Yuuta's eyes widened as he stared at the two men before him. His mind raced, struggling to process what he had just heard.
"Murder...?"
He whispered, almost to himself.
He couldn't believe it. Everything that had happened in the past two days felt unreal. How much more was life going to take from him? Or was this just how the system worked? A mutant deemed unnecessary—framed, imprisoned, and left to rot.
"This is a lie. I would never do such a thing. Robbery? Murder? I would never kill anyone!"
He turned to his godmother, who stood behind the two policemen, clutching the fabric of her dress as if it could shield her from the weight of the moment.
"Godmother, tell them! You know I'd never kill anybody, right? I would—"
His words died in his throat. The way she turned her back to him leaning on the police men—it said everything.
A sharp realization struck him. Was this part of the system? Was she part of it? Was she the one framing me?
His mind flooded with questions and likely possible answers, but then a bitter truth settled in.
'Who the hell would believe me? I'm a damn delinquent. No one will ever believe someone like me"
Over the years, he had been involved in minor crimes—vandalism, petty theft, nothing extreme. And through it all, his godmother had done what she always did. She hid. She never questioned him, never stopped him, only watched as he reaped what he sowed. That was life. And in this moment, he felt something strange—gratitude.
Yuuta accepted it.
This was the position he had put himself in. And now, the world had simply assigned him the role he had unknowingly prepared for.
But even if he felt defeated, he wasn't ready to surrender.
"Out of my way."
His voice was low but firm.
"What did you say?" one of the officers asked, stepping closer.
"I said, OUT OF MY WAY, YOU BASTARDS!"
Yuuta lunged, ramming his head into the officer's stomach. The man groaned and reached for him, but Yuuta moved fast. His teeth sank deep into the officer's arm, tearing into flesh until blood spurted out. The man screamed, clutching his wound.
Yuuta didn't stop. He turned to the other officer and delivered a brutal punch straight to his groin. The man collapsed, writhing in pain.
Both men were down.
Yuuta's first real fight—and his first victory.
He turned to his godmother. She sat frozen on the floor, eyes wide with terror, body trembling as if gripped by a sudden fever. Sweat glistened on her skin.
Yuuta knew that look well. Fear.
"I didn't kill anybody. I would never do that."
And with that, he ran.
***
8:30 AM. Rush Hour. Tokyo.
Cars clogged the streets, their horns blaring impatiently. Even when traffic moved, it was never more than a few centimeters at a time.
The pedestrian walk was just as chaotic—people weaving through each other with little room for error. Moving too slow meant getting shoved aside. Moving too fast meant bumping into others, triggering frustrated outbursts from overworked adults.
Yet, through the crowd, one figure sprinted recklessly, shoving past anyone in his way. Yuuta. The so-called rogue mutant.
He darted into a dark alley, the stench of garbage and decay thick in the air. Rats and cockroaches scurried, undisturbed by his presence.
Yuuta reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, answering a call from an unknown number.
"Hey! What's up, G? Bet you're running for your life, huh? Hahaha."
The voice was familiar—eerily familiar. The very person he expected to call.
"News travels fast," Yuuta muttered.
"Not in the open world, it doesn't. So, what's your plan, my guy? Keep running like a damn rat? Or… I don't know—look for protection?"
The voice deepened at the last word.
"Protection?"
"Come on, bro. You know what I mean. Meet me at the usual spot. And dump that phone, yeah? Don't want to get too tangled with the XTR."
Yuuta exhaled sharply. "Yeah… I get it."
"Good. I'll be waiting."
The call ended, leaving Yuuta in silence.
XTR. They would be after him soon and that meant one thing—death.
The XTR was a military force composed of Mutants, known as Supernaturals, tasked with eliminating rogue mutants and dismantling mutant crime syndicates. A powerful organization not entirely under the government as they work as an organization of their own.
Yuuta crushed his phone against the ground, shattering it. He took a deep breath and ran, this time with a destination in mind.
***
A Brothel. His Last Option.
It was small but flashy. A place he once swore never to return to. But now, it was his only refuge.
As he entered, the automatic doors slid open, and a receptionist greeted him.
She was young, early twenties—beautiful in a way designed to ignite any man's desires. Yet, as always, Yuuta felt nothing.
"Welcome, young sir..."
She squinted at him, recognition dawning.
"Oh? If it isn't Yuuta-boy. Business? The boss? Or… maybe a little fun?"
Her voice dipped into a sultry tone, the kind that could make lesser men weak in the knees.
