Kumojiro's gaze was sharp, locked onto the incoming Vipers. Their movements were disorganized, no coordination, no rhythm. They charged at him with whatever weapon they had managed to scrape together. This would be a breeze.
He shifted his body into a low, combat stance, then shot forward, his body low to the ground in a crouched dash. He swung his katana forward, aiming for the nearest gang member's knees. His katana slashed cleanly through muscle and bone in a swift motion. The man crumpled to the ground, screaming as he held his severed tendons.
The others froze, their eyes still processing the speed at which Kumojiro had taken out the first member. But this was only for a heartbeat. Numbers gave them courage, or at least the illusion of it.
"It's only one guy! Come on, get 'im!"
The thug screamed, swinging his machete wildly. Kumojiro sidestepped, evading the machete before gracefully ducking under a follow-up strike. His hands moved swiftly, one snapping forward to grab the thug's wrist, twisting it sharply until the man dropped the machete. With a quick, brutal uppercut, Kumo smashed his fist into the thug's nose, breaking it. Blood spurted as the man staggered back,
"What the...-"
But Kumojiro was already spinning, a kunai flashing from his hand to bury itself between the thug's eyes, silencing him. He completed his spin, using the momentum to bring his leg up in a roundhouse kick that collided with another thug's head. The impact sent the man sprawling into the synthetic grass. He noted their weakness, this cleanup would be quick. Two down, maybe more to go. He'd just leave one alive for questions later.
Another Viper grinned ear to ear as he attempted to sneak up from behind with the length of a chain, swinging it like a whip, snapping it overhead toward Kumojiro.
The faint jingle of metal warned him. Instinctively, Kumojiro dropped to one knee, letting the chain pass overhead. Without turning, he shot his elbow back, sinking it into the thug's gut and folding him in half. In one smooth motion, he spun, sweeping the thug's legs out from under him. A kunai found its mark in the man's forehead, pinning him to the ground.
Only two remained.
One had a bat, the other a switchblade. They ran at him in pairs. Bat swinging, blade jabbing.
Kumo ducked under the bat, catching the knife-wielder's arm with his free hand. He twisted, slamming the thug's arm into a nearby wall. The switchblade clattered to the ground, and he followed up with a knee to the gut. A quick slash of his katana, and blood sprayed across the grass. The man collapsed.
The bat swung again. Kumojiro sidestepped, blocking the swing with his forearm. He palmed the thug's face with his free hand and slammed him to the ground. This one he wouldn't kill...yet. He kicked the man, forcing him onto his back, then grabbed his collar, yanking him up so their eyes met.
"Your boss. Talk. Where is he?" His tone low, cold. Deadly. He didn't need to say more.
The thug stammered, "I-I'll talk! Alright?! Just follow that path over there! He's in his office, upstairs! You don't need to hurt me, alright?!" He pointed to a path leading to a door with blacked-out windows beside it, neon lights flickering weakly.
Kumojiro glanced toward the door, then headbutted the thug, knocking him out. He let the man drop. Done. Through the cracks in the windows, neon lights pulsed. A party? Now?
But the other rooms caught his interest. Left, metal clanking sounds. Just more thugs? No. He needed to stay focused. There was the control room too… Cameras? Could they even afford cameras here?
'What am I doing? Stick to the plan. Information from the boss.'
He walked up to the door, half-expecting it to be locked. But it swung open easily, and he stepped inside.
The Viper's Den. A strip club, or maybe something even sleazier. Red neon lights painted the room in a hazy glow, and the thick air reeked of alcohol, sweat, and cheap perfume. Women danced on poles, some so intoxicated they could barely stand. Gang members lounged on couches, drunk, oblivious to what had just happened outside. Snake graffiti covered the walls, coiled in hypnotic patterns.
Kumojiro's expression remained blank, but unease crept in. He wasn't used to this. His eyes scanned the women, mesmerized for a moment, a blush creeping up his face. All the things he'd seen, and this was unfamiliar territory.
Before he could decide his next move, a burly Viper covered in tattoos staggered over, speech slurred.
"Oi, mate, you lost or somethin'? This ain't your place. Best get out before we turn you in too much."
Kumojiro's katana slashed cleanly through the man's neck, his head rolling off before his body hit the ground.
"...Don't get ahead of yourself."
There was silence...it had happened so fast nobody had realized. Until the room erupted in screams, both from the women and the gang members. Chaos almost immediately took over as the patrons fled, while the steel Vipers reached for weapons.
Kumojiro sighed, eyes narrowed. At least he wouldn't be distracted by the women anymore. He swung his blade to the side, letting blood splatter onto the ground.