Chapter 1 : Discoveries

I am not a kind hearted angel, neither am I here to bestow celestial on to this despairing world as my parents hoped. I am here to blast down the facade of lies and hypocrisy, I am here to distribute retribution and balance. I shall take back what outright belong to me, and for whoever had took everything away from me and many others, I shall make you pay with every ounce of your blood and tears.

"Ayeee," one of the deliquent gave his mate a high five, "Cmon hand me some of that stuff!"

"Alright alright hold up-" the other said, shaking his bottle of met capsules, and drooped down a pill into his palm, "here here!" He handed it over and watch the other guy gulped it down like candy.

From outside the dark valley, a figure began to approach the two.

??: "Hey."  the figure was wearing a cap covering half of their face, "Where did you guys get that stuff."

"Hahhhh?" They were too high to respond, "Who the fuck are you, ya don't look like one of us hah kid? Where's your bracelet?" He pushed the capped's shoulder.

"Bracelet?"

"Ah!" The other one raised his left hand up , "That's right, if ya don't got a bracelet don't just start talkin'!"

There was a black banded bracelet with a metal tag around his wrist.

"Get the damn rules right- UGGSHH!" Before he could finished his sentence, a thrashing punch smashed right in his stomach.

"EH-" *CRASH* after a few swings the two were paralysed on the ground.

"Lets see…" She swiftly removed the cap and let out an exhale of mockery. Her pixie pink hair revealed. 

"Valhalla huh…?" She ripped one of the bracelet off their wrist and read the words embedded on that metal tag, "how lame." she slipped it on her wrist, "can't help it tch."

This new 'Ruler of The Night' must've invented a new way to separate the people of the night city from civilians. Such an old fashioned approach. They could use some sort of technological ID card, identifiable with a card reader. That would make it less easy to steal…unless this 'Ruler of The Night' encouraged these kinda theftery? Its hard to tell what kind of crazy pervert this motherfucker was going to be.

Though right now, it became clear to Angel that the syndicate world and its system still exist. Someone took over her father and took control. The difference however was that this bastard must be 10 times more sick in the damn head to invigorate minors into drug trafficking and usage like this.

All these 'daylight' delinquent gangs are a group of depressed and anxious teenagers, formed to amuse the 'higher-ups'. They offered these clueless children with a solution to get out of their pathetic lives, by forming gangs, grouping together and enjoy the thrills of the night lives.

Other than delinquents, all other active members of the night would also have their very own set of accessories, depending on the group they belong to, they would have a different coloured bracelet. These jewellery usually have their personal names engraved on it as well, but nobody really cared enough to inspect.

To encourage more minors to join the night lives and expand the influence of syndicates, they made joining a delinquent gang the first step, or more like a 'ticket' to entering this gate of "freedom". Anyone who wanted to work, enter night clubs, or just to simply enjoy certain activities within the territories must have a tag of their own, and the most common way of obtaining it was to join a gang. Older folks over the age of 25 would join the syndicate gang itself, all through connections.

Every delinquent gang is directly under an operative syndicate organisation, managing the smaller crimes and take care of their territories during day. So basically for one to create a new gang, they have to be accepted by a syndicate group, and form a gang as a 'small branch' of that group.

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It was 11:56pm, Angel entered the elevator down.

As she exited the gate, the security guard stood up, "Excuse me Missy, please don't exit your room at such hour-"

Before he could finished, she swung her 'tag' bracelet swiftly at his face and dashed off, "already..?" The guard muttered to himself, "didn't she just arrived…these bastards are getting more active by the day…" he helplessly sighed.

Angel's first goal include gathering information, then she can decide on a plan. 

According to the delinquents she overheard, the Roppongi district is the currently the busiest. It is where all the fucks in the world gathered, enriched with all sorts of illegal luxuries.

On her way there, she could finally witness in real time the despairing 'sin city' that her mom wrote about. The "sin" aspect of the night street seem worse now. There were a disgusting number of minors hoarding the road of crimes and nudity.

