Taro woke up with a start, his head pounding and his vision hazy. He looked around and his stomach dropped. His grandson and granddaughter were lying unconscious on the floor, and the wall behind him was cracked, as if something had slammed into it with great force. Blood pooled on the floor, and next to the TV a skeleton was standing.

  He stumbled over to where his grandchildren lay, fearing the worst with each step. He knelt down beside them, gently checking for any serious injuries. Relief washed over him as he realized they were both still alive, just unconscious.

  He then turned his attention to the skeleton. It was an odd sight, and it immediately sent a shiver down his spine. He cautiously approached it, trying to get a better look. Then it moved.

  “What the-“

  Taro backed away in surprise as the skeleton suddenly jerked to life. It turned its neck looking at taro, if it had eyes taro was sure they would be staring at him.

  Its movements were mechanical and jerky. It was as if it was only just learning how to move.

  Taro stared at the skeleton, his heart pounding in his chest. He couldn’t understand what was happening. Was he hallucinating? Was this some sort of nightmare? But the pain in his body and the destruction around him told him otherwise. No..this seems like magic..so there was only one answer..Hayate had summoned this.

  The skeleton took a step towards Taro, its movements still clumsy and awkward. It lifted its arm, pointing a bony finger at him.

  Taro raised his voice and asked the skeleton if it was one of Hayate’s summons. The skeleton tilted its head, almost as if it was trying to understand the question, then it nodded.

  Taro let out a sigh, his heart rate finally beginning to slow down. It was indeed one of Hayate’s summons, but why was it here? Where was Hayate?

  He decided to press on. “Where is Hayate?” He asked the skeleton, his voice firmer than before.

  The skeleton turned its head and pointed towards the front door. It was as if it was trying to tell him that Hayate was outside. Taro followed the skeleton’s gesture and walked over to the front door. He slowly opened it, peering outside to see if Hayate was really there but there was no one there.

  Confused and slightly concerned, he stepped outside, looking around cautiously. There was no sign of Hayate anywhere. He was about to go back inside when he noticed something on the ground. It was a small white piece of paper, almost as if it had been purposefully dropped there. Taro cautiously picked it up and began to read it.

  The note was short, simply reading, “I’ll be back in 20 minutes, just stay inside the house for me — Hayate”

  It wasn’t much, but it was enough to reassure Taro that Hayate would be returning soon. He crumpled up the note and went back inside the house, locking the door behind him.

  He then checked on his grandson and granddaughter again, ensuring they were still okay. They were breathing steadily, and there were no visible injuries. He walked over to his grandchildren, who were still unconscious on the floor. He knelt down and picked up his granddaughter, carrying her to the couch and placing her there gently. He then went back to get his grandson, being careful not to jostle him too much. He placed his grandson beside his granddaughter on the couch, making sure they were both comfortable. He then sat down in a chair nearby, just waiting for Hayate to return.

  —————————————————————

  Tanaki was sitting in his car, listening to a report from his enforcer. He was speechless. According to the enforcer, the man they had blown up with a bomb, was still alive. It seemed almost impossible, but Tanaki knew better than to doubt his men.

  He was flabbergasted, to say the least. How could someone survive an explosion like that?

  That wasn’t all, In addition to being alive, the man was also issuing a threat. He was demanding that Tanaki return to the scene within the next 10 minutes, or else he would kill all of his men who had been there. It was an absurd demand, and one that Tanaki was not accustomed to.

  He was used to being the one giving threats, not receiving them. But this situation was out of his control. Tanaki didn’t know what to do.

  If he didn’t go back, the man would kill his men. But if he did go back, he would likely be walking into a trap. The risk was too high, but he had to do something. There were more than 20 enforcers and over 200 of his men there. He couldn’t just let them die.

  With a heavy sigh, Tanaki spoke into the phone. “I’ll be there in five minutes.”

  He ended the call and ordered his driver to turn back and drive back to the base. The car sped through the streets, tearing through traffic and red lights.

  Barely even five minutes had passed and they arrived at the warehouse sector. Tanaki got out of the car, followed by six of his enforcers. He saw the crowd of men waiting for him, all of them looking scared and anxious. They parted to let him through, some of them muttering and whispering to each other.

  “Where is that freak..?” He scanned the area, looking for any sign of the man who had threatened him.

  “Over there, boss.” One of the gang members spoke up, pointing towards the now crumbling entrance of the warehouse.

  Tanaki followed the gang member’s gesture, his eyes falling on the man, with the pale white skin and glowing red eyes...was standing there. He was waiting.

