The alleys of Darkova were crowded with merchants and passersby when Ken's group began walking through the masses, until their steps stopped all at once. Someone was approaching from afar with slow, confident strides. A killer charisma. A presence that cut through the fog itself. It was Akira.
His long black coat swayed behind him, and his red eyes glowed. He didn't say a word, yet people instinctively stepped aside, lowering their heads as if merely looking at him could bring a curse.
Then a voice rose from among the crowd:
"That bastard… did he come to kidnap someone new for Terracula?!"
Akira didn't even blink. He walked past the man as if nothing was said, a smug smile on his face as he continued between the wary onlookers. As he advanced, his attention drifted to a group near one of the stalls: a man in his mid-twenties was smoking a cigarette and leaning back with hollow confidence, surrounded by his friends. He didn't expect Akira to be anywhere near him… and unfortunately, he didn't notice him.
The man said to his friends:
"Man, I can't believe how boring Darkova has become these days. Nothing interesting happens anymore."
His friend chuckled quietly:
"Oh, aren't you happy with your stable life now, Mart? You're a merchant. No need to brawl in the streets anymore."
Mart let out a smug laugh:
"Do you really think I was just a troublemaker as a kid? No, my friend… I used to control some rats in the neighborhood and show them their proper place!"
A girl beside him laughed:
"I'd really like to see you crush some rats at this age… I bet you've gotten way stronger!"
But before anyone could continue talking, Mart felt a heavy hand rest on his shoulder. He turned slowly. And when he saw the face… he froze completely. It was Akira, and his smile had turned cold and vicious.
Akira said loudly, dripping with mockery:
"Well look who we have here… Mart the delinquent himself."
The crowd fell silent. Mart felt his heart nearly fall out of his throat. Then… Akira's deep, inevitable laughter boomed.
"Hah… hahahaha… Mart. What a lovely coincidence."
Ken, Akio, Ann, Mabushi, and Silvara watched from a distance with curiosity, concern, and confusion mixing in their eyes. Akio especially had no idea what was going on.
Suddenly—BOOOM!!
Akira's fist crashed directly into Mart's face. Mart flew backward, slammed against a stone wall, then fell to the ground groaning, clutching his cheek as it reddened rapidly. His friends backed away instantly when they saw blood dripping from his mouth.
Mart stammered:
"W-What…?!"
Akira bent toward him, one hand on his knee, speaking as if to a small child:
"What's wrong, Mart? Weren't you bragging about your amazing strength a moment ago? About crushing rats? Huh? Did you get that weak?"
Mart stared at him wide-eyed… as if seeing a ghost from his past come back for him.
One of his friends raised his hands nervously:
"W-Wait, we don't want trouble—"
But Akira wasn't listening. He grabbed Mart by the collar and lifted him off the ground with ease, his glowing red eyes promising nothing good.
"Ten years…"
He said it in a low, bone-deep voice.
"Ten years since the last time I saw your filthy face… and I hated myself because I couldn't do anything back then."
His grip tightened until Mart began to choke, clawing helplessly at Akira's arm.
Akira smiled a savage smile:
"But time has changed, Mart… and now I decide who the rat is."
He raised his fist… and slammed it down with full force. The punch struck Mart's head like a boulder. Mart collapsed lifelessly to the floor… breathing weakly, blood leaking from his mouth and nose, eyes trembling from fear and shock. Akira stood over him with a cold smile carrying everything he couldn't say ten years ago.
Akira pressed his foot against the ground near Mart's head:
"Look at yourself now. Where's that arrogance you were spouting moments ago?"
Then he slowly lifted his foot… and stepped down on Mart's hand.
"Aaaargh!!"
Mart screamed, trembling as he tried to speak:
"A-Akira… please… I didn't mean—"
Before he could finish, Akio stepped forward sharply.
He shouted:
"That's enough!!"
Akira turned to him slowly:
"Don't interfere, kid."
A faint laugh escaped Akira… then he pulled his foot away, leaving Mart writhing alone. His eyes drifted toward the girl standing by the wall, pale and shaking. She had been laughing minutes earlier, now she looked like she might collapse.
