Yuwen watched Murayama, battered and bruised, struggling to stand, yet still, with a surge of will, swaying as he charged at him again.
Another similar scene flashed through his mind: Genji, when he first transferred to Suzuran, was just like this, repeatedly knocked down by Izaki's subordinates, repeatedly getting up stubbornly, his eyes resolute, willing to give his all for a certain goal.
At this moment, Yuwen felt a slight stir in his heart.
Even without finding his true conviction, the pure tenacity and fighting spirit Murayama possessed already constituted a unique and dazzling personal charm.
"Big Brother Murayama—!!"
"To the top! Charge!"
Amidst Furuya Hideto's hoarse roar and Seki Kotaro's tearful shouts, under the gaze of all the remaining Oni-Dwell thugs, mixed with despair and anticipation, Murayama let out a battle cry, using all the strength in his body to swing his fist towards Yuwen's face!
This punch condensed all his pride and unwillingness as the Oni-Dwell's top, and it was incredibly heavy!
Yuwen stood still, neither dodging, blocking, nor even assuming any defensive stance.
He took the punch squarely on his cheek!
"Bang!"
The heavy force caused his head to snap to one side, his body swayed, and the corner of his mouth split open again, fresh blood flowing down once more.
However, the anticipated sensation of knocking down an opponent did not come. Murayama looked at Yuwen, who remained motionless and didn't even retaliate. He was stunned at first, and then, an unprecedented sense of humiliation from being underestimated suddenly overwhelmed his reason.
"Wh-why didn't you dodge?!"
Murayama's voice trembled from extreme anger and physical exhaustion, his eyes like a wounded beast:
"Do you look down on me?! Bastard! Hit me with your fist! I don't need your pity—!!"
Yuwen slowly turned his head, looking at his opponent, who, fueled by anger, had temporarily dispelled his dizziness and was glaring at him.
He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, the previous assessment and calmness in his eyes replaced by a respect for a warrior.
"Pity?" Yuwen gently shook his head, his voice calm:
"No, Murayama. This is my... 'respect' for you." He took a deep breath, adopted a boxing stance, "Don't you dare die!"
As his words fell, Yuwen's fist moved.
No fancy techniques, no superfluous movements, just a pure, solid straight punch, gathering all the strength he could muster at that moment, aimed directly at Murayama.
Murayama watched the fist growing larger in his vision, his pupils slightly contracting.
This time, what he felt from the force of the punch was no longer the overwhelming power from before, nor was it exquisite technique, but a... heavy, acknowledging "conclusion."
And so, Murayama Yoshiki, the Oni-Dwell's top who was always charging, always attacking, in his final moments, abandoned all thoughts of defense and evasion.
He bravely puffed out his chest, using his last bit of pride and dignity to meet this "respect" from his opponent.
"Come on..."
"Boom—!"
The heavy fist landed squarely on his face without any pretense.
Murayama only felt an irresistible force pierce through his body, and the string that had been taut and supporting him finally snapped completely.
His body, pushed to its limits, could no longer bear it. All consciousness rapidly faded like a receding tide, and his vision was instantly swallowed by endless darkness.
In the moment before he completely lost consciousness, Murayama's last thought was not regret, but rather a hint of calm and... confusion:
Conviction... soul... what exactly are they... "Big Brother Murayama—!!!"
As Murayama's mighty body crashed to the ground like a landslide, the entire Oni-Dwell fell into a deathly silence, then was engulfed by immense wails and commotion!
Up and down the training building, all the thugs who witnessed this battle, whether they had been watching coldly or were loyal to Murayama, now had faces filled with shock and disbelief.
Their top, had really... fallen!
"Murayama!!" Furuya Hideto let out a heart-wrenching roar, his massive body trembling violently with anger and sorrow.
"I'll kill you! I'll kill you!!" Seki Kotaro was in tears, like a mad bear who had lost its cub, pounding the ground and letting out animalistic howls.
Yuwen stood still, breathing heavily, every muscle in his body protesting in pain, the wounds from his fierce battle with Murayama stinging hotly.
But he knew it wasn't time to relax yet; it had only just begun.
He lifted his heavy eyelids, his gaze sweeping over the crowd, which was plunged into grief and commotion, finally settling on Furuya and Seki Kotaro, who were on the verge of losing control and charging at him. His voice, hoarse yet clear, echoed throughout the venue:
"Come on. The Oni-Dwell's rules... I understand."
He forced himself to straighten his back; though his body was already tottering, his eyes remained sharp:
"Isn't it not over yet? If you want to avenge your top... then come at me, all of you!"
These words were like lighting the last powder keg.
"Kill him!!"
"Avenge Big Brother Murayama!!"
Without Murayama's suppression, Furuya Hideto, Seki Kotaro, and all the remaining elite thugs loyal to Murayama, like a bursting dam, charged at Yuwen in a frenzy, eyes red with fury!
Countless fists and kicks rained down on Yuwen's already overwhelmed body like a storm.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
"One... Two... Ten..."
Yuwen initially tried to keep a mental count of the attacks he endured, attempting to stay conscious.
But soon, more attacks surged from all directions.
His body swayed uncontrollably under the dense blows, his vision began to blur, and the roars and curses in his ears became distant and distorted.
Intense pain and severe dizziness constantly assaulted his conscious defenses like a tide.
The thugs on the training building watched with bated breath as the figure below, submerged by countless bodies yet still not falling, their eyes complex.
Meanwhile, Murayama's subordinates, who were attacking, seemed to have fallen into complete madness, unleashing all their sorrow and anger onto the man who had defeated their belief.
Yuwen felt his consciousness flicker like a candle in the wind, wavering at the edge of darkness.
His body was long numb, with only the dull impact of countless fists landing on him, continuous like raindrops.
Ninety? ...One hundred? ...One hundred?? ...That should be enough.
In the midst of the chaos and blurred consciousness, just as Furuya Hideto's heavy punch, filled with anger and sorrow, was about to strike his defenseless body again—
A scarred hand, like an iron clamp, suddenly appeared in mid-air, precisely grabbing Furuya Hideto's thick wrist, freezing that terrifyingly powerful fist mid-swing!
All attacks ceased abruptly at that instant.
The surrounding thugs, who had been attacking frantically, all froze, looking in disbelief at the person who should have fallen long ago.
He could actually... still move? Still block?
Yuwen slowly raised his head, his face bruised and bloody, but his eyes were sharp and bright.
He stared at the stunned Furuya Hideto, his voice hoarse but clearly audible to everyone:
"Hey... big guy. Counting the ones before and those just now... that's a hundred punches, right? The Oni-Dwell's 'Hundred Punches Rule,' did I... pass it?"
These words made many thugs instinctively take half a step back, their eyes filled with doubt and uncertainty.
