In the present time, between the walls of the dark alley and amidst the piles of stinking garbage, Takeshi stood facing Yoshi the Hunter.
They both met at the specified place and approximately at the specified time. Takeshi knew about the place and time of the meeting as soon as they set foot in the city, as Yoshi had told him secretly and suddenly about the meeting place and the time as well, which happened to be near the place of The Scorpion's quarrel with Sota and at almost the same time.
Takeshi raised his hands, saying:
"I know many people with whom I shared the same goals, and in the end, they stabbed my back with their betrayals."
Takeshi blinked and shook his head cautiously.
"I don't mean that you are a person who does not deserve trust at all, I just want to know if you deserve it or not."
After a heavy silence, Yoshi moved his hand and threw it under his black robe, which merged with the dark darkness of the alley. Soon Yoshi pulled out a folded paper and extended his hand toward Takeshi to deliver it to him.
However, the latter's reaction was to move his injured hands, to let Yoshi know that Takeshi would not even be able to open a paper to read it.
"Pardon me, handsome young man."
The Hunter opened the paper, casting his eyes over its content, then began reading it.
"The Royal Skull gang, a gang that has imposed its dominance for years, especially in the vicinity of Galleon City. It is headed by a man wearing a mask resembling a skull. Its venerable members in the upper rank are characterized by a white-colored robe decorated with a badge resembling a skull, while the rest of the gang members are just failures who could not provide for their families or themselves, which made them join the gang."
Yoshi caught his breath, then continued.
"Despite the presence of members with bounties on their heads, the leader of the gang and his deputy were mysterious people whose names are not present on the list of criminals despite their many crimes."
Yoshi folded the paper again and returned it to its place, raising his head toward Takeshi, saying:
"This is the information I have for you."
"Are you joking? What could I do using this information?"
This was not the kind of information he wanted; for example, he wanted to know about the location of the gang's headquarters, news about his sword and whether it had been sold or the like, and so on...
But Takeshi could not argue more than this, for in the end, he would have died of hunger along with Sota before they took a single step inside the dangerous city.
The Hunter folded his arms, saying with a raised eyebrow:
"You can find a wanted person and kill him or hand him over in exchange for a sum of money. It's true that living has become more expensive than before, and any normal person spends more than 50 gold pieces a month, so the bounty will most likely suffice you for a year or less, depending on the prey you hunted."
He shook his head and asked:
"What did that old man tell you during the two weeks? I mean tips and warnings about the city."
Takeshi took moments to respond, so as not to utter something he should not say.
"Not to ask about the gang so as not to arouse suspicion; this was his advice that he repeated over and over."
Yoshi struck his left palm with his right fist, saying:
"Exactly! If you asked someone, they might suspect that you want to join that gang and might snitch on you to the police, and a person is supposed to worry about their reputation—"
"I am not interested in that."
Takeshi interrupted him, continuing his speech.
"I don't care about my reputation in exchange for achieving what I want; as long as it's the way I want, let matters turn out as they will."
After everything Takeshi had seen during his life—or at least during the last period since the theft of his sword—it was a strong motivation to make his will solid, demanding the achievement of what he aspires to despite the risks.
During the last period, he was able to do many things that made him think he was living in a dream, a dream in the middle of his other cursed nightmares. Far from meeting a human for the first time after five years of isolation, meeting Orvin, talking to him, and knowing his goal was a blessing for Takeshi.
Aside from the fact that Takeshi had found a strong and worthy ally, and despite the fact that Takeshi does not trust him fully, the things Orvin provided to Takeshi are many and deserve all thanks.
And later, he met Sota and took the rugged path with him toward this city in whose dark alleys he is now standing, where he was offered to become a knight for one of the greatest figures in the country, and here he is now standing before the person who is supposed to be a new ally.
The Hunter smiled, saying:
"Fine, fine, I've understood you. But this is what I can do in any case. Also, I will be your bodyguard in this crowded area, and I will monitor everything surrounding you as long as you are inside it."
'Is this not a violation of my privacy?'
"Do you mean you were watching me all the time?"
After a quick moment of silence, Yoshi laughed, saying:
"I was expecting you would leave us and become a knight for the father of that spoiled girl!"
Takeshi turned, raising his hand in indignation, saying:
"I have no time to waste in a conversation with you, I must start searching for that gang's headquarters."
The magnitude of the Hunter's smile gradually decreased, and he said in a stern voice:
"With your arms? I think you should reconsider your next step. The first thing you must do is head toward the hospital."
Takeshi opened his mouth to say something, but he stopped as soon as he heard the sound of the garbage containers behind him shaking excessively. As soon as he took a look, he did not find Yoshi, and soon he raised his sight to see the Hunter atop the building in front of him, and he soon disappeared into the desolate darkness of the night.
Takeshi sighed, then directed his sight toward the exit of the dark alley—or specifically at one of the stinking garbage containers in front of him, behind which Koji, one of the lower-rank members of the Royal Skull gang, was hiding, who had heard Takeshi's entire conversation with Yoshi.
"I know you are here, come out now, you intruder."
Koji's eyes widened in fear of what was coming; he was now in front of a person ready to dedicate his life to bringing down the gang he is in.
He swallowed his saliva and came out slowly from his hiding place, raising his trembling hands high, saying:
"I have no intention of hurting you."
Takeshi raised his hand slightly, saying in a voice devoid of emotions: "Maybe I do!"
Takeshi did not actually intend to harm the vulnerable person in front of him; all he wanted was to frighten him so he would confess if he was a spy for someone, or just a passerby who heard their conversation, and this frightening was so he would not reveal anything he heard.
But the next words turned all the scales.
Koji cleared his throat and said in a trembling voice:
"If you know who I am, your intention might change, or perhaps it will increase in intensity more than it is. I am Koji, one of the members of the Royal Skull gang, and the person you were talking to is nicknamed the Dark Death Hunter, and he is also one of the members of our gang!"