The moment that rat-faced thug Peppo saw my eyes, all color drained from his face.
Death wasn't new to him — but this time, death itself had a voice, whispering behind his ear.
Sweat poured down his neck as I pressed the blade a fraction closer.
"We… we thought nobody lived here!" he stammered, voice shaking so hard it barely came out. "A misunderstanding!"
"Misunderstanding, huh?" I hissed, breath hot against his greasy skin. "Funny. I locked the fucking door. Funny how you didn't notice the signs of someone living here, either."
Peppo's mouth opened, useless syllables dying on his tongue.
"Save it. Who are you, and why the fuck are you in my house?" I demanded, voice low and cold as steel.
The rat's knees buckled. He dropped like a sack of shit, palms scraping the dirt. "Don't kill me! Please, boss! I'll talk!"
I let the tip of the blade bite just enough for him to feel it.
"We're from Bugya Island! Mountain bandits chased us off — we ran to Shimotsuki Village. We're harmless! Honest!"
Harmless, my ass.
My eyes narrowed. His hand twitched. Too late.
"Fucking pathetic."
My arm moved, faster than thought.
Steel flashed.
Blood splattered the ground.
Peppo collapsed, eyes wide with dumb surprise. His hand flopped open, and a small pistol clattered from his grip.
"Why…?" he croaked, voice bubbling red — then went still.
"Because I'm not a fucking idiot, that's why."
Wind hissed. A heavy shape moved.
Instinct screamed. I twisted, blade halfway up — too slow.
WHAM!
The kick crashed into my guard, sending me skidding backward, boots gouging furrows in the dirt. My arm throbbed from wrist to shoulder.
Standing in the doorway, another bastard: tall, ugly as sin, black trousers, ragged gray coat barely covering a scarecrow frame. Flat nose, beady eyes, lips so thick they looked swollen.
"Not bad, kid," he rasped, lowering his leg. "Took my kick and stayed standing. Tell you what — join me. I'll make you somebody."
The motherfucker actually smiled. Like we were sharing drinks.
For a heartbeat, I just stood there, breathing. Then I snorted.
"Waste of time asking questions, really."
My muscles bunched. The world slowed.
One step.
He barely saw me move. His eyes widened. My foot was already coming in — a full-force whip kick.
CRACK!
Bone met bone. His block shattered like rotted wood. His skull twisted at a sick angle. Teeth sprayed from his mouth as he flipped sideways, smashing into the wall.
He hit the dirt coughing blood, eyes rolling.
"Im… impossible…" he wheezed, arm bent wrong, face half caved in.
I walked up, boots crunching gravel. My shadow fell across him.
"You see a little kid," I spat, blade glinting. "I see trash shitting up my house."
Terror clawed across his broken face. He lifted his good arm, palm shaking. "Wait! Please! You can't kill me! My boss is Yaga from Bugya Island! If you kill me, you're dead too! Please… don't…"
"Never heard of him. Don't give a fuck."
Steel bit flesh. His plea ended in a wet gasp.
I flicked blood from the blade, breath slowing. Rage cooled, leaving the usual emptiness.
I looked around.
Burned training dummies. Split wooden swords. Ash and half-melted bottles.
"Motherfuckers…"
Bandit scum had squatted here while I risked my life in the forest. And for what? To sleep in my bed, shit on my floor, and drink themselves stupid.
I glanced at the corpses. "Bugya Island… Yaga… oh, that's the prick with a 5 million bounty. Dumb bastards really thought they could fuck with this village."
Idiots don't even know what waits here.
The swordsmen at Isshin Dojo alone would slice them to ribbons. In a way, I'd saved them from an even worse death.
An hour passed.
Blood was scrubbed clean. Broken wood dumped outside. Corpses dragged to the woods and tossed for scavengers. I washed in the cold stream, sweat and fury flowing away.
When I finally dropped onto the bed, breath slowing, the walls felt like mine again.
The sun slanted across the floor.
"Can't just sit around," I muttered, staring at the ceiling. "I've broken through a realm. New power… but the world keeps moving."
Time to see what news had blown in while I'd been gone.
I stood, pulled on a fresh shirt, and stepped into the yard. No hesitation in my gait now.
"Danger everywhere," I murmured, voice almost fond. "But that's the world I belong in."
A slow breath.
"Let's check the docks. See what the sea's coughing up today."
My boots crunched the dirt, heading for the coast. Eyes watchful. Smile sharp as the blade at my side.
This story is inspired from various fanfics i have read from around the world so if you find any similarities please dont mind . Thank you
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T/N :
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