Maverick (Blank)
Chapter 25: Kaelan (12)
[No!]
Numb legs were forced to run. Blank threw a quick punch, but another man kicked him hard in the ribs with his right foot. Blank was thrown back, hitting the wall, accompanied by a cough. The man stepped forward.
His right foot lifted, delivering a hard kick to the back of the knee fold, making Blank groan in pain and feel a severe leg cramp. (Ackk...!) No sound could escape his mouth.
The previous man picked up Blank's almost-legible business card. Blank gritted his teeth tightly and tried to drag his body with his hands. (No... Can't...) Footsteps were heard entering, filling the silent atmosphere again. A man with his hands behind his back.
"..."
"Hey, what are you guys doing?" The man who was previously with Mr. Son now stood before them. Rama chuckled. "Oh dear, don't bully a child." His hands were folded behind his back; he was carrying something.
One of the men approached him. "Who are you?" As the steps grew closer, Rama's hand moved swiftly, unsheathing a knife in a downward thrust aimed at his throat. The man reflexively used his left hand to shield his face.
Slash.
The man's hand was cut quite deeply; blood began to flow from the torn skin. "Bastard! What are you doing!?" The other man ran with a quick pivot. The two men moved together, targeting him from two directions. Rama smiled and drew another knife from his right hand.
Slash. Slash.
The two men dodged quickly, but Rama's swift knife movements inflicted wounds on their arms, cutting through their clothes. The man stared sharply. "Are you..."
"Kuhaku Group?" Rama narrowed his eyes. A quick thrust aimed at the heart, but the man's hand deflected it. "Damn! You're using a weapon alone." Two-direction attacks resumed.
A quick semi-circular kick targeted Rama's legs, while the other aimed for the back of his head with a punch. Rama made a small jump, bending both knees and his neck. His right foot kicked the man below as a foothold, then used his hand to pull upwards with the knife, wounding his nose. "Ugh!" His nose bled.
The two of them retreated, moving closer together and guarding. "This man is dangerous." One of the men patted the other's shoulder. "Hey, let's just go. We weren't paid to deal with the Kuhaku Group organization."
His hand was seen bleeding profusely, so the man removed his shirt and used it as a bandage. Both ran as fast as they could in different directions, forcing Rama to choose which one to chase.
Rama quickly threw both his knives. One got away as the knife hit the wall, while the other struck his leg right in the thigh. "Ack..." Rama retrieved the knife that missed and ran toward the man hit by the thrown knife.
Rama jumped, unsheathing his knife, but the man used the knife that previously wounded him as a defensive weapon. Both retreated simultaneously and pointed their knives at each other, even though the left leg of the man hit by the knife was already bleeding. "Hey, I'm also a weapon-wielder."
Rama chuckled and covered his lips. "So?" The man stood straight. "You will be killed, by Underring No. 5." Rama widened his eyes and laughed. "Haha, you're from Underring?" The man sharpened his gaze. "You will die, and your group will be destroyed!"
Rama flicked blood from the knife onto his face. "Since when have we been afraid of you?" They began pointing their knives at each other, staring. "From the beginning, our position has been far above." Both assumed fighting stances.
A small breeze began to blow in the narrow alley. Rats started hiding, and the two were now ready to pounce on each other.
On the other side, Blank, moving his weakened body, tried to retrieve his fallen business card. (Damn, I exercise, but my stamina runs out quickly.) With a somewhat far distance, he forced himself. (I have to run fast. That crazy psychopath with the knife earlier was terrifying.)
Blank grabbed his wallet, then with extremely weak legs, he tried to reach the card thrown far in front of him. His body trembled, as did his hands. (Damn, my body hurts so much.) The chokehold, kicks, and punches Blank felt were very hard on his body.
Blank began to reach for his business card, but before he could, the sound of footsteps was heard in front of him. (Huh?)
Rama revealed himself. Two knives, full of blood dripping down. His shirt was full of tears, and slash wounds were visible on his body. "Huh, that man was quite tough." Rama picked up Blank's business card and looked at it. His body froze instantly.
"Arion Kaelan Davea..." Blank froze, his body pressed against the ground, looking at him. His heart beat fast. (I'm dead...)
Rama lowered his body with the knife in his hand. Blank forced his eyes shut. (Anyone... Help.) A hand approached his head. He bit his lip hard.
Pat.
His hair was grabbed. Blank uttered his last words in his heart, (Sorry... Forgive my life until now.) Rama smiled. "Hello, Senior's child."
Blank was startled and quickly turned his head. "Huh?" Rama opened his mouth. "Hey, why are you sleeping on the ground? Are you acting?" Blank didn't understand his words. Rama scratched his temple. "Let's go. If the police come, it could be troublesome later if we're still here." The knife was thrown toward Blank; his pupils shrank. "You hold it."
Blank's body trembled violently without a single word coming from his mouth. Rama lifted Blank's body and carried him. The knife was taken back and handed over. "Quickly, it's hard for me to carry while holding a knife." Blank was forced to hold the knife with a violently trembling hand. (Help!)
As they passed through the alley intersection, his body went completely limp. The man who had previously choked him was dead, with many slash wounds and blood everywhere. (That person was killed!) Blank looked at Rama, and his mouth tried to open; his teeth hardened.
Blank tried to swing the knife upward, intending to stab Rama's neck, but his fingers were limp and couldn't move. (What... I have to kill too?) Rama lifted Blank slightly. "Want to stab me from behind?" Blank's pupils narrowed.
