But as the truth began to unravel, the woman's demeanor shifted, her desperation giving way to a newfound resolve. "Then if you don't tell her, Zen will never be found," she declared, her words a chilling reminder of the stakes that hung in the balance.

"What?" Kavei asked, confusion etched into his features as he struggled to comprehend her meaning. But before he could react, the woman sprung into action, her movements swift as she retrieved a pistol from behind one of the cushions on the couch.

As tension reached its zenith in the opulent confines of Zen's mansion, the woman's manic smile belied the danger that lurked within her grasp as she leveled the pistol at Kavei with chilling precision. Despite the imminent threat, Kavei remained steadfast, his defiance evident in the unwavering gaze he fixed upon his assailant. Benio and the girls, however, could not conceal the fear that crept into their expressions at the sight of the gun pointed directly at them, the sense of vulnerability palpable in the air.

"Then I will just have to get rid of you for Zen to never return," the woman declared, her words laced with a sinister edge as she toyed with the lives of those before her.

"She is crazy," Benio muttered, his fists clenched in a futile attempt to quell the rising tide of fear within him.

Unfazed by the gravity of the situation, Kavei met the woman's threat with a biting sarcasm. "You do realize this conversation is being recorded, right?" he quipped, his tone dripping with disdain.

The woman's smile widened, a predatory gleam in her eyes as she dismissed Kavei's warning with a wave of her hand. "But who'll take the recorder back, hm?" she countered, her voice dripping with malice.

"There are four of us here, woman," Kavei pointed out, his voice tinged with defiance.

But the woman remained undeterred, her confidence unshaken as she revealed her true intentions. "No, no. Kavei, was it? Those three will just run away if I kill you here. I can tell helpless people apart, you know," she taunted, her words a chilling reminder of the power she wielded over them.

"What are you saying?" Benio demanded, his voice tinged with disbelief as he struggled to comprehend the woman's twisted logic.

"I'm saying this is your demise. You shouldn't have poked your nose around," the woman declared, her tone final as she prepared to deliver the fatal blow.

With lightning speed, she pulled the trigger, the deafening sound of gunfire echoing through the room as the bullet whizzed past Kavei's head. Reacting on instinct, Kavei scrambled away from the danger, his movements fueled by adrenaline as he sought to evade the woman's deadly aim.

But the danger was far from over. With grim determination, two guards materialized behind Kavei, their expressions impassive as they trained their guns on his head, effectively trapping him in a lethal crossfire. Unable to turn around to face his assailants, Kavei felt the weight of their gaze bearing down upon him, the threat of imminent death looming large in his mind.

"Oh no..." Benio whispered, his voice barely audible above the chaos that engulfed them. He took a few steps back, his eyes darting frantically between Kavei and the guards, searching for a way to intervene.

"Haha. And you were trusting them," the woman sneered, her gaze flickering with amusement as she reveled in the chaos she had unleashed. Benio clenched his jaw in frustration, his fingers tightening around his phone as he silently plotted his next move.

Amid the chaos that consumed Zen's mansion, Kavei sprang into action. His heart pounded, his muscles coiled tight as he launched himself at the guards, striking low. His foot connected with their knees in rapid succession, sending them stumbling with sharp cries of pain. Before they could recover, he hit the ground, rolling toward the base of the grand staircase, his breath coming in short, ragged bursts.

From across the room, a furious scream cut through the commotion.

"Kavei!" The woman's voice was laced with venom. "Come out, now!"

Her rage crackled like fire in the air, but Kavei stayed low, pressing his back against the cool wood of the staircase. His pulse thrummed in his ears, but he couldn't afford to falter. Not now.

"Come out, Kavei. Your friends are still here!" she bellowed, punctuating her demand with a gunshot fired into the air. Reluctantly, Kavei emerged from his hiding place, his hands raised in a gesture of surrender as he cautiously approached the woman, his nerves frayed with fear.

"Good boy. Come here," she taunted, a cruel smirk playing across her lips as Kavei obediently complied, stepping closer to the woman with each tentative step. His heart pounded in his chest, the weight of impending doom pressing down upon him as he braced himself for what was to come.

"Can you at least listen to me before you fire?" Kavei pleaded, his voice trembling with desperation as he sought to reason with his captor.

"Haha. What do you possibly have to say?" the woman scoffed, her tone laced with derision as she dismissed Kavei's plea with a wave of her hand.

Undeterred, Kavei pressed on, his words tinged with sincerity as he attempted to appeal to the woman's humanity. "I did say that Zen is alive, but I'm not entirely sure," he confessed, his voice barely above a whisper.

The woman's laughter echoed through the room, a chilling reminder of the power she held over him. "Oh, how cute. But nothing can save you now," she declared, her words a grim harbinger of the fate that awaited him.

"Please, just let us go. We came here because we were worried about you and your husband. We thought you guys might be having a hard time coping with the missing of your own son," Kavei pleaded, his voice cracking with emotion as he laid bare his intentions.

But the woman remained unmoved, her resolve unshaken as she rebuffed Kavei's heartfelt plea. "Ma'am, please. I know I acted like a cocky idiot. But that wasn't my intention at all. I only want to help," he implored, his voice tinged with desperation.

"I don't want your help. You know nothing about us, Kavei," the woman retorted, her tone sharp with disdain as she dismissed his offer with a wave of her hand.

