SSS Ranked God Marked

Larry gestured toward a sleek black vehicle waiting at the edge of the sand. "Time to head back. You'll stay with us until this mess you're in is sorted out."

The drive to the Gamblo family residence was quiet, each person lost in their own thoughts. When they arrived, Larry promptly instructed one of his subordinates to show Junes to a guest room.

"Get settled. We'll talk later," Larry said, his expression unreadable as Junes followed the subordinate down a long hallway adorned with tasteful artwork that couldn't quite mask the building's obvious security features.

Back in his office, Larry pulled out a stack of paperwork, his brow furrowing as he began filling out forms. Beside him, Hime tapped her pen against the desk, her gaze drifting repeatedly to the window.

"Focus on work!" Larry barked, his patience wearing thin after catching her daydreaming for another time.

Hime's head snapped toward him, her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Do that again and I'll kill you, ugly weakass!" she snapped, her voice carrying a genuine edge that would have intimidated anyone who didn't know her as well as Larry did.

Larry merely raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by her outburst. "Your character judgment needs work," he muttered, returning to the documents. Her tendency to lash out was as predictable as the tides, and about as concerning to him at this point.

After completing the necessary paperwork, Larry headed straight to the training room. The sound of gunfire greeted him even before he pushed open the heavy doors. Inside, Raxa and several other Pandion members were engaged in various drills, but what caught Larry's attention was the crowd gathering around the far shooting range.

In the center stood Junes, handling a precision rifle with the casual expertise of someone who had spent thousands of hours perfecting their craft. Each shot hit dead center of the target, the grouping so tight it looked like a single hole. The onlookers murmured appreciatively as he adjusted his stance slightly and repeated the feat with his non-dominant hand.

Larry approached, watching his brother's technique with professional assessment. "What are you doing?" he asked, though the answer was obvious.

Junes lowered the weapon, engaging the safety with practiced ease. "Nothing much, just trying not to let my skills rust," he replied with a half-smile that didn't reach his eyes. The tension in his shoulders betrayed his casual tone.

"We'll talk after dinner," Larry said after a moment, to which Junes nodded in agreement.

The day progressed with intensive training, broken only by a brief lunch break. Larry observed his brother throughout, noting how seamlessly Junes integrated with the Pandion members despite being an outsider. His shooting skills had earned instant respect, but there was something more—a natural charisma that drew people in. Even Raxa, typically reserved with newcomers, had spent a good hour exchanging techniques with him.

As nightfall approached, the group gathered in the dining hall. The long table was laden with food, steam rising from several dishes prepared by the Gamblo family's personal chef. Junes took a seat toward the middle, and almost immediately, Hime slid into the chair beside him, her earlier anger apparently forgotten.

Larry noticed the faint blush spreading across her cheeks as she stared at Junes rather than touching her food. "Love doesn't fill stomachs. Eat up!" he called out, earning several chuckles from around the table.

Hime shot him a venomous glare. "Who asked you?" she hissed, but she did pick up her fork and begin eating, albeit while maintaining her proximity to Junes.

Larry didn't press the issue further, focusing instead on his own meal. He'd learned long ago which battles with Hime were worth fighting. This wasn't one of them.

After dinner, Junes followed Larry to his private office, where Raxa, Arashi, and Blond were already waiting. The room was sparsely decorated but functional, with reinforced windows and a desk that looked like it could stop bullets.

Larry gestured for Junes to take a seat as he settled behind the desk. "What's your problem?" he asked without preamble.

Junes glanced at the others before responding. "Can't we talk alone? I mean, somehow you're the boss of the new hot gang Pandion, so why bother keeping the ones that work for you?"

A curious expression crossed Larry's face. "Who said I was the boss?"

"The whole town and the Gangstar guild knows of it," Junes replied, confusion evident in his tone.

Larry erupted into laughter, the sound bordering on maniacal. "Me!? The leader of Pandion?"

Completely perplexed now, Junes frowned. "Then who?"

Larry pointed at Raxa. "He's the one!"

"Oh," Junes said, reassessing everything he thought he knew about the group's dynamics.

Raxa leaned forward, his long forearms resting on his knees.

"That's right! Now tell us what problem you are in right now."

Junes exhaled slowly, gathering his thoughts. "The thing is, I was hired to protect someone. When I was in a sniping position, my client said: 'the person on your right.' I thought it was the client's only son like I saw on a video on HitTube." He paused, running a hand through his hair. "But the reality is that the person on the right was the hostage of his only son, who was the hostage keeper—the attacker—whom I killed before hearing the whole order!"

The implication hung heavy in the air before Junes continued. "Thus, Jack the Sipper was assigned by my same client to assassinate me. And I heard he's a hundred percent accurate assassinator."

