The rude awakening

A dull throb pulsed in Kayne's skull, hammering his brain with each beat of his heart. He tried to open his eyes, but the harsh sunlight forced him to shut them immediately. A grunt escaped his dry throat as he tried to gather his scattered thoughts. Where was he?

He attempted to sit up, but a sharp pain shot through his back, pinning him to the ground. He glanced down and discovered, with horror, that he was lying on a hard, dirty ground littered with debris and filth. His gaze swept his immediate surroundings, revealing a squalid street stretching out before him.

The buildings lining the street were decrepit and dilapidated, their facades cracked and covered in obscene graffiti. Broken windows stared like empty eyes, while rickety doors hung loosely on their hinges. Foul smells of urine and household waste hung in the air, stinging Kayne's nostrils and turning his stomach.

"Kid, it's time to go," grunted a man in his forties, clearly in a situation similar to Kayne's. Tattered clothes, shoes reflecting a heavy and distant past, empty eyes, and a hungry face. "I can't keep you in my spot anymore, you got yourself into this mess. Figure it out."

A barrage of questions stormed through Kanye's mind, seemingly ignoring the old man's words. His last memory was him entering his room exhausted from the ceremony of his integration into the gang, and now he found himself in the depths of Tokyo.

After calming down, he collected his thoughts. He first needed to understand what was happening before finding a way out of this mess. A few seconds later, his brows furrowed.

"Damn power..." he muttered, now remembering that he had reincarnated into Takemitchi after the latter had traveled back in time. "I don't know where I messed up, but I need to find Naoto Tachibana."

"Kid, are you ignoring me? Is that how you treat your benefactors?" growled the old man, his voice roughened by time and cigarettes. "If you think you're going to steal my territory, I'm telling you, you'll regret it."

Struggling to his feet, he ignored the pain in his back. "Hey, old man, no need to get angry. I'm not planning on taking your territory." He began to walk, waving goodbye to the old man who sighed at the sight.

Kayne walked heavily through the dark streets of Tokyo, still shaken by his new reality. He seemed oblivious to his surroundings, lost in thought, contemplating his next moves. Three men, obviously recognizing him, started tailing him. Sensing their threatening presence, he prepared for the confrontation and led them into a corner.

When they saw that Kayne had entered a dead end, they emerged from the shadows, blocking his path.

"Isn't that our handsome bastard, Takemichi?" sneered the first, a wicked smile stretching his lips. "The one who bit off more than he could chew."

Kayne clenched his fists, feeling annoyed at the sight of these thugs. "Get out of my way," he growled, his voice as sharp as a blade.

But the thugs were not about to listen. They encircled him, their eyes gleaming with malevolent light. "You're going to pay now, little shit," spat the second, brandishing a rusty iron bar.

Without waiting, the third thug lunged at Kayne, aiming a vicious punch at his head. But Kayne was ready. He deftly dodged, grabbing his assailant's arm and twisting it violently. A sinister crack sounded, followed by a scream of pain.

The other two thugs charged together, the iron bar slicing through the air. Kayne dove to the ground, sweeping their legs with a circular kick. They fell heavily but got up immediately, rage distorting their features.

"Come on, guys, put some effort into it, or you're going to die," he taunted. "You're all talk."

"Shut up!" yelled one of the thugs, charging at him full speed. What followed was a brutal and merciless dance, blows raining from all sides. Kayne took as much as he gave, his body bruised from the impacts. But he refused to give in, driven by unwavering determination.

With a fluid motion, he disarmed the one holding the iron bar, sending it flying far away. Then, he focused on the other two, delivering blows with deadly precision. Soon, they lay at his feet, moaning in pain.

But Kayne had no time to rest. A new wave of thugs emerged from the darkness, far more numerous than the previous ones. Exhausted and covered in wounds, he showed no sign of weakness, his face stoic.

"Bring it on, you mangy dogs!" he taunted, taking a stance to continue his fight.

He had already faced tough situations in his life, and he knew he had to fight to get out of this one. Four figures stood before him, blocking the way. Two of them wielded baseball bats. The third clutched metal chains in his hands, while the fourth took a boxer's stance, his fists clenched. They seemed unconcerned about their cohorts lying on the ground.

Kayne calmly observed them, analyzing their positions, expressions, and movements. He looked for any flaw, any weakness he could exploit to his advantage.

"Look at yourself, do you really think you can take us on?" taunted one of the men with the bat, his voice resonating with poorly concealed menace.

Kayne didn't respond. He just stared at the man in the eyes, a cold and impassive gaze. Annoyed by Kayne's silence, the man with the bat rushed at him, swinging his baseball bat. Kayne narrowly dodged the first blow, feeling a surge of adrenaline course through his body.

The other thugs attacked from all sides, their weapons threatening to break him. Kayne moved with surprising agility, dodging the blows from bats and chains, using his environment to his advantage.

He struck one of the men with the bat in the stomach, doubling him over in pain. He kicked out at the boxer, hitting him in the temple and bringing him to the ground. The one with the chains tried to grab him, but Kayne was too fast. He snatched the chains from his hands and wrapped them around his neck, choking him.

The last man with the bat, seeing his comrades defeated, prepared to flee. But Kayne would not have it. He rushed at him, intercepting him before he could escape.

The ensuing fight was intense and merciless. The two men clashed in a deadly dance, their bodies battered by repeated blows. Kayne, despite his fatigue, drew on his last reserves to not give in.

The man with the bat, taller and stronger than Kayne, dominated the fight. He struck Kayne several times, knocking him to the ground. But Kayne would not be defeated. He got up again and again. It was almost frightening to see him covered in blood, barely standing on his legs, but refusing to give up. His will to survive was stronger than the pain.

Finally, with a quick and precise movement, Kayne managed to disarm the man with the bat. He delivered a violent blow to the face, knocking him unconscious. A sense of danger overtook those lying on the ground; it was unthinkable that one man could defeat so many on his own.

Feeling his strength leaving him, Kayne moved to sit down, but suddenly two more thugs appeared, rushing at their prey. Despite his bravery, his body categorically refused to obey him. The blows rained down on him mercilessly, leaving him barely conscious. As he sank into darkness, certain that his last hour had come, a commanding female voice suddenly rose:

"Enough! Get out of here, you dogs!"

Through the veil of pain that darkened his vision, Kayne vaguely made out a female figure standing before him, facing his attackers with disarming confidence.

The thugs hesitated, visibly intimidated by this unexpected intervention. Then, muttering curses, they retreated, melting into the background as quickly as they had appeared. The mysterious stranger bent over Kayne, her blurred face floating above him. He wanted to thank her, ask her name, but the words stuck in his throat. Exhausted beyond measure, he fell into unconsciousness, cradled by the gentle warmth of this saving presence.

Thus ended Kayne's fight, saved at the last moment by a providential ally. But questions crowded his numbed mind. Who was this fearless woman? Why had she come to his aid? The answers would have to wait for his awakening, for now, only the soothing darkness of unconsciousness called to him, promising a brief respite in his tormented quest.