Akira walked toward her, took her hand gently, and smiled wickedly. Her face turned visibly red, caught between fear and confusion.
He said in a low, crawling voice:
"What do you say… want to spend some time with me away from that real rat?"
Her eyes trembled:
"I-I… don't think I—"
Akira didn't wait. He leaned toward her ear, his breath brushing her neck.
He whispered, warm and dangerous:
"Come on… don't be shy. I don't bite… unless you want me to."
The girl shivered violently and yanked her hand back.
"Stay away from me!!"
Akira laughed lightly, hands in his pockets. He turned his shoulder toward her, then looked back at Mart… barely able to lift his head.
He said in a low, venomous tone:
"Did you see that, Mart? Even the girl who laughed at your useless jokes a moment ago… doesn't want you anymore."
The sentence hit harder than any punch, a knife straight into Mart's broken pride. Ann watched the scene.
She said:
"What a parade of ego… right in the middle of the street."
Silvara stood beside her:
"That's how men act when they want to show off their inner animals."
As Akira stepped toward the girl again, Akio moved in front of her, blocking her with his arms spread wide.
He shouted:
"I said that's enough!!"
Akira stopped, turning to Akio very slowly. Then… he laughed. A sharp, disrespectful laugh.
"Oh? And what are you going to do, kid? Scream until I feel guilty?"
Ann leaned towards Ken:
"Ken… this guy is unbearable."
Ken didn't reply. He only exhaled cigarette smoke. Akira returned his gaze to Akio, tilted his head, then reached out and patted Akio's head like a child.
"There, there… I was just playing."
Akio slapped his hand away, his face burning with anger.
He said firmly, surprising everyone:
"Real strength isn't in crushing people weaker than you… it's proving you're stronger without even needing to hit them!"
Akira tapped Akio's forehead with one finger:
"What now? Are you suddenly some noble knight protecting maidens?"
Akio's eyebrows shook with anger:
"Stop calling me a kid!"
Akira laughed harder and put his hand on Akio's head again:
"Hush… you don't want to cry in front of your audience, do you?"
This time… Mabushi stepped forward with stiff shoulders.
He said sharply as he shoved Akira's hand away:
"Take your hand off him."
Akira looked at his pushed hand… then raised his head slowly, a dangerous smile forming.
Akira:
"Oh… a new hero in the neighborhood."
Mabushi:
"We don't have time for your nonsense."
Silvara added coldly:
"It's unwise to stir trouble in Darkova… knives come out quickly here."
Akira glanced at her, smiling faintly. Then he finally noticed Ken… holding his cigarette with a frozen expression.
Ken exhaled:
"No point arguing with someone like him… he's clearly a psycho who kills for fun."
Akira paused… raised an eyebrow… and looked at the five of them one by one.
He murmured:
"Hmm… interesting."
He turned to Ken, studying him slowly:
"You… you're different from the rest."
Ken didn't move, but a faint tightness twisted in his chest. Something in Akira's tone bothered him.
Akira continued:
"That red hair… those gray eyes… wait a second."
He struck his fist into his palm.
Akira laughed quietly, pointing at him:
"Oooh… now I get it. No wonder your face looked familiar. I heard about you before… and you look exactly like him… Yukaji Cirrus!"
Ken's eyes widened slightly, though his expression didn't change.
Ken said coolly:
"And what of it?"
Akira stepped closer, his smile spreading dangerously:
"This boy… is the kid who stood there and threatened King Cirrus with death eight years ago."
A hammer dropped on the entire market. Whispers erupted instantly:
"Yukaji Ken? Really?!"
"That's impossible… who would dare stand before the king?"
"They said he died! They said he was burned!"
Akira raised his voice:
"And he also slaughtered over 500 of Cirrus's soldiers without mercy. You're no different from me, Ken!"
Ken's expression hardened, then suddenly, a shout rose from the crowd:
"That monster killed my brother! He was a soldier of the Kaji Kingdom!!"
Another man shouted:
"And my cousin! Just a simple soldier… why did you kill him?!"
Shops closed in panic. People backed away, fearing the area would explode at any moment. And Akira… wore a provoking, war-igniting smile.