Chapter Five

Receive You

Dawn was gently breaking over the town. Only recently had the weary police officers been able to call it a night after rounding up all the stragglers of the riot and treating any wounded they found. The birds were waking, chirping and singing energetically while the crickets and cicadas continued to shrill. It felt to Akira like it had been so, so long since he had a morning walk through the town while most of its residents were still asleep, even though it had only been over a month. With his hands in his pockets, he walked on down the road along the riverbank with purpose, yet still caught glimpses of herons catching fish and small critters skittering along busily, the cool morning providing them more energy to run and hunt and forage.

He had slipped out of the hotel silently, careful not to wake any of his friends, though this task proved easy as they were so deeply asleep from exhaustion. Not a soul noticed him leave, nor did any other notice him trekking across the stone bridge into the verdant hills up the river. The path into the forested hills were lined densely with trees running along creeks that flowed off from the main river; the soil was soft and fertile, feeding a diverse ecosystem of flora and fauna that Akira felt was almost just as much his home growing up as his own house. He knew he was on a schedule, and expected not long from now, but he yet walked along the path slowly, methodically, giving himself time to think, reflect, and take in the familiar sounds, sights, and smells of his home.

But the serene beauty of the forest was constantly poked at and softly interrupted from the back of his mind. Kamoshida yet taunted him, the image of his laughing face now gradually becoming more twisted and unfocused in his memory, yet his voice rang in his ears just as clearly as when he first heard it. In the knolls, in the tree trunks, in the ivy, Akira saw his eyes, his smile. He tried to banish it from his mind, focusing on the forest itself, but the ghosts of his thoughts would still appear, the sound swirling around him like a breeze.

Akira steadied his breathing as more memories threatened to claw their way to his mind. He focused intently on balancing and centering his spirit, and it seemed to work, though only barely. Looking around him, he caught glimpses of tiny blue sparks and flames on his shoulders which dissipated as he calmed himself back down. He cursed his own mind and walked on with greater expediency.

After a few more minutes of walking, he came upon a clearing leading to the edge of a steep cliff. Sporadic small trees dotted a field of white flowers dancing slowly in the breeze, the leaves of the trees following their rhythm. He stepped forward, his mind calming as he recognized every sight, smell, and sensation – the very wind seeming more tactile, quantifiable against his skin than anywhere else. And beyond the cliff was the riverside pleasure district and boardwalk in the distance, yet quiet and still in the light of the breaking dawn. For many, many years, this place had been called 踊る雪 ("Odoru yuki"), Dancing Snow, for the flowers that bloomed early in Spring and did not wilt until the last cold evenings of Autumn. And since he could walk, this was Akira's place of training where he learned all he knew about martial arts.

And lo, leaning against a tree and looking out over the river was his mother, her long black hair blowing gently in the wind. She looked over to him as he entered the grove, staring coldly his way. "I honestly thought you might still be asleep," she remarked.

"Not when there's training to do," Akira walked forward, stopping some paces from his mother. "Though I get the feeling this is not strictly for training."

Anri did not immediately respond, but did stand up straight before him, and the wind seemed to respond to her as a slightly stronger gust blew through the trees. "We have… too much to talk about, Akira," she began forlornly. "But there is something you and I have to do first." Akira saw her right fist curl and clench. "Do you have it, Akira?" she asked slowly. "The gift?"

Akira clenched his own fists at that question. "I guess so. That's what Sojiro called it. Would have been nice to know about all this time though."

"You're right. It would have been. But I had my reasons for keeping all this from you. As… misguided as they may have been. I admit, Akira: I was wrong. Very wrong. I thought by shielding you from my past, I could protect you from it in your future. And as genuine as that desire was, it also made a good excuse for me to run away from my past."

"Does that mean you're going to come clean about our family now?"

Anri shook her head. "No, and again, I have my own reasons. I want to see what you can really do with that gift."

Akira bared his teeth, tensing his shoulders and lowering his stance in anger. "After all this… All the shit I went through because of your own family curse, or whatever it is! You're still keeping things from me!?"

The ghost of a smirk appeared on Anri's face, illuminated powerfully in the soft glow of dawn. "The information you want, that treasure, can be yours, my son," she spoke like a great master or sage, then placed a hand over her heart. "I'm the dragon guarding it. So defeat me and take it… if you think you're really the hero it belongs to."

The indignant anger welling within Akira began to boil inside him, converting into powerful wrath towards his own mother. It was a disgusting feeling, but after all he had done and been through, he deserved this information without further delay. Furthermore, even with his rising anger, he feared for what may happen if he let his powers be used freely in such a state… toward his mother.

"Mom, listen," he tried to remain calm, "I have the gift, yes. And it's made me a lot stronger than when you last fought me. But even though I've never been able to beat you, in this state, I could end up hurting you."

Anri's slight smirk grew to greater prominence with a slight nod. "Good. I'll take it."

Akira's eyes widened with anger. After everything he had been through, the one person who could relieve his anxieties, who could teach him the truth of his ordeal, was toying with him, goading him, taunting him. This same woman had taught him never to give into his emotions when the enemy taunts you, but he cast that lesson from his mind as he slowly took off his jacket. "I'm not KIDDING AROUND, MOM!" And like that lesson, he cast away his jacket to the side, immediately adopting the Dragon Stance, and small blue, ethereal flames appeared on his shoulders.

Anri raised her head incredulously at the sight of her son emanating blue flames from his body, yet still seemed unimpressed. She slowly raised her right hand, placed it on her shoulder, and glaring with her own fire in her eyes at her furious son, cast off her shirt in a single motion, leaving her impressive physique on display and her modesty upheld by white binds around her chest.

