Hiya! Long time no see!
Apologies for the wait, things got realllly hectic and busy (even now still). Tried to pump this out as fast as I could, but well, a month's a month.
First part of this chapter is rather heavily based on the Yakuza franchise. It sets up Kiryu's motivations and the effect Jaune unknowingly had on his life. If you feel uncomfortable with that, feel free to skip to the fight with Yang, which will have song cues w/context from the Yakuza franchise. Oh, and for Kiryu's current age, he's 26 due to the more condensed timeline.
And last but definitely not least,This chapter has been beta'd by Kabuto S. Inferno. Couldn't have done it without ya!
A Day Before the Departure…
He walked the streets of his hometown with utmost confidence. For once, he let the legend of his name roll off his steps, both civilians and other Yakuza alike stepping out of the way in fear and respect.
Step, step, step!
Each footstep carried a gravity far greater than the world's. This would be his final stroll around these parts for the foreseeable future; if he came back, then he'd leave this place with Haruka and Nishiki for sure.
And if he didn't…
Kiryu shook his head. Best not to dwell on that now. What's important is that he got today's agenda done. To ask for permission.
As well as to bid goodbye.
His steps down the streets of Kamurocho eventually lead him to a place he once called home. A place he was once the highest order in, but now was nothing but a visitor. A civilian.
No, not that even. A government agent, working in this alliance alongside a new partner. 'Bladewolf', whoever that was.
But still, his ties to his old life pulled him back.
Kiryu stepped past the gates of the Tojo Clan HQ. His steps continued their purpose, marching past men on both of his sides and eventually entering the building proper.
It did not take long for familiar nostalgia to guide his way to his destination.
A stroll through the ornate beautiful stairsteps, across the plush halls that had seen far too much violence to match its majesty, and Kiryu eventually reached the Tojo Clan's Captain's Meeting room.
Creakkk….!
Kiryu opened the door and marched in, keeping his head held high and his shoulders straight. As soon as he stepped inside, every single captain, patriarch, and even the Chairman's head shot to him.
Kiryu stopped and stood just before the door, right as it closed behind him. He quickly looked around the room and assessed everyone there.
There were, of course, familiar faces both good and bad. There was the surprised, but warm and welcoming stare of Kashiwagi-san, the current patriarch of the Kazama Family. But there was also a smirk from Shindo, the current patriarch of the Nishikiyama Family.
And of course, he couldn't dismiss the stern but calm stare of his successor, the Fifth Chairman of the Tojo Clan, Yukio-san.
But at the same time there were also surprised and intrigued gazes from several new faces. Chief among them was an eyebrow raise from Ibuchi, the head of a new Ibuchi Family.
But there was also a member he didn't see among them all. A certain Mad Beowolf that was missing.
No matter. He'll find him later.
"Kiryu-san." It was Yukio who spoke first, centering the attention of the room on Kiryu. Not that he necessarily needed to, anyways, but Kiryu appreciated the gesture. "We are here today under your request, as the Fourth Chairman of the Tojo Clan. As such, I understand that you had something important to tell us…?"
"Aa." Kiryu nodded. He looked around the room once more, making sure to look everyone in the eye... He made sure to raise his voice high enough for everyone to hear.
"There is a matter that has been brought to me a few days ago. It was that matter that also brought me out of Tokyo a few days later, and what drove me to call you all here today." Kiryu said calmly.
"This is a matter that I must discuss with all members of the Tojo Clan's top brass." Kiryu said firmly. "I've already made my decision… but this is larger than me. And that's why you all must know."
"And that matter is…?" Ibuchi leaned in towards Kiryu.
Kiryu spoke again. "I take it you all remember the events of last month?"
"Of course. How could we forget?" Ibuchi smirked. "The loss of the ten billion has left us reeling after all, Kiryu-san. My men have been working hard to recoup our losses, but it hasn't been easy."
"But that's a matter that has been dealt with, Kiryu." Kashiwagi spoke to Kiryu. He shot his younger-brother-like figure a questioning glance. "Unless, there's something more…?"
Kiryu gave a nod. "That's right, Kashiwagi-san. It turns out we still have a loose end that hasn't been settled with."
"A loose end…?" Kashiwagi trailed off in wonder. "What could it be…?"
"That loose end is-."
"Kiryu-san, we shouldn't care so much about the past." Shindo interrupted Kiryu, and all eyes turned to him. "A new age is coming, wouldn't you agree? We don't have time to care about old grudges."
"Funny you should say that, Shindo." Kiryu accused. "Because all of this' related to Nishiki."
The room went still.
It was Shindo that spoke next, words just above a whisper in quiet wonder. "Patriarch Nishikiyama…?"
Kiryu turned to Yukio. "He worked together with Kyohei, who hired a killer to take out Sera. That killer is still alive today, and I've been given the task of hunting him down."
Beat.
And then, the entire room turned into an uproar. How could they not? Even if Kyohei was the one who ordered it, it was still an absolute disgrace for an outsider to meddle with Yakuza affairs, especially killing the Third Chairman! And now that the Fourth Chairman of all people had the identity of who it was, were they just going to let the damn killer get away with it? Fuck no!
"Kill him!"
"Show him justice!"
"Make him pay-!"
Tap! "Order!"
The room quieted down right after Yukio slammed his hand to his chair. Everyone settled back to their seats, and then, representing the entire Tojo clan, Yukio decided to speak next.
"Kiryu-san." He said calmly, "Would you mind telling us who this person is? Who gave you this information? And why were you, of all people, assigned to be the one to carry this out?"
Kiryu sighed. This was the heavy part, but it had to be taken out of the way. "A few days ago, I was approached by a CIA Agent that specializes in the eastern division. His name… was Kazama Joji."
Several gasps were heard around the room. Kazama, as in, Kazama Shintaro-?!
The relation this had to Kiryu was getting clearer and clearer by the minute.
"Kazama- No, Joji-san gave me the details of who this person was. His name was Jaune Arc, an assassin for hire from America's Desperado mercenary contractor group. The government is looking for him, preferably alive, to be trialed for his crimes. If I were to succeed…" Kiryu trailed off.
The room waited with bated breath.
Kiryu closed his eyes. And then, he opened them again with nothing but steel in his gaze. "If Jaune Arc is brought to justice, then Nishiki will be given his final treatment … the last one he needs to wake up."
Another uproar across the Captain's room.
Nishikiyama, the inseparable brother of Kiryu Kazuma.
Nishikiyama, one of the men who caused the whole Millennium Tower fiasco.
Nishikiyama Akira…
Amidst all of this, Shindo sat with a complex emotion on his face, one Kiryu could barely decipher. On one hand, he was glad his Patriarch would be returning. On the other hand, he would lose his seat of power, wouldn't he…?
And then, on the other side of the room, Kashiwagi gave Kiryu a nervous glance. He knew the lengths the man would go to for his brother-in-anything-but-blood, and that was what scared him. Because…
Kashiwagi turned to look at Yukio, one of the few remaining 'old guards' in the room. That name, Jaune Arc, may not have resonated with the new faces around the clan, but for people like himself and Yukio...
Those who were around the Empty Lot mess back in 2388…
Jaune Arc was a mystery that ended the Empty Lot fiasco prematurely. A person whose title, whose kanban, surpassed Shintaro Kazama's hitman career in just one night.
Kiryu was the Dragon of Dojima, the one who 'surpassed' and took over the place of Shibusawa Keiji.
But Jaune Arc was the one who killed every single one of the Shibusawa Family, including Shibusawa himself, making him the true Dragon Killer.
He was the entire reason any and all attempts the Tojo Clan made at expanding outside of Neo-Japan was scrapped. After all, the one time they tried to do so, what did they get? More than 200 of their men dead, and not a single left to spare to tell the tale.
And in that way, intentionally or not…
This Jaune Arc had built his own title, his own Kanban.
Kashiwagi noticed the concerned gaze of his current chairman Yukio. They looked at each other, eyes silently conversing with each other, before giving each a subtle nod at each other.
