Avinash slowly opened his eyes. Above him was a wooden ceiling that seemed entirely unfamiliar. As he gradually opened his eyes and took in his surroundings, he realized he was in a house, lying on a bed.


    He couldn''t comprehend what had happened. The last thing he remembered was fainting from hunger. So, how did he end up here?


    While Avinash was still observing his surroundings, he caught the scent of something. Just as he tried to get up from the bed, he fell with a loud thud.


    The sound brought a girl rushing in, dressed in a yukata. She asked, "Are you awake?"


    Avinash raised his head to look at her and asked, "Who are you?"


    The girl smiled and replied, "My name is Nakamura Haruka."


    Avinash, confused, asked, "Can you tell me what I''m doing here?"


    Nakamura Haruka moved closer to help him and said, "You had fainted there, Roronoa Zoro-san. Perhaps you don''t remember me, but I was imprisoned near you.


    When you defeated all those people, I saw an opportunity to escape. You saved my life, so to repay you, I helped you escape and brought you here.


    Thank you again for saving my life, Roronoa Zoro-san."


    Avinash sat up and asked, "How long have I been unconscious?"


    Nakamura Haruka replied, "Since yesterday."


    Shocked, Avinash exclaimed, "A whole day?! ...Can I get something to eat?"


    Nakamura Haruka nodded and said, "Of course."


    A while later


    Avinash was eating, and quite quickly at that. Nakamura Haruka watched him and said, "You can eat slowly, using chopsticks."


    Avinash, in a carefree tone, replied, "I don''t know how to use them. Can I have more?"


    Nakamura Haruka, slightly nervous, said, "Yes, of course." She mumbled to herself, "At this rate, all the food will run out soon."


    When she brought the second serving, Avinash asked, "By the way, what were you doing there? This question has been on my mind for a while."


    Nakamura Haruka replied, "It''s a long story. I was falsely accused so they could take advantage of me."


    Avinash took a deep breath and said, "Now I''m thinking I should''ve taken care of those people along with the ninjas."


    After a moment of thought, Nakamura Haruka said, "Oh, by the way, is this yours?" She brought out a sword from somewhere.


    Avinash looked at his old sword, which was Raiden''s.


    Nakamura Haruka, nervously, asked, "But why were those people calling you Raiden?"


    Avinash calmly replied, "Because we look alike. He''s my twin brother who was swept away in a river. I still cry remembering that day. He became a killer. When I met him…"


    Before he could finish, Nakamura Haruka panicked and said, "I''m sorry! I''m so sorry!"


    Surprised, Avinash asked, "Now what happened? Don''t tell me you put something in the food…"


    Nakamura Haruka, trembling, bowed her head to the ground and said, "Please forgive me! I thought you were him… so I…"


    Avinash, with a nervous expression, asked, "Was it poison or a sedative?"


    Nakamura Haruka, visibly shaken and with tears forming in her eyes, replied, "Neither of those… I… I…"


    The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.


    Hearing this, Avinash became even more tense. "What did you give me?" he demanded.


    Nakamura Haruka, now crying, said, "An itching herb."


    Avinash replied, "Wait, then why don''t I feel anything yet?"


    With an innocent face, Nakamura Haruka said, "The effects will start in 10 minutes."


    Avinash, exasperated, exclaimed, "Who does something like this?"


    Nakamura Haruka meekly replied, "I was scared."


    Eight hours later


    Avinash, lost in thought, muttered, "What a mess. I still haven''t learned much about Kurokami, and after what happened last time, I''m definitely in deep trouble. Even the government is on my tail now."


    He sighed. "It''s ridiculous how my handsome posters are plastered everywhere so quickly. People are hunting for me like I''ve eloped with their mothers and sisters. And on top of that, this itching…"


    From behind, Nakamura Haruka spoke softly, "Roronoa Zoro-san, are you okay?"


    Avinash turned around and snapped, "You… just don''t say anything. By the way, do you know anything about the black market? Somewhere I can gather information?"


    Suddenly, he paused and said, "Wait, that''s a brilliant idea. Do you know where someone can place a bounty?"


    Nakamura Haruka, in a faint voice, asked, "Are you planning to have someone killed?"


    Avinash smiled and replied, "Me."


    Confused, Nakamura Haruka asked, "I don''t understand."


    Without giving her an answer, Avinash smiled and began walking toward the next room.


    Nakamura Haruka, alarmed, stopped him and said, "You can''t go out like this! Takeshi Hayato and the others are searching for you all over Tokyo."


    Avinash casually replied, "Of course they''re searching for me. I slipped out from under their noses. So, what''s the situation outside?"


    Nakamura Haruka, panicking, said, "It''s really bad. They''re looking for you everywhere, and with Sato Tomoyo''s death, the search has intensified even more."


    Avinash, confused, asked, "Who''s that?"


    Nakamura Haruka explained, "The man whose house you broke into. Someone killed him, and you''re being blamed for it. Early this morning, someone visited their house and found Sato Tomoyo and his wife''s bodies."


    A chill ran down Avinash''s spine as he clenched his fists in anger. "This is nonsense," he growled. He remembered that the man''s wife was pregnant. The memory reignited his fury, a rage that seemed ready to explode.


    Silently, Avinash picked up his sword and said, "Looks like I''ve completely lost it. Where is Sato Tomoyo''s house? Can you take me there?"


    Shocked, Nakamura Haruka exclaimed, "What?! I think I misheard you."