They remembered the Oni-Dwell's ancient and unwritten rule—if one could endure a hundred punches without falling, they would be qualified to claim the position of the Oni-Dwell's "top."
"Bullshit rules!!"
Furuya Hideto violently flung Yuwen's hand away, his eyes bloodshot like an enraged mad bull. He didn't care about any rules; in his mind, there was only Murayama's fallen figure and an overwhelming fury!
"Who's counting rules with you?!" he roared, recklessly throwing another punch that landed squarely on Yuwen's chest!
"Bang!"
Yuwen's body swayed violently, and his throat tasted sweet, but he forced down the rising blood.
Not only did he not fall, but he used the force of the punch to straighten his spine, which had almost bent double!
He raised his hand, wiped away the fresh bloodstains, and looked at Furuya Hideto and the thugs behind him, who were glaring menacingly. A curve mixed with pain and madness appeared at the corner of his mouth:
"Very well… since the rules don't count anymore…"
His gaze suddenly became incredibly sharp, as if a sleeping beast had finally opened its eyes:
"Then… it's my turn, isn't it?!"
Before he finished speaking, Yuwen's fist moved!
This punch, seemingly ordinary, condensed the almost berserk power accumulated by the Berserker talent after enduring countless attacks!
He could even feel the power surging and roaring within him, as if it was about to burst out!
The only regret was that the green-level Bloodlock skill had been broken in the ultimate showdown with Murayama, and at this moment, the intense pain and internal injuries somewhat affected the perfect display of his strength.
Nevertheless, the might of this punch still made all the thugs present, including those watching from the training building, instantly feel a shiver from the depths of their souls!
"Boom—!!!"
The fist accurately struck Furuya Hideto's heavily muscled abdomen!
Furuya Hideto's tall body was like being hit by a truck at full speed; he instantly hunched over like a shrimp, his eyes bulging, and he spat out not just saliva, but also faint streaks of blood!
He couldn't even let out a complete cry of pain before his feet left the ground, and he flew backward like a tattered sack, crashing heavily into the crowd behind him!
"Woah!"
"Ugh!"
People were sent sprawling!
The unlucky ones hit by Furuya let out a series of screams and wails, while Furuya Hideto himself lay in the pile of people, his eyes rolled back, completely unconscious and motionless.
One punch!
Just one punch!
Furuya Hideto, widely recognized within Oni-Dwell as second only to Murayama Yoshiki in strength, was completely defeated!
The entire Oni-Dwell fell into a dead silence.
Only the sound of the wind and suppressed gasps were clearly audible.
Yuwen slowly retracted his fist, his cold gaze sweeping over the thugs who had been brutally beating him for a long time. His voice was not loud, but it carried a chilling sense of oppression:
"Just now… you all seemed to enjoy hitting me, didn't you?" He twisted his neck, emitting a teeth-grinding "click":
"Now… the warm-up is over. It's my turn."
He did not choose to pursue the onlookers on the periphery, but instead focused on Murayama's direct subordinates who still harbored fighting intent.
"Bastards! Don't underestimate us! Avenge Big Brother Furuya and Big Brother Murayama!!"
Seki Kotaro let out a roar of grief and indignation. Although fear was in his eyes, his corpulent body still charged forward first, and the other remaining elite thugs gritted their teeth, letting out beast-like howls, following him in a charge!
Their courage was commendable, but the chasm in strength was not something courage could bridge.
Yuwen's figure moved through the crowd like a ghost.
He did control his strength somewhat to avoid causing fatal injuries, but his counterattacks were still incredibly sharp!
"Bang!" A thug's fist landed on his back; he merely swayed slightly, then delivered a powerful counter-punch to the opponent's body, and the man fell in response.
"Crack!" A side kick accurately struck the side of another person's knee joint, accompanied by a slight crunch and a shrill scream.
Seki Kotaro roared and charged with a tackle, but Yuwen skillfully spun to avoid him, his elbow crashing heavily onto his broad back, causing him to fall to the ground with a thud like a collapsing mountain, struggling to get up.
Often, the thugs' full-force attacks landed on him like a stone sinking into the sea, while his seemingly casual punches and kicks always managed to precisely incapacitate an opponent, or even send them flying backward.
The battle turned into a one-sided "cleanup."
When the last elite thug who dared to charge fell, the temporary support from adrenaline receded like a tide, and the tsunami-like fatigue and intense pain, which had been forcibly suppressed, instantly engulfed Yuwen completely.
He stood rooted to the spot, his body swaying uncontrollably as if it could fall apart at any moment.
Every breath pulled at the pain throughout his body; the inhaled air seemed to carry the scorching smell of rust, and his stinging lungs made him unable to help but let out suppressed coughs. Each cough rattled his chest as if it would crack open.
The after-effects of the Bloodlock skill being broken by Murayama were now fully apparent; the internal injuries previously forcibly suppressed began to backlash, and a piercing pain came from his ribs, possibly indicating a fracture.
The old injuries left from clashing with Murayama also reawakened in his limbs and bones; his muscles felt as if they were repeatedly pierced by countless fine needles, and also as if they had been torn and then forcibly sewn back together, with waves of tearing soreness and burning pain.
His head buzzed as if a swarm of bees were inside, the tinnitus was continuous, and external sounds became distant and blurry.
Intense dizziness came in waves; the scene before his eyes was sometimes clear, sometimes spinning. He had to use all his strength to concentrate to barely maintain consciousness and prevent himself from completely falling into darkness.
The Oni-Dwell courtyard fell into an eerie silence, with only the sound of the wind and the occasional painful groans of the injured on the ground drifting through the air.
All the Oni-Dwell thugs who could still stand—whether those who had watched coldly before or those who had retreated to the periphery—were now staring intently at the swaying yet stubbornly upright figure in the center of the arena.
In their gazes, fear, shock, disbelief, and a hint of indescribable awe intertwined.
This transfer student, this seemingly mild-mannered guy, first overwhelmingly defeated the undefeated peak in their hearts—Murayama Yoshiki.
Then, when everyone thought he was at the end of his rope, he stubbornly endured over a hundred punches of frenzied encirclement without falling.
Finally, with one punch, he crushed Furuya Hideto, who was second only to Murayama, and like clearing out small fry, he took down all the remaining elite thugs who dared to resist.
This series of actions struck the heart of every witness like a heavy hammer.
From now on, the rules of Oni-Dwell might have changed… no longer just simply those who can withstand a hundred punches without falling… are qualified to contend for the "peak"… but rather—defeat the peak, endure the baptism of a hundred punches, and sweep away all challengers… this guy… is even more of a monster than Murayama Yoshiki!
A clear, undeniable realization spread rapidly like a plague among the surviving thugs.
