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  Jack leaned back against the low wooden table, arms crossed, expression pletely serious. Yao—the A O across from him, tea cup still in hand, listening patiently as Jack ed up yet another absurd story.

  "—and that's why I would advise you to never run from the IRS."

  Silence.

  Jack took a slow sip of his tea. Yao gave a small, ptive nod. "A wise lesson." Jack exhaled, stretg. Then, his face suddenly turned serious. " I call you Yao?"

  Yao raised a brow. "Of course."

  Jaodded once. "Cool."

  Then, without another word, he stood, walking toward the edge of the building, overlooking Hell's Kit. The m sun bathed the city in golden light, yet the streets below still carried the weight of the night—crime, struggle, the echoes of violence.

  Yao followed, standing beside him, his gaze calm but observant.

  Jack kept his eyes oy. "You're busy with all your mystical events."

  Yao gave a gentle shrug. "It is my duty as Sorcerer Supreme."

  Jaodded slowly. "Do you ever really see them? The people?"

  Yao g him. "They e and go. But I will protect them."

  Jack's eyes flickered. "As a collective."

  Yao frowned slightly. "Pardon?"

  Jack turoward him fully. "You protect them as a collective. As long as they live, as long as they're not swallowed by mystical beasts, it's all goht?"

  Yao took a moment before answering. "I have seen kingdoms rise and fall. Civilizations flourish and colpse. Humanity tends to circle back to its own mistakes."

  Jack scoffed. "Yeah, no shit."

  He looked back at Hell's Kit, a world away from the one he onew.

  "In another universe," Jack muttered, "this pce is bustling with life and ughter."

  He gestured zily. "Look at this. Even on a hopeful m, Hell's Kit still looks like it just lost a bet with the devil."

  For the first time since arriving in this world, Jack let himself remember.

  "I miss them."

  His voice was lighter, like he was admitting something he wasn't supposed to.

  "I miss getting greeted by the uncles and aunties on my patrol.""I miss the other lieutenants.""I miss getting to a scheduled brawl te aing yelled at for it.""I miss getting chased after I put xatives in a rival gang's drinks."

  He ughed softly, shaking his head. "I was never really true to myself, huh?"

  Yao studied him. Then, with the patience of someone who had lived long enough to know when not to push, he simply said—"Well, you're in this universe now."

  Jack looked at him. Yao gave a small smile. "ge what you ."

  Theuro leave, stepping toward a shimmering portal opening behind him.

  Jack tilted his head. "Wait."

  Yao paused.

  Jack squinted. "…Are you bald?"

  A flicker of amusement crossed the old sorcerer's face. Then, wordlessly, he pulled back his hood. His head gleamed uhe m light.

  Jaorted. "Hah! So your fate is to be bald in every universe, huh?"

  Yao let out a low chuckle. "The universe has its ways."

  And with that, he stepped through the portal, disappearing. Jack sighed, stretg his arms over his head. Then, he grio himself.

  "Alright then."

  He turned back toward the city.

  "Let's see what I ge."

  …

  Jack walked casually through the streets of Hell's Kit, hands tucked into his sleeves, his eyes drifting zily across the storefronts. It wasn't long before he noticed something.

  He stank.

  Jaiffed his sleeve. Then immediately regretted it. His face twisted in mild disgust. "Yeah… no. This o be handled."

  His eyes sed the street until they nded on a small tailor shop, tucked ly between twer stores.

  He grinned. "Bingo."

  With a light step, he pushed open the door, the small bell above the entrance chiming softly. Ihe shop was warm and familiar, rolls of fabric stacked ly on the shelves, delicate embroidery on dispy.

  Behind the ter, an elderly woman, her hair pinned up in a bun, looked up as he entered. For a moment, Jack's chest tightened. She reminded him of Madam Wong, the old tailor ba his past life, the one who used to nag at him fetting his clothes ripped in gang fights. His usual grin softened into something genuine.

  "Hello, Auntie."

  The tailor raised a brow, eyeing him. "Auntie? You must be from atown."

  Jack chuckled. "Something like that. you make me another set of these robes?"

  She g what he was wearing—a traditional hanfu, slightly tattered but still elegant. She let out a small hum. "It's rare to see a young man wearing something like this."

  Jack shrugged. "Yeah, well… after seven years of gettien in these kinds of clothes, they kinda grew on me."

  The dy ughed. "You must have a strange definition of seal attat."

  She motioned for him to follow her. "e. Let's pick out some fabric."

  Jack's eyes immediately nded on the silk. "Silk. Definitely silk."

  The tailor chuckled. "You have expeaste."

  Jack grinned. "I was a rich bastard in my st life."

  She measured his arms, shoulders, waist, her practiced hands moving with the efficy of a master craftsman. As she worked, Jack zily flipped through various colors and motifs, his fingers brushing over deep reds, golds, bcks, and even soft blues.

  Then, in the middle of his browsing—His ear twitched. Outside, the sound of heavy boots approached. Not just one or two pairs—a group.

  A gang.

  Jack's fingers lingered on a roll of fabric as he casually spoke—"Auntie, do you owe someone money?"

  The tailor paused, looking up at him. "No… why?"

  Jack sighed. "Because in five minutes, a bunch of kids are about to demand some from you."