All kind of drugs were used on all type of people. Extreme violence and blood shed was the norm. It shuddered Angel at the thought of involvement. She was strong. She was trained by her parents at a young age and she continued train herself even after their announced death. She needed the strength to achieve her seemingly unfeasible goal of revenge. Her martial art skill was surely no less than national level, but she was definitely no immortal god. 

She sighed before making her way to the 'rising star' of this area, as they described it. The Musō nightclub of Roppongi, ran by the largest syndicate organisation at the moment, The Muteki Group.

She lined up to enter, when it was her turn, she flashed the Valhalla bracelet to the guards and handed him a small stack of cash, "Take off your mask and cap before entering."

She nodded and pulled off her accessories, then walked in. The cold air carried a hint of alcohol and a nose-wrenching scent of bodily fluids. The bar was large, it seem to be a lot larger and more disgusting than the Akiyama Club. Sex, violence, drug, there was not a single offence that was missing. At least the Akiyama club was a lot more organised and disciplined.

As she began to stroll deeper when she suddenly felt a hand grabbing her shoulder. Angel flinched and turned back.

"You don't look like you should be here." It was an unrecognisable man with dark black hair, excessive tattoos and earrings. He gave off this image of a cold blooded vampire, he was cold, so cold that it felt numbing just looking into his eyes.

He was speaking to her in English, "No foreigners allowed, have you not learnt the rules?"

Perhaps her mix blooded appearance looked foreign. 

She pulled him down by his shirt collar, "Too quick to judge aren't ya?" and replied in Japanese.

A smug expression on her face, she threw him off and marched away. 

As she approached the bar counter, once again, the same hand clenched her wrist. She revolved around once more, this time visibly irritated.

"Come with me." His dark red eyes was as sharp as a knife.

"Was that your attempt to threaten me?" She scoffed in disdain, "Why don't you go back and learn some manners first before approaching someone?"

His intimidating eyes widen and popped in fury. You can see a few line of small veins whipped on his forehead.

"Pissed off!" She swung his arm away, but it seemed clear that he wasn't going to let go. The man began to forcefully dragged her toward the direction of a hidden backroom.

He threw her against the cream coloured wall, pinned her firmly against it as he scowled down at her.

Angel reacted on pure instinct and yanked his arms down by the elbow, kneed-up his abdomen. As soon as his grip was loosen, she swung a kick right across his head, swiftly seized his arm and twirled behind him, landing another kick down his spine, causing him to fall on his knees. She glued him onto the porcelain tiles with the weight of her body. There was not an extra movement, she lugged out the pistol hidden in his right back pocket.

"Asshole." Her golden eyes glowed with annoyance, pitching the gun onto the back of his head.

Before another second could pass by, she noticed his white leathered 'tag' bracelet and shuddered at the sight. "Shirashi…Seiya…" she slowly let go of his wrist, "Muteki's group no.3…." The pink lips curled up an awkward smirk. 

"Damn brat…" Seiya groaned, slowly pushing himself up. Angel slipped down his body like a ball on a slide.

He really didn't expect such response, it was a mistake on his part for being careless. He was no weakling and could've easily handled her if he wasn't so startled.

"Ummm…" she remained sat, gazing up at the muscular man with sparkly innocent eyes, "hahaha….uhhhh…I am uh sorry for that."

Seiya grabbed her hand, the one that was holding his gun, and yanked her up with one arm. He glared at the little figure hanging mid air. 

"So…uh…why did you asked me to come with you…?" She turned all chibi with that forced smile.

"Name?" 

"Uh, I go by Angel." 

"Real name?" 

"…" she muttered with a pouty attitude, "why does it matter…" 

"…" Seiya placed her back down onto her feet.

"Um," She hesitated for a bit, "Don't tell me you wanted me here just to ask for my name :D?"

"What's wrong with your real name?" 

