Kira stirred beside Riku, eyes fluttering open to a dim ceiling bathed in the glow of a rainy sunrise. Her hand was still resting on his chest, feeling the slow, steady rhythm of his breathing. No words had passed between them since they collapsed into sleep. The silence was mutual—comfortable, but saturated with unspoken weight.
She slowly sat up, brushing her fingers through her hair, then glanced down at him. Riku lay there, awake but quiet, his gaze distant.
"You regret it?" she asked softly.
Riku shook his head. "No. But it changes things."
Kira smiled faintly, pulled the blanket around herself, and stood up. "Everything changes eventually. But some things, we can try to protect."
---
Later that morning, Riku stood by the window, the city stretched before him like a sleeping machine. A series of dings echoed in his mind.
[System Notification: New Rewards Available.]
[Daily Accumulation Vouchers (x2) – Use to redeem practical knowledge, skills, or minor tools.] [Kira Ryugami Emotional Link – Passive Skill Synergy Active.]
He opened the wallet interface with a thought.
"Use 1 voucher. Filter: Tactical skills, civilian-use."
[Redeemed: Intermediate Lockpicking – Memory and Muscle Reflexes Adjusted.]
His fingers twitched slightly as knowledge flooded into him—lock types, tumblers, tension tools, silent entry methods. A criminal skill, sure—but one with broad applications.
"Use 1 voucher. Filter: Professional Development."
[Redeemed: Certification in Logistics Management – Practical Knowledge and Templates Installed.]
Riku blinked, processing the sudden overlay of information—inventory systems, budgeting models, warehouse layouts. Not glamorous, but vital.
"I'm not just buying power anymore," he murmured. "I'm buying foundation."
---
By noon, Kira had gone back to her unit with a burner phone Riku gave her. Mitsue returned with groceries and a sarcastic grin.
"Let me guess—your 'old friend' left wearing the same clothes but looking way more relaxed."
Riku gave her a warning glance.
She just smirked and waved it off.
"I'm not judging. In fact, you might need that kind of tension relief with what's coming." She dumped the groceries and pulled out her phone. "I did some digging. The Kisaragi family's movements last night weren't isolated. There were parallel sweeps happening in other cities. People like you—unusual financial activity, sudden access to high-grade tech, or strange influence bursts—they're being flagged."
Riku's brows furrowed. "How do they know?"
"They don't. Not exactly. But they're hunting patterns."
He sighed. "We need to stay ahead of that."
---
That night, Riku called an old contact—Akio Tamashiro, a college dropout turned logistics coordinator for a freelance tech crew.
Akio met him at an underground bar masked as a book café. He was loud, wiry, and dressed like a punk rocker.
"Riku the ghost! Man, when you vanish, you vanish. What's up? Wanna start a tech startup or rob a crypto vault?"
Riku smiled. "Neither. I'm building something long-term. But I need real people—smart, capable, trustworthy. I'm done doing things solo."
Akio leaned back, intrigued. "You're serious?"
"I've got capital. Silent capital. I've got connections in the underworld and now... something even bigger. What I don't have is a team."
Akio sipped his drink. "Define 'team.'"
"Not a gang. A foundation. Think future-proof: logistics, surveillance, asset protection. Clean on the surface. Quiet underneath."
Akio gave a crooked grin. "I'm in. But only if I get to name the project."
Riku chuckled. "No promises."
---
Back at the apartment, Riku updated the system ledger and stored the remaining coupons. He didn't need to burn through everything in one burst. Efficiency mattered more than flash.
Then he opened his notebook—one he kept outside the system's reach. Here, he listed every person he encountered, every ally, rival, threat, and potential pawn.
Kira – Ally. Risk: high exposure. Emotional attachment risk factor increasing. Useful in fieldwork and data clearance.
Mitsue – Civilian liability. Skills: digital digging, resourceful, emotionally bonded.
Akio – Wild card. Trust level medium. Risk: unpredictability.
Takeru (Yakuza) – Rival. Active threat. Intelligence unknown.
He stared at the last name.
Takeru was still out there. And next time, it wouldn't just be intimidation or surveillance. It would be blood.
Riku closed the notebook and stared out the window.
The city pulsed. Danger moved in shadows. But so did opportunity.
The wallet had given him tools, yes—but his choices, his strategy, those were all him. And with each step, the fog of motives lifted.
A storm was coming.
And this time, Riku planned to walk into it prepared.