Heroes to Hunted

Thousands of kilograms of pressure. That's how heavy the beast's glare felt on my skin.

It emitted a killer's aura with an intensity capable of stopping a man's heart if he were weak-willed enough. Though the beast had tried to kill us before, that was likely just a territorial or hunger matter.

"Now it's personal," I mumbled, staring at the angered predator.

There was no charge, roar, or even a growl; the beast just began a wary march to where we were hiding. After being defeated once, it wouldn't rush in recklessly anymore.

Luckily, what would be our executioner was still a distance away, so we had some time left to plan…or panic.

"N-No way," Ayame said with a twitchy expression. "What do we do about that?" she raised a hand to point out the obvious danger.

"Hey…Conman," Takagi stammered, his expression in apparent agony. "Why don't you go r-reason with it," he finished with a weak cackle.

"That's not funny, Takagi! Can't you be serious for once?!" Agawa snapped.

Despite Agawa's arguing, I knew.

'Takagi's right,' I bit my lip and clenched my fists. Between him and Sato being immobilized, we could do little to nothing. Our only option left was the use of harsh words.

"We just need to stay here, right?" though Ayame kept pressuring Nakamura's wounds, she gestured to the knotted roots. "Those will keep that thing out, so we'll be fine!"

"Don't be stupid! You think some glorified plant fiber will keep THAT out forever?" Takagi pointed to the six-hundred-kilogram killing machine. "We gotta kill the damn thing, or we'll never get out of here!"

"And how did that work out for you?!" Agawa sneered. "We need to lure it away and run!"

"Ohhhh, and are you volunteering?" Takagi taunted.

"Absolutely!" Agawa retorted back. "I'm the fastest here, so I'll bait it away!"

'That's a fantastic idea!' I looked at Agawa with renewed hope. She was undeniably the fastest in our group, so she could no doubt escape that beast's clutches!

"We can't run!" Ayame shouted. "What about Nakamura?! He's too injured to be moved!"

Takagi glanced at Nakamura with a pained expression before returning his gaze to Agawa. "Besides," he added, "you saw what that thing can do. Even you wouldn't get away…."

My hopes were ripped to shreds when I realized they were both right.

Nakamura's bleeding was too profuse to be subjected to something like a mad dash on someone's back. Not only that, but the beast had unknown capabilities.

'There's no way she'd escape unscathed...' I sighed. An onset of hopelessness assailed me, growing with each discarded plan.

Like what you'd expect from a group falling apart by the threat of death, a mass argument broke out between Agawa, Takagi, and Ayame. Each was trying to figure out how best to survive this ordeal in their own way.

During the debates, the beast had already closed the distance by several meters. It was only a few more before it collided with the roots we took refuge in.

After observing its powerful jaws, rending claws, and outlandish use of magic, I knew there was no way our meager protection would hold against a continued assault.

'What can we even do? Is it hopeless? Are we doomed to die at the hands of a mad beast?'

There was little time left to decide.

There were no other exits, so we'd be trapped like rats once the bear reached us. Once that happened, we'd be limited to hoping against the beast's strength as it shaved away our haven of protection like bark from a tree.

Our fate rapidly approached the point of no return, which stirred Hikari into a hysterical sob. "Why is this happening to us?! Why aren't we home right now?!" she stood away from Takagi and screamed. She clutched her face tightly, tears leaking through the cracks of her fingers. "None of this makes any sense! NONE OF THIS MAKES SENSE!!!"

Seeing these kids' agony, I felt wildly disappointed in myself. I should've done more, been more. I should've helped keep us safe however I could...

"I relied on them too much," I cursed beneath my breath.

'Gin..'

Though I was never a fighter, I couldn't help but feel I needed to take responsibility for our survival. That's when I felt a presence nagging at my mind. It tugged on me like an anchor to a boat, steadying me in my sea of indecision and self loathing.

'...Gin...'

It was a voice belonging to the one that gave me my purpose in life. It belonged to the one who charged me with upholding his stupidly lofty ideals.

'...Gin!'

Even now, I could hear his voice echoing in my mind...

***

"GIN!!!" a fierce voice bellowed, followed by the slam of a hand on hardwood.

"Woah-Wha-What?!" I shook myself awake to see I'd been standing in an office.

The right side sported a miniature sandbox. Within it, the sand was meticulously crafted into swirls around a lone pillar of granite. Painted on the stone's gray surface with blank ink was the word my boss held in the highest esteem; the word "Strength."

On the other side was a mural of an ancient dragon. The creature was a deep, dark blue, a hue akin to twilight. Its body was large enough to split oceans and swallow Japan whole.

It was the inspiration for our organization's name and operations. We were the Kairyu-kai, otherwise known as the Sea Dragons, yakuza.

Then came the middle.

It was fitted with three chairs, two in front and one behind a smooth cherrywood desk. The top was the spitting image of the word "organized," given the neatly stacked papers and lone black pen.

Sitting in the chair behind the desk with his focused stare on me was none other than my boss. None other than Ito Masaru.

"Hey!!!" Ito snapped his fingers. "Are you listening to me? Gin?"

