Jin's pov
The moment the battle began, none of us hesitated. We charged headfirst into the Akami Army's forces, confident that we could take them down despite being outnumbered. Numbers don't matter when you have the right people fighting alongside you. I trust my team—especially Ryu and Kev. No matter how strong the opponents we're facing are, I know we can surpass them.
I expected Akami to engage in the fight immediately, but to my surprise, he simply walked to the back along with his co-leader, Satoshi Cruz, and a few of his captains. He casually sat on a bench, arms crossed, watching us as if this was nothing but a show for him.
What the hell is he thinking? Is he running away?!
"If you really want to fight me, pass through all of them first," Akami said, his voice laced with amusement.
So that's his plan? Fine then. I'll crush every single one of his lackeys if that's what it takes to get to him.
I surged forward, fists clenched, ready to break through their defenses. Ken, Ryu, and the Maki brothers flanked my right, while Briana, Kev, and Jerzey took the left. The rest of the Crows Zero members, including Atsushi and Kise, fought behind us, ensuring no one from Akami's side could sneak up on us.
The moment we collided, fists and kicks flew in every direction. I slammed my fist into the first guy I encountered, knocking him back before grabbing another by the collar and driving my forehead into his skull with a brutal headbutt. Damn, that hurt. His head is as hard as their damn leader's.
All around me, my team was holding their ground. Ken was taking down enemies as if he was playing a simple game, making it look effortless. I couldn't let them have all the spotlight. I had to take out as many enemies as I could. Spotting an opening, I delivered a powerful front kick to my next opponent, following it up with a vicious right hook that sent him sprawling.
Just as I was about to move forward, I caught sight of a fist coming straight for my face. I ducked, barely avoiding it—only to be met with a sharp knee strike to my ribs. Pain shot through my side, and before I could react, two Akami Army members grabbed me, pinning my arms and rendering me immobile. The third guy took full advantage, delivering repeated punches to my face and gut.
"Jin!"
Ken's voice cut through the chaos. He must've seen me struggling. In an instant, he was at my side, his fist connecting with the guy holding my right arm. The impact sent my attacker staggering, giving me just enough leeway to counter. I drove my free fist into the other one's jaw, breaking their hold on me.
Ken positioned himself behind me, keeping watch over my back. "Don't let your guard down," he warned. "I'll cover your rear. Just keep moving forward."
I nodded, regaining my footing and pushing ahead. Whoever stood in my way, I made sure they regretted it.
"Ryu! Briana! Open a path for me!" I commanded.
Ryu and Briana instantly took action, shifting to the front lines, clearing out every opponent who dared approach. With them leading the charge, the road to Akami was within my grasp. Just a little more, and I would reach him—
Then, out of nowhere, my body was sent crashing to the ground.
Pain exploded through me, radiating from the brutal impact of a single, devastating punch. My vision spun as I struggled to process what had just happened. When I looked up, I saw that Ryu and Briana had also been taken down alongside me.
Standing before us was none other than Akami's co-leader, Satoshi Cruz.
He stared at me with an expressionless face, his fists still raised from the attack that knocked us down in an instant.
"If you want to take on Akami," he said, his voice eerily calm, "You have to get through me first"
________________________________________
Satoshi's pov
"Man, it's kinda disappointing how these weaklings are having all the fun," I muttered, leaning lazily against the bench. The sound of fists landing, bodies crashing to the ground, and war cries filled the air, yet here I was—just watching. My fingers twitched in frustration. I was itching for a fight, but Akami had made it clear: let Jin and his men come to us instead of us charging at them. Typical Akami, always calculated, always composed. I've gotten used to his strategies, but damn, I was getting impatient.
"Yeah, you seem so bored," Akami finally spoke, his tone indifferent. His golden eyes remained fixated on the battlefield ahead, as if he already knew the outcome.
"I want to fight, Akami!" I growled, my hands balling into fists. "I want to take on Crows Zero's strongest! Ken! Jin! Anyone who can actually put up a damn fight!"
For a moment, he stayed silent, then, finally, a small smirk formed on his lips. "Yeah, go on. Let loose."
A grin spread across my face before I could even stop it. This is what I had been waiting for. Finally, I could go all out. "Don't hold back, Toshi," Akami added, his voice calm, yet firm.
I gave him a thumbs-up before launching myself forward. "Let me through!" I barked at my own men, and they instantly scrambled to the side, giving me a direct path toward the heart of the battle. My eyes locked onto two approaching figures—Ryu Hyuga and Briana Naomi. Perfect. They're the first ones who will witness my wrath. How lucky can they get?