Yukio coughed into his hand, drawing the attention of everyone in the room back to him, and spoke with a calm tone fit for a Chairman.
"Kiryu-san." Yukio said. "If that's true… then… to what lengths will you go? Are you ready for whatever happens?"
"Yes." Kiryu said sternly. "I'll do whatever it takes." '…For Nishiki.'
"Why?" Yukio asked. He and Kashiwagi might have known, but as the Fifth Chairman, he needed Kiryu to voice his reasons loud and clear for the rest of the Clan to hear. Because like it or not, Kiryu was still the Fourth Chairman. Try as they might…
Yukio knew that the Tojo Clan would always have a vested interest in Kiryu. And whatever he did will always reflect on the Clan.
Perhaps Kiryu realized this as well, and that was the reason he decided to inform them all. He could have only informed a small number of people, but if he succeeded, and Nishikiyama woke up, then everyone would start asking questions. And there was no way the Tojo Clan would let Nishikiyama go as easily as they did Kiryu.
And on the other hand, if Kiryu were to die on this mission, then the Tojo Clan would be jumping at the bit to get their revenge. An act that Yukio was sure he could never control, and would cause the demise of the Tojo Clan. Moreover, Yukio was sure that was no way for Kiryu to honour Sera's will and Kazama's legacy.
And about this Jaune Arc…
Yukio was sure that one way or another, the Tojo Clan would have known about his involvement in the Millennium Tower Fiasco. This Desperado mercenary group was already crumbling either way, and not to mention that the old guards knew him for more than just Kyohei's orders…
The truth would've come out sooner or later, and he didn't know if the Tojo Clan could survive that time.
So in a sense, Kiryu was bound by oath and promise either way.
Whispers broke out in the Captain's room. Eventually, these whispers broke out in the form of requests to Kiryu.
"Yondaime-san! Beat this Arc and avenge Chairman Sera!"
"He, an outsider, killed one of our best! Yondaime, show him how it's done!"
"Bring him back to us and we'll make sure he pays! An eye for an eye, justice must be served in the Yakuza way!"
The voices grew louder and louder…
Kiryu clenched his fist.
The entire room went silent.
With a barely stable voice, Kiryu spoke his words out with eyes that burned right into Yukio's own.
"I'm doing this… for Nishiki." Kiryu began. And then, he continued with everything he had.
"I'm doing this for all the people that Jaune Arc has killed. I'm doing this to make sure he doesn't escape justice… I'm doing this because I can't live and exist in a future that has a killer like that roaming freely."
"I'm doing this because it has to be done. For Nishiki… and because Jaune Arc must never go unpunished!"
Silence. Everyone mulled over Kiryu's words, digesting his readiness and his resolve…
In the end, it was Yukio that spoke his last words. "In that case… the Tojo Clan approves of your journey, Fourth Chairman. Bring justice, avenge Sera… and make Jaune Arc pay for crossing the Tojo Clan."
Kiyu gave a nod, "Yukio-san, thank you."
Of course, Kiryu recognized that there was one man who was missing from the Captain's meeting. Someone who was one of the few on equal terms with himself, and someone who had just as much a stake on the Empty Lot incidents as Kiryu himself had.
Majima Goro, the Mad Dog.
He was nowhere to be seen in his family's HQ. He left absolutely no trace in his usual hangouts, especially when Kiryu himself was still in town. Not the sewers, not the alleys, and not the rooftops.
It took much longer than Kiryu had expected to track him down, but after going through some of the darkest parts of Kamurocho that not even most of the Yakuza knew about, he finally came upon the man who was looking for.
He found Majima alone, standing still with his back towards him, at the end of a dark alley that ended with an open plot of land. This plot of land had nothing to block the sunlight from shining down, making it the only brightly-lit place in the end of the alley.
To Kiryu, this single piece of land was eerily reminiscent of the Empty Lot.
Majima stood still in this empty piece of land, sunlight shining down on him like a spotlight from the skies, and yet none of its brightness reflecting off of him.
Kiryu stepped inside the alley, approaching Majima through the darkness, stopping just before the land with light.
Majima clearly heard Kiryu approach, but he didn't budge one bit.
"…Majima-no-niisan." Kiryu said. He opened his mouth to speak again, but-!
Majima's hand flinched and Kiryu's eyes immediately shot to it, and even more, to what it was holding. His famed Blackfire Dagger, unsheathed and dimly radiating with Majima's signature pitch-black Aura.
"…" Kiryu stayed silent.
After several moments, Majima eventually began to speak.
"…'Heard about your plans, Kiryu-chan." Majima spoke, tone barely above a whisper.
"…"
"So… you plannin' on takin on the Dragon Killer. That right?"
"Aa." Kiryu nodded. "The craft's all ready. I'll leave in 18 hours."
"…'Least you didn't leave me out in the cold." Majima whispered. "So… you're doin' this for your brother?"
"Yes." Kiryu said firmly. "Nishiki… he's- we made a promise to always stick with each other. That when the time came… that we'd cross that line together. And I-… I can't go back on that, Majima-no-niisan. Never."
From hearing this confession, it seemed that Majima regained some sense of himself. His shoulders straightened and he sheathed his weapon back into its place.
Step!
Majima turned around, giving Kiryu a good look at his rival's face, his expression and emotion.
Kiryu felt his composure drop ever so slightly. He could barely keep a gasp from coming out. And that was because…!
Majima stared back at Kiryu with his single working eye. And now… there was no more trace of the Mad Dog.
There was no crazed glint in his eye. No frenzied smile, no uncontrollable bloodlust, and no manic bursts of madness.
It took Kiryu longer than he had ever thought before to figure out who this was. Why wasn't Majima acting with his usual flair? Why wasn't he- well, like his usual crazy self?
But then, as Kiryu stared back into Majima's lone eye, he realized one thing.
No, this wasn't the Mad Beowolf. Nor was this the great patriarch of the Majima Family, a staple of the Tojo Clan.
No, this was a broken man, a man who was destroyed by the events of 2388.
By the events of the Empty Lot.
And from that, Kiryu could guess what bothered Majima so. Because to a degree, Kiryu had gotten his closure with the death of Shibusawa. The greatest threat to him, to his family and to Kazama-san, was dead. Kazama-san, Nishiki, they all managed to move on after Shibusawa's death,. And try as Kiryu might, that death brought him a comfort he knew he shouldn't feel.
With Shibusawa dead there was no one to chase them anymore. Loathe as he was to admit it, the Shibusawa Family at that time were his opponents… and now, he needn't worry about them anymore.
He knew he shouldn't kill in cold blood, to never cross that line…
But on the other hand…
All the while, try as he might, Majima never got that death, that closure, and the fact that the Old Ghost Lao Gui is still alive will forever haunt him.
He may be in the deepest dungeons of the Tojo Clan, transferred hand-to-hand from Sera to Yukio, and yet…
He was still alive.
Majima growled when he saw Kiryu understand. Killing in cold blood was a line they must never cross, they both knew that. But if so, why did Kiryu get to have his enemy die, all the while Lao Gui… he didn't get to make that bastard suffer! By his own hands!
"Kiryu." Majima bit out. "You're gonna go up against the Dragon Killer. He's no slouch and we both know that. But more than that…"
Majima stepped forwards and approached Kiryu. Kiryu stood still and firm as Majima approached. Eventually, the two stood face-to-face with barely any distance between them. One broad-shouldered and strong, the other slender-built and deadly.
The two were divided by the light that shone on the lot. One encased in dark with a grey suit and red dress shirt, the other in the light with a stark red-and-yellow patterned unbuttoned suit paired with a black undershirt.
"That bastard's a loose end. To both of us. To the Millennium Tower incident… and the Empty Lot. Make sure…" Majima's voice dropped to the lowest Kiryu has ever heard it. "That you don't hold back on that bastard."
Kiryu's beliefs told him to counter Majima, to told him that he'd do this like he always did… but he found that something was holding him back.
"He's a loose end to that damned lot. He's killed Sera and he's the ticket to getting your brother back. So I say go all out. Make him pay for crossing the Tojo Clan." Majima said sternly.