They looked at Yuwen, covered in blood, seemingly about to collapse at any second, yet stubbornly standing firm, and suddenly realized one thing clearly:
The rules of Oni-Dwell had completely changed from this moment on.
The old order collapsed with Murayama Yoshiki's fall.
And the new order was being established by this new transfer student, in the most direct, violent, and traditional Oni-Dwell way—defeating the old king, being baptized by a hundred punches, and sweeping away all resistors—brazenly established!
The strong prey on the weak, the victor is king.
This was the unchanging iron rule of Oni-Dwell.
And now, standing at the top of the food chain was no longer the mad Murayama Yoshiki, but this seemingly gentle, yet inwardly containing terrifying power and tenacious will… new "peak."
The scent of blood and the murderous atmosphere pervading the air seemed to silently declare the arrival of a new era.
Many thugs subconsciously avoided Yuwen's sweeping gaze, and some even involuntarily lowered their heads slightly. This was a silent acknowledgment, or rather… submission.
From now on, the rules of Oni-Dwell would be written by this monstrous man.
And they would be the first witnesses to this new rule, and perhaps… also the first to obey it.
Yuwen gritted his teeth, holding onto his almost shattered consciousness, and roared in his heart:
"Cell Activation!"
A faint but pure energy instantly flowed through his entire body. Some shallower wounds on his skin began to close and scab at a visible speed, and the burning pain in his internal organs also slightly lessened.
However, this skill consumed a huge amount of energy, so he immediately cut off its effect. His injuries improved somewhat, but what followed was an even deeper, ocean-like fatigue and extreme mental languor, as if he could fall asleep on the spot the next second.
He clenched his jaw, fighting against his body's instinctive wails with his remaining willpower, forcibly steadying his swaying body, and not falling down.
At this moment, he was covered in blood, his tattered special attack uniform soaked crimson and sticking to his skin.
Around his feet, Oni-Dwell's previous generation's top, Murayama Yoshiki, powerful executives Furuya Hideto and Seki Kotaro, along with dozens of elite thugs, lay sprawled, groans and silence intertwined, forming a powerfully impactful scene.
He took a deep breath. The air carried the scent of blood, yet it seemed to inject the last bit of strength into his exhausted body.
He lifted his head, his gaze like cold lightning, sweeping over all the Oni-Dwell thugs who were still standing on both floors of the training building. He used all his strength to let out a passionate roar, like a declaration, his voice hoarse but resonating:
"Listen up, all of you—!"
"My name is Yuwen!"
"From today onwards! Oni-Dwell, I call the shots!"
He paused slightly, gathering his strength, then loudly declared his goal:
"I'm going to implement—Full-Time Student Faction and "fixed-time system" coexistence here! Who supports it!! Who opposes it!!!"
These words were like a thunderclap, exploding in Oni-Dwell!
The thugs on the training building instantly froze, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.
"He... what did he say?"
"Full-Time Student Faction? "fixed-time system"? What are those things?"
"What a joke! This is Oni-Dwell! Not a place for studying!"
"Is this guy crazy? He fights us and then tells us this?"
It wasn't just them; even Seki Kotaro and a few elite executives who were lying at Yuwen's feet and still somewhat conscious were bewildered.
Seki Kotaro shook his dizzy head and murmured:
"Yu...wen? That name... I think I've heard it somewhere..."
A blood-soaked executive next to him suddenly remembered something and blurted out:
"Yuwen?! Is that... the 'lunatic' who implemented something called the Full-Time Student Faction at Suzuran just by talking, and later even convinced Housen's Narumi Taiga?!"
"How is that possible?! The rumors said he was just a cunning guy who only knew how to talk?! This is what he calls 'only knowing how to talk'?!"
A strong wave of shock, confusion, and anger immediately erupted among the thugs.
They couldn't accept that someone who had crushed their top and all their elites with absolute violence, had a ultimate goal of making them... study?!
However, amidst this uproar and resistance, a very small number of people—those who were usually mocked as "bookworms," who could only hide in corners to secretly study, or who had long grown tired of endless violence and yearned for another possibility—suddenly had an incredible light and hope burst forth in their eyes!
They clenched their fists tightly, looking excitedly at the blood-soaked figure below, as if seeing the dawn that would break this cage!
"He... actually came... to Oni-Dwell..."
"He did it... He really defeated Big Brother Murayama... He might really be able to do it..."
But there were always stubborn troublemakers.
Several thugs who were already dissatisfied and saw Yuwen swaying, seemingly at the end of his rope, exchanged glances, feeling that their chance had come!
"He's done for! Just putting on a show! Get him!"
Someone took the lead, and immediately a dozen more became restless, stepping out of the crowd and surrounding Yuwen with fierce eyes.
Yuwen stood still, not even moving his feet, just looking at them coldly.
The leading troublemaker, seeing Yuwen's lack of reaction, grew bolder and roared as he charged forward, throwing a heavy punch straight at Yuwen's face!
"Bang!"
The punch landed squarely on Yuwen's face with a dull thud.
But Yuwen's face didn't even flinch a bit; he just stared intently at the attacking thug with his cold, bloodshot eyes.
"You..." Yuwen spoke, his voice deep, with a chilling calmness, "Didn't you eat?"
The thug who threw the punch looked at Yuwen's unmoving gaze, feeling the recoil from his fist, and an extreme chill instantly shot from his feet to the top of his head. Terror instantly seized his heart!
Just then, another thug, taking advantage of the moment Yuwen was "under attack," swung a wooden baseball bat with a vicious whoosh, smashing it hard at Yuwen, not even sparing the thug in front!
Yuwen didn't hesitate.
His fist moved faster than the bat, lashing out like lightning!
This punch wasn't aimed at the sneak attacker, but whistled past the ear of the terrified thug in front of him, striking the incoming baseball bat with pinpoint accuracy!
"Crack—!!!"
A loud bang!
The solid wooden baseball bat, at the moment of contact with the fist, twisted and broke instantly, as if hit by a high-speed train!
Large fragments and splinters flew in all directions!
The thug holding the broken bat had his tiger's mouth split open, cried out in pain, and was knocked away by the shattered bat, taking down several of his accomplices behind him in a chaotic scramble!
Everyone was stunned by this sudden scene!
Yuwen slowly retracted his fist.
The thug in front of him, watching the pulverized baseball bat fly past his eyes and feeling the lingering punch wind by his ear, his legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground with a "thud."
The entire Oni-Dwell once again fell into a deathly silence.
You could hear a pin drop.
Yuwen surveyed the scene, looking at the faces filled with fear, shock, and finally submission, and with his last ounce of strength, let out a triumphant roar:
"Who else—?!"
I made a name for myself with my fists, and that's why I carry the Oni-Dwell signboard.
I've never lost a fight before.
So I've decided.
