Chereads / Volant: Wingless Ascent / Chapter 5 - [5] DESTROYER // RYUZIO/ZYON

Chapter 5 - [5] DESTROYER // RYUZIO/ZYON

Ryuzio entered Jenro's store to get the things Melga had asked him to fetch. After she prepared the order for the "9 million guy" and his squad, her supplies had almost exhausted.

"Yo, Mr. Jenro," Ryuzio said to the man wearing a sweater and glasses behind the counter. "How're you?"

Old Man Jenro breathed out slowly. "Hmm? MISTER Jenro? Not OLD MAN Jenro like usual? And from when did you start worrying about my health?"

Ryuzio scratched his cheek nervously.

"So you remembered not to go any further."

Ryuzio nodded diligently.

The last time when Ryuzio had shopped stuff from Chief Jenro's store, he knocked over many items and made a lot of trouble for the old man—maybe a little too much than the usual. From that day, Jenro hadn't let Ryuzio enter the store. But after Melga had talked with the old man, the chief allowed Ryuzio to enter the store again, but not past the counter.

"Where's the list?" Jenro asked dryly.

Ryuzio fished out the shopping list from his pocket and handed it over to the old man. "Miss Melga said that the stuff would be hard to carry, so…"

"Yeah, yeah," Jenro said with a dismissive wave as he adjusted his glasses to read the list. "You can take a cart." He glared at Ryuzio from the corners of his eyes. "But if doesn't come back alive you're banned from my store for life."

Ryuzio gulped. "Okay…"

"Lyla!" Jenro shouted. "I'm sending you a list; load up the things in a medium cart, its Melga's order."

"Okay, Dad," Lyla said from a far aisle.

"She's not in the clinic today?" Ryuzio asked.

"It's too late now," Jenro said, now reading a newspaper. "Only a fool would get hurt so late in the night." What about reading news?

"But it's just evening," Ryuzio said, brows furrowing. "It's not late. By this time I would've been with Zyon and—" He bit his lip.

"Hm?" Jenro looked down. "You said something?"

Ryuzio shook his head.

"What happened to your nose?"

Ryuzio scratched the tape that lay horizontally across the middle of his nose, remembering his duel of the previous day with Zyon.

"Is it bad?" Jenro asked, leaning against the counter. "Lyla'll fix it if that's the case."

"N-No," Ryuzio said, waving a hand. "I'm okay. I just…fell."

Jenro leaned back in his chair, returning to his reading. "You're one clumsy kid, Ryuzio."

"Mr. Jenro," Ryuzio said softly. "Since you're old, you must know a lot. So, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," Jenro said, scanning the pages of his paper. "But being old has nothing to do with knowing more. Look at my Lyla; she's the smartest girl in the whole world at such a young age. She for sure knows more than me at least."

"So I should just ask her instead," Ryuzio said, nodding to himself, "since you're this dumb."

"What did you call me, you little punk," Jenro yelled. "Don't expect a discount now!"

Ryuzio laughed nervously, growing more distant.

Jenro noticed it. "You can at least give this old man a chance. What did you want to ask?"

Ryuzio looked down, exhaling softly. "Is there a time when…we should not fight back?"

"Hm?" Jenro said thoughtfully. "There's plenty of 'em, kid."

Ryuzio jerked his head up. "Really? Can you tell me one?"

Jenro looked at him with a smile. "When a kid badly destroys the store that you built to pay off the debt of your kid's education, but you don't hurt them or charge them anything because they're just a little kid."

Ryuzio nodded to himself, standing straight. "You ARE dumb, Old Man Jenro! If somebody had broken my store, I would've broken their whole face!"

Jenro sighed, hitting him on the head with a rolled up newspaper. "I was talking about you, idiot."

"You were?" Ryuzio asked in confusion. "But you're not paying off the dett of my ejucation. In fact, I don't even go to school!"

"You—" Jenro said but stopped himself and returned to his reading. "Forget I said anything."

Ryuzio tilted his head sideways. "Why though?"

"Here we go," Lyla said, rolling a medium-sized cart filled to the brim with cooking-related stuff. "Melga has already paid for all this, so you can just take off."

Ryuzio walked to Lyla's side, handling the cart. "Thanks! I'll be off then."

"Be careful, Ryuzio," said the blue-haired doctor. "Your field of vision is obstructed, so try to take it as slow as possible."

Ryuzio waved with a smile as he rolled the cart toward the entrance. "You're shield protection may also be constructed. Bye, Lyla. You too, old man."

Lyla shook her head, as she waved back.

"There's a difference between picking fights and choosing fights, Ryuzio," Jenro said, face still buried in his paper. "And it takes a lifetime to learn that difference. So if you find anyone who knows it, just realize that you've found someone truly great."

Ryuzio's eyes widened, his steps slowing. 'There's a difference—?' The cart crashed into someone. Ryuzio quickly turned his head forward, still not finding who he'd hit—

A kid with bluish-white hair appeared from the other side and poked Ryuzio's eyes.

Ryuzio took a few steps back, rubbing his eyes. "Are you dumb!"

