The group of bodyguards disbanded and went their separate ways from the mansion, safe for two.

"You had something to say to me?" Ocham noticed Diarmuid following him.

"Yeah, um, remember how you passed Orel yesterday?"

"Yes?" Ocham did not expect such a question.

"He got into a fight with some people, and they were looking for you."

Ocham stopped to think. "What sort of people?"

"I don't know. Orel and his friend had to fight them off. They said it was a zou and some Guerraterrarian guy with strings."

Ocham's brains raced to connect everything. "I see." Was all he could say.

"Do you know them?"

"...Not exactly. The man you mentioned has some sort of obsession with me. I am sorry he got caught up in that mess. I can give you some money in recompense if that helps." Ocham took out a bundle of cash from his wallet.

"No need." Diarmuid pushed the money away. "But there is something else I wanted to ask."

"...What is it?" Ocham's charitability started to run low.

"You are from around here, right? I was wondering if you knew a healer around here."

"A healer?"

"Orel got pretty hurt in that fight, and we want to get going as fast as possible."

"I see." Ocham dropped his head. "Sorry, but there are none. Eden's gate would probably have some."

"I know that, but you know."

Ocham sighed. "Yes, they do cost a bit."

The conversation was cut as Ocham's phone started ringing.

"Excuse me for a moment." Ocham walked away. "Are you serious, Gab? I told you to only call me when-"

"Come in quick, Ocham!" Gabriel whispered, peeking between the blinds on his windows. Something is going down here-" The call cut itself.

"Damn it," Ocham said under his breath.

"Is something wrong?" Diarmuid asked.

"Sorry, but something came up. I have to go."

"I won't keep you any longer then." Diarmuid shrugged. "See you at work."

"Right." Ocham rolled his eyes.

Ocham ran off with a burst of speed. He would not dodge a pedestrian or a car. His only goal was to reach the HQ around the southwest side of Puerta Blanca. It was the older part of town, where his branch had nested inside the old brick offices. Yet, as he arrived, it was eerily quiet. Usually, when they were raided, gunfire and terror filled the streets. Instead, they were empty, with not even a homeless or a street vendor in sight.

He went to the back door and knocked on it. The door boy answered him with a warm smile and a gun in his hand. Ocham walked inside and found everyone working as usual. The crooks downstairs handled the goods, while the upper class sat upstairs handling the business side of things. Even though they called it the HQ, it was but one of the branch offices in Puerta Blanca, considering Avus reached other countries inside Zabad. Nothing seemed too much out of the ordinary, so Ocham decided to visit Gabriel's room since he called him over, after all. His office was at the top, where the smell of cigarettes fumed down the stairs.

"Gab, you in here?" Ocham knocked on the door.

"Ocham! I was about to call you, but I lost my phone." Gabriel turned in his large chair, barely maintaining itself under all the weight.

"Was something wrong? Don't tell me I ran across the city for nothing."

"Sorry, my bad, hehe." Gabriel smiled nervously. "Wrong call."

"Really?" Ocham raised his brow.

"I've been under a lot of stress lately." Gabriel wiped the sweat off his large head. "But enough about that. How did it go? What did you find out?"

"Right, the job. I just got out and was about to report-" Ocham stopped. "What's that?" He pointed at a small cell phone in Gabriel's hand.

"Oh, this? Since I lost the old one, I figured to get a new one."

"No, just it looks odd."

"Right, right. I hadn't seen this brand around here. Aikon or something." Gabriel fiddled with it.

"Isn't that one of those Pohjola-based brands?"

"Yeah, must be it." Gabriel nodded along.

"Where did you get it?"

"I don't know, ask Darius." Gabriel shrugged.

"But you just called me with the old one. How did you already get a new one?"

"Um..." Gabriel scratched his head.

Ocham noticed a reflection in the window behind Gabriel. In it, he saw a young girl standing at the stairway.

"Who the hell are you?" Ocham pulled out his knife and faced the girl.

"Now wait a sec, Ocham." Gabriel stood up.

"So you're Ocham?" The girl asked.

"Who the hell are you?"

"Mel." She smiled.

"Who do you work for?"

"Won't tell!" The girl turned and ran down the stairs.

