Kyokushin Blood

Chapter XL - The Calm Before...(Part 4)

Fuyuto pulled his phone from his pocket and activated the flashlight. They stare a gaze, before their soft footsteps filled the silent library with echoes of life. Not a word uttered. Shinichi's process of swallowing his saliva was audible to the focus Officer as they entered a room large enough to be a storehouse.

Dust covered seats filled what seemed to be a stadium with several cracked masks scattered between the seats. The two continue their path, their footsteps once again echoing, as they reach the edge of the seating area.

A fence off arena took up most of the lower area, with the chains rusty as dry blood covered the concrete floors; Indents gave the floors personality as torn skin and flesh remained pricked in the fence. Shinichi clenched his jaw before taking hold of his exposed upper-arms, shivering slightly.

"It's cold in here." Shinichi told, his eyes unwavering from the arena below.

"Your body is just responding to what you see," The Former Officer said to the Yakuza as he took hold of the railing before him. "Come on, we need to find more."

Fuyuto dropped down to the lower area connected to the arena. Shinichi remained quiet before leading the other's lead. They landed gracefully, still scanning the area ahead of them as they begin moving towards it.

They entered the arena hesitantly. The air reeked of the dried blood and rotting flesh dangling from the chains. Shinichi looks up to the barbwire covering the top of the cage. Fuyuto squatted down, exclaiming the dark red hardened substance carefully as Shinichi's fingers gripped the cage around them.

"Nothing has been fought here for years, maybe even decades." Fuyuto spoke up, "This is just blood which wasn't washed. Let's look deeper." He stood and pointed towards a doorway to their right.

Shinichi nodded, giving one last glance at the barbwire before following the Former Police. The hallway was dark, with doorways on either side of them. Their steps continuously echoing. The Delinquent and Former Officer reached a larger entranceway without any form of door. Above the opening was a word written in Japanese, but when translated, read 'Fighter's Cage'.

They entered, and the rotten smell of dry blood turned their stomachs on its sides. Enclosures mirrored each other along the hallway. Bars blocked off all entrance like a prison cell. Chains hung from the walls. Piles of hay stacked up in the corner. But one cell's bars were slid open, a silhouette laying in a body.

Shinichi leaned in slightly, squinting his eyes as he tried to clear his vision. But it only took a few seconds to adjust within the dark abyss. A body amidst decaying laid on the ground, the person dying whilst clawing at the wall above them. From halfway along the wall, it was covered in dry blood sticking to it. The tips of the boney finger were basically dusted away in it's entirely.

The skin has began decaying itself. It was loose, almost like plastic paper, hanging on the skeletal remains by thin strands of muscle. Shinichi's cheeks bloated as he covered his mouth, running to the left as he began to release several puddles of bile from the depths of his stomach.

Fuyuto looked at him with a side glance. His years in the police force has desensitised him to such imagery. His eyes shift up to the name-cardinals on the top of the cells, slowly looking at each one before stopping.

"Here. This is the one I wanted to show you." Fuyuto said.

Shinichi huffed as he wiped the bile away from his lips, looking upon Fuyuto walk towards the specific cell. Shinichi followed slowly and looked up to read the name above. His eyes widened.

'Nakamura'...

Shinichi's eyes quickly dropped back to the cell, taking hold of the cell's bars and pulling them to the left with a pull of effort. He slowly enters with his hand still grasping the bar.

The cell was nightmarish.

Writing covered every inch of the brick interior, with words translating to 'Strength', 'Stronger', and 'Freedom' respectively. The chains which hung from the wall were thick, the locks previously drenched with what had to be blood and causing it to rust. The pile of hay was scattered. A singular wooden bowl, cracked and battered, rested on the ground. Fuyuto entered, his coat resting over his forearm.

"This was Tatsuo's room." He said, but Shinichi didn't answer. "He was here for about 5 years, I think."

"You were looking for this, weren't you...?" Shinichi's voice finally spoke up, his voice low as shadows heavily covered his face.

"...And if I was?" Fuyuto responded with his own question.

Suddenly, Shinichi's hands clinched around the Former Officer's collar and forced his back to slam against the brick wall. He groaned in pain upon impact with both eyes shut. He opens his left eye, but widened upon seeing the Delinquent's expression. Tears began to swell within his eyes, his teeth bared as veins ran his neck.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?" He yells, tightening his grip on Fuyuto's collar. "WHY ARE YOU SHOWING ME THIS? WHY ARE YOU SHOWING ME SUCH INHUMANE CONDITIONS? I FINALLY HAVE A FAMILY! WHY ARE YOU TRYING TO TAKE THEM AWA..."

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" Fuyuto yelled back, interrupting and shocking Shinichi. "DO YOU THINK I WOULDNT DO THIS WITHOUT REASON?"

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU TRYING TO GET OUT OF THIS?!" Shinichi argued.

"EVEN AFTER SEEING THESE CONDITIONS, HOW INHUMANE THE YAKUZA ARE, ARE YOU STILL WILLING TO BE APART OF THIS LIFE?" Fuyuto inquiries, watching as the tears run Shinichi's face.

"OF COURSE! THEYRE MY ONLY FAMILY! WHAT GIVES YOU THE RIGHT TO DO THIS?!" Shinichi's eyes widened, seeing a nervous grin from over Fuyuto's tears as his own tears run his face.

"Because...I'll take down every Yakuza family...so no one else loses their family...!" Fuyuto revealed.

Shinichi gritted his teeth. His mind flashes back to the many, but short, memories with the Koamada Family. He's brotherly relation with Takashi, he's mentor-relation with Tatsuo and Yamamoto...he throws Fuyuto to the floor and looks away with heavy breathing.

The two remained silent, Shinichi's attention being drawn to the writings on the wall. He gently places his hand upon it once again, before clinching his fist tightly to the point of violent shaking. The sound of a chain hitting the ground quickly echoed.

"WE GOT A THIEFFFFF~!" A voice yelled, but they quickly connected to the Ishida.

"Shit!" Shinichi yelled as he and Fuyuto ducted down.

The two wiped the tears from their faces. The Former Police peeked through the bars, and with a flick of his arms shows the coast is clear. They leave the cell and look down the hallway. Through the darkness, they could see a doorway on the other end.

"Fuck, why is he here?" Shinichi questioned, to which Fuyuto didn't reply too at fast.

"It's interesting...why would they be here if this place is abandoned?" Fuyuto spoke before looking at the Delinquent. "We'll head for the door for now, decide our next course of action wherever we end up."