Showdown Under Streetlights, Part 1

Yuuto's Terms of Service:

4. In the occurrence of events related to the case happening after work my work is done, I will apply my immediate attention with no additional payments.

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The teen looked at the man attentively, unthreatened by his hostile presence.

"I'm sorry. But I only had one bottle of water with me, and I already drank it all. Da other one, filled with drugs, I handed over ta da conductor who gave it ta da police. Go cry ta them," he said, turning around and continuing to walk casually.

"DON'T MESS WITH ME, YOU BRAT! YOU KIDS THESE DAYS ALWAYS UNDERESTIMATE US WORKING ADULTS!!! YOU SHOULD JUST DIE!!" The man, driven by desperation, lunged at him under the dim streetlight, the night dark around them, pulling out a small pocket knife.

Sendo clicked his tongue and sighed.

"If yer a working adult...!" he began, his tone rising slightly, annoyed as the assailant came dangerously close with his knife.

"Then...!" Sendo continued, swiftly extending his leg to trip the man. He caught the hand holding the knife and masterfully pinned it behind the man's back as they both fell to the ground, with Sendo on top.

"Go back ta yer damn office already, ya old fool!" Sendo shouted as he slammed the man's body against the ground, pinning him with his own weight.

Sendo then covered his nose with his palm, a foul smell assaulting his senses.

"Did ya just soil yourself, old man... Jeez, ya really are a mess, aren't ya? Ya need to see a doctor for dat, and for yer mental issues!" he scolded, disgusted yet forceful in his handling of the situation.

Sendo warned, "Now just stay still... Ya shouldn't move so recklessly at yer age—"

Suddenly, the man began laughing triumphantly and wickedly. Sendo, bewildered, raised an eyebrow in confusion as he heard laughter from several voices around them. They were not alone.

"Such a precious bottle... You think after your little display of strength in the train cart, I would come alone? Like I said, you kids underestimate us working adults," the rugged old man cackled, his voice joining those of a ragged, thirsty pack of adults. They were armed with old batons, knives, and brass knuckles, encircling Sendo.

"Yer all insane... All of dis just because a teenage girl got doped publicly by a bunch of rapists? Are ya seriously dat pathetic!?" Sendo bellowed, assessing his surroundings. He counted his enemies—seven in total, eight including the man he had neutralized. It was too much, even for the towering high schooler.

"Oh, don't worry about the girl," the old man sneered, his laughter echoed by the group.

"What d'ya mean..!?" Sendo demanded, tightening his grip on the man, making him cough.

"WHAT D'YA MEAN!!?" he screamed, his voice filled with urgency and fear.

"Hehehe... I mean... Don't worry... We have guys following them... They're going to bring her here... So we could... Further... Test that magic bottle... Using that cute girl..." the rugged man revealed between coughs.

"Ya sick... FUCKS!!" Sendo exclaimed, his teeth clenched in anger and frustration.

"Hahaha... We sent even more guys after her... Who knows... Maybe they'll soften her up by the time we're done with you here..." the old man said, licking his lips with a vile satisfaction akin to cleaning sauce after a meal.

As Sendo processed the gravity of the situation, any hesitation about the battle ahead vanished. He realized that revealing the absence of the bottle might prompt these thugs to head to Riko's house, joining others with sinister intentions.

"In other words..." Sendo said as he stood up, swiftly stomping on the rugged man's head to knock him out. He then pulled a wooden sword from his backpack, facing the hostile group of seven.

"I just hafta destroy all ya'll and get ta her before da time limit, den!?" Sendo challenged them with palpable hostility.

"Don't try to be a hero, kid. Just hand over the bottle and go home. It ain't worth your mommy and daddy crying over your corpse," one of the group taunted casually while lighting a cigarette.

"Mommy and Daddy? Da fuck's dat, some kinda Kendo technique I haven't heard of!?" Sendo shot back with disdain.

"Come on, kid. I'll even let you join the fun if you just give it up already. If that ain't your style, and you wanna be a hero, then I'll let you watch or film it. That way you can send it to the police and get us bad men arrested. Extra points if you also send it to that boyfriend of hers," another chimed in with a calm tone, his face contorted into a tired smirk, which was quickly followed by loud laughter from the group.

Sendo felt a surge of fear. This could be where he would die, he thought.

"Nah... What ain't my style is looking at ya'll creepy old freaks still laughing and talking instead a sleeping on da asphalt," he retorted, tightening his grip on his wooden sword.

The group laughed once more, their eyes now fixated on him with increased intensity and malice, readying their weapons and adjusting their stances. The man with the cigarette raised an eyebrow, taking a closer look at the defiant boy.

"Why go this far, kid? Did you get a crush on that girl or something? So much so, that you would die for her? Even though she's got someone else? It must be nice being young..." He looked at Sendo with a mix of curiosity and weariness.

Sendo snickered as he squared off against them.

