Author's Preface
............
There was nothing but the darkness of the abyss.
*WHOOSH.....*
The wind blew in the midst of the dark—
*DIM...*
*WHOOSH....*
The scenery shifted to reveal a dark, semi-curved stretch of asphalt. Just one look at the empty street made it obvious it was deep into the night.
*BZZT...*
The sound of an electrical short hummed through the air as a faint, amber-yellow glow flickered weakly across the pavement with every spark.
*BZZT...*
.........
*BZZT...*
The perspective shifted again, showing four operational casino slot machines lined up along the sidewalk, jammed tight against the exposed brick wall of a high-rise building.
A narrow metal canopy hung anchored to the brick high above the machines, housing three widely spaced amber-yellow bulbs designed to illuminate the alley.
The middle bulb was shattered, sparking violently in the dark, while the screen of the second slot machine on the right glitched repeatedly.
*BZZT...*
........
*WHOO...*
*CRASH!*
A male figure slammed straight through the center of the overhead canopy, crashing spine-first into the top of the two middle slot machines!
*SPAAARK!*
*BZZZT..!*
*PSSHT...!*
The slot machines erupted in a shower of sparks and violent visual glitches as the man rested there for a fraction of a second, his forearms raised in slow-motion to shield his face.
In a single fluid motion, he planted his hands on the metal casing and backflipped off the ruin of the machines.
*TMP. TMP.*
Landed on his feet, the tanned man—wearing a slightly scuffed white long-sleeve shirt, a loose red tie, and dark suit trousers—instantly dropped into a low, aggressive combat stance with his hands extended.
The left side of his face bore a fresh, bleeding cut across the cheekbone alongside a few dark bruises. His eyes were locked in with absolute lethality.
It was P.
*STEP.*
*STEP.*
*STEP.*
A second man—fair—skinned with long, flowing blonde hair—stepped out from the dark alleyway to the left, entering the amber light beneath the broken canopy.
A loose wire dangling from the cracked light fixture glitched directly above his head.
*TMP. TMP.*
"You ain't bad..." P muttered, shifting his weight.
"Then come at me... Monkey—" the blonde man hissed menacingly.
*STEP.*
"—You damn RACIST..." P growled, taking a slow, deliberate step forward.
*STEP.*
"Insolent Monkey..." the blonde man spat.
*STEP. STEP.*
They both exploded forward, closing the distance in an instant!
The blonde man launched himself ahead, driving a lethal left hook straight at P's jaw. P narrowly weaved to his right, his hand flashing out to catch the man's wrist as the fist whizzed past his cheek.
Capitalizing on the momentum, P yanked the arm forward and drove a brutal left knee toward the blonde man's ribs. But the impact was checked—the blonde man jammed his right palm into P's chest, shoving P back just as both of them touched the pavement.
*THUD!*
*STEP. STEP.*
*TMP.*
Both fighters reset at opposite ends of the alley. P stood gallant and focused, while the blonde man reached down to touch his bruised ribs before charging again in a blind rage.
As he closed the gap, he shoved his arm into the gap between the second and third broken slot machines, tearing out a long, heavy length of exposed electrical wire with teeth bared.
He swung the live wire at P, who was already dipping into a duck to weave left.
"YAAAAAHH.....!" the blonde man screamed at the top of his lungs.
With his left hand raised, his jaw unhinged, and a face distorted by pure fury—
Everything slammed to a complete, dead stop.
*BEEP.*
> **P's INTERNAL MONOLOGUE:**
> *SHIT... OH— UHH... SORRY ABOUT THE FACE, BUT... YOU'RE PROBABLY WONDERING WHY EVERYTHING SUDDENLY STOPPED, HUH? OR HOW SHIT EVEN GOT THIS CRAZY IN THE FIRST PLACE?*
> *OR WHY THIS BLONDE GUY'S MOUTH IS OPEN THIS WIDE FO—*
> *HUU.... BAD BREATH! DOES THIS GUY EVEN BRUSH HIS TEETH?! UGH—*
> *SOMEONE PLEASE... HUERK..*
> *GET THIS MAN'S FACE OFF THE SCREEN BEFORE I THROW UP...*
> *UGH.. HUWUH...*
>
*TP.*
The frame abruptly cut away from the blonde man's screaming face, snapping directly to P's calm, cool expression, his eyes staring back with deadpan expectancy.
> **P's INTERNAL MONOLOGUE:**
> *HAA... WHOO—*
> *MUCH BETTER...*
> *SO— HOW I GOT HERE?*
> *WELL... IT'S A VEEERY LONG STORY.*
> *SO HOW ABOUT WE ALL TAKE A QUICK RECAP TO HOW IT ALL STARTED...?*
> *.........*
> *O...KAYY....*
> *.........*
> *—AREN'T THE VISUALS SUPPOSED TO DO SOMETHING...?*
>
Instantly, starting from P's face, the footage began rapidly rewinding—skipping backward through flashes of violent combat and unseen events prior to the current mess.
*DIM.*
Everything plunged into total darkness.
