Fighting Thugs
Five years later…Kid and Kai at the age of ten…
Another normal day in Kinzoku Island,
Located in the South Blue, the island remains unaffiliated with the world government. It boasts a considerable size, with four towns and a couple villages scattered throughout its outskirts. Unfortunately, the towns have fallen under the influence of gangs and criminals due to rampant corruption among higher authorities who turn a blind eye to the plight of its inhabitants.
For the past decade, Ashita town has been the home and upbringing place of the twins. They've had a challenging childhood, surviving on their own by stealing, scavenging and selling items they find at the landfill. Things became even more difficult for them when they were expelled from the orphanage they had been living in, leaving them with no choice but to take to the streets. Fortunately, they had the support of their comrades Killer, Heat, and Wire. The five of them remained a tight-knit group, always watching each other's backs throughout the years.
Every day, the five of them gather together at a remote spot outside town to train and spar with each other. This has been their daily routine for the past five years since they started their training. Kai, being the one who suggests the workout routines, is always at the center of the group's activities.
Ever since they began training, the group of five has come a long way and surpassed their initial strength. The intense training they underwent, coupled with the constant confrontations with older kids, bullies, and even adults sometimes, has molded them into robust and resilient youngsters. Their perseverance and hard work have paid off, resulting in a remarkable transformation in their physical and mental abilities.
Among the group, the Eustass twins are the most notable due to their exceptional strength, which is almost evenly matched. However, Kai possesses a slight advantage due to his prior experience in combat, techniques, and knowledge from his previous life.
The duo's notoriety spread quickly throughout the neighborhoods, with other groups of children dubbing them 'The Red Devils.' Kid's fierce fighting style and aggressive personality, paired with Kai's composed and intimidating demeanor, left a lasting impression on those they defeated.
Following them is Killer, who despite being four years older, is still unable to match their fighting skills, given the exceptional talent possessed by the twins. Next in line are Heat and Wire, who, although not at par with the other three, are still formidable enough to be reckoned with.
Today was just like any other day, as the five of them engaged in a sparring session. Kid and Kai stood facing each other, poised to begin their match, while the other three observed from a safe distance.
The twins circled each other warily, their eyes locked in a fierce gaze. Kid was a boy with wild, spiky hair and a fierce determination in his eyes. Kai had a calm, measured demeanor.
"Ready?" Kai asked, his fists raised in a defensive stance.
Kid nodded, his own fists clenched tight. The two boys lunged at each other, their movements fast and precise. They exchanged a flurry of blows, each landing several solid hits on the other.
The spar continued for several minutes, the two boys evenly matched in strength and skill. Kid was relentless, attacking with all his might, but Kai seemed to have an answer for every move he made.
As the fight wore on, Kid began to tire, his punches losing their force. Kai took advantage of the opening, delivering a swift punch to Kid's gut. Kid staggered back, gasping for breath.
Kai moved in for the finisher, his fists a blur as he rained down blow after blow on his twin brother. The latter tried to defend himself, but he was too slow and too tired.
Finally, with a swift uppercut, Kai knocked Kid to the ground. Kid laying there, dazed and defeated, as Kai stood over him, breathing heavily.
"Good fight," Kai said, extending a hand to help his brother up.
Kid grabbed the outstretched hand with a disdainful expression, hauling himself up to his feet. "Hmph...don't think this means you've won. It was just luck this time, but I'll make sure to even the score next time."
Kai flashed a grin at his twin brother "You're always saying the same thing, bro. If you stop relying on brute strength only and start using your head as well, you'd be surprised by what you can achieve," Kai quipped.
"Whatever!" Kid sneered, before Killer and the others approached.
"Faffaffa!...Good fight, you two are strong as always" exclaimed Killer, his laughter filled with enthusiasm. With his arms crossed, he asked "Should we do the usual thing?"
"Hehehe…I told you, always training and fighting, no exceptions" Kai replied with a grin on his face.
"I got to say little bro, this is one of the few things that we agree on…I'm always up for beating up some thugs" Kid exclaimed, flashing a wide grin. As the group of five returned to town, they actively scoured the area for groups of older kids known for their delinquent behavior, and boldly confronted them head-on.
…
"Murmur…murmur…"
"Surprise motherfucker!" As Kai made his presence known, a group of six older kids, who appeared to be rough-looking thugs, immediately turned their attention towards him. The leader, who was smoking a cigarette, regarded Kai with a mix of surprise and annoyance.
