𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐎𝐍𝐋𝐘 | ᴋᴜᴢᴜʀʏᴜ ꜰᴜʏᴜʜɪᴋᴏ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

~𝟑𝟑~

Later that night, the tension at the Kuzuryu Manor was visible. The air was thick with a mix of anger and anticipation as the clan members gathered to witness Fuyuhiko's retribution. Mr Togami had been informed of Hannah's condition and, despite his usual stoic demeanor, his eyes betrayed a flicker of worry and fury. He and Mr Kuzuryu had agreed to let Fuyuhiko handle the two hostages.

Fuyuhiko led the way to the basement, his footsteps echoing ominously down the stone steps. Peko, ever the silent guardian, followed closely behind, her presence a steadying force. Aki and a few other trusted clan members brought up the rear, ensuring the basement was secure.

The basement was dimly lit, the flickering light casting long, sinister shadows on the walls. In the center of the room, the two hostages were bound to chairs, their faces bloodied and bruised from the initial capture. They trembled visibly as Fuyuhiko approached, his expression a mask of cold, controlled rage.

"You've made a grave mistake." Fuyuhiko said, his voice low and dangerous. "Hurting Hannah was the last thing you'll ever do." One of the men, his voice shaking, tried to plead for mercy. "We were just following orders! We didn't mean-"

Fuyuhiko's fist connected with the man's jaw before he could finish his sentence, the crack of bone echoing in the room. "Spare me your excuses," he snarled. "You thought you could get away with it, that you could harm her and walk away unscathed."

Peko stepped forward, her eyes never leaving the hostages. "Young Master, shall we begin?"

Fuyuhiko nodded, his gaze fixed on the trembling men. "Yes. Let's start with an introduction to the consequences of their actions."

Aki handed Fuyuhiko a pair of brass knuckles, which he slipped onto his hand with deliberate slowness. The men's eyes widened in fear, knowing that their pleas would fall on deaf ears.

Fuyuhiko stepped closer to the first man, his knuckles glinting in the dim light. "Tell me," he said, his voice deceptively calm. "Did you enjoy hurting her?"

The man shook his head frantically, tears streaming down his face. "No, no, please, we were just following orders!"

Fuyuhiko's fist struck with brutal precision, the impact sending a spray of blood across the floor. "Wrong answer." he said coldly. "You see, there's a price to pay for touching what belongs to me."

The man's cries of pain filled the basement as Fuyuhiko methodically broke bones and inflicted pain, his anger controlled but intense. The second man watched in horror, knowing his turn was coming. Peko stood by, her eyes hard, ready to intervene if necessary but knowing this was Fuyuhiko's moment.

When Fuyuhiko finally turned to the second man, he was visibly shaking. "P-Please!" the man whimpered. "We didn't know she was-"

"She was what?" Fuyuhiko interrupted, his voice icy. "Important? Untouchable? Too late for regrets now."

He landed a punch to the man's gut, causing him to double over in pain, followed by a knee to the face that left him spitting blood and teeth. "You hurt her," Fuyuhiko continued, "And now you'll understand what pain truly feels like."

The punishment continued, each strike a testament to Fuyuhiko's fury. The men's cries and pleas for mercy grew weaker, their bodies slumping in the chairs as they teetered on the edge of consciousness.

Finally, Fuyuhiko stepped back, breathing heavily. He removed the brass knuckles, handing them back to Aki. "Take them to the cell." he ordered. "We'll deal with them tomorrow.

Peko nodded, signaling to the other clan members to take the battered men away. As they were dragged from the room, Fuyuhiko's mind was already racing with plans. This was just the beginning. He would find out who gave the orders, who orchestrated the attack on Hannah, and he would make them pay dearly.

As the basement emptied, Peko placed a hand on Fuyuhiko's shoulder. "Young Master, you did well."

Fuyuhiko nodded, his anger still simmering. "They'll learn," he said quietly. "No one touches what's mine and gets away with it."

~

The next morning, the air in the Kuzuryu Manor was still tense but quieter than before. Fuyuhiko moved through the hallways with a purpose, his mind still replaying the events of the previous night. He paused outside Hannah's door, knocking gently. The sound was soft, almost hesitant, a stark contrast to his usual demeanor.

There was no response from inside, and Fuyuhiko slowly pushed the door open a crack to peek in. Hannah was asleep, her breathing steady but her face still bearing the marks of her ordeal. She looked fragile, a stark reminder of the violence she had endured. For a moment, Fuyuhiko felt a pang of something he couldn't quite name. Protectiveness.

He closed the door quietly and made his way downstairs. His expression hardened as he descended to the basement, where the two hostages from the previous night were still being held. Aki and a few other Kuzuryu clan members were already there, waiting.

The basement felt colder than usual, the dim light casting long shadows. The hostages were tied to chairs, their faces a mess of bruises and cuts from the initial interrogation. They looked up with fear as Fuyuhiko approached, their eyes widening as they saw the determination and anger etched into his face.

"Morning," Fuyuhiko said coldly, addressing the men. "I hope you had a restful night, because today's going to be hell for you."

He gestured to Aki, who handed him a pair of brass knuckles and a knife. Fuyuhiko slipped the knuckles onto his hand, testing their weight. He then turned his attention to the first man, who was trembling violently.

"Let's start simple," Fuyuhiko said, his voice calm but deadly. "Who sent you?"

The man hesitated, his eyes darting around as if looking for an escape. Fuyuhiko's fist shot out, connecting with the man's jaw and eliciting a pained yelp. "Answer the question!" he demanded.

"We... we don't know!" the man stammered. "We were just given orders. We don't know who they came from, I swear!"

Fuyuhiko's eyes narrowed. "Bullshit." He nodded to Aki, who stepped forward with a pair of pliers. "Maybe a little more persuasion will help."

The man's screams filled the basement as Aki began his work, pulling fingernails and inflicting pain that bordered on inhuman. Fuyuhiko watched, his face a mask of anger and cold determination. This was for Hannah, for the pain they had caused her.

He moved to the second man, who was already crying, his resolve broken. "You." Fuyuhiko said, his voice icy. "Who do you work for?"

"We... we're just foot soldiers!" the man sobbed. "We don't know the big bosses. We get our orders through a middleman."

"Names." Fuyuhiko snapped. "Give me fucking names!"

"Ryu-!" the man gasped. "He's our contact. We don't know his real name, just Ryu. He coordinates everything."

Fuyuhiko nodded slowly, considering this information. "Where can I find this Ryu?"

"I don't know!" the man cried out as Fuyuhiko's brass-knuckled fist connected with his ribs, the crack of bone echoing through the room. "Please, I swear, I don't know! He contacts us!"

Fuyuhiko stepped back, breathing heavily. "Useless." he muttered. He looked at Aki and the other clan members. "Find out what you can about this Ryu. I want him brought to me."

The clan members nodded, already making plans to track down this new lead. Fuyuhiko turned back to the hostages, his eyes burning with anger. "You're going to pay for what you did to Hannah." he said softly, almost to himself.

He left the basement, his mind still seething with anger but also planning the next steps. As he made his way back upstairs, his thoughts drifted to Hannah, still sleeping upstairs. He would protect her, no matter what it took. The people who dared to hurt her would learn the true meaning of pain and retribution.