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”
Location: Monaco, Secret Underworld Auction House, Night
The glittering lights of Monaco could barely be seen from the hidden layers beneath the city, where an underground auction house had become the meeting point for the most dangerous figures in the world. Yuzuki was crouched behind a stack of crates, silently observing the lavish chaos unfolding in front of her. She had been here before—at the mercy of mercenaries, weapons dealers, and people who used their money to buy lives. It was, as always, a disturbing scene, but one that had her at the center of it.
Her target tonight was not some lowly pawn. This time, she was here for Dante Valente.
Dante wasn’t just some idiot in a flashy suit; no, he was the heir to the Valente family, a bloodline that controlled more than just Monaco’s underground business. Their influence spread all the way to the top, from the highest politicians to the deepest criminals. And in the underworld, having a Valente in your pocket could make you invincible. But unfortunately for him, Yuzuki had received an order. A simple one.
“Dante Valente must die. And you’re the one who’s going to do it.”
The order was clear. No questions. No room for hesitation.
But there was something about Dante that made this job... difficult. He wasn’t just a cold-hearted mafia heir, the type of man who’d sleep with a hundred women and betray his closest allies for the sake of power. He wasn’t just any criminal. There was a weird charisma about him that grated against every fiber of her professional assassin instincts.
She had already seen him in action, and it was unlike anything she expected.
Dante was both the worst and the best person for this job.
Sighing, she stood up from her hiding spot and approached the auction floor where Dante was laughing with a group of businessmen, his voice ringing in the air. His smile was playful, a little cocky, but it was the kind of smile that drew you in against your will. The kind that made people feel like they were winning, even when they were clearly losing.
“Hey, Dante!” Yuzuki called out, stepping from the shadows, her voice cutting through the laughter like a blade.
The man turned, and for a moment, their eyes met. His expression shifted from playful to something darker, more guarded, and, to her surprise, almost... intrigued. His posture straightened, and his gaze softened. He wasn’t some unpredictable idiot now—he was a Valente.
“Yuzuki,” he said, as if he’d been waiting for her all along. “I was wondering when you’d show up.”
“I didn’t think you’d notice me, given how busy you are, Valente,” Yuzuki replied, her tone laced with sarcasm.
“Busy?” Dante laughed, taking a slow step toward her, his eyes glinting with mischief. “Not as much as I’d like to be, but you know how it is. The Valente family doesn’t let a guy have a moment to himself.”
Yuzuki’s gaze hardened. She didn’t have time for his nonsense. “We need to talk,” she said, her voice lowering. “About your family.”
Dante raised an eyebrow. “My family? You want to talk about family with me?”
“Not just any family. Your bloodline is getting too messy. And I don’t want to be a part of it anymore,” she said, making sure to emphasize each word. She needed him on edge, distracted, so she could make her move. “Your family’s war with the Ayanamis? It’s not just complicated anymore. It’s a full-blown disaster, and I’m going to make sure it ends tonight.”
Dante’s eyes flared with recognition, and for the first time, a slight edge of seriousness crept into his usually carefree smile. “So, you’ve been sent by them, then. To finish me.”
Yuzuki barely nodded. “I’m just doing my job. Nothing personal.”
Dante laughed again, a slow, almost mocking chuckle. “Nothing personal? You think you can kill me and just walk away from this unscathed?”
Yuzuki tightened her grip on the hilt of the dagger she’d concealed beneath her jacket. The blade was a whisper of death, sharp enough to sever an artery with a single, clean strike. All she had to do was close the distance between them and—
Suddenly, the entire room shook.
An explosion of gunfire rang out, accompanied by the sound of men shouting in panic. The chandelier above them shattered in a cascade of glass, and chaos erupted. Yuzuki instinctively dove to the ground, narrowly missing a bullet that ricocheted off the stone floor. She scanned the room, eyes narrowed. More mercenaries had arrived, but this time, it wasn’t her target they were after.
It was everyone.
“What the hell is this?” Yuzuki hissed, rolling to the side to avoid another round of bullets.
Dante, ever the charmer, was already standing, his hand on a nearby wall for balance. “Ah, I see what’s happening. Someone sent a welcome party. I’m flattered.” He reached into his suit jacket and pulled out a compact gun, expertly spinning it in his hand. “And to think, I was hoping for a quiet evening.”
Yuzuki barely had time to react as a bullet tore past her ear. She pushed herself to her feet and instinctively fired back, her gunshots precise and quick. She had no idea who these new players were, but they weren’t here to make friends.
“You really are full of surprises, aren’t you?” Yuzuki said between gunfire, not even sparing a glance at Dante.
“Oh, I like to keep people guessing,” Dante said with a grin, his voice filled with wild excitement. “I thought this was going to be a slow night, but now? Now, this is much more interesting.”
Yuzuki scowled at him, trying to ignore how the sound of his voice seemed to make the entire situation just a little bit more absurd. She fired another round, hitting a man square in the chest.
“We’ll talk later!” Yuzuki yelled as the remaining mercenaries closed in. “After I’m done saving your life!”
“Oh, don’t worry, I’m great at saving myself!” Dante shouted back, diving behind a pillar, then popping up with a wild grin. “But I’d like to see you try to keep up!”
As they fought side by side, the irony wasn’t lost on Yuzuki. This was the last person she should be protecting. This was the man she was supposed to kill, yet here they were—fighting back-to-back, like some ridiculous, mismatched duo.
Despite herself, she couldn’t help but feel... something else.
Maybe this job wasn’t as simple as she thought.
---
EPISODE 2 (Continued): The Chaos of Fate
The battle raged on for what felt like hours, bullets flying through the air like a twisted symphony. But eventually, the mercenaries were subdued—thanks to a combination of Yuzuki’s precision and Dante’s... unpredictable methods. The last mercenary fell, clutching his chest, and the room fell silent once more.
Yuzuki took a deep breath, her eyes scanning the wreckage around them. She’d done her job, kept her cool, and—despite her best efforts—hadn’t killed Dante. Yet.
Dante, meanwhile, was already checking the pockets of the unconscious mercenaries for anything valuable.
“Well, that was fun,” Dante said, wiping a bit of blood off his cheek. “Thanks for the assist. I’ve gotta say, I’m impressed. I thought for sure you were going to betray me during that little dust-up.”
Yuzuki, still catching her breath, shot him a glare. “I’m not here to be your sidekick, Valente. Don’t get any funny ideas.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” Dante said, walking closer, his grin still as wide as ever. “You’re starting to grow on me. You’ve got style, you know?”
Yuzuki’s eyes narrowed as she backed away slightly, her hand still tightly gripping her gun. “Don’t get too comfortable, Valente. This isn’t over.”
“Oh, I know,” he said with a wink. “But maybe you’ll have a change of heart. After all, everyone does.”
She rolled her eyes. “Don’t flatter yourself.”
As they made their way to the exit, she couldn’t help but wonder: Was it the bullets that kept her here? Or something else entirely?
---