Kiryu tried to form the words to respond. He stepped forwards, the light shining down on him completely…
But alas, just as he did so, Majima stepped past him and became engulfed in the darkness.
They stopped in their respective steps, their places reversed with their backs to each other.
"Kiryu… stop showing mercy." Majima said in a low tone. "At least, not to Jaune Arc. Some people just won't understand, and after killing Shibusawa, all of his family, and then Sera… you really think someone like him could ever change?"
Kiryu struggled to find the words. "I promised Nishiki that I wouldn't cross that line. At least, not without him."
Kiryu turned around and looked at Majima, barely visible in the dark, and yet his presence was clear as the strongest of fears enveloped him nonetheless. "I told you before, Majima-no-niisan. I'll do this my own way… the right way."
Majima scoffed. "And that right way is to give a second chance on life for someone who's killed so many?"
Kiryu curled his fist, almost drawing blood even through Aura… but there was still something else. He shot back, "Jaune Arc certainly deserves a lot… but even so… I won't burden Nishiki with a debt he can't repay."
"Tch! You already did." Majima scoffed. "You took the fall for killing Dojima. And you've seen what happens, haven't you, Kiryu-chan? Some people are better off dead. Some people can't be saved by taking the moral high ground."
With that, Majima began to step away. The clicks of his boots echoed in the darkness, slowly growing fainter and fainter, until-!
"But you did!" Kiryu shouted.
Majima stopped.
"You... you didn't kill Lao Gui back then, Majima-no-niisan." Kiryu said firmly. "And by doing so… you proved yourself the better man and rose back through the ranks!"
A rustle, and Kiryu knew that Majima was shaking his head. "Kiryu… It made no difference in the end, if I had killed him or not."
Kiryu narrowed his eyes. "What…?"
"Take a look at yourself." Majima said. "Don't you feel glad that Shibusawa's gone? Don't you feel glad that you didn't cross that line, but at the same time there's no chance in the entire world that he'd get back to go for your head?"
Kiryu stayed silent. Because that was true, wasn't it…? There was no line to cross, because Shibusawa was already gone…
"I took the high ground back then, but it didn't matter." Majima bit his teeth and growled. "Looking back at it now… I should've made that bastard suffer. It wouldn't have changed a damn thing. But I would have felt better if I had."
All at once, it clicked to Kiryu. He whispered a name he hadn't thought of in a long time.
"Makimura Makoto…"
Majima froze.
"It's because of her, isn't it, Majima-no-niisan?" Kiryu asked. "You… You loved her."
Majima let out a sigh, and it did nothing but confirm it for Kiryu.
"Lao Gui… in the end, it didn't matter if he lived or died, did it, Kiryu?" Majima said. "After everything, Makoto moved on… and I'm still here. Left dwelling with those memories. Do you know why I think so? Why didn't I agree with Sera's little speech back then, and even now? 'Cus the way I see it, it didn't matter if Shibusawa was left alive or not. Hell, it wouldn't have mattered if old Sohei died back then too. The world didn't fucking end with their passing. It sure as hell didn't with Shibusawa. In the end… You still became the Dragon of Dojima."
"We took the high ground, Kiryu… and we're both still suffering because of it." Majima finished.
Without another word, Majima continued his steps and sank deeper into the darkness. All the while, Kiryu stood alone on the small spot that had light, alone with his thoughts.
Perhaps…
Just maybe, Majima had a point…
He had promised Nishiki not to cross that line. Had promised to do things together and to always settle any problems side-by-side as one.
But on that night, the night that changed their very lives…
He had refused.
He took the fall for Dojima's death and gave Nishiki a debt he could never repay. And both before and after that night, he took the high ground in morals, again and again… never killing and always sparing…
His refusal to kill Kuze had led to the death of Tachibana, and Makoto would never see her brother in this life ever again…
Taking the fall for Nishiki, leaving him alone, made his brother dive deeper into madness than he could ever have imagined, facing a world he was never prepared to face alone…
And then, his optimism towards this dark Nishiki had led to the deaths of Shinji and Reina, two of his closest friends….
His sparing of Shimano led to the death of Kazama-san, sacrificing his life to protect Haruka from Shimano's desperate last attack…
His sparing of Kyohei led to the death of Yumi, Haruka's mother and his one love… and the comatose condition of Nishiki…
All of this, from taking the moral high ground…
And more than that, thelongest period of peace he had, even longer than the time he spent with Haruka…
Was the time when Shibusawa was found already dead, killed by none other than Jaune Arc.
Kiryu closed his eyes and clenched his fists.
He made a promise, one he made with Nishiki all those years ago…!
In these dark thoughts, he could hear Nishiki's voice loud and clear…
"Hold on, Kiryu. Don't fall out! And… when the time comes when we have to cross the line… then we'll do it together!"
Kiryu let out a breath. Nishiki had crossed that line a long time ago when he killed Dojima, and he had taken the fall for that very crossing.
He would still fight for what's right. For justice, for those who were killed by Jaune Arc, Yakuza or not…
But even so, now, in this current age…
Perhaps, when the time comes…
It would be time for him to join his brother and cross that line as well.
"Prisoner 2851!"
In the depths of Tokyo's prisons, a rugged, rough-looking old man stirred from his sleep. He groaned and got up from his bed, quickly putting a shirt over his chest and looking over to his bars.
The old man saw a police officer standing behind the bars, the very one that had called him out. The old man smirked, "Eh? What is it this time?"
The police officer remained stoic. With his arms behind his back, he calmly spoke to the prisoner. "You have a visitor."
That threw the old man for a loop. He tilted his head and blinked in surprise. "Aa?"
"The first in all the time you've been here, correct?" The police officer said. Then, he took a key out from his pocket and began unlocking his cell. "You best make haste. I heard he's an important man, and that he doesn't have time for a long talk."
Hearing this, the old man smirked and rolled his neck. With that description… he knew exactly who this was. Now the question was, why would he want something to do with an old enemy such as himself? He already gave his approval a long time ago. There's nothing else he can give now.
But nonetheless, the old man relented. "Fine, fine. Get on with it, then."
Click!
The door to his cell opened and the old man stepped out, the police officer following not far behind.
It seemed the past wasn't done for this old boxer just yet.
Drrrrring!
An alarm sounded and Kiryu watched as his old acquaintance stepped out from the door opposite from him, both of them blocked with a glass wall between them. They both took a seat on their respective sides, taking out local phones and beginning their communication in the Non-Contact Visit section of Tokyo's largest prison.
Kiryu began first. "It's been a long time… Kuze-no-aniki."
Kuze barked out a laugh from the other side. "Hah! Tell me about it, brat. Still, you caught me by surprise." And then, Kuze smirked. "Tell me, what does the Yondaime want with an old man like me?"
"We both know you're far more than that, Kuze-no-aniki." Kiryu looked Kuze up-and-down. "You've still got the muscles. I doubt you've let up on training for more than a day."
"Heh, you're damn right." Kuze chuckled and leaned back on his seat, "This place's boring and no one puts up a real fight. But I can't let that get the best of me. I'm gonna get out sooner or later, y'know, and I gotta be ready for when that time comes."
"…" Kiryu gave a silent nod.
"Heh, but that's enough about me, brat." Kuze tilted his head at Kiryu. "So? What'cha come in here for?"
It took a few moments for Kiryu to respond, but eventually, he did so with all the seriousness he could muster. "Kuze-no-aniki. I'll be hunting down the Dragon Killer. He's in another continent, and I'm due to leave tomorrow."
That got Kuze to raise his eyebrows. He sputtered out in shock, "The Dragon Killer… you mean-!"
"The very one that killed Shibusawa." Kiryu gave a confirming nod. "I've talked it over with the other captains. Kashiwagi-san, Yukio-san… even with Majima-no-niisan. But…"
Kuze stayed silent, hearing every word intently.