"Hey!" Ocham took off.

"Hey, hey, now." Gabriel stopped him.

"What are you doing Gab? There's an intruder!" Ocham tried to wiggle himself out of the man's bear hug.

"Let's not get hasty." Gabriel huffed.

"You saw her too! No girl just wanders here!" Let me go!"

"No, you're the one acting strange!"

"I said let go!" Ocham grunted.

He slammed the back of his head against Gabriel's face. It made Gabriel lose his grip as he pressed on his bleeding nose.

Ocham turned to face him. "Are you out of your mind, Gab?... Gab?"

Yet, what he saw was something horrid. The man he once knew struggled against sudden spasms as the round nose tried to fix itself, yet not finding the correct form.

"I see..." Ocham created a knife in his hand. "Sorry for being late, Gab. I will set this straight."

It took but a moment to deliver the blade to his throat. In those last moments, Gabriel cried a tear with one last whisper. "...Thanks...Ocham." The large man fell.

Ocham walked down the stairs with fury seething from each step. Mel was waiting for him at the other side of the office, where everyone's heads turned to face him with a blank stares.

"I won't let you get away from here alive." Ocham gripped his bloody knife.

"You're the one who's going to die," Mel giggled. "Sad little clown. All alone after I stole all your friends," She raised her hands.

The people took off, running mindlessly toward Ocham.

"These crooks are not my friends." Ocham stabbed the first one in the head.

Two, three, and four. Five, six, seven, eight. Though he could take out them in moments, there was always more rushing his way. Ocham could feel his movements slowing down, taking longer and longer between each kill as they ripped his clothes and took off his mask. Even if his hands were slowing down, the blade worked the same. Ocham intended to keep up the impression that Seeker Edge was a real weapon and not conjured, but it seemed that he would need to reveal his true skill yet again.

He lifted his hand in the air, and chanted "Seeker edge..."

Yet, he stopped and instead, kept on fighting with his head firmly locked in place. As he cleared another wave of enemies, he suddenly turned and took off upstairs.

"What, running away? Wanna play tag?" Mel mocked and pointed.

But then she noticed it herself. A herd of birds standing at the open window stills. Tens of them merely stared at her. Though she did not understand what they meant, Ocham had already realized. Then, the birds took flight.

"Help!" Mel ordered her puppets.

The birds swooped in, heading straight toward her. They exploded with contact with the goons protecting her. Though they lacked power individually, with dozens of them detonating, it was like being carpet bombed. The whole floor exploded into a firestorm as the interiors caught on fire.

Ocham reached the top floor, where a single bird waited in Gabriel's office.

"Not you again," He frowned.

"You can't hide from me, Ocham!" The bird chirped. "I got my eyes on you!"

"What do you want from me?"

"Your knife. The Razor Edge."

"What? Why?" Ocham made a face.

The bird clicked its tongue as if trying to tsk. "You should know the value of such fine craftsmanship more than anything."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but this isn't the real one." Ocham let go of the knife and let it dissipate. "It's a copy, dumbass."

"...What?" The bird tilted its head.

"I don't have it." Ocham shrugged. "Lost it to the MIB."

"You're lying. Not a chance you would lose something like that."

"It wasn't a choice."

"But-"

The bird could not finish its sentence before being stabbed.

"I'm done talking," Ocham said.

He walked through the flaming hellscape, lamenting the destruction. Though the floor was riddled with bodies, the one he was hoping to see was not there. He couldn't help but feel seething rage against Mel and her spell. While he didn't care for those he killed, he made sure to give them a dignified death through a precise, fast death. That was the least he could do for them and Gabriel. Reminding himself of his last words, Ocham swore to lay them to rest. He walked to the streets with nowhere to go. He could not even rent a hotel room anymore, as Mel's puppets could infiltrate any place. The shadows were the only place left for him. Not even Grandfather was safe from such a malicious spell.

Standing before the mighty White Rose casino, Ace adjusted his suit before walking. The staff already knew what he was after and guided him to the elevator. Instead of up, it went down, a level deeper than even the underground parking lot. It was the business floor, for private meetings. The floor was nothing out of the ordinary but filled with eastern guards. They gave a stern glare at Ace as he passed the hallway until he found himself before two doors. With a deep breath, he walked in.

