Are we…?"
Rose leaned forward: "You don't consider us your friends?" Sunny quickly shook his head. "No, no! It's not like that. I just thought… maybe you wouldn't think of me as a friend."
Auren smiled. "What are you saying? We made memories together. That's what friends do." Sunny smiled softly.
Scarlet: "Okabaru…" Okabaru stepped forward. "Hello, Auren Ryuki. How are you?"
Auren: "Hi… Who are you?"
Okabaru: "I'm the one who's been watching you… from a distance."
Auren raised an eyebrow. "From a distance? What do you mean?"
Okabaru: "I saw your tears. I saw you struggle in the market… buying carrots. I saw kids bullying you. I know everything."
Auren stepped back slightly, in shock. "How do you… know all this?"
Rose gasped. "Wait, what? Auren… you were being bullied?"
Sunny: "Auren, is that true?! But I've seen you fight. You're kind… How could someone like you be bullied? I… can't believe it."
Sunny looked at his brother. "Brother, are you joking with him? Playing around?"
Okabaru: "No. What I said is true."
Auren stood in silence. "Who are you…?"
Okabaru: "I'm Okabaru Vincent. Why haven't you left the city yet? Don't you have to go to Hollow Mountain?"
Auren's eyes widened. "How… do you know that?" Okabaru laughed. "Haha…"
Scarlet raised her hand. "Make a dining table from glowing veins." Branches twisted and formed a luminous table. Scarlet: "Please, all of you—sit."
Everyone took their chairs.
Auren, while sitting: "Please tell me. Who are you? And do you know something about that old man… and Hollow Mountain?"
Okabaru leaned back calmly. "Time will tell you… Who am I?"
The room fell silent. Everyone—Scarlet, Sakura, and Rose—listened carefully.
Violet leaned toward Scarlet: "Ma'am, I have to tell you something."
Scarlet: "Go ahead."
Violet: "Do you know a name called Ash Phantom? Auren said this name echoed in his head one day… randomly."
Scarlet nodded. "He's a Ryuki. If a name echoes in your mind like that, it's because it's connected to your bloodline."
She turned to Okabaru. "Okabaru, do you know this name?"
Okabaru: "I've heard it somewhere… but I don't know who it truly belongs to."
Toji raised a finger. "According to my theory… Ash Phantom might be a title. Maybe for Legend Ryuki… or someone like him."
He looked at the group. "'Phantom' means illusion… ghost… someone who's there, but not truly there. Maybe it was a guardian aura."
Scarlet: "Yes… Your theory sounds possible. That name… could have been given to someone. A title."
She continued: "These names that suddenly appear in our minds—they're linked to our ancestors. It can be anything. Sometimes, like with a fear of water… when someone sees it for the first time, an old memory triggers. Later, it fades, but the connection is real."
Rose and Sunny sat quietly.
In quiet sadness.
"Boss Jackey, we failed in our mission."
The words felt heavy in the opulent, dimly lit room. Jackey had a cup of sake in one hand. A woman was draped beside him, her presence a soft, almost blurred counterpoint to his sharp features. The air hung thick with the scent of rice wine and something sweeter.
"Sit," Jackey drawled, his voice a slow, deliberate cadence, tinged with drink.
Aster pulled out a chair and sat, his posture rigid.
Jackey took a slow sip. "I heard your love, Viny, died. She was something—our elite. And we failed, too. That's sad." He gestured vaguely at the woman beside him. "Hey, lady, this top doesn't look good. Remove it." The woman murmured, "Yes, Master," and began to comply. Jackey then lazily waved his free hand. "And hey, you, do down." He seemed drunk, his words barely formed.
"Hey, Aster," Jackey continued, his gaze unfocused but piercing, "did you know how I became Boss of Yuzen?"
Aster remained silent, his jaw tight.
"I'm the only Commander Ace rank in this city now," Jackey slurred, a slow smile spreading across his face. "It means I'm the strongest. And also, many people are in my support. Hey, hey, Mina, slow down a bit, it..." His voice trailed off, lost in his private indulgence.
"Yes," Aster managed, his voice strained. "You are the strongest, even at your age. You're just thirty-three."
"Yeah, yeah," Jackey chuckled, swirling the sake in his cup. "By the way, our city's elite girls are so sexy. It's my bad; I didn't have a taste of Viny." That girl had some great curves.
Aster's eyes flared, wide with shock and pure, unadulterated rage. His fists clenched, nails digging into his palms. What? His mind screamed. What did he say? I will tear him apart!
Jackey, seemingly amused by Aster's barely suppressed fury, laughed calmly. "Hahaha. You know something, Aster? Two decades ago, when a man from the Oza clan killed my father, we Siroka killed the whole Oza clan. Everyone should know that whatever the boss does is right. That's the whole culture of Yuzen City."
This life is heaven: girls, alcohol, sleep, and domination. He shouted, I can do whatever I want hahaha.... I will do something that my father failed to do.
I will win Ryuki City and make it my territory.
Aster laughed slightly. Boss Jackey, do you want to hear something? It will be hard for you to understand, but [in a rage voice] you are a fool... you are just an immature fool. You don't deserve to be the boss. I fight with Ryuki's to save this city, not to serve you, you understand.
Jackey—mind your words, Aster; he threw a glass of sake on his face.
Splash...
Jackey charged towards aster , boom.
He started punching; the heavy punches gave Aster hard wounds. Aster did not do anything.