I'll go to Oni-Dwell, and then... surpass Suzuran and Housen!
I'll reach the top of all thugs!!
I'll let everyone know I'm the strongest!!!
Victory is my everything.
So every day is...
Fighting!
Fighting!!
Fighting!!!
Fighting!!!!
That guy... So, what is conviction, what is soul??
What's the difference?
What makes me different from the top of Suzuran and Housen!!
What have I gained with my fists...? In the chaotic darkness, these thoughts collided and echoed like fragments deep within Murayama Yoshiki's consciousness.
He felt like he was falling into an endless abyss until... a suppressed, intermittent whimper, like a faint ray of light, struggled to pierce through the thick darkness and enter his almost numb perception.
Who... is crying?
This sound... it's so familiar... So annoying... I'm not dead yet... A strange irritation and unwillingness welled up in his heart, dispelling some of the chaos.
Murayama Yoshiki slowly opened his heavy eyelids, his consciousness slowly surfacing from the deep sea.
The first thing he felt was the intense pain from all over his body, followed by the suppressed but clear whimpering in his ears.
He struggled to turn his head, and his blurry vision gradually cleared.
What came into view was Seki Kotaro's fat face, almost distorted from crying.
This man, usually irritable and prone to anger, like a wild beast, was now hugging him tightly like a lost child, hot tears constantly dripping, his large body trembling uncontrollably from sobbing.
Seki... "Wuwu... Big Brother Murayama... you've finally woken up... I thought... Wuwu wa..."
Seki Kotaro cried even harder when he saw him wake up, his large body convulsing.
Murayama's gaze shifted slightly, and he saw Furuya Hideto standing silently by the bed.
This tall, gloomy man, whose strength was second only to his own, now had lingering bruises and fatigue on his face, and those eyes, always filled with fighting spirit or ferocity, were now brimming with complex emotions—concern, self-reproach for failing to protect him, unwillingness to accept defeat, but deeper still, a silent loyalty that would keep him by his side even if the sky fell.
His gaze continued to sweep across the bedside.
His other core subordinates were all injured, some bandaged, some with tape on their faces, but without exception, they were all here, their eyes fixed on him, with no trace of betrayal due to failure, only deep worry and a... hope for him to rise again.
Furuya... Everyone...
At this moment, time seemed to slow down.
Murayama had never, until now, in such a quiet and disheveled state, carefully and seriously looked at these companions who had followed him and fought alongside him until now.
He saw the un-dried tear stains on Seki Kotaro's face, the tightly clenched, white-knuckled fists of Furuya Hideto, and the burning light in the eyes of his other subordinates, mixed with pain yet still fervent.
Scenes from the past flashed uncontrollably through his mind:
It was Seki Kotaro's figure always roaring and charging at the front, the countless moments Furuya Hideto used his broad back to shield him from attacks, and every day and night they laughed wildly, fought, and made the name of Oni-Dwell known...
Just then, Yuwen's words, like a final alarm bell, echoed thunderously deep in his mind:
"Your fists are empty!"
Empty... as well...
Looking at these subordinates who cried for him, stood by him, and tied their conviction and loyalty to him.
Murayama murmured, "Conviction, huh...?"
The invincible fists he had always relied on felt powerless when facing that man, perhaps because they only carried the desire for "victory," only to prove the hollow name of "strongest."
In his fists, there was no weight of his companions, no resolve to protect them, nothing deeper than mere victory or defeat!
An unprecedented surge of warmth suddenly erupted from the deepest part of his heart, instantly dispelling the physical pain and the gloom of defeat.
It wasn't the madness of seeking destruction, but a heavier, warmer, and more resilient power!
His fists seemed to have gained something.
That was—conviction!
He looked at the crying Seki Kotaro, at the silent Furuya, and at all the subordinates watching him, a look on his face different from any previous mad smile, one filled with apology, warmth, and a new resolve.
He suddenly thought of that guy... "Where is that guy...?" His voice was weak:
"That guy... who exactly... is he?"
Seki Kotaro sobbed, wiped his face haphazardly with his sleeve, and replied with a choked voice:
"Th-that guy... His name is Yuwen! He's... he's that Yuwen from Suzuran before!"
"Yuwen...?"
Murayama found the name somewhat familiar; it seemed a subordinate had mentioned it casually a long time ago, something about a strange person pushing some "Full-Time Student Faction" at Suzuran.
At that time, his eyes were only on the "tops" like Serizawa and Genji of Suzuran and Narumi of Housen, and he completely disdained such "unbusinesslike" news.
It was... him?
Furuya Hideto added in a deep voice, his tone filled with humiliation and unwillingness:
"That guy... he defeated all of us. Then he declared... from now on, Oni-Dwell will implement the Full-Time Student Faction and the "fixed-time system"... and he counted all of us into the 'Full-Time Student Faction,' he made us..."
Seki Kotaro took over, imitating Yuwen's tone, yet with a hint of fear he himself didn't notice:
"He also said... he said that if we can't defeat him for one day, we must abide by the rules he set for one day! If we want to resist, we're welcome anytime, but the premise is... to be able to defeat him!"
These words made all the thugs by the bed lower their heads, their fists clenched, and the air was filled with a heavy sense of powerlessness and indignation.
They had lost, and their revered leader had lost with them, even the right to resist had been stripped away.
Murayama listened to his subordinates' words, stunned, and remained silent for a while.
Seki Kotaro looked at him worriedly, thinking he was struck by the news, and cried out:
"Big Brother Murayama... are you... are you okay?"
However, the expected rage or despondency did not appear.
Murayama Yoshiki, this man who had always taken "strongest" as his sole creed, after experiencing complete defeat and hearing his opponent's almost "absurd" goal, not only did not lose his spirit, but instead, like dry kindling thrown into a spark, he suddenly ignited an unprecedented, even hotter and brighter flame!
He didn't feel despair; instead... he felt an unprecedented, clear sense of excitement and purpose!
He turned his head, looked at Seki Kotaro, who was crying like a child, and showed a smile that was apologetic yet incredibly firm:
"Sorry, Seki..."
His gaze swept over Furuya, and over every loyal subordinate who followed him, his voice gradually became powerful, carrying a resolve like being reborn from fire:
"It seems... we can't 'graduate' just yet."
Then, as if he had understood something crucial, he chuckled softly, his laughter gradually growing from weak to hearty, filled with relief and a new fighting spirit!
"Heh... Heh heh... Hahahaha—!!"
This laughter infected those around him.
Seki Kotaro stared at him blankly, tears still wet on his face, but he also unconsciously grinned.
On Furuya Hideto's tense face, the corners of his mouth also relaxed slightly, revealing a hint of relieved smile.
The other subordinates looked at each other, then all smiled, their smiles no longer containing confusion and humiliation, but a rekindled, firm conviction to face any challenge with their leader!
