Kozuna
The blare of our engine and the noise of rifles blasting rang through our ears... Leaning outside the doorway, I reflexively grabbed the edge of the buggy's roof with one hand and started shooting with the other.
I pulled the trigger of my gun several times, firing off a few warning shots to try and make the Bahsin back off. However, they only sped up, trying to pincer us in between...
"They're coming from both sides! Kozuna, take that one out! Yvira, get the other one!"
Nazun didn't know Yvira was deathly scared of fighting, so situations like this were not where her brilliance could shine. And that was when he found out her "weak" side...
Yvira covered her face with her hands.
"I can't! I don't like fighting!"
Nazun grabbed her shirt with one hand, steering with the other.
"Listen, lady, we're about to be killed... It's either us or them, and it ain't about to be us! Grab my rifle and USE IT!"
Well... He's getting... physical...
Yvira slowly reached for the rifle but pulled her palms away and refused. I heard the beginnings of a one-sided argument in the background and exhaled in annoyance. Nazun swerved around in an attempt to avoid the shots being fired. But... all he ended up doing was making it hard for me to aim. I wasted a lot of bullets, missing the targets.
I ducked back into the buggy once again, smacking the side of Nazun's head.
"Damn it, you fucking substitue teacher! Hold it steady! I can't aim right while you're busy zigzagging all over the fucking place!"
I hastily ejected the clip from my gun and reloaded. And that time, I climbed up top and crouched, pushing my hand flat against the roof.
Forget trying to stay a bit safer… No risk, no reward…
With the wind rushing against my body and my hair blowing far back from my skull, the Bahsin were gaining on us... I had to become more precise in handling Nazun's erratic movements; it wasn't like I just had infinite ammunition lying around... My first target was the rear tire of the buggy on my left…
Following the closing of a single eye and the total concentration of what felt like every cell in my body, I let loose a single bullet that not only pierced the tire but also the wheel itself. Sparks flew at that moment, and throughout the few seconds I had been aiming in, I felt a strange surge of… something... in my body… And time seemed to slow down.
My left hand was twitching, despite having been pressed down against the roof the entire time.
Almost immediately, one buggy fell behind, but the other one was nearly right next to us. And to top it off, the Bahsin vehicles were covered entirely with doors, windows, and a roof. So I couldn't just jump in…
It was only a matter of time before I realized their windows were rolled down, and the guns were pointing at Nazun and me...
"Hold on tight!"
I quickly banged on the roof, leaving an indent with my fist.
"Wait, you drillbit! There's nothing for me to hold on to!"
Nazun had apparently tugged a hidden lever under the driver's seat- like a little bitch- and our ride shot forward with zero hesitation. The sudden force of the wind and the speed of the car nearly sent me flying. I flicked my gun back into the holster and stabbed one of my knives through the roof, gripping as tight as possible. The ignition went from the normal purring to an ear-piercing roar in seconds. Flames shot from the exhaust pipes wildly, and we began dusting the Bahsin buggy.
The one that was just next to us didn't just give up. Instead, the Bahsin used some OTHER form of turbo boost to catch up not even a minute later... I almost fell off the roof but managed to stand, despite everything happening. Crossing my arms in front of my face, more bullets zipped by me. But only one grazed my face, leaving blood dripping from my cheek...
And now I'm gonna have a scar... Lovely...
"Get close to them! I'm gonna hop on that buggy!"
Yvira peeked out of the buggy and met eyes with me.
"Are you crazy? We know you're skilled Kozuna, but come on! How are you gonna change the world if you die? This isn't a movie! It's real life!"
"I don't plan on dying here! Also, I don't have a backup plan, cause all forms of planning are for losers! And one more thing, Yvira… My life IS a movie!"
I pulled my knuckle knife from the roof, twirling it around my index finger, readying myself to perform an entirely dumb idea. As Nazun slowed down and the enemies rushed forward, I timed my leap from one vehicle to another. And momentarily, I had landed- somewhat safely- on their roof.
Once again, I stabbed my knuckle knife through a roof, then started blasting at their front tires. In response, they tried shooting through the roof, but I simply popped their easy-to-hit rears- all while the driver was failing to keep the buggy steady.
Their bullets had gone all around me, surprisingly. Not that I was complaining.
Just like the previous buggy, they quickly lost control, unable to continue the chase. I promptly jerked the knife out of the roof and sheathed my weapons. Then, I took my grappling gun in hand and fired at the side of Nazun's buggy.
I don't want to kill these people, but I can't have them trying to follow us, so I need to hurry before they try to steal my gun.
I'd managed to get the hook to sink in. But just as I was about to click the trigger and fly back over, someone grabbed my ankle.