"Even if I had a crush, going after taken girls ain't my style... Besides..." Sendo flashed a grin, his teeth clenched, sweat beading on his forehead as he assumed a basic kendo stance, pointing his wooden sword at the man.

"...If I back down here, neither her boyfriend nor she would want ta join my kendo club! And I want new members!" he declared, his voice ringing with pride and determination, a fiery glint in his eyes.

The man clicked his tongue in annoyance, glancing downward.

"Dat's why I got no time to waste on ya idiots if I want ta get ta dem in time!! Come at me!!" Sendo shouted.

The man exhaled deeply, watching the cigarette in his fingers burn down before finally dropping it to the ground and crushing it under his boot.

"Even though it's probably too late as it is, and they would've already got to her... I'd say you got... 15-20 minutes to take us out before the other group gets here. Well, more like 50 minutes since they'd probably want to rough her up good first. But you're gonna lay here, choking on your blood in just 2, so it doesn't really matter," the man said, his tone low and casual as he scuffed his foot on the ground.

"Get him," he ordered.

As the attackers converged like rabid dogs, Sendo noticed one was closer than the others, right behind him. With nimble footwork, he quickly turned and landed a solid hit to the back of the man's head, knocking him out cold. However, before he could regain his stance, a sharp pain erupted from his side—a small knife had sliced into his ribs, and simultaneously, a baton struck his stomach from the other direction.

Despite the pain, Sendo's toned muscles absorbed some of the blow, preventing him from going down. Reacting swiftly, he seized the wrist of the man with the knife, twisting it violently to dislocate his shoulder, then hurled him into the assailant with the baton. As both men crumpled to the ground, he delivered a forceful strike to their heads with his wooden sword.

'Dis... might... be a problem...!' Sendo thought, panting heavily as he pressed a hand against the bleeding wound on his ribs, the other hand tightly gripping his sword while he stood over four incapacitated foes.

"Ready to give up yet?" one of the remaining attackers called out with a grim smile.

"Dis open area... Is a real problem! If I stay here, dey'll take me out in no time!" Sendo realized, assessing his vulnerable position.

"Damn it, ya old fools! Ya'll taking orders from him? Yer basically just his lackeys, huh!? He's probably gonna enjoy da girl without sharing anything with ya!" Sendo taunted, hoping to provoke them, but their expressions remained steely and resolute.

The first four might have underestimated the abilities of a first-year high schooler, but the remaining four were on high alert, their bodies tensing in preparation for the next move. Sendo's element of surprise was exhausted, his initial advantage evaporated.

Glancing at his backpack, an idea sparked as adrenaline surged through his veins. Sendo's mind steadied, ready for whatever came next.

Sendo challenged them defiantly, "Ya want dis bag?!" His voice startled the remaining assailants as they braced themselves for his next move.

"Come and get it den, ya senile pricks!" he shouted, then started running in the opposite direction of Riko's house, drawing them away.

"So in the end, it's like that, eh? Chase him, kill him if you have to, and bring that bag to me," the leader ordered casually to the other four. Mysteriously enough, they obeyed without hesitation.

"Seichiro, you gonna stay here?" one of the men called out.

"I'mma follow, but I won't run with ya'; the kid seems to be in shape. I'm gonna have to walk while you run to catch him. My body ain't what it used to be," Seichiro responded, looking up at the stars and lighting another cigarette as Sendo and the four others commenced their pursuit.

"It really is a beautiful evening, isn't it..." Seichiro mused, about to add more when his cell phone rang. He casually reached into his pocket, answered the call without checking the caller ID.

"Seichiro here... What's your status?" he inquired in a quiet, weary tone.

"We're in front of that girl's house, about to break her main gate and then the main door. We almost got her..."

"Sure sure... I got it," Seichiro replied impatiently, yet calmly.

"... One more thing," the caller added, a pause hanging in the air, heavy with expectation.

Seichiro inhaled deeply, the cigarette dangling from his lips.

"... Do what you want with the girl. None of my business as long as you get her here intact before midnight. You got 58 minutes," he rasped, exhaling smoke into the night air.

"We just wanted to make sure it was the right girl, Seichiro-san... We're just doing our jobs to the best of our ability... With all of that clothing in the way—"

Seichiro clicked his tongue in irritation.

Seichiro responded with a brisk, "Of course you are. Just make sure you get here on time afterward," before abruptly ending the call.

He took a deep breath, letting the smoke from his cigarette drift into the night air, then began to walk in the direction Sendo and his pursuers had taken.

"Something about this feels out of place, doesn't it? Hikari?" he mused aloud to no one in particular.

Silence was his only reply, punctuated by the distant chirping of crickets and the hum of a dim, cold yellow streetlight.

"I thought so too. Later, then," Seichiro murmured, his form gradually merging with the shadows as he walked towards the unfolding chase.

TO BE CONTINUED....

Author here!

What's up, guys? I'd really like it if I could hear your opinion! Your comments would mean a lot a lot a lot and I could use some feedback! Please! It would help immensely!