"…But they're not you, Kuze-no-aniki." Kiryu finished with a heavy breath. "You and I…"
"Aa, I understand. So, Shibusawa, huh…?" Kuze leaned back and let out a sigh. "Damn… it's been a while since I thought about him."
Kiryu listened on in silence.
"You remember what I told you that night, right? He wanted to be his own man. Wanted to be a true Yakuza." Kuze said. "Hm. Guess that got him killed in the end, coincidence or not."
"Kuze-no-aniki…"
"I haven't forgotten, Kiryu." Kuze said, and it seemed to have a touch of… fondness? Kiryu couldn't decipher it, but it certainly wasn't malice. More like nostalgia, and just a hint of pride. "You told me back then that you had your own kind of honour. Your own code." Kuze eyed Kiryu sharply. "And now you're a real Yakuza. More than that, the Fourth Chairman of the Tojo Clan. So why doubt yourself now?"
"I- I've been thinking about the way things could have been." Kiryu sighed. "Everything that's happened…"
"Is it Tachibana? Or is it Nishikiyama? Or Captain Kazama?" Kuze listed.
Kiryu stayed silent. After a while, he forced out… "All of it."
"Kiryu… I won't tell you what to do. We both know there's no real room for that." Kuze shook his head. "Once I get out there'll be no Dojima Family to return to. The Chairman's changed so many times I don't even know if I'll be able to get in as a grunt. I'm the last of my generation and there's no changing that."
Kuze barked out a laugh. "But still… we both know that the new age's Yakuza are a real scummy lot. Ain't that right, Kiryu?"
"…"
"You and I… we're different, but we won't let that stop us." Kuze said. "You've got your methods, and I've got mine. Ain't no shame in any of that."
"But…" Kiryu looked to Kuze. "Where has that gotten us, Kuze-no-aniki?"
Kuze leaned back. He stayed silent, making sure both his words and Kiryu's own sunk in. "Kiryu… as long as a man has his pride, then he doesn't need any other concern." Kuze said slowly.
Kiryu opened his mouth to speak, but Kuze interrupted him before he could.
"Do you think I regret turning myself in? Heh, that couldn't be further from the truth. Fact is I lost to you. 'S a bitter pill to swallow but there's nothing wrong with that."
"And now you've found yourself at a crossroads. Because you have so much to consider now… you've got a family, like a real man now."
Kiryu let out a sigh.
"Kiryu…" Kuze leaned in close, and Kiryu did the same.
"I can't tell you what kinda world the Dragon Killer lives in." Kuze said seriously. "I can't tell you to be ready for what happens… but the one thing I can tell you is to never bow down." Kuze said.
"Kuze-no-aniki…"
"I didn't lose to just any damn brat. I lost to a man who held on to his beliefs despite the shitty hand he'd been dealt. A man who had his own form of pride and didn't sacrifice it no matter what."
"…"
"Didn't you say that you'd bury the Tojo Clan, Kiryu? I never forgot, you know… I couldn't forget. Because in the end it was the Dojima Family that broke the seal to your power. Including myself."
"What drove you to make that statement? What drives you to save your brother, and to sacrifice even your very life for people you don't know?" Kuze reached forwards and tapped the glass barring them both, right at where Kiryu's heart would be.
Tap.
"It's this. It's your resolve." Kuze said. "Follow it to the end, Kiryu. That's all I have to say. And if your heart says that taking Jaune Arc down means doing the unthinkable… then so be it."
"…"
"You'll know… when the time comes." Kuze leaned back. "I can't say when, I can't say where, the world out there is different."
Kiryu leaned in and absorbed every one of Kuze's words.
"The world he lives in… there's bound to be some things that don't match up with what you believe. Maybe there'd be differences that are inconsolable. Maybe there are some things that are normal there but unheard of here. You're going out of Japan… that's to be expected."
"But I trust that a real man, that the Dragon of Dojima, can make the choices that he needs to. Because as long as you've got resolve, to never back down… then that means you can stand tall and strong for as long as you need."
"Kuze-no-aniki…"
Kuze smirked. "Just don't die out there, Kiryu. Cuz' remember… we've still got that rematch once I get out."
And in turn, Kiryu couldn't help but smirk back. He guessed that was true. He had a lot of people waiting for him back home. The world out there was different.
Kuze was right. He'll know what to do when the time comes.
Anything for Nishiki.
Kiryu breathed in a sigh as he stood underneath these shining lights, keeping his fist clenched as another Dragon circled him.
And so here he was.
In a world so different from his own.
Where children just barely older than Haruka were already being trained to fight, kill and maybe even die, and both Humanity and Faunuskind were reduced to a mere four Kingdoms.
Where even with Grimm knocking on their walls, people still had reasons to pointlessly war against each other.
Where discrimination and violence was rampant, yet the public façade of happiness was required to be kept up at all costs lest it be all for nothing.
Where all of Humanity's advancements were focused on just surviving another day… even if it meant a better way of killing other people off.
He had to adjust. What good is staying strong if it meant crumbling down and not being able to greet his daughter back home?
But one thing was the same, one thing that would never change within him both in Tokyo and in Vale.
Kiryu took a step forward and entered his stance.
A blue glow sparked from his eyes, and then an ethereal blue fire spread from his fist and then to his entire body. 'Brawler.'
For family, for Haruka, for Nishiki, he'd give anything.
And so he roared, the Dragon from afar.
"Shinite yatsu dake… Kakatte koi!"
And the local Dragon responded back. "LET'S GO!"
~Yakuza / Yakuza Kiwami 1 – Funk Goes On Dual Mix~
Yang rushed forwards, her fist drawn back with her gauntlets primed and ready. Kiryu stood firm, eyes sharply trailing Yang's movements.
'Come at me, Xiao-Long!'
And then, at last, Yang reached Kiryu's position and went for a haymaker to his head.
"HYAH!"
Yang launched her fist straight for his cheek. Kiryu aptly leaned to the side, letting the fist miss its mark. His eyes trailed to the side, looking at the gauntlets Yang was using.
'Is that a shotgun-?!'
BANG!
The shot missed and yet it still launched Yang high into the air. She spun, drew her fist back, and then descended with another punch.
Yang roared with a wide smile. "HAHHH!"
Kiryu dashed to the back, letting Yang's fist hit the dance floor.
BAM!
Kiryu felt the glass beneath him crack from Yang's punch. Before he could recover, Kiryu immediately dashed in for a haymaker to her cheek.
Yang noticed this and quickly pulled her fist free from the dance floor. Right as Kiryu reached her, she went for a quick punch to his chest.
Yang's fist glowed orange with her Aura, enhancing it to incredible strength. "HAHHHH!"
Kiryu's fist trailed with blue spectral flames, the signs of a wild Brawler. "ORAA!"
Yang Xiao-Long
Little Sunny Dragon, Beacon Academy's Top Huntress-In-Training
vs
Kiryu Kazuma
The Dragon of Dojima, 4th Chairman of the Tojo Clan
BAM!
Their fists collided with each other, sending them skidding back with shards of glass trailing their shoes.
"Grk!" Kiryu grit his teeth as skid to a stop, his fist stinging from the impact. That was metal-on-skin contact, huh?
"Hah…" Yang let out a breath as she felt her right arm shake. That was some serious power, from a guy with no weapon no less!
But that didn't matter. She was going to win either way!
With that in mind, Yang began circling her opponent once more, this 'Kiryu' that might just be a threat. In response, Kiryu brought his guard up and mirrored Yang's steps. Even as the lights flashed around them, nothing could disturb their focus on the other's cues…
And then, the smallest of cracks propagated on the dance floor they stood on.
Crack!
"HYAH!" Yang launched herself forwards and went for a straight punch to Kiryu's chest. She reached him in less than a second and threw her fist as strong as she could.
Skrt!
Kiryu deftly parried the strike, pushing her arm far away from its target. In response, he lifted his own right fist.
"ORA!" Kiryu's fist came in wide from Yang's left, straight for her shoulder. Yang quickly ducked, Kiryu's fist flying right above her head.
