Pacifist

The moment the elevator doors slid open, they felt it—predator's eyes.

Perched along the rafters, hidden behind pillars, creeping in the shadows—maid assassins. Their presence was suffocating, their killing intent dripping like venom.

Jin's jaw tightened.

Unknown's grip on his sword shifted.

Aiko's smirk widened.

Celeste whispered, "They were waiting."

Kasumi clicked her tongue. "Of course they were."

Kairi, however, was grinning.

Jin's mind raced. They were outnumbered—badly. If they fought here, they'd get pinned down. They needed a distraction.

A solution. Fast.

His gaze flicked to Kairi.

She was the only one who could pull it off.

"Kairi," Jin muttered. "You kill Sayuri."

She blinked. Then grinned wider. "Finally."

No hesitation. No questions. Just acceptance.

Jin's voice was low, urgent. "We'll hold them off. You get to that office and finish the job."

Aiko added, "If you die, I'll bring you back just to kill you myself."

Kairi snorted. "Wouldn't have it any other way."

The maids moved.

Jin barked, "GO!"

Kairi sprinted forward.

The moment she did, the maids descended from the shadows.

Unknown blocked a sword strike meant for her, countering with a devastating slash.

Celeste rolled under a maid's attack, shooting her pistol point-blank into the assassin's skull.

Kasumi ripped a throwing dagger from her belt, hurling it into a maid's throat before pivoting to slash another down.

Jin and Aiko stood back-to-back, blades flashing, cutting down any who tried to chase after Kairi.

But the maids kept coming.

More spilled from the hallways, knives flashing, eyes cold, ruthless.

Kairi didn't look back.

She dodged, twisted, jumped, flipping over furniture, ducking under blades, moving like a ghost slipping through the cracks.

A maid lunged in front of her—

Kairi shot her in the head mid-sprint.

Another one dropped from above—

Kairi slid under her, slashing her ankle, sending her collapsing with a scream.

Two more blocked the hallway—

Kairi vaulted off the wall, planting her foot into one's skull, while stabbing the other in the ribs.

Blood splattered across the floor, walls, ceiling—but Kairi kept running.

Sayuri's office was just ahead.

A massive maid assassin stood in her way.

Kairi didn't slow down.

The maid swung a halberd at her midsection—

Kairi slid underneath, twirling mid-air to slash the maid's throat open.

The maid staggered back, gasping, blood pouring out.

Kairi kicked her into the wall and sprinted forward.

She reached the door.

With a wicked grin, she kicked it open.

Inside sat Sayuri Arakawa.

Waiting.

Smiling.

Like she knew this was coming.

Like she was ready.

Kairi licked her lips.

"Let's see what makes you so damn special."

The knife gleamed under the dim office lights—quick, sharp, lethal.

Sayuri lunged, aiming straight for Kairi's throat.

But Kairi saw everything.

The slight twitch in Sayuri's wrist—the signal of an attack.

Her weight shifting forward—an overcommitment.

A fatal mistake.

Kairi's body moved before her mind even registered.

Weave. Parry. Counter.

A short, explosive step forward—her shoulder rammed into Sayuri's ribs.

Bajiquan. Ruthless. Destructive.

Sayuri's lungs emptied in an instant.

Her body crashed against the desk—papers scattering, glass shattering.

She gasped, clutching her side, face contorted in agony.

But Kairi wasn't finished.

She stepped forward, slow, methodical, her eyes dark with sadistic amusement.

Sayuri tried to push herself up—her pride refusing to let her break.

Kairi grabbed her wrist.

CRACK.

Sayuri screamed.

Her pinky—bent backward at an unnatural angle.

CRACK.

Her ring finger—snapped viciously.

CRACK.

Her middle finger—twisted beyond recognition.

Sayuri's howls echoed through the room.

Her breath came in sharp, frantic gasps.

Kairi tightened her grip, her voice a taunting whisper.

"What's wrong? You looked so confident just a second ago."

Sayuri thrashed, her free hand clawing at Kairi's face—desperate, reckless.