The bonds, at this moment, became even stronger amidst the ruins of defeat.
Their battle was far from over; it just had a different meaning now.
At the same time—
Soft Leaf Academy.
Mitsuhashi, Ito, and Riko were hiding on the training building's rooftop, observing the commotion below.
As Kaiki's Full-Time Student Faction cadres at Soft Leaf, they were supportive, but the reality was baffling.
Regarding Yuwen's advocacy for the "Full-Time Student Faction and ""fixed-time system""", most students at Soft Leaf were indifferent, with only a handful of registrants.
This was understandable; Soft Leaf was a renowned elite academy, and most students came from affluent families with clear future plans—to become doctors, lawyers, entrepreneurs, steadily climbing the elite ladder.
thugs were already scarce at Soft Leaf, and the top two—Mitsuhashi and Ito—never bullied anyone.
Therefore, the students had no interest in Suzuran, which was known as "one of The Three Heavens of the thug world" and "the Raven's Nest," nor in the system Yuwen intended to implement through it.
""Full-Time Student Faction""? Sounds like too much trouble."
A male student with a 70/30 part and gold-rimmed glasses pushed up his spectacles, his tone filled with disdain:
"We're going to enter high society in the future; we're not in the same world as those thugs who fight all day and have bleak prospects."
He spoke with undisguised superiority: "Someone actually signed up and wore that ridiculous armband... Are they trying to play hero?"
Next to him, his friend, a tall male student in a neatly ironed uniform, chimed in:
"Exactly. My father said that people from such places will only struggle at the bottom of society. My family would never allow me to get involved in such things; it's too undignified."
"Look at those 'Full-Time Student Faction' members, do they really think they've latched onto some powerful connection? They're just lowering the tone of our Soft Leaf."
At that moment, another short student who had joined them interjected:
"Right! I think they're out of their minds. We're going to enter high society in the future; we're not in the same world as those thugs who fight all day and have bleak prospects. They even want to bring that kind of low-class thug culture into our Soft Leaf; it's truly undignified."
The students gathered together burst into laughter, their gazes dismissively sweeping over the few students in the distance who wore "Full-Time Student Faction" armbands and seemed somewhat out of place.
Just then, Ito, who had been silently watching from the rooftop, suddenly stood up, his eyes sharp.
"What's wrong, Ito-kun?" Riko asked with concern.
Outside the main gate, a massive crowd had arrived, an astonishing number of people.
They were all dressed in white special attack uniforms, their eyes fierce, their target clear—Soft Leaf!
The Soft Leaf students on the training building also witnessed this scene and immediately fell into a panic.
Especially the Soft Leaf thugs who usually only engaged in minor skirmishes; they were even more terrified, their faces turning pale.
"It's... it's Kaiki!" A scrawny thug's voice trembled, almost collapsing to the ground.
"We're finished! This time, we're really finished!"
Another thug with a buzz cut squatted down, clutching his head, shouting incoherently:
"It's Kaiki, second only to The Three Heavens! Why are they here?!"
"There are too many of them! What should we do?"
"Quick, quick, lock the doors and windows!"
"Go call Mitsuhashi-aniki and Ito-aniki!"
Panic spread like a plague among the students, with discussions and screams rising and falling.
Kaiki's thugs surged like a tide towards the Soft Leaf training building. The bald, burly man leading them, with a "Victory" headband tied to his forehead, stepped forward, drew a deep breath, and roared:
"Mitsuhashi! Ito! Get out here—!"
Meanwhile, Mitsuhashi, Ito, and Riko had already hidden behind a pillar in the first-floor corridor, secretly observing the situation outside.
Ito stared at the dense crowd outside with a serious expression, unconsciously muttering his companion's name, seeking a solution:
"Mitsuhashi... Mitsuhashi..."
He turned his head, only to find himself alone.
Mitsuhashi, who had been there just moments ago, had vanished without a trace.
Just then, a person wearing a full set of kendo gear, with the face mask tightly secured, and clutching a practice wooden sword, walked over with stiff steps and spoke in a deliberately lowered voice:
"Hello, I'm Tanaka from the Kendo Club."
Riko looked at him and retorted mercilessly:
"That's terrible."
At this moment, the academy's coaches, led by the head coach, Coach Muku, also nervously gathered, each one huddled in a corner, cautiously peeking out to observe the "white army" outside.
Coach Muku looked at Mitsuhashi (fake Tanaka) and Ito, and in his characteristic, somewhat neurotic tone, he said:
"Oh dear! They, they're calling for you two!"
Riko looked at him in disbelief: "Coach Muku! Are you actually planning to hand over your precious students just like that?"
"I'm Tanaka from the Kendo Club!" Mitsuhashi (fake) emphasized again, trying to bluff his way through.
Coach Muku wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and explained, feigning composure:
"Well... as a coach, deep down, I naturally want to suddenly, calmly, and resolutely confront them head-on! But... but they specifically asked for Mitsuhashi and Ito!"
A young female teacher nearby stammered with fear:
"Tea-teachers, shouldn't we call the police!"
Another slightly overweight male teacher immediately shook his head: "No, the principal explicitly forbade calling the police!"
Riko pressed: "Why?"
The male teacher replied with a bitter face:
"Because... because if we alarm the police for such a 'small matter'... the number of people applying to Soft Leaf next year will drastically decrease!"
"That's so tasteless!" Mitsuhashi (fake) couldn't help but blurt out in his real voice, then immediately reacted and lowered his voice:
"...I'm Tanaka."
Coach Muku took a deep breath, walked up to Ito, placed his hands firmly on Ito's shoulders, and in an almost operatic tone, said extremely irresponsible words:
"Ito! From the looks of it, this is undoubtedly the 'fruit' of the 'seed' you sowed in the past! Since that's the case, then use your own hands to cut down the 'sprout' that has grown! And then, bring it back with your own strength! This is a man's responsibility!"
The physical education teacher next to him couldn't bear to watch and muttered softly:
"He actually said such terrible things in such a serious manner..."
"Alright!" Mitsuhashi (fake) immediately seized the opportunity, patting Ito's back:
"Ito, you go! I... I'll go find where that unreliable student Mitsuhashi is hiding!" Having said that, he made a move to slip away.
Riko eagerly suggested: "Shouldn't we contact Yuwen quickly?"
Ito shook his head, his gaze firmly fixed on the growing crowd of Kaiki thugs outside the gate, who had begun yelling and pushing against the fence, and said in a deep voice:
"It's too late."
Kaiki's men were about to break through the gate.
Ito took a deep breath and suddenly straightened his back.
He didn't look at anyone else; he simply buttoned up his special attack uniform jacket one by one, adjusted his collar, and then, with firm and steady steps, walked alone and resolutely towards the white tide of people.
