The Fall of Yamamoto Kazuki
Kazuki, having let Yoshida slip away, immediately summoned his subordinates.
It took about thirty minutes to gather the men scattered throughout the underground labyrinth.
Yet the number who assembled was only a third of their original force.
Even accounting for those yet to rendezvous amid the maze-like complexity or out of contact, it was an enormous loss.
Especially among the S-rank hunters who had been his right and left hands, only two had returned unscathed.
Not all would have died, but their failure to arrive meant there was good reason.
Kazuki rubbed his throbbing brow.
Yoshida must have played his hand. He would've fed them every detail about us without fail, so even top S-ranks couldn't avoid getting hit.
If only he'd kept a tighter leash on Yoshida from the moment he'd sensed something off...
Unlike him, he'd let emotions sway his judgment—an uncharacteristic lapse that now haunted him with regret.
The wound from their brief clash suddenly ached.
"...If we've suffered losses, we'll just make up for them."
No time to dwell on regrets.
While he dawdled here, that scheming Yoshida and Zhang Wei were surely plotting their next move.
With Yoshida and Zhang Wei, the next play won't be ordinary.
Zhang Wei aside, he knew Yoshida well after years together.
A rock-solid ally before, but now an enemy—his vicious schemes were almost frightening.
...That said, I won't just sit here like an idiot.
I'm Yamamoto Kazuki.
Whatever they throw at me, I'll smash it head-on.
He had to face Zhang Wei, an SA-rank, and Yoshida, whose power neared that level through whatever foul means. Yet Kazuki felt no fear.
He'd crossed lines like this dozens, hundreds of times back home.
...If only Kazuma were here.
His twin's personality clashed horribly with his own, but no one matched his reliability in a fight.
Feeling a pang of regret for the brother he'd eliminated, Kazuki slowly moved.
The wound from clashing with Yoshida had healed cleanly with a potion.
"Everyone, move out. Stay vigilant as we go."
With a calm command, Kazuki led his men into the unknown depths.
They followed the path Yoshida was presumed to have taken.
Soon, they entered a fairly large chamber—big enough for proper combat in his true form.
Of course, while using the Size Reduction Technique.
Spotting such a wide space en route suggested neither Yoshida nor Zhang Wei intended to settle things with Kazuki here.
"We'll wait here."
"We won't go to them? We don't know the situation above, but those guys aren't idiots—they'll expect traps below... Might just run since they're at a disadvantage."
"No. He won't run."
"Why? Pride?"
"From what I've heard, he's not one to botch things over pointless pride. But he knows full well there's no next time if he flees after escalating this far."
"Hm. True, with all forces committed, running would leave him nowhere to turn. Might've bitten off more than he can chew starting a total war."
"All or nothing. That's what total war means. Kazuki was too hasty."
The surrounding chaos had forced his hand, but a touch more caution might've changed things.
Like spotting Yoshida's ulterior motives sooner.
Or scouting the Black Market underground layout in advance.
Though with us here, it wouldn't have shifted much anyway.
No matter how it played out, Kazuki's death was all but sealed.
I'd decided that.
As he conversed briefly with Snow, he sensed presences approaching.
"Hm. Quite a few."
"Must've gathered all the survivors."
"Does my lord require this one's aid?"
Snow glanced his way telepathically, and he pondered briefly.
"...No. I need to finish this myself. Won't drag it out—let's end it now."
With a flat reply, he reverted to his true form.
[How's it feel? Can you move?]
[Hmph—fit as a fiddle!]
His left head seemed fine, no major issues.
Though the aftereffects lingered; no using the Magic Eye for now.
Mind control wouldn't see much use mid-battle anyway.
"...Halt!"
Kazuki and his group froze upon entering the chamber from the passage.
Hidden via Stealth before they arrived, but Kazuki had sensed something.
Sharp instincts, as expected of an SA-rank.
"Atmosphere's off. Could be a trap. Check surroundings."
As his men hurried at the order, Nix sprang into action.
No more stalling, as he'd said.
Evolution loomed close; impatience gnawed.
Hiss——
Left head started: erecting an ice wall to seal their exit while spewing poison mist.
The thick purple haze filled the chamber in a blink.
Kazuki hurriedly covered nose and mouth.
"Poison! Hold your breath!"
Swift judgment and seamless command—his men complied without question.
Impressive discipline, no chaos.
But his poison wasn't blocked by mere breath-holding.
"Cough—!"
"Grahk—!"
"Guh—."
Lower ranks vomited blood first.
Skin turned purple in patches; one by one, they weakened and collapsed.
Kazuki had erred.
Instead of breath-holding, he should've dispersed the encroaching mist first.
Only after some fell did he realize, slashing wildly with his sword.
The haze began receding with the wind.
Indoors, it didn't vanish fully, but visibility improved vastly.
Quick thinking again.
"Ngh... Take your antidotes! Hurry!"
Downing his own first, Kazuki yelled.
His men followed, pulling out antidotes.
Wonder if they'd neutralize his poison.
Won't just watch them recover, though.
He lunged.
Ideally straight for Kazuki, but the rear position made it tricky.
Targeted a frontline hunter instead.
Shaaah——!!!
