The penthouse apartment was silent, a sterile glass-and-chrome cage suspended high above the glittering expanse of Kuoh Town.
Hiro Satoru sat on the edge of his unmade bed, silver hair falling over his eyes, obscuring an expression of cold fury. His knuckles were raw from a solitary, punishing assault on the heavy bag hanging in the corner. The silence in the room was a monument to the utter humiliation his crew had suffered at the playground.
Beeep… Beeep—
He snatched the phone before the third ring. Click.
"Hiro," Kenji's voice was urgent, skipping the pleasantries. "Endou and his group… I'm sure you've heard. They're all in the hospital. What are we going to do?"
Hiro's grip tightened on the phone. "…We can't wait any longer," he said, his voice a low growl. "We're ending this tomorrow evening, after school."
A pause on the other end.
"Are you sure? Hiro, there's something not right about that guy. How about we use our family's influence? Get him arrested, sent to juvie? That would give us more time to prepare—"
"No."
"…But, Hiro—"
"We do this without help from our families," Hiro repeated, his voice low, "What's the point of any of this if we just rely on them in the end? Using the Principal was one thing—he's under my influence, because of my talent. But any outside help would be shameful. We'd lose our name… Again."
"I have a bad feeling about this," Kenji insisted. "Kisaragi Reina is out. Now Endou and his entire unit are out. We'd be fighting tomorrow at about half strength."
"We have to do it before he reduces our numbers to a quarter," Hiro retorted, with finality lacing his voice.
"… Alright. I'll let the boys know."
Beep—
Hiro lowered the phone to his bedside stand.
Silence descended once more. His gaze drifted around the room—the minimalist art, the floor-to-ceiling windows, the sheer, oppressive luxury. It wasn't a castle; it was his cage, gilded with the very wealth and power he despised. A reflection of his family's influence... and his own personal prison.
********
********
They say all humans are equal at birth. But it was nothing but a comforting lie.
I was born as the youngest son of the Hiro family and our family ran Hiro Shōkai, a business that carried the weight of an empire.
From my earliest memories, I knew I was different. My emerald green eyes, the signature trait of our bloodline, seemed to draw people in. I was handsome, I was wealthy, and I was surrounded by a chorus of adults and peers who never dared to defy my wishes.
My much older siblings were distant figures, buried in study materials, locked in a race for the right to inherit our company, a race I was expected to join eventually.
My parents' involvement in my childhood was minimal, something akin to ghosts. My needs were met not by them, but by a staff of maids and butlers.
***
Eventually, the inevitable happened: my parents decided on my dream for me. To become the successor of our family business.
In other words, it was time for me to enter the race.
… Fortunately, even as a child I could sense that something was amiss about my siblings… I couldn't knowingly jump into fire.
Perhaps it was my rebellious phase kicking in. My perfect grades began to drop, an act of defiance. But I knew it was only a matter of time before I, too, would be forced to give in. What else can a Hiro do, after all, but business?
It wasn't until I came face-to-face with real danger that I discovered I had another potential.
***
The incident happened during that rebellious phase. My parents had strictly forbidden me from playing with the "less fortunate" kids, so naturally, that was all I wanted to do. I preferred the grime of a public playground to the dreadful silence of my study.
One afternoon, a group of high schoolers came to mess with us elementary kids. My playmates vanished at the first sign of trouble. I, who had never faced such a threat in my life, was left stunned. By the time I tried to run, a hand had caught me by my collar.
"Hey! I am Hiro Satoru! From Hiro Shōkai!" I shouted, the words a magic spell I had always believed to be infallible.
They laughed.
Their arrogance baffled me. Then, a fist slammed into my stomach.
For someone who had never known true pain, the sensation was indigestible. A sensation that flooded my system... In that searing agony, something broke.
My heart hammered against my ribs at a horrifying speed…
From heart to my fists.
From heart to my feet.
From heart to my eyes.
Finally, a direct line was forged between my heart and my mind...
I made a fist and—
WHAM
Punched as heavily as I could at the nearest guy, in the exact spot where he had hit me.
The high schoolers were shocked into a moment of silence, then they laughed again—until the guy I'd hit keeled over, gasping. By the time they realized it wasn't an act, it was too late. I was already moving, lost in a daze.
***
I still remember the exhilaration as I ran to my father's study later, clothes muddy, heart filled with a brilliant, shining ambition. I had found it. This 'Hiro' had found another talent. Another interest besides business.
My father wrinkled his nose at my disheveled state. I excitedly recounted the story.