Rolling eyes fall…

Ruling dies out…

The determination in her eyes faded to what Akira could barely make out as… sadness, but for only a moment before her expression hardened again. Slowly, she turned around, showing off her tattoo that Akira had seen only a few times in his life since Anri always tried to keep it hidden: a silhouette of a slender dragon of purple and black rising up from behind her bindings. She tucked her hair in front of her, revealing her back in all its glory, but that was not what made Akira's mouth fall agape.

Her shoulders began to glow blue and red, and flames of those colors appeared atop them, framing her hair and back in an arrestingly powerful aura.

Rolling eyes fall

Ruling dies out

Anri turned back around and beckoned her son with not but a glare and a flick of her head. Even she had Heat, and she never told him. She could have stopped this, perhaps even save him. Akira roared. Akira charged her.

"COME AT ME THEN!" she cried.

If his mother wanted to see his power, then that's exactly what would happen. Akira put all the strength he could into a single punch as he charged her, yet she did not move. He threw the punch with wild fury, connecting directly with her forehead. But… she did not move, nor did she even flinch. He stood there for a moment unable to comprehend what he was seeing: his fist embedded in Anri's forehead, and she seemed to have not felt the blow at all.

ANRI KURUSU

THE DRAGON OF SAKURA

Anri batted away his arm with the back of her hand, glowering at her son. "If you wanna fight, then step right up!" she declared, and adopted the Dragon Stance as well.

Akira would normally know better than to continue a direct attack against his mother, but his anger for the situation continued to drive his actions. He feinted a jab into a lunge, trying to force Anri off balance, but she blocked it quicker than even he in his Heat could perceive. Anri suddenly shot a knee strike into his gut – it was a glancing blow but was enough to send him stumbling back so she could kick him, the knee strike having chambered the kick to empower the attack's strength. "You'll have to do better," she scowled. "Show me!"

The world slowed and became clearer around Akira as he focused. The flaming aura around Anri seemed to glow brighter, with Akira being able to see the smallest tails and sparks of the flames. He knew he was in the pocket now, perfectly primed to strike. He rushed her and threw out a combo of punches, feints, and kicks, and it must have been faster than Anri had anticipated, as she was only able to block half the blows. With great speed and precision, he struck her, and she lost her balance, stumbling backward. "Not bad," she reset her stance. "You're faster than before, Akira. But are you fast enough?"

Akira saw only a blurry flash of blue for a split second before catching his mother in his periphery, kneeling in a low stance directly in front of him. Then her palm connected with his jaw, and he was rocked with pain and dizziness for a moment. He retaliated on reflex with a wild haymaker, but his punch was caught out of the air by Anri, who then twisted it up in the air and kicked his foot out from him. He flipped forward as Anri held onto him, letting him go at the apex of his arc and he fell to the ground in a daze.

Anri looked down at her son judgingly. "I taught you better," she glowered down to him. "Show me how you survived so long without me!"

The humiliation and betrayal took over him once more, and he cried out as he rose to his feet, charging his mother. He seemed reckless and brazen, but he certainly was faster than before. Anri was just able to sus out his move, and just able to ready her body for a counter. She lowered herself for a split second, leaning toward her son's charge, and shouted, "VOLCANIC…" He closed on her with a wrathful glare. "…VIPER!" Anri moved into a powerful uppercut, her flaming aura exploding with intensity all around her. But to her utter shock, she felt only air against her fist. Her focus found him stepping backward away from the uppercut. He baited me! she realized, flabbergasted. But the momentum was already there, and she could not relinquish the attack, as she had already jumped into the air to unleash the full strength of her body in that single attack.

Akira lowered his own stance as she had, proud of himself for seeing his mother's trickiest attack coming. It was the first time in his life he was able to successfully bait and avoid, and now too would be the first time he could counter it. As she came back down to the ground, trying to reorient herself to catch him on her descent with a downward strike, he punched upward directly into her gut, and she made a coughing wheeze as most of the wind was knocked out of her lungs. "INFERNO DIVIDER!" he cried out, jumping with his punch to follow his mother. He stunned her for the briefest moment, just enough to get above her and ready himself for his follow-up.

All the anger he felt toward Anri boiled to the surface in a moment of fiery fury, too enraptured in the situation to realize how brightly his Heat was burning around him. He brought his fist back all the way, meeting his mother's shocked gaze for only a moment before letting loose. "Sit down," he snarled at her, and the punch connected just below her eye. "AND SHUT UP!" And Anri slammed to the ground on her back, the rest of the breath being forced out from her breath. She gasped, scrambling to her feet as Akira landed before her, and he did not press the attack further.

She sucked in as much breath as she could and shook the dizziness from her head. "Not bad," she wheezed. "I've never seen you do that before, kid."

"I can improvise a lot better with this gift. Stand down, Mom. Just give up and tell me what's going on."

Anri cracked her neck, focusing and centering herself. "I'm still standing, Akira. You haven't won yet. So like I said, STEP UP!"

Akira roared again and went in for another attack, but not even his first attack could come out fully before Anri hit him with an elbow strike in the chest thrown from a tricky sidestep. Akira used the increased sideways momentum to his advantage and let loose a high kick, but Anri blocked it as well, holding his leg in the air with her arm by her head. "Sloppy!" she pushed his kick away and unleashed a powerful roundhouse, but Akira blocked in the same manner as well so fast even Anri could barely perceive it. How'd he block that!? He regained his balance and reacted that quickly after I threw him off!?