The setting sun cast a long shadow, and his solitary figure, facing the challenge alone, appeared particularly tragic against the backdrop of the panicked academy and his comical companions.
Ito, alone, walked with firm steps towards Kaiki's army, his tall figure forming a stark contrast with the white 'tide'.
The students in the training building immediately erupted.
"Hey, isn't that Ito-ge?" a short student leaning by the window exclaimed.
"It really is Ito-ge! He went out alone!"
"Why is he the only one? Where's Mitsuhashi-ge?"
"That's Kaiki over there... Ito-ge, he..."
Ito ignored the commotion behind him, his gaze like a torch fixed on the bald, burly man leading Kaiki, and asked in a deep voice:
"What do you want?"
The bald thug leader sneered, tilting his head and saying:
"Hey, hey, you, Soft Leaf, watch your tone! You should be asking us 'what can we do for you'!"
At this moment, Riko also mustered her courage and ran over, standing beside Ito, and loudly said to the Kaiki people:
"What are you doing here? We're going to call the police!"
"Oh?" A frivolous and dangerous voice came from behind the Kaiki crowd.
The thugs automatically parted to make way, and Sagara Takeshi emerged slowly, a toothpick in his mouth, hands in his pockets, and a playful smile on his face.
"Is that really a good idea, little lady?" He glanced at Riko, then his gaze swept over Soft Leaf's exquisite training building:
"Calling the police... that would cause quite a bit of trouble for Soft Leaf, this 'prestigious academy', wouldn't it? Besides—" He drew out his words, spread his hands, "—we're not here to fight today."
Sagara Takeshi took out an envelope from his pocket and casually tossed it to Ito.
"We're just here to give you this."
Ito took the envelope, opened it, and inside was a piece of paper covered in writing.
"What is this?" He frowned.
"Protection fee request form," Sagara Takeshi said lightly:
"If Soft Leaf's students want to live a peaceful, undisturbed elite life, they'll have to pay this money to us, Kaiki, on time."
"Are you kidding me!" Ito roared, clutching the request form tightly.
Sagara Takeshi's smile turned cold:
"If you don't pay... we'll bring all of Kaiki's people and 'visit' your Soft Leaf every day. Ito, and Mitsuhashi, who knows where he's hiding, can just the two of you protect all the good kids in Soft Leaf?"
"You're too despicable!" Riko's face turned pale with anger.
Ito stepped forward, staring at Sagara Takeshi without flinching:
"Sagara, think carefully! Soft Leaf has now implemented the Full-Time Student Faction and "fixed-time system" advocated by Senior Yuwen! We are also members under Senior Yuwen! Do you want to harm the students Senior Yuwen intends to protect?" He tried to intimidate the other party with Yuwen's name.
Hearing the name "Yuwen," Sagara Takeshi's pupils constricted slightly, and indeed a hint of apprehension flashed in his eyes.
But he immediately remembered that this wasn't Suzuran, but Soft Leaf!
It was the den of these sheep who only knew how to study!
Moreover, this was his first large-scale operation after ascending to the top of Kaiki, and he had to establish his authority and bring tangible benefits to Kaiki to solidify his position!
A red-haired thug behind him, eager to show off, immediately jumped out and pointed at Ito, yelling:
"What kind of Yuwen nonsense! What Full-Time Student Faction! That kind of childish game, who are you trying to scare!"
He arrogantly reached out, poised to grab Riko's arm, "First, let this chick play with us..."
"Slap!"
With a crisp sound, a wooden sword accurately struck the red-haired thug's wrist.
"Ow, that hurts!" The red-haired thug cried out, clutching his wrist and retreating.
A "Kendo Club member," fully armed and with his face hidden behind a mask, held a wooden sword, struck an exaggerated pose, and shouted in a distorted voice:
"A hero of justice cannot stand idly by! Hello everyone, I am Tanaka from the Kendo Club!"
Riko, beside him, covered her face: "That disguise is too terrible..."
This sudden attack gave Sagara Takeshi an excuse to erupt, and he instantly cast aside his apprehension about Yuwen.
"I didn't want to fight..."
Sagara Takeshi's face showed a ferocious smile as he stretched his neck: "However, since you made the first move... then I can't remain silent! Kaiki! Get them!"
At Sagara Takeshi's command, the Kaiki thugs behind him surged forward like a broken dam, roaring as they charged at Mitsuhashi, Ito, and Riko.
Mitsuhashi ostentatiously swung his wooden sword forward, temporarily repelling the first few people, then suddenly turned, grabbed Ito with one hand and Riko with the other, and fled at his fastest speed!
"Don't underestimate us, you bastards!"
"Don't run! Stop!"
The angry shouts of the Kaiki thugs immediately became a cacophony.
The scene instantly spiraled out of control!
Sagara Takeshi, with the surging crowd, directly broke through Soft Leaf's main gate and poured into the interior of Soft Leaf like a white plague.
Mitsuhashi, meanwhile, pulled Ito and Riko, running quickly towards the back door.
"Hey! Mitsuhashi! Is it okay for us to just run out like this?"
Ito ran, anxiously looking back, worried about the other people in Soft Leaf.
"Of course it's okay!"
Mitsuhashi shouted back without looking, his voice full of righteous indignation: "Those guys are after you and me, right? If we lead them away, Soft Leaf will be safe!"
Just as Mitsuhashi and Ito successfully ran out of Soft Leaf, Sagara Takeshi, with a large group of Kaiki thugs, searched for their tracks inside Soft Leaf like headless chickens.
Sagara Takeshi looked at the Soft Leaf students running and screaming in extreme panic, at the overturned tables and chairs and scattered books, and couldn't help but frown.
His original intention was only to pressure them into paying protection fees and create controllable panic, not to cause such large-scale chaos and destruction, which exceeded his initial plan and could easily attract unnecessary attention.
"Enough! Everyone stop!"
Sagara Takeshi shouted loudly, trying to control the situation, "Our targets are Mitsuhashi and Ito! Don't touch those irrelevant guys!"
Some of the Kaiki thugs near Sagara Takeshi heard the command and reluctantly stopped.
However, there were one or two hundred Kaiki thugs who had poured in, densely spread between several training buildings and the sports field, and without a clear target, they were like wild horses running loose.
Sagara Takeshi could not effectively control everyone for a while.
Some of the Kaiki thugs were still restrained, only loudly scolding and driving away students;
But another part of the already volatile thugs began to vent their anger at not finding Mitsuhashi and Ito on innocent students, pushing and hitting those who blocked their way;
Even more, several thugs with lecherous eyes surrounded a few trembling female students, starting to grope them and utter vulgar words.
"Stop!"
