Tokyo, Japan
Inside of a hidden chamber of a deluxe bar owned by the Mistress, located in Roppongi.
June 18th, 2026
1: 23 AM
The unidentified woman stepped forward, shadowed gaze could be sharp and calculating. The dark red ninjas stood silently, awaiting their orders, while Tachibana and Takahashi stood across from each other, the echoes of their heated argument still lingering in the air.
"We only have seven days." The woman announced, her voice smooth yet authoritative.
"Seven days to subdue and deliver this Dawning Devil man to the Mistress. Failure is not an option, so I'll lead the planning." She added and made it very clear.
Ryuji's fists clenched. He despised being ordered around, especially when it concerned his personal vendetta, but he remained silent. The woman seems brilliant, her methods could be precise, her foresight could be uncanny. Still, he hated the idea of playing by someone else's rules.
Maria folded her arms, her expression unreadable. "We don't even know who really we're up against." She muttered.
"All we have are damn stories." She added.
The woman then began looking at the large detailed map of Tokyo. "Yes, that's our main problem." She began.
"But every problem has a solution." She added while scanning the whole map.
"We almost know nothing about that bastard aside from his brutality and efficiency. What kind of solution do we need for that?" Ryuji asked.
"He doesn't know us either - that would be our first advantage." The woman remarked.
Ryuji scoffed. "He doesn't need to. He'll cut through anyone we send his way without a second thought."
The woman smirked. "Not if we play this right."
A dark red ninja then stepped forward, presenting a dossier filled with sparse yet troubling information. "Reports from witnesses and some of survivors from his attacks say he operates alone. He probably despise loose ends. His targets are criminals, but beyond that, no one know his true motive." The dark red ninja stated.
Ryuji scoffed again. "We can make him bleed. No one is invincible." His voice was laced with venom.
"He slaughtered my fucking family. Cut them down like animals because they were 'scum'. Who the hell gave him the right to play judge and executioner?" He added with emotions.
Maria's eyes flickered with mild annoyance. "Not this again. Because they were scum. Like you."
"And that justifies butchering them?" His glare was ice.
The woman raised a hand, silencing them. "Personal vendettas will not cloud this mission. We must exploit his lack of allegiance. He works alone, which means he has no backup. That is a weakness."
"Or a strenght. It makes him unpredictable." Maria frowned.
"Then we control the battlefield. We manipulate the variables. If he has no allegiance, we force one upon him. If he fights alone, we isolate him further. This is not about brute force. It's about strategy." The woman's voice became sharper.
Ryuji exhaled sharply. "Then what's your grand strategy?"
She then looked back at the map. "Step one: Surveillance. We need eyes on him at all times. He isn't a ghost. He has habits, patterns. We use our network to track every location he visits, who he speaks to, who he kills."
Maria narrowed her eyes, scanning the map. "He must've safe houses, hideouts in this city. If we can locate those, we can corner him."
The woman nodded. "Exactly. Step two: Psychological pressure. We cannot beat him in a fair fight, so we don't fight fair. We target those who he interacts with, disrupt his rhythm, make him feel hunted. When a predator feels like prey, they make mistakes."
Ryuji leaned forward, his anger barely contained. "I don't care about mistakes. I want him to suffer."
The woman met his gaze coldly. "And that is why you will fail if you don't listen. Vengeance makes men sloppy, Takahashi-kun. Do you want see his blood spilled and bent down, or do you want to end up like the rest of your family?"
Maria shot Ryuji a glance, noting the slight tremor in his hands. He exhaled sharply and said nothing.
"Step three: Isolation." The woman continued, unfazed.
"We manipulate his surroundings. If he has any allies, we remove them. We plant false leads, misinformation, pull him into places where he is vulnerable. Every warrior has a blind spot. We just have to find his." She added.
Maria tapped the hilt of her katana. "And when we do?"
The woman smiled under the shadow. "Step four: Execution. We hit him when he's at his weakest, exhausted and mentally drained. We strike not with brute force, but with precision. Takahashi-kun, you will face him directly."
Ryuji grinned, but there was no humor in it. "Finally."
The woman leaned in. "Tachibana-san, your job is to cut off his escape. I know your type. You give no mercy when chasing your enemy."
Maria nodded slowly. "And what about you?"
The woman simply smiled.
"I will ensure he never sees it coming."