Saito shrugged.
"Alright."
"Maybe you're just a good guy."
He took another sip of his beer.
The man suddenly smirked.
Then—
BAM!
He grabbed Saito by the head and slammed his face against the table.
The entire restaurant went silent.
CRACK!
Saito's body dropped hard onto the floor.
Fanny gasped.
"Saito!"
The men standing around the restaurant suddenly burst into laughter.
"Boss is getting angry!"
"Watch out, boss!"
"You might get some blood on those fine clothes!"
The man simply smirked.
But his expression suddenly changed.
He felt something cold against his chest.
A knife was pressed against him, ready to strike.
The man slowly looked down.
Then toward Kaito.
"What is this?"
"Are you trying something, assassin?"
Kaito's expression remained completely cold.
"I should be asking you that first."
The man glanced behind him.
Rin was already standing there.
The sharp blade of his scythe rested against the man's neck.
Bomb raised his pistol and pointed it directly at the man's head.
"Don't move."
The man looked around.
Three weapons were aimed at him.
Kaito calmly spoke.
"How about you let him go..."
"...and we walk away like this never happened?"
The man's smile slowly returned.
Around them, his men stopped laughing.
The restaurant became completely silent.
Saito slowly pushed himself up from the floor.
He wiped his mouth and looked at the man.
"...You really picked the wrong table."
The man slowly grinned.
"Oh..."
"A little worm wants to become a spider."
He laughed.
"Interesting."
He looked directly at Saito.
"So what are you going to do, Blue Scarf?"
Saito slowly stood up.
Blood dripped from his nose.
He wiped it away with the back of his hand.
"...Maybe I'll kill you."
The man's grin widened.
"Really?"
Saito suddenly felt something.
His eyes shifted toward the surrounding tables.
The other men had already reached for their weapons.
Then Saito noticed the civilians.
Families.
Workers.
People who had nothing to do with the fight.
His expression became serious.
"...I see."
He looked toward Kaito, Rin, and Bomb.
"Stand down."
Kaito's eyes narrowed.
"Saito—"
"Stand down."
Kaito reluctantly lowered his knife.
Rin lowered his scythe.
Bomb slowly lowered his pistol.
Fanny stared at Saito.
"But—"
Saito looked directly at her.
"That's an order."
Fanny clenched her fists.
"...Fine."
She stepped back.
The man watched the entire thing with an amused smile.
"So..."
"You really care about the civilians."
Saito didn't answer.
He simply stood between the man and the other customers.
The man chuckled.
"Interesting, Blue Scarf."
"Very interesting."
Saito stared at the man.
The man slowly smiled.
"You stand too high."
He suddenly raised his leg.
THUD!
His foot slammed onto Saito's shoulder, forcing him down onto one knee.
Saito remained silent.
His hands tightened into fists.
Across the restaurant, the Blue Scarf crew immediately narrowed their eyes.
Kaito's expression became colder.
Rin gripped his scythe tighter.
Bomb's fingers tightened around his pistol.
Fanny clenched her fists.
"Get your foot off him..."
The man ignored her.
Then—
CRASH!
A glass suddenly flew through the air.
It struck Kaito directly in the back.
Glass shattered across his coat.
Kaito didn't move.
He simply stood there.
The man who threw it laughed.
"What's wrong, assassin?"
"Not so tough now?"
Kaito slowly turned his head.
His eyes were ice-cold.
"...You missed."
The man blinked.
"What?"
Kaito reached behind himself and pulled a shard of glass from his coat.
He looked at it for a moment.
Then dropped it onto the floor.
"I'm still standing."
Bomb grinned.
"That's Kaito for you."
Rin glanced toward Saito.
"Captain..."
Saito still said nothing.
The man pressed his foot harder against Saito's shoulder.
"Stay down."
Saito slowly lifted his eyes.
His expression remained calm.
But his eyes had changed.
"...You're starting to annoy me."
The man tilted his head.