**Casino — EARLIER THAT NIGHT**
*MURMUR MURMUR...*
*TAK. TAK..*
The scene opened on a pair of fair female feet in sleek black high heels walking across a polished floor.
> **P's INTERNAL MONOLOGUE:**
> *WAIT? THIS AIN'T HOW IT—*
>
*BEEP.*
The visual reset, focusing again on the black high heels stepping forward in a smooth rhythm.
*STEP. STEP. STEP.*
Yuki glided through the main entrance of a massive, three-story casino complex, cutting through the dense, energetic crowd.
The casino was practically its own subterranean metropolis.
Bright neon signs flashed across every wall and pillar, advertising various games and high-stakes promotions. The surrounding air was thick with the auditory chaos of spinning slot reels, rolling dice, shuffled cards, and thunderous cheers.
*DING! DING! DING!*
*KA-CHING!*
*"YES!"*
*"Come on, come on!"*
*"I WON!"*
The main floor was a labyrinth of gaming tables and flashing terminals.
Neon lights washed over the crowds as slot machines chimed from every corridor. Roulette wheels spun in blur patterns, dealers shuffled decks with mechanical speed, croupiers barked numbers, and waiters navigated the chaos carrying trays of drinks.
Above the main floor, grand balconies encircled the second and third levels, giving view to exclusive VIP lounges, private high-roller suites, and luxury dining areas.
*STEP. STEP. STEP.*
Yuki navigated the bustling floor, her black heels clicking steadily against the marble.
She passed a row of crowded baccarat tables before bringing her gaze forward.
Sitting alone at a small round table built for two, far across the main hall, was Hanabi.
Hanabi sat comfortably, tapping away at her phone screen as she waited. The chair directly across from her remained empty.
Yuki’s eyes locked onto her target.
Hanabi glanced up, her tired expression brightening instantly the moment she spotted her friend.
"Yuki!" Hanabi called out, waving her hand.
Yuki smiled and began making her way toward the table.
*STEP. STEP.*
The ambient roar of the casino echoed all around them:
*DING!*
*KA-CHING!*
*SHUFFLE.*
*CLACK.*
*"Place your bets, ladies and gentlemen!"*
Yuki reached the table, placing her left hand on the chair back for balance as she sat down.
Hanabi immediately locked her phone, opened her designer purse, dropped the phone inside, and set the purse down on the right side of the table.
"What took you so long...? I've been waiting for hours," Hanabi complained, letting out a mild sigh.
"I got caught up with some wardrobe stuff, but the point is I'm here now," Yuki said smoothly.
"So why did you want to meet here of all places?" Hanabi asked.
"I'm actually about to open a new gym business..." Yuki revealed with a proud smile.
Hanabi picked up her glass of wine from the table, taking a quiet sip.
"Oh wow... Congrats! But why a gym?" Hanabi asked, holding the glass at shoulder height.
"It's just what I love... I'm passionate about fitness, and enjoying a healthy body has its own undeniable perks," Yuki said, giving Hanabi a playful wink.
The wink was a clear nod toward Yuki's stunning, enviable curves—a subtext Hanabi picked up on instantly.
"Haa..." Hanabi rolled her eyes with a dry laugh.
"Though mine doesn't even come close to yours. How do you actually manage to hide the actual si—" Yuki leaned in, lowering her voice.
"I think we definitely shouldn't be talking about this out in public," Hanabi cut in, setting her wine glass back down on the table with her right hand.
"Haa..." Yuki chuckled softly. "Well... there's actually someone I would like you to meet."
*MURMUR MURMUR...*
*STEP.*
*STEP.*
A tall, broad-shouldered man in a fitted black suit, a few stray strands of blonde hair falling across his forehead, moved slowly toward their table.
"Who?" Hanabi asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Hi—" a smooth male voice interrupted.
A left hand reached out between Hanabi and Yuki, pointing gently toward Hanabi.
Hanabi looked up to trace the voice.
Standing over her was the blonde man, offering her a polite, charming smile.
"Meet Arthur," Yuki introduced, gesturing toward him with her right hand.
Hanabi stared blankly at his face for a long second before dropping her eyes to his offered hand.
*TP.*
She reached out hesitantly, giving his hand a brief handshake.
"Nice... to meet you," Hanabi said cautiously.
"So... uhh," Yuki murmured, smoothly sliding out of her seat to give Arthur the chair. "I'll leave you two to talk."
Hanabi looked up in total bewilderment as Yuki stood up.
Yuki flashed a mischievous smirk and a quick wink at Hanabi before turning and walking away into the crowd.
*What is she up to...? Who even is this guy?* Hanabi thought, looking across the table at Arthur, who sat down calmly, his cold blue eyes locking onto hers.
*STEP.*
*STEP.*
As Yuki walked away with a satisfied smirk, she glanced idly to her left for a fraction of a second before looking forward again.
Suddenly, her confident expression completely shattered into absolute shock. She whipped her head back to the left, her eyes widening in sheer disbelief.
*"No... way..."*
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