Kiyoshi Zankoku, as far back as he could remember, was different from his peers. Already at the age of two, he was well aware of himself, and could compete with five-year-old children in physical strength. As a smart and quick-witted boy, Kiyoshi understood early and quickly how the world around him worked and what he should do. He spent most of his time with his grandparents. They happily walked and entertained their beloved grandson in every possible way. The boy was also happy to be in their company. However, seeing that most of the children on the playground or in the kindergarten came with their parents, he could not help but ask questions about theirs. To this question, the grandmother with a sad smile explained to little Kiyoshi that his mother was very busy with her work. Keiko Zankoku lived separately from her parents and son, renting a room in an apartment building. She rarely saw her relatives, only sending money to her mother every month to take care of the boy. Kiyoshi really wanted to see his mother, because he only vaguely remembered her image.
At the age of three, he managed to fulfill his wish, but it was the worst day in the life of a little boy. He went to an amusement park with his grandparents and at the entrance they met a pretty girl. When the child heard that it was his mother in front of him, he joyfully cried out: "Mom!" and clung to her. With a happy smile, the boy looked into his mother's eyes, but the face in front of him did not express positive emotions. The woman's lips were tightly pressed together, as if she was trying not to grimace. Even at that moment, the smart boy understood that something was wrong, but continued to have fun with his family.
The worst began to happen after the park. Kiyoshi had to spend the night with his mother, when the older generation went to meet their acquaintances. As soon as they left, Keiko threw the boy's hand away and told him to follow her. Kiyoshi did not understand such a sharp change in mood, but silently followed her. Having reached the apartment, the woman allocated a sofa for her son, and began to slowly drink in the kitchen. All attempts by the boy to talk were ignored.
— Mom, but why aren't you talking to me? — Kiyoshi asked plaintively. — I missed you so much and wanted to see you.
The woman finished her drink and put the empty bottle down with two others. Her tipsy gaze focused on the fair-haired boy.
— Why are you asking? — Keiko spoke with a slightly slurred tongue. — Because I don't want to see you! — Kiyoshi shuddered from such a sharp cry, but the woman did not pay attention to this and continued, — You! Because of you, my life went downhill, — she began to point in the direction of her son, — I had a good job and a boyfriend. We were already planning to get married. Until you came along! — The woman did not pay attention to the child's sobs and began to pour out her soul again. — During a business trip, I managed to meet and have a good time with a rich foreigner, but an undesirable result occurred. As soon as I found out about the pregnancy, I decided to get rid of you. Only my parents talked me out of it.
The woman reached for a new bottle. After taking a few sips and refreshing her throat, she looked at Kiyoshi with hatred.
— As soon as Masaoru found out about my pregnancy, he called off the engagement and broke off all ties with me! I even had to quit my job because of rumors and gossip, — Keiko took another sip. — Later, I still tried to get rid of you. Various drugs and blows to the stomach did not help, — an evil smile appeared on her face as she said these words, — you just did not die.
The boy was horrified by such revelations. His own mother hated him and told him straight to his face that she tried to kill his unborn child.
— After giving birth, I simply gave you to my parents. If only I didn't have to see your face. It's annoying that I have to support you, but it can't be helped, — she shook her head with a sigh. — Mom and Dad can't handle this on their own, and I don't want to burden them any more than that.— Having finished the last bottle, the woman went to her bedroom, leaving her son in shock. Kiyoshi couldn't sleep that night. The words of his mother, no, Keiko Zankoku, kept running through his head. He couldn't consider her his mother anymore.
After everything he had heard, she did not deserve to be called a mother. The boy decided to completely ignore this woman. He had lived perfectly well without her before, so nothing would change for him now.
After that night, Kiyoshi returned to his normal life, but something inside the boy had changed. As if a seemingly unimportant bolt had been broken, but everything suddenly went downhill, like an avalanche from a mountain. No child could remain the same after something like that. Satoru and Yuki Zankoku still periodically left Kiyoshi with Keiko, blindly hoping that something would work out. The elderly couple hoped to evoke maternal feelings in their daughter and reunite the family. Seeing this, the boy did not want to upset his only family, and pretended to be happy when meeting Keiko, just like the woman herself. But as soon as these two disappeared from sight, the true attitude came out. Indifference. Absolute indifference to each other. Mother and son behaved like strangers to each other, and Keiko was happier with this than wasting time on an unloved child.
