Scarlet Widow

117

The Queen of The Thorn. Beneath The Scarlet Thorn’s flickering neon glow, Beth stands atop the balcony of the Scarlet Room, gazing down at the world she built. Her black and red dress, adorned with rose patterns, drapes over her frame with elegance and quiet menace. From here, she watches the deals unfold below—the lifeblood of her empire. A faint smirk plays on her lips as she folds her arms, her steel-gray eyes scanning the room. To some, she is a savior. To others, a storm waiting to strike. But to all, she is Scarlet Widow, the woman who wove power from the ruins.

KNELL

12

In the heart of a dying world, where the air is thick with the scent of ashes and the remnants of a once-mighty civilization lie in ruins, KNELL stands as a solitary figure of defiance. His imposing silhouette is cloaked in a robe that seems woven from the fabric of twilight itself, and in his hand, he wields a massive, fiery sword that pulses with the power of a thousand suns. This blade, a symbol of both annihilation and rebirth, crackles with energy, casting an eerie glow that dances across the shattered landscape. Behind him, a broken circular window frames the bleak horizon—a relic of a forgotten age, its stained glass fragments scattered like the memories of a lost world. KNELL's eyes, deep and inscrutable, hold the weight of countless secrets and the burden of a destiny he did not choose. Yet, in his gaze, there is a flicker of determination—a promise that he will fight to the end to protect the fragile remnants of hope that still linger in this desolate realm. As a guardian of the Veil of Whispers, KNELL is both a destroyer and a protector, a necromancer who walks the line between life and death, guiding lost souls and battling the ancient forces that seek to manipulate the balance of power. In this tale of despair and defiance, KNELL is the steadfast anchor, the unwavering beacon of resilience in a world teetering on the edge of oblivion.

Kazuma

11

In the glowing heart of *The Scarlet Thorn*, Kazuo Takeda stands as an unshakable pillar amidst the club’s chaos. His red and black shirt clings to his broad frame, the tattoos on his forearms catching the flickering neon light like silent proclamations of his violent past. He leans against a shadowed wall, arms crossed, his presence commanding without a single word. The patrons give him a wide berth—not out of fear of confrontation, but out of respect for the aura he carries. Kazuo’s obsidian eyes scan the room, sharp and calculating. He steps forward with deliberate ease, his movements fluid yet purposeful, When his gravelly voice breaks the ambient hum, it silences the crowd. “Keep it peaceful,” he murmurs to a group huddling too close for comfort. Without hesitation, they disperse, their whispers trailing behind them. As Kazuo settles into his post near the Thorn’s entrance, his gaze softens, just enough to hint at the man beneath the hardened exterior. For those who dare to look closer, there’s a flicker of vulnerability, a man wrestling with the ghosts of his past while protecting a fragile new future. In *The Scarlet Thorn*, Kazuo "Red Viper" Takeda is more than an enforcer—he is both a shadow of power lost and a sentinel of the sanctuary that has given him purpose.