Akira glared into her eyes, baring his teeth like an animal. "Stop… TOYING WITH ME!" He advanced on her without throwing off her foot, leaving her standing on one leg as he unleashed a flurry of punches into her upper chest. She remained standing but took multiple blows before bringing herself to a surer stance. "Checkmate!" Akira said as he brought back his fist for the final blow. His muscles tensed and he could feel them being imbued with a blazing hot strength as he brought his fist forward, aiming directly for her heart.

But then there was a crashing noise like thunder, and all the strength imbued within him seemed to be pushed back against him so hard he spun around and fell to the ground on his front. Pain surged from his hand and through his whole arm. He held it with his left hand and looked up, seeing his mother in a bodyblock stance, low and as solid as stone, which was what he felt like he had just tried to punch. For a moment, she stood completely still, her shoulders not even rising and lowering with breath. Then her body relaxed, and she slowly stood up with a deep exhale. She looked down at her son, breathing heavily. "You didn't win, Akira. You didn't. But… you were damn close." Her chest and shoulders heaved as she breathed heavier, then collapsed to the ground, slumping over against her knee. And with that, her flames went out.

Akira sat up, groaning in discomfort. "Is that your real strength, Mom?" he asked with difficulty. "Like… you've been hiding this my whole life. Is this what you… I guess we, can really do?" Anri did not answer, but simply stared into space off to her side in a daze. "What are we, Mom?" Akira pressed her. "What the hell are you?"

Anri finally looked up to her son, still trying to catch her breath. She seemed still dazed, yet forlorn at his question, sadness apparent in her downcast eyes. "I honestly don't know for sure, Akira," she admitted. "And trust me, I've looked for answers. I don't really know what we are, or why we're this way. I just know that both of us were born with it. I inherited it from my father, and you inherited it from me. It's a gift. A very rare gift…"

"So, I guess you were lying about your parents dying in a car accident? What really happened? Who were they really?"

"What did Sojiro tell you?"

Akira looked away, recollecting on everything he and the old man had talked about. "He said my grandfather was the greatest hero he'd ever known. That he was unmatched in strength, that he was called the 'Dragon', and that you had that title too. He didn't' know much about this power either, I guess, but he also said you should be the one to tell me about it."

"He's not wrong. I should have been, a long time ago. I just that I could–"

"Keep me safe, I know," he interrupted her, though his voice was soft. "And keep yourself safe. It… sounds like you went through some really awful stuff, and I probably should have tried to be more understanding of that."

"As much as I appreciate it, it still doesn't excuse how much not knowing it could have gotten you hurt, and nearly did. I've never done anything in your life with the intent to hurt you, Akira. I was just… running away from my own past, and I am so sorry…" She looked away again.

"Can you tell me now?" Akira asked slowly. "That's what this is about, right? Telling me about… all of this?"

Anri stood up slowly and patted the dirt off her shirt and jeans. "Get up then," she commanded him. "We're taking a brief walk."

He did not speak again as she followed him into the craggy hills next to their grove. Akira had ventured up there rarely as a child and in his teens but found little of interest save for the brilliant views of the town, and small patches of aesthetic flora housing rabbits, birds, and other small animals. The same animals scurried about periodically as they climbed the old, nearly invisible trail that led into the hills, it having been many years since it had been regularly traversed.

Anri led him off the path at a junction, deeper into the small trees and thick ivy, and they came upon what looked like a small cairn obscured by the foliage and covered in moss. She led Akira around to the other side overlooking their grove and the town beyond, and took hold of what happened to be a metal plate covering an entrance into the cairn. "This way," she commanded, the sunlight pouring in through the opening allowing Akira to easily follow her into the hole.

A three-foot drop down, and he hit hardened dirt, dry despite the ample moss and foliage, and likely lacking in any kind of nutrients for any plants to grow. The ground was barren, but the inside of the cairn was surprisingly wide under the ground, and the air was as dry as the dirt. Taking it all in, Akira nearly did not notice his mother quickly walking over to the far corner of the cave, and toward a small red shrine adorned with incense sticks, candles, and pictures.

He joined her at her side, but she did not acknowledge him, and saw in the middle a framed picture about one foot high of a middle-aged man with short black hair partially slicked back, a thin goatee on his chin, and powerful yet handsome features that complimented what even Akira could make out to be a shocking physique under his white jacket and vibrant red shirt. The man in the photo showed a genuine, soft smile, disarming and calm despite his physical strength, and he stood in a garden, under the same tree Akira had dueled Shindo under at the Kitagawa Estate. "Is that…?" He tried to get the words out but could not when he saw his mother hugging herself tightly, her eyes fixated on the photo.

She nodded slowly. "He's my father… Was… He died a little over a year before you were born, right before your father and I got married. I watched it happen… from a distance, unable to do anything at all."

"Mom…"

"Just like what nearly happened with you." Anri did not cry. In fact, her face became more blank, distant, and less expressive as she fell deeper into her own thoughts. "He was the most amazing person I've ever met. Quiet, kind, compassionate, and stronger than anyone. In the end, he even sacrificed himself to save someone he cared about… My sister, in spirit, and his goddaughter."

"Are you talking about Sojiro's daughter? Futaba's mom?"

Anri nodded. "Wakaba was the closest, dearest friend I ever had, and the closest thing I ever had to a sister. Neither of us had any siblings, but I doubt any real sisters could be any closer than we were. And my father loved her dearly as well, so much so that he fought a whole army to keep her safe."

"He sounds… amazing," Akira could hardly find any more words to say.

