As Iruka led John toward the recovery room, Shiranui Hayate turned his attention back to the lobby. "Sasuke, head outside. See if any fools had the nerve to follow him in."
"If any desperate hunters show up at our door, show no mercy. Eliminate them immediately."
"As you wish, Lord Hayate." Without another word, Uchiha Sasuke activated his Sharingan, the crimson orbs swirling as he vanished through the front door.
Only Rock Lee, Hotaru, and Hayate remained in the hall.
Hotaru gazed at the man before her, hesitating for a heartbeat before speaking. "Boss... do you really intend to become an Elder of the High Table?"
It was madness. Even with her background in the Fraternity, the idea seemed suicidal. It wasn't that she doubted Hayate's personal strength, but their numbers were pitifully small. Including their newest recruit, John Wick, they were a team of only six.
Seeing her stunned expression, Hayate chuckled. "Nothing is set in stone, Hotaru. With our strength, taking one of the thirteen seats is more than feasible."
"Besides, we didn't know the exact location of the High Table's headquarters or the identities of all the Elders. Now, we have the perfect guide standing right in our recovery room."
Hotaru stepped forward, her voice urgent. "Boss, I'm not questioning your power. I'm questioning our reach. Managing eighty percent of the world's assassins and a Continental in every major city requires a massive bureaucracy. We are just a handful of people..."
She trailed off, but her point was clear: they lacked the manpower to hold the territory that came with such a seat.
Hayate smiled. "Actually, Hotaru, we aren't just six. Over the years, I've built a network. If I give the word, plenty of killers would jump at the chance to serve under my banner."
"In fact, this situation with John Wick might just hand us an entire organization on a silver platter. Furthermore, I don't plan to micromanage every city. I only need a few Adjudicators to conduct oversight."
At the mention of "Adjudicators," Hotaru immediately thought of John Wick. With his reputation and lethal efficiency, he would be the perfect enforcer for Hayate's will.
Still, she shook her head. "John alone isn't enough. Do you plan to send Iruka and the others away? Actually... I have a recommendation."
Hayate raised an eyebrow, curious. "Who?"
"Cross and Wesley."
Hayate blinked in surprise. "The Cross? He actually finished training his son?"
"Not officially, but they're close. Cross told me Wesley's talent is terrifying—he might even surpass his father. If you need reliable hands, Boss, you should talk to them. I think Cross would be very interested."
Hayate knew Wesley's potential was indeed vast, but he recalled the father's protective nature. "I thought he wanted a 'normal' life for the kid?"
Hotaru laughed. "After everything that happened, there is no 'normal' for Wesley anymore. Cross realized that if his son doesn't have the power to protect himself, he might not be there to save him next time. He'd rather have him at your side than left to chance."
Hayate nodded thoughtfully. "I'll talk to them when the time is right. If the father and son are willing, they'd make excellent Adjudicators."
Hotaru smiled, looking at him with an intensity that bordered on infatuation. An ambitious man was always more captivating.
What she didn't realize was that Hayate's desire to take over the High Table wasn't born from a thirst for global power. He simply wanted to bridge the Continental's vast contract system into his own Mission Command Center. Only then would his shinobi have a never-ending stream of tasks to complete.
While the Mission Command Center could technically handle nine tasks a day, the Shiranui Agency often went days without a single client. Their reputation was growing, but they couldn't yet compete with the ancient, sprawling infrastructure of the Continental.
Suddenly, the front door swung open and Sasuke stepped back inside. His clothes were pristine, not a single speck of dust or blood on them.
"Were there hunters trying to force their way in?" Hotaru asked.
Sasuke ignored her, addressing Hayate directly. "Lord Hayate, there were a few scouts lingering across the street. I have dealt with them."
"As for the FBI agents Iruka mentioned—they withdrew two days ago and haven't returned."
"The FBI?" Hotaru gasped. "What?"
She didn't understand why the Bureau would be sniffing around. Usually, as long as assassins didn't cause a public scene, the authorities stayed out of their way.
Hayate gave her a brief rundown of the encounter with the agents who had come looking for Rock Lee after the incident with Wesley. He kept the FBI's true identity—S.H.I.E.L.D.—to himself for now.
Hayate wasn't worried about Sasuke killing a few scouts, but he was intrigued by S.H.I.E.L.D.'s sudden withdrawal. Knowing Nick Fury's paranoid nature, it was odd for him to let go of something he couldn't control.
Did he decide we weren't worth the effort? Hayate wondered.
With the Skrulls in his pocket and Captain Marvel on speed dial, it was possible the "One-Eyed King" didn't see a few ninjas as a high priority.
Little did Hayate know, Nick Fury hadn't dismissed them—he had simply mislabeled them as members of The Hand. Fury assumed they were brainwashed zealots who couldn't be turned, and thus, wasn't worth the resources.
It was a beautiful misunderstanding. By the time Fury realized the true extent of Hayate's power, it would be far too late. Every day that passed, Hayate's roster grew, and his strength multiplied.
The next time S.H.I.E.L.D. tried to intervene, the difficulty wouldn't just be higher—it would be insurmountable.