Undeterred by her rejection, Kavei pressed on, determined to reach through the woman's hardened exterior and appeal to her sense of compassion. "I...I know I have no right to say this, but I'm pretty sure Zen wasn't abused in this house. At least not by you," he asserted, his words ringing with conviction.

The woman's silence spoke volumes, a flicker of doubt crossing her features as she considered Kavei's words. But before she could respond, Benio seized the opportunity to intervene, his actions swift and decisive as he hurled a massive vase at the guards, knocking them to the ground in a stunned heap.

Enraged by the sudden turn of events, the woman raised her pistol, her finger tightening on the trigger as she prepared to unleash her fury upon them. But before she could act, Kavei sprang into action, launching himself at her with all the ferocity of a cornered animal.

As the struggle reached its climax, Kavei and the woman crashed to the floor, the sound of their impact drowned out by the deafening gunshot that rang out into the air. "Let me go!" the woman screamed, her voice laced with desperation as she attempted to shake Kavei off.

In a swift display of solidarity, Miyasi and Saira sprang into action, pushing the guards out of the house and securing the main door behind them, effectively cutting off any potential reinforcements. Meanwhile, Benio's heart pounded with fear as he watched the unfolding chaos, his mind racing with the gravity of the situation.

"I called the police already. You'll be done for if you kill me now," Kavei asserted, his voice tinged with urgency as he grappled with the woman for control of the pistol.

But the woman remained undeterred, her grip on the weapon unyielding as she fought tooth and nail to retain her hold. As the struggle intensified, Benio's fear grew, his voice trembling with apprehension as he pleaded for reason amidst the chaos.

"Let her go, Kavei. The police will be here anyway," Benio implored, his words a desperate plea for peace in the midst of turmoil.

"One of us might be dead by then," Kavei retorted, his tone tinged with frustration as he continued to wrestle for control of the pistol.

As the tension reached its peak, a loud banging reverberated through the hall. "I think it's the guards," Saira observed, her voice fraught with anxiety as she surveyed the scene before her.

"When will the police be here?" Miyasi muttered, her eyes fixed on Kavei as he struggled for control of the pistol.

With a final surge of determination, Kavei managed to wrench the pistol from the woman's grasp, his wounded hand throbbing with pain as he tossed the weapon aside. But before he could fully regain his footing, the woman lunged forward, her hands grasping for a makeshift weapon amidst the scattered debris.

With a primal roar, she charged towards Kavei, her eyes ablaze with fury as she sought to exact her revenge. But Kavei was ready, his wounded hand outstretched as he intercepted her attack, his grip firm despite the searing pain that shot through his palm.

Benio, Miyasi, and Saira could only watch in horror as the struggle unfolded before them, their attempts to secure the door forgotten amidst the chaos that engulfed them.

As the battle raged on between Kavei and the woman, the tense atmosphere was shattered by the unmistakable sound of gunfire echoing from outside the mansion. Benio, Miyasi, and Saira exchanged glances of relief, their hearts skipping a beat as the distant wails of sirens pierced the air - the police had arrived.

But even as the cacophony of chaos engulfed them, the struggle between Kavei and the woman showed no signs of abating. With a final surge of strength, the woman managed to break free from Kavei's grasp, her hand wielding the shard of glass with deadly intent.

The room reverberated with Kavei's agonized scream as the glass pierced through his cheek, blood welling up from the wound in a crimson stream. "Aahh!!!" he cried out in pain, his voice a haunting echo of the torment he endured.

Reacting on instinct, Benio and the girls abandoned their post at the front door, rushing to Kavei's aid as he writhed in agony on the floor. But before they could reach him, the sound of the front door swinging open filled the room, heralding the arrival of the Shibuya police force.

As the tension reached its climax and the police burst into the room, their authoritative presence cutting through the chaos like a knife through butter. The woman's facade crumbled at the sight of the officers, her defiance replaced by a palpable sense of fear as she shuddered at their sudden appearance.

"It's the police. Throw your weapons away," the officers commanded, their voices firm and resolute as they brought order to the chaos that had engulfed the mansion. In the wake of their authoritative announcement, a sense of calm settled over the room as the tension dissipated, replaced by an air of compliance.

With swift efficiency, the officers took the woman of the house and the guards into custody, their handcuffs snapping shut with a finality that echoed through the room. As the last echoes of the chaos faded away, Kavei slumped to the floor, exhaustion washing over him like a tidal wave.

"Kavei!" Miyasi's voice cut through the haze of his fatigue, her concern evident in the urgency of her tone. But as the darkness closed in around him, her voice seemed to fade into the distance, the world around him growing hazy and indistinct.

Beneath the dim glow of the room's lights, Benio crouched beside Kavei, his expression etched with concern as he reached out to gently shake his friend's shoulder. "Kavei," he called out, his voice laced with worry.

"What? What is it?" Benio asked, his concern deepening as he watched Kavei's labored breathing.

"Please...just make sure our involvement is not included," Kavei pleaded, his words barely a whisper as he struggled to articulate his thoughts.

"What?" Benio's brow furrowed in confusion, his mind racing to make sense of Kavei's cryptic request.

"Our names...please...it shouldn't show up," Kavei implored, his voice trailing off as he succumbed to the darkness, his consciousness slipping away into the abyss.

With a heavy sigh, Benio looked down at his unconscious friend, a pang of guilt gnawing at his heart as he grappled with the weight of Kavei's words. In that moment, he made a silent vow to honor his friend's wishes, to ensure that their involvement remained hidden from prying eyes.