"Huh? How did you even came to that conclusion-"

"Then why?" 

"I just see no reason to tell you." 

"You look familiar." Seiya pulled her face up by the chin, "What's your name."

"Familiar? You know me?…" she slightly squint in suspicion as she also attempted to recall. "Uhhhh don't think I know anyone named Seiya…but…" She unconsciously spoke her mind.

According to her parents, they used to lead the underworld with a few other organisations as well…

"Hm..Shirashi…" ..."The Shirashi Group…!?"

The Akiyama Group led the entirety of Japan 8 years ago along with 3 other organisations. The Ōshiro Group, in charged of Shikoku, Kyūshū & Okinawa region of Japan. The Nakano Group managed Kansai and Chugoku, and The Shirashi Group, who was the closest to the Akiyama Group, their most trusted organisation, was in control of Tōhoku along with Hokkaido.

"…" So she know him after all.

"Uhh…um…so you are.." Angel let out a few soft exhale of confusion, "Shirashi Shino's…son?"

"You must be new." He commented, "or more like, old."

"huh?"

"You guessed I was his son just from my name." He crossed his arms.

"Well…obviously?"

"Not obvious." He shook his head, "last names are common, unlike 8 years back."

Angel's confusion grew. Last names used to be an exclusive trademark to the syndicates…When did this changed…

"It seem I've encountered history." His ice-cold face softened, "So," he sighed, "Name?"

"You could have checked my tag bracelet for a name, but you didn't...So I guess you must knew that it wasn't mine?"

"Was obvious. I know the Valhalla's members, you aren't one."

"Huh? You memorised the members' face…?" 

"Obviously not. I simply had met the whole gang. You looked quite unique, I would've noticed you if you were in the crowd."

"Unique as in my gender?" She joked, "or because I am pretty and cute?"

"Stop beating around the bush. I asked for a name."

She was slightly hesitant, not knowing whether she should tell him. It's not the safest for her to reveal her identity after carelessly exposing the possibility that she was somehow linked to events of 8 years back.

"Um, Ōshiro…Hana." She made up a name on the spot, a trustworthy name that could potentially explain how she knew them.

"Ōshiro group?" 

"Yeah…hahaha." She was not the best liar.

"Since when did Ōshiro Sora had a daughter?" 

"I have been overseas since I was born." There goes another imaginative story, "I came back to find my dad."

"…" He sighed, "Sora is dead."

"Oh…" that was the most realistic reaction she could give, "Uh, I guessed that much…do you know how my father died?"

"My old man killed him. Killed all of them." he walked over to the couch behind them and sat himself down.

"What?…all?…all who?"

"All. Everyone from the Akiyama group."

"…why?" Her brain failed to process the informations.

She could even remember back to how Shirashi Shino often came to visit their family every month, he was so sweet, warm and kind?

"Probably for power." 

"So…your father, Shirashi Shino, is now…"

"Muteki Group's number 1, the supreme leader of the underworld." He looked up at her, "The ruler of The night."

Silence enveloped the breathless room.

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"Why…how.. how are you so comfortable with telling me this…?" 

Seiya's eyes were glued to the floor, his quietness was unpleasant. He definitely wasn't the most happy with what happened, she can read that much.

"I know…" Angel continued, "comfortable might not be the right word…but Seiya-san-"

"Ayumi." 

"Huh?…" Her feet paddle back a few steps as her face started to melt in confusion and denial, not knowing how to respond, or if she even heard right.

"I guess its you after all…" he sighed, knowing in his heart that of course, of course, he wouldn't get her wrong, "Ayumi…" his red eyes was coloured with a hint of sadness, "…I am sorry."

"…?" She stopped pacing. "…why?"

"Nothing." He stood up from the sofa, "though, I don't know what your plan is," he walked towards her, "but return that bracelet, go back to where you were. Don't come ever come back here again."

"What…do you mean?"

