'Mizuno? What kind of robber says his name out of nowhere? Besides, is he trying to make every people on this road his hostage?'
Hayato looked to the sides, seeing the despair in people's eyes. However, there was exhaustion, too. The type of exhaustion you would see in someone's face when they are fed up with something.
'But, to be fed up with this type of situation... is this a common occurrence?'
Turning back to the robbers, he analyzed them.
'They all are wearing black masks. If I am not mistaken, these masks are reserved for those who are or once were exiled from a province. Mr. Satoshi always told me to avoid them as much as possible because, while some were living a life of redemption and trying to get back to their normal lives, most of them were still criminals.
'Besides that, black clothes, capes on their shoulders that look more like a poncho, and some weapons here and there... including firearms. That's the first time I see them. The guards of the city had firearms, too, but they mostly maintained it on their waists. Looks like firearms here are not very efficient.'
After a minute of silence and looking at the crowd of citizens, Mizuno put his firearm on his waist and continued:
"I know you guys are in the middle of your busy routine, but I have many things to ask you guys. Of course, you know very well the consequences of your stubbornness, right?"
Hayato pursed his lips. He felt once again like a small ant, an insect living under the conditions imposed by those who could simply step on him at any time.
"Well, talking about consequences, we would like to get out of this place without dirtying our hands with blood... hm, more blood, I mean. So, please, don't move a single finger against us", one of the robbers, a female, said.
Mizuno nodded his head at his partner. Then, he cleared his throat.
"Ok, continuing... we need you guys to do something very simple: just walk, and I repeat, WALK, to the only direction that will take you off of this road. As you guys could notice, if you are not deaf or blind, we blocked one of the two ways out of this place. Now, you only have this option.
"You know, the guards hardly will risk so many lives by trying to fight us in the middle of so many citizens, so our little cooperation here is essential for us to get out with the goods we borrowed from that deposit.
"I hope you guys understand the situation."
Of course, nobody dared to contradict him. Instead, the citizens began to walk forward. The ones who still hadn't abandoned their cars finally left and followed the others. Those who walked too fast were scolded by the group of six robbers, who constantly monitored them.
"You seem frustrated, boy", someone beside Hayato said.
He wore a simple gray kimono and wooden sandals. That was not an uncommon outfit for that world in the slightest. Although that was not what everyone mostly wore, you would see one out of four people using that outfit.
"I think you don't like to be ordered around by others, right?" he asked, even after Hayato didn't answer him. For a few seconds, the boy only looked at his figure.
"Y-yeah... Nobody likes it, though."
"I didn't put it well, then. People don't like to be ordered around, but you HATE it, right?"
Hayato nodded.
Indeed, nobody there enjoyed what was happening to them, but Hayato got especially affected by that.
"Are you a man of very few words or just afraid of them? They won't hear us at all, you know? I think you can hear the sound of cars on the neighboring streets in the background, if an old man like me can hear it. There is no way that two people talking will reach their ears with all this noise."
"I am not worried about that. It's just that I don't know you and it's strange being asked so many questions. Why are you even talking to me?"
"Well, there is no special reason to talk to others. If I had punched you or insulted you, I would understand your question. However, asking is a thing you do due to curiosity. Humans are naturally curious, so I didn't do anything strange", the man glanced at Hayato with foxy eyes. Those eyes made Hayato get wary of him.
"Yes, I hate it when people order me around. What's the problem with it?" Hayato answered. His voice left his mouth timidly rather than angrily.
"I wouldn't say it is a problem. Instead, that's marvelous. I guess we can work with it."
"Work?" Hayato cocked an eyebrow.
"Look at all these people around us. They are just paws. They don't like it, but they are used to being ordered around, be it by the empire, by their bosses, or by people like these six guys above us. That's why they will just walk to the end of this street and even get killed in the process if something scandalous happens. In resume, they won't react."
Hayato gulped.
'Don't tell me this guy is actually...'
"Are you saying that we should react?" he whispered in perplexity.
"I am old, you know? Talk louder."
"How could I!? What if they hear? Are you crazy, sir?"
"It is funny how you call me crazy and go all polite with the sir thing."
"Just answer me!" his stupefied voice came out louder than he intended, so he closed his mouth with both hands after that. He glanced at the robbers, but they seemed not to mind it.
"See? They don't mind. They are confident that nobody is gonna do a thing against them. This type of person can smell the fear of weaklings. They did not feel our different smells, though. Their sense of smell is kinda flawed."
"Smell? W-What are you talking about?"
That man was too intense for Hayato.
"You will know when to act, my boy. The first thing you must learn, so that you can move even when you are full of fear, is to let your hatred dominate your actions. It will eat up all your fears and let you move freely, as light as a feather."
Hayato could notice that the old man was smiling behind the mask. He frowned slightly, finding his actions quite strange.
'Well, it's not like what he just said is a lie. I experienced it one time. In the kitchen, when I stood in front of Trevor, it was as if the knife and the worst nightmare of my life weren't there. Regardless of whom I would face, I decided to retaliate.
'Just, who is this old man? What is he up to?'
Hayato watched his movements as they advanced across the city. To his surprise, the old man suddenly took a dagger out of his kimono. The movement was so swift and discreet at first, that Hayato only noticed it after several seconds.
'Wait, if he can draw this dagger so stealthily, why is he holding it like this now? It will be easy to tell that he is holding something he shouldn't. Anyone can see it from miles away.'
The boy was ready to reach out for the old man, but...
"Hey, you there!" One of the criminals pointed at the old man with their gun.
"Throw this knife away right now, you clown! Did you think I wasn't going to notice?"
The old man tilted his head.
"I am not an expert at throwing... Not that this is an actual problem, though."
"Hmm? What the hell are you mum-" The robber approached with his vehicle, always pointing the gun at the old man. His finger was ready on the trigger, the smallest pressure would make it open fire.
The old man showed the dagger to the robber, an apparently harmless move. However, with a quick flick of his wrist, the dagger disappeared from his hand. It pierced through the air like a bullet. Its speed was not the only thing to brag about, but the strength in which it was thrown.
The dagger reached the robber's left chest, but didn't get stuck there, it pierced through his flesh, muscles, bones, and heart, then left through his back. It still had enough momentum to get stuck on the shoulder of the robber riding the flying motorcycle behind.
There was no time to shoot, no time to scream, no time to realize what happened. Even the second robber lasted a minute to understand that a dagger just went through his partner with ease and now had half its blade inside him.
"Shit..." was the only thing the robber was able to say.
All people walking around had to stop when witnessing that scene. Some of them only heard the hissing sound of the knife cutting the air, but the sound was so sharp that aroused their curiosity.
Everyone stood in shock when realizing what that plain-looking old man just did. This included Hayato, who had his jaw dropped.
'Was he talking about getting my help? But... how can I possibly help a guy who can do THIS to someone?'