On Top of the Food Chain

The interior of the building was enveloped in darkness, save for the stark, focused spotlights illuminating multiple fighting stages. The atmosphere was electric, filled with the cacophony of excited spectators placing bets and reveling in the brutality of the matches. This was Shoda's infamous fighting ring.

Suddenly, an excited scream from a commentator on one of the stages pierced through the noise, drawing the crowd's attention. "He took down the Fat Bastard!"

The spotlights from all the other stages converged on the stage in question, revealing a lone figure clad in a black ski mask and a tracksuit standing amidst the chaos.

Kazuki stood there, sweat dripping down his body and his chest heaving from exhaustion. The crowd around him erupted in ecstatic chants, "Bank Robber! Bank Robber!" The name echoed off the walls, amplifying the frenzy of the onlookers.

Blood dripped from Kazuki's clenched fists, pooling at his feet. In front of him lay the limp body of a tall, fat man, his head a gruesome, deformed mess from the brutal blows he had received. The sight was both horrific and mesmerizing to the bloodthirsty audience.

Kazuki sighed deeply, his breath shaky. As he blinked, the red glow that had been burning in his eyes faded away, leaving only a tired, hollow expression. He took one last look at the scene before him, the remnants of his rage and adrenaline slowly ebbing away.

Without a word, he turned and walked out of the ring, the crowd's cheers still ringing in his ears. The spotlights followed his retreating figure for a moment before returning to the other stages, where new fights and fresh bets awaited.

'How did I even end up here?' Kazuki sighed as he thought about what all had happened in the past few days.

***

The police van jostled noisily over the uneven road, its rattling and clattering filling the tense silence between Kazuki and Naito. The atmosphere was thick with unspoken words, a palpable pressure that weighed heavily on both of them. Kazuki's eyes flickered to Naito, who sat across from him, his dark silhouette a mask of unreadable emotion.

Suddenly, the van came to a halt, the jarring noise of the journey abruptly ceasing. The back doors swung open, revealing two hooded figures cloaked in darkness. Their faces were obscured, their intentions hidden beneath their hoods.

"Don't struggle, or it'll be bad for both of you in the long run," one of them warned, her voice cold and emotionless. Noticing the shape of this person, and the frequency of their voice, Kazuki had figured out that this was woman.

The other figure climbed inside, holding a pair of handcuffs.

Kazuki glanced at Naito, who had already told him where they were headed. Although he didn't entirely trust Naito, the presence of these hooded figures lent some credibility to his words. Remembering the conversations he'd overheard between Rika and the others, he had a rough idea of what the fighting ring was and who Shoda might be. With a resigned sigh, he offered no resistance as the handcuffs were secured around his wrists.

Naito, however, wasn't as compliant. He tried to struggle, but the skirmish was brief. With a defiant glare, he lashed out, his fists flying towards the first hooded figure. The van's interior became a blur of movement as Naito's resistance sparked a swift and brutal response.

The hooded figure blocked Naito's punch with a fluid motion, twisting his arm and forcing him into a painful submission hold. Naito grunted in pain but continued to struggle, his muscles straining against the inescapable grip.

The second figure joined the fray, their movements precise and overpowering, quickly subduing Naito and clamping the handcuffs around his wrists with a final, resolute click. The second hooded figure entered the van and swiftly overpowered Naito, cuffing him with practiced ease.

Seeing Naito's face for the first time, Kazuki was struck by how ordinary he looked. Naito's appearance was unremarkable, much like Kazuki's own. Their builds were similar, though Naito was a bit more muscular and slightly taller. Otherwise, there was little to distinguish them from each other. After that, both of them were blindfolded.

The four of them exited the van, stepping into a set of stairs which went underground, and led into a narrow, dimly lit alleyway. An overwhelming, yet soft sound resonated through the air, like the distant chant of a large crowd. As they walked further, the sound grew louder and more distinct, a chorus of voices blending into a single, eerie symphony. The guards took off their blindfolds now.

The alleyway opened up to a T-shaped balcony overlooking a vast hall. Kazuki's eyes widened as he took in the scene below. A sea of people filled the hall, their faces obscured by the shadows. Spotlights illuminated eight different stages, each one a fighting ring enclosed in large, dome-shaped cages. The rest of the hall remained shrouded in darkness, adding to the surreal, overwhelming atmosphere.

Kazuki was snapped out of his daze by a sharp slap to the back of his head from one of the hooded figures. They guided him to a small cubical jail, barely more than a cell. It contained a futon in one corner, a washbasin, and a toilet in the other. The reality of his situation began to sink in as he looked around the cramped space.

Kazuki took a deep breath and settled down on the futon. 'Fuck,' he thought, the weight of his situation pressing down on him. He had thought his life was finally getting on track. His hunger issues were under control, he had found someone to guide him, and he had been hopeful about reuniting with his parents.

But now, he was caught in another mess. 'If only I had control over myself,' Kazuki regretted, recalling the fiasco in the back alley caused by his inability to control his bloodlust. It was his lack of control that had led him to this point, ensnared in this dangerous situation.

Cursing at himself, he sighed deeply and closed his eyes. The small cubical jail around him felt suffocating, a stark reminder of his failures. He knew for a fact that tomorrow was going to be a big day, filled with challenges he hadn't anticipated.

The acceptance of constant changes and the addition of hardships to his life never ceased to amaze him. He couldn't fathom why he had so easily accepted his fate, why he hadn't fought harder against the current that seemed to drag him into deeper and darker waters.

Why had he accepted that he was not a human, that he was not a Ghoul, and now he was a prisoner?

Laying on the futon these weird introspective thoughts wandered his mind.

Just then, the power went out, plunging the arena into darkness. The loud, disturbing music abruptly stopped, and the dim light that had been filtering in from outside vanished. The sudden silence and darkness created a surreal atmosphere. It was perfect timing for the weary Kazuki to get some sleep.

"Ah yes, I murdered a person today." Kazuki muttered as he drifted into the abyss of his nightmares, yet again.

***

Subaru sat on his hotel bed, the soft light from his phone illuminating his face. His silver hair, untied and reaching the middle of his back, was wet, indicating he had just come out of the shower. "So you have reached the fighting ring, Naito," he said to himself, watching a blinking red dot on the map displayed on his phone.

Just then, a notification appeared on his screen. The message was from someone saved as "Goblinfucker" in his phone. It read, "Subaru, I'll reach Kyoto in 6 days." A smile appeared on Subaru's face.

'Six days? That's too long,' he thought, his eyes gleaming with determination, and a smirk on his usual cold, elegant face.

"It'll be over way before you arrive."