"If your intention was to learn the truth, I had just told you exactly that," he ran his fingers through her pixie pink hair, "but whatever else you had in mind…" caressing her cheeks, "forget it." An exhale of defeat exited his dry lips, "forget it and go home."

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Their conversation ended. Seiya sat himself back down the large couch as he looked around the empty room. His head drooped backward as he felt his heart swivelling in turmoils of unrecognisable emotions.

"She's alive…" he looked down at his right hand, still feeling the warmth of her skin.

Should he be happy? Sad, angry? Or more so guilty? Bitter, remorseful? It's hard to say. After all, she, 'came back to life'.

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18 years ago at a private martial art ground:

"Again!" The coach shouted.

Its been 7 hours, Seiya had been training nonstop just as his father "ordered".

He was exhausted, and his fragile little body bathed in sweat and bruises. His mother, Keiko, was waiting for him just right by the door with the same sorrowful expression she always wore. She was listening to the sound of his feet pounding against the wooden floor, his heavy breathing, and the occasional groan of pain.

It seemed as though these exercises were never-ending, she gazed at her little baby and wondered how much longer he could keep it up. It was a mind-numbing routine for Seiya, school, train, sleep, repeat.

"My poor child…" Keiko stood by the entrance of the training hall with bruises engulfing her body. The lady was sobbing her pathetic eyes out as she watched her innocent 10 years old son barely hanging on, squeezing out every last drop of strength to keep moving.

"Come on, Seiya!" The trainer shouted, his voice echoing off the walls of the dojo. "Pick up the pace, you're slowing down!"

Seiya gritted his teeth, his muscles strained to their limit. He knew his father wouldn't let him take a break until he had completed the training, but he was close to breaking. "YES SIR!" Seiya swung his little arm with the last whim of power before his vision dissipating. The floor was beginning to get whoopy, he lost his balance and soon his consciousness. 

"Sei-kun! Sei-kun!!!" He could hear his mother's heavy footsteps rushing towards him along with the continuous wailing, "Please! Just today, just today please let him go…please I beg you…" Keiko was on her knees, gripping tightly on to her unconscious son as she begged with tears dribbling down her colourless cheeks..

.

For god knew how long it had been later, his heavy eye lids blinked open.

"Oh my god…" his vision adjusted to the lighting, he was greeted by the sight of his sobbing mother. There was also a upward smile of relief lighting up her mellow profile.

"Oh thank god my poor Sei-kun…" she brushed through his charcoal black hair.

"Mama?" He sluggishly sat up from his mother's lap, "oh no…What time is it? Did I complete the practice? What happened!?" He was panicking too hard for a child of his age.

"Its okay! Its okay baby!" She lugged him into a warm hug, "We got a break day today, don't worry…" 

"Really..? Are you sure mom…" he gripped her shirt, "dad will be really mad…If I don't complete my mission…" 

"Yes, its okay baby, mommy will protect you, okay?" She looked down at him with a loving smile, "now why dont we get you to the bath, hm?"

Seeing at his mom encouraging smile comforted his little heart. The boy nod obediently, holding Keiko's hand and stood up.

As they washed up together, Keiko could see all the bruises on his body. Her heart sank. Tears well up in her eyes. She takes a breath to steady her nerves, then begins to wash him with gentle touches. As she washes away the dirt, the pain from each bruise was palpable in her fingers. She can feel her son's body tense up at the touch.

Miseries upon miseries piled upon her already damaged heart, she could not understand where it went wrong…Keiko closed her eyes in shame, feeling overwhelmed by the guilt and regret that had consumed her since the day she married her husband, Shino. He was a crazy fucking sociopath who stood on nothing but lies and manipulations, a mentally insane bastard who would do anything to blend in with the people only for his own benefit.

In retrospect, it was clear that he was manipulative and narcissistic, playing the role of the perfect partner until he had her trapped in a marriage. He was in all honesty, too good to be true, so how could she be so foolish? The love and romance she once felt turned into disgust and fear, and she couldn't understand how she had been so foolish.

