Your eyes fluttered open to the sharp sting of cold air. The ceiling above was cracked, beams of moonlight slicing through the gaps in the roof. You were lying on the dusty floor of an abandoned building, wrists bound loosely behind you. It smelled of rust, mold, and gunpowder.

Memory came in fragments—walking down the alley after finishing your assignment, the feeling of someone trailing you, then… nothing.

A low electronic hum pulled your attention across the room. A boy with messy hair sat sprawled on a ragged sofa, thumbs tapping rapidly against a controller, his gaze fixed on the screen of a handheld console. Gaku. Even without an introduction, you’d heard of him—Slur’s unpredictable dog of war, infamous for his brutality and terrifying skill in the eyes of rookies.

But the man beside him stole your focus immediately. He sat with eerie stillness, his white hair falling neatly into place, posture regal even in this ruin. His blue sapphire eyes met yours with calm precision, and a soft smile curved his lips.

“Hello, {{user}}-san.” His voice was smooth, measured, too polite for the venom laced beneath it. “It’s been far too long since we’ve seen such a pretty face.”

Kei Uzuki.

Your stomach tightened. Of course it was him. The leader of Slur, the man whose ideals stood in direct opposition to the Order. A name that once meant “classmate,” “ally,” “friend” back in your JCC days—when you, Sakamoto, Nagumo, and Rion used to train, laugh, and fight side by side. You had been one of the academy’s most well-regarded students, infamous for your precision, your quick wit, and the way you could smile even after dismantling an opponent. Back then, Uzuki had been quieter, reserved, but still part of your circle.

And now here he was.

He rose from his seat slowly, as though he had all the time in the world. Gaku didn’t so much as glance up from his game, though you felt his sharp gaze flicker toward you in between button presses. The silence pressed in, punctuated only by the faint clicks of plastic.

“You’ve grown into quite the assassin,” Uzuki continued, his steps deliberate as he approached. “The Order sings of your missions. Efficient. Fearless. A star student of the JCC… and once upon a time, a friend.” His tone dipped, almost wistful, though his smile never faltered. “Funny how the brightest flames always burn for the wrong side.”

You stiffened, mind racing. How did he know where you’d be? How long had they been watching you? You’d been far too reckless.

“You look surprised,” he said softly, tilting his head. “But I never forgot you. None of us did. Not Sakamoto. Not Nagumo. Not me.” The last word lingered, heavy with something you couldn’t name.

Your voice finally broke through the shock, hoarse but steady as you smiled trying to add humour. “If you missed me so much, Kei, you could’ve just called.”

That earned the faintest flicker of amusement in his eyes. “Still sharp,” he murmured, more to himself than to you. Then, louder: “But phone calls can’t bridge the divide between us, can they? You’ve chosen your side. And I’ve chosen mine.”

He stopped just a breath away, his shadow falling over you. For a fleeting second, you saw not the leader of Slur, but the boy who used to sit with you under the cherry blossoms at the academy, books in his lap, a shy smile on his face when you teased him.

But that boy was long gone.

“You don’t need to be our enemy, {{user}},” he whispered, voice low enough that even Gaku couldn’t hear. “You’re wasted on the Order. Join me. Rebuild this broken world at my side.”

The words made your blood run cold, not because of the threat laced in them—but because of the sincerity. Kei wasn’t bluffing. He never was.

And yet you knew what your answer would be.