Sakamoto days : The Heinous Flower

Chapter 8

I couldn't believe it. Four teenagers with barely any training, sent to kill two big shots. The academy must have lost its mind. Their files didn't offer much help either—just vague descriptions like Natto being a midget albino with oversized head and Edward a muscular blond guy. Very helpful.

I gripped the wheel, navigating the dimly lit roads as Rion sat behind me, flipping through the mission folder again while smoking . Her expression twisted with disbelief. "Is this a joke? Natto? Who the hell names themselves after fermented beans?"

"Maybe he smells like it," I muttered, my focus on the road ahead.

From the backseat, Sakamoto spoke up without looking up from his rice ball. "Keep your eyes on the road, Kasumi. The names don't matter. What does matter is we're driving into syndicate territory with barely any intel."

Nagumo, lounging in the passenger seat like he owned the car, chuckled. "You're all so tense. Relax. It's not like we're the ones who'll end up on the chopping block… probably."

"Comforting," Rion snapped, slamming the folder shut. "You're surprisingly laid back for someone on the same suicide mission. Besides, I've never seen you fight. Are you even strong?"

Nagumo shrugged, propping his feet up on the dashboard. " Someone has to balance out the mood. Besides, if you're gonna go, might as well go out smiling."

I shot him a glare. "Get your feet off the dash before I break them."

He smirked but complied, brushing imaginary dust off his pant leg. "Touchy, touchy. Never thought you had anger issues, Kasumi."

Before I could retort, Sakamoto cut in "Enough. Save the energy for when we actually need it."

The car grew silent, the tension thick. The city lights outside the windows blurred as I drove us deeper into unfamiliar territory it looked like an abandoned factory

"Go slow," Sakamoto said, his voice low. "We're almost there."

Knock knock knock

I stiffened as the knock came from my window, my grip tightening on the steering wheel.

Slowly, I rolled the window down just a crack, enough to see the face of a man standing unnervingly close to the car. His expression was blank, his eyes a haunting black.

"This place is off-limits," he said, his tone flat, almost mechanical.

I raised an eyebrow, my instincts screaming at me to stay alert. "I brought the stuff," I replied evenly, testing the waters.

The man's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze flickering to the others in the car. "What stuff?"

"You know what," I replied, keeping my tone casual while glancing meaningfully at the man crotch.

His blank expression cracked just a bit, his brows furrowing.

"What the fuck?" Rion whispered from the backseat, her voice sharp but low enough to avoid being overheard.

The man blinked, seemingly catching my drift—or at least deciding it wasn't worth the hassle. "Oh, I see," he said, stepping back. "Stop your car near the house. Two men will come to take it."

I gave him a small nod and rolled the window up as he turned to walk away.

"Did you seriously just—" Rion started, but before she could finish, my foot slipped, and I accidentally stomped on the gas pedal.

The car lurched forward with a screech, slamming straight into the house ahead.

"WHAT THE HELL?!" Rion shouted, gripping the back of my seat as the impact rattled the entire vehicle.

"BWHAHAH "Nagumo burst out laughing, completely unfazed. "Well, that's one way to make an entrance!"

Sakamoto sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, clearly irritated by the whole situation.

Before anyone could respond, the guard from earlier came sprinting toward the car, his face a mix of panic and rage. "You idiot! What have you done?! Now everyone will know about our secret entra—"

Kasumi cut the guard off mid-sentence, his hand snapping out to grab the man by the jaw, halting him in place. The guard's breath hitched, panic flooding his face as he realized just how much trouble he was in.

Kasumi ripped himself out of the car, his grip on the guard unyielding as the man's mind scrambled for an escape. Kasumi didn't give him the chance. He held the guard in place, his grip firm as he leaned in just enough to make his words stick.

"Secret entrance?" Kasumi's voice was dripping with mockery. "Thanks for the heads up."

The guard's face drained of color as fear washed over him, and his whole body stiffened under the pressure.

Bang!

The sharp sound of the gunshot echoed through the air, the guard collapsing in an instant. Sakamoto, his expression unchanged, lowered the gun. "Enough chatting. Let's make a plan."

Rion blinked, her amusement quickly turning into a more cynical smile. "Yup, we've wasted enough time already."

Kasumi didn't respond, his eyes still locked on the body he was holding. "This was unnecessary."

Nagumo, stepping forward with a grin, looked down as he opened the basement door "Looks like the meeting's going to be held down there." He motioned toward a staircase leading underground, clearly amused by the whole situation." So how about this let's go on two and two team to will go after the Midget and two after the big guy "

Sakamoto nodded, already moving toward the staircase. "Let's get this over with."

Rion shot Kasumi a glance, her voice laced with a mix of irritation and curiosity. "You gonna let it go, or make out with it"

Kasumi finally dropped the guard's lifeless body, letting it crumple to the ground like a discarded rag doll. He shot Rion a flat look, choosing not to dignify her jab with a response.

Rion smirked, clearly enjoying her small victory. "What? Cat got your tongue?"

Nagumo crouched by the basement door, gesturing toward the dim staircase below. "Save it for later, you two. They probably heard the gunshot."