Yuuta's response was cold. "I'm here for Yasuke."
She pouted. "Ouch… and here I thought you came to play with big sis. Hmph. The boss is waiting in his room."
Before she could say more, Yuuta walked off.
The deeper he went, the more the building reeked of sin. Behind every closed door, behind every dimly lit hallway, there were sounds—moans, whispers, laughter. Men relieving stress. Husbands betraying their wives. Some even with their wives.
Yuuta arrived at a door labeled 'Office'.
He didn't bother knocking.
Inside, the room was large. An office desk sat at the center, neatly stacked with papers. And beyond that, a massive bed where Yasuke entertained his pleasures.
A loud voice cut through the air.
"Didn't your godmother teach you how to knock, huh?"
Yasuke emerged from the bed, half-naked, two women still sprawled across the sheets. He walked up to Yuuta and draped an arm around his neck, whispering in his ear.
"Don't mind me, bro. I've been waiting for you."
He clapped twice, signaling the women.
"Alright, ladies. Privacy, please."
The two women, still bare, got up. Yuuta shut his eyes in disgust. Yasuke smirked.
"Still acting like a kid, huh? Come on, bro. Grow up. You're a wanted man now. Sit. Let's talk."
Yuuta hesitated but took a seat. Yasuke poured two glasses of wine, sliding one to him.
"I don't drink."
"Don't bullshit me. You're in my place. My place, my rules. Unless, of course, you'd rather be running from the XTR?"
Yuuta sighed. He knew Yasuke. The man hated when people rejected his "kindness."
So, he downed the drink in one gulp.
The burn hit instantly, spreading from his tongue to his throat, settling like fire in his stomach. His vision blurred for a moment.
Yasuke grinned. "There we go. Now you're a man. Let's talk business."
"You said you could give me protection?" Yuuta's voice wavered.
"Not just protection. I can make you a member of one of the strongest gangs in Japan."
Yuuta's stomach twisted. "You don't mean—"
"That's right." Yasuke spread his arms. "Gekido Kyodan."
For a moment, Yasuke could see it—the glimmer of excitement in Yuuta's eyes, the eyes of a kid still trapped in a world of dreams and expectations. A fragile mentality. A mind easy to mold. A perfect prey.
But why would Yuuta even consider joining a notorious gang? Acceptance. All human beings crave acknowledgment, a sense of belonging. And in his case, those were two things life had cruelly denied him.
"So… my bro, are you up for this?"
The light in Yuuta's eyes flickered, then vanished, grounding him back in reality. His voice, now cautious, cut through the air. "This deal sounds too good to be true. You've only told me what I stand to gain—what about you? What do you get out of this?"
Yasuke's shoulders relaxed, a sly grin creeping onto his lips. He leaned forward. "When you put it like that, it almost feels like you don't know me at all. Come on, bro, you know how I roll. I'm not just some guy looking for minions—I value trust, bonds, connections. And we're talking about Gekido Kyodan here." His voice dropped slightly. "I see potential in you. You'll rise up the ranks in no time, and when that day comes, you'll remember who gave you this golden opportunity."
Yuuta mulled over Yasuke's words, his mind clouded with uncertainty. The offer was tempting, too tempting, but he knew the truth—joining a mutant crime syndicate would do nothing to clear his name.
"Can I have time to think about this?" His voice softened, almost uncertain—perhaps the most vulnerable he had sounded since stepping into this building.
Yasuke smirked. "Of course, bro. Your life, your choices. As always, make yourself at home. You remember the way to your special room, right? Go there, sleep off the stress, clear your mind. By evening, come back to my office with your answer. We good?"
Yuuta nodded slowly. His body moved on autopilot as he rose from his chair, each step toward the door feeling heavier than the last. He staggered slightly as he disappeared down the hall.
Now alone in his office/playroom, Yasuke let out a long sigh, running a hand through his hair. He reached into his drawer, sifting through a pile of phones, and selected one at random. With a few taps, the call connected.
"Hey. Tell your boss I've got the package in my care. I'll deliver it by eight tonight, so have my money ready. And remember—don't harm it. Ever."
The call ended with a soft click. Yasuke leaned back, his gaze fixed on the ceiling, his mind already spinning with possibilities.
"Nine hundred million Seri in one deal… talk about grace." A dark chuckle escaped his lips. "I should open a casino—nah, too costly. More brothels? Got plenty of those already. Eh, no need to plan ahead until I've secured my payday."
His lips curled into a sinister grin, his mind already set on the fortune within his grasp.