The rain fell violently, like an incessant cloak drowning the city in its melancholic fury. The rumble of the thunder intertwined with the irregular drumming of the raindrops against the pavement, creating a chaotic symphony that enveloped every corner. However, even this relentless roar could not silence the brutal sound of fists crashing into flesh, nor the cries of pain that escaped throats broken by fear.
There, in the heart of a dark alley barely lit by the flickering light of a broken streetlamp, lay the scattered members of a gang feared by all. Their white jackets, so characteristic and symbolic of their dominance in the area, were now soaked with rain and stained with blood. Twisted, gasping bodies tried to rise, swaying like broken puppets, only to be struck down again by the relentless fist descending upon them like a sentence.
Before them stood a shadowy figure, wrapped in the darkness as if it were part of the very night. A young man with a slender but solid build, dressed completely in black, with the hood of his sweatshirt partially covering his face. His eyes, cold and unperturbed, glowed like fragments of obsidian under the dim light. There was no rage in his expression, nor the slightest hint of emotion. Only a disturbing serenity, almost terrifying, as he observed the surroundings as if the bodies on the ground were mere detritus of no consequence.
One of the gang members, bolder or perhaps more desperate than the others, staggered toward him with a knife in hand, trying to hide the tremor in his fingers. The boy in black looked at him with indifference, allowing the other to make a clumsy attack. With a precise and calculated movement, the young man's fist sank into the attacker's stomach, expelling all the air from his lungs and leaving him kneeling in a puddle of dirty water.
The storm continued to roar, indifferent to the violent scene unfolding under its cover. The few witnesses who dared peek from nearby windows did so in silence, holding their breath and feeling fear constricting their chests. No one knew who the boy was or why he had faced the gang, but one thing was clear: he was the true predator in that place.
Kayden stood still for a moment, letting the rain wash away the blood that had splattered his knuckles. The cold water trickled down his face, soaking his dark hair that fell in disorder over his forehead. Without bothering to look back, he took a steady step out of the alley, as if nothing that had happened mattered in the slightest to him.
His footsteps echoed softly against the wet pavement as he crossed the deserted street. The air was thick with the characteristic smell of damp earth, mixed with the faint scent of blood that the storm tried to erase. Kayden didn't even bother to shake the water off his clothes; he seemed indifferent to the cold that chilled him to the bone.
He found an empty bench under the dim light of another streetlamp, one that still withstood the rain's assault. With the same calmness he had shown during the fight, he sat down, resting his elbows on his knees and letting his head lean forward. The water dripped from his hood, forming small puddles at his feet.
For a moment, silence reigned, broken only by the pattering of rain hitting the metal of the bench. His breathing was calm, as though the confrontation from moments ago had never happened. He closed his eyes, letting himself be enveloped by the sound of the storm, seeking in the chaotic water a sort of refuge.
A vague feeling of melancholy crossed his mind, fleeting like the flash of a lightning bolt in the night sky. It wasn't the first time he had been involved in fights, and it probably wouldn't be the last. But for some reason, this time the emptiness felt deeper, denser, as if the deafening noise of the rain were drowning something more than just physical pain.
The boy remained there, motionless under the storm, like a solitary and distant figure, oblivious to the world around him. The distant light of passing cars barely touched his silhouette, and no one seemed to notice his presence. As always, he was alone in the middle of the crowd.
However, Kayden didn't sigh nor allowed himself to think too much about it. It made no sense. Loneliness was such a familiar thing that it no longer weighed on him. He simply remained seated, waiting for the storm to subside, or perhaps, simply wishing that the cold rain would make him feel something... anything.
The sound of footsteps merged with the relentless beat of the rain, resounding slowly and steadily against the wet asphalt. Kayden didn't look up immediately; his gaze remained fixed on the ground, watching the flow of drops that formed streams at his feet.
The figure stopped a couple of steps from the bench, slightly tilting the umbrella to cover them both from the rain. Despite the dimness, Kayden could distinguish his features better now that the man was closer. He was tall, with a slender but firm build, exuding the presence of someone who was always in control. His black hair was perfectly combed back, immaculate and elegant, as if even the rain could not disturb him.