"To most, he was a legend. Practically some kind of god. But to Sojiro and his friends, he was more than that, including to me. He was a hero. A real one." Anri took out a lighter from her pocket and lit the finely scented candles by the photo, then took the incense sticks and lit them with it, giving off an earthy, calming aroma. "He was my father, and my hero. All I ever wanted was to be like him." A tear fell down her cheek, and Akira could guess why.

"What was his name?" he asked.

Anri turned to face him; her eyes were yet red with regret, but something else welled within her - a strength born of deep wounds that came through in her voice. "Kazuma Kiryu."

Akira narrowed his gaze. "Kazuma Kiryu…" he nodded. "Did he have the gift too?"

Anri nodded. "He was even stronger with it than either of us, yet far more controlled as well. He was always cagey about how he trained himself to be that strong; I honestly believe most of it he was just born with. Guess mine was a bit more diluted compared to him."

"You're still beyond anything most people could dream of. You still beat me, right?"

"I did. But you've grown much stronger too. A part of me hoped you'd never awaken to the gift, that you never even had it. But… another part was kind of excited that one day I might see you glowing blue like your grandfather and me. That part of me was quite happy to see that you really do have the strength you need to defend yourself, just like us."

"Glad I didn't disappoint," Akira smirked weakly. "Thanks for giving it to me, I guess."

Anri made the lightest chuckle, which warmed Akira's heart to see. "You're welcome."

Akira looked back to the photo of his grandfather thoughtfully. "He trained you then? Like you and me?"

"Ever since I could walk, basically. Just like you. I learned I had the gift when I was fourteen, defending Wakaba from some bullies that were much bigger and stronger than us. There were five of them, and I beat every single one. After that, Dad wasn't quite as excited to train me."

"Why's that?"

"Because he didn't necessarily want me to be a fighter, and especially not a yakuza. He wanted me to walk my own path however I wanted, and… I wanted to be like him. He still trained me, but I knew he was disappointed in me for it." Akira had no response, his throat suddenly feeling tight. "I loved my father, truly. But I also kind of worshiped him, like everyone else. He was a legend even before I was born, and everyone aspired to either serve him or be like him. There was nothing I wanted more than to fight him with. 'The Two Dragons', they called us," she smiled, but there was no pleasure nor happiness in her face. "I loved that, was honored by it. I don't think he was."

Akira stood slightly closer to her. Softly, he asked, "If he was so strong, what could have required him to sacrifice himself? How did he die?"

Anri looked to her side, away from her son, then back to the photo. She let out a long sigh before speaking. "It was in 1967," she began. "Most yakuza call it 'The War of '67'. The Sakura Clan and the Omi Alliance were waging what was at the time the largest and shortest war ever in the history of the mainland yakuza. It lasted only about two weeks, and was settled at the Sakura-owned Tanaka Building in Tokyo. I was twenty at the time, and I'm still ashamed for the fact that I woke up that day with excitement, knowing I'd be able to fight alongside my father, the Dragon, in the biggest battle we'd ever seen…"

Rules of Nature

The battle had begun some time ago by the time Anri arrived at the Tanaka Building under an armed escort by four of the Nishiki Family's top enforcers. The Omi Alliance had pushed past the main guard and into the building before the bulk of the Sakura Clan's dispatched forces could arrive, and the evidence was written in blood on the walls and ground.

This was not the first time Anri had witnessed the carnage mankind is capable of, but the bodies leading toward the entrance, some still writhing on the ground and crying out in pain, yet shook her to her core. She could barely make out which of the bodies was friend or foe, but she could faintly make out the sound of combat emanating from the broken-in doors leading into the building. Trying to ignore the bloodied corpses, and the soon-to-be joining them, she hurried in with her escort at her back, barely able to keep up with the enraged Dragon.

Hanging at her side was her trusted family blade Hanran, and she drew it quickly as she entered. The blade sung with near supernatural clarity as it left its sheath, and she held it at her side not dissimilar to a driven samurai as she came upon the foyer, her hand tightening its grip on the hilt as she witnessed the carnage.

And within the Tanaka building raged a devastating clash of man against man. Swords sung and clattered against each other, guns rang out, and men fell to the floor amidst their brothers and adversaries. The pristine marble flooring was caked with thick, hot blood, freshly spilled, and continuously added to. Severed body parts contributed to the mess, though the adrenal fury of combat drowned out most of the grotesquerie for the combatants. And amongst them, emboldening their subordinates with their mere presence, were some of the mightiest warriors the yakuza had ever known.

Picking up a full-grown man like a sack of rise and throwing him into a pillar was Taiga Saejima, the Tiger of Sakura, and an imposing, mighty beast of a man whose physical prowess was unmatched within their ranks. He picked up another unfortunate soul, threw him to the ground so hard that he bounced back into the air, screaming in terror, and grabbed him by the foot, spinning him around in the middle of a crowd of oncoming aggressors. They were all sent tumbling away, some lifted into the air and flying backward before Saejima let go, and the poor yakuza spun in the air until he landed painfully on his left shoulder. "These bumblefucks really all the Omi could send us!?" he cried out. "Hardly a real yakuza among them!"

From behind him, a wild, high-pitched, and happily unhinged voice responded, "You said it, kyodai! Dickless bitches hardly know what hit 'em!" Goro Majima, the Mad Dog, a legend among the Sakura Clan as one of its original founders alongside the Boss himself. His eyepatch never seemed to inhibit his ability to perform his deadly dance with his infamous Demonfire Knife, a dagger so sharp and durable that it was said to be possessed by an evil spirit. Cackling wildly, he slashed through multiple assailants with ease, the apparent obvious of his kyodai, his sworn brother, Saejima, yet their invincible bond and complementary strengths had made them legends among the yakuza.