Kairi caught it.

And broke those fingers too.

One by one.

Sayuri's eyes filled with terror.

Her hands—completely useless.

Her power—reduced to nothing.

Kairi tilted her head, smiling.

"You thought you were untouchable, huh? Thought money and power would save you?"

She leaned in, her breath hot against Sayuri's ear.

"You were wrong."

Sayuri's body shook violently.

Her lips quivered—trying to form words, but nothing came.

Her broken hands curled weakly at her sides.

Kairi sighed, almost disappointed.

"Your son's gonna cry about this, isn't he?"

And with one hand, she grabbed Sayuri by the hair—dragging her across the floor, through the shattered glass and splintered wood.

Sayuri kicked, struggled, whimpered.

"P-Please—"

Kairi hauled her up, forcing her to face the shattered window.

The city stretched far below.

A long, long way down.

Sayuri's breath hitched—pure, primal terror in her eyes.

Kairi's voice was almost gentle.

"Say hi to your husband for me."

And then—

She threw her.

Sayuri screamed.

Her body flipped, twisted, flailed.

The wind ripped the sound from her throat.

And then—

Silence.

A sickening, wet CRACK echoed through the night.

The life of Sayuri Arakawa—extinguished in an instant.

Kairi stood by the window, watching with satisfaction.

She dusted off her hands, turning away from the sight.

"Two down," she muttered.

Her eyes darkened.

"One to go."

The sound of clashing steel, gunfire, and bone-breaking impacts filled the halls of the Ichiban District tower.

Jin twisted his knife into a maid's ribcage, his other hand shoving a pistol under her chin—BANG.

Blood sprayed onto his jacket as the body slumped lifelessly against him. He pushed it off with a grunt, eyes scanning the battlefield.

"How many left?" he called out, stepping over a corpse.

Celeste ducked a blade aimed at her throat, twisting her attacker's arm before snapping it with a sickening crunch. The maid shrieked, only for Celeste to slam her head into the wall with brutal force.

"Too damn many!" Celeste hissed, wiping blood off her cheek. "These bitches don't go down easy!"

Aiko laughed—gleeful, manic, drunk on adrenaline. She weaved past a blade, grabbing the maid's wrist and plunging a dagger straight into her throat.

The maid gurgled, clawing at her own neck as blood poured out.

"Good! I was getting bored!" Aiko grinned, kicking the dying woman aside.

Kasumi—face smeared with blood, katana dripping red—grinned wildly.

"Then let's keep the fun going!" She launched herself forward, her blade carving through another maid's stomach like butter.

The assassin stumbled, gasping, hands trying to hold in her intestines as they spilled onto the floor.

"Oops~!" Kasumi giggled mockingly before slicing her head clean off.

Unknown remained eerily silent.

He moved like a ghost, his katana a blur of silver.

One strike—a maid's arm severed.

Another—a head rolling across the floor.

Two more stepped up, blades drawn.

Unknown exhaled—and in the blink of an eye, both their throats were slashed open.

Gurgles. Choking. Collapsing bodies.

Jin let out a whistle, sidestepping another corpse. "Damn, Unknown, you ever make a sound?"

Unknown simply wiped the blood off his blade. "…No need."

Celeste groaned. "God, you're so edgy."

Aiko cackled. "Right? Bet he writes poetry about this shit."

Kasumi smirked. "Roses are red, maids are dead, I don't say much, but I'll sever your head."

Unknown tilted his head slightly, unimpressed.

"Roses are red, violets are blue…" He suddenly disappeared—reappearing behind the last remaining maid.

"…Your corpse is warm, but soon it won't be."

His katana pierced straight through her chest.

The maid choked, blood spilling from her lips, before dropping lifelessly.

Silence.

Then—Kasumi clapped. "Okay, that was actually badass."

Jin cracked his neck. "Alright. Kairi's probably finished by now. Let's move."

The group stepped over bodies, the scent of blood thick in the air.

The war with the Arakawa family was nearly over.

Kayd was next.