“Well do we just knock?” Kanashi asked, staring at the building's large metal door. It had taken them a good 2 hours of walking to get to the location the man had said the Sinscenaros hideout was located but now that they had arrived Kanashis nerves made it seem like he would throw up at any moment. I’ve never done good with these kinds of people…
“DOOM!”
Suddenly Jin with his hands in his pocket and a half hearted kick blew the massive solid metal door off its hinges. The door flew through the large entrance chamber and into one of the grimy metal walls with a crack. “Let’s go.” He said, waving for Kanashi to follow.
Kanashi nervously followed behind, making sure to leave a dozen or so paces worth of distance just in case someone jumped out at them. He’d seen enough horror movies to know that abandoned buildings are full of ghosts, ghouls and demons. You could always chalk that up to fiction but now that he knew ghosts and curses were in fact real he preferred to let Jin handle it. If a creepy clown or a long black haired woman with round eyes jumped out he’d probably piss himself and cry. Jin on the other hand would crack a joke and slap them a few times. Well I think it actually depends on the Long Haired woman's appearance. Is she a hot ghost or a creepy ghost? If she’s a hot one I might actually welcome her haunting and let her move into my bedroom closet's ceiling… Those thoughts aside they made their way through the abandoned building's dark layout, Jin taking the lead and Kanashi stumbling behind falling over chairs, cables and the like since he could barely see. He tried to use Observation but then he couldn't keep track of Jin so he decided to just walk even slower.
Without paying mind to Kanashi, Jin casually walked through multiple locked solid metal doors as if it was nothing special so he could unlock them on the other side for Kanashi to follow.
Is there anything this guy can’t do? Kanashi wondered, hopping over the worst half of an old motorcycle. The pair continued to explore the building which had a maze-like layout with endless doors and hallways. Jin didn't say much, instead just keeping his hands in his pocket and marching onwards
Did I do something to make him mad? He’s acting like he can see in the dark so maybe he’s just upset I cant follow along closer? Should I say something? Nah, I don't want to end up with my brain wiped… As Kanashi was thinking Jin opened a final large metal door from the inside which swung open for Kanashi to enter.
The room was pretty clean, cleaner then all the others so someone was using it to some extent. But there was no elevator or stairs and the room itself was pretty empty except some random poorly aged furniture thrown around and a few beer bottles and dried up condoms. I’ll have to walk carefully around here…
“It’s down Down here.” Jin called out and pointed down to a large metal hatch in the floor which had thick pikes bolting it into the concrete. There was no obvious lock or handle so it must have only been openable from the inside.
“You gonna rip it off its hinges.” Kanashi joked trying to make light of the sour mood.
“Nah.” Jin lifted his leg up in the air like a gymnast would and then stomped down on the hatch with an ear shattering sound. His stomp made the metal hatch crumble like cheap tissue paper and fall down into the dark hole below until a loud crash echoed signaling there was in fact a bottom. Then without hesitation or saying a word to Kanashi he casually walked into the hole where he fell down still with his hands in his pocket.
“Ah Wait!” Kanashi yelled after Jin and quickly crouched down onto the floor and began descending the metal ladder. The metal was rusted and covered in grime, hopefully he wouldn't get some kind of STD from this place that’d be a hard thing to explain. He could imagine the doctor's face right now. God, It’d be just like when the doctor didn't believe I only had UTI and thought I was lying about being a virgin. He thought I had Chlamydia or something right? That was a really awkward experience. Well this time my Doctor would be that guy from the Orochi Kingdom Cao-Li. He’d understand and Jin could vouch for me too and say I did in fact get it from a disgusting gang hideout! As Kanashi wrapped up his emergency STD explanation plans he saw the floor a few feet beneath him and hopped down off the ladder. “You need to slow down man, I can't keep up with you.” He said between pants and trying to flick off the oil and grime covering his hands and clothes.
They’d descended into a long and narrow metal hallway with a metal door at the end of it blocking further passage, the room was actually very clean, shining even. If they were going to clean here, why not the ladder? Kanashi wondered with a frown.
“Someones behind there.” Jin said, strolling up to the metal door which he knocked loudly on. He knocked so hard the metal actually began to dent in the shape of his knuckles.
The doors slit like peep hole hatch quickly slid open with a pair of angry beady eyes hiding behind it.
“Who the hell do you think you are and what do you want?!” The man yelled with such a rough and aggressive voice it made Kanashi shudder instinctively.
“Open up.”
“No!”
“Please~?”
“No!”
“Fine then.” Jin sighed, “Just take a quick nap for me.” He quickly expanded his aura like a bomb's shockwave and Kanashi felt himself nearly buckle over from the emissions immense pressure. The door man instantly fell to the floor with a thud and Jin once again lifted his leg and kicked down the door which slammed down with a hole in the middle of it. He casually walked over the door and the man's unconscious body signaling for Kanashi to follow with a hand wave.
