The Weight of Stolen Wealth
The room was dead silent.
Stacks of K-Kin bills sat on the table, their deep crimson hue almost glowing under the dim light.
No one spoke.
Jin had stopped tossing his knife. Ryo had stopped tinkering with his tech. Even Hibiki, always composed, stared at the money with something unreadable in his eyes.
This wasn’t normal wealth.
This was untouchable wealth.
K-Kin wasn’t something a street gang like Reyin ever handled.
It belonged to businessmen. To crime lords. To the elite.
Jin finally broke the silence, exhaling sharply. "Shit. We can’t use this."
Nikey frowned. "Why not? It’s money, isn’t it?"
Hibiki’s gaze flickered to him. "No, kid. It’s evidence."
<hr>
Nikey’s First Lesson in Real Money
Nikey grabbed a handful of K-Kin notes, flipping through them like regular bills.
It felt real. It smelled real.
So why did they act like it was poison?
He clenched his jaw. "Money is money. If we have it, we should use it."
Jin let out a dry laugh. "You really don’t get it, huh?"
With a smirk, he grabbed a stack and threw it at Ryo.
Ryo didn’t even flinch. He let it hit the floor.
Nikey blinked. "What the hell—?"
Jin leaned back. "There. That’s how much it’s worth right now."
Nikey’s fingers curled. "That doesn’t make sense."
Hibiki exhaled a slow drag of his cigarette. "Money isn’t power unless you can use it."
He tapped his fingers against the table.
"K-Kin isn’t just illegal—it’s traceable. If we start spending this, the people who originally had it? They’re gonna start asking questions."
Jin nodded. "And when people like that ask questions? They don’t use words."
The weight of their words settled in.
Nikey hadn’t just stolen money.
He had stolen something dangerous.
And now? They had to clean it.
<hr>
Finding the Right Dealer
"We need a converter," Ryo muttered, scrolling through his tablet. "A businessman who deals in both K-Kin and Yen."
Nikey frowned. "Why don’t we just split it up and exchange it at different places?"
Jin clicked his tongue. "The first dealer we use will know we have illegal tender. If we don’t do it all at once, they’ll blackmail us. We make one trade. One shot. No loose ends."
Nikey nodded slowly. This wasn’t just about money. It was about control.
Reyin couldn’t afford to look weak.
<hr>
The Search Begins
Hibiki’s fingers tapped the table. "We need someone ruthless. Someone professional. Someone who values profit over loyalty."
Jin smirked. "I know just the guy."
The room grew colder.
Nikey saw something in Jin’s eyes—a glint of excitement mixed with danger.
Whoever they were about to meet…
This wasn’t just business.
This was going to be a gamble.
The Name That Held Power
Jin flicked a cigarette against the table, smirking. "I know just the guy."
Hibiki’s gaze sharpened. "Is he trustworthy?"
Jin let out a dry laugh. "Trust? Hell no. But he’s the best we’ve got."
Nikey leaned forward. "Who is he?"
Jin’s smirk widened. "His name’s Kanzaki. The man who can turn dirt into diamonds… for the right price."
A heavy silence filled the room.
Even Ryo—normally indifferent—clicked his tongue. "Kanzaki’s dangerous. He doesn’t just deal in money. He deals in people."
Nikey narrowed his eyes. "So why him?"
Hibiki leaned back, exhaling a slow drag from his cigarette. "Because he’s our best shot. And because if we walk in weak, he’ll smell it."
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
The Setup – A Letter Left Behind
The warehouse air was thick with cigarette smoke and unspoken tension.
Reyin didn’t fear much. But Kanzaki? He wasn’t just another dealer.
Hibiki stood near the table, exhaling a slow breath. His fingers tapped the wooden surface as Jin finished securing the duffel of K-Kin bills.
Everything was ready. Time to move.
But just as Hibiki turned to leave, he paused.
Without a word, he reached into his coat, pulled out a folded sheet of aged paper, and placed it on the table.
Nikey frowned. "What’s that?"
Hibiki’s gaze didn’t waver. He simply exhaled another slow breath, tucking his cigarette between his lips.
"Just to be safe."
Then, without further explanation, he turned toward the door.
The weight of his words lingered.
<hr>
The Meeting is Set
They couldn’t meet Kanzaki in public. That wasn’t how he worked.
Jin arranged a private sit-down at an abandoned high-rise, deep in the city’s industrial district.
No bodyguards. No backup.
Just Reyin… and Kanzaki.
Nikey felt it—the tension in the air as they approached. This wasn’t just a business deal. It was a gamble.
One mistake, and they wouldn’t be leaving.
<hr>
Entering the Lion’s Den
The elevator rattled as it climbed, the flickering light casting long shadows on the rusted walls.
