The west wing of Takeda's compound was a maze of dim corridors, shadows stretching long against paper-paneled walls. Taehyun moved like a predator in the dark, blade tucked at his back, his steps precise and soundless.
A faint, muffled sound .something falling…made him pause. His gaze cut toward a partially open sliding door. He slipped inside.
Hanna lay collapsed on the floor beside an overturned chair, her face pale, breath shallow.
"Hanna…?" His voice dropped, alarmed, as he knelt beside her, fingers checking her pulse with trained efficiency. A small bruise marked her wrist, suggesting she'd been restrained, but there was nothing fatal. Still, she didn't wake.
He lifted her carefully into his arms. "You really don't make it easy, do you?" he murmured under his breath.
Her fingers stirred weakly, clutching his collar. "…Junho…" she breathed.
His eyes softened for a fleeting moment before sharpening again. "You'll see him soon. But first, let's get you out of here."
He carried her through the west wing's shadowed halls, slipping past corners and darkened doorways, every step deliberate. The faint echo of footsteps followed somewhere behind them.
Outside, the back gate of Takeda's compound loomed under silver moonlight. From the east wing, Seri and Junho emerged from the shadows, heading for the same exit.
They almost collided with Taehyun as he appeared from the opposite side, Hanna leaning weakly against him.
"I thought you already left," Seri whispered, her gaze narrowing.
"She passed out," he grunted. "Heavier than you think."
"Junhossii…?" Hanna's eyes fluttered open, her voice trembling. "Is it really you…?" Tears welled and slipped down her cheeks.
Junho stepped forward instantly, voice gentle. "Hanna… Are you okay?"
She clung to him, burying her face against his shoulder.
Seri's eyes caught the moment. Hanna holding onto Junho as though he were her only anchor. Something flickered behind Seri's calm expression. Not anger. Not heartbreak. Just a quiet sting.
Junho glanced at her briefly, then looked away, helping Hanna steady herself. He avoided her gaze, not because he didn't want to see her, but because he was afraid of what he might see if he did.
"Not the time for reunions or tears," Taehyun cut in firmly. "We're still inside enemy walls."
The wind swept through the courtyard. A distant shout echoed from somewhere inside the compound.
"We move. Now," Seri said, her grip tightening on her weapon.
They had taken only a few steps when the sound of approaching footsteps surrounded them.
From the shadows, figures emerged. Down the stone steps, across the walls, slipping silently from doorways. Dozens of Takeda's men closed in, some clad in black suits, others in masked assassin gear. Their faces unreadable. Their presence lethal.
Seri's gaze swept over them, calm and measured. "Of course… I expected this," she muttered coldly.
Then the crowd parted.
Takeda Seiji stepped forward, his stride steady, the weight of his presence enough to still the air. In his early sixties, dressed in a black haori trimmed with silver, he carried himself like a man who had never known defeat. His sharp eyes studied them with quiet, unnerving control.
A faint, cruel smile tugged at his lips. "Welcome, Aira," he said in Japanese, his tone smooth, almost polite. "Seems we didn't welcome you properly."
Seri didn't flinch. She stepped forward, her voice steady, her gaze never leaving his.
"Hello, Takeda-sama," she said in Japanese. "Long time no see."
Masked men encircle them. Swords gleam. The night is deadly quiet. Behind Seri and Taehyun, Hanna trembled as she woke, praying this was just a nightmare, but the cold and pain told her it was real.
Takeda's gaze swept over his men in Japanese . "Seems like we've frightened them too much. Lower your weapons." The masked men pulled their blades back.
The atmosphere shifted but not with peace. With calculation.
Takeda turned his gaze to Seri, his tone polite, though a mocking edge lingered beneath it. He stepped forward slowly, eyes gleaming with amused cruelty. His words came in calm, articulate languages, the tone almost courteous… but not quite. "Apologies for the little commotion during your trip."
He glanced at the trembling Junho and Hanna behind Seri, then shifted his gaze back to her with mock courtesy. "We didn't mean to terrify your friends. But I'm sure you understand… some things must be done with a bit of theater."
He smiled…too calm, too smooth. "Kang Junho is coming with us. For his safety, of course. We wouldn't want any more chaos to follow you, would we?"
Hanna's fingers clutched Junho's sleeve, her voice barely a whisper. "Junho… I'm scared. Is everyone in Kyoto secretly an assassin?" She scanned the shadows masked figures everywhere, blades flashing under moonlight.
Junho kept his gaze forward, shielding her slightly, his voice steady despite the sweat forming on his brow. "Just stay calm, Hanna. We'll get through this… just pray."
