"Learn this well. If any of you disappoint me again, this—" thud! "—is what happens."
Jugor tossed the corpse aside like garbage. His voice echoed through the prison block, heavy with fury.
"Understood!!"
Every thug in the room shouted in unison, trembling under his glare. None dared to meet his eyes.
But the moment's silence shattered with a crash—a limp body slammed into the concrete. Bullseye. Broken, bleeding, barely conscious.
The gang froze. You could hear the drip of blood hitting the floor.
Jugor's veins bulged across his temple. "Who… did this?"
He slammed both fists onto the table, scattering bundles of cash across the floor. "Who the hell dares touch my man?!"
Then a voice answered, calm but sharp enough to cut through the chaos.
"Heh. Jugor, you've been boss for too long—you've gone dull."
A crimson shimmer filled the air. Ryuuto and Gwen landed side by side, the ground cracking beneath their feet. The pressure they gave off was unreal—like two storms wearing human faces.
The thugs staggered back instinctively.
Ryuuto smirked. "Since your golden boy Quicksilver messed with me, you're next on the list. Let's see if I can hammer some sense into that fat head of yours."
Jugor's jaw twitched. "Ryuuto?! You really came to my den?"
His disbelief flipped to rage in an instant. "You idiots, kill them both! I want their heads on the floor!"
"Yes, Boss!!"
Dozens of armed men surged forward with pipes, knives, and bats.
Ryuuto clicked his tongue. "A mob of wannabe tough guys. Fine. Let's make this quick."
He and Gwen exchanged a glance—and then they moved.
Ryuuto drew his decapitating blade in a clean arc, cutting through the crowd like wheat before a scythe. Blood sprayed, weapons clattered, screams filled the hall. He flowed through them like red wind, merciless and precise.
Beside him, Gwen moved like a silver streak, webbing thugs mid-swing, slamming them into walls, hanging them upside-down before they even knew what hit them.
The entire cell block turned into a slaughterhouse.
Jugor's roar echoed above the chaos. "Idiots! You're useless! Use your guns, damn it! SHOOT THEM!"
He pulled a silver pistol and opened fire himself. Bullets whined through the air. The rest scrambled to grab rifles, flipping tables into makeshift cover as they unleashed a hailstorm of lead.
The air reeked of gunpowder and fear.
Ryuuto raised a hand. "Earth Style: Earth Wall!"
Stone erupted from the ground, a solid slab shielding him and Gwen from the barrage. Bullets sparked harmlessly against it.
Then he grinned. "My turn."
"Shadow Clone Technique!"
A hundred Ryuutos burst into existence, flooding the room like an army of red phantoms. They charged, overwhelming Jugor's men from every direction.
Jugor snarled, snapping at his trembling crew. "Mortars! Blow them up! I don't care if you hit our own! Do it!"
"B-but, Boss! Our men are still inside—"
Bang!
Jugor shot the protester in the head. Blood splattered across his face, and he didn't even blink.
"Anyone else got an opinion?" His grin was pure madness. "Fire the damn mortars!"
Reluctantly, the remaining thugs loaded the cannons. The shells roared out, trailing smoke and heat.
Ryuuto laughed under his breath. "Finally bringing out the toys, huh? Shame you're too slow."
He slammed his palm into the ground. "Sand Shield!"
Golden grains burst from his body, wrapping around him and Gwen like armor just as the mortars struck.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Explosions tore through the prison. Concrete shattered, metal bent, the whole building shook as fire swallowed the corridors.
When the smoke cleared, most of Jugor's men were gone—burned or buried. But amid the ruin, two figures leapt free, untouched.
Ryuuto brushed dust from his sleeve. "Told you—trash never learns."
Gwen looked around at the devastation. "They did this to their own people…"
"Yeah," Ryuuto muttered. "Guess loyalty's overrated these days."
Then his instincts flared.
Whish!
Shurikens flew toward them in a deadly curve. From above, Bullseye dropped from a broken beam, machete raised high, his face twisted in hatred.
"You just won't stay dead, will you?" Ryuuto's eyes narrowed. "Fine. You want a rematch—then let's finish this properly."
He flicked his wrist, launching kunai to intercept Bullseye's attack mid-air. The clash sparked as steel met steel once more.
The real fight was about to begin.
...
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