A male student wearing a "Full-Time Student Faction" armband bravely stepped forward, his voice trembling slightly, but he still stood in front of a Kaiki thug who was pulling a female student's hair:
"I... I am a Full-Time Student Faction student under Senior Yuwen! Senior Yuwen of Suzuran said that Full-Time Student Faction students do not participate in thug fights! You cannot do this!"
Another student nearby, also wearing an armband, trembled and echoed: "That's right! Senior Yuwen won't let you off!"
Some of the older Kaiki thugs who had witnessed Yuwen's combat power in previous large-scale conflicts, hearing the name, clearly hesitated in their actions, a look of apprehension on their faces.
However, some of the Kaiki thugs who were in high spirits completely ignored them, even escalating their mockery:
"Yuwen? Hahahaha! He's in Suzuran now, how can he control things here?"
"What kind of Full-Time Student Faction nonsense! Do you really think you're important?"
"Get out of the way! Or we'll beat you too!"
One of the thugs grabbed the Full-Time Student Faction student by the collar, and his fist was raised...
At this moment, several older Kaiki thugs, who knew Yuwen's strength, quickly stopped their companions who were about to lay hands on the Full-Time Student Faction members.
"Hey, don't be rash!"
"That guy is trouble..."
Restrained by their companions, they grudgingly withdrew their hands, only able to spit at the Full-Time Student Faction members and glare at them fiercely, temporarily letting them go.
With their pent-up anger having nowhere to vent, their gazes swept through the chaotic crowd, suddenly locking onto two boys huddled in a corner not far away, trying to lower their presence—the same boy with the side part and gold-rimmed glasses, and his tall friend.
The most crucial thing was that they were clean and tidy, and weren't wearing those "troublesome" armbands at all!
These Kaiki thugs instantly revealed a sinister grin, having found substitutes, and surrounded them with ill intentions.
"Yo—!"
A thug with a mohawk shrieked in an exaggerated tone, pointing at the gold-rimmed glasses:
"Did you just look at me?"
Another thug with a scar on his face directly grabbed the tall boy's collar, yanking him into a stumble:
"You're dressed quite nicely, aren't you!?"
The boy with gold-rimmed glasses turned pale with fright, his lips trembling, his earlier air of elite superiority long gone:
"Wh-what do you want... I warn you... My father is..."
"Is what!" The mohawked thug didn't give him a chance to finish, slapping off his gold-rimmed glasses, which instantly shattered.
"I hate arrogant honor students like you the most!"
His tall friend's legs went even softer, almost unable to stand, and he could only try to explain futilely:
"W-wait... Let's talk this out..."
Just as the mohawked thug's fist was about to land, the Full-Time Student Faction member who had been wearing the armband suddenly stepped forward again, spreading his arms to block the two.
His own body was trembling slightly, his voice filled with obvious apprehension and a tremor, yet it was exceptionally firm:
"St-stop! They... they are also our Full-Time Student Faction companions! It's just... it's just that their armbands haven't been given to them yet!"
These words made the Kaiki thugs pause, their raised fists hanging in mid-air.
The boy with gold-rimmed glasses and the tall boy, standing behind the Full-Time Student Faction member, were also completely stunned.
They looked at the back of this person, whom they usually mocked, now shielding them. A complex emotion welled up in their hearts.
Another Full-Time Student Faction member nearby, seeing this, also showed a flicker of hesitation on his face, but seeing his companion's bravery, he immediately mustered his courage and stepped forward, loudly echoing:
"N-no! They are all our people! You can't touch them!"
However, this futile lie didn't last long.
The mohawked thug carefully scrutinized the terrified expressions of the boy with gold-rimmed glasses and the tall boy, then looked at their empty arms, and suddenly sneered:
"Ha! Do you take us for idiots?"
The sinister grin on his face twisted further: "You can't even tell a proper lie! Since you want to get beaten together so badly, then so be it!"
Before he finished speaking, he violently punched the face of the Full-Time Student Faction member blocking in front!
The other thugs also threw caution to the wind, roaring as they swarmed forward, fists and kicks raining down like a storm, no longer distinguishing targets, engulfing all the Full-Time Student Faction members in violence.
The older thugs who had known Yuwen's strength and tried to stop them earlier, seeing the situation escalate to this point, opened their mouths, but ultimately just turned their heads away in resignation, not stepping forward to intervene.
The uncontrolled emotions had ignited, and they couldn't hold them back anymore.
The boy with gold-rimmed glasses and the tall boy, seeing the Full-Time Student Faction member who protected them knocked to the ground, felt a surge of inexplicable courage and guilt.
The tall boy yelled, "Don't hit him!" trying to push away a thug who was kicking the Full-Time Student Faction member, but he was knocked to the ground with a backhand punch.
"Tsk, a good-for-nothing trying to be a hero?" The thug casually kicked him, mocking, "A guy who can't even protect himself, trying to act righteous?"
But this time, the two fallen boys didn't just curl up as before. Instead, they struggled and huddled together with the Full-Time Student Faction member, shielding each other with their bodies, enduring the raining fists and kicks together.
Though still unable to fight back, their posture was different now.
In other corners of Soft Leaf, similar scenes were playing out.
Some Full-Time Student Faction members wearing armbands were indeed lucky enough to escape bullying due to Kaiki's apprehension;
Some clever students, seeing the situation, immediately lied and claimed they were also Full-Time Student Faction members, and some Kaiki thugs hesitated and let them go.
However, not all thugs bought into the name "Yuwen," especially those who were newly joined or inherently hot-headed and impulsive, and the chaos continued.
It wasn't until Sagara Takeshi and several key leaders shouted and restrained them at various locations, hoarse from their efforts, that the out-of-control situation was barely brought under control.
With Sagara's command, the Kaiki thugs retreated as quickly as a receding tide, leaving behind a mess and the wailing sounds of Soft Leaf.
After the dust settled, the boy with gold-rimmed glasses and the tall boy helped each other up, struggling. Their entire bodies ached, their faces were bruised and swollen, and their uniforms were dirty and torn.
They looked at the Full-Time Student Faction member next to them, who was equally bruised and swollen, with blood still at the corner of his mouth, but was trying to stand straight, their hearts filled with complex emotions.
The boy with gold-rimmed glasses asked in a hoarse, choked voice:
"Wh-why did you help us... Even though we previously... mocked you like that, and looked down on you..."
The Full-Time Student Faction member wiped away the blood from the corner of his mouth, the pain making him grimace, but his gaze towards the two was exceptionally clear and firm.
He took a few breaths and flashed a smile that, though disheveled, was incredibly sincere:
"Because... we are companions."
He paused, looking at their shocked expressions, and continued, "The Suzuran 'Full-Time Student Faction' companions said that true strength is not for bullying the weak, but for protecting those who should be protected, and connecting with companions who should be connected! This is what Senior Yuwen said."
