44 44. Alley

It was night, Colt was walking down an alleyway. He had no one with him, not one person, not one cat. He was utterly alone, and as his sword and sheath were tied together, he was basically defenseless.

As he walked along by the roadside, Colt caught sight of a white carriage that was moving slowly. He raised a brow as he turned to a corner…the carriage was still following behind him. He made another turn and still, the carriage was still following behind.

'What utter nonsense, this is.'

And as he walked down an alleyway, he snickered as two men who carried an ugly expression with them showed up barring his way out. Colt was silent, as he observed the two.

He felt no unnecessary power coming out of them, proving what Fluff had said. They were aura-less just like him and the two wore the uniform of the academy.

"You are Colt Edgeworth, correct!?"

"What do you need of me? I don't want any trouble."

Colt asked as he raised his head before turning his way to the man that is in front of him.

"What do you need of me!? I don't want any trouble, so, just leave!"

He repeated himself, but this time, his words were stronger and more powerful and he even added a few words as if he was correcting himself. The one in front took one step closer towards Colt.

"We don't want any trouble; we are only here to get some pointers. As a fellow student, is it not proper for me to seek someone of great skills such as yourself?"

He laughed as he drew his sword out.

"That's right, this is just a duel. But as it is a duel outside the academy, we won't use our Soul Partners and we ask of you to accept our challenge — oh? You're willing to do it, that's just great! Then, let us begin!" The man who stood on his back spoke loudly so some 'loitering bystanders' would hear him as he made the first move.

'Such a stupid plan.'

Colt looked at the carriage still following him closely behind.

He twisted his body and received the full swing of the sword lackey #2 was using. Colt observed its sheen and noticed that it was dull.

'It seems like they do not have the balls to go beyond the line. But this is going to hurt when it hits me.'

Colt's knees touched the ground while he was busy thinking. Then, one more time, another one came from behind.

Lackey #1 jumped him with a dull sword. Colt's face changed and he drew his body backward to meet the oncoming attack. But he couldn't swing his sword and deflect the attack. So, he raised his right arm to defend against the oncoming blow.

'Got you!' lackey #1 thought as he caught Colt's hands in that surprise attack. But as his swing was supposed to touch Colt, the impact he felt was rather…weak.

"Ahhhh! My arm!" Colt dropped his sword.

But his doubts were cleared as Colt screamed aloud. A kick was then sent on the back of Colt's head as lackey #2 did not want to keep Colt waiting. Just like his companion, the kick he sent out felt like it hit empty air.

But just like his companion, the blow he delivered sent Colt in a sea of pain as his head crashed to the ground with a loud thud.

"Ugh!":

Colt painfully groaned as he held onto his right arm with his left. In pain, Colt looked at his attackers and asked with a pained groan…

"Why are you doing this!? I told you, I don't wish to fight!"

His voice was loud and his eyes showed that he was pleading.

Lackey #1 and #2 heard Colt's words and their laughter echoed around the alleyway.

"Ack!" Colt's hair was pulled upwards and his scalp felt like it was being torn to apart. He gritted his teeth in actual irritation.

Lackey #2 showed a broad grimace as he saw Colt act as such.

"Well we apologize, but our employer really wanted us to rough you up. Hehe, but personally I am enjoying this!"

A dull sound of flesh being roughed around was heard. Colt's face was punched and Lackey #1 spoke as he delivered a kick on Colt's face.

"They especially asked us to ensure that your face gets roughed up! Hehe, you act all big and mighty but you're nothing but a weakling after all! Do you think you deserve to stand beside her? Even I am more compatible with her than you ever will!"

Colt hid his head. His expression could not be seen but his face was bombarded with punch and kicks. And with a weak voice, he tried to speak.

"Who…ordered you to do this? Do you not know who I am? What my family can do to you? If I so wish it, I can bury you guys and your family under the military might of my family."

His words were weak, but his intentions were strong. The two lackeys unexpectedly drew back, but as they gritted their teeth, they gathered their courage as they began berating Colt once again!