And never far away from the Boss himself fought Kashiwagi and Kuze, two of the top lieutenants who were bolstering the bulk of their front lines. Kashiwagi offered tactics, direction, and inspiration to all those around him, while Kuze's ferocious tenacity carried himself and his men through the lavish foyer steadily against the oncoming Omi yakuza. His punches contended with even those wielding katanas with ease, his quick movements making him impossible to take down. The Kuze family was an organization of enforcers and those more prone to dirty jobs, and their terrifyingly barbaric fighting was evident of this.

And there was good reason to fight so hard. Someone very important had been kidnapped from a raided escort leading outside the city: Wakaba Sakura, Sojiro's beloved daughter. They knew she would likely be held at the top of the tower, and there was no time to lose in reaching her. Sojiro had been injured in the assault on the building, and now leading from the back as he recovered, organizing both the active combatants and those keeping the fighting from breaking out into civilian areas, sent the one man he knew could take on the Omi's mightiest legions on his own to save his daughter, and this man's cherished goddaughter: Kazuma Kiryu, the Dragon of Sakura.

With cunning, tenacity, and overwhelming power truly like a dragon, the tall man clad in a then iconic, immediately recognizable white suit and red shirt fought hordes of foes entirely on his own, having pushed far ahead of his own men to save his goddaughter. Glowing a bright, luminescent blue with the flames on his shoulders, he tore through all comers with ease, the Dragon Style he had invented and perfected crushing all opposition before him. With a stalwart body counter, the largest bruisers were sent flying off their feet, and his infamous roundhouse kick knocked multiple men to the ground at once. He fought his way toward the emergency stairwell as the elevators had been deactivated by the Omi, and hardly took a single blow from the many men he had obliterated.

Anri caught a glimpse of her father from across the foyer, laying waste to all who came before him, as she expected. To her knowledge, no one had yet noticed her, and she tore away from her escorts to join her father and save her sister, blade still drawn and blue sparks starting to appear on her shoulders. She caught up to him as he slammed his foot down on the face of the final opponent he had knocked down, rendering them unconscious.

"Dad!" she cried out to him, getting Kiryu's attention, and he seemed entirely displeased to see her approaching him. "Dad, is everything okay? Have we found Wakaba yet?"

Kiryu normally was a stern yet soft spoken man, his demeanor steely yet understanding. Anri looked up to him, and a twinge of fearful embarrassment shot up her spine as she saw in her father's eyes genuine anger at her presence. "What are you doing here!?" he shouted at her, his flames intensifying for a moment. "I told you to stay behind with your mother!"

Anri was not entirely surprised by this response, sucking in a quick breath to steady herself in his enraged presence. "I'm not going to just stand aside while my sister is in danger! I had to come, dammit! And you know that! We can fight together, Dad! Like always!"

"This is not like always, Anri!" he stepped closer to her, looking her in the eyes, though his anger seemed to abate slightly as he recognized the fear and hurt in his daughter's face. He too was not surprised that she would come when hearing that Wakaba had been kidnapped, but had yet hoped that she would make the wise decision and stay behind. "I know you want to help her," he said more calmly, "but I can't bear having you both at risk tonight. I need you to stay behind, Anri."

"Like hell!" she exclaimed, clutching her sword tighter. "I can't just lay down while all of you put your lives at risk! I'm a Dragon too!"

Kiryu's brows furrowed more at that. "Then you should know when it's best to defend the things dearest to you, and that your responsibility is to ensure that the most people possible are kept safe." Anri had no response on hand for that. Kiryu put a hand on her shoulder, clutching tightly in reassurance. "Wakaba will be fine, Anri. I promise. I'm going to get her back, but I have to know that both of you are safe, okay? I need to know that to fight at my best."

Anri shook her head after a moment of contemplation. "I learned from you," she began in a low tone, "that to live is to not run away. It's what we've always said, Dad. I don't want to run away when she needs help."

"You're not running away. You're surviving and helping the others. Majima and Saejima may need help too." He let go of her shoulder and glanced down at their family sword. "Hold onto that for me. Use it wisely. Only kill if you must."

Anri looked to the ground, feeling more defeated than relieved at her father's words. "Come back," she mumbled. "Just come back with her…"

Kiryu nodded. "You better stay alive too. I'm not losing either of you tonight." He breathed deep, focusing himself, and ran up the stairwell fast as he could go.

Anri looked behind her, seeing that the Omi members had been pushed back, retreating further into the building's halls and down the stairwells to the lower floors. She guessed that a significant amount of their forces, especially the stronger ones, were guarding Wakaba at this time, and she felt the urge to run after her father anyway. She could chase him, she could fight, she could help, but would that only impede his performance if he was worried about her? She cursed her situation and ran to join Majima and Saejima, who had been like uncles to her since she was born. And whatever criticism the more stoic Saejima may have for her joining the battle, she knew that Majima would find it entertaining, at the very least.

Kiryu emerged at the top of stairs, walking out into a massive landing overlooking the city. The famous Tanaka Observation Level was a favorite gathering place for the most prestigious companies across Tokyo; lavish yet elegant in its modern design, the large outdoor banquet hall was also a sort of secret meeting place for the highest-ranking yakuza families when the police were particularly preoccupied with other things. Kiryu had been here once before with the Boss and the other family heads, and what he saw before him was sickening.