  Tanaki’s heart pounded in his chest as he stared at the man. This was the first time he had seen him in person. Tanaki took a cautious step forward, his enforcers following suit. He could feel his men shifting uncomfortably, their eyes darting nervously between him and Lucifer.

  “You called for me?” Tanaki called out.

  Lucifer’s gaze shifted from Tanaki’s face to the enforcers who were standing behind him. Then returned to tanaki’s face, he gave a calm nod of his head and then spoke, “Yes, I did.”

  His tone sent chills down Tanaki’s spine, it made him feel...inferior. It was as if he was standing in the presence of a being that was far superior to him. It was as if he was a god, and Tanaki was nothing more than mere mortal. It was almost as if he was looking down at Tanaki with disdain, as if he was nothing more than a minor nuisance.

  Tanaki forced a confident smile on his face, trying to mask his unease. “Well, here I am. What do you want?”

  Lucifer didn’t answer right away. He stared at Tanaki for a minute. Finally, he spoke. “I have a proposition for you, Tanaki. Step down from your position as the leader of the black snakes.”

  Tanaki’s eyebrows furrowed in disbelief. Step down? Why the hell would he step down? The black snakes were under his rule, under his control. They followed him, not the other way round. This was his organisation, he created it.

  “Why should I step down? I am the leader of the black snakes. I created this organization from NOTHING. Why should I give it up?”

  “Do you really think you’re fit to lead this organization?”

  Lucifer’s question was a challenge. He was questioning Tanaki’s leadership skills. He was questioning his authority.

  “Of course I am!” Tanaki yelled, “I’ve led the black snakes for years. We’ve grown, we’ve expanded, we’ve become one of the most powerful organized crime groups in Japan. I made that happen. Don’t question my leadership!”

  “Have you?”

  Right now, Lucifer (Hayate) was bullshitting. He was just saying whatever he could. A common tactic, thrash talking.

  Tanaki’s face twisted in anger. What was this guy saying? Of course, he had led the black snakes to greatness. He was the one who made the decisions, who made the plans. It was him who had turned the black snakes from a small street gang into the powerful crime organization they were today. But there was something about the way Lucifer was looking at him that made Tanaki feel uneasy. It was as if Lucifer was seeing straight through him, as if he was seeing the real Tanaki. The one who was afraid of losing control, the one who was insecure and paranoid.

  “What would you know about leading an organisation?” Tanaki snapped back, “You’re just some guy who appeared out of nowhere. You have no idea what it takes to lead an organisation.”

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  Tanaki was about to continue shouting at Lucifer when the man interrupted him. “Actually...” Lucifer said, “I do know what it takes to lead an organization.”

  “What do you...?” Tanaki started to protest, but Lucifer didn’t let him finish, “You see, I was the leader of an organization myself. We were called the Angels of Hell.”

  Tanaki’s eyes widened in surprise at the name. The Angels of Hell...he had never heard of that organization before. But then again, there were many organized crime groups in Japan. Not all of them were publicly known.

  “We were a powerful organization.” Lucifer continued. “We were one of the top guilds and we dominated. I was the leader of the guild, I was the one who made all the decisions, who strategized and planned.”

  As Tanaki listened to him, his mind was running at full speed. If Lucifer had led a powerful organization like the Angels of Hell, did that mean that all of his members were...like him? Powerful and inhuman.

  Tanaki’s fears grew more and more. If the members of the Angels of Hell were like Lucifer, then they were all capable of the same feats of strength and survival...just what kind of people were its members? Were they all as strong and inhuman as Lucifer? Was it possible that this man had an army of monsters at his disposal?

  If yes, then that meant his members had to be equally powerful. They were demons like him, probably, maybe even worse than him.

  They were all monsters. Creatures who couldn’t die, who had superhuman strength and abilities. They were creatures of nightmares, and they had followed Lucifer’s every word.

  How could he possibly fight an army of monsters like this? He was just a normal human. A gang boss, yes, but still a normal human. He had no supernatural abilities, no superhuman strength. He was just a man.

  “What happened to your...organization?” Tanaki managed to ask, his voice shaking slightly. He had to know more. He had to know what to expect if he ever came face to face with the members of the Angels of Hell.

  “They’re still around..” Lucifer replied, his gaze never wavering but for a moment it seemed like that man was sad, “They’re still together. They’re just laying low...for now... they’re resting.”

