Chapter 7: Echoes of the Past
The city was quiet—or at least it pretended to be. From his perch on a rooftop, Kuroda Azein watched the streets below, rain dripping from the edge of his coat. The fire at the Syndicate's headquarters had long since faded, but its echoes lingered. Every move he made, every strike he delivered, left a trail. And somewhere in the shadows, the Syndicate was regrouping.
Kuroda had survived by being invisible, precise, and lethal. But surviving wasn't enough anymore. He needed allies.
Mira: The Hacker Ally
He made his way to a small, hidden apartment tucked between abandoned buildings. Inside, Mira, a young but brilliant hacker, tapped furiously at multiple keyboards. Screens glowed with maps, security grids, and encrypted files.
"You're late," she said without looking up, a hint of a smirk in her voice. "I already traced three Syndicate cells plotting your end."
"I had… matters to settle," Kuroda replied, his voice calm but measured.
Mira glanced up, eyes sharp. "Matters like reminding the city why 001 exists?"
He allowed a faint smile. "Something like that."
Together, they pored over intelligence gathered from Syndicate operations—encrypted messages, surveillance logs, and blueprints of safehouses. Mira's skills made Kuroda's reach limitless. With her, he could strike where they least expected it.
An Informant from the Shadows
Later that night, Kuroda met a figure in an alleyway—an informant who had helped him years ago during his Syndicate days. Cloaked in a trench coat, the man handed over a dossier.
"Lucien's reach is broader than you imagine," the informant warned. "They've embedded themselves in law enforcement, corporations, even politics. You can't fight this alone."
"I never fight alone," Kuroda said, voice low. "I fight smart."
The dossier contained photos, schedules, and the names of high-ranking operatives Kuroda hadn't encountered yet. One name stood out: Raven, an elite assassin rumored to be Lucien's right hand.
Reflections on the Past
Kuroda stepped onto the rooftop again, looking out at the neon-lit city. Memories surfaced: orphaned streets, training under The Syndicate, the losses that had forged him into 001. Every skill he had, every instinct, every scar—it all led him here.
He knew one truth: the Syndicate wouldn't stop until he was gone—or until the city itself was theirs.
"I've left the shadows behind," Kuroda whispered to the night. "But I won't leave the city to them."
The rain fell harder, washing over him, as if preparing him for the storms yet to come.
One man. One army. And now, allies by his side, the battle for New Arcadia was about to escalate.