"Now you at least have an excuse for hitting me," dryly said the kid who attacked. "Not that it means I'm letting you go."

Ryuzio pulled up a sleeve. "You wanna fight?"

The kid smirked, cracking his knuckles. "Oh, trust me. It's never a fight with me. It's a one-sided beatdown."

Ryuzio grabbed the kid's collar, the kid doing the same. "Bring it, then! Or are you scared?"

"Of who?" the kid said, tightening his grip. "I don't see a man in here."

Ryuzio pulled back his head for a headbutt. "Is that so—?"

Jenro smacked both of them in the head. "Cut it out, you two!"

Ryuzio rubbed his head as backed away from the other kid. "He was picking a fight with me, Old Man, not me."

"This is a store, you little rats," Jenro said loudly. "If you wanna fight, do so outside, I don't care. But if you come in here, either buy something or leave!"

Ryuzio rolled out his cart grumpily, looking at the other kid. "I'll get you next time."

"Sure," the kid said with a sly smirk. "I'm always in a mood to kick ass."

Ryuzio stuck out his tongue as he left. "Kick your own ass, you dumbass."

###

Melga held the door as Ryuzio rolled in the cart filled with the things she had told him to get from Jenro's.

"I was awesomely careful, Melga," Ryuzio said proudly. "I didn't even drop the cart ONCE!"

Melga wheezed. "That's how it's supposed to be, you dummy."

"Is it?" Ryuzio asked, sitting on his stool. "I haven't seen anyone with a cart lately, so I don't know."

Melga browsed through the contents of the cart and found a note. "Hm? Looks like Lyla and Mr. Jenro will be eating here tonight. You didn't make trouble for Mr. Jenro again, did you?"

"Not at all," Ryuzio said, waving a hand. "But I almost got into a fight."

"With whom?" Melga asked with concern. "Don't tell me it was an adult."

Ryuzio shook his head. "It was just a kid. He had bluish hair, and I think he was older, but he was no match for me. I'm tough as a dragon!"

Melga walked closer to him and pulled on his cheek. "He's the kid the whole village has been talking about recently. He's dangerous, stay away from him."

"Didn't look that way to me."

"He lives in the mountains to the west," Melga said, rolling the cart behind the counter. "Lyla told me he only comes down to get fruit jam and some other stuff, then returns to the mountains."

Ryuzio chuckled. "What a baby! Who likes jam!"

"You're not the one to talk here."

Ryuzio flushed softly.

Melga wore her apron. "Usual?"

Ryuzio nodded with a smile. "Two of them with the fizzy drink!"

"Right away," Melga said, returning a smile. "I'll take time to let Zyon and the others come—"

"NO!" Ryuzio interrupted. "I came early for a reason. I don't wanna eat with some scared little cats. All they know is how to laugh, that's it!"

Melga leaned on the counter. "Do you really think they were scared?"

"Of course!" Ryuzio said firmly. "Did you see the look on their faces? If I see that Aksel guy again, I'll show him—"

The entrance burst open, a familiar horde flooding inside.

Ryuzio gulped. 'It's them… They're back! Crap!'

The big bearded man approached the counter, his squadmates grouping behind him. "You got the thing ready? I'm not asking, by the way."

Melga pointed to the tables by the entrance. "There they are. 65 packed mealboxes. I hope we can provide you service again. Thanks for choosing us—"

Aksel sat beside Ryuzio, grinning mischievously. "Oh, you can give me your service again." He licked his upper lip as he shifted his gaze down from Melga's eyes. "And it's quite impressive that you already know that I've chosen you."

Melga gulped, sweat forming on her forehead. "So…what's the order, sir? What do you want?"

The squadmates of the bulky man started to cackle among each other.

Ryuzio could not move a muscle. The "9 million guy" was sitting right beside him, and he couldn't even look the man in his face for more than a moment. How had Zyon smiled to such a menacing man?

"What do I want, you ask?" Aksel said, leaning creepily towards Melga, as she stepped away—

Aksel reached over the counter and grabbed Melga by her forearm. "I want YOU, beautiful."

His squadmates laughed even louder.

'Huh? What's he doing?'

"Sir," Melga said, struggling to loosen the man's grip, "you need to stop this behavior."

"Or else?" Aksel asked, pulling her closer. "You'll call for skyguards? The closest skyguard camp is in Sonas city. You really think they'll come to this backwater village with any sense of urgency?"

'Gran would come…right?'

Melga reached with her other hand, removing one of Aksel's fingers from her wrist, sweat dripping off her chin. "Let go, you bastard!"

Aksel laughed as he watched her struggle, his squadmates accompanying him in filling the room with even more noise.

'T-This is not the same laughter as Zyon and his squad. What's happening? What should I do—?'

Aksel gave a creepy grin, reaching down with his other hand, laying it on Melga's chest.

"Stop it!" Melga screamed… Then she looked Ryuzio's way.

Her look erased everything that was going on inside his head.

Ryuzio's eyes widened, everything becoming brighter. He felt a surge of energy raging within him, as it he was boiling on the inside. It was more than just anger. It was a new feeling.

