- SS PARTNERS HIERARCHY -
LEVEL 0
Unknown Authority
(Status: Classified)
LEVEL 1
Special Executive Chiefs (4)
• Null
• Fang
• Chief 3
• Chief 4
LEVEL 2
Special Executives
Each Chief commands 4 Special Executives.
Example:-
Null Squad
• Hollow
• Executive 2
• Executive 3
• Executive 4
LEVEL 3
Base Executives
Example:-
The Gaurds who were with Hollow
---
Volume 2nd [ The truth they buried ]
Chapter No.17 - First operation - begins...!
The chapter opens beneath a tense evening sky. Just by looking at Kye, it was obvious that he was planning something far beyond ordinary.
Standing beside him was the same man who had been following him earlier.
Kye: "You understand everything now, right? What to do... and how to do it?"
Random Man: "Y-Yes... I understand. But... what if he doesn't believe me?"
Kye: "Then you'll both die. I'll simply find another target. And tell me something... what kind of spy are you? You don't even know anything about your own organization. What's the point of working there?"
Random Man: "The truth is... we're only lower-ranking members. We're given orders along with only the basic information necessary for the mission. Nothing more is ever shared with us. We only know what we're supposed to know."
Kye: "I see... Fine. Get moving. I'll be right behind you."
The man immediately walks ahead.
Kye takes out his phone and calls Saito.
Saito: "Kye? Did you come up with a plan? What are you thinking?"
Kye: "Of course I did. I'm not like you, calling someone every few minutes as if they're your girlfriend. I'll capture Arthur tonight. Just stay ready at the base."
Without waiting for a reply, Kye ends the call.
Earlier, he had already called Arisa and told her to stay home until he returned.
---
The scene shifts to the random man's point of view.
We see a silent neighborhood. Every house was built with a considerable distance from the next. At this hour of the night, not a single sound could be heard, as if everyone had already fallen asleep.
Among all the houses, Arthur Kane's residence stood out immediately. It was noticeably larger than the others, giving off an elegant, luxurious atmosphere.
From a distance, Kye silently observed everything.
Kye (thinking): Arthur is a retired scientist. His personal information is completely classified. That's why no one knows what kind of work he actually did for the government.
The man walks to the front door and knocks.
Even the rhythm of his knocking seemed unusual.
A few moments later...
Arthur himself opens the door.
Arthur: "Oh? What do you want this time?"
It was obvious that Arthur already knew him.
---
Flashback
Earlier...
Kye had questioned the man and confirmed his suspicion.
Since both of them worked for the same organization, there was a high chance they already knew each other.
Kye: "My plan is simple. Just get Arthur to step outside the house. I'll handle everything else. I don't want unnecessary noise while taking him. The quieter this operation is, the better it is for me. Do this... and I'll let you live."
---
Back to the Present
Just as Arthur is about to ask another question...
Two hands suddenly cover his mouth from behind.
Without wasting a single second, Kye strikes the back of Arthur's neck.
Arthur loses consciousness instantly.
Kye: "Doing this alone wasn't difficult. The only problem was the noise. If things got loud, this operation could've turned into a much bigger problem... and that wouldn't have been good for me."
He turns toward the frightened man.
Kye: "As promised... you're free. Now get out of here before I change my mind. And tell your seniors one more thing..."
A faint smile appears on Kye's face.
Kye: "Kye will definitely bring destruction. If they're capable of stopping me... I'd like to see them try."
The man doesn't waste another second. He sprints away at full speed, as if a massive burden had finally been lifted from his shoulders.
Kye quietly looks up at the full moon shining above him.
A faint smile appears across his face.
Kye: "The sky... looks beautiful tonight."
The scene shifts...!
------
Kye had already brought the unconscious Arthur Kane to the hideout... or rather, to the basement that served as Saito and Elena's base.Kye had already brought the unconscious Arthur Kane to the hideout... or rather, to the basement that served as Saito and Elena's base.
The old basement was as messy as ever. Documents, photographs, maps, and handwritten notes were scattered across every corner. Arthur sat unconscious, tightly tied to a chair in the middle of the room.
Saito stared at him in disbelief.
Saito: "How... did you even pull this off?"
Elena stepped closer and carefully examined Arthur before turning toward Kye.
Elena: "I was wondering the same thing... Wait..."
She looked over Arthur once more.
"There aren't even any injuries on his body. It doesn't look like a fight happened at all."
Kye let out a small sigh.
Kye: "What? Do you think I'm some movie gangster?"
I have a brain too.If I were as dumb as you two, I'd probably have ended up tied to a chair myself that day.
Saito shook his head with a helpless smile.
Saito: "Kye... let's focus on the mission first. We can decide who's smarter later."
Kye leaned against the wall, folding his arms.
Kye: "Arthur won't be waking up anytime soon."
"So, if you've gathered any new information... now's the time to tell me."
Elena walked toward the table and said :-
Elena: "Look, Kye..."
"At this point, it's almost certain that this organization is working together with the government."
"If that's true, then the media and news channels are most likely under their control as well."
She paused for a moment before continuing.
"There are also a few small clues suggesting that other countries might be involved."