As I charged, some low-ranking Crows member stupidly got in my way, swinging a desperate punch at me. Pathetic. I easily dodged and countered with a right uppercut, sending him sprawling to the ground. Not even worth my sweat.
My real targets were getting closer. Then, I saw him—the real prize. Jin Yagami. Hiding behind Briana and Ryu, watching, calculating. My excitement surged. Three birds with one stone.
I bulldozed through the battlefield, knocking down every worthless opponent in my path. None of them mattered. My goal was clear. My lips curled into a grin as I reached Ryu and Briana.
Ryu lunged first. Brave, but reckless. I caught his movement easily. Without hesitation, I threw a devastating right hook straight at his jaw. The impact sent him staggering backward. If that's all it took to drop him, he's still not strong enough.
Briana stepped up next. Unlike Ryu, she was fast and had a sharper fighting style. She aimed a clean, straight punch at my face. Admirable. But predictable. I caught her fist mid-air with my bare hand and, in one swift motion, sent a reverse kick to her midsection. She coughed, stumbling back.
And then, finally—Jin.
He took a step forward, his gaze locked onto me. There was no fear, only determination. But I could see it—his exhaustion, the slight hesitation in his stance. He was still recovering from earlier blows, yet here he was, standing against me.
Perfect.
"If you want to take on Akami," I declared, cracking my knuckles as I loomed over him."You have to get through me first"
Jin wiped the blood trickling from the side of his mouth. "So the Co-Leader himself finally decided to show up, huh?" His voice was steady, but I could hear the strain.
Without warning, he swung at me—twice. A left jab, then a right cross. I effortlessly parried both with my forearms. He followed up with a front kick aimed at my stomach, but I lifted my knee, blocking it with ease. That's all he's got? Pathetic.
"You're so desperate to fight, yet you can't even land a single hit? You're making me laugh," I taunted. I could see the frustration flicker in his eyes, and it only fueled my excitement.
Before he could react, I struck. A devastating straight punch to his face, sending him reeling. I didn't stop there. As he staggered, I drove my fist into his gut, a brutal body blow that knocked the wind out of him. He dropped to his knees, gasping.
I grabbed him by the hair, forcing him to look up at me. "Don't you dare mock me, peasant. I'm stronger than Akami himself."
To emphasize my words, I lifted my foot and stomped down onto his chest, pinning him to the ground. His body jolted at the impact, his breath hitching. The battlefield around us blurred into the background—this moment was mine.
He struggled under my foot, but I pressed down harder. "Giving up already? How disappointing. I expected more from the so-called leader of Crows Zero."
________________________________________
Jin's pov
He's stronger than Akami, huh? Figures.
Satoshi Cruz, the so-called Co-Leader of the Akami Army, stood over me, his foot pressing against my chest like I was nothing more than a mere nuisance. I gritted my teeth, trying to push him off, but he barely budged. It was like trying to move a boulder with my bare hands.
I felt the weight of exhaustion creeping in, my body screaming at me to give up. But I couldn't. I wouldn't. I was the one who started this fight—I had to be the one to end it.
Gathering every last bit of my strength, I grabbed his ankle, twisted it just enough to throw him off balance, and shoved his foot off me. My lungs burned as I gasped for air, forcing myself back onto my feet. No sooner had I steadied myself than I saw Satoshi's fist flying toward me. There was no way to dodge it—it was coming too fast, too strong. My arms moved on instinct to block the blow, but before it could land—
Ken yanked me back, pulling me out of harm's way.
"Let us handle him. Stay back." His voice was firm, almost commanding.
Ken, Kev, Jerzey, Jake, and Jerome stepped forward, standing between me and Satoshi. No matter how strong he is, he issn't invincible. He couldn't take them all on at once.
"Jin! Let's go, we need to move!" Kise's voice rang out, sharp and urgent. I turned to see him and Atsushi already advancing toward Akami. The bastard was still seated, watching, waiting—his captains beside him, imposing and unbothered. They exuded a maddening sense of calm, as if this entire battle was beneath them, a mere inconvenience rather than a fight for dominance.
Not anymore.
As soon as Kise called out, Akami finally stood from his seat, rolling his shoulders like he had just woken from a nap. His captains followed suit, stepping forward, their expressions unreadable.
Three against three.
I wasn't sure if we could win, but we sure as hell weren't going down without a fight.
