Jin's pov
I have no idea what's happening. My head is spinning, my vision is blurry, and I feel like I could lose consciousness at any moment.
"Damn it, Jin! Snap out of it! Come back to your senses!"
The voice—Kev. I can barely make out his figure, but I know it's him. He grabs me and leans me against a tree near the building where we had waited for Briana earlier. My body feels heavy, and every breath is a struggle.
"Are you okay, Jin?! Damn it, you took too many hits!" His voice is thick with concern, but I can't even summon the strength to respond.
'I'm sorry, bro,' I think to myself. I was careless. I didn't expect Shiro to be this strong. My body aches, my ribs feel like they're on fire. I can still hear the echoes of Shiro's blows pounding against my skull.
"What the hell happened to you two?!" The voice is sharp, demanding. It's Briana.
"We ran into Phantom Six," Kev replies, frustration and exhaustion evident in his voice. "We couldn't handle them."
Briana curses under her breath. "Ofcourse you can't, damn it! You two were reckless! If we lose here, we lose everything!" Her anger cuts deep. Guilt surges through me. She's right. This is on me.
"By the way... where's Hyuga?" Kailey's voice cuts through the tension, calm but probing.
Fuck! Ryu!
"Shit! He told us to go ahead. He's holding Shiro off alone!" Kev suddenly springs up. "We have to go back! Now!"
Briana and Claine immediately follow him, disappearing into the darkness. Kailey stays behind.
I force myself to sit up, my muscles protesting. "W-why are you staying? They need y-you—" My voice is weak, barely a whisper.
She shrugs. "Nah, I'll stay here with you. We don't know if someone else might attack while you're like this."
We sit in silence. My breathing steadies, though the pain lingers. Then, the others arrive, a new face among them. This must be Ryoma.
"Boss, what happened?!" Jerzey Lim asks as he rushes over.
"They got caught up with Phantom Six," Kailey answers for me. I still struggle to speak properly. My vision is clearer now, but my strength hasn't fully returned.
"We're heading over there now!" Jake shouts before sprinting toward the battlefield with the others.
Kailey stays by my side.
"You look pathetic."
I glare at her. "Trying to pick a fight?" My tone is flat, unimpressed. Tsk. She's lucky I don't hit women.
"Nah," she smirks, stretching her arms. "You wouldn't stand a chance against me right now."
I scoff. "Tsk."
Minutes pass, my strength slowly returning. I push myself up, shaky but determined. I can't just sit here while my comrades are out there fighting for their lives.
"And where do you think you're going?" Kailey's voice halts me.
"Tsk. I'm going after them."
She sighs. "In that sorry state? You'll only get in their way, Jin."
I stop. She has a point, but still...
"Damn it! I won't just let my comrades fight while I'm sitting here doing nothing!" My fists clench. I won't be a burden. Not again.
A small smile tugs at Kailey's lips before she grabs my wrist and starts pulling me in the direction the others went. "That's the spirit. You can run now, right?"
"Yeah. I'm not a weakling," I reply, regaining my footing. This time, I'm the one dragging her forward.
I'm coming, guys. Please hold on.
______________________________________
Kailey's pov
I don't know what's happening to me, but the moment Jin grabbed my hand, my heart went wild. It was pounding so fast that I could barely breathe. Maybe it's just exhaustion from running so much. Yes, that has to be it.
"Hey, you okay?" Jin asks while we keep running toward the place where they encountered Phantom Six.
"Yes," I answer quickly, focusing ahead.
"You suddenly went quiet, so I got a little worried."
My heart pounds again. Damn, what is wrong with me today?
"I'm fine," I repeat before pulling my hand away from his grip. I need to get myself together.
When we finally arrive, the battlefield has completely changed. Instead of seeing our comrades fighting Phantom Six, we witness Damian Jung exchanging blows with Shiro Ryota while Faith Ishida tends to Ryu Hyuga. The ground is already stained with blood, and the tension in the air is suffocating.
"What's happening here?" I ask Briana.
"Looks like the Dark Knights are on our side."