What truly stood out were his eyes. They were completely black, like an infinite abyss where light seemed to vanish. The contrast between those dark sockets and the faint white gleam of his pupils gave him an almost inhuman, intimidating appearance. Right in the middle of both eyes, just above the bridge of his nose, a scar in the shape of an "X" crossed his forehead, marking his skin as a reminder of some past battle.
The man took one last drag from his cigarette before dropping it to the ground and crushing it under the heel of his shoe. A slight smile appeared on his face as his dark eyes fixed on Kayden.
"So you're the famous guy who's been taking down all the gangs in this prefecture," he murmured in a deep and calm voice, as if it were just an interesting rumor.
Kayden didn't respond immediately. His gaze remained calm, indifferent to the oppressive aura of the man before him. The rain continued to fall, forming small puddles around his feet.
The man let out a dry, mocking laugh. His black eyes never stopped analyzing Kayden's every gesture, as if he were measuring his strength with just a look.
"You don't look like someone who seeks trouble," he commented with a hint of irony. "But they say that in the last month, you've sent four whole gangs to the hospital." He paused, letting the silence weigh heavily in the air. "Pretty impressive."
Kayden turned his gaze to the alley where the battered and broken bodies of the gang still lay scattered on the ground. He had no intention of explaining himself, especially not to someone who seemed as dangerous as that man.
"I don't seek trouble," he finally replied, his voice low and calm. "I just clean up the trash that tries to get in my way."
The man raised an eyebrow, visibly entertained by the response. He took a step forward, leaning in just enough for their eyes to meet directly. The intensity of his gaze seemed to pierce the very soul.
"Trash, huh?" he repeated with a sideways grin. "I like the way you think, kid. But you should know something... You're not the only one cleaning up the streets."
Silence fell between them, broken only by the constant murmur of the rain. Finally, the man straightened up, adjusting the umbrella on his shoulder.
"My name is Gun," he said coldly. "And if you keep playing the hero of this prefecture, sooner or later, our paths will cross again."
Kayden didn't respond, but deep down, he felt the air grow denser after those words. Gun turned without saying another word and began walking through the rain, his figure slowly disappearing into the shadows of the street.
Kayden remained sitting on the bench, letting the cold water continue to soak his body. For the first time in a long while, he felt a spark of intrigue cross his mind. That man... was different. And although his words seemed like a warning, Kayden couldn't help but let out a slight smile, as if the challenge had somehow captivated him.
...
The punches echoed like thunder under the overcast sky, the sound bouncing off the deserted buildings while the rain hammered the asphalt mercilessly. Kayden's fists were precise and devastating, each impact resonating like an explosion against Gun's body, but what truly confused him wasn't the hits, but the man's expression.
Why?
Why was that guy smiling?
Even when Kayden's fist sank into his abdomen with the force of a battering ram, Gun barely staggered, letting out a low, rasping laugh that reverberated in the damp air. Fresh blood ran from the corner of his lips, but that didn't seem to matter to him at all.
"Ha! That was good!" Gun exclaimed, spitting out a stream of blood before licking his lips. "But it's still not enough, kid."
Kayden took a step back, evaluating the situation calmly. It had been a few minutes since the fight began, but so far, he hadn't taken a single hit. However, Gun had several bruises and superficial wounds, but instead of showing signs of pain or exhaustion, his smile grew wider, wilder, as if something inside him was awakening.
Is this fun?
Did this man enjoy getting hit?
Kayden couldn't help but feel a strange chill as he watched Gun advance again, his posture as relaxed as if the fight were a simple game. Gun's completely black eyes gleamed with an almost sickening enthusiasm, and the scar in the shape of an "X" seemed to become more prominent as the smile spread across his face.
"Come on, Kayden!" Gun shouted, a mix of laughter and excitement in his voice. "You almost hit the mark with that last one!"
