The black car rolled into the Port Mafia's private compound. Its windows were heavily tinted that even the guards at the gate stood a little straighter when they caught sight of it.
When the vehicle stopped in front of the main building, the entire entranceway seemed to hold its breath.
Dozens of men in black suits lined up neatly and bowing their heads in unison as the door opened.
The boss stepped out first. His polished cane striked the pavement with authority.
No one dared to speak.
No one dared to move.
Then from the other side, Shuuji stepped out.
The murmurs were nearly inaudible. It was buried under the weight of disciplined silence. But he could heard them.
"That's Gen'emon-sama's son..."
"So he really survived..."
"The boss brought him here? But why?"
Shuuji didn't look at any of them. He simply followed the old man's confident stride toward the entrance. Every step they made echoed against the marble floor.
If not for the suited men, the building could've passed as a modern corporate tower with glass walls, polished floors and a silent hum of machinery.
But the atmosphere around it was thick. It was the kind of atmosphere that smelled like gunpowder and blood.
Shuuji glanced around and observing everything. The guards by the elevators, the women carrying stacks of files and the cameras tucked neatly behind the ceiling corners. No detail escaped the little boy.
When they entered the elevator, Hirotsu pressed the button for the top floor. The ride was silent except for the low mechanical hum.
Shuuji quietly stood beside him. His reflection was staring back at him from the mirror-like steel walls. He noticed the amused smile curving at the old man's lips. He looked like someone who was bringing home something rare and valuable.
When the elevator finally stopped, the doors slid open to reveal a spacious office. The walls were lined with dark wooden panels and the tall windows looked out over the glittering Yokohama skyline. There was also a faint scent of aged rum lingering in the air.
Soon, the boss walked to his desk and took a seat.
"Hirotsu." he calmly called. "Bring the Colonel here."
"Yes, boss."
Hirotsu bowed and stepped out.
Minutes later, the door opened again. A tall and broad-shouldered man entered the office. His presence was filling the entire room. His jaw was lined with a faint scar and his eyes burned with a soldier's precision.
"Boss." the man said before bowing his head. "You called for me."
The boss gestured lazily toward Shuuji.
"I did."
The Colonel's eyes flicked to the boy and started assessing him from head to toe. His stare was piercing and sharp.
"This is Tsushima Shuuji. He was Gen'emon's son."
For a moment, there was a pause. But then, the Colonel's mouth curved into a smirk.
"I see."
He crouched slightly to meet Shuuji's eyes.
"Heh. He doesn't look like a coward."
Shuuji did not move. He did not blink. The little boy simply stared back at him. Soon, the Colonel's smirk deepened. Then he stood up to his full height.
"You have good eyes." he approvingly said. "He doesn't look afraid. Not even a flicker."
The boss nodded once. He looked satisfied by his assessment.
"That's what I thought."
He leaned back in his chair and tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest.
"Listen carefully. I want you to train him every week. Physically, mentally, and..." he paused and smiled sharply at the little boy. "...psychologically."
The Colonel raised an eyebrow.
"You mean to break him first?"
The boss chuckled before he answered.
"If he breaks, he's useless. But if he survives..."
His gaze turned to Shuuji again. His eyes were old and gleaming with interest.
"Then he might even surpass Gen'emon's achievements."
The Colonel crossed his arms.
"That's quite a statement, boss."
But the old man's expression did not waver.
"It's not a statement. It's an order."
Then he turned to Shuuji. His tone was deceptively calm.
"You will start next week. Hirotsu will bring you to him every morning. You will do whatever he says. Understood?"
Shuuji's small hands clenched at his sides. He wanted to ask again about his sister. But one look at his grandfather's face told him it was useless.
Instead, he gave a short nod.
Seeing this, the Colonel chuckled approvingly.
"You've got spirit, kid. I like that."
Then, the Colonel looked at his boss again.
"I will make sure he is ready for whatever you are planning."
"Good. See that you do."
When the Colonel left, the room fell into silence again.
The boss rose from his chair and approached the window. His cane was tapping softly against the floor. He looked out over the glittering city below. His reflection was overlapping with Shuuji's reflection behind him.
"Yokohama is a city that devours the weak."
Then the boss turned slightly and looked at Shuuji with pride and cruelty in his eyes.
"If you wish to live, then learn how to bite back."
Shuuji said nothing. He only stood there just like what his grandfather wanted.
