"Huh? Who's this brat?" Yellow Maw asked, his confusion quickly souring into annoyance.
He scrutinized the kid: crimson hair the color of drying blood and orange eyes like a deepening dusk. The boy wore basic leather armor that fitted his small frame. An old wooden lantern hung at his hip, and a small bag was slung over his shoulder.
Seeing the man distracted, Kenji lunged. He used his short stature to his advantage, pulling the katana downward in a sharp arc. The blade sliced through Yellow Maw's palm with a smooth hiss.
Yellow Maw stared at the wound in genuine surprise.
Kenji dropped into a squat, using the momentum to spin and slash at the big man's calf. Yellow Maw stepped back just in time to avoid the steel, but Kenji didn't let up. He rolled back to his feet and charged again.
The fat man's patience snapped. Kenji swung—a crude, desperate slash with no mastery behind it. Now cautious of the blade, Yellow Maw dodged easily. As Kenji overextended, Yellow Maw delivered a crushing kick that sent the boy flying back toward the door he'd emerged from.
"The fuck's up with that kid?" Yellow Maw asked, turning to the tall man in the strange hat.
"This island is full of heroes, I guess," the Cowboy replied.
"But this island is a fucking hell to use Hashi in," Yellow Maw grunted, clenching and unclenching his fist. He rolled his shoulder, the joints popping.
The Cowboy gestured toward the door. "Why don't you get a warm-up in with the kid?"
Yellow Maw frowned. "Huh?" He looked back. To his shock, the crimson-haired boy was actually pushing himself up.
What the hell? Yellow Maw thought. He was being surprised far too often on this island. He could have sworn the kid wasn't an Awakened. A kick like that should have shattered his ribs and kept him down for good. Did this shitty island make me that weak?
A malicious grin spread across his face. "You're right, Cowboy. I could use the exercise."
"Yeah, you need it, fatty," the Cowboy muttered under his breath.
"Did you say something?"
"I said have fun," the Cowboy said, injecting a fake cheer into his voice before whispering again, "Fat bitch."
Throughout the exchange, the butler watched in silence, his expression impassive.
Kenji pushed himself up, his muscles screaming. He used the elegant katana as a crutch, his breath coming in ragged gasps. Something was broken in his chest—he didn't know what, but the agony was blinding.
Dammit, that hurts!
He looked up to see the large man approaching, his vest straining against his massive belly. Kenji glared with pure fury and leveled his sword. He tried to charge, but his gait was awkward and hobbled.
Yellow Maw cracked his knuckles and threw an uppercut. As Kenji tried to bring the blade down to intercept, the man pulled the punch, spun, and delivered a brutal backhand to the back of Kenji's head.
The force of the man's massive frame made the hit feel like a sledgehammer.
The impact slammed Kenji face-first into the cold floor. When he managed to lift his head, blood gushed from a broken nose. Several teeth had been knocked loose; they clattered onto the stone followed by a spray of crimson. Kenji spat, watching white fragments of bone swirl in the gore.
"Brat, you're quite sturdy," Yellow Maw said, looming behind him.
Kenji tried to swing the katana from the floor, but Yellow Maw was faster. He snatched Kenji by the ankle and swung him like a rag doll, slamming him into the floor.
Left. Right. Left. Right.
The pristine floor was quickly painted red. The sickening thud of the boy's body was punctuated by the rhythmic snap of breaking bones.
Takahiro watched from his hiding spot by the door, frozen. Seeing his brother slowly dying before his eyes felt like a nightmare his mind refused to accept.
The Cowboy whistled. "Does he hate kids or something?"
Noticing Kenji's body going limp, Yellow Maw hoisted him up by the leg and tossed him into the air. As the boy fell, he wound up a brutal right hook, catching Kenji square in the face. The impact launched him across the room, where he crashed into a pile of crates.
Yellow Maw wiped sweat from his forehead, wearing a satisfied smile. "That was amazing." He turned his gaze toward the massive, slightly ajar door. "Come out, brat. It's your turn now."
Takahiro flinched, his heart hammering against his ribs.