It only took a smile - Chapter 1- No fun

The atmosphere was quiet.

The room was dimly lit.

At first glance, it looked as if a storm had passed through, toppling everything in its path.

But on closer look, the red carpet was soaked with blood, and the scattered bodies of men in black told the real story.

A battle had taken place here.

And it wasn’t over.

Behind a large table, a few figures still hid. Two of them wore the same black suits as the corpses on the floor. Between them crouched a short, bald man. His body trembled, his pale face glistened with sweat.

“H-How can this be?” he stammered, his voice shaking. “Ten levels of security—for what?! Just one man tearing through all that to reach me?! Is this why I pay you bastards?”

The guards by his side stood stiff, guns in hand. But their eyes told the truth—they had no hope left.

More than two hundred men were dead.

The attacker had come prepared. He had released poisonous gas, then set men ablaze with a flamethrower. His methods were brutal, his mind twisted. He wasn’t human.

The guard on the left gave a quick glance to the other. They nodded.

The bald man knew their plan. Once they distracted the monster, he would jump out the window. The third floor was high, but if he landed on the glass roof of the first floor, he might live—even if his bones shattered.

‘I just need time to regroup, to gather more forces—ah!’ His thoughts cut short as cold metal pressed into both sides of his skull.

His own guards.

They forced him up, their guns digging into his head.

His eyes bulged. Through gritted teeth, he hissed, “Y-You know what you’re doing, right?”

The guards gave no answer. They dragged him out from cover, flipping the table aside.

And then they saw him.

A man with black hair, face hidden behind a skull mask, holding an assault rifle. He wasn’t hiding anymore.

Maybe he had expected this all along.

The left guard spoke first. “We don’t want to fight anymore. Take him. Spare us.”

The other added, “We’re only here for money. You can understand that. We want no part of this.”

The bald man opened and closed his mouth soundlessly, like a fish gasping for air. Rage burned inside him, but fear froze his tongue.

It was natural. When death stood this close, survival always came first.

Even the strongest weapons, the best armor—none of it had stopped this man. How could they?

The bald man’s body jolted as the skull-masked figure cocked his gun.

“W-Wait!” he shrieked, voice cracking. “You… you’re here for money, right?! How much were you paid?! I’ll double it—no, triple! And I have… women—fresh, untouched! You can have them all, I’ll give you everything!”

He dropped to his knees, hands pressed together, his tears mixing with the blood-soaked floor. “Please… please… leave me. Spare me. I have a three-year-old child waiting for me at home…”

“You… have a child.”

The ambusher spoke for the first time. His voice trembled slightly beneath the skull mask.

The bald man saw a sliver of hope and crawled forward, hands clasped tight. “Y-Yes! She just started walking! I-I promised I’d take her to the carnival. S-She’s the light of my life.”

The ambusher’s shoulders sagged, his rifle lowering just an inch. “I… can’t possibly kill you now, can I?”

The guards sensed the danger. They snapped their guns toward him.

But two sharp cracks rang out before they could even pull the triggers.

“HIICK!” The bald man gasped, whipping his head around to see both guards sprawled lifeless on the blood-soaked floor.

“Haah…” The ambusher sighed, his voice carrying an odd weariness. “Never thought I’d be sparing my target.”

A grin of triumph twitched across the bald man’s face—only to vanish instantly. He staggered upright, tears still streaming. “T-Thank you… I swear on my daughter’s name, I’ll leave this life behind.”

The ambusher reached down and helped him stand.

The bald man’s chest swelled with relief. Against all odds, he had survived.

‘Who would’ve thought… a cold-blooded assassin with such a foolish heart.’

The ambusher raised a finger, almost playfully. “Now run. Hide for a while. I’ll need to disappear too, so the contractor doesn’t come after me.”

“I will! Thank you!” The bald man bolted toward the door.

Freedom was just inches away. One push and he’d be—

**STAB.**

“Uh…” His body froze as icy steel pierced the back of his neck. Blood sprayed, painting the door.

He clung weakly to the handle, legs trembling, and turned his head with bloodshot eyes. “Y-You!!”

The raven-haired figure shrugged, calm as ever. “And here I thought I’d enjoy it… letting you taste hope before tearing it away.”

He dragged a heavy axe across the floor, its edge scraping.

The bald man’s teeth clenched as he tried to crawl, but his legs buckled beneath him. He collapsed halfway, and when he looked up—he saw them.

A pair of deep, glowing red eyes.

The ambusher leapt, axe raised high, and brought it crashing down.

**SQUELCH.**

“Haah…” Heaving a sigh, the ambusher wiped the blood from his mask before he heard a voice over the comm,

[How was it? Satisfying?]

The man shook his head, “Senpai…playing jenga gives me more thrill than this.”

[Tch, you are no fun, Naoto-kun. You need to learn how to have fun while doing your job.]

The ambusher, who was named Naoto, heaved a sigh, “Well, forget about it.”

He started to walk out of the room as he heard police sirens from outside.

Just then, his Senpai called out,

[Oh, right someone called.]

Naoto clicked his tongue, “Didn’t I tell you that I am going on a vacation-”

[It’s from Nakamura-san.]

Naoto paused, turned completely still hearing that name.

Soon, the voice on the comm followed,

[He needs your help.]

Without a moment’s notice, he said, “When can I meet him?”

*******

A/N:- Thanks for reading