Yang realized her opponent's mistake. 'Now! He's wide open!' "Hoah!" Yang immediately jumped up and went for a rising uppercut.
"Tch." Kiryu leaned back, Yang's fist just barely missing his chin. He grit his teeth and quickly lifted his feet, striking Yang low on the side of her leg.
Bam!
"Hrk!" Yang stumbled down as she landed, her feet stinging from Kiryu's attack. And now, she realized her own mistake. She had to get back to moving-!
"SEI-YA!" Yang's eyes widened as she saw Kiryu's fist coming in wide downwards to her head.
'Move!' Yang quickly went low to the ground and rolled away, Kiryu's fist missing her and hitting nothing but air.
Yang ended her roll and got to a knee around two steps away. She quickly got back into her stance and went straight to Kiryu again.
"Come on!" Yang lunged forwards and threw a punch for Kiryu's gut. Kiryu parried the strike and responded in kind with a wide swing for her head. Yang deftly dodged it, not even changing her position. She increased her speed and got back with a flurry of attacks.
"Hyah! Hyah! Hyah! Come on, Kiryu!"
Jab, cross, punch, haymaker, uppercut! Yang did it all, making sure to keep Kiryu on his toes. And in turn, Kiryu felt himself being overwhelmed!
"Hahahah! Yeahhh!" Yang threw a quick jab for his face. Kiryu blocked it, but barely saw another jab for his liver. He grit his teeth as he blocked that one too. He could barely keep up-!
"HYAHHH!"
Slam!
'Got you, big guy!' Yang smirked as she felt her gloved hand hit right at Kiryu's cheek. But before he could even flinch, Yang pulled the trigger on her glove and fired her shotgun shells.
Click!
BANG!
"Uagh!" Kiryu skidded back from the blow, his currently-blue Aura flashing from the blow. But still, he stood on his own two feet with his knees unwavering. That was slick from her-!
"UP HEREEEE!"
Kiryu looked up and saw Yang descending fast, her fist glowing yellow with her Aura. She had a manic smile and fired her gauntlets behind her, increasing her descent speed.
Boom!
"HYAH!" With the power of shotgun blasts, she rocketed straight for Kiryu with a punch right for his head.
Fwoosh!
Yang came closer and closer, her fist thrown forwards for a punch…!
But Kiryu deftly stepped to the side, just before she reached him, letting her miss completely.
Yang's eyes widened as her eyes tried to track her opponent. 'Where'd he go-?!'
"HOAHHHH!" Kiryu appeared behind Yang and roared, sweeping his leg across her own. And because of that, she immediately lost her footing.
Yang felt herself losing her balance, her vision tilting up to the roof as she started to go down back first-!
"SEI-YAA!"
But that was before Kiryu lifted his foot high and slammed it down on her face, pressed right to the glass dance floor.
Boom! Crack!
"M-mf!" Yang felt herself go into a daze with Kiryu's shoes atop her face. But good for her, Kiryu quickly took it off and took several steps back.
"H-hah… hah…" Yang went to a knee, then slowly back to her stance, feeling her Aura dampening the pain on her face. But that attack… she couldn't let it happen again!
Let's see, he always preferred wide attacks, it seemed, so the only way to counter it, then…
She had to be faster, faster, faster!
Yang narrowed her eyes and prepped herself. His fists always came in wide, right...? Then there's one way to counter him!
But aside from all of that, this…
This was great fun!
Yang smirked and rolled her shoulders. With a newfound strategy, she slammed her fists together and let her Aura roar free.
Alright, focus on muscle speed, she could do this! Enhance her standard technique's speed!
With a smile, she flipped her hand and beckoned Kiryu forth.
"Hmph." Kiryu let out a breath. So this girl wanted to play, huh? Had she figured something out?
No matter. He'll give her the honours, at least.
"Kochi kara ikuzo!" / It all starts from here! Kiryu ran forwards and roared with his fist. "HAH!" Kiryu threw a wide punch from the left. Yang quickly ducked under it, popping back up not a second later. Kiryu didn't let up and threw another wide punch, this time from the right. "DORIYA!" Yang ducked under it as well, popping back up and keeping her footing weaving. He'll throw another punch-!
"HAH!" Kiryu roared and instead threw a wide kick, using the full weight of his body and leg and striking Yang right in her stomach.
BOOM!
"AH!" Yang skidded back, feeling the wind getting knocked out of her. She quickly shook her head and tried to regain her consciousness.
But in her daze, she was too late.
"HAHH!" Kiryu had lunged forwards and grabbed her by the collar. Yang tried to shake him off, but couldn't. Just what was this grip-?!
Kiryu's eyes glowed blue and he focused his Semblance for the Essence of Brawler.
"ORA!"
SLAM!
"AH!"
Kiryu held Yang in place by her collar and slammed a wide fist into her face. Yang's Aura flashed to protect her, but he wasn't done!
"ORA! ORA!"
SLAM! SLAM! SLAM!
Kiryu slammed two more punches, and then…
"ORAAAA!"
BAAMM!
He pulled Yang close and gave her the meanest headbutt of her life!
"AH!" Yang fell to the dance floor, just managing to go into a roll for recovery. This guy! That's strength!
Yang smirked and wiped her lips with her fist, going back to her stance. She felt around for her Aura, noting it was around 70%, but that didn't scare her. In fact, she was more excited than ever.
Alright then, round 2! Time to change up her guns!
Yang fired up her gauntlets and made sure to load them all up with full capacity. And then, once it was done, she widened her stance, knees more bent and arms more low. All of this… to accommodate more momentum.
Kiryu narrowed his eyes. A change in style? Then he'll meet it head on, like he always did.
"Here I come!" Yang put her fists behind her and fired her gauntlets full force.
Bang!
Yang flew towards Kiryu, the wind whipping past her face. She telegraphed a punch, just like she did before-!
Yang saw Kiryu lift his arms to block her punch and smirked. She patiently waited until the last second…
Kiryu narrowed his eyes. He'll block her punch entirely!
…And then, at the very last second, she instead fired her gauntlets to the side and spun in the air.
Bang!
'Nani-!' Kiryu couldn't keep up with the sudden change, and reflexively slightly lowered his guard. What was this-?
"HYAHHH!" Yang used every single bit of momentum in her spin and lashed out her foot, doing a 1080 degree spinning kick and aiming it right for Kiryu's neck. Kiryu couldn't react, the movement was too wild-!
SLAM!
The kick connected right with Kiryu's neck, blowing straight past his guard and forcing him to stumble to the side.
"Ngh…" Kiryu tried to shake off his daze. He had to stay focused-!
Step!
Yang gracefully landed on the dance floor and immediately went to Kiryu's position. She reloaded her gauntlets, adjusted it for no knockback to herself, and began attacking Kiryu with everything in her chambers.
"HYAH!" Yang threw a punch, immediately firing a shell before it even landed. Kiryu just barely dodged it in time, but not without feeling the residual heat from her shots.
Kiryu grit his teeth. At point blank?! What was this?! He had never seen anything like this in his life!
But nonetheless, Yang kept up, slowly and surely pelting Kiryu with shotgun pellets.
"HAH! HAH! HAH!" Yang threw a haymaker and fired, Kiryu barely dodging. She threw a uppercut and Kiryu blocked it from below, but the shotgun fire immediately shattered his guard.
Bam!
"Grk!" Kiryu felt his arms being forced to the side from the blow. Yang smirked and kneed Kiryu right in the stomach.
"Uagh!" Kiryu felt himself being forced to the air from the blow. He blocked with his arms as he floated in mid-air, bracing for impact-!
Yang aimed both of her fists straight at Kiryu and fired all of her shotgun shells at him. "TAKE THIS!"
BANG! BOOM!
"UAGH!" Kiryu felt his Aura take a massive hit as he was flown across the dance floor, just barely landing on his feet.
Step!
"Ngh…" He felt his knees shake and his arms flinching as he landed. "Kuso…" Kiryu rubbed his arms, trying to analyze the situation.