Hanna bit her lip, eyes wide and brimming. She wanted to believe him, but it was hard to, when all around them was the promise of death. Then her gaze shifted to Taehyun. His outfit was completely intimidating now, a far cry from the casual charm she had once noticed. Dressed in black combat gear, every line of him spoke of danger. In this moment, he didn't look charming at all, he looked entirely like an assassin.
Taehyun noticed Hanna's eyes on him and, without missing a beat, flashed a charming smile, the kind that always landed without effort. Junho, standing just to the side, caught the exchange. His jaw tightened almost imperceptibly, his gaze sharpening with quiet disapproval.
Seri stepped forward, eyes blazing. "He already saw the vision. You're just using him… hiding behind this protection excuse to cover your bloody, twisted sins." Her voice cut through the tension like a blade. "You're not saving him. You're silencing him."
Taehyun barged in, voice firm. "Enough. You don't need to spill more blood." He glared at Takeda's men, then at Seri. "This isn't how it's supposed to end."
Takeda's voice was calm, almost persuasive. "Oh, Ken… You don't have to be a part of them. There's still time. You can take our side."
Seri stepped forward, her tone fierce, eyes blazing. "Enough with your ridiculous offer. You're the one who changed. You betrayed Iwao."
A brief silence fell. Takeda's smile faded, his eyes narrowing. Then, with a low, bitter smirk, he spoke again. "Not everything we want in this world… we get to keep. Some things are meant to be taken. Others… must be sacrificed." His gaze slid from Seri to Junho, lingering with calculated intent.
He chuckled darkly, stepping closer. "I think you should just… let me keep him, dear Aira. Besides… Iwao doesn't need him anymore." His smirk widened. "He's dying, isn't he?"
Seri froze, her eyes widening. "What… what are you talking about?"
Takeda tilted his head, his tone dripping with mockery. "Oh? No one told you? He's been poisoned—tragic, really. But perhaps he should've let me handle things instead of pretending to still be in power. Ordering me around like he's the real master… when I was the one keeping everything in balance."
Taehyun's jaw tightened, his eyes darkening as he took a measured step forward. "You're going to regret that…"
Takeda laughed louder now, a twisted joy flashing across his face. "Ah… such loyalty. But loyalty won't save him now."
Seri's breath caught, her voice trembling as she whispered in Japanese, 「それで一人で終わらせろと言ったの...岩尾.」 Sore de hitori de owarasero to itta no… Iwao. "So that's why you told me to finish this alone… Iwao."
The truth struck like a blade to the chest. Her fists clenched, her body trembling, her chest rising and falling with suppressed fury.
Her eyes turned glassy, tears threatening to fall but they didn't. She bit them back. She wouldn't cry. Not now. A gust of cold wind swept through the standoff, brushing strands of hair across her face. The moment froze. Then—SHHK! Her hand shot out in a blur, snatching the large blade lodged upright near Takeda's side. Her grip tightened, knuckles white.
"You poisoned him… and now you think I'll let you walk away?" Her voice shook with rage as she turned toward Takeda, blade raised, eyes burning like a silent but catastrophic storm. Everything around her stilled. Even the guards faltered. Takeda stopped smiling.
「自分のために死んだ人を,裏切るべきじゃなかった.」 Jibun no tame ni shinda hito o, uragiru beki janakatta. "You shouldn't have betrayed someone who once died for you." Her quiet words in Japanese cut deeper than any weapon. Takeda's eyes narrowed, confusion flickering across his face.
"Seri—your back!" Taehyun's shout rang out.
She spun instantly, blocking a hidden blade slicing through the air. A masked assassin had aimed for her blind spot, but Seri moved like lightning, parrying the strike before pivoting low to deliver a fierce kick to the attacker's ribs. The man flew back, crashing into the wall. Without looking down, her gaze snapped back to Takeda, the blood on her blade glinting in the moonlight.
Another assassin lunged from the shadows, blade raised. Seri sidestepped, seized his arm mid-strike, twisted until it cracked, and flipped him over her shoulder. The body slammed to the floor, unmoving.
"Ken! Protect the both of them!" she shouted.
Without hesitation, Taehyun leapt forward, drawing twin blades in a fluid motion. He blocked one attacker, spun, and kicked another off their feet, positioning himself between the danger and Junho and Hanna. Hanna clutched Junho's arm, terrified, while Junho's jaw clenched as he tried to process the chaos.
Seri turned back, but Takeda was gone. Fury sparked in her eyes. More blades closed in. She had to protect them. Could she?