“Then let him explain what the hell is going on!” Dayton’s expression darkened and sounded cold. “Or else, don’t blame me for being rude.” If Kaze could not provide a satisfying answer, he would attack and break all his limbs. Kaze stood still and said casually, “Nothing in particular. I just don’t like her.” “Aaaaah! Dayton! Beat him! I want him dead! Kill him!” Linda cried like a mad woman, especially with her hair covered with gravy and rice. Kaze’s words agitated her even more. Dayton looked gloomy. He rolled his sleeves up. “Buffy, you heard him. Don’t blame me for not showing any respect!” Buffy got even more anxious. She turned around and said to Kaze, “Kaze, hurry up and apologize! I ask Dayton to be here not just to protect me but also to protect you! “Casius is influential, powerful, and has a lot of men. Leron is just one of them! “Leron failed to hurt you the other day and he will come back. No matter how strong you are, you are alone and you can’t possi
“Dayton, beat him up! This clown sucker slapped me! Let him have a taste of true power!” Dayton’s friends cheered on him at the side. To them, Kaze was able to slap Linda because it was an ambush, or else there was no way she would fall to the floor. They might not be as powerful as Dayton but they were considered some of the strongest among their peers. Kaze ignored the noise and focused on moving nimbly to dodge the attacks. Although his movements were subtle, he was able to dodge every slap with the slightest movement. Then, he countered with a slap. Slap! The loud slap silenced the air. Kaze swung his hand casually as he stood still on the spot. Dayton was sent staggering backward, leaving several footprints on his trail before he regained his balance. He managed to stand still on his feet but his face had a clear slap mark. “W-What?! What the hell happened?!” Dayton’s friends were shocked. Dayton had always been unbeatable, at least to them. However, no
“I know Casius Weather. He’s one of the Riverbank Seven and he’s also a well-known figure in Butterworth. “He’s ambitious. He has been using Bronze Sparrow as a base to gather people with different talents, mostly criminals. “His man, Leron, also known as Hydro Dragon, roamed the waters freely. All shipping companies were forced to pay him to get their goods to their destination. “He’s also known as the Sharpshooter, possessing unmatched accuracy when wielding a gun. No one knows where he will show up next. “Kaze, you might be good but you are no match for Leron.” Dayton looked at Kaze as if he was already shot in the head. To him, Kaze was just all brawn and no brains. He wanted to be the hero to save the damsel in distress but going up against Casius and his men was suicidal. He could be the hero but he had to know his place and limitations. Dayton viewed Kaze as a dumb moron who was overconfident. Kaze was unfazed and simply ignored what Dayton said about Leron.
Kaze frowned. “Viper’s Den’s ship was hijacked? Given how they do things, shouldn’t Leron be a dead man by the next day? If your master is that powerful, why did he allow Leron to live?” He crossed paths with the Viper’s Den many times and knew how ruthless and vicious they could be. Hijacking the organization’s ship was a blatant challenge to Viper’s Den's power and authority. There was no way they would allow Leron to live for another day. Therefore, Kaze believed Dayton altered some details or did not spill the entire truth. “You know jackshit!” Dayton grunted and continued, “My master is a kind and compassionate person. He always seeks to act in goodwill and hold back whenever he can. “Leron must have been terrified by Viper’s Den back then and begged my master to spare his life. Is that so hard to understand?” He looked at Kaze as if he was an idiot. His friends also laughed at Kaze scornfully. “If you say so.” Kaze simply smiled it off without commenting or arg
“Buffy, look at your friend. Is this how he should talk to me if he needs my protection?” Dayton did not know how to argue with Kaze anymore, so he turned to Buffy, putting pressure on her. “With his attitude, why should I use my master’s name to protect or save him? People like him are not worthy of being saved! He’s ungrateful! “My task is to protect you but if you want me to protect him too, I would have to decline! You can find someone else!” He got up from the couch and pretended to leave. Kaze scoffed at Dayton’s pretentious act. “Buffy, just let him go. I can deal with Leron myself.” Buffy got anxious and stomped her foot. “Kaze, just keep quiet!” She then went straight up to Dayton and begged him to stay. “Dayton, wait! Please, for me, help us this one time! Please, I’ll repay you after this is over!” She had no idea that Kaze had already encountered Leron at Wyomspring’s entrance, so she simply assumed Kaze underestimated Leron because he did not understand how
Dayton’s master, Alfonso Longwind, was just the ex-branch chief of Viper’s Den Butterworth Branch. If Kaze revealed his identity, the man would have to kneel before him in fear, let alone the arrogant Dayton. It was clear what he was trying to say. He did not care about Dayton or Alfonso, neither of them was worth his time. “What did you say?” Dayton expected Kaze to get down on his knees, but the words he heard made him question if he had heard correctly. Although the idea of making Kaze an agent of the Butterworth Branch was primarily meant to insult him and to elevate Dayton's status over his—thereby discouraging any competition for Buffy—it still presented Kaze with a great opportunity to improve himself. Dayton’s master, Alfonso, was a respected and prominent figure. His name was well-known across the country. Many young men from powerful families sought to train under him as his disciple, but Kaze did not value the opportunity. “Kaze Lee! How dare you disrespect
