The cold tendrils of winter had already begun to embrace Midgar as the dark night settled over the capital. The streets, once bustling with activity, were now hushed under the blanket of the night. Dimly lit street lamps cast long shadows on the cobblestone paths, and the occasional flicker of neon signs added a surreal glow to the surroundings.
Snowflakes, like delicate dancers, descended from the darkened sky, twirling and pirouetting before gracefully landing on the ground. The chill in the air was palpable, wrapping the city in a serene stillness. The soft crunch of footsteps on the snow created a symphony of winter's arrival.
The towering buildings stood as silent sentinels, their metallic surfaces reflecting the pale glow of the moon. The city's heartbeat seemed to slow down, and the cold breeze whispered through the alleys, carrying tales of the impending winter.
As the snowdrops continued their descent, covering the cityscape in a pristine white blanket, Midgar transformed into a winter wonderland, a silent beauty in the heart of the night.
"Brrr...even though it's not completely snowing yet, the temperature is already this cold." Victor sat in a cozy nook of the street vendor, steam rising from the bowl of hot ramen in front of him, creating a comforting warmth against the chilly night. The aroma of the savory broth and the mix of spices wafted through the air, tantalizing his senses. "Fortunately there was a stall that was still open at this late hour. Gosh, I'm really cold in the dorm"
The vendor's makeshift lanterns flickered, casting a soft glow on the snow-covered surroundings. Victor's breath mingled with the steam as he savored the rich flavors of the ramen. Each slurp echoed in the quiet night, a symphony of satisfaction in the midst of the serene winter evening.
"Alright, bon appetite" The contrast between the cold air outside and the warmth inside the small ramen stall created a perfect sanctuary. Victor appreciated the simplicity of the moment, finding solace in the hot noodles and the subtle ambiance of the snowy night.
As he continued to enjoy the delicious meal, the world beyond the ramen stall seemed to fade away, leaving him immersed in the tranquility of the snowy Midgar night.
"Mmm! So tasty!" With the last satisfying slurp, Victor finished the bowl of ramen, his hunger satiated by the comforting warmth it provided on the cold snowy night. The empty bowl sat before him, a testament to the delightful meal that had momentarily transported him from the wintry chill.
As he set the chopsticks down, a sense of contentment settled over him. The street vendor's lanterns continued to cast a gentle glow, painting a serene scene in the quiet Midgar night. Victor's breath, now warmed by the ramen, mingled with the crisp winter air.
Leaving the stall, he felt invigorated and ready to face the remainder of the snowy night. The distant sounds of the city echoed softly, creating a soothing backdrop to the peaceful moment. Victor took a final glance at the vendor, grateful for the simple pleasure of a hot bowl of ramen in the heart of the snowy capital.
SWOOSH
"Huh? Who's that?" Only a few steps after he left the ramen stall in the alley, he saw that there were 3 people who jumped over and across each building. He was curious if there were robbers in a cold time like this. "Jeez, taking advantage of cold temperatures to rob when people choose to rest in their place? Is this a new trick?" He sighed.
Victor's curiosity piqued, he followed the swift movements of the three figures as they gracefully navigated the rooftops. The snowfall added an element of quiet elegance to their acrobatic display. He pondered the possibility of encountering thieves on such a cold night.
The trio moved with a purpose, leaping effortlessly from one building to another. Victor, always vigilant, decided to shadow them discreetly, his steps muffled by the snowy ground. The city, cloaked in a tranquil blanket of white, became the backdrop for this nocturnal pursuit.
As he silently trailed the mysterious trio, Victor's instincts told him that there was more to this situation than a simple act of thievery. The crisp night air seemed to carry whispers of intrigue, setting the stage for a clandestine encounter amidst the snowy streets of Midgar.
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"So, what are we doing here?" asked the man in cloak 1, while looking at the Mitsugoshi building which was some distance from their current position.
"We will act as reinforcements if they are in trouble" replied the man in cloak 2.
"But hey, it's a bit cold tonight. Snowfall will come in a few days. Don't you guys bring something warm?" man in cloak 3 rubbed his palms together to warm himself.
"Don't worry, I made coffee before coming here," man in cloak 2 showed a flask of hot water behind his cloak.
"Good, I'll make a campfire," said the man in cloak 3, then prepared the tools to make one.
SWOOSH
SWOOSH
"Crap. I forgot to bring the lighter. Hey, are you guys-huh?!" man in cloak 3 was shocked when he turned around and saw that his comrades were not there, leaving only their swords behind. "Who's there?! Show yourself!" When he was caught in confusion and frustration while drawing his sword, he was startled by a husky and calm voice from behind him.
The lone figure left, surrounded by swirling shadows, was now confronted by Victor, who revealed himself as the source of the mysterious disappearance. The air hung heavy with an unspoken tension as the remaining person processed the sudden turn of events.
In a husky and calm voice, Victor addressed the man in cloak 3 from behind. "O winter! bar thine adamantine doors: The north is thine; there hast thou built thy dark"
The man in cloak 3, now surrounded by an aura of uncertainty, hesitated when his hands began to shaking. The night's frosty breath seemed to hold its collective breath, waiting for the next development in this unexpected encounter. "Wh-who the fuck are you?!"
V, shrouded in the enigmatic persona of V, addressed the lone figure with an air of intrigue. The night, already filled with the hushed whispers of snowfall, now held an additional layer of suspense. The cloaked stranger, caught off guard, could only gaze in disbelief at the unexpected turn of events.
Amidst the snowy landscape, the encounter unfolded like a scene from a clandestine drama. The darkness played accomplice to V's actions, leaving a sense of mystery lingering in the crisp, cold air of the Midgar night.
