Time: April 20, 2032. 11:30 PM.
Location: Tokyo Underground Sector "Roppongi." The "Black Lotus" Auction House.
This place did not exist for ordinary people. Entry required a special invitation, a deposit of at least 100 million credits, and nerves of steel.
The main hall resembled an opera theater: red velvet seats, golden chandeliers, and S-Rank guards stationed on the stage.
Kenji and Laylo were seated on the VIP balcony.
Kenji wore an expensive black tuxedo and dark sunglasses (despite the dim lighting), swirling a glass of grape juice in his hand.
Laylo, however, was glued to the menu, clutching her chest and whispering, "My heart..." every five minutes.
"Brother," Laylo said, staring at the prices. "A glass of water here is 500 credits! Do they dissolve gold into it?"
"No, they're just charging for the 'air'," Kenji replied nonchalantly. "Relax, Laylo. Tonight, we came to throw money around."
At that moment, a commotion erupted below as a group entered one of the VIP boxes.
In the center walked a young woman in a long crimson dress, her hair flaming red, her eyes filled with a mix of arrogance and venom. Dozens of servants hovered around her like moths.
Kenji looked down and frowned. Then, a devilish smirk curled his lips.
"Oho... Look who it is. Viper."
"Who?" asked Laylo.
"An old 'friend' from the game," Kenji chuckled. "Real name Reiko. Played the 'Poison Assassin' class. She was always trying to become the 'Number One Female Player on the Server.' But every time we met in the tournament finals, I would... how should I put it... 'accidentally' defeat her."
"One time, she tried to slip me a 'Kiss of Death' poison. I switched the cups when she wasn't looking. She turned into a frog for three hours because of her own brew."
Laylo burst out laughing.
"Poor girl. She must hate your guts."
Below, Reiko (now the leader of the "Red Rose" Guild) took her seat. She had come with one goal tonight: the "Platinum Guild License." This license would give her the right to operate internationally.
The Auction Begins
The initial lots were uninteresting: some rare swords, monster eggs.
Kenji sat bored.
Finally, the Announcer declared:
"And now... The main event of the evening! The A-Rank (Platinum) Guild License!"
"This license grants the holder tax exemptions, priority access to Towers, and the right to participate in Government tenders."
"Starting Price: 500 Million Credits."
A buzz went through the hall.
Reiko immediately raised her paddle.
"600 Million!" she shouted, drowning out everyone else.
A fat tycoon raised his hand:
"650 Million!"
Reiko glared at him.
"700 Million! And if anyone raises the price again, I will personally poison them!"
The hall fell silent. Reiko's "Red Rose" Guild was known for its ruthlessness.
"700 million... going once... going twice..." The Announcer raised his hammer.
"1 Billion," a nonchalant voice drifted down from above.
Everyone looked up at the VIP balcony.
Kenji sat with his legs crossed, swirling his glass. He didn't even raise his paddle; he simply held up a single finger.
Reiko looked up. Her eyes flashed with fury.
"Who is that lunatic?! 1 billion?!"
"1.1 Billion!" Reiko screamed, losing her composure.
Kenji yawned.
"1.5 Billion."
The hall shook. With that kind of money, one could buy a small island.
Reiko shot out of her seat. Her face was flushed crimson.
"Who do you think you are?! Do you know who I am?! I am Reiko! The 'Poison Queen'!"
Kenji leaned into the microphone (speaking without a voice changer, using that famous sarcastic tone):
"I know, I know. You're the girl who fell into her own poison trap during the 2028 PVP tournament and croaked like a frog in front of the whole server."
Dead silence filled the hall. Then someone snorted, "Pfft." Then another. The entire hall exploded with laughter.
Reiko's face went white, then red. Only... only He knew that story.
"You..." Reiko trembled, pointing a shaking finger at Kenji. "You're that filth, Shadow!"
Kenji waved his hand dismissively.
"Don't sell my name, 'Frog-chan.' We're doing business here. Money talks. So, are you going to continue, or go home and catch flies?"
"2 Billion."
It was a knockout punch.
Reiko's treasury cap was 1.8 billion. She had lost. Not just financially, but humiliatingly.
She kicked her chair over.
"I will find you! I will strangle you with my own hands!"
Kenji shrugged.
"Get in line, darling. The government and Tanaka are ahead of you."
The Announcer slammed the hammer.
"SOLD! For 2 Billion credits! To the mysterious gentleman in the balcony!"
The Registration Room
After the auction, Kenji and Laylo entered the room to finalize the License paperwork.
An elderly notary behind a desk adjusted his glasses.
"Congratulations, sir. 2 billion... a historic sum. So, what will be the name of the new Guild?"
Laylo looked at her brother. She thought he would say "Solo."
But Kenji had other ideas.
"Solo" was his past. He wasn't alone anymore. He had his sister, the Owls, and in the future, Aira. Together, they would become a small but terrifying force.
Kenji smiled.
"NEUTRON."
"Neutron?" The notary wrote it down, puzzled. "Strange name. What does it mean?"
Kenji glanced at Laylo.
"A neutron is the heaviest and most neutral particle in an atom. It has no electric charge; it joins no sides. But if it is set in motion... it can split any atom and trigger a Chain Reaction. A Nuclear Explosion."
"We are small. But when we explode... the world changes."
"Understood," the Notary stamped the document. "NEUTRON Guild officially registered. Leader: Kenji (F-Rank). Number of Members: 2."
At the Exit: Face to Face with Reiko
As they were leaving the building, Reiko and her lackeys blocked their path.
Reiko was still fuming with rage.
"Hey! Stop!" she shouted, stepping in front of Kenji. "You humiliated me! You'll pay for this!"
Kenji stopped, placing a hand on Laylo's shoulder.
He looked Reiko up and down.
"Reiko, you still haven't changed. Always trying to solve everything with force and threats."
"Take off your mask!" Reiko commanded. "I want to see your face! If you're Shadow, why are you hiding?!"
Kenji took a step closer.
"I'm not your enemy, Reiko. For now."
He pulled a small green glass vial from his pocket and pressed it into Reiko's hand.
"What is this?" Reiko asked, confused.
"It's the 'Antidote for Mutant Frog Poison,'" Kenji said seriously, though his eyes danced with amusement. "I forgot to give it to you in the game. Maybe that toxicity in your character is a leftover side effect? Drink it, you'll feel lighter."
Reiko looked at the bottle, then at Kenji.
She wanted to scream, to curse, but... Kenji's gesture was so ridiculously funny and simultaneously so typical of "Shadow" that she was left speechless.
"You... you are a real devil!"
Kenji and Laylo walked past her.
Laylo was barely holding back her laughter.
"Brother, did you see her face? She turned into a tomato! I hope she doesn't fall in love with you."
Getting into the car, Kenji looked up at the sky.
"Fall in love? No. Now she'll try even harder to beat me. Competition is development. I need strong rivals."
He looked out the window at the night Tokyo skyline.
"NEUTRON is active. Starting tomorrow... we shake this city."