A Hero Who Returns But Is Out Of Place

"What are they!" Yazaki Toshiji, a fat man with greying hair and eyes filled with fear, stared at the CCTV screen before him, his face contorted in terror. His sweat-covered face portrayed a panic that almost paralysed him. On the screen, he watched the chaos unfolding in his brothel—three seemingly invincible figures were swiftly and brutally eliminating his men. Toshiji, who had always played the antagonist in dirty scenarios, now felt like a mouse trapped in a snake's den.

He was the owner of the brothel, alongside his brother, Yazaki Muneichi, but tragedy had recently struck. Muneichi had perished in an attack on their research facility the previous night, an attack that not only destroyed the facility but also levelled the mansion where his brother had been staying. Toshiji still couldn't comprehend that all this had happened in just one night, and more shocking still, the culprit was Kaoru, wielding extraordinary magic that had decimated everything mercilessly.

"Well, well, Toshiji-kun." A cold, deadly voice suddenly pierced the silence in the room, accompanied by footsteps that sounded like the harbinger of death. Toshiji felt a wave of dread wash over him. Each second felt like a nightmare becoming more real.

He slowly turned, his eyes widening as he saw the figure entering the room. Kuroi Ryuuji, the avatar of the incubus king, approached him with an ominous aura that made the air feel heavier. Ryuuji's handsome yet icy face, with dark skin contrasting his long white hair, accentuated his terrifying presence. His attire—like a rogue who had stolen another man's wife—only reinforced the impression that he was both captivating and deadly.

Toshiji, usually full of confidence and arrogance, now felt his heart pounding hard, as if it would leap out of his chest. Cold sweat drenched his back as he tried to speak, though his voice came out more like a desperate plea than with any conviction.

"M-my lord… I can handle this!" he stammered, his voice trembling, attempting to convince Ryuuji that everything was still under control. But the words rang hollow, and he knew that beneath his façade, Ryuuji could smell the fear.

Kuroi Ryuuji merely grinned, a smile more akin to a hidden threat. He leaned closer to Toshiji, as if wanting to make sure the fat man knew that no lies or deceit would save him from the consequences of his failure.

"You said you can handle this?" Ryuuji asked in a voice soft yet brimming with latent malice. "Look at them," he continued, pointing at the CCTV screen still displaying the battle downstairs. "Those three are tearing apart everything you've built. Your brother is dead, and now your main business is on the brink of collapse. Are you truly sure you can handle this, Toshiji-kun?"

Toshiji shivered at the mocking tone in Ryuuji's voice. He knew Ryuuji wasn't just talking—he was a real threat who could end his life at any moment. But before Toshiji could respond, Ryuuji leaned in even closer, making him feel cornered and helpless.

"You think I'll sit idly by while those three children destroy everything?" Ryuuji sighed deeply, pretending to ponder. "Or maybe, I should just let them finish you off, like they've done to everyone else here. That would be an ironic end, wouldn't it?"

Yazaki Toshiji felt panic creeping into every pore of his body. His breath was shallow, his mind filled with images of ruin. He knew that one small mistake could be the end of him at Ryuuji's hands. Desperately, he tried to force himself to stay calm, though his heart was beating like a war drum.

However, when Ryuuji spoke again in a lighter tone, Toshiji felt a brief moment of relief, even though he knew it would be short-lived. "I'm not done with this world yet," Ryuuji said, as if giving Toshiji a sliver of hope. Yet the words carried a veiled threat that couldn't be ignored.

Ryuuji waved his hand with a movement that appeared graceful yet lethal. From his hand emerged a dark pulse of energy, throbbing like a living creature hungry for destruction. Toshiji swallowed hard, realising that this power was beyond human understanding. "It's time for you to show them your biological weapons programme," Ryuuji continued, his voice filled with anticipation. "And while you're busy with that, I'll join the fray myself. It's been a while since I've felt the thrill of battle."

Ryuuji's words echoed in Toshiji's mind, rekindling the fear he had tried to bury deep within. He knew that Ryuuji was referring to the three attackers currently wreaking havoc downstairs. Three individuals who were not only powerful but also driven by a rage and vengeance that threatened to annihilate everything.

Toshiji could only nod obediently, hoping that whatever Ryuuji had planned would be enough to turn the tide of their now dire situation. He rushed to the console in the corner of the room, his hands trembling as he began activating the secret defence systems hidden within the brothel. With shaking fingers, he entered the access codes and initiated a series of biological weapons developed from their research.

"Good, Toshiji-kun. I hope those weapons won't disappoint me," Ryuuji remarked with a thin, sinister smile. "And remember, if you fail again... there will be no place on this earth where you can hide from me."

Toshiji held his breath, trying to focus on his task. He didn't want to imagine what would happen if he failed again—because he knew, this time, failure wouldn't just mean losing everything but facing Ryuuji's wrath, from which there would be no mercy.

Meanwhile, downstairs, Kaoru, Yukikaze, and Rinko continued to battle wave after wave of seemingly endless enemies. Kaoru, with madness glinting in his eyes, cut down every foe that came near with his energy sword, leaving destruction in his wake. He chuckled darkly, savouring every moment of the fight, as though he was the very embodiment of chaos.

Then they stopped at a wide space, with a large iron door before them. It was at that moment that Ryuuji's voice echoed from above the great door.