"Why won't he die?!" someone yelled from behind me as a bullet tore through my thigh. Grabbing a random member of the opposing Yakuza by the head, I threw them towards the shooter, taking both down. 'There's more than just Second-in-Command Fuyumi had told me.'

Sighing, I felt a knife sink into my lower back. I turned around, grabbing the person responsible by the neck and threw them into the others surrounding me.

"Just die, Katsuragi Takeshi!"

'No.' I thought, gritting my teeth as another bullet hit me in the waist. I grabbed another body to use as a shield and charged through the crowd.

From across the warehouse, I heard a familiar voice call out. "Lieutenant Katsuragi, we're being overrun!"

'Damn it, Hayashi. I'll be there. Just hold on a little longer.'

I threw the lifeless body I used as a shield, then zeroed in on the man who shot me in the waist. His eyes were wide with fear even though I was outnumbered. I grabbed his arms before he could raise his gun, snapping them in an instant. With a swift kick, I sent his body flying, creating an opening to reach my Younger Brothers.

"You aren't going anywhere, Takeshi!" A familiar voice shouted from my left.

I dodged a meat hook thrown at me, but didn't see the person responsible pull the chain tight, driving the hook deep into my back and through a lung. 'Shit.' I grabbed the chain to prevent it from being yanked out further.

Someone with a katana saw the opening and lunged, slicing through my left side dangerously close to my heart. I backhanded them away, snapping the blade to shorten it, ensuring it couldn't be yanked out.

A growl escaped me as another person cut into my Achilles tendon, causing me to stumble. Before I could regain my balance someone swung a metal bat wrapped in barbed wire at my chest, knocking me back slightly and upright me. I grabbed the bat, despite the pain it caused in my hands, yanking it out of the wielder's grasp and headbutting them until they collapsed.

With a newfound grip, I held the chain tight while swinging it down at the person who had cut my Achilles, crushing their skull.

"Seems you still have so much strength left, Takeshi!"

I locked eyes with the meat hook wielder, who was trying to pull the chain back toward himself. For a brief moment, I softened as I recognized him. 'Yamato.'

My reverie was shattered when I felt a knife dig into my liver. Looking down, I saw the man responsible, grinning widely until his smile faltered as he noticed my gaze.

"I-I sor—"

Before he could finish, I raised the bat and swung it down, crushing his spine. I turned back to Yamato, who wore an unbothered smile as he pulled out a handgun and aimed it at me.

"Still not going to say anything, 'Lieutenant' Takeshi? Not even when you know this will be the last thing you see?"

He mockingly waved the gun. I gripped the chain tighter, pushing as much weight as I could onto my legs, even as they threatened to give out. Someone took advantage of my momentary weakness and went for my exposed back and drove a knife into my upper back. Without looking, I elbowed them in the jaw, breaking it as they crumpled to the ground.

"Still so strong~ then again, that's what you're about, isn't it? Being strong to 'hold' the East Mountain Group on your back, since that old fuck can barely stand?"

A vein bulged from my forehead at the insult to both my family and the boss, the two things who had taken me in when I had nothing.

"What? Are you upset? Well say something then! You fucking mute!"

I took a deep breath, even as he shot me in the knee, nearly causing me to buckle. 'Even if I would speak, I have nothing to say to a traitor.'

I ran at him, grabbing another body to use as a shield. Yamato caught off guard, fired recklessly his shots ricocheting off the now lifeless body I held in front of me.

"Stay the fuck away!" he yelled, realizing too late that his gun had emptied.

I gripped the body tighter and threw it at Yamato, watching him dodge it. He withdrew two kama and blocked the fist I aimed at his face.

"Fucking brute!" he cursed, stumbling back from the strike.

I rushed him again, this time blocking a slash aimed at my chest with my bare hand. The sharp edge of the kama sliced through my flesh piercing my hand. I gripped it, ignoring the pain as Yamato panicking, launched another attack faster than I could respond, the blade pierced my other lung.

He looked up wide-eyed, as I froze, my previous functioning lung now struggling to work.

"Haha! How's that, you frea—"

Fshhk

The sound of a blade piercing his skull echoed through the chaos. Yamato's mocking smile faded as his body collapsed against mine. I grabbed his corpse and threw it in the direction of my Younger Brothers. A brief path opened, and I seized the opportunity, charging toward them.

'I'm almost there, Younger Brothers!'

I pushed forward, fighting through the pain and the growing blackness in my vision, determined to reach them before it was too late.

~Scene Change~

I finally arrived to Younger Brothers after throwing enemies aside, clearing a path. The black spots before my vision grew more frequent, my breathing growing ragged, but it mattered not. 'I'm here, Younger Brothers!' I thought, crushing the skull of one opponent before moving in front of the others, who were cornered.

"Lieutenant-Katsuragi!" Hayashi's voice reached me, a mix of worry and joy. He blocked an attack from my left, one I didn't see coming, as a dagger flew at my left eye earlier. Turning, I gripped the throat of the attacker and crushed it before tossing him back into the enemy ranks.

Hayashi, noticing the look in my eyes, nodded in understanding and spoke through clenched teeth. "We've called for backup, but it'll take about twenty minutes." He paused, his expression darkening as I pushed him down and kicked someone's face, snapping their head back. "We won't last that long though."

A frown crossed my face as I dodged a bat swung at my right, snapping my fist forward to crush the wielder's nose and skull. Now that I wasn't constantly moving, I could draw on more of my strength. It wasn't as much as I could've had, given my worsening injuries, but it was still enough to keep the opposing Yakuza members at bay.

I glanced down at Hayashi, then behind me at my Younger Brothers huddled together in the corner exhausted. Some had gotten back up and fought, only to fall when their strength failed them, swapped out by another who could fight for a brief moment. I turned back to Hayashi and gestured with two fingers down—the signal to retreat—and then raised my hand, facing my palm forward before turning it sideways—the signal to move forward.

"W-what? No! I can't leave you!" Hayashi's voice wavered as he started to argue, but I pulled him aside as a katana slashed where he'd just been standing. I gave him a look, one that made my intention clear. 'leave, now.'

Grabbing the katana, I yanked the wielder toward me and kicked him away before tossing the weapon to Hayashi. "I-I—" Hayashi started, but his words faltered. He sighed his determination hardening. "All right... but I'm coming back with those reinforcements, Lieutenant!"

I nodded, offering a brief smile, then yanked the dagger still lodged in my left eye and reversed its grip, preparing for what came next.