Chapter 20: SecondxRecruit

I walk into a clearing near the beach, feeling the salty wind tug at my skin. The shade of the trees around me is a welcome relief from the hot sun. I close my eyes for a moment, letting the cool breeze wash over me. The rhythmic crash of waves against the shore is soothing until I hear it.

A faint crunch of footsteps. He is here.

Hanzo steps out of the shadows, his eyes sharp, scanning the area like a hawk. He's exactly what I've seen in the manga focused, calculating, and dangerous with a head shaped like an egg. His gaze settles on me, piercing, assessing. It doesn't take long before he speaks.

"You've got something I need," he says, his voice low and cold, like a blade just before it strikes.

I don't move. Don't acknowledge him at first. Instead, my fingers graze the badge in my pocket just a subtle movement, but enough for him to notice. I can tell he sees it, and that's all I need.

"I know," I say, my voice calm, steady. "I know you need this to pass. But I've been thinking... maybe there's a better way for you to get it."

Hanzo's brow twitches, just slightly. It's a flicker of irritation, quickly hidden beneath his cool demeanor.

"I'm not here to talk business," he replies, his tone hard, and dismissive.

I smile, amused. "Ah, but I think that's exactly what we're doing." I slide the badge from my coat pocket and flick it between my fingers, holding it up for him to see my leverage. "I'm the head of a growing mafia family and I could use someone like you."

His eyes dart to the card, then back to me. I can almost hear his thoughts turning, calculating, trying to figure out if I'm serious.

"I don't work with people like you," he says, the disdain evident in his voice. "I'm a ninja, not a thug."

I chuckle softly, shaking my head. "I think you misunderstand me, Hanzo." taking a deliberate step toward him, letting the shift in my weight send a clear message. "I'm offering you something more. A position. You're strong, skilled, and resourceful. You'd be an asset to my family." I meet his gaze, holding it steady. "In exchange for the service you can have the badge and I'll teach you techniques to make you stronger. Far stronger than you are right now."

For a moment, Hanzo looks like he might refuse outright, his pride too thick to let him consider my offer but then I see it the hunger in his eyes. The same hunger that lead him to chase after a hunter's license in the first place. He wants to be stronger and learn more techniques.

His jaw tightens, the pride of a ninja not so easily shaken. "I'm not a thug. I'm a prideful cloud ninja."

I shrug, feigning indifference. "Pride won't save you, Hanzo. It'll get you killed."

The air is thick in the forest clearing as if the trees themselves are holding their breath. The distant sound of the waves fades into the background, replaced by the pulse of our breathing. Hanzo stands across from me, his eyes sharp and calculating, but I can tell there's doubt creeping in.

I take a deliberate step back, then another, feeling the damp earth shift beneath my feet. The scent of salt and pine needles clings to the air. The sun filters through the canopy above, casting a patchwork of light and shadow across the clearing, but all I can focus on is Hanzo.

I see it in his eyes a flicker of hesitation. His stance wavers, even if only for a moment, but that's all I need.

Without any warning, I close the distance between us in the blink of an eye.

Hanzo reacts instantly his instincts are sharp, but they're too slow. I can almost feel his breath catch as I land a quick strike to his side. It's precise, and the sound of my fist connecting with his ribs rings through the clearing. He stumbles back, gasping for air, but before he can even register what's happened, I'm already on him again. My fist drives into his shoulder with brutal force, and then a swift, powerful kick to his leg sends him crashing back against a tree, the bark splintering as he hits it.

He groans, a look of surprise flickering across his face, but I'm not surprised. His pride might keep him fighting, but his body is telling me everything I need to know. He's already in over his head.

"Is this all you've got?" I murmur, my voice barely more than a whisper, but it carries the weight of certainty.

I see the brief flash of anger in his eyes so I continue mocking him "If this is all you got then I might as well kill you and move on with my life. Even if you join the family you would be the weakest member."

I can see in his eyes now that he's angry and in his rage-blinded state, he tries to retaliate, throwing a quick punch. It's fast but sloppy, and I easily sidestep, letting his attack sail harmlessly past me. I respond in kind, landing a sharp elbow to his ribs. The force behind it knocks the wind out of him, and his legs give way for a moment. He's slowing down, and getting sloppy in his angered state.

I move with fluid precision, never hesitating, never breaking my rhythm. Every strike lands with purpose, each one more calculated than the last. I feel the tension in his body as he tries to regroup, but it's futile.

The forest clearing is quiet, except for the sound of my strikes and the dull thud of Hanzo's body hitting the ground. He tries to regain his footing, but his knees buckle again as I land a roundhouse kick to his side, sending him sprawling onto the soft earth. He's gasping for air now, his chest heaving, face contorted with pain.

I step forward, keeping him pinned with my presence. He scrambles to push himself up, but I'm already on top of him. My knee presses into his chest, keeping him firmly in place. With one swift motion, I catch his wrist, applying just enough pressure to keep him from trying anything. His eyes widen in disbelief, but it's too late for him. The moment we started fighting he had already lost.

The shadows around me respond as I focus. The trees, and the underbrush all fade into the background. My shadow stretches out, wrapping around his legs. The shadow binds him with inescapable force, rendering him immobile. Hanzo struggles, but the more he moves, the tighter it becomes. It's almost laughable, how futile his resistance is.

I can see the panic rising in his eyes, but it's too late. The fight is over, his will is already broken. He's gasping, his movements jerky and disjointed, as if his body refuses to cooperate.

"Still trying to fight?" I ask, my tone almost patronizing. "It's over, Hanzo. You've lost. Join me or die."

I don't even need to look at him to know I've already won. With a mere thought, I summon a Shadow Phantom. It materializes beside me, as fluid and smooth as a shadow. I direct it to his torso, and it moves with the speed of thought, lifting him off the ground with effortless ease. Hanzo's eyes widen in shock as the phantom tosses him back down with bone-shaking force. He hits the ground hard enough that the earth beneath him trembles.

I feel no satisfaction, no thrill. It's just a matter of time now. He's already finished.

Leaning down, I keep my knee pressed to his chest, my gaze cold. "You've chosen without even knowing it to join my family or die," I say quietly, my voice full of certainty. "The moment you stepped into this clearing, your fate was sealed."