The dimly lit room was filled with the sound of dripping water and creaking floorboards, while the smell of dampness and decay permeated the air. Yuji sat on an old, rickety chair with his legs casually propped up on a battered wooden desk. The room's only source of light came from a flickering fluorescent bulb that cast shadows across the peeling wallpaper.

Despite the building's rundown appearance, it was Yuji's headquarters and the nerve center of his operation. He surveyed the room with a sense of pride, knowing that every piece of equipment and every document had been carefully selected and placed to maximize efficiency.

As Yuji reclined in his chair, his underlings eagerly recounted the latest developments in their criminal enterprise.

As Underling 1 spoke, his voice was low and deferential. "Boss, the client from yesterday called. He's ready to pay back the loan with interest."

Yuji leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing with satisfaction. "Good. Have him come in and settle the debt. And remind him that he doesn't want to be late on payments again."

Underling 2 stepped forward, holding a file in his hand. "Boss, we've got a new client who needs a loan for his business. He's willing to pay a high-interest rate."

Yuji raised an eyebrow. "Let's hear the details. And make sure he understands the consequences of not paying on time."

As Underling 3 spoke up, there was a note of urgency in his voice. "Boss, there's a guy who's been avoiding us for weeks. He owes us a lot of money."

Yuji's expression hardened. "Track him down and bring him to me. We need to send a message that we don't tolerate delinquency."

As the underlying spoke, his voice was low and tense. "Boss, many of the people we've lent money to have been avoiding us. We've been having a hard time collecting payments, especially from the folks on Ichibancho Street."

Another guard spoke up, his tone is resentful. "And to make matters worse, Jinzo, the guy with the largest debt, lives on Ichibancho Street. He even had the nerve to order you around, boss."

Yuji furrowed his brow, puzzled by what his guard had just said. "I don't understand. Since when i am being ordered around by a teenage boy?"

The guard shifted nervously, before clearing his throat and speaking up. "Jinzo came to see you earlier, boss. He said he wanted to settle his debt, but only if you came to his apartment to collect it."

Yuji's expression darkened, suspicion clouding his mind. "And did he say why he couldn't come here to pay?"

The guard shook his head, looking uncomfortable. "No, boss. He didn't say anything else. But something about the way he spoke... it felt like a trap."

Yuji's jaw tightened, his mind racing. He knew that in his line of work, caution was always necessary. But Jinzo's behavior had set off alarm bells in his mind.

Yuji leaned back in his chair, his mind working furiously. After a moment of deep thought, he made up his mind. "Alright. We need to take a more aggressive approach. We'll move out to Ichibancho Street and make sure the folks there know that we mean business."

The guards nodded in agreement, their expressions determined. They knew that Yuji was a shrewd businessman, and his decision meant that things were getting serious.

Yuji continued, "And while we're there, we'll pay Jinzo a little visit. If he's trying to play games with us, we'll show him that we're not to be messed with."

The guards grinned their eagerness to act palpable. They rose from their seats, ready to do whatever it took to get the job done. Yuji stood up from his desk, a steely determination in his eyes. He motioned to a few of his trusted guards, silently signaling them to follow him. They knew what they had to do, and were ready to execute Yuji's plan.

Without another word, Yuji and his goons left the safety of their HQ and made their way to Ichibancho Street. The atmosphere there was tense, with the locals eyeing them warily. Yuji knew that they had a reputation in the area, but he was confident that they could handle any opposition that came their way.

As they walked down the street, Yuji's guards fanned out around him, their eyes scanning the area for any signs of trouble. Yuji himself walked with a measured step, his gaze fixed ahead. He knew that this was a dangerous game they were playing, but he was willing to take the risk.

While walking Yuji's righthand man, Yamato spoke up."Boss, have you ever thought about how Jinzo suddenly got all the money to pay off his debt?"

Yuji let out a deep sigh. "That's a million-dollar question, isn't it?"

Yamato looked at him expectantly. "Do you think he stole the money?"

Yuji paused to consider the question. "I don't know. It's possible. But knowing Jinzo, I doubt he would have the guts to do something like that."

Yamato furrowed his brow. "Then how did he get the money?"

Yuji shrugged. "Who knows? Maybe he borrowed it from someone else. Or maybe he got lucky and won big at the pachinko parlor. But one thing's for sure - Jinzo is not the type of guy to pay back his debts willingly."

Yamato nodded in agreement. "Do you think he'll try to join us now that he's paid off his debt?"

Yuji let out a humorless laugh. "Like father, like son. Jinzo's old man begged me to let him join us too. But he was too much of a liability. I doubt Jinzo would be any different."

As the conversation between Yuji and his men continued on the street below, Jinzo peered through the slightly parted curtains of his apartment window. His eyes were fixed on them, watching their every move with a sense of wary anticipation. He knew that they were coming for him, and he was prepared to defend himself.

He knew that they were coming for him, and he was determined to defend himself. As the conversation between the men continued, Jinzo's heart rate increased and he felt a rush of adrenaline.

He took a deep breath and steeled himself for the inevitable confrontation. His hands twitched with anticipation as he waited for Yuji and his men to make their move.

As he watched Yuji's men start to move towards his building, Jinzo felt a sense of calm wash over him. He knew that this was the moment he had been waiting for, and he was ready to face it head-on. "Come Yuji" he thought to himself, a fierce determination shining in his eyes. Jinzo was ready for whatever came his way.

As the conversation with his underlings came to an end, Yuji's mind was already shifting to the next phase of his plan. Yuji's underling pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and unfurled it, revealing a lengthy list of names and figures scrawled in messy handwriting.

The underling cleared his throat and handed the list to Yuji, who scanned it quickly, his brow furrowing as he took in the extensive length of it.Yuji knew that the task of collecting debts and enforcing his authority over the locals was a tedious one. Yuji glanced down at the piece of paper, his eyes scanning the messy handwriting with frustration. He let out a sigh and turned to his subordinates.

Yuji said with start, "You lot, take care of the unpaid debts. I have more important matters to attend to."

He observed his men as they walked down the street, knocking on doors and demanding payment from debtors. Yuji trusted his men to do their jobs efficiently, and he saw no need to micromanage their work.

Leaving the others to their work, Yuji turned to three of his most trusted guards and motioned for them to follow him. They set off down the street, their footsteps echoing against the pavement. The atmosphere was tense, with locals peering out from their windows as they passed by.

As Yuji and his men made their way toward Jinzo's apartment, the rain began to fall heavily. The sound of the raindrops hitting the pavement echoed through the empty streets.

As Yuji and his men arrived at Jinzo's apartment, Yuji turns to one of his guards and asks "So which floor does Jinzo live on?" "Ahhh...." the guard didn't know and then he spotted a tenant trying to slip inside their apartment building unnoticed. Yuji saw him and called out to him.

"Hey, you! Stay there" Yuji shouted. The tenant, who was the manager knew Yuji and began trembling, intimidated by his presence."Which floor does Jinzo.." Yuji began pausing for a moment. "Watanabe lives?" Completed Yamato.

"4th f-floor." replied the tenant in an audible whisper." Are you sure?" demanded Yuji."Y-yes, I'm sure. Fourth floor, the last one at the end of the hallway."

Yuji and his goons climbed the four floors of the apartment building and arrived in the hallway. The sound of their heavy footsteps echoed through the empty hallway, while the rain outside had turned into a torrential downpour. It was as if the sky was angry and ready to unleash a storm.

Yuji and his goons stood in front of Jinzo's door, finding it unlocked and slightly ajar...

TO be continued..

Author's Note:
Make sure to add this to your library!