Flame of Revolt

The rising dawn bathed Tokyo in a golden glow, the shadows of buildings lengthening by the minute. The roar of a motorcycle shattered the dawn silence, a dark silhouette speeding through the deserted streets. Takemichi, on the black motorcycle he had retrieved during his solo raid against the Xelno, rode with fierce determination, his face masked by the hood. His mind was invaded by a multitude of thoughts. The burning garage, the bodies of the Xelno, the feeling of power and the bewildered, rage-filled faces of the Xelno trying to catch him... it all swirled in his head.

As he approached the headquarters of the Meibukai, an old warehouse rehabilitated into the gang's stronghold, he slowed down, his eyes scanning the surroundings to ensure no imminent danger lurked. The imposing structure stood before him, its walls covered in artistic graffiti marking the Meibukai's territory.

The gang members were already on the move, preparing for a potentially busy day. Some were talking in groups, others checking their weapons and equipment. The tension was palpable, but a collective determination emanated from each of them.

"Who goes there?" shouted one of the guards, seeing the motorcycle arrive.

Takemichi revved the motorcycle's engine one last time before putting a foot down. He took off his hood and threw it. His eyes, still shining with icy determination, swept the scene.

"I'm a guest of your boss," he said nonchalantly. "Just tell her Takemichi is back."

Hearing the name, Chizu, who was preparing to leave, signaled the guards to let him in.

"I see you went to have some fun," she said, approaching Takemichi. "The boss wants to see you."

Takemichi nodded as he got off the motorcycle. "Chizu, right? Show me the way."

The two walked, chatting a bit. Chizu was very open-minded despite appearances. Eyes turned to them, mixed with curiosity and respect.

"You know who this guy is?" a man with a crate said to his companion. "I don't know, but he must be important since Lady Chizu knows him and the boss wants to see him..." his friend replied while setting the crate down.

All along the way to Misaki's office, eyes kept turning to Takemichi. He walked forward, his stride confident despite his exhaustion. He felt the stares, some nervous, others curious. Arriving at the door, Chizu knocked and entered.

"Boss, here's Takemichi," she said with a hint of teasing in her voice.

Misaki was calmly drinking her tea. Hearing her friend's nonsense, she gave her a dark look before focusing on Takemichi, who was visibly a little lost because of the scene unfolding before him. He entered and sat down on a couch in the corner of the room.

"I know it's none of my business, but where have you been?" Misaki said, looking at Takemichi, a hint of concern in her eyes.

"I just paid a little visit to the Xelno," he replied nonchalantly. "I even brought back a souvenir, by the way."

Misaki sighed, taking a sip of tea. It seemed her intuition was right. Noticing Takemichi's absence earlier, she immediately thought he might have gone to the Xelno's place for revenge.

"A souvenir?" she asked. "But what exactly did you do at the Xelno's hideout, and more importantly, which hideout did you go to?"

During the three minutes that passed after Misaki's question, Takemichi briefly recounted what had happened at the warehouse. As he progressed in his story, the astonishment in the girls' eyes grew.

"What...! You set fire to the Xelno's main warehouse!" Chizu couldn't contain herself anymore. The Xelno were mainly known for their violence and grudges. If you attacked one of them, you could be sure that the entire gang would start looking for the culprit and make them pay a hundredfold for this affront. Taking this into account, one could understand why Chizu was causing such a stir. Takemichi had not only killed Xelno members, but he had also burned down their warehouse.

Misaki was visibly as shocked as her friend. After calming down, she finally spoke.

"Do you even know what you've done?" Her piercing gaze fixed on Takemichi's.

"Seriously, what were you thinking, Misaki?" Takemichi said, his face expressionless. "No matter if I'm alone against them all, they're going to pay for what they did. I'm not asking you to get involved in this conflict, just don't get in my way because this is only the beginning."

A heavy silence settled in the room. Takemichi's words, his determination and loyalty, were sowing admiration in Misaki's heart.

"Sorry, I meddled in your business," Misaki said, breaking the silence. "If you want, you can stay. Anyway, we also have some differences with the Xelno."

"I'm just tired," Takemichi replied, after which Misaki offered to let him go to her place. She handed Takemichi the keys and he left the office, leaving the two girls behind.

...