He listened, impassive. Then he gave an order to his assistant to deal with the high school boys. He turned to me.
"You don't have to worry about them anymore. Just focus on your studies."
"…What?"
I didn't know what I was expecting. Perhaps I had hoped that if I found another passion, I could pursue that instead of business. However, the reality was that I didn't have an option to begin with…
That night, I threw a tantrum, the only weapon a powerless child possesses. They took my PlayStation, my Xbox, and my PC. They left me with nothing but books. It was my punishment for daring to have a dream of my own. A Hiro is not good at business because of some innate talent, I realized, but because it's the only path he's allowed to walk. In the end, it was the price I had to pay for the luxurious life I was born to; not having a freedom that other kids at my age had.
That's why I believe equality at birth to be a lie.
The fire in my heart slowly died.
***
My parents, who didn't seem nearly as tough as those high schoolers, were somehow infinitely more powerful. Their power wasn't strength; it was money, status, influence. Something which a kid like me didn't have. My only choice, I figured, was to attain even greater power than them, to finally be free. Hence, I forced myself to do what they asked me to.
As the years passed, I began to resemble my siblings more and more—an empty shell being groomed for succession. Perhaps they too once had different dreams and had come to this same, bitter conclusion.
Finally, high school arrived. I entered Kuoh Academy as a freshman, a school where my father had connections, where the principal, Shirogane Kazuro, was thrilled to have me. It was a new stage, but the play felt the same. I had learned to wear a gentle, princely demeanor, and my popularity was inevitable.
… I had come to despise the attention. They weren't chasing 'Satoru'; they were chasing 'Hiro'.
*********
*********
The memory faded, leaving a familiar, bitter taste in present-day Hiro's mouth. He pushed himself off the bed and walked across the cold, polished floor of his apartment. His reflection, a silver-haired ghost, moved with him across the dark, floor-to-ceiling windows.
He stopped in front of a sleek, minimalist glass shelf. Amidst a few tastefully arranged, impersonal sculptures sat two identical, gaudy objects that didn't belong in this room: two large, golden trophies.
Under-18 National Boxing Champion.
"…"
He remembered everything as if it happened yesterday.
*********
*********
About half a year into my freshman year, a group of sycophants from other influential families had declared themselves my "friend circle." I tolerated their fawning to maintain my public image, even as they used my name to cause all sorts of mischief. But I never expected them to cross the line with a senior.
The third-year… Loup Garou.
He carried himself with a quiet dignity that commanded more fear and respect than any bully. He was clearly from a wealthy family, though I didn't know the details. Recently, however, he'd been causing trouble, acting with a brazenness that seemed at odds with his former image. When my "friends" used my name to mess with him, he came for me.
"Are you the leader?" his voice was cold, devoid of inflection.
"…Excuse me?"
"Some freshmen came to mess with me. They said you were the one who ordered them to do so. Any explanations?"
Those idiots... They'd gotten so brazen they'd disrespected a senior of his caliber.
"I didn't order them," I admitted, feeling it was impossible to lie to this man.
"But… yes, I was aware they were using my name."
His brows furrowed. "...Come with me. I will teach you how to manage your subordinates.
…
WHAM!
It was the second time I'd been punched in the stomach, but the pain was astronomical, leagues beyond the clumsy strike from my childhood. He had dragged me behind the gym, and as I knelt on the ground, gasping, every instinct screamed at me to stay down.
"Ignorance is not an excuse. I am ending this matter here. Manage your underlings better next time."
But Pride is a deadly sin for a reason. As my mind screamed 'Let it go, end it there,' my body moved.
GRAB!
I grabbed his leg. He shook me off, but I was already scrambling up, my heart burning with that long-forgotten energy. I threw a wild overhand punch.
The world went white.
"…Intent…?"
I couldn't make out the what he murmured before his reflexive counter-punch knocked me out cold.
...
I woke in a hospital bed, my body sore. Garou was there, staring at me.
"Hiro Satoru, was it?" he asked, arms crossed.
"Y-yeah."
His presence was suffocating.
"Are you interested in pursuing a career in combat sports?"
For a moment, time stopped. That old dream resurfaced. I tried to push it away.
"...It is impossible due to my family circumstances."
"It is a yes or no question," he stated flatly.
I snapped. "Excuse me, things are already bad enough. Do you even know who my parents are? I don't know how things are in your family, but—"
The door creaked open. My parents.
"... Ah, you must be Loup Garou."
