The one with the Offer

He stood in agony and semi-blindness amid chaos. Then as he began to recover his consciousness, he found himself standing by a pillar some distance from where he had been sitting. Fiery smoke and dust, still boiling up from where the bombs had gone off far underground, was being violently agitated at the bottom. A series of new flashes broke out.

Few, that never abandoned the Nameless City, were now running. The attack had injured most of them but none was killed. Then geysers of hot ash and molten rock spouted upward. The City without a name was burning in ashes.

"P! Are you alright!" Takeshi asked him worried. The city was not fully emptied and today their mission was to take everyone with them.

P clean the blood of his forehead and nodded. "What's happening?" He turned around noticing the chaos and madness that was unleashed.

"Triads!" Takeshi uttered as he climbed higher searching the area "We have to go now! Everyone run!"

"Weren't they suppose to delay?" P wondered as he followed Takeshi.

Thankfully Takeshi, P and the rest managed to escape only with small injuries.

"What's happening?" Yamato questioned after the first explosion took place.

"Oe!" Hiroto uttered and pointed at the nameless city as the enormous explosion happened. It was as though a fist of orange flame had decided to punch its way out of the main complex. "That was a major blow!"

"Triads are on the move!" Cobra added as he took a few steps forward only to come across a second explosion.

"Saigo didn't manage to hold them back for long!" Tetsu said gazing at the smoke that was now rising from the nameless city.

Chiharu sighed "Cobra! What are we supposed to do?"

"Rude Boys!" his response came fast "We have to make sure if everyone is alright. Contact the rest of SWORD"

As Cobra said they called Takeshi and found out that none was in danger. Next SWORD was informed. A new meeting was arranged to deal with the Triads.

"We won't give up. Nameless was our city!" Takeshi was the first who talked as the meeting took place in the old hideout of the Mugen. "We can survive everywhere. Yet, we are being haunted. I won't forgive anyone who hurts my family. Even if the enemy is Kuryu or Triads."

Kohaku stepped closer behind him and with a calm voice talked "Nothing changed. Saigo attempt to trap The Triads didn't work. And after today's attack, that means they are back on their old tricks."

"We have to get back up." Rocky agreed "Even if we are dealing with a clan deadlier than Kuryu or the Korean Mafia."

"Isn't it about getting back up no matter how many times we fall?" Hyuga backed him up "SWORD will not let a foreign Threat break it!" And he was right, he had also witnessed Daruma fall not only once. What should he do? Declare defeat? That was not an option.

"We won't let SWORD end up like this!" Murayama howled "No matter what the cost!"

"Let's destroy the Triads!" Yamato cried out.

The meeting had started and it seemed that all five gangs of SWORD wanted the same thing. They agreed that they could no longer stand down and allow The Triads to attack them. When or how they would do that? They didn't know yet! Their meeting was still at the beginning at they had to organize and plan the right strategy.

"Aniki, you better drive over!" Hiroto called his older brother after he noted that it would be a very long and serious meeting and Masaki should be there with them.

Meanwhile, Amaya finished worked and was about to take a taxi back home. About the Triads, the explosions and the meeting she wasn't warned. Suddenly her way was cut by a black car and she never managed to take that Taxi. Ryu opened the door gestured her to get inside the car.

Amaya titled her head showing her confusion "Ryu, what are you doing here?"

"Come! I have an offer! You cannot decline!" the new leader of Kuryu announced and leaned forward waiting for her to enter inside the car.

Cobra's sister rolled her eyes "Listen! I already told you. I am not interested in anything you have to offer!" She took a step back trying to close the door. True be told seeing Ryu so confident troubled her about SWORD. But she was no longer the same scared girl as years ago. Those few months she had returned to Japan she was slowly turning braver. And stubborn. But stubborn was she always.

The door was blocked and opened again. "Get in! Before declining an offer you should first listen! I guess no one told you about the new attack?" he smirked evilly "You might need to check it out!"

She seemed calmed and relaxed, mastering at hiding her emotions. Both of the Hino siblings were like that. Her mind calculated the current information that Ryu gave her and she finally pulled her mobile and called Hiroto. She turned her back to the open door to have some privacy. "Neh, Did Triads strike?" was her first question after he picked up the call.

"There were a few explosions in Nameless City. We are currently trying to figure out the rest." Hiroto mumbled as the meeting was going on.