The room was dim, with a large oval table in the middle. He was by far not the only guest for the meeting. Across the table sat many, from associates to fellow hired goons. In the end, however, was the man in charge. Sitting in a lavish, beautifully decorated silk seat was the leader of the Three Kingdoms mafia, Hào Wang. His smooth silk robes rested open over his slim body, revealing the many tattoos on his chest. He sat sideways on the chair, resting his lean head on his palm, brushing his long beard with the other. The rectangular headpiece mounted in his ashen hair gave shade to his mysterious face with gold chains hanging from the edges. His mischievous smile gave chills to all onlookers.

"Oliver Spada?" His secretary asked. She wore a formal red dress with her hair bundled with silk ribbons on the sides. Her slanting eyes hid behind a pair of round, orange-tinted classes that complimented the dress but not her face.

"Yes, that's me." Ace sat in the last empty seat.

"This concludes everyone, your highness." The secretary bowed.

"Good, shall we start?" Hào straightened himself. Though his voice was not strong, it was demanding on its own.

Everyone nodded in silence.

"Good." He yawned. "I apologize. The plane ride was rather long."

No one dared to comment.

"Let us get straight to the point. An old fool like me has not a long time in this world, even less in this business. While my life is good as gone, there is someone I will not let these western barbarians lay their hands on. My daughter, Chun."

"Excuse me, dear emperor." Ace waved his hand.

"Yes?"

"I may not be the only one asking this, but when can we see this daughter of yours? Can't protect something you haven't seen."

"You may as well. She's right over there." Hào pointed at the secretary. "Say hi, Chun."

Chun turned her head away from the table before giving a small wave. It was the first time anyone outside of Hào's high echelon had seen her. She had no redeeming qualities, nothing to stand out. Perhaps that was why it had been such easy for her to be disguised as one of his servants.

"Any other questions?"

"No, sir." Ace lowered his hand.

"There is another matter we must discuss. I may be old, but I am wise enough in this business to see the true master of the situation. These fools think they have me cornered on their turf. They think they got this old fox in a trap. They are no better than those I dealt with back in Azuma, and like then, I am one step ahead. That is why I want you to think carefully as well."

Hào squinted his eyes. "There is sure to be a spy or traitor among you. I won't accuse you, it is only natural. I want you to listen to these words. I can deal with this situation with the least blood spilled, but what these dogs are planning would mean an all-out war, each one fighting for their share. I have dealt with such pointless things long enough to know it will not lead to anything but ruin for all. I will not have them happen under my rule. you can choose here, whether you want a bloody, senseless war or have this dealt with precision and tactics."

"You're suggesting betrayal?" One of the men asked.

"I am presenting your options. Weight them yourself. Think hard about what you value. I assure you, this ploy these groups have put against me is foolish, and I have the tools to come out on top that will only punish those trying to wage this war."

"How?" Another asked.

"I am a man of my word, but these words hold too much value to slip into enemy hands. What I can promise to those that serve me well in this plan is to pay you tenfold what I have already paid, protection and fairness regardless of your race or background. That is how I united my empire as well."

"You think that will work on those sorts of people?" Ace asked. "What about loyalty?"

"Loyalty is only a matter of secured income. I can offer protection, wealth, and a bloodless victory." Hào smiled smugly. "That is my offer, and know it will be open only until the tipping point."

"Could you say anything about how you will manage to secure such things?"

Háo thought for a moment, resting his head on his hands. "I have always loved spiders. They weave such intricate webs. Those that cannot see and appreciate them will only notice them when it's too late and then find themselves doomed to a quick end where they are used until nothing remains. These pests are no different. They have not even realized they are doomed and all they can do is bark at each other until the inevitable."

Háo's words left the room full of whispering and traded glances. The offer was as dangerous as it was tempting. The foreign lord was a good negotiator, but his reputation as the Emperor of Three Kingdoms was not born from pure honesty. His way of power was as he described, a spiderweb. An intricate web of crime, woven with care and precision where no prey could escape.

"That is all. You may leave now. We will be in contact." Háo waved his hand. "Chun, fetch my pipe."

"Yes, father." Chun bowed and went to the next room.