"You, useless piece of shit. Are you trying to scare us? Do you think your Edgeworth Family can touch our backers!? Let me tell you something, it was the Second Young Master of the Fortiko Family, and the Young Master of the Slitherhead Family who told us to do this. Those are Marquis and Duke Family, I have yet to even mention the others and those two are enough to ensure you won't be able to scare us with your family. Come on! Try it! Scare me again!"

"Oh, gladly."

It was at this time that Colt finally spoke with a chilling light. His right hand that was supposed to be broken moved like a serpent!

BAM! He had the cocky Lackey #2 have an intimate time with ground. Lackey #2's nose became crooked as he began to bleed.

"What!?"

Lackey #1 wished to take a step back, but as he was originally crouching from the ground, he didn't have enough force behind his legs that he stumbled and almost fell. But he was not happy that he did not fall, because his right arm was being held onto by Colt who was currently on the ground.

His arrogant expression turned to a terrified bitch as he cried out…

"Please, I-I was only ordered to do this I~AHHHH!"

His words could not be finished as his screams were the one that echoed. His arm was broken, not fractured, but broken! Colt snapped it in two by using his full force and punching it!

He fell to his knees as Colt stood up. He looked at Crippled Lackey #1 and felt a tinge of guilt in his heart.

'This is now normal…they come to you and if you can, you beat them up until none is willing to approach you for trouble. Besides, I already told them not to do it.'

Colt assured himself and regained his state of mind. He focused his strength on his legs and delivered a kick to the screaming Lackey and knocked him out! He turned to the still conscious Lackey #2 and he walked past him.

But as he did so, Colt made sure to stomp on his arms and broke it.

"I told you, I didn't want to fight."

He knocked the second guy unconscious.

That should be enough, but Colt was not finished. The white carriage that had been following him slowly opened. The crested door of the carriage slowly opened and a man with scarlet hair walked out.

He was muscular and held a much noble aura than the other two men. He looked at Colt's injured face and at the two behind who was on the alleyway.

The young man sneered as he raised his hands and announced:

"How barbaric, for you to do such a thing! Do you even see the~"

He was talking on his high horse when Colt's figure inexplicably appeared before him with his sword on hand!

"Shut up."

Colt swung his sheeted sword and hit the man on the collarbone without holding back! The man cried out, but it didn't last long before Colt shut him up as he hit him in the solar plexus draining the air out of his lungs.

The man fell to his knees and with great difficulty, he looked up at Colt who was looking at him in disdain and disgust.

"You…bastard!"

He spoke with great difficulty, but Colt didn't mind him and simply knocked him out just like he did with the two lackeys.

Colt was finished with him now, he turned to look at the ones remaining inside the carriage. The ones whose earlier grimace could not be measured and now are cowering like a scared dog.

"Coachman, what are you doing!? Move it!"

"Let us leave!"

The three people inside saw Colt's gaze and ordered the coachman to drive away. But Colt simply said…

"Move and you'll end up worse than them. If you fear losing your job; after this, go to the Tiger Manor."

The coachman abided to Colt's words.

And as the carriage stayed, Colt took a large step up and entered the carriage. He closed the door and after ten minutes it opened up once again and he left the scene as if he did nothing wrong.

===

It was 8:00 pm, Colt walked with his face aching so much. He may have acted earlier but he still let most of the punches make contact.

'Damn this is going to hurt. I better contact Mina as soon as I get back or else all of those guys will lose an arm at best.'

Colt thought to himself as he walked towards the direction of the Tiger Manor. But then, while he was walking past an alley, he was pulled in by a mysterious person garbed in all black cloak.

Colt's heart was beating fast as he thought he was being kidnapped but as he slowly regained his sanity and himself, he recognized who it was.

"Scion of the Edgeworth, you are meddling too much in the affairs of the Genesis Family. If you want to live, then you better let go of the man named Jin." A hoarse voice entered his ears.

The voice was threatening, but as Colt encountered this man his face beamed with delight, because finally, he managed to draw out this guy.

"I have a proposition."

And just like that, the night was fully realized.