Kayden kept his guard up, breathing deeply as he analyzed every move of his opponent. Gun launched himself at him with surprising speed, throwing a straight right that Kayden barely dodged by tilting his head to the side. He immediately countered with an upward kick aimed at Gun's chin, but the man spun on his axis and blocked the impact with his forearm.
Instead of retreating, Gun seized the moment to grab Kayden's leg and pull him forward. Kayden twisted his body in mid-air, propelling himself backward with an agile twist and breaking free of the grip before landing on his feet with impeccable grace.
Gun's smile grew even wider.
"You're fast... I like that!" he roared, stomping on the ground with force, sending small drops of accumulated water flying.
Kayden didn't respond, but his eyes were more focused than ever. The adrenaline was coursing through his veins as he tried to decipher this guy. It didn't make sense... Anyone else would already be on the ground after so many hits. Yet Gun seemed to become more energized with every injury, as if pain was waking him up from some boring dream.
"Is this what you wanted from the beginning?"
Gun's words when they first met echoed in his mind. They hadn't been a warning, they weren't a threat... He was challenging him. From the start, that man had been looking for something to break his monotony. And now that he'd found it, he wasn't going to let it go.
"Come on, Kayden!" Gun yelled, extending his arms as if inviting him to keep hitting him. "Make my blood boil with excitement!"
Kayden gritted his teeth, his cold gaze fixed on those dark, wild eyes. Even though the fight had only just started, he knew this man wasn't going to fall easily. His fighting spirit was almost inhuman, and the strangest part of it all... was that Kayden was starting to feel a slight thrill burning in his chest.
"This guy... is a monster."
The rain kept falling relentlessly, soaking both fighters as the sound of the blows resonated like a chaotic symphony in the middle of the storm.
The air felt heavy under the rain, the sound of the drops hitting the pavement as if the world itself was holding its breath. Kayden remained firm, evaluating Gun as the man wiped the blood dripping from his lip with the back of his hand.
The wide, wild grin still remained on his face, but something in his posture changed. It was subtle, almost imperceptible, but Kayden noticed it immediately. The man stopped throwing random punches, and his movements became precise, calculated, as if the entire previous fight had been just a warm-up.
Gun twisted his neck from side to side, cracking his joints, and his completely black eyes seemed to shine with a sinister gleam under the rain.
"I admit it," he said in a hoarse but calm voice, "You're better than I expected. But... now I'm going to get a little more serious. Don't be disappointed if you start seeing stars."
Before Kayden could process the warning, Gun was already on him. A fast, powerful step translated into a direct punch to his stomach, a blow that felt like a hammer smashing into his abdomen. The air left his lungs with a choking gasp, and before he could recover, Gun grabbed his wrist and yanked him forward.
Kayden reacted instantly, throwing a low kick to free himself, but Gun deflected the blow with his knee, using Kayden's momentum to twist him and throw him to the ground with a perfect Aikido throw. The impact resonated like thunder when Kayden's back hit the wet pavement, and before he could get up, Gun was already on him, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt.
"What's wrong?" Gun tilted his head, his smile turning into a pure expression of excitement. "Don't tell me you're already giving up... right?"
With a growl, Kayden pushed him with both legs, causing Gun to take a couple of steps back, but the man just straightened himself, stroking the "X"-shaped scar on his forehead with a finger as he licked his lips.
"What the hell are you?" Kayden muttered as he got up, ignoring the sharp pain in his back.
Gun laughed with an intensity that seemed to border on madness.
"I'm just a guy who lives to fight," he responded, a manic gleam in his eyes. "And you, kid... you're making me feel alive."
Before Kayden could blink, Gun was already launching a barrage of quick, precise punches, each aimed at vital points with the brutality and rigor of Kyokushin Karate. Blocking the first blow left his arm numb, and the next one forced him to retreat quickly. Still, one of the punches managed to slip past his guard, landing a sharp hit on his jaw that made his vision flicker for a moment.
"Shit... he's strong!"
