The lounge was quiet save for the soft creak of old wood and the faint hum of the casino beyond. Raven sat back in her chair, masked, posture unshaken, while Yumi lingered in the shadows, tails coiled like serpents. The air smelled faintly of salt and smoke.
From the far side of the room came a clicking sound, uneven, deliberate. A man stepped forward, black hair tied in a rough knot, an eye patch covering his left eye, his peg leg striking the floor with each step. He gave a crooked bow, forcing a smile that did little to hide his nervous tremor.
"Forgive me, my dear," he said, voice hoarse. "I lost my leg to pirates years ago. The sea isn't kind to men like me."
Raven dismissed him with a flick of her wrist. "I don't care. I came for information—and for my winnings."
The man chuckled, thin and shaky. "You know, when two people meet for the first time, they usually don't hide behind masks."
Her tone cut cold and sharp. "You can talk to me this way, or you can find yourself waking up tomorrow as a corpse—if you wake up at all."
The man swallowed, his one visible eye widening. "Understood. Perfectly understood." He limped closer, lowering himself into a chair opposite Raven. Behind him, several burly men stepped into place, closing off the lounge, their hands twitching nervously at their sides as if unsure whether to draw blades.
The broker straightened his patched coat, though the tremor in his shoulders betrayed him. "Tell me what you need. I am the information broker of this town. My name is Kuroda Isamu."
Raven inclined her head slightly, voice sharp as a blade. "I'm looking for a shipping magnate. Gato. He's building a criminal empire in the Land of Waves. Controls vast wealth, countless thugs. I want his exact location."
Kuroda's lips pressed thin. His lone eye darted toward the door before snapping back to her. "That man… even speaking his name can get you killed. Are you sure you want to pull on that thread?"
Raven drew a kunai from her pouch, turning the flat edge slowly against her masked throat, the metal hissing against cloth. Her words came low and dangerous. "Exactly. That's why I need him. Tell me where he is, or—"
The sound of steel was enough. Kuroda's face blanched, sweat already pearling along his temple. "Fine, fine! I'm no ninja—I don't want to die over this. I'll tell you what I know."
He leaned forward, voice dropping to a harsh whisper. "Gato can be found in Takigawa Port, one of the largest seaports in the Land of Waves. His central hub of operations is there. Like me, he uses a casino as his front. It won't be hard to find."
Raven slid the kunai back into her pouch, her posture never wavering. "Finally. Solid information."
Kuroda gave a shaky laugh of relief, but Raven tilted her head. "And my winnings?"
He stared at her as though she had sprouted horns. "You still want payment after that?"
Her voice was venom wrapped in calm. "Yes. Unless you'd rather I cut your head from your shoulders and call that my compensation."
Kuroda trembled, peg leg knocking once against the wooden floor. "You're vicious…"
Raven leaned forward, mask gleaming in the low light, her tone dropping into a whisper that carried weight like stone. "I know. Weak women are prey. I refuse to be weak. Pay me."
Defeated, Kuroda waved a hand. A waitress hurried in, balancing a tray stacked with bundles of crisp bills. She bowed low, her voice clear and practiced. "Freshly printed and accurately counted, madam."
Raven narrowed her eyes, scooping the money into her gloved hands. "Freshly counted, maybe. Freshly printed, hardly. This stinks of drug money, illegal gambling, and gods-know-what else festering in the belly of this place."
Kuroda muttered, gaze fixed on the floor. "Don't ask questions you don't want answers to."
Raven sealed the money into a scroll without hesitation, the parchment glowing faintly as it swallowed the fortune. "I don't intend to ask. But I always collect what I'm owed."
She rose to her feet, Yumi stepping forward to fall in at her side. For a moment Raven lingered, mask tilting just enough to let Kuroda see the weight of her gaze. "You were useful. Don't give me a reason to come back."
Kuroda bent low in his chair, bowing frantically until his peg leg rattled against the floorboards. "Understood Perfectly!"
Join my patreon today to read up to chapter 118 in advance and to read my patreon exclusive stories for only 3 to 5$
patreon.com/everstone