Blank abandoned his intention; his heart still didn't want to kill anyone. Rama grinned. "Good. Where's your house?" Blank pointed with the knife. "Ahead."
After reaching the end of the alley, Blank patted his shoulder. "Let me down." His legs were still weak, but he used the wall to help him walk. Rama threw a flash drive. "Take that." Blank glanced. "What for?"
"Just try playing it. It's someone you know."
"Who?"
"Kaeri."
Blank's eyes widened. His hand clenched tightly. "Who are you?" Rama ignored him and left Blank alone. (Damn, I can't chase him.) Blank still had difficulty walking because of the kick aimed at the back of his knee.
After some time, Rama was seen washing both knives. The knives were clean again, and he walked to a used goods market. Rama approached an old vendor. "Sir, I want to sell these." The vendor was startled. "These are still good, son? We don't sell—"
"Whatever price you want to pay, it's fine." The man reached into his pocket and gave $5 for 2 knives, even though their actual price could be over $10. "Okay, thank you, sir." Rama left the place. (Evidence, taken care of.)
---
The morning atmosphere approaching noon was exhausting. Blank reached his rented room door and opened it. Kaeri's photo greeted him, though not alive. His footsteps entered the room. Blank took his old laptop. (He said this flash drive has something about Brother Kaeri.)
Blank inserted the flash drive. Several files appeared, and he tried clicking one by one. Blank sharpened his gaze. "This is..."
[Kaeri Mp4]
[Kaeri Training Knife Skill]
[Kaeri Training Combat Skill]
"Why?" Blank clenched his fists on his knees. "I already suspected this..." Blank began scratching his neck with his nails. "Bastard..."
His neck began to redden with nail marks. That morning passed with an uncomfortable feeling. Blank was helpless in his condition, unable to fight back. It all started with an incident 21 years ago.
[21 Years Ago]
A young man stared at six of his comrades lying dead before him. The young man was already wounded and could no longer stand. Before him stood seven people, standing tall without looking at him. His teeth were visible. "You bastards!"
A katana was pulled from his friend's body. The one holding the katana was Mr. Son in his youth. "Huh, this easy. Then from the beginning, we should have just killed them all." Mr. Son looked at one person standing, watching the collapsed young man. "Hey, Leonardo, only Dos remains, and he's very weak. Should we kill him too?"
That young man was Dos. Clenched fists were visible on his hands. One sentence was engraved on the wall.
[Underring. Top 4 Organization]
Dos shouted. "Leonardo, you bastard! You deceived us. You killed Underring's top brass." Leonardo bent his knees. His gaze was empty, without emotion.
Mr. Son laughed. "Haha, you're talking to that monster? He can't be controlled when he's on a mission. Fool." Dos broke into a cold sweat. Of the seven Underring top brass, only he remained, powerless. Leonardo stared sharply with slow, steady breaths.
Dos began to go mad. "Bastards! All of you will be targeted by the main organization. Remember that!" Mr. Son stepped closer and kicked his stomach. "Uackk..." His lips twisted as he fell. "Your families will be slaughtered too later, so rest easy." While thrusting the katana toward his face.
Leonardo raised his left hand and signaled Mr. Son to retreat. He stood and looked at a 15-year-old girl.
"Kiki, you have a grudge against him, right?" That little girl was named Kiki. Her hands were folded in front. Leonardo moved away from Dos. "We leave him to you. Do whatever you want."
Mr. Son laughed loudly. "Hahaha, this young man will be killed by a little girl. So pitiful..." His eyes looked at Dos. "That means you're so weak you don't deserve to be killed." The gathered young men left the dark room with a single lamp in the center.
The room had gray brick walls, some posters and ancient paintings displayed, along with the bloodied corpses of the founders. Only Kiki and Dos faced each other.
Dos looked at Kiki standing before him. (Bastard! What is this!?) Kiki bent both knees with an intimidating gaze. "You tortured my parents. Now I will torture you." The girl left him. "Live longer in hell. Kuhaku Group will torture you, Mr. Dos."
That was the bitter memory Dos experienced in his youth. The organization was on the brink of total destruction, but he was left alive, full of hatred until now.
[Back to the Present]
Mr. Dos was sitting in his black chair, looking at the engraved sentence on the wall with many ancient paintings.
[Underring. Top 11 Organization]
The door opened. Joe entered the room and stepped forward. "Report from the search for the name Davea. Bad news." Mr. Dos raised his right eyebrow. "Why?"
"No. 5 has been killed. By the second generation of Kuhaku Group." Mr. Dos's eyes lowered. One clenched fist from above thrust downward until the wooden table was torn. His hands trembled with visible veins.
"Abort. There's no benefit in engaging in open combat with them." Joe nodded slightly. "Alright. And also, he has arrived."
A young man in neat shirt attire, though made messy, arrived carrying someone tied with ropes and his mouth taped. "Good afternoon, Mr. Dos. Long time no see. This is the tour guide you ordered."
The man was thrown and squirmed. "Ughh... Ughh..." Mr. Dos took a poster. "This is your mission. Because Joe and I will be away from January 1st for a week."
The poster was thrown at the young man. A printed message was clearly written in the title.
[NGNL Collaboration Event]
The young man took the poster. "So who do I need to target this time?" Mr. Dos descended to meet the young man. A phone screen lit up with a photo of two women inside. The young man's pupils shrank momentarily.
"Jarvis, I want you to kidnap one of these women." The young man was named Jarvis. He bowed his head. "Yes, sir. Which name?"
The name was uttered. Silence enveloped Jarvis's body. One sentence, one command. It was...
[Viera]