Ninety Six

Tokyo, Japan 

A Secret Meeting Renjiro Takahashi sat in the dimly lit conference room, the soft glow of an antique chandelier casting flickering shadows over the polished mahogany table. He lifted a small sake cup, taking a slow sip, his gaze fixed on the man sitting across from him. The man was dressed in a flawless, tailored suit—his expression unreadable, but his eyes sharp as a blade, as if he could see straight into Renjiro’s mind.

"So," the man finally spoke, his voice smooth, calm.

"You lost everything after your battle with Antonio." Renjiro smirked, setting his cup down with an unbothered grace.

"I haven’t lost everything. I’m still breathing." The man chuckled.

"And now, you want to rise again—only this time, smarter." Renjiro’s eyes narrowed.

"I don’t have time for small talk. If you’re here to mock me, you can leave." The man raised his hand, a gesture of peace.

"I’m not here to mock you, Renjiro. I’m here to offer you something." He slid a document across the table. Renjiro took it, flipping it open—his eyes widened slightly as he scanned the numbers inside.

"This…"

"An investment," the man said casually.

"Fresh funding to bring you back into the game. A new network. New businesses. New power." Renjiro’s gaze sharpened.

"Nothing comes for free. What do you want?" The man smiled—a slow, knowing smile.

"Only one thing, Renjiro." He leaned in.

"I want Antonio to fall." Silence stretched between them. Renjiro turned his sake cup slowly in his hands, then let out a low chuckle.

"You’re playing with fire, my friend." The man smirked.

"I enjoy dangerous games." His gaze darkened slightly.

"And I know you do too." Renjiro tossed the document onto the table, reclining in his chair.

"Fine. But before we begin—" He leaned forward, voice low.

"You said you had information on Antonio’s weakness." His eyes burned with curiosity.

"Tell me." The man’s smile never wavered, his aura dripping with mystery.

"You’ll know… in time."

Los Angeles, United States – The Rebirth of The Crimson Lotus

A few months after receiving the mysterious funding, Renjiro had returned to the criminal world—stronger, smarter, more ruthless. Inside a luxurious conference hall, he sat at the head of a long table. Around him were government officials, wealthy businessmen, and representatives from powerful criminal organizations. This was not a casual gathering. This was the start of a new empire.

"Gentlemen," Renjiro spoke smoothly, crossing one leg over the other.

"I’m not here to take a small piece of the pie. I want us to control everything." An older man, his face lined with age and experience, puffed on his cigar, eyeing Renjiro skeptically.

"Antonio is still too powerful. Do you really think you can take him down?" Renjiro’s lips curled into a cold, confident smirk.

"I’m not going to fight him head-on this time." His eyes gleamed with pure strategy.

"I’m going to destroy him from the inside." A woman in a tight red dress leaned back in her chair, eyeing Renjiro with intrigue.

"You have a plan?" Renjiro nodded.

"I’ve already started buying out some of his men. Soon, they’ll be working for me—infecting his empire like a disease he won’t see coming." A large-built man sitting across the table leaned forward.

"And what about government investigations? Antonio has strong political connections." Renjiro flicked an envelope onto the table. One of the men opened it—his eyes widened at the sight of stacks of cash inside.

"Government officials can be bought," Renjiro said smoothly.

"Just like we’ve always done." The older man chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.

"You really are a more cunning devil than I expected." Renjiro’s smile was razor-sharp.

"I learn from my mistakes."

New York City –

Antonio’s Exclusive Club Inside a private VIP lounge, Antonio sat luxuriously sprawled across a leather couch, a crystal glass of wine in hand. All around him, high-society socialites laughed, draping themselves over him like expensive silk. A blonde beauty with a body built for sin pressed against his side, her manicured nails tracing the lapel of his designer suit. Another woman—a brunette in a tight black dress—poured red wine into his glass, her lips curling into a sultry smile. Antonio exhaled, tilting his head back as the blonde nipped at his jawline.

"Mmm," he murmured, his voice low and satisfied.

"You’re spoiling me, ladies." The brunette giggled.

"You deserve it." Antonio smirked.

"Damn right, I do." But in the corner of the room— Marcus stood, watching. Expression unreadable. The moment Antonio met his gaze, Marcus gave a slight nod—a sign that something serious was happening. Antonio sighed dramatically, then patted the blonde’s thigh, his fingers lingering a little too long.

"Give me a second, sweetheart. Business calls." She pouted, her lips already swollen from the way he had been kissing her.

"Will you come back?" Antonio grabbed her chin, pulling her in for a deep, dirty kiss before whispering against her lips.