[At the same time in the Xelno warehouse]

The Xelno warehouse, once a bastion of power and illicit opulence, was now a scene of desolation and chaos. Flames had licked the walls, turning rows of crates to ash and reducing vehicles to smoldering wrecks. Gang members were busy extinguishing the last fires, the acrid smell of smoke and burnt fuel filling the air.

They had managed to contain the fire before it completely ravaged the building, but the damage was considerable. The floor was littered with debris, and the walls were blackened by the flames. A heavy silence reigned, only disturbed by the groans of the wounded and the clicking of the weapons of some of the guards still able to fight.

Inside, in a partially intact room, the leader of the Xelno observed the scene with his piercing eyes. Nicknamed "White Wolf," Hideaki Takeda was an imposing man. His short-cropped white hair with black strands and his steel-gray eyes gave him a fierce look. A scar across his face testified to his violent past, and his muscular body, covered in tribal tattoos, emanated an aura of constant danger.

Hideaki, dressed in a black leather jacket adorned with his gang's symbol, stood before the remains of the surveillance room. His clenched fists betrayed his boiling anger. Around him, his lieutenants waited, aware of the volcano ready to explode that was their boss.

"What a mess..." Hideaki growled through clenched teeth, his deep voice resonating in the room.

He motioned for one of his men to drag before him the sole survivor of the surveillance room, a young man with a face marked by fear and guilt. The survivor, named Kenji, was visibly trembling as he struggled to stand.

Hideaki slowly approached Kenji, his steel gaze fixed on him. "Kenji," he began in a menacing voice, "how is it possible that you're the only one who survived while everyone else is dead?"

Kenji swallowed hard, desperately searching for words. "I... I don't know, boss. It was... it was just one guy. He came out of nowhere. We couldn't do anything..."

Hideaki cut him off with an abrupt gesture, grabbing Kenji by the collar and lifting him off the ground. "One guy? And you did nothing to stop him?"

Kenji struggled weakly, panic visible in his eyes. "I... I didn't have time... he was too fast, too strong..."

The Xelno boss clenched his teeth and, in a fit of rage, punched Kenji in the face, sending him tumbling to the ground. "Useless!" Hideaki roared, his voice echoing through the ruined building. "What good are you if you can't even defend our territory?"

He turned to his lieutenants, his face a mask of fury. "Did anyone else see this man?"

The lieutenants looked at each other nervously, shaking their heads in silence. Hideaki returned to Kenji, who was trying to get up. "Fine," he muttered before pulling a gun from his belt. "In that case, you're of no further use to us."

Without a hint of hesitation, he pulled the trigger. The gunshot echoed through the room, and Kenji's body collapsed to the floor, a red stain spreading beneath his head. An icy silence fell over the room, every gang member holding their breath.

Hideaki holstered his weapon, his face contorting into an expression of pure anger. He turned to his men, his voice rising in a primal roar. "Listen up, you bunch of incompetents!" he shouted, his eyes flashing. "I don't care what you have to do, I don't care what means you use, I want you to find this bastard. He humiliated us, he dared to attack the Xelno. Find him, and bring him to me alive!"

The men nodded frantically, galvanized by their leader's fury. Hideaki continued, his voice rumbling like thunder. "Search the city, question every informant, every enemy, every ally. I want results, and I want them fast. We must show everyone what it costs to defy the Xelno."

He paused for a moment, staring intently at his lieutenants. "And don't forget," he added in a low, menacing voice, "if anyone else fails, they'll meet the same fate as that rat Kenji."

The lieutenants nodded with palpable nervousness before dispersing to carry out their leader's orders. Hideaki remained motionless for a moment, observing the remains of his empire in flames. His fury knew no bounds, and he inwardly swore to make the one who had dared to defy the Xelno pay for this affront.

In the silence that followed, Hideaki turned to the charred remains of the surveillance room. His calculating mind was already assessing the next steps. He knew that the man they were looking for was no amateur. He had confronted and defeated a dozen guards, infiltrated their territory, and sown destruction with formidable precision.

"One man..." Hideaki muttered to himself, a sinister smile forming on his lips. "He must be someone special. Very well, then. We'll see who has the last word."

He turned on his heels and left the room, his boots echoing on the concrete floor. His men, though frightened, were ready to do anything to satisfy their leader. The hunt was on, and nothing could stop them in their quest for revenge.