At the age of six, Kiyoshi lost his mother. If you could still call her that. The evening when the boy was spending time with Keiko again, the woman got drunk again. The next morning, the woman's body was found under the windows. Investigators ruled it an accident — while smoking on the balcony, in a state of alcoholic intoxication, Keiko fell over the railing. The elderly couple was saddened by the fate of their stupid but beloved daughter. Kiyoshi did his best not to let grief affect them, supporting his family in every way possible, as only a small child could. School was not a problem for the boy. A sharp mind allowed him to absorb new knowledge like a sponge, and his increased physical abilities helped Zankok establish himself among the other guys as the strongest. Even hooligans from older classes could not defeat Kiyoshi. Whether it was one or a group of bullies, they were all defeated and forced to submit themselves.
Realizing his advantage over the other children, Kiyoshi decided to use it. By the age of ten, the boy had learned several types of martial arts and decided to take up the bokken to try to take the path of the sword. He completely headed his school, like an unofficial king. All the bullies obeyed him unquestioningly, if they did not want to be beaten and lie in the trauma room explaining that you were beaten by a child. Now Kiyoshi was not deprived of money, taking it from the bullies, this was able to ease the pressure on his family. The boy paid most of the costs for clothing and food himself. When asked "where did this money come from?" he only justified himself by taking up a part—time job as a newspaper delivery boy. Zankoku really did leave the house every day early in the morning, but only for the sake of training his body and skills.
By thirteen, Kiyoshi was the leader of his gang and one of the three leaders in the city. None of them got involved in really "dark" affairs, so the yakuza did not touch the youngsters, but only looked at them. In the future, these teenagers could become members of their family.
Kiyoshi was lying on the roof of an abandoned warehouse, enjoying the sunny day. This building had become a base for the entire gang for a year, where they stored some of their supplies or could live for a couple of days. Looking at the passing clouds, the guy thought about his future.
"Soon I will be fourteen years old. This means that middle school is coming to an end and I will have to decide: either look for a normal job or go to high school, after which I will still look for a job, but with a larger choice, — The guy let out a heavy sigh before returning to his thoughts: — I don't want to be an office plankton! Working to return home, and in the morning again going to a hated job — this is not for me. But what else can I do? You can't make much money from petty hooliganism, and I need to support my grandparents. Then there's the army or the yakuza. In the self-defense forces, I'll have stability and minimal risk in peacetime. In the yakuza, on the contrary, there's a danger every day of either going to jail or dying in a showdown. Although with my unusual body and regeneration, it's not that easy to kill me."
A shadow fell on the guy's face, but he didn't show that he was surprised.
— You're here as usual, Kiyoshi, — the dark-haired guy addressed his leader.
— Shin, you know that I think better here.
Shin, or Shinichi, is Kiyoshi's friend and deputy. They met each other in childhood and became best friends. Shin was smart, and therefore he was not interested in other children until he met the fair-haired hooligan. The brunette always supported his friend and became his right hand not only for his good brains, but also for his unusual intuition. Shin always knew whether a person was lying to him or not. This sixth sense helped his friends in their difficult work more than once.
— I know, — Shinichi sat down next to his leader. — What are you thinking about this time?
— About the future.
— And how?
— It's difficult! — the blond sighed. — If I decide to join the yakuza and become a big shot there, will you join me?
Kiyoshi was already used to constant fights and feelings of power over others, so the life of a criminal seemed closer to the guy.
— Only for the position of right hand. I don't want to be an errand boy, — Shin grinned, adjusting his glasses.
— Deal! I can trust you with my back, unlike the others, — the "young yakuza" briskly stood up. — So why were you looking for me?
The relaxed atmosphere disappeared, and now on the roof were not two cheerful friends, but the leader of the gang and his deputy.
— Zaraki from the western district is asking for trouble again. His men beat up several of ours.
— And they hide again when we try to catch them, — the blond confirmed rather than asked.