I nod. "Yeah, it does."
Shiro has the advantage, but it's obvious that Damian is dealing some serious damage too. This fight is going to be brutal. I still don't understand why Hyun allowed things to escalate to this point. He isn't the kind of person who lets violence spiral out of control so easily. He's too calculating and meticulous for this to happen.
All of us watch in tense silence as the two leaders of different gangs clash. Shiro is undeniably stronger, but Damian refuses to go down without a fight. Every punch, every kick carries an impact that makes my stomach twist. They're putting their lives on the line.
"What do you think will happen?" Jin's voice pulls me out of my thoughts. He has been standing beside me this whole time. My heartbeat is still erratic, and it's getting frustrating. "Hey, Kai, I'm talking to you." +
I snap out of it. Damn it, I was spacing out again because of him!
"Shiro has the upper hand, but we can't say for sure. They're both tough," I reply, shifting slightly to put more distance between us. This guy is making me way too anxious.
"Is that so?" Jin mutters, watching the fight unfold. "They're really strong, huh?"
I nod but keep my focus on the battle. No matter who wins, things are only going to get worse from here.
"Guys, get psyched."
Hyun's warning sends a shiver down my spine. We all follow his gaze, and what I see makes my stomach drop.
"Who are they?" Jin asks, voice suddenly serious.
"Akami Army," Briana answers in a grave tone.
Jin's expression shifts instantly, turning from calm to grim. This is bad. Not only did Akami's forces arrive, but most of the Phantom Six leaders are here too—except for Ken Nobunaga. We're at a major disadvantage. Ryu, Kev, and Jin are all in bad shape, and we can't face these bastards head-on.
I can already sense the battle about to begin. The enemy moves forward, their presence heavy and suffocating. The air feels thick, the anticipation of bloodshed pressing down on all of us like a storm about to break.
"What's the plan?" Kev asks, his voice tense.
"We fight. We don't have a damn choice!" Jerzey Lim steps forward, his stance firm. Blake Ryoma, along with Jake and Jerome Maki, moves beside him, each of them ready to face what's coming. Their determination is admirable, but I can't ignore the overwhelming disadvantage we're in.
I scan our group. Ryu is in no condition to fight. Jin and Kev are both injured. That leaves only me, Claine, Briana, Jake, Jerome, Blake, and Jerzey to face them. This is going to be rough.
Kiro Yuri charges at us first, with Renz Hozon, Jiro Matsuda, and Hero So right behind him. We brace ourselves. I'm not sure if we can win this, but I know one thing—we won't fall easily.
"Kailey, just protect Jin. We can't lose him here," Briana orders before moving into position. I hesitate, looking at Jin, then back at the battlefield. Damn it.
I grab Jin's wrist and pull him away, running as fast as I can.
"Hey! Kai! Why are we running?!" he shouts, frustrated, but I don't answer.
The battlefield is disappearing behind us, but I can still hear the clashes, the shouts of pain, the desperate struggle of our comrades. It feels wrong to turn our backs, but I know this is the best choice. Jin is too injured. If he collapses in the middle of the fight, he'll die. I won't let that happen.
"Kailey, stop! Let me go back! They need me!" Jin struggles against my grip, his voice hoarse with desperation.
I tighten my hold. "No! You're in no condition to fight!"
"Damn it, Kai! I can still stand! I can still throw a punch! Let me go!"
I stop abruptly, turning to face him, my heart hammering in my chest. "Jin, if you go back now, you'll die!" My voice cracks, frustration and fear spilling out. "I can't let that happen."
He glares at me, fists clenched. For a moment, he looks like he's about to argue, but then his expression falters. His breathing is ragged, his body trembling from exhaustion. He knows I'm right.
"Please," I say, softer this time. "Just trust me."
Jin lets out a shaky breath, his shoulders slumping. "Damn it..."
I take that as his surrender and pull him forward again, leading him away from the battle. My hands tremble, but I tighten my grip. I won't let go. I won't lose him.
I'll protect you, Jin. No matter what.