The pain reverberated through his skull, and Kayden barely managed to stabilize himself before Gun advanced again, this time with a lateral kick that split the air like a blade. Kayden barely managed to dodge it, feeling the wind rush past his face as it flew by.
Gun didn't stop smiling, his expression now filled with an uncontrollable euphoria.
"That's it! Don't disappoint me now!" he roared.
Kayden knew he was in trouble. This guy didn't just have brute strength; he knew how to fight for real, combining the hardness of Kyokushin with the fluidity of Aikido. Every punch was devastating, and every lock was calculated to immobilize him in an instant.
However, despite the pressure and pain, Kayden couldn't help but let a faint smile curve on his lips.
"Are you smiling now too?" Gun asked, almost fascinated. "Do you get it now? Fights aren't just about winning or losing! It's about feeling it! About burning inside!"
Kayden wiped the blood from the corner of his lips and planted his feet firmly on the ground, raising his guard once more. The excitement burning in his chest was new, different. In front of a monster like Gun, he could feel the tension pushing him to the limit, and deep down, a small spark of adrenaline urged him to keep going.
"Don't think I'm going to let you beat me so easily," Kayden replied firmly, his eyes shining with determination.
Gun's smile grew even wider, and a flash of pure euphoria crossed his gaze.
"That's what I like!" he shouted. "Come at me, kid! Show me what you've got!"
The rain continued to fall, enveloping the scene in a cloak of chaos and adrenaline, as two fierce souls clashed without reservation, their hearts beating in unison in the violent dance of battle.
...
The sound of the rain continued to envelop the alley, blending with the heavy breathing of both. Kayden wiped the blood dripping from his split lip with the back of his hand, while his gaze remained fixed on Gun, who still wore that deranged smile, despite his right arm hanging twisted and visibly broken.
"How... the hell do you not fall?" Kayden asked between gasps. For the first time in a long while, he felt the weight of exhaustion pressing down on his muscles. The pain burned through every part of his body, but what bothered him the most was that unyielding smile on Gun's face.
"Why should I?" Gun let out a guttural laugh, straightening despite the pain in his broken arm. "The fight's not over yet."
His voice was still charged with emotion, as if agony were nothing more than a mere tint in his rush of adrenaline. Kayden watched him in silence, trying to understand what kind of monster he had before him.
"I don't get it..." Kayden frowned. "Why do you smile while fighting? You say you live for it, but... with how strong you are, isn't it boring to beat people all the time? Do you really enjoy defeating weak people?"
Gun let out a laugh that echoed like thunder under the rain, almost as if the idea itself seemed absurd to him. He took a step forward, ignoring the pain in his broken arm, and pointed at Kayden with his good hand.
"Weaklings?" he repeated with disdain. "I'm not interested in weaklings. I don't fight trash!"
His black eyes gleamed with a dangerous intensity, and his smile grew even wider, almost deranged.
"You think I go after the weakest to feel superior?" Gun spat blood on the ground and shook his head. "There's nothing worse than facing idiots who fall in one hit!" His voice turned grave, heavy with dark passion. "I only fight the strong... those who can challenge me, those who can shake me out of this damn boredom. And you, kid... are exactly what I needed!"
Kayden watched him in silence, trying to catch his breath. The pain still throbbed through his body, but his thoughts were focused on that declaration.
"So you're just looking for excitement?" he murmured.
Gun let out a dry laugh and took another step forward, getting close enough for Kayden to notice the slight tremor in his legs, evidence that his body was also at its limit.
"Exactly!" Gun exclaimed, his eyes burning with madness. "A fight where you don't know if you'll walk out alive or dead! One where every damn hit shakes your soul! That's the true essence of fighting!" His smile grew more serene, though no less intense. "And you... you've managed to excite me."
Kayden gritted his teeth, his body aching but his spirit ignited. He understood that feeling, that spark that only arises when facing someone truly strong. A faint smile appeared on his lips.
"Then... you don't care about losing?" Kayden asked.
Gun shrugged, as if the very idea of losing was irrelevant.