— Yes. Godo is provoking us again, — Shin confirmed.
— I'll figure out how to deal with him and his guys. It's time to show Zaraki his place, — Kiyoshi grinned. He was used to responding to his offenders a thousand times stronger. If they decided to provoke him and beat up his subordinates, then Zankoku would destroy the enemy and all his people.
— And also, — the words of his friend brought the blond out of his plans for revenge, — Yuri brought a new girl there. The girl worked part—time on our territory as an exorcist or a priest, I still don't understand.
— You've interested me. Let's go.
Coming down from the roof, Kiyoshi saw a black—haired girl of about ten years old in a priestess's robe. She was talking to two other girls from his gang. Yuri and Mito were a year older than their leader and were responsible for the base and supplies. Food, medicine and other necessary things were in their power. The girls were able to find a common language with the guest and were chatting with her nicely.
— So this is our newly-minted exorcist, — the guy said loudly to attract attention. — I think she's a little young for a priestess? Are you lost, little one? Or did you decide to earn some goodies and decided to earn extra money by reading prayers?
Although the guy's voice was friendly, the young priestess hid behind one of the girls.
— Here you are, Boss, — Yuri exclaimed energetically. — Were you lounging around and looking at the clouds again?
— Ah, Yuri, your words sound like I'm some kind of lazy person, — the blond pretended to clutch his heart.
— Ha-ha-ha, Kyo, you're as carefree as always when no one's looking, — the second girl, Mito, grinned. She stroked the girl's head: — Don't be afraid of him, Akeno. Kiyoshi is not a bad person, if you don't try to harm him.
— Yeah. The boss is cool, the main thing is not to anger him and everything will be fine!
The girls' encouragement worked. The priestess stepped forward and bowed to Zankaku.
— Good afternoon. My name is Akeno Himejima, and I'm a traveling priestess.
— Hello. You can call me Kiyoshi or Zankaku, whichever is more convenient for you, — the guy smiled amiably. — I'm kind of the big Boss here and I heard from my subordinate that you offered to exorcise evil spirits and stuff. Does it work?
— Y-yes, Kiyoshi-san. — Although the expression on the young man's face was friendly, his cold eyes scared Akeno. — I was born in the Himejima clan and have the qualifications of a temple priestess.
— Wow! So small, and already an official priestess. How old are you now? Ten, nine?
— I'm ten now.
— So why are you doing this alone, little Akeno? — Zankoku asked. — Where are your parents and where do you live? You know, it's dangerous to do this alone. Let's just take you home, and you won't try to make money like this anymore, otherwise bad people can harm you.
The girl's eyes watered and she burst into tears, which left the blond in a stupor.
— Boss, you're an idiot! — the girls rushed to console the little girl.
— And what kind of reaction is this? I didn't threaten her, — the guy was truly surprised.
— A-ask, — the girl said, still sobbing, — I didn't w-want to, it's just that my m-mom died. And I was left alone, — Akeno needed a little more time to fully return to normal.
— What about this Himejima clan of yours? — Shin asked.
— They kicked me out. I was left alone and I have nowhere to go, so I started earning money as a priestess.
— It's strange, but oh well, — noticing his friend's slight nod, Kiyoshi continued: — Since you're in such a difficult situation, I can help you.
— Really? — the girl's eyes sparkled, a chance to fix her dire situation appeared before her, — Can you really help me?
— Of course, little Akeno, — the blond ruffled the priestess's hair, — but it won't be for free.
— What do you want from me? — Himejima immediately became wary.
— Oh, don't worry. You'll just give me a third of your earnings, and in return you'll get a roof over your head, food, and protection on our territory, — Kiyoshi explained his conditions and calmed the wild imagination of his interlocutor. — Yuri, you live alone now, right? Can you shelter the little one for now?
— No problem, Boss. Mom ran off with a new lover and the house is at my complete disposal until the end of next week.
— Excellent! — he looked towards Akeno. — As you can see, they've already found a roof over your head. Now it's all up to you. Do you agree with these conditions or not?
— Yes, I agree.
— That's great, — Zankoku smiled. — Welcome to the gang, little Akeno.