  The woman's face paled slightly before realization hit. "Ah. I fot to pay this month's prote fee."

  Jaodded. "Yeah, that'd do it."

  She sighed. "They're not usually violent, but they be aggressive. I ha."

  Jack's grin widened. "Oh, I know you . But let me ha instead."

  The woman looked at him, fused. "You don't have to get involved."

  Jack gave her a zy wave. "I insist. Besides, I o stretch my legs before pig out a color."

  He tapped a roll of pink silk. "By the way, I don't mind pink. I think it's manly."

  The woman blihe out a small ugh. "You are… iing."

  Jack just grinned and walked toward the front of the store. And then—he waited. His hands tucked into his sleeves, his posture rexed. Outside, the gang's footsteps grew louder. The storm was ing. And Jack was ready to dance.

  Jack leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, watg as five men approached the shop, their strides heavy with fidence.

  Each of them carried cold ons—batons, knives, s—the usual street-level intimidation tools.

  One of them—a shaved-headed thug with a scar across his cheek—spotted Jad immediately scowled.

  "Get out of the way, asshole."

  Jack tilted his head. "No."

  The gang members exged ghen ughed.

  Scarfaeered. "The fuean, 'no'?"

  Jack yawned, stretg zily. "It's my territory."

  The thugs blinked. "Your what?"

  Jack smiled. "My territory. Which means you should be the ones expining why you're here."

  The gang burst into raucous ughter.

  "This fucker's crazy!"

  "Your territory? You some kinda ndlord now?"

  Just as Jack was about to educate them, Auntie Vivi stepped forward from behind him, pg a hand on his shoulder.

  "Young man," she said gently, "let me hahis."

  Scarface turned his attention to her, his smirk widening.

  "Ah, Vivi. We're not here to colleymore."

  Jack's brows raised slightly.

  Auntie Vivi's expression darkened. "What do you mean?"

  Ahug crossed his arms. "You may not realize it, but st month was already your st straw."

  Scarface grinned cruelly. "This store? It ain't yours no more. We're taking it."

  Jack's smile vanished.

  He turned slightly, his voice calm but firm. "Auntie. Go baside."

  Auntie Vivi hesitated.

  Jack's golden eyes flicked toward her. "I'll ha."

  After a pause, she nodded slowly and stepped baside.

  Jack exhaled, rubbing his temples. "You young meo learn some respect."

  Scarfaorted. "Young men? Who the fuck you callin' young, you prissy-haired—"

  THUMP.

  Jack barely moved. One sed, Scarface was standing. The , he was face-down on the pavement, pletely unscious. The crisp, eg sound of skull meeting crete rang through the street.

  The remaining thugs froze, their faces going pale. For a moment, nobody moved. Then—one of them pulled a gun. He barely got the before his fiwitched origger.

  BANG.

  The bullet tore through the air—Only to stop mid-flight, frozen against a solid, golden surface.

  Jack had simply lifted his hand, his fingers brushing against his earring—and Ruyi Jingu Bang was already there. The staff had expanded in an instant, blog the bullet with ease.

  The thug's hand trembled.

  Jack tilted his head. "Guns?" He sighed, stepping forward. "You should've stuck to sticks and stone."

  The thugs didn't stand a ce.

  Jack didn't even need his staff.

  With one motion, he khe gun out of the man's hand, sending it skidding across the pavement.

  The thug barely had time to react before Jack's knee drove into his stomach, folding him like a cheap chair.

  Another charged in, swinging a metal .

  Jack caught it mid-air.

  With a single, effortless pull, he sent the thug flying into the storefront's metal shutters, denting them on impact.

  The remaining two tried to rush him together.

  Jack ducked low, spun, and delivered a palm strike to the first one's chest—sending him crashing onto the sidewalk.

  The st one barely had time to blink before Jack grabbed his colr and smmed him onto the hood of a parked car.

  The street fell silent.

  Only one man was left standing. The you of the group. He shook violently, staring at Jack as a dark stain spread across his pants.

  Jack sighed. "Man, you pissed yourself? Have some dignity."

  The thug whimpered.

  Jack patted his shoulder. "Alright, st ce. Let's go over this again."

  He crouched slightly, bringing his face eye-level with the trembling man. "This is my territory. What are you doing here?"

  The thug's voice cracked. "I—I'm just a grunt! They told me th up this store! I swear I don't know nothin'!"

  Jack tilted his head. "Hmmm."

  Then, after a moment—he grinned. "Alright then."

  The thug perked up, hope flickering in his eyes. "So you'll let me go?"

  Jack smiled wider. "No."

  The thug's hope shattered instantly.

  Jack slung an arm over his shoulder. "I just decided you're my tuide now."

  The thug blinked rapidly. "W-what?"

  Jack cpped him on the back. "gratutions, buddy! You get to take me to your boss."

  The thug's soul nearly left his body. "A-as long as you don't break my jaw, I'll do anything!"

  Jack grinned. "See? Now we're getting somewhere."

  Before leaving, Jack turned back toward Auntie Vivi. She stood in the doorway, her fapletely unreadable. Jack smirked and gave her a small, zy wave.

  "I'll e back ter, Auntie Vivi."

  And with that—he walked off, dragging his new relut guide into the streets of Hell's Kit.

  Somewhere iy, a crime boss was about to have the worst day of his life.