His bangs slid right off the left side of his face but it did not conceal his scrawny features. His eye sockets were deep and his lips were pursed, making him look cold and fierce. “Leron?!” Buffy was shocked. Fear instantly shrouded her. Speaking of the devil, the man showed up at her place with men and firepower. If Kaze or Dayton were not around, she dared not even imagine what would happen to her. Kaze calmly stepped up and pushed Buffy behind her. His eyes were fixed on Leron’s hands. After briefly fighting the guy once, he knew how precise and powerful his shots were. Dayton and his friends were petrified on the spot, their hearts were pounding wildly, especially Dayton. Though he had previously boasted loudly and dismissed Leron, he instinctively felt immense pressure when the notorious Sharpshooter actually appeared, and his throat began to feel dry. “Kaze Lee, surprised? We meet again.” Leron scrutinized Kaze with heightened interest. His words shocked
Leron did not only look serious, but he sounded serious as well. It did not feel like he was bluffing. It seemed like, after a brief encounter, the notorious Sharpshooter recognized Kaze’s strength. For those whose strength he recognized, even if he had to take their lives, he would ensure they received a dignified death. Kaze smirked. “That’s enough. You are just a pirate and you’ve taken at least a few hundred lives, so why don’t you do your best and get on with it? Skip the tricks. “I bet Casius is waiting for your good news. I’d like to deliver the news as soon as possible so he can taste defeat once more. “Then, while he lives in fear and torment, I will go to him and break him for good.” The whole room froze when they heard Kaze. It was not the first time he said he wanted to crush Casius, but this time, he said it in front of Leron, Casius’ strongest man. It gave Buffy, Dayton, and the other goosebumps. They had no idea how Leron would react to the provocation
As they arrived, they saw a dozen expensive cars parked outside. The customer base was relatively stable as the establishment was targeted at the upper class. The people lining up at the club were young men and women of ordinary background. All were allowed inside Absolute Zero with an entrance fee. Since this would be a chance for ordinary people to meet and interact with the upper-class elites, they cherished it and tried their best to look good. Even movie producers and scriptwriters came to the club, seeking investments or a role in movie production. It was a shortcut to reach out to the upper crust after all. Yet they were just a bunch of fresh graduates with no resources and connections, so the club was their only chance at achieving something great. Dwight would never understand how rare the opportunity was, as he was narrow-sighted. He had never experienced power and wealth before, so he lacked the understanding of how things worked in society. “I never thought
With that in mind, Dwight checked his outfit. His black leather jacket brought out his height and wild side. He then observed Kaze. The latter was dressed casually. Dwight was worried that they would not be allowed into Absolute Zero because of their attire. Nevertheless, he could not let slip that he had never been to Absolute Zero. Without a word, Dwight led Kaze down the apartment building. Kaze could pick up on Dwight’s nerves. While in the elevator, Dwight could not stop straightening out his clothes. It was clear that he was nervous. Even so, Kaze said nothing and pretended not to notice. They got into the car and drove to an alley. The area was not huge, but there were stands selling street food. “The food is great here. Since it’s early, we can grab a bite.” Dwight was not being tight with money. As their destination was a bar, there was no need to get a proper meal. “I’ll get a skewer then.” Kaze did not have much of an appetite anyway. “Okay. I’ll or
“You’re the guest. I should be hosting you, but I don’t seem to be doing a good job.” Dwight knew he had to do better. “It’s okay. I don’t have much to do. It’s just a delivery anyway.” Kaze bought a lot of stuff online. All they had to do was wait for the delivery. Once the items arrived, they could head out. Dwight talked about taking him to a bar under the Viper’s Den’s umbrella. It was a great opportunity for Kaze to check out the scene. He had heard that the Wittersons were tied to all the Viper’s Den’s business operations.Kaze would not meet Edmund and Morris in person, but he would grasp all information related to them. Then, Kaze would stir things up between them and sit back while reaping the benefits. Kaze had it all planned out. He simply had to take his time in playing the long game. Nevertheless, it was important for him to remain discreet. At the very least, he should not show them what he was made of. It was easy to execute his plan when everybody
