The sharp strike of a white billiard starting a game of pool rang out.
Standing in front of the pool table were two men glaring at each other, their hands rough with tired looks on their faces. The bar they were in was empty, with only a single bartender drowsily watching TV.
The man who started the game was a lanky individual with hazel eyes, short black hair, and a clean goatee that covered his chin.
He sighed loudly. " Do you really think I'll accept this job? " Said the man.
" Of course, you're getting older. You can't spend the rest of your life killing sorcerers for cheap change. Shinpei, please consider the offer. " Begged the other man watching as Shinpei struck a billiard into a hole.
" I would much rather live broke than die rich. " Responded Shinpei, leaning over the pool table, and striking another ball.
" All you have to do is kill Satoru Gojo-
" All? " said Shinpei, his eyes narrowing.
" Let me walk over and casually kill the strongest sorcerer in the world. Fushiguro tried the same thing a few years back, and you remember what happened to him... "
Shinpei shook his head. " It's a no."
The begging man could only nod before gently coughing, " Then I'll take my leave, Shinpei. The offer is always available. "
" And it will be until he dies of old age. " Responded Shinpei, placing the pool cue against the table, without any further words, the man left the bar, leaving the sound of a ringing doorbell in his place.
Shinpei stood there silently, listening to the soft ringing of the chime, before the bartender abruptly spoke while drying a shot glass. " They're getting more desperate, aren't they? "
" Of course, the higher-ups will do anything to get rid of him. " The bartender could only smile as Shinpei walked over towards him.
" Even though the man is an idiot, he's right about one thing. You can't live the rest of your life just mindlessly killing sorcerers for scraps of change. You have to figure out something. "
" I already know that. The higher-ups sending him to negotiate with me wasn't just a chance either. " The bartender stopped drying the glass, looking up at Shinpei.
" What do you mean? " He asked.
" They're going to try to kill me. I'm just a chaotic loose end without a sense of purpose or reasoning, just killing to make ends. " Shinpei sat down on a stool, grabbing onto a pre-poured glass of whiskey, quickly drinking it.
" When do you think that is? " Asked the bartender.
Shinpei let out a smile before leaning back in his chair, " Right now. " Without a further word, the sound of a gunshot rang out, smashing through the shot glass, sending pieces of glass flying throughout the air.
The bartender ducked under the table, as Shinpei stumbled back, looking through a shattered glass door, staring at a woman tightly holding onto a pistol. Shinpei's eyes looked the woman up and down before speaking.
" Mai Zenin? "
" Oh? You know me? " Responded, Mai, firing another bullet, which narrowly missed Shinpei, who leaned to his right.
" I've done business with them before, it's surprising they'll let a woman do an assassination. "
Mai could only grin as Shinpei slowly walked towards her, stepping over the shattered glass on the floor. " No offense to you, but it's disrespectful, only sending you after me. "
" What do you mean? " Asked Mai before a grin swept across Shinpei's face and a powerful force slammed into Mai, sending her body flying through the air, crashing through a nearby light pole. The light pole crashed through a nearby car, making the alarm ring out wildly.
" I guess you're not weak that weak compared to a human. " Said Shinpei, walking out onto the street with his hands behind his head, watching as Mai gingerly stood up with blood leaking out of her mouth.
" What did you do? " Asked Mai, swinging her pistol up, firing another bullet, which Shinpei causally leaned to his left, dodging the bullet.
" A better question is why you aren't infusing your bullets with curse energy, your first one had cursed energy oozing out of it. " Asked Shinpei, approaching Mai as she fired countless bullets at him.
In the blink of an eye, he appeared in front of Mai, ripping the gun out of her hand, glaring down at her as he crushed the gun, throwing it on the ground. " Oh, I get it. You're a test dummy."
" No? I'm here to kill you," Said Mai, gritting her teeth, throwing a sloppy punch that Shinpei easily ducked under before tripping Mai, letting her crash face-first onto the ground.
" I'm sure you heard us talking, there's a reason he asked me to kill Gojo, I'm probably the only one that has a shot. Not a big shot, but a shot. "
Mai gingerly pushed off the ground, standing back onto her feet before turning around, looking at Shinpei, and asking a question.
" So, they sent me here to gauge your strength? "
" They already know I'm strong; they hoped I would reveal my curse technique, no one knows it except myself, but don't worry, Zenin, I don't plan on killing you. That would paint a fat target on my back, giving a reason to send countless sorcerers. "
Shinpei let out a yawn.
" I don't feel like dealing with that, so how about this, you lie down on the ground and act like you got knocked out, and you make up some curse technique, you can say I can create balloon animals out of thin air. "
Mai stared at Shinpei, confused, before he waved.
" Anyway, Zenin, hopefully I'll never see you again. "
Without a further word, his body vanished, leaving Mai staring blankly into space, " W-Who the hell did they send me to kill??"...