'Nanda yo… sono powa…' /The hell was that power…? Kiryu shook his head andcast asidehis incomprehension. Her speed was constant, and yet her power, from those fist-guns…? It had increased tenfold.
Time to adapt.
Kiryu lowered his arms and cracked his neck. Then, he shifted his stance and danced in place, both fists raised high in chin level.
"Hm!" Kiryu slammed a step on the floor,feeling his very method of fighting change, the way he analyzed everything totally transformed. His Aura changed from blue to purple, the glow in his eyes from cobalt to pink…
The Rush part of his Semblance.
~Yakuza Kiwami 1 – Flirt with Bomb~
Kiryu shuffled his steps as he entered his stance for Yang. "Ikuzo!" /Let's go!
Yang reloaded her gauntlet shotguns and wholeheartedly took his challenge. "HYAH!" She fired her gauntlets behind her and felt herself fly up. Then, she fired it behind her and rocketed at Kiryu full-speed.
"HYAHHHH!"
Yang reached Kiryu, and still in mid-air, fired her shotgun shells straight at him. The pellets flew at him and Kiryu stepped to the side, fast enough to leave a pink afterimage-like effect.
Yang backflipped from the reverse momentum the gauntlets gave her and landed on her feet less than one step away from Kiryu. In practically no time at all, she closed the distance between her and Kiryu and began assaulting him with everything she had.
"HAH! HAH! HAAAAAH!"
Yang punched her shotgun fists to Kiryu's head. Kiryu ducked and let the pellets fly over. Yang threw a gut punch at Kiryu, firing her shotguns all the while. Kiryu stepped back and let the shot miss, hitting nothing but the space beside them. Yang threw a chest punch straight at Kiryu. Kiryu leaned to the side and let the pellets pass. Yang roared in anger and cocked her fist back for a downwards slamming punch.
"RARGHHHHH!"
BANG!
Yang swung her fist down and fired all of its shells at once, her hand even recoiling back. But alas, Kiryu merely skid back and let the shots shatter the dance floor even more.
Crackcrackcrack!
Yang grit her teeth. 'Damn it-!'
"ORA!" And then Kiryu dashed in, delivering a quick jab at Yang's face.
Smack!
"Oraoraoraaaa!" Kiryu followed it all up in less than a second, giving a jab-jab-one-two. Yang felt herself going to a long stunned daze as the hits overwhelm her. It didn't hurt as much as the ones before, that much was certain, but the sheer amount!
"Hyah!" Kiryu delivered one final punch, increasing Yang's daze…
And then he drew his foot back, purple glow making it shine as bright as the sun, charging it with every ounce of this battle's adrenaline heat he had…
Now!
"HAH!"
Slam! BOOM!
"Gah!" Yang skidded across the dance floor, barely keeping her position as Kiryu's Rush-charged kick gave her the most knockback she had ever known. It didn't sting, but the amount of the hits-!
"G-Grrrr…." Yang grit her teeth and stood back up. She looked at Kiryu's new stance, this new glow and movement. His attack patterns, his battle approach.
It all changed!
"Ngh! Damn it!" Frustration overcame Yang, but not enough for her to go to that just yet. She banged her fists, now clearly agitated. "Why you…! Stand still, won't you!"
Kiryu stayed silent, merely shuffling in place with his fists raised high.
"Tch! Fine then." Yang cracked her neck and disabled her shotguns. This time, she focused everything she had on her Aura. Time to be flexible and use what Aura enhancements she had.
"Fight me like you mean it!" Yang rushed forwards, focused Aura on her legs giving her tremendous speed. Once she reached Kiryu, she shifted her Aura to her fist and enhanced its strength.
"HYAH!" She launched a strong, heavy punch for Kiryu's stomach.
"Amai!" /Slow! Kiryu deftly dodged to the right and let the fist fly past him.
"HAHHHH!"
Fwoosh!
'Yabai!'/Damn! WhatKiryu didn't realize was that Yang had already moved her other fist to strike him right as he dodged! 'Ugoku da!/ I need to move!
"Hm!" Kiryu quickly blocked Yang's fist, glowing orange with Aura enhancing her speed. They entered a staredown, each struggling to break the stalemate…
Kiryu saw a bead of sweat roll down Yang's skin. This was taking a lot of focus for her… but for what?
Yang grit her teeth and roared, the Aura in her hand glowing brighter than ever. "RAHH!"
'Nandato?!' Not a second later, he began to feel Yang's fist overpowering his own. This- she had changed from speed to power?!
"HAHHHH!"
"Kuso!" /Shit! He was still in Rush! He didn't have the strength to fight this back!
"HYAH!"
"OR-YA!"
Yang pushed through Kiryu's block just as Kiryu himself threw a hasty punch for Yang's head.
BAM!
BAM!
The two hits collided with each other's cheeks, sending them skidding back right on their heels.
Sreeech!
'N-ngh… Kono onna…' Kiryu shook his head and entered his stance once more, letting out a breath to keep himself steady. He had to be more fluid, more precise. He can't let her go on for much longer. He had a sinking feeling that if he did… things were bound to get bad for him. Very bad.
And this tenacity...
'K-Kuze no aniki…' Kiryu smirked. 'Onaji taipu da yo na…? Kono onna ni… nani o kangaemasu ka…' / Kuze… This girl… she's the same as you, isn't she…? I wonder what you would've thought of her…
'Dammit. He's probably planning something too…' Meanwhile, Yang cracked her neck and entered her stance, Aura flowing through her trying to tend to her sore muscles. She had decided to control her Aura in specific ways back there, a delicate technique that she didn't use very often, and it showed in the sweat that was starting to go down her brow. She had to finish this soon, and fast.
And more than that, she also had to account for this guy's wild cards. The fact that he could suddenly switch up his fighting style on the turn of a dime, and with little to no warning at that…
Then there was only one way to draw him out.
Yang eyed Kiryu warily. She had to figure out a plan, figure out a way to win. And so, just in case, she prepared her Semblance on standby.
Yang then saw Kiryu shift his stance. His nimble, agile footing suddenly changed, going wide yet firm. She saw the ethereal flames surrounding him change again, from purple to yellow.
Another change, and Yang noted that this time it was wilder than the rest. She had no doubt now. This was the right time.
Yang kept her Semblance on a hair's trigger. With that, she rushed forwards with her fist cocked back.
"HYAAAAAHHH!"
Yang threw a punch for Kiryu's cheek.
"Hm!" Kiryu stepped to the side, letting the punch miss, and then…
"ORYA!" Kiryu launched a wild kick right for Yang's gut.
"AGH!" Yang groaned and doubled over, feeling a downright freight train hit her abdomen. Immediately, she flared up her Semblance. Let's hope this works…!
Kiryu wasn't done. He immediately followed it up with a wild downwards punch to Yang's head.
BAM!
"ORA!" BAM!
"HAHHH!" CRACK!
'N-ngh!' Yang felt herself being knocked around, each strike stronger than the last. They were slower, but at the same time they were wilder and more powerful. But right now, now wasn't the time to fight back just yet-!
Yang felt another punch, forcing her to take several steps back. She recovered as quickly as she could and prepared herself for the next hit. She looked forward to Kiryu, expecting a punch-!
But imagine her shock, when instead-!
Kiryu knelt down and slammed his hands into the dance floor. And then, with an animalistic roar, he pulled a chunk of concrete straight from the floor.
Yang felt hereyes widen and instinctively took a step back. This was too much-!
"HOAHHH!" With a roar, Kiryu threw the concrete straight at her face.
SLAM!
"Aaah!" The chunk of concrete hit Yang dead-on and sent her flying all the way across the dance floor.
Slam!
Yang felt her back hit something hard. She blinked rubble out of her eyes and felt around behind her. Some kind of table…? No, it was Junior's bartender table!
"Ora!"
'Dodge!' Yang quickly threw herself to the side. She stumbled, Kiryu's foot just barely missing her head.
Yang struggled to find the words, let alone her composure. Her breath was ragged as she saw Kiryu's foot shatter the wood beneath it. 'T-that was fast! I need to-!'