"Always." She moaned softly, clinging to him as he finally pulled away and stood up. He grabbed his cigarette case, lighting one up before turning to Marcus.

"Alright. What’s so fucking urgent?" Marcus handed him a file. Antonio took one look at it—and his smirk vanished. Inside were names. His men. And next to their names… were payments from The Crimson Lotus. Antonio inhaled deeply, smoke curling from his lips as realization set in. Renjiro wasn’t just fighting him from the outside. He was inside his fucking house. Antonio exhaled slowly. Then— he smiled. A slow, dangerous, lethal smile.

"So, Renjiro wants to play dirty?" He flicked the cigarette away, turning back toward Marcus.

"Let’s show him what happens when you try to fuck with Antonio Franches."

New York City – Antonio’s Penthouse

"Antonio," the blonde purred, her lips grazing his ear.

"You always look so... irresistible when you're thinking." Antonio smirked, turning to her, his fingers tracing slow, teasing patterns along her exposed thigh.

"And you always look stunning when you’re trying to seduce me." She let out a playful giggle, her nails dragging lightly over his chest.

"Would you mind if I got a little... rough tonight?" Before Antonio could answer, the door swung open, and Marcus stepped inside, his face carved with serious intent. Antonio sighed, irritation flashing across his face. He glanced at the blonde, gripping her chin lightly before pressing a heated kiss against her lips.

"Give me a second, baby." She pouted but nodded, standing up with an exaggerated sway of her hips as she walked away. Antonio turned to Marcus, expression sharpening instantly.

"What’s going on?" Marcus placed a folder on the table.

"We have a problem." Antonio picked it up, flipping through the pages—his eyes narrowing as he saw the numbers didn’t add up. His jaw tightened.

"Renjiro…" he muttered. Marcus nodded.

"He’s sabotaging our business. Some of our shipments are failing, distribution routes are getting blocked—people who used to be loyal to us are suddenly disappearing." Antonio exhaled slowly, setting the folder down calmly, but his grip on the paper tightened just slightly.

"So he really crawled his way back from the grave, huh?" Marcus nodded.

"And this time, he’s playing smarter." Antonio took a slow sip of his wine before letting a small smirk touch his lips.

"I love a good challenge."

Somewhere Else –

A Dark Room Renjiro sat comfortably, a satisfied smirk on his lips as he skimmed over the latest reports.

"The Crimson Lotus is rising again," one of his men reported. Renjiro nodded.

"We’ll tear Antonio apart… piece by piece." In the shadows, a man stood silently, his face hidden in darkness.

New York City – Antonio’s Penthouse Balcony

Antonio leaned against the cold glass railing, a crystal glass of red wine in hand as he overlooked the glittering skyline. The wind brushed against his skin, but even with the beauty of the city beneath him, his mind was elsewhere. Behind him, soft laughter filled the room. A red-haired socialite lay lazily across the sofa, her silk robe barely covering anything. Near the fireplace, two other women watched him with hungry eyes, waiting for his attention.

"Antonio, baby," the redhead purred. He turned, his smirk lazy but calculated.

"What is it, sweetheart?" She stretched, her bare leg slipping out of the silk, revealing flawless skin.

"You look so... tense tonight." Antonio chuckled, setting his wine down.

"Lots on my mind." She stood, walking toward him with slow, deliberate steps, her fingertips gliding down his exposed chest.

"Then let me and my friends... help you forget." Before Antonio could respond, the door opened again. Marcus. His face unreadable. Antonio sighed, his patience running thin. He patted the redhead’s bare ass, making her yelp playfully.

"I’ll be back for you, baby." She grinned, biting her lip, watching him as he walked toward his private study. Once inside, Marcus wasted no time.

"Boss, Renjiro isn’t just back—he’s got someone funding him. Someone powerful." Antonio took a slow sip of whiskey.

"I figured. The Crimson Lotus shouldn’t have been able to rise this fast without help." Marcus’ eyes darkened.

"And the worst part? We don’t know who the hell is pulling the strings." Antonio set his glass down, tapping his fingers against the table. Then he smirked.

"Then let’s drag them out of the shadows." Los Angeles – The Crimson Lotus Warehouse That night, Antonio struck first. Five of his top assassins infiltrated one of Renjiro’s strongholds, cutting through his men like shadows in the dark.

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Gunshots echoed inside the warehouse. Bodies dropped to the concrete floor. One of Renjiro’s trusted lieutenants, Akihiko, tried to escape—but a bullet tore through his skull before he even reached the exit. Among them, a masked man known as

"Raven", one of Antonio’s deadliest killers, moved silently, eliminating targets with deadly precision.

BANG!

His final shot hit a senior Crimson Lotus officer right in the chest. He clicked his radio.

