Monterrey lunged with his machetes at hand, aiming to stab Kaizo, the martial artist threw himself upwards, avoiding the frontal charge.
Monterrey didn't stopped and just as he was about to take another step, he did a 180° turn on himself and attacked Kaizo again as he was falling.
'Changing his terminal velocity like that… this guy's not some two-time thief.' Kaizo analyzed.
Before Monterrey could strike Kaizo, he grabbed one of his bags and swung at Monterrey, the bandit slashed through the bag, dispersing its contents, navigation stuff, on the ground. Kaizo managed to avoid the attack but was now regretting not doing this when he was more empty-handed.
"Ok, I know I'm the one that swung at you but I'll break your nose for those." Kaizo stated as he readied his free right hand.
"Sisas? I wouldn't know about that boyo." Monterrey lunged again but this time it wasn't a charging attack.
This time he rushed at Kaizo with an unusual footwork, it was almost as if he was dancing, making his movements hard to read, but not for Kaizo.
He used his palm to strike the body of the machetes, the non-sharp part, to deflect them from him. Each attack was getting faster and faster but Kaizo kept deflecting the attacks.
'I see, he has low stamina but an explosive speed. The footwork may work on these crooks but while attacking he always leaves himself open…' Kaizo thought while parrying the attacks.
As Monterrey was about to stab Kaizo through the chest, Kaizo simply evaded to the left and pulled Monterrey's hand forward, making him lose balance.
'...right when he goes for the kill.' Kaizo delivered a powerful kneecap to Monterrey's abdomen.
The bandit, although competent at fighting, was no match for Kaizo. He dropped his machetes and clutched his stomach but Kaizo didn't stopped there, he slowly pressed his foot against Monterrey's head.
Monterrey's eyes widen but before he could react he heard Kaizo speak.
"I told you that I would break your nose for my things, right?" Kaizo.
"Wai-!" Monterrey tried to argue but it was too late.
Kaizo stopped his head against the pavement, breaking his nose and knocking him out, Kaizo was holding back but even he was a bit surprised that the thief didn't lost some teeth.
He looked at the bystanders with a chilling gaze and they all got the message: GTFO.
With crowd control handled, Kaizo lamented the loss of his navigation equipment, or at least the fragile stuff like compass and lamps, and grabbed what remained before grabbing Monterrey from his ankle and dragging him across the pavement.
Fortunately for Monterrey's face, Kaizo found an inn that had vacancy just a minute after the fight.
"Good afternoon, do you want to occupy a room?" The receptionist asked.
"Yeah, a room for two by the way." Kaizo stated as he raised Monterrey from the floor.
"Oh my, is your friend alright?" The receptionist asked concerned.
"Eh? Oh, no, he's not my friend. A room for two please." Kaizo said with a dismissive smile.
The receptionist was curious but when living on an island full of mobsters it's a no brainer to keep yourself out of their business.
Giving Kaizo a key as he paid of the room, Kaizo grabbed Monterrey and dragged him back into the room.
(2 hours later)
Ok, this wasn't going how Kaizo envisioned.
He expected to do one of those ol' mafia interrogation scenes where the one tied is shitting his pants as the mobster is being so passive-aggressive that you can feel the danger exuding from him, yet all of that went to hell.
Why? Because Monterrey here has a concussion. Meaning that he wouldn't wake up as easily, Kaizo took ate dinner, took a bath and even went shopping for replacements of what he broke during his fight.
Yet Monterrey didn't wake up.
He's not dead, Kaizo confirmed all wounds were external but now he would keep in mind to deliver the knocking blow with his fists rather than the ground.
"Em...…ah...au….co…" Monterrey mumbled.
With some signs of revival in his sight, Kaizo grabbed a glass of water and poured it over Monterrey's face. The young man jolted awake only to wince at the pain from his head.
"OW! Carajo… what the hell…" Monterrey then realized that he was tied to his chair.
"Good evening, pickpocket thief." Kaizo greeted as he sat in front of Monterrey.
"Look hombre, I admit I might've jumped the knife here a bit too soon, but you broke my nose, took my money, how about we let bygones be bygones vale?" Monterrey immediately tried to argue in his favor.
"Hm… you bring a nice statement in here, but there's this issue see, I don't trust people who can stab faster than average joes. Who are you and why did you stole from me?" Kaizo.
"Look man, it's nothing complicated, My name's Monterrey and I like to steal from time to time from the nearest suck-- *He realized his mistake and changed the word* innocent bystander that's nearby." Monterrey explained.
"Now, Monterrey, we both know that's not true. If I'm correct you must be a scout for one of the big families of this island, right? Check out the products from the merchants, give a whisper to the bosses about newcomers, the good ol' tit for tat." Kaizo guessed.
And by the sudden increase of sweat on Monterrey's forehead he had guessed right.
The 5 great families of the West, Kaizo asked Oscar about them and he got a simple idea of how they work.
Mortellio is an island divided in 8 pieces, legends said that was the result from a clash of the previous bosses but everyone believes that to be a legend nowadays.
Right in the middle is the central city of Rivas, a place where those who want none of the family's influence can live, but at night can transform in a battleground for newcomers of said families to kill each other and gain reputation.
Reason as to why there's a curfew from 12 AM to 5 AM. No one dares to go outside during these hours. Fortunately, the families have expert cleaners who fix everything in the few minutes before 6AM comes.
Don't ask how, it's a mobster thing.