"I'm just a nobody. I just want to know what you guys are doing on a snowy night like this?" V asked, twirling his cane. The man in cloak, in doubt between wanting to run away or fight. Finally chose to fight back by lunging to slash V. "Die!"
However, something strange happened as soon as the sword touched V's body. Instead of bleeding, his body split into black shadows. Leaving the man in cloak shocked.
The man in cloak staggered backward, bewildered by the inexplicable turn of events. He stared at the dissipating shadows, the realization dawning upon him that his adversary was not what he seemed. As the shadows reconverged, Victor stood behind him, his piercing gaze locking onto the bewildered foe, with the blade on his cane aimed right at the neck.
"You're dealing with forces beyond your comprehension," V warned, his voice carrying an eerie calmness. "It's in your best interest to reconsider your choices."
Victor maintained his composed demeanor, the blade of his cane mere inches from the man in cloak's neck. "Make wise decisions," he advised, his eyes holding an inscrutable intensity. The man in cloak nodded frantically, a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead as he realized the gravity of the situation. "Now tell me, who are you, what are you doing here, and who ordered you?"
Breathlessly, the man in cloak tell that they were The Clovers, a group of assassins led by Gettan the Sword Devil, who also controlled the Major Corporate Alliance (MCA) behind the scenes. They were ordered to infiltrate the Mitsugoshi building to destroy them. "That's all I know! Please don't kill me!"
Victor's eyes narrowed as he absorbed the information. "Gettan the Sword Devil," he mused, his voice low and contemplative. "An interesting adversary." He pondered the implications of MCA's involvement and their animosity towards Mitsugoshi. "What are his characteristics like?"
"He is a beastkin from the wolf race. He possessed glossy jet-black fur and stoic features with a fearless face. Also, his eyelids are closes over his empty sockets and bears a deep horizontal scar across his face"
As soon as his characteristics were revealed, Victor gasped because he remembered someone with the same characteristics. His memory of a beastkin with formidable swordsmanship flashed back to his mind. 'Wait, so...the beastkin I fought at that time was this Sword Devil? The beastkin who slaughtered his own kind?'
Mini Flashback
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"Brrr, it's so cold!" At that time, when he was wandering in a snowy forest, he found a tribal village that looked completely destroyed with corpses and blood everywhere. "Huh? What is this? Did a battle just take place here?"
His gaze was fixed on the perpetrator, who was none other than Gettan himself. Standing in the middle of the corpses with his sword stained with blood, while babbling incoherently like someone with mental disorders.
"If I don't take from them, they will take from me. Must accept the power, in order to survive..." was what he said repeatedly.
Victor's instincts could immediately tell him that the wolf beastkin in front of him at this moment was a dangerous person. "Were you the one who did this?" Victor asked.
Gettan just didn't respond, he just continued babbling with both hands holding a sword and a small bottle containing something red.
'What's that?' Victor was curious, at that time he didn't know about the existence of the Cult of Diablos. He was a traveler before finally arriving in Midgar and living there.
SWOOSH
Gettan surprisingly suddenly shot towards Victor. Long story short, they fought. Even though he was nicknamed the Sword Devil, in fact Gettan was unable to defeat Victor, who in fact was the real 'devil'.
SLASH
The result of the fight was scars on Gettan's face and eyes which made him blind, which resulted in him running away from Victor.
And after that, Victor gave the corpses of the fox and wolf beastkins a proper burial. However, he didn't meet Yukime, who ran away first. "Rest in peace..."
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Mini Flashback End
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'Everything that happens to me now turns out to be related to the past. First Rose, now this one' he thought.
SWOOSH
"Aaarghhh!" Without warning, the man in cloak sank into black shadows following his comrades. The black shadow did not kill them, but instead transported them to a place very far from Midgar.
"There's no doubt, the bottle containing the red drop that I saw in his hand at that time was the stuff made by that damn cult. The one who controls MCA is their accomplice? Just how big is that damn cult, actually?"
BOOM
"Good, now what?" Victor's eyes flashed with concern as he swiftly made his way towards the source of the explosion. The snowy night air crackled with tension as he moved with purpose through the alleys and streets, shadows enveloping him like a protective cloak.
Upon reaching the Mitsugoshi shopping center, the scene was chaotic. Smoke billowed from the damaged building, and alarmed voices filled the air. Victor's sharp gaze scanned the surroundings, seeking any signs of danger or those responsible for the explosion.
He saw a large hole in the glass wall on the 3rd floor, as well as a charred corpse lying on the street. "The armor he uses is the same as that used by the men in cloaks earlier. But, who did this?" Victor looked up, at the hole in the glass wall. "Do they have their own army? Or was there an accident?" he wondered.
He didn't know that Mitsugoshi belonged to Shadow Garden. He also didn't know that the assassin was killed 'accidentally'
"Crap!" Victor immediately stepped aside when he saw several flashlight beams from the holes in the glass wall. Hiding in a dark alley, he watched as several female employees were checking. "Whether it was an accident or not, what MCA has done is truly outrageous"
When he felt he had enough, Victor decided to return to the dorm. It was late, the cold air and snowfall made him sleepy.
"Hold up a sec, boss. Now it's time for Griffon Breaking News!" But, halfway through, Griffon suddenly came and landed on his shoulder. As usual, providing the latest news. The atmosphere was thick with tension, and Victor's keen senses detected that something significant was unfolding. Despite the weariness creeping in, he braced himself for whatever news Griffon was about to share.
"What's that?" Victor asked, it was unusual for Griffon to appear at this hour.
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"A while ago, a train carrying goods from Lawless City came. And, the goods they transported were fake money."
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To Be Continued
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