But deep inside, something in him began to harden.
-//-//-
They never started soft.
From the very first day, the Colonel showed Shuuji what kind of world he had entered. There were no gentle introductions and no words of encouragement. There were only orders, drills and pain.
The Colonel's voice was loud and cold during those hours. His eyes were sharp as if he could see through every weakness Shuuji tried to hide.
"Stand straight!" he barked. "You are not a child anymore. From now on, you are a soldier in training."
Before Shuuji could even prepare himself, he was thrown to the ground. The Colonel grabbed him by the arm and tossed him again and again until Shuuji's back and shoulders screamed in pain. The dirt clung to his skin while his breath came out in short and broken gasps. Shuuji tried to stand up every time but his legs shook so badly that he stumbled over and over.
The so-called training went on for hours.
The Colonel did not stop until Shuuji could barely feel his body anymore.
"You will learn faster this way." he flatly said. "The world won't go easy on you, kid. So neither will I."
By the end of that first day, Shuuji was covered in cuts and bruises. He could feel the pain even when he lay still. But he did not cry. He refused to. Every tear he held back became a quiet promise to himself that he would never show weakness again.
The next day, they started weapons training. The Colonel placed a gun on the table in front of him and ordered him to take it apart and put it back together. Shuuji hesitated for only a second. But that was enough to earn him a sharp punch in the shoulder.
"Too slow!" the Colonel said. "Again."
Shuuji gritted his teeth and tried again. His small fingers were trembling while assembling the gun. Each mistake was met with another harsh word or another painful hit. Soon, his palms became red and sore while his arms felt heavy. But he forced himself to focus.
He needed to learn.
He had to learn.
Soon, the Colonel began to teach him how to shoot. The first time Shuuji held the gun, it felt too heavy for his hands. When he fired, the recoil made him stumble backward. The Colonel did not scold him that time. He just stared at him with sharpness in his eyes.
"Control it. Or it will control you."
And so, Shuuji practiced until his arms ached and the sound of gunfire no longer made him flinch.
But the harshest lesson came a week later.
When Shuuji arrived at the training grounds, he saw five large dogs tied to the wall with thick chains. They were snarling at him. Their teeth was bared with foam forming around their mouths. Their eyes glowed with hunger and rage. The smell of their breath was heavy and sharp.
The Colonel stood nearby with crossed arms. His expression looked unreadable.
"You will be training with them today." he calmly said.
Shuuji froze.
"Every time you make a mistake, I will loosen their chains by one meter. If you keep failing, they will get closer. When the chains run out, you can imagine what happens next."
The boy's heart pounded in his chest. It felt like the ground had dropped beneath him. But he did not argue. He just nodded silently.
The first mistake came quickly. He moved a second too slow during his dodge drill and the Colonel gave a signal. The sound of metal clinking filled the air as one of the dogs' chains loosened slightly. The animal lunged forward. Their claws were scraping the ground while their teeth was snapping inches from the dirt.
Shuuji flinched. But he did not scream.
"Again!" the Colonel ordered.
Shuuji kept moving and repeating the drills. His body was trembling from both fear and exhaustion. Every time he stumbled or his reaction came a heartbeat too late, another chain loosened. The barking grew louder. The dogs pulled and strained. They were getting closer and closer.
By the fifth mistake, they were only a few meters away. Shuuji could smell their breath and see the madness in their eyes. Sweat dripped down his forehead and blurring his vision. His lungs burned from running and dodging but he kept going.
His body wanted to give up. But his mind screamed one thing.
'Don't stop! Don't let them win!'
When he finally completed the drill without error, the Colonel gave a faint nod and called the dogs off. Shuuji collapsed to his knees while gasping for air. His heart was still racing and his hands shook uncontrollably from too much adrenaline.
The Colonel walked over and crouched beside him.
"Good. You're learning." he said. "Fear can destroy you. But it can also keep you alive. Remember that, kid."
That night, Shuuji lay on his small bed. His small body ached everywhere and the faint growls of the dogs still echoed in his head. But still, the determination in his chest grew more.
He hated the Colonel. He hated the boss. He hated the pain. He hated his situation. But more than anything, he hated being weak.
Then he thought of his sister.
Shuuji did not know where she was or if she was safe. But he promised himself that he would become strong enough to find her one day.
No matter how harsh the training became.
No matter how many bruises or scars he earned.
He would endure.
Because surviving meant he could keep his promise.