Amaya turned and glared at Ryu. "What about the people there?" she puzzled in earnest. Her facial expression looked still calm but she was burning in anger now.

"Only a few injuries!" Hiroto said in low tone real fast "Oe! Aren't you at work?"

"Just finished! And heard about the Nameless City. I needed to check if it was true! What are we going to do?" she went on talking with Hiroto now and ignored Ryu, who was still waiting for her.

"SWORD gathered at the moment trying to answer that. Idiot! Go home! We'll talk later!" were Hiroto's last words before turning off the call.

Go home? Who? Her? She was fired up now and wanted to share with him her anger. However with Ryu around and the latest news that never occurred. She put away her mobile and finally climbed inside the car. "Okay, what do you want?"

The driver drove off aiming to bring her home. "Listen! You already know how powerful the Triads are. You think SWORD can take them down. Believe me, you can't!" Ryu said crossing his legs and gazing at her with his annoying smile.

Amaya sat back annoyed at his words. "That means you don't know SWORD or its people. We will fight!" she uttered proudly under her breath.

"Of course you will! But my question is: will you win? You see now you are facing the Chinese Mafia. And you already took a small taste of it!" Ryu played her.

"I know who the Triads are, Ryu! And how dangerous they are! But that is our problem now!" She clarified ignoring him "If we win or lose this battle. It has nothing to do with Kuryu any longer.

"But it has!" Ryu said demanding her attention "You see, Triads are our enemies too. We want them out. And now we can easily take them off the game!"

Now he had won her full attention "You can! How? Then why aren't you!" she questioned.

"Listen carefully! You know that Li is related to Chang. You see the boss of the Korean Mafia and the Boss of the Chinese Mafia are siblings. Chang is their father. Yet, Chang is a Chinese Mafia clan. He only had an illegal Korean son." Ryu was explaining to her as Amaya interrupted him.

"Wait, you mean Li is his son? Then..." she paused trying to add the dots together. "But how is that information important to take down the Triads."

Ryu laughed at her ignorance "Listen! There is no way you can bring down the Triads. Even one of their clan the Chang. There is years of history, money and power involved. Like Kuryu. You cannot simply undo our history. But what we can do, is to cut their resources and block their power here in Tokyo."

"That's your plan! Why? And how!?" she asked again bewildered. She didn't know the full story of Chang and Kuryu. Even if Ryu tried to explain the basic to her it had nothing to do with her.

"Li wants his revenge. He already offered some help to you guys. But he knew, to deal with the Triads. Only an equal clan could aid him. Nameless city, and few more deeds. Everything that the Triads need to build the casino is in our hands. It will take only a few of our lawyers and they will back off!" Ryu said satisfied.

Amaya rolled her eyes "Stop! Stop the car! You here to tell me you will take the Triads down. And I should be happy? SWORD will still be in danger? The only thing that would change then is that we won't have only to deal with the Triads but with Kuryu too?"

"No! The triads will be gone. Kuryu will deal with them. Indeed we want to build the Casino. Yet, building it in SWORD is not in our current plans. In other words, you can save SWORD, the nameless city... just by saying yes!" Ryu placed his offer "Accept to be part of Kuryu! Marry into our family!"

Amaya shook her head in disbelief as she glared openly at Ryu "Are you crazy! Be part of the Kuryu group!? I prefer to fight the Triads and die trying! Stop the car!" she voiced up and opened the door "Ryu, I would never side up with those who hurt my people. You should accept that!"

Ryu smirked again. "Even if it means seeing friends and family die. I can wait! And my offer is still open! You will eventually accept. Just know this. The time you decide to say yes, all your connections with SWORD will end. And you should admit that you join us from your free will. After all, a wedding should be done out of love right!" Ryu concluded.

"Never!" Amaya hissed and dushed out of the car without looking back. She knew her decision wasn't wrong. Becoming part of Kuryu to save SWORD. How could an ill offer like that stand? Ryu surely had his reasons. Kuryu would never come up with any offer if they had nothing to gain. And with Ryu behind it, there should be a lot. However deep down something started to bother her. What if while dealing with the Triads she would end up losing people dear to her. What if Ryu was actually right?

That day, Ryu had already done his damage. 'Even if it means seeing friends and family die...' his words echoed inside her mind again and again.

AsianFanfics

The one with the Offer

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