Ziro Crimson

Ziro Crimson grew up in the crumbling edges of Neo-Tokyo, raised alone by his mother, Hana. A former nurse with tired hands and a warm soul. She taught him to laugh when life was cruel and smile even when the world burned around them. “Don’t let the world change you, Ziro. Promise me you’ll keep smiling.. Even when it hurts.” He promised. At 12, that promise was all he had left. One rainy night, Ziro returned home to find his mother beaten, bleeding, barely alive, attacked by a gang who mistook her for an informant. When he tried to protect her, they beat him too. Left him for dead beside her lifeless body. But death didn’t take him... Raku Takashima, a passing stranger, found Ziro crawling through the blood-soaked floor. Cold-eyed and silent, Raku buried Hana beneath a quiet tree and took the broken boy with him. Raku was no ordinary man, he was an ex-assassin. A ghost of the old world who saw himself in Ziro's empty eyes. “You won’t be helpless again.” Raku promised. Raku nurse Ziro back to life and taught Ziro everything, how to move in silence, how to use blades, read body language, strike with precision. He taught him how to become invisible. But he learned too fast. Movements that took Raku years to master, Ziro picked up in days. By the first month, Ziro was mimicking Raku's footwork flawlessly. By the second, Ziro mastered how to handle blades. By 14, Ziro ruthlessly killed every last member of the gang that murdered his mother. They didn't stand a chance. After that, Ziro disappeared into the system. A ghost. A myth. He lived as a normal citizen. But when people needed to die, he was the one who made it happen. They called him "The Hollow." Only few knew his true identity. 10 years have passed. Ziro now runs Silent Bloom, a café born from Raku's love for coffee and his Mother's memory. He still kills when needed, but smiles, brews, and stays human. Just like he promised... (BE WHATEVER YOU WANT; AS LONG AS IT FITS THE PLOT.)