"Clean."

Elsewhere,

Marcus and his team tracked down a corrupt government official working for Renjiro.

BANG.

The man’s body slumped over his car seat, his blood splattered across the windshield. In just three days, The Crimson Lotus lost half of its senior leadership. When Renjiro heard the news—he was furious. His grip on the map of his dwindling empire tightened.

"Antonio…" he growled, his eyes flashing with pure hatred.

"You’ll pay for this."

Las Vegas –

Antonio’s Exclusive Club Renjiro had set a trap. Through his connections, he ensured Antonio would be lured to a high-end nightclub in Las Vegas—where the real game would begin. Inside the luxurious VIP lounge, Antonio lounged on a leather couch, two women dancing for him. One of them, a brunette in lace lingerie, slid into his lap.

"Antonio," she cooed, her lips brushing his ear.

"What do you want tonight?" Antonio smirked, his hand sliding up her waist, fingers pressing against her bare skin.

"Maybe something... a little wilder." She giggled, leaning in closer. But before she could say anything else—

BOOM.

The entire club went dark. The music cut off instantly. Antonio’s eyes narrowed as his hand went instinctively to his gun. A slow, deadly silence filled the air. Then— The doors burst open. Armed men flooded the VIP section. Antonio’s jaw clenched. He didn’t need anyone to tell him who sent them. Renjiro. And the motherfucker had just made his biggest mistake. Antonio smirked.

"Well…" he muttered, rolling his shoulders.

"This just got interesting."

Las Vegas – The Club Massacre

BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

Gunfire erupted through the club, turning the VIP lounge into a war zone. Guests screamed, some diving under tables, others rushing for the exits in pure terror. Antonio moved fast, shoving the woman in his lap off to the side, dodging the hail of bullets aimed directly at him. Marcus reacted instantly, pulling his gun and firing back at the attackers.

"Boss, this is a fucking setup!" he yelled. Antonio remained calm, eyes sharp, movements precise. He drew his pistol from inside his jacket, aimed—

BANG!

A headshot. The first man went down instantly, blood spraying onto the pristine leather couches. Outside, on the rooftop of a nearby building— A sniper from Antonio’s team, Phantom, had already taken position.

"Target identified,"

Phantom murmured into his earpiece.

"Renjiro’s sniper, rooftop across the street."

BANG!

A spray of red mist burst from the sniper’s head before he could even pull the trigger. Inside the club, Renjiro watched the chaos unfold, his teeth grinding in frustration. His carefully planned ambush was unraveling before his eyes. But before he could order a retreat—

BANG!

Another gunshot. This one—different. Renjiro’s chest tightened as he turned— And saw his own son, Kei Takahashi, collapse onto the floor. A sniper’s bullet had torn through his chest. Blood pooled around him.

"KEI!" Renjiro rushed to his son’s side, grabbing his bloodied body. Kei’s body shook violently, blood dripping from his lips.

"Otosan… I…" His voice faded. His body went still. Renjiro sat frozen, hands shaking, his fingers covered in his son’s blood. His rage boiled over, a guttural, inhuman scream escaping his throat.

"Antonio… I’LL FUCKING KILL YOU!"

But before he could make a move— Police sirens blared outside. Security forces stormed the building. Renjiro had no choice. He had to retreat… for now.

Outside the Club –

Marcus Under Fire Marcus was cornered. Renjiro’s men surrounded him, guns raised, ready to finish him off.

BANG!

A shot hit his shoulder, making him stumble back against a car, blood seeping through his suit. He gritted his teeth, breathing heavily. He was outnumbered. He was fucked. One of Renjiro’s men cocked his gun, stepping forward for the kill shot. Then—

BANG! BANG!

Two precise shots—straight to the head. The attackers dropped, lifeless. Marcus gasped for air, his vision blurry from the blood loss. Then he saw him. A man standing in the shadows, dressed in a long black coat. As he stepped forward, the dim club lights illuminated his face. Marcus’ breath caught.

"What the fuck…?" His mind raced as he recognized the man. Marvin. Or as the world once knew him—Cassandra’s father. Marcus tried to speak, but Marvin simply shook his head.

"Say nothing to Antonio," he muttered.

"Consider this a debt repaid." Then, before Marcus could react—

Marvin disappeared into the darkness. Renjiro’s Escape Far away from the smoking remains of the failed ambush, Renjiro knelt beside his son’s body in a hidden safehouse. Blood had dried on his hands, on his suit—on everything. His rage was absolute. His grief was crippling. And in the distance— Someone watched him from the shadows.

The Mastermind behind his comeback. A ghost in the underworld. No one knew who he was. Not yet. But soon—they would.