Kaze rose to his feet and took something out of his bag. Putting on his jacket, he was on his way out. Dwight was out of his room, too. He left his room for a glass of water and waited for Kaze to get out of the room after his nap. Dwight had a drink in the kitchen. He took an apple and chomped on it. Looking at the fruit on the table, Dwight grabbed a plate to arrange it neatly.He took out his phone to pass the time while waiting for Kaze. Kaze emerged from the room and saw Dwight. “You’re up at last. You’ve slept half the day away. Are you still tired? I can wait if you need to catch some sleep.” Dwight kept Herman’s memo to look after Kaze. “A little. I didn’t get any sleep last night. I was waiting to get on the plane.” Kaze took the red-eye flight yesterday. Dwight allowed time for Kaze to rest, knowing his travel schedule. “I know. Did you manage to get some good sleep? If you haven’t, you can go back to bed. I can grab some food for you.” Dwight’s plan
“Your main responsibility is to entertain Kaze. You will be rewarded for good work,” Herman said. Dwight nodded incessantly. “Thank you for thinking of me, Herman. I won’t forget this.” “I’d be grateful so long as you stay out of trouble. “Just focus on what you should do and take good care of Kaze.” Herman worried that Dwight might get ahead of himself and forget his primary duties. Dwight’s priority was Kaze’s well-being. The whole thing would be over if Dwight kept to himself and served Kaze until he was gone. There would be a problem if something were to happen. Without Edmund’s instructions, Herman would never have assigned a job to Dwight. It could be a good thing, though. At least, a job might keep him on the straight and narrow. “Relax. You can count on me,” Dwight said with glee.That was a nice surprise. Dwight did not see it coming. It was just incredible. Herman still could not shake off his worry. However, he had said his piece. It was pointless t
Herman’s smile vanished. His red, irritated skin was playing up. Due to alcohol in his system, Herman could not see straight. He had to grit his teeth to hold back the urge to retch. Herman was not one to drink. Yet, he would have to go through Edmund’s loyalty test every time, and he was reaching a boiling point. However, he understood that he needed to suck it up to gain Edmund’s trust. “You must be Herman. Mr. Witterson. Should I take the things to your car, or should I deliver them to your home?” asked a uniformed server who approached. “Put them in the car and get me a designated driver,” Herman replied. He headed to the lobby while propping himself against the wall. “Okay. There will be a driver out front, ready for your service.” The server tried to help Herman up, but was declined. Herman saw the cartons of alcohol and cigarettes in the lobby. Edmund had always been generous in giving out stuff like this. “These are from Mr. Witterson. You’re lucky to work for
“Kaze can pull the punches for sure. I mean, he has the Butterworth branch chief’s trust for a reason. “There has to be something for him to win the branch chief’s approval.” Edmund doubted there was depth to Kaze. After all, Edmund decided whether to take on a person based on their abilities. It made no sense to pay attention to losers, as he would hold them in contempt. Edmund had been impressed with Herman, who excelled in strategies and management. That was why Edmund bumped Herman up and made sure he stayed on top. “Got it.” Herman nodded and had one foot out the door. “Don’t be in a hurry to leave. There’s one more thing.” Edmund pointed at the table. Herman approached and stood on bent knees. Pleased with Herman’s submission, Edmund passed him a wine glass. Herman took the drink humbly before looking carefully at Edmund, awaiting his orders. “The wine was just airlifted from abroad. I can vouch for the taste. If you’re looking to sip on the finest, yo
Time went by, and a towering man in a suit showed up outside the door. Picking up on the noise inside the room, he knocked on the door. It was hard to tell whether the person inside could hear the knocking, so the man waited outside. The door was opened, and a woman, her face flawless with makeup, popped her head out and saw him. She cocked her head back at Edmund. “You have a guest, Mr. Witterson.” “Let him in,” Edmund instructed. He then leaned in to take the drink from the girl next to him with his mouth. The other girls cheered him on. The group was lost in their fun. The man, who entered the room, stood by the sofa respectfully. He kept his head down, his gaze staying low at the bottles of alcohol spread across the table. It was a bit of a wait before the man approached at Edmund’s order. “Tell me about Dwight.”While listening to the girls’ singing, Edmund turned to Herman. Herman rushed over as soon as Edmund called. He won a lot of money at poker toda
In this particular circumstance, Morris had to play it safe so that things would not get out of hand. The last thing he wanted was to be dragged into the mess. At least, he finally saw the Wittersons’ true colors. Morris’ friendly advice was met with disrespect and insult. However, the Wittersons were a force of nature, and Morris was not about to take them head-on. Despite his frustration, Morris had to walk away. Well, Edmund would soon face his downfall at the height of his power, and Morris would be there to enjoy the ride. Still, it did not sit well with Morris to have a young fella walk all over him. It had crossed his mind to keep the Wittersons in check, but there was only so much he could do. Morris had to be the one to back away as the Wittersons grew haughty. Morris believed there was more to Kaze’s visit to Westeros. Nothing major happened in Westeros recently. At least, there was nothing worth the other branch’s attention. However, a representative of the