Now, as she cradled her battered and abused son in her arms, she couldn't help but wonder if she would ever be able to make things right. She let out a despairing sigh as she struggled to find the courage to leave that monster.

Keiko let out a soft sob as she held her son in the bath, her tears wetting his hair as she gently scrubbed away the dirt and blood. Her heart broke as she acknowledged the result of her failure as a mother. The pain of betrayal and guilt was eating her up every seconds, but she must live, she must continue to survive for her son. She can't just abandon her beautiful son now, and leave him to that bastard, no matter what. She must do everything she can to protect him. She must.

Seiya sat quietly in his mother's arms, absorbing the weight of her sobs and cries. He had seen his mother cried many times before, but this was different as he realized the depth of her sorrow.

"Mama, why are you crying? Did I do something wrong?"

Keiko took a deep breath, trying to compose herself before she spoke. "No, my love, you've done nothing wrong. I am just feeling a little bit sad right now, that's all."

Seiya stared at her, his big eyes filled with confusion and concern. "But why... What's wrong?"

The weight of his innocence was heavy.

"Sei-kun, I'm crying because your father can be just... painful sometimes." She swallowed hard, trying to keep her voice steady. "And it's my job as your mother to protect you, to keep you safe. But sometimes, no matter how hard I try, I can't keep you from getting hurt…and I am…so, so sorry for that"

She forced a comforting smile, a wave of emotion washed over as she held her son close, feeling his small body trembling against her. "But I promise you, Sei-kun, I will do everything in my power to protect you. I love you so much, my precious boy, and I'm sorry if I haven't been able to keep you from getting hurt."

Seiya didn't say anything but just leaned into his mother's arms, his small chest rising and falling as he took deep, trembling breaths.

The bath ended on a sorrowful note.

Keiko stood up after she dried him up. She needed to try to act normal for Seiya, to pretend that everything was alright.

"Come on, let's make dinner together, okay?" 

Seiya nodded, holding his mother's hand as they went to the kitchen.

Keiko pulled out some ingredients and started cutting them up, making a show of it, trying to make it as fun as possible for Seiya.

"Want to help me make rice? It's easy, you just have to wait for the rice cooker to beep!" Keiko forced a happy grin.

Seiya nodded, she continued, "We're going to make teriyaki salmon for dinner tonight, your favorite."

As Keiko and Seiya were cooking, they could hear the sound of a car engine outside. The air in the room suddenly felt heavy and thick as they listened to the car pulling into the driveway. Keiko knew that sound all too well. Seiya squeezed his mother's hand tightly, clearly on edge as well, his eyes widened with anxiety. Keiko could feel a lump form in her throat as she heard Shino's footfalls on the wooden floor, loud and heavy.

"…" 

"Fucking dogs." The man slammed his fist against the wall as he stormed into the kitchen, "The fuck did I said? HUH?" He yanked his wife head upward from behind, "Could your small little brains not understand?" He gritted his teeth as he whispered into her ears, "Do not try to undermine my authority, you fucking bitch." He threw her head away before leering down at the weakened child. "I told you to complete the training, you dare disobeyed me?" 

Seiya immediately dropped onto his knees. He trembled under the weight of his father's anger. He felt like a deer in headlights. "I'm sorry father. I started the training, but I couldn't finish it." 

Keiko interjected, trying her desperate best to at least explain, "Shino, please, he could barely stand-" A painful slap landed acrossed Keiko's pale face.

"When I speak,  you shut your fucking mouth."

There was a piercing silence after that slap before he glared back down at the shaking 10 years old, "You know what's gonna happen? The kind of punishment you deserve." 

Tears streamed down, he could feel the weight of his father's rage bearing down on him with every breath.

"You shall do as I say without negotiation. You know that right?" Shino grunted, "So go ahead, slap yourself. I want to see your face bruised and swollen." 