I took a deep breath, locking eyes with Akami. The six of us stood still, staring, waiting—none of us making the first move. The air between us was thick, heavy. The wind whipped around me, but all I could hear was the pounding of my own heartbeat. My mouth felt dry. My muscles were tense.
Then, in one swift motion, we moved.
Akami lunged at me the same moment I lunged at him. He threw a punch, aiming straight for my jaw, but I ducked just in time. With all the force I could muster, I countered with a straight punch to his chest, feeling the impact reverberate through my knuckles.
He stumbled back a step, but it wasn't enough to bring him down. He recovered fast—too fast—and retaliated with a powerful right hook. I couldn't dodge in time. Pain exploded through my cheek as the punch connected, sending me reeling.
We exchanged blow after blow, neither of us willing to back down. My fists ached, my vision blurred at the edges, but I refused to stop. Every hit I landed was met with an equally devastating counter. I could feel blood trickling down my lip, but so what? This was a battle, and I wasn't going to lose.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught glimpses of Kise and Atsushi, both locked in their own fights against Drake Perez and Renz Hozon. They were holding their own, but just barely. This isn't going to be easy.
Then, just as I was about to throw another punch, something else caught my attention—
Claine.
She was running toward us, her eyes wide with panic, her body already battered from an earlier fight. But something was off.
Where's Kai?
She wasn't with her.
A sinking feeling settled in my gut as Claine pushed through the crowd, her voice cutting through the battlefield.
"JIN!" She was screaming, desperation lacing her tone. My heart pounded harder. "IT'S SISTER KAI!"
Kai?
"The Phantom Six took MY SISTER!"
Everything around me came to a screeching halt.
The fighting, the shouting, even my own breathing—it all stopped.
Kai... was taken?
Even the Akami Army seemed momentarily frozen, their members exchanging confused glances.
I felt my hands clench into fists so tightly that my knuckles turned white. My head spun. The Phantom Six—those bastards. They took Kai.
A slow, burning rage began to rise inside me, consuming every other thought, every ounce of pain, every trace of exhaustion.
They took her?
I'm going to get her back.
And I'm going to make them pay.
_________________________________________
Kailey's pov
"Sis! You're always so slow! You keep insisting that we commute, but you're the one dragging your feet!" Claine kept nagging at me while I hurriedly stuffed my school supplies into my bag.
It was still early. It wasn't like school was going to vanish if we didn't arrive right on time.
"Shut up, Claine! You're so noisy!" I groaned, rolling my eyes. She just wouldn't stop. It was starting to seriously get on my nerves.
"You're so rude, sis! Yet here I am still kind enough to accompany you, hmmp!" She huffed, crossing her arms.
Yeah, I was the one who insisted we commute today. I just missed the feeling of taking a bus ride, but I didn't want to go alone. That's why I kept pestering her to join me.
After finally getting all my things together, we left the house and headed to the bus stop near our village. The streets were still relatively quiet, the morning air crisp and cool. Everything seemed fine—until we saw them.
Three familiar figures stood near an electrical post, flanked by several other guys. They weren't just loitering. They were waiting for something... or someone.
Bad news.
I stopped in my tracks, instinctively grabbing Claine's wrist. My heart pounded as I met Hero So's gaze. He had already spotted us.
"Prepare to fight, Claine," I muttered under my breath, shifting into a defensive stance. "But when I say run, you run. Tell everyone about this."
Claine stiffened beside me but gave a sharp nod. She understood the situation just as well as I did. There was no way to talk our way out of this.
Before we could react, the members of the Phantom Six rushed toward us. No choice but to fight.
The first guy lunged at me. I threw a solid punch to his jaw, knocking him out cold. The second managed to land a kick aimed at my face, but I blocked it just in time. With a swift spin, I delivered a reverse kick to his ribs, sending him crashing to the pavement.
"Sis! I need backup!" Claine's desperate voice rang out. I turned just in time to see her being cornered by Jiro Matsuda, Ivan Yuroiji, and a few other Phantom Six members.
No way was I letting them gang up on her.
I dashed toward them, driving a sharp kick into Jiro's waist and following up with a punch aimed at Ivan's jaw. It was enough to make them stagger back.
"Claine, run. Now!" I ordered, eyes never leaving our enemies.
"But, sis—"
"I said move! Now!" I roared.
For a split second, she hesitated. Then, she turned and ran.
Good. At least she was safe.
Now, I could fight without worrying about her.
But... something was wrong.
None of them were attacking me anymore.