    In a cold voice, Avinash replied, "You heard me right. But not now—tonight."


    Nakamura Haruka, utterly baffled, thought to herself, Why does this man want to go there?


    At Night


    Nakamura Haruka whispered nervously, "Roronoa Zoro-san, it''s crucial to go inside the house now."


    Avinash replied calmly, "If you want to stay here, you can." Without waiting for her response, he moved forward.


    A few guards still lingered at the door. After a while, Avinash, concealing his presence, slipped inside. As he pushed open the door, Takeshi Hayato stood there with his sword drawn. "Prepare to die, Raiden!" he snarled.


    Avinash, unfazed, responded, "I didn''t come here to killed by some one.But for blood."


    Hearing Takeshi Hayato''s voice, others outside came rushing in, swords drawn. Footsteps echoed from the outer area as well, signaling that Avinash was completely surrounded.


    Takeshi Hayato shouted angrily, "It''s time for you to pay for your crimes so Sato Tomoyo and his family can find peace."


    Avinash let out a cold laugh. "Quite the performance. You''d make a fine actor. But tell me, why did you kill them, Mr. Samurai?" His expression darkened ominously.


    Takeshi Hayato''s face showed a flicker of fear as he barked, "What nonsense are you spouting?"


    Avinash continued, his tone cutting. "After I escaped last night, you came here. You slit Sato Tomoyo''s throat first, and then…"


    "Shut up!" Takeshi Hayato roared. "Everyone, attack!"


    This time, Avinash shouted back, his voice filled with rage, "Try it! Not a single one can survive!"


    Moments later


    The scene was chaotic. Everything around was shattered and broken. Swords were embedded in walls, furniture, and the floor. Corpses littered the ground, and blood seeped into the wooden planks, staining them.


    Only one man was left standing, barely alive—Takeshi Hayato. He was missing an arm, which lay severed on the ground.


    Writhing in pain, he screamed, "You… you''re a monster!"


    Avinash stepped closer, his voice cold and commanding. "You were the one who drowned Sato Tomoyo''s first child in the river. Why? Who ordered you to do it? Speak!"


    Takeshi Hayato, trembling, stammered, "How… how do you know about that?"


    A Few Moments Earlier


    Before entering the house, Avinash ready to use a double jump and dash technique to get inside but paused near the spot where he had fallen previously.


    There, he noticed faint shadows and whispered voices.


    Returning to the present, Avinash smirked. "You don''t need to know how I found out." To intimidate Takeshi Hayato further, he used a substitution technique, transforming into the image of a terrifying demon Asura.


    His voice boomed, "If you don''t want me to obliterate even your soul, give me answers!"


    Takeshi Hayato, trembling and overwhelmed with fear, stammered, "Tadashi Yoshida!"


    Avinash narrowed his eyes. "But he''s dead, isn''t he? That''s what you told me."


    Takeshi Hayato, still panic-stricken, shook his head vigorously. "No, no, he''s alive! To the world, he''s dead, but he''s the real master of Kurokami."


    "I only follow orders," Takeshi continued, his voice quivering. "Whether it was ensuring Raiden''s death or infiltrating that place… Sato Tomoyo had to die because he started suspecting me."


    Suddenly, the fear on Takeshi''s face twisted into a sinister grin. "Die basterd, you scum die!" he screamed.


    Avinash, caught off guard for a moment, felt a sharp pain as a sword pierced through his chest. Gritting his teeth, he turned around to see Nakamura Haruka standing behind him, the sword in her hands.


    "Haruka… you?" Avinash muttered in disbelief, his eyes filled with shock. He couldn''t fathom the betrayal.


    Outside, the scene was no less horrifying. The once-living guards were now corpses scattered across the area, their blood painting a gruesome picture. The rooftops were lined with countless assassins—ninjas waiting silently to strike.


    Inside


    Nakamura Haruka coldly withdrew the sword from Avinash''s chest, stepping forward. In a swift, merciless motion, she beheaded Takeshi Hayato. "You were getting too full of yourself," she said icily.


    Avinash, clutching his wound, let out a weak laugh. "I should have suspected it earlier… How could a girl manage to get me out of such heavy surveillance? And the way you carried me—it was all so strange. I was foolish not to think of it before."


    "But the game''s over, Haruka," he continued, his voice steady despite the pain. "Not mine, but yours. Your biggest mistake was not finishing me off in one strike."


    Haruka, her eyes icy, replied, "Don''t worry. My sword was coated with a special poison made just for you, Raiden."


    Avinash shouted, "You''ve made a grave mistake! options."


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    Takeshi Hayato, grinning maniacally, shouted again, "Kill me, you scum!"


    This time, Avinash calmly raised his hand behind him and muttered, "Shuriken attack."


    A razor-sharp shuriken flew through the air with deadly precision, striking Haruka in the center of her forehead just as she prepared for another stealthy strike. She fell lifelessly to the ground, her sword clattering beside her.


    Without even turning around, Avinash said, "How unfortunate for you all. Your deaths were destined to come by my hands."


    He then ended Takeshi Hayato''s life with a swift blow, leaving him lifeless in the pool of blood.


    Aftermath


    However, as the reality sank in, Avinash realized his grave error—he still didn''t know Tadashi Yoshida''s exact whereabouts. Outside, the ninjas perched on the rooftops awaited their moment to strike, ready to ensure Avinash''s end once and for all.