Yakuza: Like a God Hand

The world seemed to slow down around him.

Eugen's body trembled, not from fear or pain, but from something far deeper—something godly and overwhelming. His right arm burned, not with the heat of fire, but with a golden radiance that pulsed like a heartbeat.

The glow spread through his veins, coursing through his small frame like a tidal wave of raw energy. It was as if his very blood had been set alight, each pulse of light surging with power that made his muscles twitch and his breath quicken.

Adrenaline flooded his system, sharpening his senses to a razor's edge. The dull ache in his cheek from the punch faded into nothingness, replaced by a buzzing hum that vibrated through every fiber of his being.

His heart pounded in his chest, each beat echoing in his ears like a drum, driving him forward. His vision, once blurred from pain and exhaustion, now felt unnaturally clear. He could see every detail of the alley—the cracks in the pavement, the flicker of a distant streetlight, the faint glint of sweat on the kidnappers' masks.

The world had become sharper, brighter, as if he were seeing it for the first time.

The power in his right arm was unlike anything he had ever felt. It was alive, thrumming with a force that made his fingertips tingle and his palm itch. He clenched his fist, and the glow intensified, casting long shadows across the alley.

The energy within him felt limitless. For a moment, he felt invincible—like he could do anything, be anything. The fear that had gripped him moments ago was gone, replaced by a fierce, unshakable determination.

But amidst the rush of power, one thought anchored him: Haruka.

Her terrified screams still echoed in his mind, cutting through the haze of adrenaline and light. He could see her face, wide-eyed and desperate, as she was dragged away. The memory burned hotter than the energy in his arm, fueling his resolve.

This power wasn't just for him—it was for her. To protect her. To save her.

His focus narrowed to a single point: Haruka. Nothing else mattered. Not the pain, not the fear, not the men standing in his way. He would tear through anything—anyone—to get to her.

The power in his arm surged, and for the first time, he felt no hesitation, no doubt.

Looking up, Eugen could see the three masked men standing frozen in place, their eyes locked on him with a mix of disbelief and fear. The unconscious form of Date lay on the ground nearby, a stark reminder of the danger they were all in.

The men's hesitation was obvious—their fear of the unknown, of the golden glow and the blue flame-like tattoo now clearly visible on his right arm, kept them rooted to the spot.

Eugen's mind raced. He needed to act quickly, but he also needed information. At least one of these men had to tell him where they had taken Haruka.

The problem was, he didn't know how to make them talk. The only method that came to mind was something he had seen on TV once—a scene where someone was tortured into revealing a secret.

He knew he shouldn't have been watching something like that at his age, but curiosity had gotten the better of him. Now, that memory was all he had to work with.

But none of that mattered right now. His only objective was to rescue Haruka.

To do that, he needed speed—speed to catch them off guard before they could react.

The men were still a fair distance away, but if he moved fast enough, he could close the gap before they even realized what was happening.

As he thought this, a memory flashed in his mind: Kiryu fighting multiple opponents at Ares Bar, his movements fluid and precise, his aura shifting between different colors.

One style, in particular, stood out—the one where a magenta aura enveloped Kiryu's upper body. The style that prioritized speed above all else.

"Rush..." Eugen murmured under his breath, almost unconsciously.

His body moved on its own, as if guided by instinct.

He bent his knees slightly, raising both hands in front of him, fists clenched. His muscles, once tense from the adrenaline, now relaxed as his body shifted into the stance of Rush Style.

The style ignored defense entirely, focusing solely on speed and overwhelming the opponent with relentless attacks. His right arm, which had been glowing golden, now shifted to a vibrant magenta, mirroring the aura he had seen on Kiryu.

Even as all of this happened, only a few seconds had passed. Eugen's thought process had also increased dramatically.

The three masked men didn't have a chance to react when Eugen suddenly changed his posture and his right arm shifted color.

Focusing on the three masked men, Eugen quickly formulated multiple scenarios in his mind. The first one was clear: speed. He needed to overwhelm them before they could react.

In an instant, he moved.

His upper body shifted, and with a quickstep, he closed the distance between himself and the middle masked man in just a few rapid strides.

"Eh?"

The three men barely had time to process what was happening. One moment, Eugen was standing several meters away; the next, he was right in front of them, his glowing magenta arm a blur of motion.

A violent crunch echoed through the alleyway as Eugen's left hook connected with the first masked man's stomach.

Despite his small frame, the power behind the punch was staggering—empowered by the God Hand, it felt like multiple baseball bats slamming into the man's gut at once.

"Gyahhh!"

The masked man gasped, blood spraying from his mouth as he staggered backward and crumpled to the ground, unconscious.

Eugen didn't waste a second. Spinning on his heels, he launched a spinning hook kick at the second masked man to his right.

"Bwah!"

The kick landed with even more force than the punch, the momentum sending the man spinning through the air before he slammed into the cement ground, motionless.

The last masked man finally snapped out of his shock, his voice trembling as he stammered, "What the fuck?! Ho-how did you... what the hell are you?!"

In just a few seconds, the three of them had been reduced to one. The last man stood alone, staring at the small boy with the glowing magenta arm, his confidence shattered.

"Where did you bring Haruka?"

Eugen's voice cut through the silence, but it wasn't the voice of a child. It carried an eerie echo, a pressure that made the masked man's knees buckle.