Roughly fifty yakuza in fine suits and sunglasses were lined up on either side of the aisle leading to the overlook platform, and at the end of the aisle stood a young man with an elegant white suit and slicked back dark hair, holding a gun to a young woman with messy black hair and large-rimmed glasses. And strapped to the man's waist was an ornate silver katana hilt and sheath with black calligraphic designs snaking up it toward its tip.

"Wakaba," Kiryu muttered at the realization.

She noticed him, the relief breaking through her fear for a moment, and she cried out his name before being roughly silenced by her captor, who looked back to Kiryu with a knowing, calm smirk. "Come now, don't be shy," he beckoned Kiryu with a jerk of his head. "She's been waiting for someone to come save her. I assure you my men will not attack you, Kiryu-san."

Glowering at him, Kiryu strode forward until he was about half up the aisle. As the man had said, none of the yakuza attacked him, nor even moved. "Who the hell are you?" Kiryu growled at him.

"Takumi Someya," the man replied smoothly. "I am one of the organizers of this little operation." He gestured toward Kiryu with his gun. "Behold, men!" he called out. "Pay your respects, for we are in the presence of a legend! The Dragon of Sakura himself!" The yakuza then quickly bowed to Kiryu on both sides, which only confused him more.

"This some kind of a joke?" Kiryu asked, unimpressed.

"I take offense to that," Someya replied plainly. "We may be on opposite sides, but is it so unthinkable that we could at least hold some respect for you, Kiryu-san?"

"I don't give a damn about any 'respect' you may have. Just let the girl go, and I won't have to hurt any of you."

"Indeed, you will not," Someya nodded, "if you cooperate."

"What?"

"You see, Kiryu-san, my other organizers and I may not be the biggest fans of Sakura or his gangs, but the same cannot be said of you. We happen to greatly admire you and your work, and would like to offer you a deal which all present have already agreed to see through, should you accept."

"You say that like I should care," Kiryu retorted.

"Oh, but you should," Someya raised an eyebrow. "You see, none of us want to kill you, Kiryu-san, as great an honor as that would be. You are the strongest there may have ever been, and we believe you have far outgrown the Sakura Clan by now."

"And?"

"Should you accept, we will join you, Kiryu-san. We will become your new Family, and devote ourselves to your service." Kiryu only raised an eyebrow himself as a response. "It would be a waste to just kill you, so we wish to join you. We will fight to the last to end this farcical war, and with you at the helm, go back to the Omi Alliance and take both the Sakura Clan and the Omi under your banner, Kiryu-san. You will become more than just the Dragon of Sakura, but the Dragon of all Japan! With you leading us, there will be nothing that can stand in our way."

Kiryu's brow furrowed more. "So, you're not actually with the Omi, huh?"

"Goda-han is a tired old man, as is Sakura. We will gladly join a much mightier leader if the opportunity arises. You have more fans in Osaka than you may have expected, Kiryu-san."

Kiryu's wrathful gaze turned to a knowing smirk. "Shido, right? That's the other part of this 'we'?"

Someya chuckled to himself. "I expected you to catch on, quickly. Yes, he too matches my vision for a better future for the yakuza. Our collaboration was a natural one, not barred by false, limiting perspectives of 'the Clans'."

"And you'll betray your chairman and patriarchs so easily?" Kiryu glowered at him. "You're a pathetic excuse for a yakuza."

"Oh no, Kiryu-san. I am the new age of yakuza – Shido and I both. These traditions, these wars, these lies, they will all fall by the wayside and be lost to history when we are done, hopefully with you at the helm."

Kiryu shook his head, smirking. "Just as much a bootlicker as ever, that Shido." He met Someya's gaze again. "I'm not about to betray my Clan, my family – something you obviously have no concept of, kid. Let the girl go and fight me yourself without cowering behind a human shield."

Someya's nose crinkled indignantly, his eyes narrowing. "Shido warned us you may lack vision, Kiryu-san. I guess even Dragons can be too old-fashioned to see what's right in front of them."

Wakaba suddenly began limply struggling against her captor, beginning to cry in fear. "Uncle Kaz," she choked out. "UNCLE KAZ, PLEASE HELP ME!"

"Wakaba, it's okay!" Kiryu strongly reassured her, holding his hand in front of him. "It will be okay, I promise!" He turned his attention back to Someya. "If any of you have cut a single hair from her head, none of you will be leaving this place tonight."

Someya smirked. "And here I thought you were merciful, Kiryu-san. They said you always spared your enemies, regardless of who they were or what they'd done."

"Let her go and find out," he challenged his adversary. "This has nothing to do with her. I know what Shido really wants!"

Someya looked down to his captive, then nodded slowly. "If you will not join us, Kiryu-san, then I suppose the title of Dragon Slayer is a fitting boon to take this night. I believe Shido wanted the honor for himself – the apprentice surpassing the master, and all that. But he's not here, is he?" He threw Wakaba to the ground. She struggled to her feet and ran to Kiryu, embracing him tightly.

"Uncle Kaz, please!" she pleaded into his chest. "He'll kill everyone if you don't join him! They're all going to die if you say no!"

Kiryu placed his hand on her head with a comforting look, and she immediately regained some composure as she looked up to her godfather. "I know," he nodded. "That's why I'm going to take them all down. Find somewhere to hide, and don't come out until it's all over."

"A-are you sure? That you can beat them all?"

Kiryu glanced around quickly. Fifty men, all armed, and one man with both a gun and an impressive sword. He nodded down to her. "I am."

Wakaba wiped her eyes and nodded up to him as well, visible reassured in her legendary godfather. "Go get them, Uncle Kaz."