He roared, climbing atop the counter, smashing his fist into the side of the face of the Volant with 9 million splinters on his head. "BASTARD!"

Aksel's arms flung outward as he lost his balance and fell off from the stool.

Ryuzio breathed heavily, eyes burning up. He looked at his fist, only to discover that it was coated with some kind of translucent fire-like energy of burning red hue. But it disappeared shortly, and he returned his gaze toward Aksel—

Aksel was so close to him that he almost screamed—

Ryuzio felt the worst pain of his life as he realized that Aksel's fist had been rammed in his stomach.

He was thrown back by the impact, crashing into the far wall, gasping for air.

"Ryuzio!" Melga shouted.

'Can't…breathe…'

"Who the fluck you think you are, little spit?" Aksel shouted, walking toward him. "You think just because you're a kid you can get away with anything?"

Ryuzio's head started ringing, sounds muffling, vision blurring.

Aksel lifted up Ryuzio by the hair. "You're dead, kiddo."

"Stop it!" Melga yelled, jumping over the counter, pulling on Aksel's arm. "He's just a kid! Leave him!"

Aksel smiled creepily. "I'll do it only if YOU do what I WANT."

Tears started dripping down Melga's wide eyes as she fell onto her knees on the floor. "You're…a monster…"

Aksel chuckled, tucking his chin, then he lifted his head, laughing loudly. The men behind him also started cackling, accompanying their captain.

"Now you know why they call me 'The Destroyer,'" Aksel said to Melga's face with a grin. "It's because I BREAK people!"

'Get away from her, you bastard—" Ryuzio looked down and found blood coming out of his mouth. He squeezed shut his eyes and gritted his teeth against the painful throbbing in his stomach. 'Can't…get up…'

'Just because you're down, doesn't mean you can't get up, okay?'

Ryuzio did not know why, but Zyon's words pierced through the pain and rung in his temple. 'HAVE  TO…get up!' He clenched his fist, opening his eyes—

Aksel carried Melga over his shoulder and walked out the restaurant, his squadmates following behind. "Get the food. We don't have much space in our forest hideout, but a princess is a princess no matter where she is." His squadmates laughed as they followed him out, loading up the food.

Ryuzio's eyelids were shutting as pain made them heavier with every passing moment. Somehow, he knew that if he closed his eyes now…he won't be able to open them ever again.

So, he planted a foot on the ground, putting everything he had in him, with only one thought in his mind: 'Have to find…Zyon—"

Ryuzio remembered Zyon's face from just before he'd turned his back against the Volant captain. 'Will he…fight? What's different from before?'

Ryuzio crashed onto the floor, hands falling lifelessly. 'So…sleepy…'

He heard a creaking sound.

"Zy…on…?"

Ryuzio blacked out.

###

  Zyon entered Melga's restaurant, Brythe and the others accompanying him like always.

He really wanted to talk with Ryuzio, hoping that the kid would at least listen to what he had to say. But he wouldn't be surprised otherwise. Ryuzio was just a kid, after all—

Zyon froze in his steps, looking beside the table on which Brythe sat the previous day. The right wall had an imprint on it, as if someone or something had been slammed into it.

"Where's Melga?" Brythe asked.

"Not here, apparently," Erixon replied.

"Klen," Zyon said, voice wavering. "Is that what I think it is…?"

Klen rubbed shoulders with Layne as he got to the front. "What is it?"

Brythe set his jaw as he looked where Zyon was looking, reaching for his sword. "Be on guard, everyone."

Klen gasped as he got closer to the table, and kneeled beside it. He checked for what Zyon had asked, shortly looking over his shoulder to give a slight nod. "It is blood. Someone was thrown into the wall."

Brythe and Erixon looked at Zyon. Harold shook his head. The squadmates behind him started leaving the building.

"Erixon," Zyon said, turning toward him with a hollow look in his eyes, "send the fireflies. Don't leave anyone or anything unseen in Klanta." He turned toward Harold. "That cart behind the counter tells me she shopped recently, so I want you to go to the owner of the grocery store."

"Got it, Boss." Harold gulped. "But we can just dial back the intensity a notch, no?"

Zyon's lips flattened.

Harold grabbed Layne by the collar and yanked him outside. "You're coming with me, Gummy."

"Not so fast, Tonidex—!" Layne said as he got pulled out of the building. With that, they left the restaurant.

"The rest already know what to do," Zyon said, turning toward the doctor. "Klen, I'm leaving them to you. Don't let anyone leave this village."

Klen nodded, leaving the building immediately.

Brythe finished his stretching. "Just say it already, Zyon."

"Not yet," Erixon said with a shake of his head. "We have to keep in our minds that we did assume the worst case scenario. It might not be Melga."

"You're right," Zyon said, walking out the building. "But if it IS her, someone has to pay for it." He slid his hands into his pockets. "Let's go!"

Brythe smiled. "Absolutely."

Erixon followed.

"Wait," Zyon stopped, looking over his shoulder with wide eyes. "Ryuzio."

###

Ryuzio ran deeper into the forest after escaping from Lyla's clinic, body burning up with rage. 'I'll DESTROY you, Aksel!'