"W-what?" Keiko could not believe her own ear, she can't believe what her husband just asked their 10 years old child to do. The tips of her fingernails clenched onto her own arms as she swallowed the lumped of disbelief in her throat.

As Seiya realized what he was being ordered to do. He tried to protest, but his voice caught in his throat and he was left standing there, helpless and terrified, his father's orders echoed in his ears.

With trembling hands, Seiya raised one hand to his face and began to slap himself, slowly at first, but then with increasing force. The pain was intense, and the slaps quickly left his face red and swollen, but he continued to slap himself, his eyes filling with tears.

"Harder." 

Seiya knew that this was only the beginning. A small smirk furled across Shino's face as he saw the bruises aching on those swollen cheeks. Keiko's was pinching her self so hard she started bleeding, tears were flowing out of control, she couldn't take it anymore, the lady dropped down on her knees, she clenched onto her son's tiny hand and shook her head violently. "No more…no more please…please my poor baby…" she weeped uncontrollably.

"Mama…" Seiya whispered, his eyes widen in fear as tears scribble down his bruised cheeks.

Keiko suddenly stood up, her eyes darkened, hands shaking, her breathe was so heavy it felt like steam.

"You…" *SLAP* a thrashing slap was sent across the man's cheeks, *SLAP* followed by another one, "YOU FUCKING MONSTER, YOU FUCKING, FUCKING BASTARD!!!" She gripped onto his shirt collar, "ARE YOU CRAZY HUH?" She was shaking and pushing him so violently he fell back against the wall, "IS THERE EVEN HUMANITY IN YOU? WHAT THE FUCK? WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?? YOU FUCKING CUNT! FUCKING BASTARD!" Her teeth clenched tight, lips was shaking, "Stay the fuck alone…from now onwards I and Seiya will no longer be associated with you…" she let go of him slowly.

"You…" Shino's voice was so deeply intimidating it send chills down her spine, "fucking bitch." A smile of extreme agitation smirked upon his psychopathic face.

*CLASH* a breathe ripping kick thrashed down Keiko's belly, she was smashed back against the kitchen counter behind, blood gushed out of her mouth, gasping for air as she could feel her throat completely jammed. "Fucking TRASH!" Shino grabbed the knife on the chopping board behind her and sniped a spiking stab right into her chest.

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"Dirty bitch." Blood dribbled down the wooden floor as Keiko dropped down slowly.

"Mama.. mama…" Seiya still couldn't comprehend what was happening, his eyes was so wide he felt like his socket could pop out, "mama…" he helplessly crawled and limped towards his mother's body.

"Sei…kun…" she gasping for air she tried to reach up to caressed his cheeks, "mama…mama is so…so sorr-"

*BANG!*

The heartless metallic bullet striked through her skull. Ringings engulfed the breathless room. Her yearning hand dropped, but her eyes was still so enlarged with all the steamy tears dribbling down her cheeks. The lady's body was dead, completely dead, so dead she couldn't even close her eyes, or finish her last words.

It was just silence, unpleasant silence, suffocating silence, eerie silence.

Seiya's heart raced, his mind spun. He tried to comprehend the horror unfolding before him. The sound of his mother's muffled gasps still rang in his ears, the image of the gun was seared into his brain. He tried to breathe, to take in the world around him, but it was as if he was trapped under water.

"Shall this be a lesson for you, Seiya." Shino's piercing eyes glowed red, as his whole face dimmed black, "This is what happened, when you mess up."

It was as if his heart had been ripped from his chest, even after weeks he could still hear the gunshot, the sound echoing through his mind like a relentless nightmare. His mother was ripped from him in the darkest of ways. He couldn't bring himself to accept that his mother was gone.

Seiya felt like he was living in a dream, a world that was no longer real. Nothing made sense, and the once world around him had turned gray and lifeless. He mindlessly wandered through the days, continuing to complete whatever his father ordered in a zombie-like state, unable to recognise reality itself.