Taro Ayato Days

Taro Ayato led Aoi and Kaito through a foggy alley to a small, unassuming massage shop known among assassins as a place of refuge. He explained that he had been coming here many times over the years whenever his body was battered and his spirit worn thin. The old lady who ran the place was a professional therapist with legendary skill — able to ease the pain of even half-dead warriors.

Inside, the room was warm and fragrant with the scent of herbs and incense. The silver-haired woman, blindfolded but sharp, greeted them immediately by name. She told them she had met Ayato before and knew him as the strongest of all assassins. Without hesitation, they all settled in to receive her treatment.

As her expert hands worked, the tension and pain that had settled in their muscles slowly dissolved. Aoi felt her body relax, and Kaito's usual rigidity softened. Even Taro, who rarely let his guard down, closed his eyes and allowed himself to feel relief in the quiet sanctuary.

For a moment, beneath the surface of their violent lives, the three found peace — a brief but precious calm before the storm that was coming.

After their soothing session at the massage shop, Aoi and Kaito lingered a little longer, ensuring everything was ready at the safehouse. Meanwhile, Taro departed quietly, heading toward a hidden meeting spot where his closest allies from The Order awaited.

The dimly lit room buzzed with a tense energy as Jin, Kaede, Takumi, and Mika gathered around the table. Taro laid out the latest intelligence — the identities of Slur's four deadly assassins and the looming threat they posed.

"We can't underestimate them," Taro said, voice steady but serious. "Each one is a nightmare on their own, but together, they're a storm that could wipe us out."

Jin leaned forward, fingers steepled. "We need a plan that uses our strengths — precision, stealth, tech, and intel. We can't face them head-on."

Kaede nodded. "Divide and conquer. Take out one at a time before they unite."

Takumi tapped on his tablet, projecting schematics of known hideouts. "I've found potential locations for their bases. We can strike where they're weakest."

Mika added quietly, "And we'll need to protect Taro's family — they're the real target."

Taro's gaze hardened. "Then it's settled. We prepare, strike carefully, and protect what matters most. Slur's reign ends with us."

The Order exchanged determined looks, the weight of their mission heavy but their resolve unwavering.

Taro returned to the safehouse, his mind sharp with plans and strategies. But as he stepped inside, a sudden chill ran down his spine.

There, lying against the wall, were Aoi and Kaito — bruised, battered, and clearly exhausted.

"Aoi! Kaito!" Taro dropped to his knees beside them, concern flooding his voice.

Aoi lifted her head weakly, managing a faint smile. "Taro… two of them caught us off guard. They haven't gone far."

Kaito groaned, wincing. "You need to go. We'll handle ourselves."

Taro's eyes narrowed. "No. We face this together."

Aoi shook her head, her voice steady despite the pain. "If you stay, you'll risk everything. The Order is counting on you. You're their leader."

Taro hesitated, then nodded slowly. "Alright. But next time, I want no surprises."

They exchanged determined looks, the bond between them stronger than ever — even battered, they would fight until the end.

Taro left the safehouse, his mind focused despite the heavy weight of what he'd just seen. The night streets were quiet, but his instincts screamed otherwise.

As he reached the center of a deserted alley, two dark figures stepped out from the shadows, their laughter echoing coldly.

"Well, well, if it isn't Ayato," one sneered. "You're walking right into our trap."

Taro's eyes narrowed, but he didn't falter.

Suddenly, from behind him, a swift shadow moved — it was Jin, his trusted ally from The Order, silently sliding into position with a weapon drawn.

Jin's presence shifted the balance. The two attackers paused, surprised.

Taro glanced back and whispered, "Let's finish this."

Together, they prepared to face the ambush — ready to fight for survival and the future of their family.

As the dust settled, one of the attackers straightened, a cruel smile twisting his lips.

"So, you want to know who we are?" he sneered. "I'm Rin, the blade that never misses."

The other cracked his knuckles, eyes cold. "And I'm Kage, shadow in the night. You'll never see us coming."

Taro's gaze hardened, fury burning in his eyes.

"You picked the wrong fight," he growled. "I'll beat you both till there's nothing left — till death itself surrenders."

With that, the air charged with tension as blades were drawn once again, the fight entering a deadly new phase.

Rin and Kage struck with deadly precision—Rin's blades slicing like lightning, Kage moving like a shadow, attacking from every angle. Their teamwork was terrifying, but Taro and Jin were prepared.

Jin moved fluidly beside Taro, his strikes sharp and calculated, covering Taro's blind spots. Where Taro dodged and countered, Jin attacked swiftly, keeping the enemies off balance.

Rin lunged at Taro with a furious slash, but Jin intercepted, knocking the blade away and landing a solid punch to Rin's ribs. At the same time, Taro grabbed Kage's arm mid-punch and twisted, throwing him against the alley wall.

The two assassins fought desperately, but Taro's legendary skill combined with Jin's precise support was unstoppable.

With a final coordinated move, Taro disarmed Rin, while Jin knocked Kage to the ground. Both enemies lay defeated and breathing heavily.

Taro looked to Jin with respect. "Glad you're here. We need all the strength we can get."

Jin smiled, nodding. "I'm with you, Ayato. Let's end this."

Together, they prepared to move forward—stronger as one, ready to take on Slur and his deadly assassins.