He smiled down to her and gently patted her on the back, ushering her away. The yakuza watched her go, and she disappeared back down the staircase. Kiryu locked eyes with Someya and cracked his knuckles.

"Shall we, Kiryu-san?" Someya asked, putting his gun away and placing a hand on his sword. "If you'd prefer a proper duel, you may take one of my men's blades. Or we can do this the old-fashioned way – with our fists."

Kiryu straightened his shoulders and narrowed his gaze. "Keep your sword up. You'll need it."

"There's the Dragon I've heard so much about," Someya grinned vilely with excitement. He drew his blade; an immaculately crafted piece that seemed sharp enough to slice through flesh like butter. Kiryu was almost amused by this.

He adopted the Dragon Stance, and the other yakuza all backed off away from the combatants as they readied themselves. "Last chance to run," Kiryu declared. "But if you wanna stay and fight, bring me all you've got, Someya. You'll need it." The yakuza all gasped as blue flames appeared on Kiryu's shoulders, traveling down to his clenched fists. Even Someya's stalwart stance faltered for just a moment. He had heard the tales of the legendary Dragon adorned with a will of fire, but to see it in person, to have the farfetched legends confirmed, gave him a moment's pause. "If you wanna die," Kiryu's flames grew brighter, "then step RIGHT UP!"

Someya roared and charged toward Kiryu, holding his sword at his side. Kiryu deigned not to move but held Someya's gaze through the entire approach. Someya cried out, bringing his sword over his head, and chopping downward, trying to end the Dragon in one swift cut. But the blade stopped midair, caught deftly between Kiryu's hands; it could not be told for sure whether the sharp steel even broke Kiryu's skin.

TAKUMI SOMEYA

OMI ALLIANCE TRAITOR

Kiryu quickly turned the blade to its side and pulled it toward him, allowing him to kick Someya backward and gain some distance. He now controlled the momentum of the fight for a moment and pressed his offensive with vigor. The Dragon Style's versatility proved effective against Someya's sword, with quick jabs mixed with sundering blows keeping Someya off-balance. Someya jabbed his sword forward, but Kiryu stepped out of the way so quickly he must have seen the motion coming right when Someya's arms changed positions, as if he could tell the exact moment when his muscles tensed to deliver the strike.

Kiryu kneed him in the chest on the opposite side of his sword and pushed him away, striking at any holes in his defense he could probe, pushing him back further and further toward where Someya had started. Someya slashed downward, which Kiryu deftly dodged, but Someya tried to follow it up with a shoulder charge to gain any ground he could. Kiryu retaliated with an instant, shockingly fast body-block that sent Someya stumbling backward, nearly falling off his feet. This time, Kiryu was the one to charge forward, managing to punch Someya twice in the face before following it with an uppercut to the jaw.

But Someya forced himself to regain his balance and slashed at Kiryu three times. Kiryu lost some of his balance now, and Someya was gaining ground once again. Someya went for another piercing strike, wrath filling his eyes as he attempted to bring down the Dragon. But the blade was stopped once more, but not as smoothly as it had been.

Kiryu, in a desperate attempt to save himself while regaining his footing, had caught the sword out of the air mere inches before it pierced his heart, holding onto it as it grinded and cut into his hands. Pain shot up from his now profusely bleeding palms and fingers, and his vision went red and blurry as still met Someya's gaze. Someya struggled against Kiryu's shocking strength, pushing the sword toward him inch by inch, but Kiryu did not relent. Someya saw the flaming aura around Kiryu grow in intensity as he growled in pain and anger, and the blue flames became tinged in red. Kiryu gripped the sword tighter and pushed back against Someya, and let out a wild cry as his flames exploded into a red inferno.

He pulled the sword in a swift and smooth motion, prying it from Someya's hands and cast it aside. The pain ins his hands did not abate, but the might of the Dragon Spirit erupting from within him allowed Kiryu to force it to the back of his mind, and with Someya now unarmed, to strike with all he had. All the anger that Kiryu felt toward the invaders imbued him with greater strength, and he focused that strength like his own weapon his opponent.

The punch connected with Someya's chest and was so mighty that it sent him flying backward. He did not scream, as the wind had already left his lungs, though he would have with agonized desperation as Kiryu grabbed Someya's legs, spun him around and flung him from the balcony they stood on to the landing below. Kiryu fearlessly jumped after him, but Someya rolled out of the way, sucking in what air he could as he stood back to his feet.

Someya's yakuza disregarded the desired honorable duel and rushed down the two parallel staircases to aid their leader, but Kiryu was unphased. It had been a very long time since he gave in so completely to the Dragon Spirit, that time having been when he was much younger, but there was no other choice. Orange intermingled with the red of his flames as his many adversaries grew closer to him; he bared his teeth and clenched his fists, forgetting Someya for a moment as he engaged all comers at once.

Like a brutal flurry, a bellowing whirlwind of fire, did he fight. Fifty yakuza tried to fight him at once, and they all fell in heaps. Some were so awestruck and terrified that they could not directly engage Kiryu, too stunned to do not but watch the carnage unfold. Others even fled in fear, wailing for someone to save them from this demon.

When he had dispatched enough of their forces that the rest were routing or cowering, Kiryu found Someya once again, leaning against a large glass painting as he clutched his chest. They locked gazes, and Someya mustered what little strength he had left to charge Kiryu, if only for the sake of his own pride, but he landed no blow. Kiryu's punch caught him right in the jaw, and Someya was sent flying backward again, directly through the glass, causing it to shatter around him.