"I don't have concrete evidence to prove it..."But if you ask me..."I'm almost certain it's true."
Kye quietly stared at the documents without saying a word.
Kye (thinking): If other countries are involved as well... then this is far from a normal situation.
Sometimes I wonder... what do these people actually want?
The room fell silent.
The scale of the conspiracy felt much larger than any of them had imagined.
---
Elena continued.
Elena: "SS Partners is an organization that has existed for a very long time. It is led by four individuals... the very people who founded it."
She pointed toward the first photograph.
"The first... and the most important member. The very root behind the creation of SS Partners. Almost everyone believes that it was Victor who first came up with the idea of establishing this organization."
Victor Ashford.
She placed another file on the table.
"The second is Adrian Blackwood, the mind behind SS Partners. In news interviews and public appearances, Adrian himself has stated that he is the one responsible for handling the organization's operations and solving its internal problems."
Another document slid across the table.
"The third is Vincent La Ashbourne. Financially, he is the wealthiest among the four founders. Many people even call him the Treasurer of SS Partners because of the enormous financial influence he possesses."
Finally, she picked up the last photograph.
"And last... but certainly not least... Leonardo di Whitemore. He is one of the richest politicians in the country and was once among the most respected political figures. Even after stepping away from active politics, his influence remains as powerful as ever."
Elena looked directly at Kye.
Elena: "Do you understand now, Kye? Every single one of them has an incredibly powerful background. Their influence is far beyond what ordinary people can imagine."
The room fell silent.
Kye lowered his head, carefully processing every name.
Kye (thinking): So these are the people standing at the very top...
He slowly looked at Elena and Saito.
Kye: "I understand, Elena... Saito. This isn't going to be easy for us. The biggest challenge isn't defeating them—it's earning the people's trust. If people refuse to believe us, everything we do will become meaningless. Nowadays, people blindly follow the government. Whether it's because of politics, religion, or countless other reasons... they've stopped questioning the truth itself. Exposing everything won't be easy."
A faint smile appeared on his face.
Kye: "But... I'm Kye Kurasaki. No matter how hopeless the situation becomes... I'll expose the truth."
His confident smile silently filled the room with determination.
And with that smile... the scene shifted toward an unknown man.
---
The unknown man sat silently in the darkness.
Although his face remained completely hidden, his massive physique alone was enough to create an overwhelming sense of pressure.
The atmosphere inside the room was suffocatingly tense. It was so silent that even the sound of a single drop of water falling would have echoed throughout the entire room.
Everything around him reflected luxury. Expensive furniture, elegant decorations, and a perfectly designed interior gave the room the appearance of belonging to someone with unimaginable wealth.
Suddenly, the same man who had been secretly keeping an eye on Kye rushed inside, breathing heavily.
Random Man: "Lord... that man is far too dangerous. I barely escaped with my life... and Dr. Arthur has already been kidnapped."
The man sitting in the darkness let out a quiet sigh.
Unknown Man: "So... you couldn't even accomplish the one task you were given? And instead, you've come here bringing me nothing but bad news. You're becoming quite troublesome."
The man immediately fell to his knees.
Random Man: "Please forgive me, Lord! I promise I'll do better next time. Please... give me another chance."
A faint chuckle echoed through the room.
Unknown Man: "Hmm... very well. You're forgiven."
He casually waved his hand.
Unknown Man: "Guards... take him away and give him some first aid. We wouldn't want any more unnecessary problems in the future."
The random man's expression instantly brightened with relief.
He repeatedly thanked his lord as the guards escorted him away.
However...
As they approached another corridor, the man's smile slowly disappeared.
Random Man: "Wait... this isn't the medical area, is it?"
One of the guards smirked.
Guard: "Just keep walking."
"Who said we were taking you to the medical room?"
"You've become completely useless."
"Our boss's words still don't make sense to you, do they?"
"When he said 'first aid'..."
"He meant giving you a death so complete... that you'd never need medicine ever again."
The man's face turned pale.
Random Man: "W-What...? No... Please! Let me speak to the Lord! Please... I'm begging you! Lord! Please hear me!"
Ignoring every desperate plea, the guards threw him into a massive steel room before locking the door behind him.
The room was filled with countless human skeletons.
There wasn't a single window.
Only unbearable heat.
The temperature inside continued to rise...
Higher...
And higher...
Until anyone trapped inside would eventually melt alive.
Back inside the luxurious room, the unknown man slowly smiled.
Unknown Man: "If someone has to die..."
"They deserve a painful death."
"At the very least..."
"They should be allowed to enjoy it."
A low laugh escaped his lips.
Unknown Man: "There are countless ways I can kill people."
His smile widened.
Unknown Man: "I'll be waiting for you... Kye Kurasaki."
"Playing with you will be far more entertaining."
"I'll make you suffer..."
"Until the day you beg me for death."
The room echoed with his sinister laughter.
Far away...
Behind the thick steel walls...
Only one sound continued to echo through the silence.
"L-Lord...! Please forgive me...! Lord...! PLEASE...!!"
And then...
Only screams remained.
And that's how the chapter 17 - First operation - ends...!