Sakamoto, ever the pragmatic one, stepped past them and peered down into the shadows. "We split into two teams. Rion, you're with me. Kasumi, Nagumo—you handle the other target."

Kasumi raised an eyebrow. "So…we fight whoever we find?"

Sakamoto nodded once, his face calm but serious.

"Not like we've got enough intel to choose our targets anyway" Nagumo added, strolling closer to Kasumi. With an irritating grin, he clapped him on the shoulder. "Don't worry, partner. I'll keep things fun."

Kasumi brushed off Nagumo's hand with a sigh. "Just don't slow me down."

As they moved toward the stairs, Kasumi shot a glance back at Sakamoto. "We'll signal if we find the target. Check for other paths while you're at it. And don't mess up."

Sakamoto's response was short and calm. "Likewise."

Nagumo chuckled, his voice carrying a hint of amusement as it echoed in the cramped space. "Well, isn't this just a heartwarming farewell? Let's not die, yeah?"

"Not planning on it," Kasumi muttered, his fingers brushing the weapon at his side as they descended deeper into the darkness. The faint, damp air of the basement grew heavier with each step.

________

"Augh, this place is so tight I think I'll suffocate to death," Kasumi muttered, pausing mid-step to catch his breath. The air was heavy, oppressive, and the narrow staircase felt like it was closing in on him.

Nagumo smirked, glancing up at Kasumi. "What happened to mister 'not planning to die'?"

Kasumi raised his voice, irritation lacing his tone. "I meant not dying to people, not to bad architecture."

Nagumo chuckled, stopping tocatch his breath as well. "Well, I don't think anyone actually uses this ladder regularly. Like that bodyguard said—it's probably for safely transporting whatever bad stuff they have to the bottom."

Kasumi grumbled, gripping the bars tightly. "Oh, that explains why the bars are so slippery."

Nagumo raised an eyebrow, his grin never faltering. "Hmm? But they're not... you're just sweating too much. Kasumi, are you scared?"

Kasumi shot him a sharp glare, his voice sharp. "Of what?"

Nagumo's tone shifted from his usual playful one. "Dying."

Kasumi scoffed, brushing off the comment. "So, who's taking care of the henchmen?"

Nagumo smirked, his casual demeanor returning. "Hmm, we'll handle them together. Or, if you're feeling brave, you can fight them alone while I handle the target. Your call."

Kasumi frowned, staring down at him in confusion. 'Does he think I'm scared of the targets?' The thought lingered for a moment before he dismissed it.

"Let's just go," Kasumi muttered, pushing ahead. "We've wasted enough time already."

_________

In a grand hall, a small figure sat at an enormous, luxurious table laden with an extravagant spread of food. Plates of steaming dishes, glistening with sauces, surrounded him like offerings. To his right, a massive screen covered an entire wall, its soft glow casting flickering light across the room.

The figure, barely noticeable amidst the grandeur, leaned back in a plush chair far too large for his frame. Despite his diminutive size, the air around him was oppressive, his presence dominating the vast space.

"Kasumin ~" he muttered, the name rolling off his tongue with a chilling familiarity. His hand idly stroked the sleek fur of a cat lounging in his lap, its purring the only sound that dared to fill the silence.

The massive screen to his right flickered, displaying live feeds of various locations in the building

His gaze lingered on the grainy screen, locking onto Kasumi's face as it appeared in one of the feeds. A grotesque smile spread across his face, exposing teethless gums glistening in the dim light. Slowly, he ran his tongue across them, the gesture as unnerving as it was deliberate.

" how would it be to bite him ?" he muttered, his voice low and gravelly, the corners of his lips twitching with amusement...

Ring, ring, ring, ring.

The sudden sound of a phone ringing shattered the stillness of the hall. He turned his head slowly, his expression unchanged as he reached for the sleek, black phone resting on the table.

"Mosh mosh ~" he responded trying to sound as feminine as possible

"Sir, I think it's 'moshi moshi,' not—"

"Shut up," he snapped, his tone icy enough to silence the stammering voice on the other end.

There was a brief pause before the voice regained its composure. "Ahem… Sir, Mr. Edward was escorted inside, though his men are currently fighting two intruders who sneaked in."

The man leaned back further in his chair, his lips curling into a thin, sinister smile. "Alright. Tell the servants to treat his corpse carefully Oh, and send 10 guards to Me"

The voice on the phone stammered, "Y-yes, sir," before the line went dead.

Placing the phone back on the table, he smirked, his toothless gums exposed in a grotesque grin. His fingers drummed against the polished wood, the cat in his lap purring louder as if sharing his dark amusement.

"Ha... who am I kidding?" he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper but dripping with sadistic glee. "They'll all probably end up as red mist. After all..."

He leaned forward, his pale face illuminated by the glow of the oversized screen to his right. His eyes sparkled with a mixture of fear and reverence. "...he's our new Lord Vessel."

The figure stood, his cat leaping gracefully to the floor. Straightening his impeccably tailored jacket, he muttered to himself with a sinister chuckle, "I should go there on my own."

With slow, deliberate steps, he moved toward the exit, his shadow stretching ominously across the lavish hall as if foreshadowing the carnage to come.