Nikey stood between Jin and Hibiki, the heavy duffel bag of K-Kin strapped over his shoulder.
The weight of the money wasn’t the problem.
The weight of the risk was.
Ding.
The doors slid open.
Inside the dimly lit penthouse, Kanzaki waited.
A man in his late forties, wearing an immaculate white suit. His hair slicked back, his expression unreadable.
He sat at a glass table, swirling a glass of dark liquor. Behind him, the windows stretched out to the city skyline—like he owned it.
Two men in black stood at his side. Silent. Unmoving.
His lips curled into a smirk.
"Reyin. What an unexpected surprise."
A Game of Words Turns Into a War
The room was suffocating.
Kanzaki leaned back, still swirling his drink, his smirk never fading. "So, Reyin… a gang of pickpockets and street rats, trying to swim in a sea of real businessmen."
Jin’s jaw twitched, but he stayed quiet. They couldn’t react—not yet.
Kanzaki let out a slow chuckle. "You boys must think you’re special. Bringing me K-Kin like it’s a winning hand. Let me guess—you think because you stole a few bills, you’re suddenly part of the big leagues?"
His gaze flicked to the money bag on the table. "Do you even know who this belonged to before it landed in your grubby little hands?"
Silence.
He knew.
And he was testing them.
<hr>
The Insults Cut Deep
Kanzaki’s smirk widened. "You boys don’t understand the game you just walked into, do you?"
He took another sip, sighing. "Street rats. Always so eager. Always so desperate. Always so... replaceable."
Nikey clenched his fists. The way he said it—it wasn’t just an insult. It was like they weren’t even worth hating.
Kanzaki’s voice dropped, smooth and condescending. "You’re nothing but scavengers. Hyenas circling a feast you’ll never be invited to."
He leaned forward slightly. "You think money makes you powerful? You think stealing it makes you feared? Let me explain something—money is only worth something when the right people say so."
His finger tapped against the table.
"And guess what? You''re not the right people."
<hr>
The Final Insult – The Last Straw
Kanzaki exhaled a mock sigh, shaking his head.
"Hibiki, Jin… I expected more from you. But I suppose when you spend too much time in the slums, the stink never really leaves you."
Jin’s grip on the chair tightened. Hibiki’s fingers stopped tapping.
Kanzaki noticed. And he pushed further.
"Maybe I should’ve done the world a favor and had you all shot when you walked in. Save you the trouble of dying like the nobodies you are."
Then—his eyes landed on Nikey.
"And you…" He tilted his head, almost amused. "I don’t even know why you’re here. You’re just a child pretending to be a man. A lost puppy trying to bark like a wolf. Tell me…"
A pause.
Then, with pure disgust—
"Does your mother know you’re playing gangster?"
<hr>
The Punch That Shook the Room
A heartbeat.
Then—
Nikey moved.
Faster than thought, faster than reason.
His fist collided with Kanzaki’s jaw.
A dull thud.
Kanzaki’s head snapped sideways, his glass shattering against the floor.
The room froze.
Jin’s mouth opened slightly. Ryo stopped breathing. Hibiki’s jaw clenched.
"…The fuck did you just do?" Jin whispered.
Nikey shook out his fist, his voice calm.
"He talks too much."
The weight of his words dropped like a hammer.
<hr>
The Trap Springs Shut
Kanzaki sat there for a moment, rubbing his jaw.
Then—
A slow, eerie chuckle.
His lips curled into a smirk.
He exhaled deeply and—snapped his fingers.
Clack. Clack. Clack.
Footsteps. Dozens of them.
From the walls. The corridors. The shadows.
Armed men. Silent. Deadly.
Nikey’s stomach dropped.
They had been surrounded the whole time.
Kanzaki wiped his mouth with his thumb, still smirking. "Now, that… was a mistake."
Hibiki slowly exhaled. "We''re dead."
Kanzaki leaned forward, resting his chin on his hand. "Tell me, boys. Did you really think I’d meet you alone?"
Nikey’s fingers twitched. He fucked up.
Kanzaki gestured lazily. "Kill them. But keep one alive. I want to know how many brain cells that idiot has left."
The guards raised their guns.
<hr>
The Escape Begins
Jin moved first.
Before the guards could fire, he grabbed the duffel and slammed it against the table, sending the stacks of K-Kin flying into the air.
The distraction was instant.
Gunfire erupted.
Ryo flipped the table, creating cover. "MOVE, MOVE!"
Hibiki didn’t hesitate. He grabbed Nikey by the collar and dragged him back.
Nikey’s heart pounded. Everything happened so fast—bullets ripping through the air, glass shattering, bodies moving.
They had seconds to escape.
And they were outnumbered 10 to 1.
All for a stupid punch.