“You gotta be one hell of a monster to do that.” Another man said, blocking the newly opened hallway where he was surrounded by more unconscious people. The man had a large scar down his face like a tiger has scratched him and unwashed curly hair. He pointed a small handgun at Jin while a bead of sweat dripped down his chin.
“Sorry I don't do well with gangs so I guess I’m just being a bit more rough than usual.” Jin sighed.
[Gravity Amplification: Crush] The man was suddenly flattened to the ground in an instant with his bones crunching and blood spraying all over the clean metal walls.
“Jin don't you think this is too much?!” Kanashi whimpered, staring wide eyed at the grizzly sight.
“If these guys got ahold of you they’d skin you alive after cutting your nuts off.” Jin quickly hopped over the man's corpse and continued to walk, keeping his hands in his pocket the whole time.
Reluctantly Kanashi followed Jin further into the hideout but as he tried hopping over the man's corpse his foot was caught by one of the unconscious bodies on the floor and he fell onto his face with a splash.
“Ah my shoes are all covered in blood now damnit!” Kanashi sat up and conjured water to spray them with before standing back up and running after Jin who was already quite a bit aways ahead.
After walking down the mostly empty plain metal hallway some more they eventually came to another locked metal door just like the one before.
“The rest of them are behind here.” Jin said with a smile.
# # #
“Chief!” Garrison screamed running into the boss's bedroom without even a knock. He flew through the door with a crash and perfect Dogeza.
Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.
“What the hell do you want?!” His boss asked angrily , turning around to look at Garrison and then pointing to the women underneath himself on the bed.
“Someone is attacking our hideout Chief Reginald!”
“It's just those stupid [Sinsiloa] punks again, You’ll be able to run em’ down with a few automatic rifles.” Reginald said, rolling his eyes and turning his attention back to the lady he was in bed with.
“But Chief Reginald the men are reporting it’s a tall guy with fluffy blonde hair and piercing blood red eyes!” Garrison cried while shaking uncontrollably.
“?!” Reginald grit his teeth as he heard that dreaded description he hoped to never hear in his criminal life. He raised his hand in the air, balling it into a fist and smashed it down onto the face of the woman beneath him on his bed, making her blood spray and covering the bed sheets and pillow cases with brain, skull and the aforementioned blood. “Why would that monster want anything to do with us!?” He cried while shivering in pure fear.
# # #
“Jin these guys are really afraid of you, Do you know them or something?” Kanashi asked, stepping over the dozens of corpses Jin had left behind.
“No, I’m not sure how they know who I am since I try to stay out of the limelight but I guess word gets out sometimes.” Jin answered with a shrug.
“Really? You seem like you’d enjoy fame and glory.”
“I did at first. When I joined the Venator Society I was sixteen and all the fame at the start got to my head quickly. In the beginning you're happy because every woman wants to be with you and every man wants to be you. Then it loses its touch when you can't even go to the grocery store without someone trying to get an autograph in the cereal aisle.” Jin said, kicking another attacking gang member in the groin and tossing him to the side with one hand.
Jin had a weird way of dealing with the Gang members, some he mercilessly killed, others he mutilated a bit and some he simply knocked unconscious. Kanashi assumed it was a ranking system of sorts, if someone was strong he’d spare no expense and just kill them, if they were strong enough to pose some sort of threat but not be an actual problem he’d break their legs or something. If they were the equivalent of a normal guy he simply would knock me out. Well at least that’s what Kanashi had assumed the case was. Knowing Jin he could just be going on a whim or by how ugly they were. Okay no he’s not that bad. He said he doesn't do good with gangs and has been in a bad mood since we got here so maybe something happened to him in the past to upset him. These guys seem to know him so maybe he’s infamous in the criminal world as someone who destroys entire criminal organizations? Maybe he went on a mission involving gangs previously that ticked him off? Like he found someone skinned alive with their balls cut off? I mean I’d be pretty pissed If I saw that but I don't know If I’d be able to kill someone over it. I’m more of a prison guy myself.
“Sorry Jinen but we can’t let you get much farther than this.” an important looking man said, stepping out from the shadows with a rocket launcher in hand and breaking Kanashis inner monologue.
“And who are you supposed to be?” Jin smiled.
“Garrison Eartheart, second in command of the Sinscenaros.”
“Pft, is that supposed to impress me?”
“Well no? You asked me so-”
“Whatever, just shoot that thing and get it over with.
That’s coated in mana. Kanashi thought using observation of the RPG.
“But I hope you do know that if you shoot that at me or my buddy here I’m going to kill you. Actually You know what? I’m honestly offended that you think such a thing would even do any harm to me!” Jin cried, throwing his hands up in the air as if frustrated but still having a wide patronizing smile across his face.
“No, I actually don't think this will do any harm to you… But I think this will!” Garrison shouted with a clap.
Suddenly the rooms walls fell down into the floor and machine guns mounted by men ignited the room with sparks and bangs as thousands of bullets were fired at Jin and Kanashi. But to Garrison's horror each bullet simply bounced off the invisible barrier that Jin always had around him.