One of the Bahsin marauders was holding on tight with one hand.
"You're not getting away, you Ozukashi piece of trash! You were one of the people who stole our water! We'll kill you, Ozukashi Kozuna!"
Not the first to threaten to kill me, I'm not impressed, but… No mention of Jigen, huh?
I swapped my grappling gun to my left hand while trying to yank my leg free. It was apparent he wouldn't let go; the dude's entire body was damn near hanging out the window, while his other hand was holding onto something inside for dear life.
"Sorry in advance for this, but I'm in a rush."
In a hurry, I grabbed my knife and stabbed his hand, but he still wouldn't budge...
"GAH," he shrieked, saliva dripping from his lips as his eyelids briefly shut.
Seeing no other options, I twisted the blade around in his hand, causing him to scream even more until his grip loosened. Then, I snatched the knife out of his hand-wound and kicked him in the head. His body flopped backward, and he fell out of the vehicle. I felt terrible for him, but there was no time to waste. Subsequently, I pulled the trigger and flew back to the hook.
When I eventually reached our buggy, Yvira was still inside, covering her face in fear.
"You okay? Yvira?"
She looked at me silently, with a fearful look on her face.
"I... think she's... a bit shaken up from the encounter... Did you at least take care of them? I can see why you were picked for that water mission, but not her..."
"I didn't kill them. But their vehicles won't be able to easily follow us, and at least one of them is badly wounded. Also, don't talk about Yvira like that, you have no clue what she's capable of."
Nazun glared at me through his rearview, that evil saying it all...
"Why didn't you kill them?! They're invading our territory, THEY'RE THE ENEMIES! How in the hell did you get picked for that mission either? You're just as useless if you kill them! Fucking children!"
My expression went from one of concern to anger, just as fast as his did... My left hand was twitching again...
"Fuck is that supposed to mean? I can kill, I choose not to! People like you are just cold-hearted, bloodthirsty murderers with no sense of right and wrong. You know, one of them called me an Ozukashi piece of trash... How do you think that makes me feel? A constant reminder that probably thousands of people are gonna die a slow, debilitating death of dehydration… If they don't get killed first... And for what? So our clan of killers can survive another day? Isn't it enough that those people might die? You think I should lessen their days even MORE?"
Nazun sucked his teeth, and the buggy went silent in conversation. Yvira gazed at me, and her eyes flicked back and forth. From me to Nazun, over and over. I noticed her but didn't say a word. We weren't even officially on the mission, and I had already grown tired of our new substitute...
"If and when they return, kill them, Kozuna. Stop showing mercy to our enemies. Has no one told you before? In the fucked up world we live in, only the strong survive. You were lucky to be born into one of the strongest clans, but you're acting like the catalyst for our destruction... I've seen it before… If you continue to leave enemies alive, people that threaten your life, how do you think that will end up for you? Huh? They're gonna take revenge, and they'll do it when you least want them to. Just like what happened a few minutes ago..."
"And so what'll happen if I do kill them? Someone else comes to avenge their fallen comrade's death! What does killing them solve? I won't take the life of another human being, not if I have a choice..."
Yvira tried to calm us down, but no words came out of her mouth. She was acting unusual, and I figured she would feel safe around her new boy toy. But… regardless, I still cared. She was clearly… not herself...
"Well, we'll just see about that… If my life, or... Yvira's... is put in danger by those same people... I'm holding you responsible, Kozuna."
"Heh... Yeah, cause that'll teach me..."
This guy really pisses me off… Wonder how long it'll be until we end up fighting...
"Putting aside the current issue, we need to make a slight detour. My buggy needs fixing, some of those bullets hit the fuel tank, and it's leaking fast. I can see a town in the distance, we'll have to head there."
"Fine. Try not to take too much time though..."
***
Nazun was taking us to Sanzo, a little town to the northwest of Jigen. It was a sort of rest stop for scouts who traveled abroad. Naturally, it was a town with repair stations for buggies. And along with that, a small hospital for injured personnel. However, since Sanzo was not on the train route, I couldn't expect to find any clues for the mystery.
There were also very few buildings, though the small town was walled off like a miniature fortress. Everything literally fit on one street.
Since there would most likely be nothing of value to aid in our problem, I decided to take Yvira and try to calm her down a little once we arrived. It was precisely the reason I didn't want to bring her because she always froze up in sticky situations, and I didn't have Nikai or Anari there to help...
So by the time we were headed to Sanzo, she was afraid to move even the slightest inch. Physically, she was unharmed. Mentally, however, was a different story...
