Mizuki

In the town that now had been dressed in night, flashy neon lights were lit on the shops everywhere.

Because illegal construction is not criticized, the sky in the old resident district was covered with the shadows of distorted buildings. That's why it's kinda dark even at daytime.

When night falls, groups that make you feel like they were hiding somewhere come out. Ribusteez gather too, so it's a completely different vibe from daytime.

Ribusteez means that there are people in old resident district teaming up, and they engage in turf wars by themselves.

Because Ribusteez is older than Rhyme, the guys doing Rib look down on the one's doing mostly Rhyme.

They seem to be thinking that the 'big headed wise guys live in a fantasy world.'

But since it seems like there are guys doing Rib that are switching to Rhyme, quarrels between Ribsters and Rhymers happen a lot recently.

While I was advancing in the lively atmosphere, my hand was suddenly grabbed from behind.

"!"

"Oo, isn't this a "brain nuts" jacket?"




Who grabbed my arm was a frivolous man whose hair was dyed red. Probably younger than me.

"Hey, wasn't this design on premier right now?"




This time a green haired guy came closer with a smile. And those hair colors, is it christmas?

"Oh no I want this sooooo bad~ Hey, brother~"




The red haired one looked at my face with an artificial smile.

"........They sell these at the shop in front of the station.




When I tried to shake off his hand with great power, the red head looked at me with a face that got angry.

"Wait a sec, hey."

"What's with that attitude."

"I'm telling you I want this right here and now. You heard?"

"And by the way, we're Bag Bomb. You know them? Bag Bomb. So, what? You underestimating us?"



The green haired held out his wrist proudly.

There was a tattoo of a winking girl with enormous breasts extending over a big pink bomb.

Woah.

Aren't these guys ashamed of having someone carve that on them.......

And I hadn't heard of Bag Bomb before.

Though this tattoo would also be a thing of the teams, I knew very well that these guys were underlings.

As these guys are below, they like to pick up fights openly like this.

"Lame."

"Aa? What'd you say just now?"

"I said you're lame."

"Aa~~? You, what's your team."

"I'm not in any."

"Ha!? Don't tell me you're a no-mark?"

"Seriously!?"




The red and green looked at each other, and started to smile stupidly.

"You can't be serious~~~"




There are tag arts used as team symbols in Rib, and the teams tag art is tattooed somewhere on your body when you join.

And those who doesn't have a tattoo are assumed to not do Rib. That's why it's common that no-marks become targets of diversion for Ribsters.

Because there's no team that holds a grudge even if you happen to kill a no-mark.

Hee~, if you're a no-mark, it means it's okay to do you."

"Can afford it."

"Hey brother, let's go there for a little while, okay?"




"Leave it at that."

"Aa!?"




The red and green gave an exaggerated glare at the voice coming from behind.

"If you get involved with him, he'll break your jaws."

"Haa? What. Who are you?"

"....Aa..."




As soon as the green haired saw the owner of the voice, his facial expression stiffened.

"Oi, this is bad....."

"What is?"

"That's the leader of Dry Juice, Mizuki...."

"Ha!? Dry Juice......!?"

Mizuki: "Do you know that guy's killer technique? Fox's heel drop. Eat it once and it'll break your jaw."

"Tseh.......! If you're from Dry Juice, say so from the start!"

"Le, Let's scram!"

After saying worthless last words, the two of them ran like puppies with their tails between their legs.

Witnessing that, the guy behind me laughed.

Mizuki: "That's super lame, oi. If you're going to run, don't start a fight at all."

Knowing who he was already, I turned around.

"Yo."




Mizuki: "Long time no see, Aoba."

This radiantly smiling guy is Mizuki, the leader of the largest Rib team, Dry Juice.

Somewhat brown skin and dark hair, his eyes are green and under his eye he has a tear type tattoo as a team symbol.

"What the heck was that fox's heel drop thing."




Mizuki: "I was talking about your foot tricks. Though I came up with the name just now. But I'm not wrong saying you've broken some jaws before?"

"That was years ago."




Mizuki: "I remember it clearly even now. But hey, it's unusual for you to be here at this time."

"Yeah, true."




Mizuki: "Did you finally feel like joining? In Dry Juice."

When he said it smiling widely, I just shrugged my shoulders lightly.

"Nooo waaay. I keep saying I don't want to, right?"




Mizuki: "Try joining a team, it's a surprisingly good thing."

Mizuki and I hung around a long time ago, we were friends that did a lot of stupid things.

He has a friendly personality, but in tight places he's capable of exact and tight reasoning.

Since all the guys participating in Rib are trying to act so brave, to put so many of them together and make the biggest Rib team, I think that's awesome.

But I had no plans to join Dry Juice, or become a Ribster.

"Anyway, I hate everything that's troublesome."

Mizuki: "I know. But recently our house has become quite delicate, too."

"Delicate? Really? Isn't your team the best as always?"




Mizuki: "It's because of that. Because of Rhyme."

"Rhyme........"




Mizuki's facial expression clouded.

Mizuki: "Our members too are sneaking to their side. It's fine to hear that Rhyme is a game where you battle with brains, but in the end it's just a delusional game, right?"

Mizuki: "Honestly, I can't figure out what's so good about it. Are you delusionally protecting your turf or what."

"Well, certainly it is weird...."




The feelings Mizuki harbored against Rhyme, it's not like I couldn't understand them.

If the same was said about Rib, it's a children's foolish war game. But, despite that, Mizuki's thinking about his team seriously.

Therefore he may not forgive the guys who easily jump at a trend.

Mizuki: "And then there are those disappearances."

"Disappearances?"




Mizuki: "You've heard about them, right? Stories about whole Rib teams having gone missing."

"Yes, I have, but isn't that like an urban legend? Besides, it's a rumor about ten years ago."



Mizuki: "I don't know the reason, but recently there are teams that I haven't suddenly seen anymore."

"Are you sure they just didn't do a mistake and get in trouble with yakuza?"



Mizuki: "About that, some members of the teams which disappeared have come back aimlessly after several days. But it seems they can't remember anything."

Mizuki: "They have forgotten themselves... it's like their brains have been destroyed or something."

"But those disappearances, wasn't the culprit that Morphine? Morphine itself is like an urban legend."



Mizuki: "Well, you're right though...."

...Morphine.

Long ago, it was the strongest and most feared legendary team among Rib.

A tag art which was full of black from head to toe, and had a heart and a cross. Their strength was wrapped in mystery.

Though there were various rumors, all contents were scattered and nothing made sense.

Those disappearances were the same.

Even if there are guys that saw Morphine, there are no specific stories or evidence at all.

Mizuki: "If it comes to that Morphine is not behind this, I've been thinking that it might be the doing of those guys that do Rhyme."

"Isn't that a bit far-fetched?"




Mizuki: "I'm not saying it seriously? It's just that recently those guys have been a bit carried away."

"But something like disappearances, and even destroying people's minds, can they even do that?"

"If they could, wouldn't that have caused quite a commotion?"

Mizuki: "No, I do understand. That's why I'm not saying this seriously."

Suddenly, a cheer arose nearby. Surrounding people began to run in that direction.

Mizuki clicked his tongue and bitterly grimaced.

Mizuki: "....... Rhyme, huh."

Mizuki: "......... Aaaah, I'm not feeling too well. I'll be leaving. See you, show your face at the shop."

"Okay."

Mizuki: "See ya."

Mizuki waved with his open hand, and advanced pushing away people gathering at the Rhyme site.




NEXT: Rhyme