My father, Hiro Shunichi, spoke to Garou with a politeness that stunned me.
"You still haven't answered my question," he said, ignoring my dad.
THUMP
'This c-crazy idiot! Dad isn't gonna let this slide—'
My eyes went wide. My dad was giving him an apologetic smile. Hiro Shunichi was making that face...
I turned towards the senior with amazement and... hope.
Maybe...
"Y-yeah, I want to," I said.
Even if, even if it turned out to be nothing, I wanted to dream again.
That was how I met my teacher, Loup Garou, the sole heir to the immense Garou Consortium, a person who, despite being my age, held incomparable power.
"Meet me after class every day."
...
The days that followed were the most fulfilling of my life. The Garou family, invested in Hiro Shōkai, making them one of our largest shareholders. But that was just business. For me, the arrival of my master was a relief, a chance. We met at his private gym every day. I took on a new goal: the National Under-18 Boxing Championship. It was a steep climb, but I had three years to make it. It would be my first step on my new path.
Garou was a monster of a teacher. Our spars were brutal, relentless lessons. I built a new body, a new mindset, and dyed my hair silver to match his, in admiration (which he didn't even care). The stairs to a different life were open, and I climbed them with breathless excitement.
...
DING! DING! DING!
I won match after match, a super rookie taking the spotlight. I felt unstoppable. It might not happen this year but I would finally prove myself as 'Satoru', not just 'Hiro'.
DING! DING! DING!
"HIRO SATORU HAS WON THE CHAMPIONSHIP!"
... Eh?
"Is this the rise of a new star?! What a remarkable performance!"
The referee raised my hand, but a sense of wrongness crept in…
Wasn't it supposed to be… harder? More monumental?
...
"Keuk!"
I fell on my butt.
After the match, I sparred with Garou again. I lost, pathetically. Lying on the mat, panting, a ringing sound in my ears, I asked myself: Did anything really change?
...
""Congrats, Satoru!""
The victory party my parents threw gave me the answer.
"We always supported his passion," my mother bragged to an associate.
"He brought us a fortune, thanks to the Garou family's investment," my aunt added.
The truth crashed down. They didn't respect my strength; they respected the Garou family's influence. My victory meant nothing to them. I looked at the long path it would take me to become perhaps the strongest fighter in the world. Even at the apex of the fighting world, would I be anything compared to the Titan called 'Hiro'? The answer was… no.
My parents didn't respect Garou because of his fists. But because of the weight his name held. They respected the Garou family, like how students at Kuoh respected me.
My fists weren't strong enough to break free from the cage of my family's power. If the Garou family pulled their support, I'd probably be forced right back into the business world. Combat sports wasn't the answer.
Does that mean… I had to give up my talent? Again?
...
"You are not focused," Garou said days later, smacking my hand away during a listless training session. "Has winning one championship made you this complacent?"
"..."
The flame in my heart had died again. I couldn't shake off the feeling that all of this was pointless.
...
"Hiro! You are amazing, dude!"
My popularity had soared once again after the Principal awarded me a cash prize, as a reward for winning the championship. I knew it was just a fraction of my family's donations, a PR move to make me the school's role model. A social pawn. Fertilizer for these clueless morons who surrounded me, laughing and smiling, oblivious to the great powers that could crush their lives in an instant if it wished to…
"Mom gave me extra lunch money, today!"
I paused. Two guys passed by me.
"Today, I will finally try a dish from the premium menu!"
"Hey~ We are bros, right? You will share, right?"
"In your dreams, haha!"
GRIT
"Hiro, what happened?" one of the guys who was behind him asked, "Why did you stop?"
"..."
....
WHAM
WHAM
"P-pl-please! Wh-Why are you doing this to us?!"
WHAM
"I-I am sorry!"
WHACK
"O-oi, Hiro!" the guys who followed me seemed terrified.
Huff Huff
I stood there panting, behind the school gym, as the two guys from earlier struggled at my feet like bugs.
I snatched their money.
"Know your huff… fucking place…" I snarled.
I cannot give up on my talent, my passion. If there is no straightforward way for me to achieve power using them… Then…
That was the start of my bullying spree.
….
SMACK
"I can't believe you," Garou said.
He slapped my face again.
"You lost your mind? Tormenting others at your current level? So, if I had trained you more, would you have become a killer?"
WHAM
He punched my gut, and I doubled over, clutching my stomach.
"… Say what you want master… I will become powerful," I said through gritted teeth.
He lifted me up by the collar.