When we finally reached the town, the gas in Nazun's buggy had almost outright run dry. We were lucky enough to make it there without having to push the vehicle through sand or call for help...
"You focus on getting that thing repaired. I'm gonna try to help Yvira out a bit."
Nazun nodded slowly and turned away.
"Yeah, just... take it easy with her..."
Nazun instantly took his keys and went to find a mechanic while I went around the other side and held my hand out to Yvira, though she didn't budge. Yvira stayed in the seat with an uneasy expression written on her face. She didn't even verbally answer. She just stared out the front with her eyes wide...
I lightly tugged her several times.
"Earth to Yvira... Come on, let's go take a walk."
She tried and tried to make herself talk but couldn't. Eventually, I firmly gripped her hand but gently pulled her from the seat and to her feet.
"Yvira, talk to me. If something's the matter, you can tell me. We've been friends for a while, there's nothing that could ever change that..."
Before I knew it, tears began rolling down Yvira's face. She flung her face into my chest and started crying, holding onto me like I was her protector. Still, I had no clue what she was feeling. I just... wrapped my arms around her back and held tight, without saying a word. There was definitely more to it than just the firefight, though...
At some point, I loosened my grip and tried letting go of her. But Yvira opened her eyes and held on tighter.
"Yvira... Let's go somewhere and talk. Just tell me what's bothering you." She, at last, let go of my body and took a few steps past me, walking into the town. And as Yvira went further in, I jogged to her side and grabbed her wrist. "Come on, we-"
My heartbeat throbbed intensely out of nowhere. The sensation of a bullet entering my body stopped my words instantly, and my hand started tingling... Yvira turned around to see some of the Bahsin clan members hooking up Nazun's buggy to theirs and slapping a sheet of paper on the town gates. I fell to the ground next to Yvira, groaning in pain, vision blurring, and bleeding out fast...
And while I was breathing hard, lurching on the ground at the gate. Yvira yet again froze up. She didn't know what to do or how to handle what was going on. The Bahsin tires had seemingly been replaced already, and they caught up quickly, only to leave in a hurry.
A large group of people ran over to see the commotion, all gasping in shock at the sight of a man drenched in blood. A couple of people came over to help. Several nearby citizens called for assistance, and another man even wrapped his shirt around the bullet wound...
"Call for a doctor!"
"We need help over here! This man's been shot!"
My moaning and groaning grew louder as the shirt was tied tightly around the bullet hole.
"Arrghhh... Ughhh..."
Soon enough, Nazun and his newfound repairman appeared...
"Yvira, what the hell happened? Where's my buggy? How did the kid get shot?"
She attempted to speak, but once again, nothing came out of her mouth.
Nazun pulled Yvira up to her feet by her shirt and slapped her twice.
"Get a fucking hold of yourself! Tell me what happened!"
...what a… mess...
Tears started rolling down her face yet again, but Nazun just dropped her back to the ground with a grunt of pure frustration. Multiple people around us looked at him in disgust, and some of them were yelling. But others began carrying me to the hospital, choosing not to wait for medical personnel… At least a few bystanders had some degree of competence...
Yvira nervously lifted her shaking arm and pointed at the paper they left. Nazun hurried over and snatched it off the wall. His eyes scanned the document, reading aloud what it said.
"The Ozukashi stole what was ours. First, we'll start with your buggy, but soon we'll take lives. The person who was shot was just a warning. Want your buggy back, and no more deaths? Come to the north gate of Jigen with your clan leader, and give us back our water source. You've got three days."
Nazun crumpled up the paper and violently stuffed it in his pocket. Arms crossed, Nazun turned his attention right back to blaming Yvira...
"Yvira, why didn't you stop them? You do realize, this will hinder our investigation, right?" Nazun groaned loudly and angrily, clenching his fists in the growing distance... "Much as I hate to say it, I wish that damn bullet hit you and not the other kid. At least he knows how to fight..."
My eyes widened at what he said; Nazun was still loud enough to hear even while I was being carried away. Hard to ignore, with the particular brand of bullshit he brought to the table...
"I might hate that Kozuna, but he can hold his own. You're just so fucking useless!"
She's not useless… and she'll prove it to you, fucking... loser...
Nazun turned from the gate and began stomping away...
"...I guess I'll have to call for backup... Such a fucking piece of shit, good for nothing squad… A leader who can't get up after an injury, a girl who can't fight, a kid who won't kill, and some other rambunctious idiot without an intelligent thought in his brain..."
Nazun was almost out of sight in minutes. I didn't know where he was going, but I was losing concern for it... With my vision fading out, I saw Yvira dragging her feet in my direction.
This mission... Can't wait to... see how much… worse… it gets...