"Where is Haruka?!" Eugen demanded again, his tone sharper, more menacing.

He took a step closer, his glowing arm casting an ominous light over the alley.

"She... we... we..."

The masked man stammered, backing away as Eugen advanced. His legs gave out, and he fell to the ground, trembling uncontrollably. The fear in his eyes was unmistakable—he was utterly terrified of the boy standing before him.

Eugen grabbed his collar with his right hand, lifting him slightly off the ground. The man's eyes widened in terror as the glowing magenta arm loomed over him, its power radiating like a storm about to break.

"Last chance—where is she?!"

The pressure worked.

The masked man's trembling intensified, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he struggled to speak. Finally, the words spilled out in a panicked rush.

"W-we got an order from our boss to kidnap a little girl to lure out the Dragon of Dojima! We don't mean any harm to her—our boss just wants to fight him! That's all!"

Eugen's grip tightened slightly, his glowing arm pulsing with energy.

"Where did you take her?"

"T-to the Yoshida Batting Center in the Hotel District! That's all I know, I swear!" the man stammered, his voice cracking under the pressure.

"Is that the truth?"

Eugen's voice was cold, his eyes narrowing as he stared the man down.

"Yes, yes! What I said is the truth!" The masked man nodded frantically, his fear of being hit like his companions evident in his wide, panicked eyes.

"I see... then go to sleep."

"Eh?"

The man barely had time to react before Eugen's left fist shot forward, connecting with his jaw with a sharp, resounding crack.

The sound of the impact echoed through the alley, followed by the dull thud of the masked man collapsing to the ground, unconscious.

---

---

---

---

---

In the alleyway, four unconscious bodies lay sprawled on the ground, while a single boy stood alone, his right arm glowing faintly in the dim light.

Eugen's chest heaved as he caught his breath, his mind racing.

"Hotel District... if I remember, that's near the Pocket Circuit place," he murmured, recalling the streets he and Haruka had explored just yesterday.

The memory of their laughter and excitement felt like a distant dream now, overshadowed by the urgency of the situation.

"No time to waste. I need to save Haruka," he muttered, his voice firm despite the exhaustion creeping into his body.

Even if the masked man had claimed they didn't intend to harm her, Eugen couldn't take that chance—not after they had shot Date without hesitation.

Speaking of Date, the detective lay unconscious on the ground, his right shoulder bleeding.

Eugen glanced at him.

Should he leave Date here, wounded and unconscious, to chase after Haruka?

The thought gnawed at him, but Haruka was his priority. She was everything to him. He couldn't risk losing her.

His gaze shifted to his right arm, still glowing faintly.

"Especially with this arm... if I go around like this, I'll definitely stand out," he thought.

His long sleeve had burned away along with the bandages, leaving his tattooed arm exposed for all to see. There was no hiding it now.

In the end, Eugen made his decision.

Haruka was more important than some random old man he had just met this morning.

He had to save her.

With a deep breath, he turned and began to run toward the Yoshida Batting Center.

But after only a few steps, his right arm began to tremble.

The glow flickered, dimming rapidly as the power within him waned.

Before he could react, his arm moved on its own, lifting upward. A flash of light erupted, and the glow vanished completely, leaving his arm normal once more—save for the blue flame-like tattoo etched into his skin.

"Huh!?"

Eugen's eyes widened in shock, but before he could process what had happened, his entire body spasmed violently.

Pain shot through every muscle, sharp and overwhelming, as if his body were rebelling against him.

"Ugh... aghhh!!"

He cried out, clutching his sides as he collapsed to the ground.

Tears streamed down his face as the pain intensified, his small frame trembling uncontrollably.

This was the price of pushing his body beyond its limits—of using the God Hand's power to mimic Kiryu's Rush Style.

His muscles, strained and overworked, screamed in protest now that the power sustaining them had faded.

"Haru...ka..."

He gasped, his vision blurring as darkness threatened to overtake him.

He fought to stay conscious, but the pain was too much.

His eyelids grew heavy, his body refusing to obey.

'So weak... even with this power, I still can't save her...'

The thought filled him with despair as his eyes began to close.

But then, something caught his attention.

On the ground, just behind Date's unconscious body, lay two Pocket Circuit cars—the ones he and Haruka had been playing with earlier.

The sight of them sparked a flood of memories.

Haruka's laughter.

Her bright smile as they raced their cars.

And then—the memory of her terrified face as she was dragged away, her screams echoing in his mind.

'No! I need to save her!!'

The thought roared through him, cutting through the pain like a knife.

His heart pounded, adrenaline surging through his veins once more.

His right arm began to glow faintly again, the power of the God Hand reigniting within him.

'I already promised Aunt Mizuki to take care of her!'

Slowly, painfully, Eugen pushed himself to his feet.

His body still shook, the lingering pain a constant reminder of his limits, but the glow in his arm grew stronger, dulling the ache and fueling his resolve.

'I'm not gonna let random thugs ruin this day for us!'

Finally, he stood, though his body still trembled from exhaustion.

The pain was still there, but thanks to the God Hand's power, it was beginning to fade.

Clenching his teeth, Eugen forced himself to run.

He had no time to waste.

With his right arm still glowing softly, he sprinted toward the Yoshida Batting Center.

Toward Haruka.

Toward his promise.