  Tanaki’s heart skipped a beat. So the Angels of Hell were still active. So they were still out there, just lying low. They could come out at any moment, and if they were like Lucifer...if they were all monsters...then they would be unstoppable. If they all were the same as Lucifer then all the gangs of japan were in trouble..no, possibly even the entirety of japan was in danger.

  Tanaki couldn’t help but wonder... why was Lucifer telling him all this? Was he bragging? Was he trying to intimidate him? Or was there something else behind his words?

  The question remained unanswered.

  Tanaki looked at Lucifer, trying to read the man’s expression. But Lucifer’s face was unreadable. He was calm, cold, emotionless. There wasn’t a hint of expression on his face, no sign of anger or annoyance or anything.

  But one thing was clear.. Tanaki had to be careful. He had to be very, very careful when dealing with Lucifer and the Angels of Hell. He couldn’t underestimate them..he couldn’t underestimate Lucifer. He needed to warn everyone else too. There might, no. There is a new kingpin in Neo-Tokyo.

  The name of Lucifer and the Angels of Hell would be a word of fear. It will be spread across gangs in a few days, and the only thing that people will feel for them will be the emotions fear, respect and most of all, terror.

  But that would only be possible if Tanaki could live through this. He had to. He needed to tell everyone about this guy, he has the cctv footage of what this man was capable of. He couldn’t take him on alone, everyone needed to come together.

  But first, Tanaki had to survive. He had to get through this meeting with Lucifer. He had to make the right moves, say the right things. As of now, he needed to listen, to observe, to understand what was going on.

  “What are your terms?” Tanaki asked, trying to keep his voice firm. “What do you want from me and the black snakes?”

  “My terms are simple.” Lucifer replied, his eyes fixed on Tanaki. “I want you to step down as the leader of the black snakes. I want you to transfer the power and control to me.”

  Tanaki’s mind went blank. Step down as the leader of the black snakes? Give up all his power and control to Lucifer? Is he crazy?

  Tanaki’s blood boiled but he decided to play along. If he survived today, he will get his organisation back whenever he wanted.

  “And what do I get in return?” Tanaki asked through gritted teeth. “If I step down as the leader of the black snakes and give you control, what do I get in return?”

  “You get to live.”

  So it was a threat. If he refused, Lucifer would kill him. Fine then, this would just be a temporary loss. Letting Tanaki go right now would be his man’s downfall.

  “And what about my men?” Tanaki asked, trying to sound calm. “What happens to them if I step down?”

  “Your men will become my men.” Lucifer replied bluntly. “They will have to swear their loyalty to me and follow my orders.”

  Tanaki felt sick to his stomach. His men, his loyal men, his pawns, would be under Lucifer’s control. They would be at the mercy of this monster. That was..no, it was too much. Tanaki swallowed his pride and forced himself to ask, “Anything else...?”

  Lucifer paused for a moment, as if thinking. “I have one last term. You need to hand over all the information and documents related to the black snakes’ operations, financial records, and any other sensitive information.”

  Tanaki’s heart sank even more. Handing over all of that information? It was like handing over the keys to his kingdom. It would give Lucifer access to everything, every secret, every weakness, every strength but he had no choice.

  “Fine,” Tanaki said through gritted teeth, “you, bring it all,” tanaki said to one of his men who went over to the car, opened its truck and pulled out 10 briefcases full of documents and papers.

  The man brought the briefcases over to Tanaki and placed them in front of Lucifer. Lucifer took them and put them on the ground. “That was all of them?”

  “That’s all of them,” Tanaki confirmed, his voice low. “Now, I want to ask one last thing.”

  “Go on.”

  “How do I know you’ll keep your word?” Tanaki asked, “How do I know you won’t kill me once I hand over everything to you?”

  “Let’s sign a contract then in front of everyone,” Lucifer said to him.

  Tanaki thought about this for a moment. A contract could be enforced. If Lucifer went back on his word, it would be proof of his dishonesty. It was a small comfort, but Tanaki had to take it.

  Tanaki nodded and gestured to one of his men to bring a tablet.

  The man brought over a tablet and handed it to Tanaki. Tanaki opened a contract template but Lucifer then said, “this won’t do, bring a pen and paper.”

  Tanaki was surprised. The man is refusing the tablet? Is he stupid?

  “What’s wrong with the tablet? It’s more secure and legal.”

  “I prefer the traditional method. It’s more...personal.”

  Tanaki’s annoyance turned to suspicion. Why did Lucifer want a physical contract? What was he planning?

  He shook off the thought. It didn’t matter. All that mattered was getting out of this alive..

  Tanaki gestured to one of his men, “Get me a pen and paper.”