Ivan Yuroiji was sighed, and Hero So's gaze was sharp with something almost... amused.
"We're not here to fight you," Ivan said, tilting his head. "We just need you to come with us."
I barely had time to react before Hero So pulled out a small spray bottle and released a strange mist into my face.
My vision swam.
My head spun.
My limbs felt heavy.
Damn it. What... what was this?
I tried to throw a punch, but my movements were sluggish. My body wasn't responding the way I wanted it to. My legs buckled beneath me, and before I could even process what was happening, darkness swallowed me whole.
***
A dull ache throbbed in my head as I slowly opened my eyes.
Where... am I?
The room was dimly lit. Unfamiliar. My body felt sluggish, but I forced myself to sit up, scanning my surroundings.
Then, I saw him.
Shiro was seated casually on a sofa near the door, a cigarette hanging loosely between his fingers.
"You're awake, huh?" he mused, exhaling a cloud of smoke. "Did you sleep well?"
I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms.
"What the fuck do you want with me, Shiro?" My voice was steady, calm—too calm. There was no point in screaming. Not yet.
"Honestly? This has nothing to do with you," he replied nonchalantly, taking another drag of his cigarette.
"Then why the hell did you kidnap me?" My voice sharpened with anger.
He exhaled slowly, letting the smoke curl in the air. "Because this way, I can lure him out of the shadows and make Jin Yagami burst out in anger."
Lure him?
Jin?
My stomach twisted.
"What are you planning to do?" My voice was low, dangerous. I shot up from the bed and grabbed Shiro by the collar. "If you do anything to Jin, I swear to God, I'll—"
"Relax." He easily pried my hands off him and leaned back on the sofa, stretching his legs onto the table. "I won't hurt him that bad."
Not that bad?
Rage boiled inside me. If he laid a single finger on Jin—
Shiro smirked. "Since you're here anyway... want to hear an interesting story?"
_________________________________________
Jin's pov
"What should we do now, Jin?"
To be honest, I have no idea what to do right now. If I make a decision in this state, I'll just be driven by my anger, and that might be our downfall. I know it was a mistake to fight the Akami Army earlier, but I still chose to do it. However, this situation is different. I can't act recklessly if I truly want to save Kai. We need a solid plan—one that ensures we take her back safely.
We are all gathered in the hideout. After Claine told us that the Phantom Six had taken Kai, Akami withdrew all of his armies, including his co-leader, Satoshi Cruz, who had been running wild during the battle. I don't understand why he suddenly retreated, but honestly, I'm thankful. Even though we clearly lost that fight, at least now we have a chance to regroup and figure out our next move. Right now, all that matters is getting Kai back from the Phantom Six.
"We need a solid plan," I said, breaking the silence. "I know Shiro Ryota planned this from the start, but I have no idea what he wants or what he stands to gain from this." Shiro's mind is a complete mystery to me. I don't understand why he's doing this, and it's starting to piss me off. I want to destroy him so badly that a part of me wants to attack his hideout right now. But I can't. I won't. That would only put Kai in even more danger.
"In that case, we should find a way to contact Shiro and ask what he wants."
I turned toward Briana, who was sitting beside me. Everyone was worried about Kai. I could see it in their faces. And, honestly, I had to admit that contacting Shiro might be our only option right now.
"Ken, do you still have a way to reach Shiro?" I asked. Ken used to be his co-leader, his friend. If anyone had a connection to him, it would be Ken.
Ken sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I still have his contact information, but knowing him, he'll contact us himself."
That made sense. If Shiro had orchestrated all of this, then he would make his move soon enough. We just had to be ready when he did.
"All we need now is a strong ally. And I have no idea who we can turn to," I muttered, frustrated.
No matter what we do, we can't avoid a fight. That much is obvious. We need to prepare for it, but in our current state, we have no chance of defeating the Phantom Six. Blake is still unconscious, and Kai has been taken. The odds are completely against us.
"You're right," Ryu added. "If only we could find someone strong enough to fight with us."
"Maybe I'm the one you need."
A deep, unfamiliar voice echoed through the room. I turned my head sharply toward the entrance, and my eyes landed on a man I had only seen once before.
"Long time no see, Kev, Ken, Briana." He paused, his gaze shifting toward me. "You as well, Jin Yagami."
Briana gasped, standing up so quickly that her chair nearly tipped over. Her hands flew to her mouth as if she had just seen a ghost.
"Is that really you? Akira?" she whispered, her voice shaking.
The man smirked slightly.
"Yes. And I have returned..."