Chapter Six: That One Kid

Time quickly flew by and I finally decided to head back home.

There was a sense of accomplishment that washed over me. I had been outside for the first time and learned a lot about this world.

I gather my belongings and stood up to leave. I turned around just one more time. I took a final look at the field of golden yeast dancing In the direction the wind blew.

I had frolicked around in this very field...

Forming a smile, I turned to leave.

I left the same way I came. Down the open path leading further into the village.

"Hmm?"

On my way back, I came across a brawl between two kids. Though I used the word brawl, it was more of a one-sided smackdown.

…

I started as I watched one of the kids slam his fist into the face of the other repeatedly. The surface of the face of the kid getting hit had already been utterly morphed and messed up.

Just as I was about to turn around and pretend I never came across such a scene, I quickly recognized the kid getting his face pounded.

I might have been wrong though as it was particularly hard to tell from his bruised disfigured face.

He was one of the kids I had run into earlier today. Light creamish brown hair and bright green eyes burst with spirit despite his current condition.

He was getting his face pummeled up by the other kid and was in utter tatters.

The other kid was much bigger than him. Was about twice his size and weight.

He had ash-colored hair, a far-plump face, and a scar that ran under his left eye.

He was as well twice my size and even looked twice or three times my age as well. 7-8, maybe.

He had a delighted look, a sadistic one as he repeatedly smashed the face of the other boy.

Over to the side, spectating from where it was safe, were three other kids, all, chuckling and grinning at the sight unraveling before them.

I quickly judged that the fact they just stood there and watched, enjoying the spectacle, must mean they were with the big kid over there.

The bigger kid, with a wide grin, balled his fist and slugged the smaller kid in his gut.

A *Guacckk* sound escaped from the kid's mouth as he fell to the ground in pain.

The boy however didn't let it end there, though.

He struggled his way up ignoring the pain, made a fist, and charged at the big kid letting out a little growl. He was however sent back to the ground as a heavy fist crashed against his face once more.

Blood trickled from his broken nose and his left eye went a dark purple from bruising it. The other three kids all burst into laughter seeing this.

The battered kid refused to stay down. He growled once more like a savage beast, got up, and charged at the big kid with a loud cry.

The bigger kid hadn't quickly noticed this and was quickly tackled to the ground with a loud this. And before he could even react, had his face smashed with three firm punches.

The laughter and cackling of the other kids died down at the development.

"Argh-!" The big kid vexed by this made use of an opening and brutally kicked the boy off of him.

A *Gu-huu* sound left the lips of the boy as he flew back to the ground and cradles his kicked rips while doubling over.

The boy coughed and whizzed. He grabbed tightly his chest, raised his head, and glared forward at the bigger kid. His eyes still contain bright life and vigor.

The bigger kid was slightly thrown off by this and his grin wire off immediately. It instead turned to an enraged gritting of his teeth.

"You bastard..." He cursed.

He balled his fingers tightly and took big steps towards the doubling over boy.

He was beginning to get annoyed at how the beat-up kid refused to stay down. He towered over him like a massive wall and glared down.

He tightened his fist, and with a little grunt escaping his mouth, kicked the guts of the smaller boy, forcing him to double over Once more.

This scene happened over and over again, a repeated cycle of the kid getting slugged to the ground, over and over again. Getting up and once again, getting slugged to the ground.

It was brutality ascending several levels of bullying. Even the expressions of the other kids had gone ghastly and pale.

At some point, the grin which had been worn by the big kid was nowhere to be found, leaving only an exasperated look as his kicks became heavier.

Hah~ sucks to be that kid. If only he'd just stayed down, he'd probably have gone off with only a few bruises, but now, you can check broken bones and ribs up on the list.

Frankly, watching the scene, I did feel pity for the kid, but this wasn't my business in any way.

I was simply going to pretend I had never seen a scene like this play out and instead follow a different route home.

I'm not so curious to know how the big kid's fist would feel against my face.

I'm sure they'll be some other kid, that one kid with a strong sense of justice, unlike me, that one kid who can't bear to watch such an unsightly scene go on.

You know, the protagonist is like a kid. Which most definitely can't be me.

I turned around to head down a different route when suddenly, I heard a loud thud.

Interested in the source of the thud, I turned back momentarily towards the direction of the noise, only to find out that the big kid had been tackled by the battered one, who now pinned him against the ground.

The battered kid glared and roared out as he began to throw blows at the bigger kid.

He received a kick to his stomach and was sent flying off the big kid.

The big kid, with an expression like that of a hungry ferocious lion, got up and made his way to the battered kid, where he had fallen.

Getting there, he pinned the battered kid down and began raining punches on him.

"H-hey! Don't you think that's enough…"

"Th-that's a bit too much"

The three other kids who had been enjoying the one-sided brawl till now, now had troubled expressions as they tried persuading the big kid to stop his rampaging, but were too scared to approach him.

And at the same moment I watched this spectacle, an ominous foreboding descended against me.

Oi! Oi! Oi! This is bad. If this drags on any longer than this, things are going to turn ugly! The kid won't just get off with broken bones at this rate.

I instantly knew, the way things were turning out, it was going to be bad.

