"Sir, it hasn’t left our tail."

The driver of the black sedan’s voice cut through Cade’s thoughts, snapping him out of his stupor.

The young man, whom Cade had hired for a generous sum to handle the long drive, had noticed something troubling—a vehicle had been trailing them for some time now.

Cade glanced at the side mirror.

A blue Mustang, its body adorned with fiery patterns, kept pace behind them. Though he couldn't make out much through the tinted windows, he could tell there were multiple occupants inside.

He narrowed his eyes, focusing for a brief moment, searching for any malicious intent directed his way—but he felt nothing.

Two possibilities.

Either these people were genuinely following him, or they were simply headed toward the same destination—the Zoldyck estate.

To confirm his suspicions, Cade made the simplest move—he called Ethan Ryder, his contractor for the previous job. If these people were after him, it had to be related to that assignment, and who better to clarify than the one who had orchestrated it?

The line connected quickly.

"Oh, you don’t have to worry about the Rin Kazeki job coming back to haunt you, Mr. Cade. Please, have some trust in this humble contractor’s abilities. I’ve already tied up all loose ends, so you can rest assured."

Just like that, one possibility was eliminated. Of course, Cade knew better than to take Ethan’s words at face value, but he found some reassurance in the response nonetheless.

After a brief moment of thought, he spoke to the driver.

"Don’t worry about them for now. Slow down and let them pass us."

The driver obeyed, easing off the accelerator.

As expected, the blue Mustang wasted no time speeding past them without hesitation.

Bounty hunters? No… Maybe reckless amateurs looking to test themselves against the Zoldycks? Or fools hoping to catch a glimpse of the estate? He smirked slightly. Who am I kidding? With a car like that, they’re definitely up to no good.

For now, he decided to follow.

"Keep behind them, but don’t make it obvious. After all, it seems we’re headed in the same direction."

----------------------------------------

At the entrance to the Zoldyck estate, a tour bus came to a sudden stop a short distance from the massive gate. As the engine quieted, a woman dressed in a crisp formal outfit stepped out first, followed closely by the passengers.

Once everyone had disembarked, the woman—today’s tour guide—took charge.

"Everyone, follow me. Nice and easy, no need to rush."

She led the group toward the colossal metal gates that marked the entrance to the estate. Beside these imposing gates, a smaller door sat tucked away in the corner, and along the gate’s perimeter stood a modest security cabin.

Inside the cabin, an aging, bald-headed man named Zebro sat comfortably, enjoying his midday tea. A window faced outward, giving him a clear view of the road leading up to the estate.

As soon as he noticed the tour bus pulling up, he let out a deep sigh.

Here we go again.

Was this the third tour bus this week? He had lost count. What was there even to see? A giant metal door and a rickety old cabin? Still, being the gatekeeper of the world’s most infamous assassination family meant dealing with this sort of nonsense from time to time.

Outside, the guide launched into her well-rehearsed speech.

"Behold! The Testing Gates of the world's most notorious assassination family! If you seek acknowledgment from the Zoldycks, you may attempt to open these gates. Each door weighs multiple tons, with each subsequent door doubling in weight!"

Some tourists snapped photos while others wandered closer, running their hands over the cold, solid metal.

The guide, unfazed, continued her monologue, though few were truly paying attention.

"Beyond these gates, the vast mountain you see is the private property and home of the Zoldyck family. And besides this mountain—"

Screech!

A violent screech of tires cut her off.

From down the road, a sleek blue Mustang came barreling toward the entrance, fishtailing to a sudden stop.

Smoke curled from its tires, the scent of burning rubber filling the air.

The doors swung open, and three men stepped out.

The first was a wiry, sharp-eyed man clad in a vest lined with holsters—knives and pistols strapped to his body like an arsenal .

The second was a towering brute, built like a war machine, with a physique so massive he seemed almost unnatural. A hammer-axe, nearly as large as he was, rested casually against his shoulder.

The third was the most peculiar of the bunch—a young man in his twenties, effortlessly carrying a sniper rifle nearly two meters long.

How he had managed to fit such a weapon inside the car was a mystery only he could answer.

Without hesitation, the trio marched toward the Testing Gates in perfect sync.

The wiry man was the first to act, drawing a pistol from his holster and firing three shots into the sky.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The muscular man followed up by hefting his massive hammer-axe and pointing it toward the tourists.

"Tour is over, ladies. Now, fuck off."

Screams erupted.

Anyone with even a shred of self-preservation bolted for the bus, scrambling over one another in their blind panic.

Within moments, the once-lively scene outside the gate was deserted, save for the three men and their Mustang.

