Chapter Text
“The beginning of understanding lies in the name.”
[CLASSIFIED FILE – MULTI-AGENCY COMBINED DOSSIER]
Subject: Mark Griffin (マーク・グリフィン)
Codename/Ability Name: Silent Death (サイレントデス)
Clearance Level: Ω – Absolute secrecy required
Status: Active – High Threat Priority
Report Compiled By: International Joint Task Force on Ability Users
Date: [Redacted]
Basic Information
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Full Name: Mark Griffin
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Known Aliases: Silent Death, The Whispering Killer, Kage no Shi (影の死, “Death in the Shadows”), Phantom Executor
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Informal Nicknames: Griff, Marky-boy (used mockingly by Guild operatives), Spook (Hunting Dogs slang)
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Age: 28
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Date of Birth: November 17
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Gender: Male
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Pronouns: He/Him
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Sexuality: Bisexual – displays minimal romantic engagement due to prioritization of contracts
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Nationality: Dual heritage – English father, Japanese mother
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Languages Spoken:
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Japanese – native proficiency
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English – native proficiency
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Russian – conversational fluency (for Eastern Europe operations)
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Mandarin – basic operational phrases
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Coded assassin hand signals and non-verbal communication
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Titles and Reputation
Mark’s name is synonymous with precision killing.
Each group that has employed him uses a different title, shaped by their experiences and fears.
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Port Mafia:
Kuroshibi (黒死火, “Black Death Flame”) – whispered among soldiers who’ve seen his shadows move through an entire building without a single sound. -
The Guild:
The Phantom Contractor – admired for efficiency, despised for his refusal to be controlled. -
Armed Detective Agency:
The Walking Neutral Zone – a grudging acknowledgment of his use when morality becomes gray. -
Hunting Dogs / Government:
Asset Z-13 – treated as a living weapon, not a person. -
Global Black Markets:
The Man Who Leaves No Sound – his legend has grown beyond Yokohama.
Global Employment Record
Mark Griffin has worked for every known major faction at least once:
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Port Mafia – Assassinations of rival gang leaders, smuggling protection, intelligence retrieval.
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The Guild – International espionage and discreet elimination of high-profile targets.
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Armed Detective Agency – Rare contracts under strict conditions, usually to prevent mass civilian casualties.
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Hunting Dogs – Government-mandated operations where he was technically “loaned” as an asset.
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Foreign Syndicates – Unnamed European and Asian organizations seeking a specialist for impossible jobs.
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Independent Clients – Politicians, wealthy elites, even Ability users seeking revenge.
Internal Note:
“Hiring Silent Death is not a matter of loyalty or ideology. It’s a transaction. He serves the contract — and only the contract.”
Physical Profile
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Height: 183 cm (6’0”)
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Build: Lean, wiry, ideal for speed and agility over brute strength
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Skin Tone: Pale, almost ghostly under certain lights
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Hair Color: Black, naturally tousled, falls slightly past his ears
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Eye Color: Piercing grey – frequently described as “cold steel” or “gunmetal”
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Dominant Hand: Right (ambidextrous in combat)
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Defining Feature: A thin scar runs along his left cheek, an early-career mistake he never speaks about
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Clothing Preference:
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Lightweight tactical coat with hidden armor
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Silent boots and gloves for infiltration
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Minimalist pouches for tools and throwing knives
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Observation:
“Even standing still, he seems like he’s listening to the shadows. Most operatives instinctively back away.”
Behavioral Profile
Mark’s silence is his most potent weapon.
He communicates in sparse words, often letting a single glance convey more than an entire speech. Witnesses report feeling unnerved, as though they are in the presence of something inhumanly patient.
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Core Traits: Calm, meticulous, unflinching, precise
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Public Demeanor:
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Cold, detached, unnerving
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Rarely speaks unless necessary
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Unshakable composure even under fire
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Private Quirks:
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Keeps a notebook of tactical sketches and observations
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Collects coins from countries where he has completed missions
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Occasionally hums faint tunes while maintaining his weapons
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Moral Alignment: True Neutral – has no ideology beyond fulfilling the contract.
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Motivations:
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Mastery of his craft
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The pursuit of perfect silence and precision
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Maintaining control in an inherently chaotic world
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Faction Perspectives
Port Mafia:
Consider him a perfect but dangerous weapon. His refusal to submit to authority keeps him from ever becoming a true member.
A Mafiosos Comment:
“You don’t own him. You rent him — and pray he doesn’t decide you’re next.”
The Guild:
They view him as a purely transactional operative. His dual heritage makes him ideal for cross-continental work, though they despise his tendency to vanish mid-negotiation.
ADA:
While Fukuzawa personally dislikes hiring him, Mark’s unparalleled precision makes him an occasional necessary evil for missions involving mass destruction or complex neutralizations.
Hunting Dogs:
The government classifies him as an “unreliable asset.” They treat him like a weapon, assigning handlers during joint operations. However, they acknowledge he’s saved more operatives than he’s endangered.
Additional Notes
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Preferred Time to Work: Night — shadows grow stronger and blend seamlessly into the environment
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Signature Pre-Mission Ritual: A moment of total stillness lasting exactly 37 seconds, as if syncing with his Ability
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Favorite Weapon (Non-Ability): Sleek, curved throwing knives designed for precision and silence
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Known Superstition: Never accepts payment in advance, believing it “curses the blade”
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Rumored Weakness: Intense, direct light sources disrupt his shadows’ cohesion — unverified
Closing Statement
Mark Griffin is no mere assassin.
He is a phenomenon, a living embodiment of the boundary between darkness and nothingness.
To speak his codename, Silent Death, is to invoke the possibility that he is already in the room, listening, waiting, and watching.
“When the world goes quiet… that’s when you know he’s already behind you.”