"Hmm..."
A cruel smile slowly appeared on his face.
"I wonder..."
"How long can your crew hold themselves back?"
Before Saito could respond—
BAM!
The man's foot slammed into Saito's face.
Saito staggered.
The man followed with another kick, sending Saito crashing across the floor.
THUD!
Rin's eyes widened.
"Saito!"
He instinctively stepped forward.
But Saito suddenly shouted—
"I SAID STAND DOWN!"
Rin froze.
His grip tightened around his scythe.
The man's aura suddenly erupted around him, filling the restaurant with overwhelming pressure.
Fanny growled.
"That bastard..."
Bomb glanced toward Kaito.
Kaito silently nodded.
Bomb understood.
He looked at Rin and Fanny.
"Come on."
"We follow the captain."
Fanny clenched her fists.
"But he's getting beaten!"
Kaito remained calm.
"He gave us an order."
Rin reluctantly lowered his scythe.
"...Fine."
The three stepped back.
Fanny kept glaring at the man.
"If he gets hurt..."
She stopped herself.
Meanwhile, the man walked back toward Saito.
Saito slowly pushed himself up.
The man grabbed him and kicked him again.
BAM!
Saito fell.
Another kick.
THUD!
The Blue Scarf crew could only watch.
Fanny's fists trembled.
Bomb gritted his teeth.
Rin lowered his eyes.
Kaito remained completely still.
The man looked down at Saito.
"Still refusing to let them fight?"
Saito wiped the blood from his mouth.
"Yeah."
He slowly raised his head.
"They're my crew."
"And I gave them an order."
The man chuckled.
"Interesting."
He raised his leg again.
"Let's see how long you can keep that pride."
Saito stared back at him.
"Long enough."
The man stared down at Saito.
"I expect you remember the ninjas who attacked you recently."
Saito slowly lifted his head.
"The ones on the road?"
The man smiled.
"They were my men."
The restaurant suddenly became silent.
"You killed them."
"And you did it without honor."
Saito wiped the blood from his mouth.
"They attacked us first."
The man's expression darkened.
BAM!
His foot slammed into Saito's back.
Saito's body jolted forward.
"UGH!"
He coughed, blood staining the floor beneath him.
Fanny's eyes widened.
"Saito!"
She took a step forward.
Kaito immediately reached out and stopped her.
"Don't."
The man looked at Saito coldly.
"I didn't ask for your explanation."
He pressed his foot against Saito's back.
"I'm the one talking here."
Saito clenched his fists.
He remained silent.
The man leaned closer.
"You should have learned something from those ninjas."
"Never cross someone stronger than you."
Saito slowly raised his head.
Despite the blood on his face, his eyes remained focused.
"...You talk too much."
The restaurant doors suddenly opened.
Kuro walked in casually.
"Hey, guys..."
He stopped.
His eyes slowly moved across the restaurant.
Broken glass.
Weapons drawn.
Civilians hiding in fear.
And Saito lying on the floor.
Kuro stared for a moment.
"...You guys are taking way too long."
He looked at Saito.
"Oh."
The man standing over Saito turned toward Kuro.
"Who are you?"
Kuro shrugged.
"No one."
He glanced at Saito again.
"But I have a question."
He looked directly at the man.
"Do you even know what you're doing?"
The man scoffed.
"I'm kicking Blue Scarf."
Kuro sighed.
"Yeah..."
"I can see that."
He looked around the restaurant.
"Do you know that this place is full of his allies?"
The man smiled.
"Then bring them here."
Kuro stared at him.
"...You really don't understand."
He cracked his knuckles.
"You know..."
"Only I get to do that to him."
Kuro suddenly lunged forward.
WHOOSH!
His clawed gloves swung toward the man's chest.
The man's eyes widened.
CLANG!
He quickly drew his katana and blocked the attack.
The force of the impact sent a shockwave through the restaurant.
Kuro grinned.
"There."
"Now we're talking."