He was a man that exuded a look of regal elegance and an aura of command within his blue silk kimono bound up by a black obi sash. Both were appropriate, given his years of experience directing the Sea Dragon's activities.

Despite his immaculate clothing, his physical appearance was unkempt and disheveled. He was a busy man, after all, one that rarely received a full night's rest.

"Yes, excuse me, Sir," I bowed with utter respect. "I nodded off."

"Again?" Ito locked his hands over the desk, maintained his stare, and sighed. "You need to pay more attention."

"Of course, Sir! I promise to do better," I bowed again.

"Huhhhhh," he stretched and exhaled loudly in a sigh, "I have to repeat everything, don't I?" Behind his stoicism, I could see a slight irritation. He was a man that disliked repeating himself.

"Apologies, Sir, but yes."

He sighed again, then shook his head. "Well, I was praising you for stopping Saito."

"Praising me, Sir?" I tilted my head, confused, and cast him a quizzical stare.

"Yes," he replied matter-of-factly, "praising you."

"May I ask what for?"

"You don't remember? The bar? Saito? Any of it?"

An image began to take shape in my mind. It came to color and developed into a full-blown memory. I pictured a bustling bar filled to the brim with patrons. It was one we gave protection to from rival organizations.

'That's right; it's all familiar. We were collecting debts when the owner refused to pay for lack of funds. Then Saito...escalated things. He almost killed the man, but I stopped him. I managed to talk him down.'

I glanced around the office to see a standing mirror. My suspicions were confirmed when I saw my youthful complexion within its reflection. "Ten years ago...huh?"

"So?" Ito asked with a hint of impatience, "Do you remember?"

"Yes, Sir. I remember everything."

Ito exhaled a sigh of relief, and his shoulders relaxed. "Good, I don't need my top advisor getting amnesia on me," he joked, letting out a subdued chuckle.

"Of course not, Sir! I'm ready to serve!"

"I know you are," he smiled. "Now, back to business. I was informed of what you did to stop Saito. You're one persuasive bastard to be able to stop a raging bull with words. Because of you, the situation didn't become a newsworthy incident. I'm proud."

His words resonated within me. They pierced my core, igniting feelings of pride over my success. So much so, I struggled to hold back the tears of fulfillment and happiness his praise bestowed upon me.

"Thank you and absolutely, Sir! I'll always do my best for the group!" I gave a heartfelt bow.

"Good..." his expression hardened, and his eyes focused on me like nothing else existed in the world but our conversation. He took a deep breath, emphasizing the importance of his following words.

"Gin, as Sea Dragons, we have a duty to uphold and live by a code of ethics and honor. We may be criminals, but that doesn't mean we're monsters. We Dragons don't just take from the community; we give back to it. We help those in need when we can. You did well in proving that."

"Thank you, Sir!" I bowed again, then raised my head in confusion. "But what am I to do if a subordinate doesn't back down next time? You know I've never been a physical fighter!"

He chuckled, stood up, and paced around the desk up to me. "Gin, my friend, remember this well," he placed a hand on my shoulder. "'The strength of the dragon lies in courage.' That's what my father always told me before he passed on. Do you know what that means?"

"I think so, Sir," I nodded.

"Good, because it's a philosophy our organization has lived by since its inception. Look, Gin, you may not be strong physically, but you've got resolve in that shrewd heart of yours. A resolve you can use to accomplish anything. I've no doubt you could quell any beast with your courage. So do our organization proud, always. No matter where you are, no matter what you're doing, always uphold our values and represent the organization well. Promise me this."

"Yes, Sir," I replied.

"No, promise me. Say those words," his stern gaze pierced into me like daggers before it faded into obscurity. Likewise, the entirety of the room began shifting and turning as it gave way to reality.

***

From there, I felt my consciousness return to my body. Even though the memory was over, I'd answer my boss with a tear in my eye. "I promise, Sir. I won't let you down."

When I came to, I witnessed a scene of total disarray. My companions weren't just trapped within the roots but also themselves. They were drowning in their panic and uncertainties.

Agawa was preparing for her reckless run toward death, all while arguing with a furious Takagi.

Hikari was still inconsolable. She bawled like a petulant child, a steady flow of tears sliding down her stained cheeks.

Ayame, the big sister she was, tried comforting Hikari, but she couldn't leave the man who needed her most. She remained fixed over Nakamura's body, loyally pressuring his wounds.

With all this going on, I glanced at Sato and sighed. 'I wonder... Would we be in such dire straits if you were awake, Sir?' Sadly, I'll admit that I felt slightly bitter. Bitter at the fact that the most capable one of us was resting all this time.

I owed him my life. I knew I owed him the respect of defending him, even though he'd become a total burden. But... 'Why won't you just wake up?' I clenched my teeth and faced away from him, only to see our slowly approaching demise. "No, I can't always rely on him. WE can't always rely on him."

I brought a hand to my constricting chest, clutching it tightly. 'There's so much fear, though,' I shook my head. The thought of confronting the beast myself sent a shiver up my spine.

The monster was giant, a far cry from a pissed-off Saito. 'Your ideals are going to kill me one day, Ito,' I sighed, then curved my lips to form a wry smirk. "The strength of the dragon lies in courage, right boss?"