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The Port of Kyoto was different from Tokyo's megaports. Smaller, older, tucked into the curve of Osaka Bay where the Kamo River met the sea. It was nearly deserted. Skeleton crews, automated cranes frozen mid-reach, stacks of containers forming a steel labyrinth that stretched for half a kilometer in every direction.
The convoy left Tokyo at 2100 hours.
Six vehicles. Twenty-four operatives. Satō in the lead car with three of his best, Damilola beside him in the passenger seat, the black blade wrapped in cloth at his feet. The Dragon's Tooth squad. Black Dragon's primary strike team, occupied the vehicles behind them.
Satō brought out a binocular and surveyed the surroundings as Mags at HQ gave them intelligence feeds on the situation through her spy networks. "Fifty Yamashita-gumi operatives spread across the port and I suspect there may be more in the containers."
"Kaguya won't use the containers firearms, she isn't that stupid. Holding up an Empire affiliate's goods is not the same as actually using them. So you're good for now." Mags added as she smokes a long puff why relaxing her tense shoulders. "By the way there are 20 captured black dragon operatives, there were more than that, seems Kaguya's people killed most of them to get the others to behave so it will be best to rescue them first. They know you're all coming but not that you're all already there now so we have an advantage." Mags concluded through the comms.
"Great, let's get this started it will be best to go to send in an extremely small retrieval team. That's I, Dami and Mei." Satō said signaling Mei. The vice captain of the dragon tooth squad, a rough woman of average build she wore the squad standard black gears with an old eye injury covered in black eye patch.
Mei nodded slightly then vanished into the night. Dami watched as she took down six Yamashita-gumi operatives silently as they make their way through the maze like containers while rescuing eight capured Black Dragon operatives.
The silent party didn't last long till one Yamashita-gumi operative refused to go down without signaling the alarm... all hell broke loose.
"What the hell is happening?!"
"It's the Empire's dogs, they're finally here!."
"Round them up, don't let anyone single one leave this place alive even if it cost you your life!"
"Hai!"
---
Satō's team already having been compromised, signalled for a full assault. It became a Black Dragon-Yamashita-gumi brutal clash. Satō and Dami navigated their way forcefully through the chaos, Mei was already elsewhere.
Satō's expression tightened up on seeing a familiar face. "That's Takeshi Morioka."
A figure sat on one of the containers viewing the chaos below with detached interest.
The name meant nothing to Dami. "Should I know him?"
"He was once Kaguya's trainer in her earlier days. I heard he retired, if I'm not wrong he seems to be the actual trap Kaguya prepared especially for you.
Dami nodded knowingly acknowledging the threat.
Morioka suddenly spotted them. He was a slim muscular bulid old man in casual wear. He had a look of absolute boredom as if he was forced to be here.
"How strong is he?" Dami couldn't help but ask.
Satō kept silent for a while before speaking.
"Peak of B grade, maybe a bit higher."
Dami stared at Morioka.
"Be careful, he might be old but Morioka skills and experience are higher than mine." Satō evaluation was quickly delivered.
"Satō is that you... you're still doing that useless scaling thing it seems. Who is the young man besides you? Ah! Is that the one, the wolf that killed the demon." Morioka crossed his arm in anticipation.
Dami looked at Satō then at Morioka. Immediately he placed Morioka at gun point.
Morioka was surprised but didn't flinch. Satō simply nodded in acknowledgement.
Dami is a fighter and survivor he doesn't like taking chances if he could. Taking down an opponent however you can should always be prioritized.
"Using a gun? I thought we're throwing hands..."
BANG
Morioka couldn't finish his words before Dami fired, he was aiming for his legs. But Morioka read Dami's movement and dodged just before Dami pulled the trigger. Arriving at Dami face to face, Satō immediately pulled a knife and thrust at him at break neck speed and precision. Morioka disarmed both Dami and Satō at the same time even dismantling the gun and kicking off the knife away mid way.
"Now this is fair. " Satō and Dami got in battle stance immediately Satō delivering a round house kick and Dami throwing an uppercut at the same time. It seemed Morioka was locked in with no escape.
Morioka caught both their leg and arm using their force against them and throwing both 2 meters away.
"I thought you said he was retiredm?" Dami couldn't help but ask.
"He was." Satō retorted pulling out his gun.
"I may be retired but not out of the game little wolf. This is going to be a real fight and trust me no one is letting you win this time."
Morioka removed his black jacket revealing his ripped physique full of battle scars, his arm was tied with a blood stained wrap.
"Enough with the guns. How very practical of you Satō. Maybe that's the reason it took you too long to get this skilled. A man greatest weapons are his fist." Immediately Morioka moved, Satō shot at him but Morioka moved with a speed that didn't make sense dodging using the containers and obstacles. Satō distancing himself and Dami throwing in one speed blizt punch after the other at Morioka every chance he gets in close.
It wasn't easy for Morioka either, this was taxing and it showed on his facial expression. Even so it was manageable for now.