"Ugh, it's you two again! Kai, Kid, how much longer are you planning to keep this up?!" Their leader exclaimed in irritation, appearing somewhat nervous. "You mischievous little imps...Do you have any idea who you're messing with?!"
Kai attempted to mock him as he inquired, "Can you remind me?"
"My brother is a big shot gangster…With just a word, he could have your limbs removed" he boasted, his confidence exuding through a sinister smile. He followed up by saying, "Don't test me, you insignificant fools, or you'll regret it."
"Fuck your brother!" With a grin, Kid launched himself at him and delivered a forceful right punch, causing him to fall onto his rear end.
As the words "You did it... You're dead--!!!!" escaped his lips, the speaker was abruptly cut off by Kai's swift and forceful kick to his face. The impact sent him crashing backwards, his sentence left unfinished as he gasped out, "Yo-Youu!!..."
Killer, Heat, and Wire pounced on the others who were accompanying him. Meanwhile, he lay on the ground clutching his nose, which was bleeding profusely while gritting his teeth. He snarled at Kid and Kai, "You're dead! Do you hear me?" But his fury turned to terror when he glimpsed the twin brothers towering over him with sinister grins. He stuttered, "Wait, I..." before they began pummeling him mercilessly, reducing his face to a gruesome, unrecognizable pulp.
Kai calmly observed him and remarked, "Using your brother's name as a shield is not a very wise move." He then proceeded to check the individual's pockets and took the money that was on him.
"Hahaha! What a pathetic guy!" exclaimed Kid, gleefully chuckling while towering over his vanquished adversary.
"Faffaffa! I guess now he'll be coming after us…His brother I mean" Killer calmly remarked, as though he were unfazed by the looming threat.
"We'll take him down too" Heat declared, without a hint of fear crossing his expression.
"Heat is right, there is nothing to be afraid of" Wire added, looking calm.
Mid-conversation, Kid's stomach emitted a loud growl, interrupting their discussion "Man, I feel so hungry after this" Kid remarked, grasping his belly in hunger.
"I am really in the mood for some Mrs. Sato Curry Udon" Kai exclaimed, as he counted the money, he had on him "We have enough money"
"Ugh, not Udon again," Kid exclaimed, vehemently refusing the idea. Ever since their crush had beaten them up, both Kid and Killer had developed a strong aversion to it. "I really don't want to eat it."
"Yes, let's eat something else" Killer backed Kid's decision to eat something else, but not before Heat and Wire joined Kai's side.
Kai flashed a grin as he observed the numbers. "Looks like it's three against two. Time for us to enjoy some Curry Udon," he declared before leading the group towards Mrs. Sato's food stall.
…
…
…
The next day,
Following their usual meet-up, the group of five were strolling through the town's streets when they found themselves suddenly encircled by a gang of individuals. The appearance and attire of these individuals made it evident that they were thugs.
Without a word, Kai darted towards the leader, who appeared taken aback by his sudden aggression. The others followed, Kid taking out two of them with a swift kick and a punch. Heat and Wire worked together to subdue another, while Killer engaged in a one-on-one fight with the remaining thug.
Kai's opponent attempted to punch him, but Kai dodged with ease and delivered a powerful blow to the thug's gut, causing him to double over in pain. The thug stumbled backward, struggling to catch his breath.
"Is that all you've got?" Kai taunted, a smirk on his face.
The thug growled, lunging towards Kai. Kai deftly sidestepped the attack, delivering a swift kick to the thug's legs, causing him to fall to the ground.
As they walked away, the group of five heard the thugs' grumbling and cursing behind them. The group laughed, feeling victorious once again.
"Damn, that was easy," Kid exclaimed, pumping his fist in the air.
"Don't be too complacent" Kai warned, looking around cautiously. "We've made a lot of enemies over the years, and we don't want to get caught off guard."
"Yeah, yeah, we know," Heat replied, rolling his eyes. "But you have to admit, it's always fun taking down these thugs."
Kai nodded in agreement. "It's good training for us, but we can't keep doing this forever. We need to start thinking about our future."
The group fell silent, contemplating Kai's words.
"I agree," Killer finally spoke up. "We've been doing this for years, and it's time we move on to bigger things."
"What do you suggest?" Wire asked.
Killer grinned. "Why don't we take over one of the gangs in this town? We can use our skills to establish our own territory, and make a name for ourselves. We can be the ones in charge for once"
The others looked at each other, considering Killer's proposition.
"I like it" Kai said with a grin. "Let's do it!"
As the group nodded in unison, their resolve was reignited. They had set their sights on taking over a gang and carving out their own territory, aiming to become the preeminent power in Kinzoku Island.