Gritting his teeth and with tears in his eyes Garrison roared angrily. “Take this you son of a bitch!” He screamed out some other profanities which were masked by the sound of gun fire. He fired his rocket at Jin and Kanashi all though this time instead of simply bouncing off Jin's shield his barrier acted like rubber bending from the force of the rockets and then flinging it back at Garrison who screamed as it exploded sending his body flying in a spray of blood and limbs.
Once again Jin expanded his aura quickly causing the men behind the machine guns to fall over, eyes rolled into the back of their head.
Kanashi who at this point had become somewhat numb to the horror before him closed his eyes at the grizzly sight of Garrison and looked away holding back a gag. This one was extra gorey.
“The boss is behind this then I’m assuming.” Jin said, destroying the final metal door with a flick of his middle finger.
Inside the dull room under a spotlight Reginald sat in his lavish velvet chair resting his chin on his interlocked hands while staring at the floor beneath him. “I never thought you’d recognize me as equal to the Sangre De Tigres.” He said glumly.
“Ha!” Jin laughed, a genuine laugh, a real gut buster. “Alright now don't get ahead of yourself! I’ve gotta correct you on two things here.” He said, holding up two clean fingers without so much as a speck of dust on them. “Un, I didn't even know who you were until two hours ago and Deux I’m here to learn about the [Witch] you’re hiring and nothing else.”
Reginald looked up with tears streaming down his face in pure joy, Oh thank you lord! He thought while clasping his hands in prayer.
“If you spit out who the Witch is, I'll let you live, sound fair?”
“Wait… Witch?” Reginald repeated before dropping his jaw in horror.
“Yeah, the one related to the local murders.”
“This witch… I don't know too much about her!” Reginald cried tears streaming down his face.
“Man, you're really pathetic.” Kanashi said grimacing at Reginald. For the leader of a gang he was really a massive pussy.
“You’re one to talk all the while hiding being the mortal enemy of the world's six greatest organized crime syndicates!”
“?!” Kanashi raised his eyebrow at his new piece of Jin's lore thrown at him.
“Alright just hurry and spit out the stuff you know about the Witch so we can leave.” Jin said annoyed.
“Of course! The Witch is well.. No one knows who she exactly is but I do know who her current target is. The mayor's daughter is sick with an unknown illness right now but no one knows about it besides me and a few other people! The mayor is trying to hide it to not cause more panic about the Witch but he’s getting desperate because she’s really sick.”
“What kind of sickness?”
“She’s vomiting up black gunk and her skin is peeling. Also she’s having nightmares.”
“And you know this is the Witches doing?”
“I dont! No one knows much about the Witch but that’s what the mayor thinks the cause is! He was actually debating calling out to the Venator Societies medical department soon before his daughter gets worse.”
“How can no one know who the Witch is if they’re buying her services?” Jin asked, tilting his head to the side.
“She doesn't do business herself, she instead uses a Raven which brings an envelope you fill out.”
“How does she know when and who to send the Raven to meet?” Kanashi piped in.
“You’re supposed to kill a black cat and hang it up over a broken mirror somewhere in the forest with your name written backwards in the cat's blood. It’s said that in 3 days you will have a massive
raven at your door with an envelope attached to its ankle.” Reginald answered immediately.
“That’s pretty elaborate.” Jin said with a sigh, I also don't want to kill any cats. “Where’s the Mayor's house?”
“The northernmost hill above a farm with a blue barn!”
“Are you hiding anything else?”
“No Sir! Of course not I swear of my mothers soul!” Reginald cried, dropping to his belly and trying to lick Jin's shoes.
“Allright allright.” Jin said with a voice full of disgust and kicked Reginald away with his shoe. Turning to Kanashi he smiled. “Looks like we know where we’re going next.”
“Hopefully this is the last place we have to visit.” Kanashi yawned.
With that Jin and Kanashi quickly exited the Sincenaros hideout and made their way back up into the streets above as the sun began to rise over the red horizon.
“Hey Jin, that big wuss in there said you were the bane of something like the crime organizations, What’s up with that?”
“He was talking about the six gangs across the world that are recognized by the United Nations. But there's only five members right now.”
“I swear I’ve heard of the Sangre De Tigres before.” Kanashi muttered, rubbing his chin.
“They were around before you were born in Iboria , I lent a hand in shutting them down.”
“Huh, Seems like an over reaction then, Also why did you let him live?”
“He had no intention of fighting me so I didn't instigate anything.”
“Oh, I guess he didn't.. But isn't it still bad to just let him keep running the Sinscenaros? You killed a lot of them but there's still enough to cause some trouble.”
“He’s probably not even the real leader, just a figurehead. Going by what he was saying the Mayor is probably the true leader of sorts and someone he screwed over had it out for him so they contracted the Witch to kill his daughter. I’ll report it to El-Saber once we get back home. He’ll take care of the rest.”
“Oh wow I didn't even think about any of that…” Kanashi muttered in response.
“It’s fine, our job is to worry about the [Witch], not the political corruption in a hick town. Leave that to the justice department.”