"Powerful?" he said harshly, "What does this have to do with becoming—"
"EVERYTHING!"
That was the first time I raised my voice at my master.
His grip on my collar tightened. The first time I saw him become that angry.
"This is my only way…"
After a brief silence, his eyes widened and he let my collar go. I slumped on my knees.
He looked at me with something that resembled guilt in his eyes and left.
One could say that was the end of our student teacher relationship. He never trained me again. A month later, he graduated from high school and went to college under the Kuoh Academy. I entered second year of my high school. Our contact became less and less. I had lost my courage to ask for teaching.
With Garou gone, I was adrift. But then, an unlikely figure offered me support: Principal Shirogane.
"Hiro Satoru, you have talent," he'd said. He promised to turn a blind eye to my "activities" as long as I kept representing the school in Nationals. I had a new patron.
…..
I decided to aim for a more stable income than taking students' lunch money. I would be just a third rate thug if I pursued that path. Instead I came across an interesting piece of information. There is another school in Kuoh that sometimes harass the students of Kuoh Academy. I organized my crew to offer protection services for affordable fees.
The business was a success. Splitting a decent chunk amongst the crew, I gained loyalty. The normal students hated me, but now they owed their harassment free life to me.
...
I had never cared about other people after becoming obsessed with boxing but it all changed one day. I learned about the student council president Sona Sitiri and her friend… Rias Gremory. Even when I was back in first year, I had often heard about how the two girls stole the hearts of many. I could see why.
I myself was blown away by the beauty of Rias Gremory. A red-haired foreign girl, with blue eyes. She became my first crush. The first girl I was ever interested in. Her family was rich too. I felt like we were a match made in heaven.
She became the object of my obsession, just like power.
But first… I had to get rid of the flies.
I targeted students who were asking her out. I met some surprises there; some imbeciles, despite knowing I was officially going after her, still dared to ask her out.
I didn't show anyone mercy.
Sona Sitiri however, started actively getting in my way, which irked me. However, she was the friend of Rias so I couldn't be careless.
Despite the presence of Sona Sitiri, everything was proceeding smoothly. Until… he arrived. Hyoudou Izo. A first year who was rapidly gaining attention. He joined Sona Sitiri. Perhaps being backed by Sona Sitiri went to his head, he started actively messing with my crew.
He dared to hit my men. I was not going to let it slide. I don't care—
"Do not fight, Hyoudou Izo."
… My master reappeared to deliver that cryptic message. It had been months since he had last talked to me…
"Wh-why?!"
"Just don't. I am saying it for your sake."
GRIT
Does he think I am that weak?!
Despite the blow to my pride, I obeyed my master. Even then, I could predict the consequences.
For some reason, Hyoudou Izo started to ignore my crew at the same time. However as I predicted, some idiots started spreading rumors that I was scared of him…
Despite both of us ignoring each other, my inaction was seen as weakness.
This caused a snowball effect. Disobedience started appearing here and there. I found their actions to be ungrateful. Considering the fact that I was keeping them safe.
Soon it became a rebellion. My crew started getting into fights with other second years. At the heart of this storm was a guy called Kagami Sora. A second year with no noticeable background.
He formed an opposition, played the hero, and challenged me to a one-on-one fight to end my reign. A nobody challenging the National Champion. I accepted, ready to make an example of him.
However…
Huff Huff
A ringing noise filled my head again…
I had scratches, cuts, and bruises all over my body. I couldn't celebrate the victory. He was strong, technical, full of a fighting spirit I hadn't felt in a long time. I barely, barely, managed to knock him out.
He was so strong that he evoked that burning sensation for a brief moment in my heart.
I stood over his unconscious body, not with triumph, but with a storm of questions.
He had no background, no connections. He wasn't wealthy. But I couldn't… I couldn't help but respect him. He intrigued me. I wanted to know more about him.
Who are you?
Where did you learn to fight like that?
I'd wanted to ask.
But I never got the chance. Kagami Sora quit school.
***
The rumors that I'd used my family's influence to get Sora expelled began to spread. They were wrong. I confronted the Principal, who told me Sora had left on his own. But it didn't matter; he could have been kicked out regardless. The damage was done, and the victory felt hollow.
That fight with Sora had awakened something in me, a feeling I couldn't quite pinpoint but knew was important. Perhaps if I'd had a conversation with him, I could have understood it. But I had matured. I couldn't chase after vague feelings anymore.
...