Someya barely held onto his own consciousness as he looked up from the ground. Through his blurred vision, he spied the image of a titanic shadow walking through a hellish inferno, coming closer, towering over him. He could not speak, he could not cry out or curse this being, but simply look upon him with indignation gradually being overshadowed by fear. The Dragon stood over him truly like a demon, and Someya raised his hand up to Kiryu, some air finally filling his lungs.

"They… they said you were merciful," he gasped out. "That you never kill…"

Kiryu glowered down to him as if offended by the repeated insinuation. "Who the hell told you that?" he growled. Kiryu shook his head, disapproving of something. "No matter how hard I try, no matter what I truly want, I'll always be yakuza. And yes, I do believe in mercy for those who deserve it. Those who repent, who try to find a better path in life and rectify their mistakes. But you… You abandoned your Clan, tried to destroy both it and mine, plotted treason against your patriarchs and tried to kill my family. And you still think I'd have mercy?!"

Someya was terrified, trembling in a way he had forgotten he could do. He was promised justice, power, authority, a new age for the yakuza, and either the aid of the Dragon or its end. And now the Dragon stood over him, and he had sinned greatly against him. Someya's heart raced, and a whimper escaped his lips, as all the world before him burned in red fire.

"You took my goddaughter, Someya," Kiryu continued. "You don't deserve—"

A gunshot, faint and distant, but cutting off Kiryu's words. Someya saw his flames dim and go out, and he stood there in shock. They looked off to their side, and the rafters, saw a man holding a gun, aiming it at Kiryu. "Shido…?" He then noticed his mouth filling with blood that began dribbling from his lips. He had been shot in the back.

"UNCLE KAZ!" Wakaba's voice cried out from the top of the stairs.

"Wakaba!?" Another gunshot, and Kiryu fell to the ground, clutching his side and hissing in pain. Someya looked between the daughter of Sakura and his partner, who disappeared into the dark of the rafters, and knew that he had struck upon one final opportunity.

Someya chuckled to himself through the pain in his ribs. "Surely the death… of the two most important yakuza in the world… will force the Sakura Clan's surrender?"

Kiryu barely heard that through the ringing in his ears but knew exactly what he meant. Someya rolled over and picked a gun off the ground from beside one of unconscious subordinates and quickly aimed at Wakaba. She screeched in fear, but Kiryu would not have it. He tackled him to the ground, fighting through the pain and his body quickly weakening, struggling to pry the gun from Someya's hands. He fired, the shot piercing Kiryu's core, and he cried out in agony, more blood falling from his mouth. Wakaba screamed as well, sobbing in fear at the scene.

But Kiryu held on, clinging to life and mustering what little strength he had left. Faint blue flames appeared on his shoulders as he pulled Someya up from the ground, but he would not let Kiryu go. They were entangled, but Kiryu managed to push him step by step closer to the edge of the floor overlooking a forty story drop down to the street. Kiryu spat up more blood but gripped Someya's wrist and twisted it, snapping the tendons and causing him to drop the gun. Time was short, and he knew that, but this had to end. Now…

Kiryu managed one last glance back at Wakaba, the sight of her terrified sobbing breaking his heart even more. He could not stop the tears of pain from streaming down his face, but he managed the briefest nod her way to reassure her that it was alright, even as his body was soaked in his own blood. And he could barely see her anymore, barely see or hear anything as the world darkened, and his body became heavy as he forced his limbs to not go limp. He knew that he was at the edge of the building, and there was no other option now. Though whether from the bloodloss or some affect of his own Heat, the world seemed to slow around him for a moment.

It grew quiet as he thought on his family, found and blood. His brothers, still living and long past. His beautiful wife, Sayama, whom he sent up a silent prayer of apology for that he would not be making it home tonight. And most importantly, for his daughter, Anri, whom he too apologized to. He saw his wedding to Sayama, their first night together, the first time he held his daughter, and many more scenes from throughout their lives together, interspersed with scenes from the rest of his life. His bond-brother, Akira Nishikiyama, trying to pick up a girl for him at the bar, and then sacrificing himself to save the Sakura Clan fifteen years earlier. Kiryu felt almost nostalgic for those days, when it was just himself, Sojiro, and their closest friends trying to make ends meet in the growing world of the yakuza. Things were not so damn complicated back then. They were simpler, fairer, and he was not yet worshipped as some legendary hero.

A fact that had turned out to be his undoing. Kiryu wondered if this would have happened had not scorned Shido so, not that he did not deserve it. He wondered that for just a moment as the ground gave out beneath him, but in his heart, he knew that it had been the right thing to do. At least Shido's ambitions had led to his uprising being snuffed out before it could truly begin.

The night air was cool, and he lost his grip on Someya somewhere along the way…

…

Anri was motionless as a corpse when she finished recanting her story, and Akira had not a word to say. "I heard all that from Wakaba," she continued. "I still remember when it happened. The fighting had stopped as the Omi traitors were retreating back outside. We chased them, and I saw a faint blue flame fall from atop the building and land at the other end of the business complex.

"Kiryu-san," Saejima whispered.

"Kiryu-chan?" Majima asked.

Anri paused, not noticing the tears fill her eyes as she realized what happened. "DAAAAAAD!"

"I could have stayed with him," she said flatly. "I could have helped him. I maybe could have saved him…"

"You don't know that, Mom."

"You're right," she nodded. "I don't know either way. I may not have, but it could have happened." She trailed off, looking back at Kiryu's photo. "He would have liked you, you know? He would have liked you a lot…"

[Reviews are always welcome.]