But Kiryu wasn't done! Before Yang could realize it, Kiryu grabbed a barstool and slammed it over her head.
CRASH!
"AH!"
"ORA!" Before Yang could move away, Kiryu quickly grabbed her and slammed her head on the bartender table. With a roar, he dragged her across the table and then threw her to the wall.
Screeeeech!
"Hah!" Kiryu threw Yang to the adjacent wall, letting her back slam against it and creating large spider-web cracks on its surface.
Slam!
Yang groaned. "N-ngh…" She forced herself off the wall, making sure to keep her Semblance on. Not yet, just a little bit more!
"OooooRAAAA!"
Yang looked up. 'Oh SHI-!'
SLAM!
Kiryu drop-kicked Yang right in the face, both feet hitting right at their target, sending her flying and then crashing across the club.
"Argh! Grk! Hah! Ngh…." Yang finished rolling and came to a stop laying back-first. She felt the stings, barely shielded by Aura, all across her body, the bruises almost forming where Kiryu had punched her, her face burning from Kiryu's dropkick…
'Alright, that's enough!' Yang shook herself off and slammed her fist on the floor. With a roar, she stood back up and activated her Semblance.
"HYAH!" FWOOOSH!
~Yakuza Kiwami 1 – Get Over It~
Yang slammed her fists together, hot and burning and true flames sprouting from every inch of her body. Her eyes burned red with rage, her power enhanced by her Semblance and her rage to heights she could barely imagine.
She could barely restrain herself now. She felt the eagerness to fight overcome her, the thirst for adrenaline and a challenge overcoming all rational thought.
After all, now was the time for some good fun, wasn't it?!
Kiryu looked on. He felt the flames, even from where he was. He also felt the wind blowing past, and saw the muscles beneath Yang's clothes strengthen.
Kiryu narrowed his eyes and firmed his stance. This was her Semblance, then. But what exactly did it do…?
Not a second later and Kiryu got his answer.
Flash!
In less than a second, Yang was gone.
Kiryu's eyes widened as he frantically looked around. 'H-hayai-!' / She's fast!
"OVER HERE!"
SLAM!
"GRAH!" Kiryu felt a face full of Yang's knuckles hit his cheek, coming right from his blindside. He was immediately sent flying across the club, not even getting a chance to recover-!
"NOT SO FAST!"
Faster than a flash, Yang had appeared right where Kiryu was heading for and slammed a kick right at his back.
BAM!
"Grk!" The kick sent Kiryu soaring high for the skies, right for the ceiling of the club-!
Flash!
And then Yang had appeared again in front of him, this time with her fist cocked back full of shotgun shells.
"TAAAAAAKE THIS!"
Yang threw her punch right as Kiryu reached her, right at his stomach.
Slam…
BOOOOOOOM!
A veritable shockwave emerged from behind Kiryu's body, right behind the point Yang's fist landed.
FWOOOSH! SLAM!
And then Kiryu was immediately sent soaring back to the floor, his back slamming against concrete and sending debris all over.
Bam!
The impact was so strong that Kiryu rebounded from the blow, bouncing from the floor on his back and coughing out spit…
And then, in the middle of the debris, a pair of glowing red eyes shone bright with a fist cocked back.
"HAH!" Yang quickly punched Kiryu again, this time in the chest, keeping him mid-air. And then she continued, juggling him and preventing him from ever properly recovering.
"Hah! Hah! Hah! Hah! Hei-yah!" A punch to his chest. An uppercut to the stomach. A one-two to his lungs. A side-punch to his liver. A leaping punch to his face. And then, finally…
Yang gave a final kick to Kiryu's body, throwing all of her body into the final blow.
SLAM!
Kiryu was sent flying to the wall, his back hitting it hard and spreading another set of spider-web-like cracks along the wall.
"N-ngh…" Kiryu fell back to his knees, hand gripping his head and all parts of his body sore. That sudden increase, he wasn't expecting something like that at all.
Kiryu shook his daze and looked up.
Yang stood tall away from him, flames burning around her and dancing on her feet as agile as she had ever been. It seemed her Semblance still had much more in store…
Kiryu grit his teeth and stood back up. Well, if that was the case… then he guessed that it was time to truly break out the big guns.
~Yakuza 0 – Receive You (Tech Trance Arrange)~
Rolling eyes fall…
He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He clenched his fists, positioned his footing correctly, cleared his head of doubts…
Kiryu exhaled.
A red, blood-stained ethereal fire burst from his fist. He opened his eyes and cast his hand away, its flames licking the air and then surrounding his entire body.
And then, and only then, did he finally enter the Dragon of Dojima stance.
Ruling dies out…
His eyes shone and flashed red, just a tad darker than Yang's.
Fwoosh, fwoosh….
Two flames burned elegantly in the club, a stark contrast to each other and yet similar in so many ways. They waved in the silent air, both burning with intensity of their own…
"HYAHHH!"
"ORAAAAA!"
Yang and Kiryu rushed in at the same time. They reached each other and Yang threw the first punch.
"Hyah!" Yang threw a wild haymaker at Kiryu's head. Kiryu ducked under it and gave a hard jab to Yang's face.
Slam!
"Grah!" Yang stumbled back and threw a wild kick to Kiryu's chest. The strike hit true and forced Kiryu back.
"Grk!" Kiryu felt his breath being knocked out from that blow. She was strong-!
"HYAHHHHH!" Yang burst forwards with shotgun-fire and threw a jab to Kiryu's face. Kiryu ducked, and then ducked under another blow that came in afterwards.
"STAY STILL!" Yang roared and threw an uppercut for Kiryu's gut.
"Hm!" Kiryu elegantly dodged and stepped to the side. Before Yang's arm could finish moving, Kiryu seized his chance and punched Yang's face.
"ORA!" Slam!
The fist hit true and stopped right at Yang's cheek.
But Yang didn't flinch. Instead, she no-selled the hit and threw another punch for Kiryu's face. "HOAH!"
"Hmph!" Kiryu dodged that blow as well, stepping to the side and crossing Yang's blow with an uppercut of his own.
SLAM!
Kiryu's uppercut hit Yang's chin true and knocked her head back.
"Guh!" This time, Yang did react. She lost her focus for just a second-!
"ORIYA!" Kiryu slammed another fist into Yang's face. Yang stumbled back and grit her teeth at her opponent, her Semblance and her anger flaring.
"YOU DAMN THUG!" Yang lunged forwards for another jab-!
"ORA!" SLAM!
"PRFT!" Yang spat out blood as Kiryu tilted his head and slammed his fist into Yang's liver from the side. No, that one hurt-!
"SEIYA!" SLAM!
Yang felt another fist hit her from the back of her head. She lost her balance, her head flying forwards and going down-!
"ORAAAA!" BAM!
Her face met Kiryu's uppercut mid-fall, sending her flying off her feet and onto the ground on her back.
Clang!
"A-ngh…" Yang fell to the floor hard, her senses slowly leaving her. But even so, her anger still remained.
And with that, she still had a shot at finishing things. At winning!
Yang growled and stood back up. She looked with rage-filled eyes at her opponent, Semblance flaring around her with fire as true as the world around her…
Yang reloaded her shotguns and aimed it behind her. She'll give this thug one final hit, one he won't see coming and one that'll send him crumbling to the ground!
In response, Kiryu closed his eyes and calmed himself. At this rate, they'd keep on going until the sun rose back.
He had to end this in one move. One that would force her done no matter how strong she was.
One that focused on reversing the opponent's momentum. A move that relied as much on physics as much as it did on fighter instinct.
Rolling eyes fall…
Kiryu opened his eyes once more and firmed his stance, his fists clenching as hard as they could.
Yang prepped her fists and put them behind her.
Ruling dies out…!
It's time to end this!
"HERE I COME, KIRYUUUUUU!" Yang roared and fired her shotguns, sending her soaring high to the skies. She fired her shotguns again, now flying to his side.
But Yang wasn't done!
