𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 | ᴋᴜᴢᴜʀʏᴜ ꜰᴜʏᴜʜɪᴋᴏ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

~𝟑𝟓~

The next day, Fuyuhiko descended into the dimly lit basement where the hostages were kept. His face was set in a stern expression, eyes cold as he approached the two bound men. The smell of blood and sweat hung heavily in the air, mingling with the palpable tension.

He stood before the hostages, his posture rigid and commanding. "Is there anyone else working with you?" he asked, his voice low and dangerous.

The men shook their heads frantically, their eyes wide with fear. "No, we told you everything!" one of them pleaded, his voice trembling.

Fuyuhiko's jaw tightened, his patience thinning. He gestured to one of the Kuzuryu members, who immediately left the room. Moments later, the member returned, dragging the lifeless body of the man who had tried to harm Hannah the previous night. He dumped the body unceremoniously on the floor in front of the hostages.

The sight of the corpse made the hostages recoil in horror, their eyes fixed on the bloodied, bullet-ridden body. Fuyuhiko's glare never wavered as he stepped closer, pulling out his gun and pointing it at them.

"I'm going to ask you one more time." he said, his voice ice-cold. "Is there anyone else working with you? If you lie, you'll end up just like him.

The hostages exchanged terrified glances, their fear palpable. One of them, his voice barely above a whisper, began to speak. "There's... there's no one else. We're just the middlemen, sent to do the dirty work. We don't know who's really behind this. We swear!"

Fuyuhiko's eyes narrowed, his finger twitching on the trigger. He leaned in closer, his voice a deadly whisper. "You better not be lying to me. Because if I find out you are, you won't even get the mercy of a quick death."

The men nodded frantically, desperation etched into their faces. "We're telling the truth! We don't know anything else!"

Fuyuhiko held his gaze on them for a long moment, weighing their words. Finally, he straightened, his expression hardening further. He turned to the Kuzuryu member who had brought in the body. "Keep them alive for now. We might need them later."

The member nodded, dragging the corpse away as Fuyuhiko holstered his gun. He turned on his heel and strode out of the basement, his mind already working on the next steps. If these men were telling the truth, then the real mastermind was still out there, lurking in the shadows.

As he made his way back upstairs, Fuyuhiko's thoughts drifted to Hannah. He had promised her safety, and he intended to keep that promise. No matter what it took, he would find the person responsible and make them pay.

For now, he had to prepare. The enemy was still out there, and Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu wasn't about to let his guard down. Not with so much at stake.

Fuyuhiko paced the hallways of the Kuzuryu Manor, his mind churning with the events of the past few days. The lifeless body of the intruder, the terrified look on Hannah's face, and the dubious answers from the hostages all weighed heavily on him. He couldn't shake the feeling that something bigger was at play, something that the hostages either didn't know or were too afraid to reveal.

The manor was quiet as the day began, a stark contrast to the chaos of the previous night. Fuyuhiko found himself standing outside the door of Hannah's new room, hesitating for a moment before knocking gently. He needed to check on her, to make sure she was okay, but also to reassure himself that she was safe.

Inside, Hannah stirred at the soft knock. The events of the night before had left her shaken, her body still aching from the attack. She sat up slowly, wincing at the pain. "Come in." she called, her voice hoarse.

Fuyuhiko entered, his expression softening slightly as he saw her. She looked exhausted, but she was alive, and that was what mattered. "How are you feeling?" he asked, his voice unusually gentle.

Hannah managed a small, weary smile. "Better, I guess. Thanks to you and the Kuzuryu clan." Her eyes lingered on him, a mixture of gratitude and appreciation.

He nodded, his jaw clenching as he remembered the look of fear in her eyes. "I'm going to make sure nothing like that ever happens again." he promised, his voice firm.

Hannah nodded, but there was a hint of skepticism in her eyes. "I appreciate it, Fuyuhiko. But I can't help feeling like this isn't over."

"It's not," he admitted. "But we'll deal with it. Together."

She gave him a small, appreciative nod before he left the room, closing the door softly behind him.

~

Later that day, Fuyuhiko gathered with a few trusted members of the Kuzuryu clan, including Peko. They had reconvened in the basement, ready to extract more information from the hostages. The atmosphere was tense, the air thick with anticipation.

Fuyuhiko's eyes were steely as he addressed the hostages once more. "We need more information about this 'Ryu.' Who is he working for? Why is he targeting Hannah?"

The hostages looked more fearful than ever, their resolve crumbling under Fuyuhiko's relentless pressure. One of them, his voice trembling, finally broke. "Ryu is just a middleman. We don't know who he works for. But we've heard rumors..."

"Rumors?" Fuyuhiko pressed, his patience wearing thin.

The man swallowed hard, his eyes darting nervously. "There's talk of a larger organization. They're powerful, well-connected. Ryu is just a pawn in their game."

Fuyuhiko's grip tightened on his gun, the weight of the situation sinking in. A larger organization meant more danger, more threats to Hannah and his clan. He needed to get to the bottom of this, and fast.

Peko stepped forward, her voice calm but firm. "We need to find Ryu. If we can locate him, we might be able to trace back to the people pulling the strings."

Fuyuhiko nodded, his mind racing. "Agreed. We'll double our efforts to track him down. I want eyes on every corner of this city. We're not stopping until we find him."

The clan members dispersed, their determination palpable. Fuyuhiko remained in the basement for a moment longer, staring at the hostages. "If you're lying to me, I'll make you wish that you were dead." he warned, his voice low and menacing.

They nodded frantically, fear etched into their faces. Satisfied, Fuyuhiko turned and left, the weight of the situation pressing down on him. As he made his way back upstairs, his thoughts returned to Hannah. He couldn't let her down. He wouldn't.

As night fell, the Kuzuryu clan's efforts intensified. Every available resource was deployed to track down Ryu. Fuyuhiko remained in his office, coordinating the search, his determination unwavering. He knew that finding Ryu was just the first step, but it was a crucial one.

Hours passed with little progress, frustration mounting. Then, just before dawn, a breakthrough came. One of the clan members burst into the room, breathless but triumphant. "We've got a lead on Ryu. He was spotted near the docks."

Fuyuhiko's eyes lit up with a fierce determination. "Good. Get a team ready. We're going to find him, and we're going to end this."

As they prepared to move out, Fuyuhiko's thoughts drifted to Hannah once more. He couldn't afford to let his guard down, not now. The stakes were too high, and failure was not an option. He would find Ryu, and he would make him pay for everything he had done.

The hunt was on.