The bigger kid ferociously pounced against the smaller boy. With a wild light like a ferocious, ravenous beast, he continued to descend heavy blows against the boy.

This was no longer a squabble between two kids...

I tightened my fingers into a fist as it trembled. I continued to watch the sight before I play out. I was going to regret this...

I already knew this was something out of character... something that would come to bite me back. I knew this but yet....my conscience wouldn't stop ravaging me on the inside.

Fine. Just this once...

The next second, my body moved in a manner it had never moved before.

...I'll be that one kid.

I covered the distance in a single leap. I intercepted the fist of the bigger kid halfway through to the battered boy. I tightened my grip against the wrist of the bigger kid.

"D...don't you think that's enough...?" I stuttered, my left eye twitching awkwardly.

"How!?" An exasperated voice leaked out of the big kid as he turned to look at me.

His glare was like that of a starved beast. The light in it was that of a Savage. The bloodlust emanating from them was real.

Ah, scary.

Yeah, this was a mistake for me.

Yup, I don't want to do this anymore.

Uh-uh!

It's not my business what happens to any of them. It's not like the outcome is going to affect or concern me.

Yeah, whatever the outcome is, I have no business with it. This was a mistake, a stupid idea! I want to go home. Maybe I should turn back?

Yeah, I'd better do that. I can't see myself getting out of this safely with all my limbs intact.

It's not too late, right? To go home, that is.

In the face of the starved beast—I mean the big kid before me, my face could do nothing but curl up into a wry smile as my eyes instinctively shot close.

"D-don't you think that's a bit too much?" I said again, my voice visibly trembling.

Ah, this isn't good. I could feel the cold sweat flowing down my back.

I instinctively let go of the beast—I mean, boy's hand as I began to feel something tower up against me.

Without looking, I quickly judged he stood up.

"Hm? And, who the hell are you?" the big kid asked. His voice sent shivers down my spine.

Ah, this is the end, for me, that is.

What was I thinking, inserting myself into this fight?

"A-h, yes! A...actually, I just happened to be passing by" I slowly began to open my tightly shot eyes as I spoke.

My voice however trailed off...

"Who do you think you are interfering in what's not you're concern!?!" The big kid growled, his nostrils flaring up in rage.

"O-oh! Uh…well you see, I-I um…was just p-passing bye, wh-when I uh…" I tried to speak up,b my but voice wouldn't fully get out.

Heck, I couldn't even formulate the words to say.

I had to calm down...I couldn't let myself be intimidated but a small kid like him.

I took deep breaths and settled my racing heart and calmed my mind. Confirming I had regained composure, I decided to speak up and said,

"I just happened to be" before I could fully get my sentence out, there was a heavy brunt of force felt slamming against my entire face.

"Get out!" The big kid bellowed.

....

I was punched in the face.

I took two steps backward and reached my free hand for my face.

...

The pain was no longer there. The sensation of getting punched, I could no longer feel it linger against my face. It had been erased as soon as the punch had landed. I almost couldn't remember how it felt.

However...

"I said get out"

"Hey..."

...I recognized the boiling feeling stirring up inside me from under my guts.

A cold serene feeling nestled inside of me. Something I had never once felt before.

Slowly, I uncovered my face...

"... Didn't your momma ever tell you?"

...and directed an exasperated look at the brat.

"Don't pick a fight you can't start..."

< The light in his eyes, akin to that of the devil gazing up from the pits of hell...>

The lips of the brat bobbed up and down...

<...sent unintelligible perturbation down to his marrow>

Accompanied by the swift sound of something tearing through the air, my fist dug deeply into the face of the brat.

A sharp sound resounded as the angle of his nose shifted to a grotesque form.

"Gaaaarrrgghhh-!!!!" He doubled over against the ground and cradles his nose, squirming around like a worm with the cry of a slaughtered goat.

Listening to his pain-filled cries and whimpering sent a pleasurable feeling down my back. And surprisingly, laughter escaped my lips as I watched him roll around in the dirt.

Pfffttt...

I found it funny.

"Ho! Are you finally showing your true nature? Where's all that bravado you had earlier, huh?" fully watching the sight, I couldn't contain myself from mocking him.

"O-oi! What do you think you're doing!?" one of the three other kids who had been silent all this while, finally said.

"How!? Your not blind, are you?" I glanced over at them and said.

"Damn you!!" saying this, the other brat charged at me as the rest followed.

I sidestepped, dodged, and parried. I brought the three children down to their knees before me.

Their expressions crumpled as their eyes trembled. Watching this, the edges of my lips curled up into a smile from ear to ear.

I leaned in closer to the trembling kids...and whispered ever so gently into their ears,

"Go home..."

The brats quickly broke into a sprint, leaving behind empty clichèd lines like,

" we'll get you for this!" with snot running down their nose.

I watched their distancing backs with fulfillment, dusted the dirt off my palms, and turned to leave.

Why had I done this again? I had forgotten. I also didn't bother to try to remember.

Just then, I realized there was one other kid left. One more who hadn't run with his tail tucked behind his legs. The one that got me involved in this.

And then it all came back to me.