Netori: I Shall Steal All Of My Enemies' Women For Revenge!

Haruto sprinted up the narrow stairwell of an old apartment building, his footsteps echoing in the dim corridor.

He skidded to a stop in front of door number 03 and knocked urgently, his fist thudding against the worn wood.

The door creaked open to reveal a man with green hair, his expression lazy and amused.

"Chill out, Haruto. We're not going anywhere, man," Arataki said with a raised brow, eyeing his friend's frantic demeanor.

Haruto pushed past him without a word, his face set with a grim seriousness.

"I need to tell you something," Haruto said, his voice low but tense. "It's an emergency."

Arataki chuckled, still assuming Haruto was exaggerating.

"What? Someone died?"

Haruto shot him a glare before stepping inside the cramped apartment. The stale scent of cigarettes and instant noodles hung in the air.

Old Futto and Enji were huddled around a laptop on a rickety table. The screen glowed with a livestream—a sickening display of human trafficking in real-time.

A girl, barely ten years old, sat in the middle of a dimly lit room on the feed, playing with her dolls. A countdown timer ticked ominously in the corner.

"Ah, you're finally here," Enji said without looking up. He tapped the screen, his expression twisted in disgust.

"Look at this. That bastard is auctioning off a kid. We finally got into the VVIP stream."

Old Futto crunched on a chip, shaking his head. "Looks like whoever wins gets the girl. You want to try bidding?"

"Don't be stupid," Arataki snapped, stepping inside.

"We're not here to buy. We're here to pull profiles—track the sick fucks who are bidding." He turned to Haruto, his eyes narrowing.

"So, what's this about?"

Haruto, still reeling from the grotesque stream, shook his head to clear his thoughts.

"Right… it's about Erika."

Arataki's expression darkened at the mention of his sister.

"She was with Ren yesterday," Haruto said, his voice quiet but firm. "At the aquarium."

"What?" Arataki tilted his head, as if trying to make sense of it.

"She's still seeing him," Haruto continued, each word laced with frustration.

"Ren kidnapped her ex and beat him half to death right in front of her. The guy's in the hospital, barely hanging on. And Ren threatened her—said if she left him, he'd tell your parents you're part of a gang."

Before Haruto could finish, Arataki grabbed him by the collar, slamming him back against the wall. His eyes burned with fury, veins bulging in his neck.

"I told you we should've killed that bastard already!" Arataki snarled, his grip tightening.

"Everything we've done up to now has been a fucking waste of time!"

"Calm down, Arataki." Enji moved quickly, his large frame looming over them as he placed a hand on Arataki's shoulder. "We need to think straight."n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

But Arataki wasn't listening. He shoved Haruto aside and stormed toward the door, his fists clenched.

"FUCK THIS!" Arataki roared. "I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!"

Before he could reach the door, Enji lunged forward and wrapped his arms around him, restraining him in a bear hug.

"Stop!" Enji barked, his voice a low growl.

"You're only going to stir up more shit. That's exactly what Ren wants—and probably what Daiki wants too."

At the mention of Daiki, Arataki froze, his breathing ragged.

"But he hurt my sister," Arataki hissed through gritted teeth. His voice cracked with emotion.

"How the hell am I supposed to just stand by? She's the only family I have left not including that bastard of a father! I don't want to waste time anymore with all of you assholes in this cramped room!"

Haruto stepped closer, his expression softening as he met Arataki's anguished gaze.

"Arataki," Haruto said quietly, "we all understand how you feel. I have a sister too. And I swear, I won't let anyone hurt her—or Erika."

He placed a hand on Arataki's shoulder. "But rushing in without a plan will only get you killed."

Arataki lowered his head, his body trembling as the rage bled into despair. "I just… I can't lose her, Haruto. I can't."

"You won't," Haruto assured him. "We'll figure this out. The four of us—together. We'll make sure Ren pays for what he's done. But we need to be smart about it."

Arataki nodded slowly, his grip on his own emotions finally loosening.

"Haruto is right," Old Futto suddenly muttered, his eyes still glued to the laptop.

He cracked a smirk. "Looks like we've got a new door open—thanks to me and Haruto playing bootlicker for Ren."

The other three froze, exchanging glances before slowly approaching Old Futto. Their curiosity mixed with unease.

"What do you mean?" Enji asked, peering over his shoulder.

Old Futto tapped the screen. "Ren's offering us a limited, seasonal sushi deal—and the transaction is direct."

Haruto's eyes narrowed as he rubbed his chin. "Wait… Does that mean we can meet Ren in person?"

"Huh, perfect chance to kidnap the bastard," Arataki growled, his eyes flashing with anger.

Before the idea could take root, Enji smacked the back of Arataki's head. "Don't be an idiot. We're trying to be smart about this."

Arataki winced, rubbing his head. "Still sounds like a solid plan to me."

"Not if you want to end up six feet under," Enji shot back. "So, who's going to meet him?"

The question hung in the air.

Haruto shook his head. "Not me. He knows me too well."

"Same here," Arataki sighed. "He'd spot me in a second."

Their collective gaze shifted to Old Futto, who froze like a deer caught in headlights.

"Oh, hell no." He leaned back, raising both hands.

"You guys can't be serious. I don't leave this apartment unless it's for essentials or an anime convention!"

"Come on, Old Futto, you're our best shot," Enji coaxed, patting his shoulder. "Ren doesn't know you."

Old Futto crossed his arms defensively. "Yeah, and what if I screw it up? What if I say the wrong thing, and he hates me? I'm not good with strangers."

Haruto chuckled. "You're fine with us, aren't you? Ren's not that different… Well, aside from being unpredictable and having the emotional range of a hormonal girl in their period."

Old Futto groaned, slumping in his chair. "And you thought that would calm me down? Seriously, Haruto, you're making it worse!"

Arataki stepped in, his expression softening despite his earlier outburst. "Look, man… I need this. For my sister. Please."

Old Futto frowned, tapping his fingers against the desk. After a long pause, he sighed heavily. "Fine. Just this once. But you owe me big."

A collective grin spread across the trio's faces.

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"I'll massage you if you need, boss, just call me," Haruto promised as he moved to Old Futto's back and started to give him a shoulder massage.

"And I'll get you some ramen. My treat," Enji added with a smirk.

Arataki nodded eagerly. "Or how about a life-sized your waifu figurin? I'll pay for it."

Old Futto let out a dramatic sigh, rubbing his temples. "You guys… You really know how to sweeten the deal." He glanced up with a tired grin.

"Fine. Get me both. I'm about to face a demon lord—I deserve compensation."

The trio chuckled, the tension easing ever so slightly. But beneath their humor, they all knew one thing:

This meeting with Ren could change everything.