As Taro and Jin began to walk away, Rin and Kage groaned, struggling to their feet. They exchanged dark smiles, their laughter cold and bitter.

"This isn't over," Rin spat. "You've only seen the start."

Kage sneered, "We'll tear you down — no matter what form you take."

Taro stopped in his tracks and slowly turned back. A sly grin crept across his face as his chubby, relaxed appearance began to shift. His body straightened, muscles tightening, posture sharpening.

His fat, easygoing form melted away, replaced by the sleek, terrifying figure of the Legendary Hitman — a warrior known and feared by all.

"Time to show you my next form," Taro said coldly, eyes blazing with deadly focus.

The air seemed to crackle with energy as the true battle was about to begin.

As Taro's transformation completed, the alley seemed to fall silent — even the air felt heavier. Gone was the chubby, calm shopkeeper. Standing in his place was a different man entirely.

Sharp eyes, a tight jawline, and a body built like a honed weapon. His aura was suffocating — a silent storm ready to explode.

Jin took a step back, staring in awe. "O-Oh my god… The Legendary Hitman is awake," he muttered, eyes wide. "Now I know… I don't have to do anything. I just need to watch them get destroyed."

Rin took a step forward, uncertain now. "Don't act like you're invincible."

Taro didn't answer with words.

He moved.

In a flash, he appeared in front of Rin and delivered a punch so fast it barely registered. Rin flew backward, slamming into a wall with a sickening thud.

Before Kage could react, Taro was already behind him.

A whisper escaped Taro's lips:

"You should've run."

A precise, crushing blow to Kage's back dropped him to his knees. Another to his ribs — then to his jaw. Kage tried to strike back, but Taro was too fast, too clean. Every movement was like watching a master craftsman carve destruction into flesh.

Jin just crossed his arms, a smirk on his face. "Yup. This is gonna be fun to watch."

The two assassins who once mocked him now lay at his feet — broken, bloodied, and silent.

Taro stepped over them, calm and controlled once more.

"Next time," he said, "bring all four of you. Maybe then it'll be a fair fight.

As the dust finally settled and the two enemies lay unconscious, Taro turned to Jin.

"They were tough," he muttered, brushing dust off his shoulder.

Jin nodded. "Too noisy for my taste."

They walked down the alley in silence until Jin stopped near the crossroads.

"I have to go," he said.

Taro raised an eyebrow. "You sure?"

Jin gave a slight nod. "You go back to your family. I'll finish what's left."

Taro didn't ask further. With mutual respect, they parted ways.

Moments later, Jin stood again before the two battered assassins — Rin and Kage — who were barely conscious, still gasping from the beating Taro had given them.

They looked up, weakly trying to sit up.

Jin crouched beside them, his expression cold and unreadable. "Taro spared you. That was mercy."

He paused.

"But I'm not Taro."

In a single, swift motion, Jin drew a hidden blade and slashed both their throats with surgical precision. Silent. Efficient. No hesitation.

Blood pooled in the cracks of the alley as the legendary strategist stood, already dialing a number on his encrypted device.

The voice on the other end answered instantly.

"This is Jin," he said flatly. "Two of Slur's assassins—Rin and Kage—are dead. Only two remain. But they're stronger."

He hung up without another word, disappearing into the night like a phantom.

The message was clear:

The Order had just drawn first blood.

Far from the city, in an abandoned underground facility lit only by flickering red lights, two figures sat in silence — still, focused, terrifying.

One leaned casually against the wall, arms crossed, eyes sharp with predator calm. The other sat on a steel bench, cleaning a long, curved blade stained with old blood.

The silence was broken by slow, heavy footsteps. Out of the darkness walked a man once believed to be unkillable — the Immortal, the assassin Taro had defeated in a legendary train fight long ago.

He approached the pair with a cold smile. "Your friends… Rin and Kage… are dead."

Neither of the two flinched.

The one with the curved blade chuckled darkly. "They were always too soft."

The other cracked his knuckles. "We're not like them."

The Immortal narrowed his eyes. "You'd better not be. Taro's not holding back anymore."

The man leaning on the wall stepped forward. His aura alone seemed to drain the warmth from the air.

"One of us," he said coldly, "is stronger than a hundred of those failures."

The other added, "And two of us… will bring the end of The Order."

They didn't scream. They didn't rage. They simply stood — calm and sure.

The real war had just begun.

Taro leaned back in his chair, rubbing his round belly with a satisfied grin.

"Ahhh… much better. This is the real me."

Aoi crossed her arms. "You just saved us in that Legendary Hitman form, and now you're back to… this?"

Kaito added with a nervous laugh, "At this point, your body changes more than your mood."

Taro stood up, still munching on a leftover dumpling, and said, "You two need to train harder. What's coming next won't be easy."

He walked over to them and looked serious — his playful tone replaced with calm authority.

"Slur won't stop. And now, only two of his assassins remain. They're not like the ones before."

Aoi nodded. "We felt it. Those two who beat us… were just playing with us."

Kaito lowered his head. "We weren't even close."

Taro placed a hand on both their shoulders. "Then we train. Hard. I'll prepare you for what's coming."

Aoi's eyes sharpened. "No more holding back?"

Taro smiled, eyes gleaming with purpose.

"No more holding back. I'm going to make sure you two can stand next to me — not behind me."

Outside, the night deepened. But inside Taro's shop, the flames of war had already begun to burn.