Kael arrived home and went directly into the shower. As the droplets of water streamed down through his wet hair, which had fallen over his face, he was undoubtedly lost within the depths of his own thoughts.
"(So, normal, huh... How does one even become normal? Asking for such a thing from someone who has never lived a normal life in their entire existence is practically the same as torture. What was it again? 'I don't want you involved in these affairs anymore.' Then you shouldn't have dragged me into this mess from the very beginning, you bastard. Of course, all he does is sit in his comfortable chair and turn everyone's lives into absolute shit. It feels familiar from somewhere, but well, that place is better left forgotten. Ahhh, speaking of Turkey, I've got menemen on my mind, but God forbid, there are things crawling around in the fridge—not a single fresh ingredient in sight, nothing but canned food. I need to head to the market and do some grocery shopping; I just hope there's actually money on the card Tora gave me.)"
While still lost within the depths of his thoughts, Kael had already put on his shoes, grabbed his wallet and keys, and set off toward the supermarket. After gathering all the necessary ingredients, he turned back toward home just as the sun began its slow, deliberate descent below the horizon.
By the time he stepped out, the vibrant hues of the sunset were fading, and the sun was gradually vanishing from the skyline. Carrying two heavy grocery bags, Kael blended into the evening rush of the city, moving with a silent purpose among the weary commuters.
He walked through the shifting tides of people who were scurrying about in their evening haste, each absorbed in their own mundane lives. Amidst this restless urban flow, Kael's presence seemed to diminish, his tall figure becoming just another silhouette in the dimming light of the streets.
It was as if the city itself was reclaiming him; he was swallowed whole by the dense crowd of strangers. In that sea of anonymous faces, the former "Shinigami" vanished completely, becoming nothing more than an ordinary soul lost in the shadows of the approaching night.
Just as the crowd began to thin out, he was on the verge of reaching his home. However, his attention abruptly shifted elsewhere as he accidentally overheard a sentence from right beside him—a sentence he was never meant to hear.
"Are you sure the kid's family will bring the money? I've been waiting here forever, and there's still no sign of anyone."
With the impact of hearing that sentence, he tilted his head slightly to the left and noticed a man with a scorpion tattoo on his neck talking to someone on the phone.
When this sentence and the scorpion tattoo came together, they pointed to only one organization: L Orka. They were the only power capable of competing with K Tora, and even Kenichi-san—one of K Tora's three kings—had personally warned Kael never to cross paths with them.
They are an Italian mafia that, unlike the secretive K Tora, draws its reputation from its own notorious infamy.
"(Looks like a ransom situation. Normally, I would have kept my word to the leaders and ignored it, but since I'm no longer a part of that place, fuck their rules.)"
"Alright then, I'm heading back. You guys keep waiting in the warehouse with the kid."
"(If you follow a wild bee, it will lead you to its hive, and then you can exterminate the whole nest. Go on then, lead me to your hive; all I have to do is follow you.)"
One hour later....
Kael was watching an old warehouse in the middle of the forest from the branch of a tree, where light leaked through several windows boarded up with wood. A short while later, he put on a motorcycle helmet and jumped from the tree; within a minute, the warehouse was plunged into darkness.
"(It seems he didn't notice the AirTag on him. Unfortunately, this mistake will be your last.)"
Meanwhile, inside the warehouse
"Sir, the power is out."
"You idiots, this is an old warehouse; go and flip the breakers."
"Right away, sir."
Within seconds, a single gunshot rings out from the shadows, followed by another; then, finally, all sounds cease, and the surroundings are plunged into silence and darkness. However, this stillness lasts only until the wailing of police sirens begins to echo in the distance.
Law enforcement and police vehicles quickly surrounded the warehouse, cutting off and securing every possible exit.
"You are surrounded! Drop your weapons and surrender immediately!"
...
"You are surrounded! Drop your weapons and surrender immediately; this is your final warning."
...
"Everyone stay alert, there could be a trap."
Law enforcement forces cautiously approach the door and, with a single signal, break down the warehouse entrance, storming inside from both sides.
Directly in front of them, behind the warehouse door and beneath an electrical panel, lies a lifeless, bald man with a scorpion tattoo on his neck.
Along with having no visible wounds, no signs of struggle can be found on his body or in the surrounding area. What is truly strange, however is that there are other people lying lifeless further inside the warehouse; but unlike the first man, they died as a result of a single bullet hitting their foreheads.
As the soldiers search the warehouse further, they find unlicensed weapons, explosives, forged IDs, and fake passports. Just as they are about to leave, a door in the corner of the warehouse catches their attention.
Approaching that door with caution as well, they open it to find a 7 or 8-year-old blonde boy, blindfolded and tied to a chair in the middle of damp-covered walls, in an unconscious state.
One of the soldiers steps forward, frees the child from the chair he was tied to, takes him in his arms, and carries him outside.