"You're in deep shit trouble, then!" Larry said, his expression grave. "Anyway, is Jack the Sipper a mercenary?"

"Maybe," Junes replied, uncertainty clouding his features.

Without hesitation, Larry reached for a specialized phone on his desk and pressed a single button. Within minutes, a familiar tall man entered the room. Zilant, as Larry introduced him, carried himself with the quiet confidence of someone who had seen the worst the world had to offer and survived.

Larry quickly explained the situation, and at the mention of Jack the Sipper, Zilant's usual composure faltered. "Jack the Sipper," he repeated, genuine fear flashing in his eyes.

"He's the best of the best in the assassination business."

"What can we do now?" Larry asked, his tone suggesting that retreat wasn't an option he was considering.

Zilant's response was immediate. "We need to strike first, that's what!"

"Awesome!" Larry's enthusiasm seemed at odds with the gravity of the situation. "But how do we know it's him that we're attacking?"

"He will have blood bags on him which he drinks to get unimaginable power," Zilant explained, his disgust barely concealed.

Larry's face contorted. "Eww! Gross!"

"Drinking blood—it's his power as far as I know," Zilant added, his voice dropping to almost a whisper. "They say he draws strength from it, metabolizes it differently than normal humans. I've heard him lift a car with one finger after consuming a pint."

Raxa stood, his decision made. "Then let's get to work to save Junes."

Arashi and Blond echoed his determination. "Yeah! It's mission Junes time!"

Junes looked around at these people—virtual strangers except for his brother—who were willing to risk their lives to protect him. "I appreciate this, but I can't ask you to put yourselves in danger for my mistake."

"You're not asking," Larry said simply. "We're offering."

Raxa nodded. "Besides, Jack the Sipper might be a problem for more than just you. Taking him out would benefit everyone."

"We need a plan," Zilant interjected, pulling out a tablet and bringing up a map of the city. "Jack always studies his targets for at least three days before striking. That gives us a small window to prepare."

Larry leaned over the table. "How does he operate?"

"Long-range, usually," Zilant replied. "He's a sniper, like Junes, but he's also skilled in close combat if necessary. His preference is to strike from hidden positions, often from buildings adjacent to his target's location."

Junes frowned. "So I should expect a bullet through my window at any moment?"

"Not yet," Zilant assured him. "He's methodical. He'll want to understand your routines, your weaknesses. And now that you're here, with Pandion, he'll need to recalculate."

"We can use that to our advantage then," Larry mused. "If he's expecting Junes to be alone, vulnerable, we can surprise him with a unified front."

Raxa scratched his chin thoughtfully. "We should set a trap. Make it look like Junes is isolated, draw Jack in, and then spring our surprise."

"Risky," Zilant cautioned. "Jack isn't easily fooled."

"But it could work," Blond interjected, his usual quiet demeanor giving way to strategic thinking. "If we make it convincing enough."

"I could be the bait," Junes offered. "If he's as good as you say, I'd rather face him on our terms than his."

Larry studied his brother, recognizing the same determination that ran in his own veins. "We'll need more than just us. Hime's tracking skills could be useful, and we should position our best shooters in the surrounding areas."

"I know a place," Arashi suggested. "The old warehouse district. Building 7 has clear sightlines in all directions but limited entry points. We could control the environment better there."

For the next hour, they refined their plan, each contributing ideas based on their specific skills and knowledge. As the details solidified, a sense of cautious optimism filled the room.

"Get some rest," Larry finally said. "Tomorrow, we start preparations. Zilant, I want enhanced security tonight—just in case our timeline is off."

As the others filed out, Larry held Junes back. "Why didn't you come to me sooner?" he asked once they were alone.

Junes sighed. "We haven't exactly been close lately. I wasn't sure you'd help."

"You're my brother even if we are not blood related," Larry said simply, as if that explained everything. In their world, perhaps it did.

"What if this doesn't work?" Junes asked. "Jack the Sipper has never failed a contract."

Larry's expression hardened with resolve. "Then he's overdue for his first failure."

Outside the window, the moon cast long shadows across the grounds of the Gamblo residence. Somewhere in the city, Jack the Sipper was perhaps already planning his approach, unaware that his target was no longer alone—that for the first time, he would be facing not just a single opponent, but the full might of Pandion.

And as Junes finally retired to his room, passing Hime in the hallway who offered a small, genuine smile instead of her usual barbed comments, he realized that despite the danger looming over him, he felt safer than he had in years.

Tomorrow would bring its challenges, but tonight, surrounded by unexpected allies, he allowed himself a moment of hope.