The wiry man ran a hand through his slicked-back, leather-textured hair before turning toward the cabin. His two companions followed closely behind.

From inside, Zebro lazily glanced up, watching them approach. He let out a drawn-out sigh, his tone more bored than alarmed.

"Ahhh… here comes trouble."

He had seen countless brash fools try their luck at the gates before. It was almost routine by now.

And, of course, there was Miké—the Zoldyck family’s hunting beast—who never minded the extra meal.

So, really, why bother stopping them?

The wiry man approached the cabin, his expression unreadable. Without a word, he gave a slight nod to his hulking companion.

The brute grinned, then pulled back his massive fist—

CRACK!

With a single, devastating punch, the cabin’s door exploded inward, splinters flying in every direction.

Zebro, still seated inside, let out an internal sigh.

There goes my poor door again.

Before he could react further, the towering man reached in, grabbed him by the collar, and hoisted him into the air.

Zebro dangled comically, arms and legs flailing as though he were an old ragdoll.

"Whatever you want, I’ll give it to you! Just don’t hurt me!" he pleaded, though internally, he was enjoying the spectacle.

Hehe, Miké, you’d better thank me. I’m about to serve you a feast.

The brute wasn’t in the mood for conversation. He simply muttered, "The keys."

Then, as effortlessly as he had lifted him, he tossed Zebro down onto the concrete floor.

With an exaggerated groan, Zebro dusted himself off and walked over to a small wooden drawer. He pulled out a set of keys and handed them over without resistance.

"Heh, youngsters these days," he murmured, shaking his head. "You could’ve just asked nicely, and I still would’ve given them to you. Why resort to violence? This world’s going to hell."

The wiry man shot him an unimpressed look—like he was staring at a con artist.

"Shut up, old fart. Don’t insult our intelligence. How many bounty hunters have you sent to the afterlife?" He smirked, eyes gleaming with distrust. "You think we’re fools? We know there’s a giant beast inside. That’s why we came prepared."

As if to prove his point, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a hand grenade, rolling it casually in his palm.

Zebro smirked inwardly.

Smart enough to recognize the trap, but foolish enough to think they can outmaneuver it.

Like countless others before them, these men must have thought that the Testing Gate was merely an intimidating decoration. After all, how could anyone possibly open gates that weighed two tons on each side? So, they chose the easier path of bullying poor old Zebro and avoiding the Testing Gates altogether.

The wiry man turned to the sniper.

"Mute, scale the wall, and cover us. We’ll handle things from the inside."

Sniper nodded silently, retrieving a grappling hook from his back. With a powerful throw, the hook latched onto the top of the wall. Wasting no time, he began his ascent.

Meanwhile, the other two men unlocked the door and stepped into the Zoldyck estate.

From a Distance…

Cade watched the scene unfold from his car, arms crossed as he leaned against the door.

He wasn’t the type to interfere in other people’s business.

As soon as the bounty hunters passed through the gate, he knew their fate was sealed.

Still, there was a slight pang of regret. That young sniper… it was a shame to see such raw talent wasted. But what could he do? Nothing.

Letting out a quiet sigh, Cade stepped out of his vehicle and strolled toward the cabin.

When he introduced himself, Zebro greeted him with unexpected warmth, offering a cup of tea. Cade graciously accepted.

"So you’re Mr. Cade. Call me Zebro. The head butler mentioned you."

Then, with a tired glance at the shattered cabin door and his disheveled state, Zebro sighed.

"I have some instructions for you from the head butler."

Cade waved a dismissive hand, choosing to ask what was really on his mind first.

"Forgive me if I’m being blunt, but isn’t it a little heartless to send men to their deaths? Especially that young sniper?"

Even though Cade had no personal attachment to the young man, something about wasted potential never sat right with him.

Zebro was briefly caught off guard by the question but quickly recovered with a sheepish smile.

"If people want to break into the Zoldyck estate, what can a frail old man like me do? I simply hand over the keys."

A more naïve person might have believed him.

But Cade had watched the anime.

This old geezer was lying through his teeth.

Cade took another sip of tea and then set the cup down.

"I see. So, what did the head butler have in mind for me?"

Zebro placed his own cup on the wooden table with a dull thud, causing Cade to raise an eyebrow. He recognized it as the weight training method that zoldyck members use.

"The head butler said that if the guest wishes to meet Master Milluki, they may only enter through the Testing Gate."

His tone was casual—like this was standard procedure.

Cade exhaled through his nose.

Instead of arguing with the old man, he simply pulled out his phone, dialed Milluki’s number, and pressed call.