Night had just begun.
The streets were already packed with vehicles. People moved along the sidewalks while countless lights from the towering buildings illuminated the city.
In one such place stood a four-story white building.
On one of its balconies, Yino sat alone in a chair, smoking in the darkness. There were no lights inside his room. The only light came from the faint orange glow of his cigarette.
Lost in thought, Yino stared toward the distant buildings. After taking five or six long drags, he finished the cigarette and flicked the remaining stub toward the street below.
Then he simply leaned back in his chair, and lit another one.
A door beside his bed suddenly opened. Light spilled through the doorway, cutting slightly through the darkness of the room.
Yano stepped out through it, steam following him like a cloud. His massive frame almost filled the entire doorway.
Wearing only a pair of white trousers with a towel hanging around his neck, he walked onto the balcony, pulled up another chair beside his brother, and sat down.
"Don't smoke so much, bro. Your lungs are gonna turn black." Yano stared toward the city lights.
Yino took another drag, "Huh. Says the alcoholic."
"Hmm." Yano nodded several times.
After that, both brothers fell silent. For a long while, neither of them spoke. Yano continued staring into the distant sky. Yino finished his cigarette. Then, almost casually, he said, "I wonder what they're doing."
Yano glanced at him, "Who?"
"Broody and Robin. They went to beat up Yohan today." Calmly said Yino.
Yano laughed. He leaned completely back into his chair, "Beating him? Is that even worth mentioning? Anyone can do that."
Yino lowered his eyes toward the floor, "I could've handled him too, if he hadn't entered that special state."
Yano shifted slightly in his chair, "Special state? A guy like him?"
"Yeah. Special state." Yino took another drag. I don't make mistakes when it comes to recognizing someone's fighting ability."
Yano couldn't believe him. His mind immediately returned to that fight in infirmary.
That single punch.
The way he had sent Yohan flying across the room.
So instead of trusting Yino's judgment, Yano trusted his own experience.
But then Yino spoke again, "If Yohan enters that state again, Broody and Robin won't be able to handle him either."
Yano said nothing.
A few moments later, Yino stood up, "I'm going out to buy smokes."
He walked inside and disappeared from the balcony.
Yano remained there alone. But his mind kept replaying the infirmary fight, "Special state? That defenseless little creature? I almost crushed him myself."
Then Kairin's words returned to him.
"Do you truly believe that if the organization cuts your ties, if the Boss decides you and your brother are more of a liability than an asset, that the two of you could survive a single night in this city alone?"
Something inside Yano burned.
Yohan.
The kid who had looked directly into his eyes and spoken without hesitation.
The kid who had dared to interfere between him and Kairin.
The same kid Kairin tried to protect.
And if Yano didn't believe in this so-called special state, he knew exactly how strong Yino was. Yino wasn't someone who simply lost to anyone.
Yet somehow...
Yohan had apparently defeated Yino on his very first day at school.
Yano slowly stood up. A huge grin spread across his face.
He started walking toward his Gym room.
One thought filled his mind, "Finally, something tasty."
But the situation somewhere else was completely different.
At the entrance of the narrow alley, the members of Wild Stomp stood scattered across the road, completely blocking the way out.
Deep inside the alley, near the battered dumpster, Yohan stood exhausted, gasping for air, one hand still pressed against his stomach.
Around him, five or six boys lay on the ground without any movement.
Everyone was stunned.
Broody.
Robin.
Rodriguez.
None of them had expected this.
Even with injured ribs, Yohan had managed to fight back at a terrifying level. Just because he refused to stop.
Broody immediately shouted, "Don't give him another chance! Surround him!"
Several members rushed toward Yohan at once.
Yohan didn't wait.
He grabbed the broken lid of the dumpster and charged straight toward them.
Several attacks came at him simultaneously.
He slipped past the first.
Ducked beneath another.
Then targeted the last man in the group.
Yohan broke through the gap and smashed the dumpster lid straight into the boy's head.
BANG!
The boy dropped instantly, clutching his head.
Another attacker rushed him from behind.
Yohan caught him by the collar.
Hooked his leg behind the man's ankle, and twisted.
Judo's O-Soto-Gari.
The boy was ripped off his feet and slammed hard onto the ground.
Yohan released him and immediately prepared for the next attack.
But another boy came from behind. Yohan turned, but it was too late. Everyone attacked at once.
The first punch struck his face.
The next slammed into his back.
Then another.
And another.
Yohan struggled to protect his stomach while the crowd pressed in from every direction.
Yohan gritted his teeth, "If only this place were a little narrower..."
A kick suddenly crashed into the arm covering his injured ribs.
Pain exploded through his entire body.
Yohan let out a sharp cry.
But instead of falling, he grabbed the nearest boy by the face with one hand and shoved him backward into another attacker.
Before either of them could recover, Yohan's leg shot forward.
BOOM!
The kick slammed into the second boy's stomach.
Both bodies flew backward and crashed into the wall together.
Silence.
Everything stopped.
No movement.
No shouting.
Only Yohan's heavy breathing echoed through the alley. Every pair of eyes was fixed on his pale green eyes.
Yohan slowly stepped toward the remaining boys. They instinctively stepped backward.
Something about him had changed.
The exhaustion was still there. The pain was still there. But now...
There was something frighteningly cold behind his eyes.
Suddenly, Yohan widened his eyes and accelerated. The first boy barely had time to react.
One second, Yohan was nearly seven feet away.
The next, his face was right in front of him.
His clenched fist came straight toward the boy's face.
But before it could connect, a hand grabbed Yohan by the collar from behind. And before reacting, Yohan was thrown across the alley.
He crashed into the wall.
Pain shot through his body.
He grabbed his head and collapsed onto the ground.
Slow footsteps approached. Broody, he walked toward Yohan. Then sat beside him.
One hand grabbed Yohan by the throat and lifted him slightly, "Thought you were going to fight you way out?"
Yohan grabbed Broody's wrist with both hands, desperately trying to pull it away.
Broody didn't stop.
"Guys like you come here every year," His grip tightened, "And every year, we make sure they learn their place."
Broody stared directly into Yohan's eyes, "And this year, your name is going on that list."