Sudden ambush at an unforeseen moment.
The A-rank hunter couldn't react.
Stealth's subtlety, plus poison-sapped stats.
"Gaaah!"
"Ambush—!"
"M-monster?! Why's a monster here?!"
Panic rippled through Kazuki's group.
A simple ambush might've been fine, but a monster perpetrator shook even quick-thinking Kazuki.
His prior sharpness vanished; he stared blankly as Nix struck another.
Subordinates died in seconds.
"Don't panic! Stay calm and respond!"
Regaining wits late, Kazuki rallied them.
Normally, panic would've deafened them to orders, but his men were elite.
Snapping to even as comrades died before them.
A counterattacking hunter drew weapons; Nix dodged lightly.
Didn't thin their numbers as hoped.
Aimed for a third gone, but barely half.
Especially irksome: that last counter was an S-rank.
"Those vile Zhang Wei and Yoshida must see this as mere greeting! Human or monster, no need to panic!"
Yelling to rally again, Kazuki glared.
"Unexpected, but no issue. I've fought monsters plenty! Takeda, Momono—take point! I'll back you. Rest, support us!"
Underworld specialist or not, he was a hunter at core.
Famed in Japan pre-expedition; response was swift.
They said the Yamamoto Raid Team made waves before Korea. Well-deserved rep.
They formed up, encircling him; Nix flicked his tongue.
Normally, with Snow, he'd treat it as experience.
But no dragging this out.
[Handle it, right head.]
[Hungry...]
Right head's quiet reply: third eye opened.
The petrification Magic Eye.
A gaze turns foes to stone—terrifying.
No prior knowledge meant no counter.
"Uwaaak! Legs! My legs—!"
"Hands...! My haaands—!"
"Gaaah!"
Screams as limbs petrified the instant the eye opened.
Even trained elites hadn't faced this; chaos spread fast.
Frontline S-ranks resisted somewhat with mana, but others failed.
"Cycle your mana! Avoid its gaze! Hide behind the petrified!"
Late but sharp; Kazuki barked.
As he screamed like a banshee, Nix dove in.
Slipped between petrification-panicked hunters, wreaking havoc.
They scattered like leaves in terror.
Two S-ranks clung to block; no match for his full effort.
"Damn! How'd they drag a mid-floor boss-tier monster here?!"
"Ngh...! Letting this loose outside wipes us all—don't they know?!"
Horror-filled cries from S-ranks.
Amid them, he culled more.
Left head bit one charging; right swallowed a fleeing one.
"Ngh...! Both of you, support me! I'll take point!"
Sensing doom if idle, Kazuki advanced.
Raised sword, leaped—right head fired a fireball.
"Magic too?!"
Shock aside, he deftly blocked—nay, slashed the fireball, pressing attack.
A probing strike with power, yet breached easily; SA-rank indeed.
"Hiyaap—!"
Kazuki assaulted with SA-rank might.
Two S-ranks pressured in support.
Plus others regrouping, charging anew.
[Getting tough. Ask Snow for help?]
Left head asked, dodging Kazuki's strike.
[No need. Not tough—just annoying.]
[...Sigh. Down to that, huh?]
[Yeah. Best way to end quick.]
Left head was him too; no elaboration needed.
Simple: trust sky-high durability and regen over other stats, tank through.
Ignore all but Kazuki's lethal strikes.
"Ngh! Why so tough?!"
"Can't pierce the scales!"
No more dodging minor hits.
Ignored all but Kazuki, focusing solely on him.
Mid-tier attacks wouldn't dent scales; even wounds would regen instantly.
Energy reserves ample.
"Mad! Eyes rolled back or what?!"
"Damn! Kazuki-sama, evade!"
"Fall back, sir!"
Quick to sense peril, Kazuki retreated.
Others blocked hastily; mere obstacles.
Barreled past, ignoring.
Swallowed self-sacrificers whole, eyes only on Kazuki.
Shook off clingers with a twitch, crushed blockers flat.
Belched poison, spat fire, hurled ice.
Felled, killed, devoured.
Thus pierced the wall of dozens; reached Kazuki at last.
Hiss——
"M-monster bastard..."
The scene he'd wrought in moments broke even his will; Kazuki stared blankly, eyes trembling.
Left head spat out chewed remains at him.
An S-rank hunter rolled across the floor.
One of his sacrificial shields met a pathetic end; Kazuki's face crumpled.
"Why... Why this... Zhang Wei, Yoshida... You damned scum...!"
Still blamed them? Thought they controlled him?
Final gift: the truth.
[Misunderstanding. Zhang Wei and Yoshida unrelated.]
"...Monster speaks...? Like Yoshida?!"
[As I said before, no ties to Yoshida. Nor Zhang Wei. I'm here of my own will.]
His expression shifted wildly at the calm voice.
Denial of reality?
No need to explain further.
Unhinged bafflement met with jaws unhinging wide.
Too late to react.
Crunch—
The Japanese underworld titan, aiming to dominate Korea's shadows, met his end.
A hollow death, echoing his twin's—unbefitting one who'd slay kin for ambition.
And...
You have met the conditions for evolution.
Merits required for evolution confirmed.
Beginning evolution.