The crowd dispersed out of the doors and left Hào waiting in his seat.

"So, how does it sound?" turned his head to the other door.

A man in a dark grey suit walked in. Though much more decorated, he bore the familiar MIB badge on his chest.

"I am deeply sorry, Mr. Wang, but the MIB will not cooperate with criminals," The MIB assistant director Porco Twain shook his head. He was not a great man, in stature or anything else for that matter. Power was all he had and the learned skills from his father who he inherited his position. The façade of a great man was thin enough to walk through, and Hào did that with the first glance he gave.

"We are not criminals. The Huangok government would agree."

"Your pipe, father," Chun lowered her head as she offered it in her arms.

"Thank you, dear," Hào took it in his mouth, as it was already lit. "As I was saying. We are a proper organization."

"Again, MIB does not need outside help with its investigation."

"This is an equivalent exchange. We sweep while you take out the trash."

"And how would it change the situation once you took over?"

"No, no, no. You have misunderstood my words," Hào tapped off some of the burnt tobacco. "Your problem is due to unregulated drugs. Under my supervision, the manufacturing would be put under our control. No more Swadian drugs!" He rose in excitement, almost falling over. "No more those Avus distributing it! And no more of those furry freaks laying in your streets! With you by my side, Mr. Twain, we can purify Puerta Blanca and make it the paradise you see in the procures!"

"Are you out of your mind?" Porco stepped back.

"What of it does not make sense to you? Everyone would benefit. Especially you."

"My point stands." Porco crossed his hands.

"Very well." Hào shuffled his robes. "Perhaps I need to ask my old friend for a favor. Does Gaius Norman ring a bell?"

"You- You know him?"

"My web reaches all corners of the world," Hào said, circling Porco. "How much did the Normans benefit the Atlas academy, the same institute that funds you?"

"You can't be serious."

"As it happens, Gaius owes me a great favor."

"And what would that sort of favor be?" Porco entertained the thought with a scoff.

Hào took his pipe and gave it back to Chun. The tobacco had not run out, but he had grown tired of having the thing hanging from his lips.

"Overstepping your boundaries is no good, Mr. Twain. This is something far beyond your position."

The cold stare in Hào's eyes made Porco lose his smile. Whatever Hào did, death would always be present. This time, he was deadly serious.

"I-I see." Porco coughed. "But why bring me here if you could ask sir Norman?"

Hào sat down on his bench. "I expected you to understand, Mr. Twain. It was because of you."

"Me?" Porco pointed himself in confusion.

"See, I have this great sense to find the right people. I help them, and they help me back. I am a generous man, after all. This is why I wanted to offer you the chance to better your life. With this deal, we both can benefit, and make this white paradise what it was all those decades ago." Hào reached his hand for Porco with a warm smile. "How about it? Do we have a deal?"

The man's hand was wrinkled yet fair, with long curved fingernails reaching for opportunities. Porco hesitated, gulped, and swiped away his sweat. It was as if a golden apple had appeared in it. For long he had tasted only the menial fruits of his labor, but the chance to reach even higher was reaching for him, and he was hungry for it.

Porco left the room in silence, yet he could almost hear his heart escape. It hit and rang the bell of shame ceaselessly in his mind, reminding him of the funeral bells at his father's funeral.

"Do you enjoy playing with the hearts of people?" Chun asked.

"What makes you say that?"

"You are smiling."

"Of course I am." Hào closed his eyes. "I am merely pleased with myself."

"Then, would you like some tea?"

"Thank you, but I have a meeting with an old friend I must attend to. I am saving my stomach for his hospitality." Hào closed his robes.

"Is it Mr. Norman?" Chun came in to help.

"You have a keen ear." Hào chuckled.

"Is it about the favor?"

Hào's face turned grim as he swatted off Chun's hand. "It is none of your business."

"Forgive me, father." Chun bowed, hiding her terrified face.

"Good girl." Hào patted her hair.

Chun could bearly hold her feelings as the cold hand swept across her head with its long nails. Holding her breath, she waited patiently until the moment passed.

"Now, let us get going. He was very strict with the time," Hào took off his hand and walked to the door.

"Yes, father." Chun hid her gasps with her hand.