The island is divided as it follows:
From the port Oscar's ship took to reach Rivas is the territory of the Reichi Family, also knows at the Feily, they control mayor transactions including the sea and have a 10% discount from the merchants in return for asking for a lower tribute money.
To its right it's the jungle area of the island dominated by the Tombo Family, or at least they used to, due to some circumstances they're fighting amongst each other and divided into two factions: Those from the Tombo Family and those from the Tomhi Family.
They DO NOT like each other very much.
At the left side of the Reichi is the Bege Family in the desert area, whilst this area has little resources they have one of the most valuable: Oil. Said oil is so valuable since it has a special property, it's completely renewable.
You see, the island is directly under some updrift that shoots oil directly from below the water into the land of the Bege Territory, the water is absorbed by the plants but the oil accumulates in large spaces, making it a mine of essentially infinite resources.
The Bege Family is cold, ruthless and unforgiving, they're having some small problems with some 2-dime hooligans that call themselves the Balla Family but it's just a matter of time until they're eliminated, or so says everyone else.
At their side is a place known as the Missin' Church, more on them later.
North of the church is the mountainside of the Mala Family and their own personal trademark "Blackwood Prospectors." They have access to a machine that can merge wood coal and mine coal to create a super coal that burns longer, hotter and smokeless.
No one knows how they managed to accomplish that but no one cares, only the head of the family and right hand guard are allowed to know the secret.
At the complete north of the island is a volcanic area not meant for anyone, yet it's the zone of the Altiva Family. They fight with fire just as the ocean's wet, some of their members have develop such heat resistance that they lit themselves on fire when attacking stronger enemies.
They're also the most chaotic of them all and fear nothing, not even death itself, when they have a goal in mind. Their income comes mostly from pillaging and bounty-hunting.
Finally but not least it's the old, abandoned colosseum, it used to be a place where the families could fight honorably for the island's property but when the Altiva Family used that as a chance to burn their territories while they were distracted the colosseum was damaged and never used again.
When Monterrey spoke of the "Tombo way" he blabbered too much about where he belongs and Kaizo wants more into about the subject to decide whether it's wise to let Monterrey go or wait for his buddies to bail him out.
"So, which one are you from? Tombo or Tomhi? I know the two are different but at some point were the same and I don't know if you believe the new one is the original or some crap like that." Kaizo specified to prevent confusion.
"Tch! What good is being a Tomhi these days? Savage pendejos." Monterrey spat.
"Tombo it is then, what's the game here." Kaizo.
"Snitches get stitches boyo. I aint about rat anything to anyone, much less to some newcomer." Monterrey.
"Ok, fair enough. While on the subject, will someone pay for your ramson or something? You do owe me money for my stuff." Kaizo asked.
"Why should-" Monterrey shut his mouth when he saw Kaizo's fist approaching his face and stop inches from his eye.
"Sorry, thought I saw a fly. What were you saying?" Kaizo asked with a devilish smile.
"I have a hideout three blocks away from this inn with two hundred grand, all yours." Monterrey blurred as he sweated buckets.
"Nice, you've earned yourself a fixed nose." Kaizo.
*CRACK*
Before Monterrey could wonder if Kaizo was going to call a doctor the son of a bitch grabbed Monterrey's nose and snapped it back in place, making him bleed a little.
"Jo de puta!!" Monterey cried as he tried to break free from his ties.
"There ya go, breathing right? Good. Sorry if I'm being too cruel for your taste but I HATE having my shit stolen, even attempting that is enough for me to punch you into oblivion." Kaizo explained.
Kids are cruel, they latch into your weakness the moment you show vulnerability and never let it go. This was a lesson Kaizo learned during his past life.
Being an orphan has a lot of drawbacks, that's a no brainer, but the worst part is that even your peers reject you at such young age, anything he had would be stolen and taken from him and no one did anything, when he defended himself he was marked as the bad guy and was punished himself.
So, yeah, stealing is a touchy subject to Kaizo. He makes sure the thief receives double the consequences for their attempt.
"Pinche pendejo…. Could've warned me." Monterrey sniffed a bit to check out his nose.
"Why're you talking like that? Pendejo, boyo, explain shit stain." Kaizo.
"Just some quirks from where I used to live, not that's any of your business." Monterrey.
"Sure it is, want some dinner? The inn's still open and I can get you some room service." Kaizo.
"You know what? Sure, why the heck not? But, em, could you untie me please? You know, to eat more comfortably." Monterrey said uncharacteristically compliant.
"Well, look how tame has the stingless scorpion become. Give me a second." Kaizo spoke as he went to until Monterrey.
The moment his hands were free, Monterrey grabbed the chair, stood up and smacked Kaizo on the face with it. Kaizo stumbled back and Monterrey punched him in the head, knocking him out.
Monterrey took his machetes and opened the window before looking back at Kaizo.
"Don't start what you can't finish, bitch." Monterrey.
And just like that, he jumped out of the window, leaving Kaizo to a very awful rude awakening…
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.
…or so he thought.
Kaizo's "limp" body sat and he spat a bit of blood before looking at Monterrey's direction.
"Dwont stwart bwat you cwant fwiwish, bish~ *Kaizo mocks mimic Monterrey's line* You better hope whatever mess between the Tombo and Tomhi families are entertaining enough to save you from the beatdown you've earned." Kaizo took his compass, a map of the Mortellio and trailed behind Monterrey.