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Again and again, she fired her shots to keep her flying, circling around Kiryu with a sense of speed she rarely ever used. Kiryu kept firm, eyes flitting left, right, and center to keep up with Yang's movements.
She was barely a blur now, her speed now hitting its limit.
"GRAH!" Yang finished circling Kiryu and stopped behind him, still in mid-air. She poured all her strength, her Aura, and her Semblance into one final punch.
BANG!
Yang fired her shotguns behind her and lurched forwards, fist burning and going forwards straight for her opponent.
"KIRYUUUUUUU!"
Kiryu turned around and saw Yang coming in fast. He narrowed his eyes and entered his stance. This was it, then. The final moment!
"GRAHHHHHH!" Yang roared and threw her punch, right for Kiryu's head!
.
.
.
.
And missed.
.
.
.
.
Fwoosh!
Yang's punch hit mid-air, nothing but the afterimage of Kiryu being hit. Because instead, Kiryu had ducked. And then…
"O-RA!" SLAM!
Kiryu slammed his fist right into Yang's solar plexus, faster and stronger than any Semblance could ever be.
.
.
.
.
Tiger Drop.
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.
BOOM!
"A-ack..!" Yang felt her breath and her Semblance leave her as her Aura completely disintegrated, a shockwave being blown through her body from Kiryu's blow. She couldn't even think straight-!
"O-RAAAAAA!" BAM!
Kiryu threw a side-kick right at the still mid-air Yang's face, sending her flying back and crashing onto the dance floor.
Ack! Hagh! Ngh…. Yang rolled on the floor and came to a stop on her back, eyes closed and gasping for breath. She had no Aura, no Semblance, and no anger. It was all over.
Rolling eyes fall…
"Hah…" Kiryu felt the flames of the Dragon style circle his foot as he kept his kick, red ethereal flames surrounding his heel. Steadying his breathing, he chambered his kick back and put his foot down, the flames dissipating around his body as it did so. His eyes returned to their normal black. It was over.
Ruling dies out…
Blake ran as fast as she could towards the direction of Junior's Club, Ruby following not far behind her. It took all her Aura and agility to just reach there, to just hope that nothing bad had happened-!
There it was, the door…!
Already blown out, along with debris scattered from inside the club.
'Dammit!' Blake quickly rushed inside and looked at the scene with wide feline eyes.
The destruction in the club was hard to describe. It was like a road roller had, well, rolled around in the club without actually smashing in the entrance. Yang was lying on the ground, exhausted and out of Aura and thoroughly beaten. Weiss was standing just before Yang, rapier out and pointing at another figure, ready to fight if need be…
And then that other figure stood tall, silent, and firm, grey suit and pants with red undershirt totally undamaged. Both of them were in a stand-off, and it seemed they might come to blows once more!
No, this can't get any worse!
Blake quickly rushed to the scene. "Kiryu-san!'
At this, Kiryu turned his face to Blake. "Hm? Aa, Belladonna-san. Nanda-?"
"Tomate kudasai, Kiryu-san!" / Please wait a second, Kiryu! Blake jumped in between Weiss and Kiryu with her arms outstretched between them. "Karera wa watashi no Chimu desu!" / They're my team!
At this, Kiryu's eyebrows shot up in surprise. He spared a look behind her, and Blake knew he was looking at Yang. "Honto ka? Dakara.. Kanojo wa..." / Really? Then… she's…"
Blake heard the sound of clothes shifting behind her and knew that Yang was being lifted by the shoulder by Ruby. She also heard Ruby's small sound of struggles, quickly helped by Weiss.
Blake turned around and introduced them to Kiryu one-by-one. "Weiss. Ruby. Soshite… Yang. Watashi no paatonaa desu." / Weiss. Ruby. And Yang… My partner.
Blake's ears twitched as she heard Kiryu mutter a swear beneath his breath. And then, before she could say anything else, he had brushed past her and went to Yang.
Ruby and Weiss saw Kiryu approaching and held Yang tighter, shifting to protect her. What was he planning to do now-?
"Jamada."/ Out of the way.Kiryu brushed past them both and went to Weiss' side, easily overpowering her and then slinging Yang's arms around his shoulder.
Weiss could only mutter a shock. "U-um… wha-?"
"Ngh… omoi da yo na…" / Heavy, isn't she..? But nevertheless, Kiryu heaved her on his shoulder and supported her well enough for Ruby to let go.
Yang stirred, feeling strong yet foreign arms wrap around herself. Who was this? She didn't recognize who this was at all…?
Yang blearily opened her eyes and looked to the one who was supporting her…
And her amber eyes met those of pitch black, the ones formerly firm and strong now warm, caring, and... was that sheepish?
Kiryu looked to Yang and gave a sincere apology. "Gomen ne." / Sorry about that. He smiled and bowed his head slightly.
And Yang… she didn't know what to say. He had beaten her, fair and square… and here he was, saying sorry?
Kiryu looked back up, caring black eyes meeting surprised amber, and spoke again. "Ii tatakae deshita, Yang Xiao-Long." / It was a good fight, Yang Xiao-Long.
I-it was…?
"Anata wa tsuyoi da. Soshite… Soshite, karetachi wa mamoritai desu ne?"/ You're strong. And… and you want to protect them, don't you? Kiryu's eyes flitted to the rest of Team RWBY, and Yang instinctively knew what he meant.
She felt herself nod without realizing it. Yeah, that was true… and coming from him…
Kiryu smiled. "Hm. Ii riyu da." / Hm. That's a good reason.
D-did he really mean it? W-were they the same…?
Kiryu offered his hand to Yang. "Tsugi no toki ni… mata yo ne?" / Next time… wanna do this again?
Yang stared, perplexed, at Kiryu's hand. Her eyes shifted back and forth, from Kiryu's eyes to his lending hand… and she knew what that meant too.
With a smirk, Yang grabbed his hand and gripped it tight, looking into his eyes and making a promise. "Yeah… next time, I won't lose!"
Kiryu smiled, eyes warm, understanding, and challenging her for another fight. Another rush, all the while to protect her family. Everything she ever wanted.
And Yang…
Standing here, supported by Kiryu's shoulders, staring into caring eyes that understood her completely…
She couldn't help but fall.
Thoughts? As usual, lemme know!
As always, thanks for reading, and have a nice day!
Review Responses:
To Renashi-RE012, and the fight is done, with, of course, Kiryu as the winner! Hope you liked it! As for the arrival of the expedition group, I'll explain it in the coming chapters. Of course, Ozpin will have to pull it together if he wants Vale's structure to survive. And as for Yang and Kiryu, well, that'll be coming as well. Thanks for reading!
To Slime Slayer, and the fight has finished! Thanks for reading!
To Gwynx, thanks for the compliment! I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well!
To NeroAlmia, she can put up a good fight, sure, but as shown here, there's no way she can stand up to the Dragon style. More importantly, this tiger drop. The UC's stance here is still kind of neutral (though each members has their own stance on Jaune, Venom, Tai, and Raiden of course), but they want to make the most positive first impressions that they can. Of course, they couldn't have come at a worse time… Also Majima has been shown! Thanks for reading, and hope you enjoyed it!
To SolSparda369, true! Junior's club is pretty fucked up now lol. Ruby's hiding it somewhere that's private to her, cause she wants to control the situation a bit. As for Tai, yeah, that's exactly what he would've done. Like father, like daughter… but he still has one more chance.
To 0GeNoX0, Mmmmm, I get where you're coming from. Things should be looking up soon though, since we should be entering the final phases of the Vale Arc right now. Also, no more crossovers! This is it. Thanks for reading!
To CriticaOfRandomness, well, at least here, it ended in a rather fun note. There will be more scenes with them to come! As for the gameplay reveals, they seem kind of interesting. Especially the spider-man like grab of the Agent style! Thanks for reading!
To Sneaking Tank, all the way to Metal Gear, huh? I suppose Snake would have some fun with that, lol
To NameEntry 25, exactly! Nice to see someone picked it up ;)
To Just a reader now a writer, well, if anything, she's got a new fire to come back and try harder than ever! As usual, thanks for reading!