"Lose?! Ha!" He laughed heartily. "I don't give a damn about winning or losing... the only thing that matters is whether my blood keeps boiling!"
"Come on, kid!" Gun roared, getting back into his stance, his dark eyes gleaming like burning embers.
Kayden lowered his fists, relaxing his posture as his breath returned to normal. Without saying anything, he turned on his heels and started walking toward the nearby bench under the dim flickering streetlamp.
Gun watched him, frowning with evident frustration.
"What the hell are you doing?" he asked, his voice tinged with irritation.
Kayden collapsed onto the metal bench, letting the cold rain soak his hair and clothes. He rested his elbows on his knees, staring down at the ground with an indifferent expression.
"I don't want to fight anymore," he murmured, his voice barely audible over the sound of the rain. "There's no reason to continue... I don't gain anything from this fight."
Gun stood motionless for a few seconds, still watching him. The smile faded from his face, replaced by an expression that was a mix of curiosity and disdain.
"What kind of idiocy is that?" he muttered, spitting on the ground. "Weren't you enjoying it? Don't bullshit me, kid!"
"It's not that I enjoy fighting much," Kayden said, his voice calm and somewhat distant. "Most fights don't make sense. Even if you have a reason to fight, I... I don't have anything anymore."
His gaze was empty, as if those words weren't just a statement, but a truth that weighed heavily on him, something he could no longer ignore.
Gun watched Kayden in silence, his gaze sharpening as the boy settled into the bench, showing no signs of emotion or agitation. The rain hit his face, but Kayden didn't care. He was absent, completely distant, as if the world around him no longer made sense.
Gun couldn't help but take another step forward, observing every little detail of his face, from his empty eyes to his relaxed posture that contradicted the fury he had shown in the fight. Though it was clear that Kayden possessed immense strength, something much more important seemed to be missing. Something Gun couldn't identify, but it frustrated him deeply.
He moved closer, his cigarette hanging from his lips as his eyes analyzed Kayden's cold, distant expression.
"You have..." Gun paused, searching for the right word, as if each syllable he was about to say carried the weight of his judgment. "You have incredible strength, but... you don't have anything else."
Kayden slowly lifted his gaze to Gun, not moving a muscle, as if the mere act of looking at the man wasn't worth it. His eyes, usually calculating, now seemed empty, as if they couldn't focus on anything beyond the constant drizzle.
"What are you looking at?" Kayden asked in a monotone voice, as if the conversation itself were a burden.
Gun felt a small sting in his chest, something he hadn't felt in a long time: frustration. Someone with so much potential, so strong and capable, but who had no spark of desire, no purpose, no ambition. How could he be so... empty?
"Do you know?" Gun took a drag from his cigarette and exhaled forcefully. "You're boring. And that... is the worst thing you could be."
Kayden didn't react. He simply stayed there, looking ahead, as impassive as always.
"Don't you have dreams, or goals? Nothing that pushes you beyond what you already know how to do... You don't have a hunger for fighting. What makes you keep standing, if you don't even have the motivation to keep going?" Gun leaned a little forward, staring into Kayden's eyes. "Strength without purpose is just... boring."
Kayden didn't say a word. He just stayed there, staring ahead, as impassive as ever.
"Do you know why I enjoy fighting?" Gun continued, this time without the twisted smile, but with a more serious, grave look. "Because there's always something more. A reason, a purpose, something that drives me. Without that... fighting is just a waste of time. And you... you're just a fighter without a soul."
A heavy silence fell between them. Gun stared at Kayden for a long moment, waiting for a reaction, a spark of life. But there was none.
Gun slowly turned away, the sound of his footsteps swallowed by the rain.
"Don't worry, kid. I'm not interested in fighting someone who has nothing to fight for. But... someday, when you realize what you're missing, I'll come for you. Maybe then, we can have a real fight."
With those final words, Gun vanished into the darkness of the night, leaving Kayden alone with his thoughts, while the rain continued to fall on his empty soul.
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There are only two chapters left of Kayden, sorry for dragging it out too much.