Chapter 35: Shadows in the Dark
The safehouse was silent, but no one truly rested. Even as exhaustion clawed at their bodies, sleep refused to come. The weight of what had transpired clung to them like an unshakable fog. Daijin sat near the window, watching the storm build over the ruined city. Lightning split the sky, illuminating the streets below in quick flashes.
Yeon sat across from him, cleaning her gun with steady hands. The firelight flickered between them, casting long shadows across the room.
"You feel it too, don't you?" she asked.
Daijin exhaled slowly. "We're being watched."
She nodded. "Renji isn't the type to let his prey escape. If we made it out alive, it's because he let us."
The thought unsettled him. Daijin wasn't used to being the hunted.
Haru groaned from his corner. "You two are killing the mood. Can't we pretend we're safe for just one damn night?"
Akane leaned against the wall, her arms crossed. "You can pretend. The rest of us prefer to be ready when death comes knocking."
Haru muttered something under his breath before shifting to get more comfortable.
Daijin glanced at the others. They were strong, but even strength had its limits. If Renji was out there, waiting for the right moment to strike, they wouldn't survive another encounter like the last one.
"We need to move before dawn," Daijin said.
Haru groaned louder. "You just don't want me to sleep, do you?"
Yeon ignored him. "Where?"
Daijin's fingers tapped rhythmically against his knee. "We need allies. And I know exactly where to find them."
The room fell silent.
Akane raised an eyebrow. "You mean… them?"
Daijin nodded. "The Kisaragi Clan."
A heavy tension filled the air.
The Kisaragi Clan was a faction of rogue warriors who had once been allies of Daichi Sato before breaking away. They were mercenaries, fighting for profit rather than honor. Some considered them nothing more than bandits, but no one could deny their skill in battle.
Yeon frowned. "And what makes you think they'll help us?"
"They hate Tenshi as much as we do," Daijin replied. "And right now, we need all the help we can get."
---
Outside the Safehouse
Unseen eyes watched from the rooftops.
Renji crouched in the shadows, his masked face void of emotion. His blade rested in his hand, still wet with blood from his last hunt.
"Running already, Daijin?" he murmured.
He tilted his head, considering his next move.
He could kill them now. End it before they had a chance to regroup.
But where was the fun in that?
A storm was coming, and Renji wanted to see how far Daijin could run before it consumed him.
A slow smile crept across his face.
"Run while you can," he whispered. "The end is inevitable."
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