  The man went off and returned quickly with a pen and paper. Tanaki jotted down the terms of the contract, signed it and handed it over to Lucifer. Lucifer read through it carefully.

  The contract read :

  Tanaki will step down as the leader of the black snakes and transfer power and control to Lucifer. Tanaki’s men will be under Lucifer’s command and will follow his orders.

  Tanaki will hand over all the information and documents related to the black snakes’ operations, financial records, and any other sensitive information.

  Lucifer will not kill or harm Tanaki after the contract is signed.

  Lucifer read through the terms. They were clear and straight to the point. Nothing hidden, nothing vague. He looked at Tanaki, who was watching him and then signed the contract.

  Tanaki stared at Lucifer, This was it. He had lost everything. His power, his control, his men, his empire. It was all gone. Tanaki felt hollow. This was the end of everything he had worked for. He had built the black snakes from scratch, and now he was giving it all away to this... monster.

  But it didn’t matter, tanaki would be back and then take the black snakes back.

  He took a deep breath and forced himself to speak, “There. It’s done. I have given everything you asked for.”

  “Good,” he said, “You’ve made the right decision.”

  Tanaki couldn’t help but feel a sense of disgust. The right decision? Giving up everything he had worked for was the right decision? But he kept his mouth shut.

  Lucifer nodded. “I always keep my word.”

  Tanaki felt a small flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, he would get away from this alive.

  “One more thing,” he said.

  “What is it?”

  “I want your word that you won’t hurt my men,” Tanaki said firmly. “They are loyal to me. They won’t cause you any trouble. I don’t want any harm to come to them.”

  Lucifer considered this for a moment. “Very well. I give you my word. Your men will not be harmed as long as they follow my orders.”

  Tanaki felt a slight sense of relief. At least his men would be safe. “Thank you,” he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

  Tanaki turned to his men. They were standing at attention, their faces betraying no emotion. Tanaki knew what he had to do. He had to make one last speech to them, one last stand.

  “Men,” Tanaki began, “You have been loyal to me all these years. You have stuck by me, fought with me, and have never questioned me. I want to thank you for everything you have done.”

  The men listened in silence, their faces betraying no emotion. Tanaki continued. “I know this is difficult to hear, but I have made a deal with Sir Lucifer over here and now he is your leader. I will be taking my leav—”

  Tanaki cut himself as he pretended to cough. This was him telling his men something in code.

  “Taking my leave,” Tanaki continued, “but do not worry. It’s never goodbye, it’s more like a see you later.”

  The men didn’t show any reaction. But inside, they knew what Tanaki meant. Tanaki was telling them that he would be back. He was telling them to wait for him.

  “That’s all I wanted to say,” Tanaki continued, “Take care all of you.”

  Tanaki turned back to Lucifer, who was standing still, staring at Tanaki.

  Tanaki could feel his gaze. He felt like a rabbit being watched by a snake. Tanaki forced a smile. “Well, I think that’s that. I’ll be leaving now.”

  Lucifer nodded, his eyes still fixed on Tanaki. “Yes, you may go.”

  Tanaki nodded back and turned to leave but Lucifer stopped him.

  “Before you go,” Lucifer said, “there is one more thing.”

  Tanaki froze for a moment. What more could he want? He turned back to face Lucifer, trying to keep his expression neutral.

  “Let’s shake hands.”

  Tanaki hesitated for a moment, but then nodded. There was no harm in shaking hands, right? He extended his hand out towards Lucifer. Lucifer took his hand and shook it firmly. Tanaki felt a shiver down his spine. There was something in Lucifer’s grip, something almost supernatural.

  It was like shaking hands with death.

  “Till we meet again..” Lucifer said with a slight grin.

  Tanaki nodded, trying to keep his composure. “Yes. Until we meet again... Sir Lucifer.”

  Lucifer let go of his hand. “You may leave now.”

  Tanaki walked out of the area, through the crowd of his former men and got into his car.

  He started the car and drove off. As he drove, he looked back at the area through the rear view mirror and saw Lucifer standing there, watching him go. Tanaki felt a shiver down his spine. He had survived, but he knew it was only a matter of time before he would have to face Lucifer again.

  Tanaki needed to relax. The meeting with Lucifer had left him feeling drained and on edge. He needed a break, something to take his mind off things. As he drove, he thought about what he should do. Then, an idea struck him. A good way to destress would be to go to a brothel.

  He knew of a good brothel nearby, one that he had gone to many times before. He knew the women there well, and they knew him. They would be able to provide him with the distraction he needed.