Sora's rise was a wake-up call. The ungrateful student body would seize any chance to rise against me. So, I decided to use the rumors about causing Sora's expulsion to my advantage. I didn't refute them. As a result, the students became more fearful, and my control solidified.
To further cement my strength in their minds—and to keep my promise to the Principal—I entered the Nationals again. I won for the second time in a row.
It evoked nothing in me. It was all business now.
But even that wasn't enough to guarantee another Kagami Sora wouldn't appear. I needed a better system. I split my crew into four divisions: Endou, Toru, and Kenji managed the first, second, and third years, respectively. Kisaragi Reina, the school's swimming ace who held an almost fanatical admiration for me, was tasked with keeping the female students in line.
Then, I implemented my new strategy: Isolate and Conquer. We'd pick a single, whimsical target to bully relentlessly, a task handled by the muscle-brained Toru and the hot-headed Endou. Kenji ran the "protection" business, while my role was to polish my own talents, preparing for the next real threat.
I entered my last year in high school. Life found a new, stable rhythm. I pursued Rias Gremory again. She kept refusing me, but I was patient. My world was finally orderly, controlled.
****
Then a new problem arrived: Hyoudou Issei.
The brother of the infamous Hyoudou Izo. He asked out Rias, and she accepted—an obvious move to spite me. The old rumors resurfaced, whispers that I was too scared of Izo to do anything about his brother.
… It was time to show them who the real boss was—
"Do not mess with Hyoudou Issei."
My master, once again, after ages of silence, appeared with another warning. However, this time, I was done listening. He could think I was weak all he wanted; but there are some things a man couldn't give up.
With that thought, I confronted Hyoudou Issei to warn him.
And for the first time in my life…
*WHAM*
I was knocked out by someone other than my master.
...
Hyoudou Issei was different than anyone I had faced so far. He followed a street-fighting style which was extremely violent and difficult to deal with. He'd never been on my radar because unlike Hyoudou Izo, this bastard didn't seem to have anything. No Connections, no presence, not even his brother's charisma. Yet, he'd taken me down and then fended off Toru's entire crew.
Despite my disobedience, my master presented me with an unbelievable opportunity: if I could defeat Issei, he would train me again. The one thing my life was missing—his presence, his guidance—was back on the table. With the Nationals coming up again, it felt like the perfect way to end my high school career. For the first time since I pursued this path, I was given permission to prove myself.
And so, I went to work.
Just as with Kagami Sora, the students started to rally behind their new 'hero'. But this time, I was prepared. The Principal, acting in his own mysterious interests, gave Issei a mere three-day suspension. However for me, it was more than enough. Targeting everyone who was acting up was impossible. I immediately focused all four of my divisions on Class 2-C, making their lives a living hell while leaving the rest of the school untouched. The other classes, drunk on their sudden freedom, became mellow and stayed silent. By the time Issei returned, the rebellion had already died.
It seemed as if the suspension had made Hyoudou Issei wary. He stopped acting up. I kept provoking him, knowing he was trapped: act, and he'd be expelled for good; do nothing, and he'd lose the trust of his class. The final step was targeting his two friends, Motohama and Matsuda.
However, that was a fatal mistake. The two of them had some fight in them, causing my boys to go too far.
Hyoudou Issei bided his time, then went after Kisaragi Reina, the one I deemed the least likely to be targeted. He had no honor, no qualms about using knuckle dusters, a weapon on a girl. I had expected him to target Toru's group or Endou's group, and advised them to move together, but he was unpredictable.
I had to act quick. I went to the Principal, confident I could use my influence to get Issei expelled long enough to crush the students' newfound hope for good.
I could always deal with Hyoudou Issei outside of school and properly pay him back later. That's what I thought.
But the Principal betrayed me. He kept Issei in school during the most dire situation. And now, today, Endou and his crew have been taken out. It was reported that some guys from class 2-C also joined in on the fight. The situation I wanted to avoid.
It was inevitable. The situation from last year with Kagami Sora was happening all over again. Everything finally came down to me. I was confident before, when I was knocked out by him. I thought it was a fluke. But now… I wasn't sure anymore. Perhaps Hyoudou Issei was just like his brother. No, maybe even worse. Master knew I couldn't win against them, which is why he made that promise—a goal he knew I could never reach.
However, Master. I have become stronger. Way stronger than when I was training under you. Or when I was fighting Kagami Sora.
At the end of the day, this is just another hurdle. I've overcome many. I will deal with him myself. And I will make you acknowledge my path.
******************************
Chapter 8. Hiro & Satoru — END
****************************
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