The Keiretsu did not take humiliation lightly.


    Less than twelve hours after the failed cyberattack, the retaliation came—but it wasn''t another digital strike. This time, it was something far more personal.


    Ash stood on the balcony of Shirogiri Manor, the neon-lit cityscape stretching below him like a breathing, pulsating entity. The hum of traffic, the distant echoes of sirens, the muffled beats of underground clubs—it all seemed so distant, so utterly unaware of the war now brewing in its underbelly. He exhaled, letting the cold night air sharpen his focus. His comm-link crackled to life.


    Kaito''s voice was grim. "Ash. You need to see this. Now."


    It wasn''t just the words. It was the weight behind them, the raw edge of something inevitable. Ash turned, his movements fluid, precise. The walk through the manor''s dimly lit halls was slow, deliberate—like the tightening of a noose. The Keiretsu had struck.


    Minutes later, he entered the operations room. The air was thick with something unspoken, but the expressions of those gathered made it clear: this was not just a kill. Kenshiko had already pulled up a live video feed, the screen''s pale glow casting ghostly light over the grim faces of the Oni-Brigade''s commanders.


    Then, he saw it.


    A body, nailed to the steel gates of a fortified compound. A trusted lieutenant—one of their own. Crucified, mutilated beyond recognition, their limbs twisted into something grotesque. Blood slicked the metal, dripping onto the pavement below in slow, steady beats. But it was the symbol carved into their chest that truly sent the message.


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    The insignia of a Keiretsu execution squad.


    A silence hung over the room—thick, suffocating, seething with fury. No one spoke, but Ash felt the rage boiling beneath their stillness. Eyes locked onto the screen, fists clenched at their sides. The weight of the moment settled like steel against his ribs.


    Kaede stood near the display, her arms folded, her posture rigid as if holding back a storm. Her face remained unreadable, but the tremor in her clenched fists betrayed her fury. "This wasn''t just a kill." Her voice was low, venomous. "They wanted to desecrate him. Humiliate him. This was meant to break us."


    Kaito''s jaw was tight, his hands curled into fists at his sides. "They''re making it clear—step too far, and this is what happens."


    Ash''s gaze remained locked on the screen, his fingers curling against the armrest of his chair. His voice, when it came, was quiet. Lethal. "Then let''s send one back."


    A shift in the room. A pulse of anticipation. The Oni-Brigade awaited his command, unwavering. No hesitation. No fear. They all knew what was coming.


    "We don''t retaliate like cowards," Ash continued, his tone measured, precise. "We don''t just kill one man and call it even. We take something they can''t afford to lose."


    Kenshiko''s holographic form flickered as she processed incoming data, her voice smooth, analytical. "Keiretsu assets in the city remain vulnerable. We can pinpoint financial centers, storage facilities—"


    Ash cut her off with a sharp nod. "Burn their assets. Make them feel this loss. Hit where they think they''re untouchable." His eyes darkened, the finality in them absolute. "And send a message—this was their last mistake."


    Kaito exhaled slowly, a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. "We''re past playing defense, then."


    Ash met his gaze, unflinching. "We were never playing defense."


    The first blood had been drawn.


    The war was no longer in the shadows. It had begun.