"Soft Leaf is the place we should protect! And you, no matter how it was before, now that we stand here together facing difficulties, we are companions!"
These words struck the hearts of the two like heavy hammers.
The tall boy suddenly lowered his head, clenching his fists tightly, tears mixing with the dust and blood on his face as they streamed down.
The boy with gold-rimmed glasses took a deep breath, as if having made a certain decision, and nodded heavily towards the Full-Time Student Faction member, and also towards the chaotic campus.
On the other side, Mitsuhashi, who thought he had successfully slipped away, pulled Ito, preparing to go back to his own house to lay low.
"Those Kaiki idiots are definitely still loitering around Soft Leaf!"
Mitsuhashi triumphantly pushed open his front door: "Let's just stay at my place for now..."
His words cut off abruptly.
In the genkan and living room, several Kaiki thugs wearing white tokkōfuku were conspicuously sitting!
Mitsuhashi and Ito instantly froze in place, their pupils contracting, all their muscles tensing up.
One of the thugs, who seemed to be the leader, put down the teacup in his hand and slowly stood up, a fake smile on his face: "Excuse us for the intrusion."
His gaze swept across the not-so-spacious living room, and he said pointedly, "This place... isn't very convenient. Let's talk outside."
Mitsuhashi walked up to him with a dark expression, squeezing out two words through gritted teeth: "Damn it..."
The thug leader's smile remained unchanged, and he whispered in a voice only the three of them could hear: "Downstairs."
Mitsuhashi instinctively looked down, only to see a slight movement in the other's sleeve, and a cold glint flashed—the tip of a dagger was subtly pointed at him.
"Don't make your mom worry," the thug leader's voice carried a full threat.
Mitsuhashi's fists instantly clenched, knuckles white, a vein throbbing on his temple, but he saw his parents' figures approaching from the kitchen and forcibly suppressed the urge to act immediately.
Ito's face was also ashen, his body leaning slightly forward, on the verge of exploding, also trying his best to restrain himself out of consideration for the elders.
At this moment, Mitsuhashi's parents came out carrying plates, saying warmly, "Everyone, sorry to keep you waiting. We don't have much good stuff at home, so I made some grilled rice balls."
The Kaiki thug leader immediately put on a harmless and polite face: "No need, Uncle and Auntie. We're just going out with Mitsuhashi-kun and Ito to discuss some academic matters."
Mitsuhashi took a deep breath, trying to make his voice sound normal: "Dad, Mom, we... are going out for a bit, we'll be back soon." He almost stared at the Kaiki thugs when he said the last few words.
Subsequently, Mitsuhashi and Ito were "escorted" by several thugs as they left the house.
Behind them, Mitsuhashi's mother said contentedly to his father:
"Ah, our Mitsuhashi, such a naughty child, can actually make so many... seemingly energetic friends. That's wonderful."
Meanwhile, Mitsuhashi and Ito, accompanied by the Kaiki thugs, arrived at a remote, dilapidated warehouse.
Along the way, more and more Kaiki thugs gathered, like white ghosts, silently following behind, creating an immense sense of oppression.
Inside the warehouse, the atmosphere was chilling.
One Kaiki thug even directly pressed a dagger against Mitsuhashi's lower back.
A thug who looked like a cadre stepped forward, sneering, "Listen, you two better do as Sagara-bro says. He said that as long as Soft Leaf coughs up five million, he'll let you and those good kids go."
He patted Mitsuhashi's face, his tone full of mockery, "As long as you two agree, it should be easy for those rich students at Soft Leaf to gather this money, right?"
Mitsuhashi spat, his sharp eyes retorting, "You Kaiki thugs dare to collect protection money at Soft Leaf? Did you ask Yuwen about it?"
The name "Yuwen" made a few Kaiki thugs around them flinch, a flicker of unnaturalness crossing their faces, and their movements showed a momentary hesitation.
Just at that instant!
Mitsuhashi suddenly delivered a powerful elbow strike to the ribs of the knife-wielding thug behind him. The moment the thug bent over in pain, Ito, with perfect coordination, landed a heavy punch that knocked him out cold!
Mitsuhashi smoothly snatched the dropped dagger, gripping it in a reverse hold, the tip pointing directly at the Kaiki thugs in front of him, his eyes as fierce as a trapped beast.
The Kaiki thugs were startled by this sudden resistance and retreated half a step, then surged forward even more furiously.
The cadre was stunned for a moment, then scoffed disdainfully, "Hmph! You thug who grew up in a greenhouse like Soft Leaf, do you dare to stab someone with that thing? Don't make me laugh!"
"Don't underestimate me, you bastards!"
Mitsuhashi roared, and actually hurled the dagger in his hand violently at the cadre!
"Ugh!" The cadre was scared out of his wits, stumbling backward in a panic, his back hitting the corrugated iron wall of the warehouse with a "thump."
The dagger, glinting coldly, embedded itself with a "thwack" precisely into the wall next to his head, its hilt still trembling slightly.
In an instant, the entire warehouse fell into a deathly silence.
Even Ito was stunned, mouth agape, staring at Mitsuhashi. He hadn't expected Mitsuhashi to actually dare to do that.
The Kaiki thugs were even more intimidated by this desperate throw; for a moment, no one dared to step forward.
Only Mitsuhashi, with cold eyes, scanned them, saying word by word:
"I'm mentally prepared to kill at any time."
However, this guy, who couldn't stay cool for more than three seconds, after striking the coolest pose and saying the toughest words, took advantage of the moment when all the Kaiki thugs were stunned, suddenly grabbed Ito, and shouted at the fastest speed of his life:
"Run!"
Ito finally reacted and quickly followed suit.
The two, like wild dogs unleashed, shoved aside two still-dazed thugs, burst out of the warehouse, and fled for their lives!
"Don't run!"
"Catch them!"
The Kaiki thugs, having come to their senses, furiously chased after them, their shouts echoing through the warehouse district.
After a thrilling chase, Mitsuhashi and Ito, relying on their familiarity with the terrain and their cunning, finally shook off their pursuers.
When the two, panting and still shaken, ran back to Soft Leaf, they were stunned by the scene before them.
The once clean and elegant training building was now a mess, shattered glass scattered everywhere, tables and chairs overturned, and walls stained and scratched.
Several injured students were helping each other tend to their wounds, and the air was filled with fear and sorrow.
Soft Leaf, which had been relatively orderly when they left, now looked as if it had suffered a catastrophe.
Mitsuhashi's usually slyly smiling face showed seriousness and anger for the first time, while Ito clenched his fists tightly, his eyes seemingly spitting fire.
They walked grimly down Soft Leaf's corridor; the scene before them was even more tragic than they had imagined.
Glass shards were everywhere, overturned desks and scattered books spoke of the previous chaos.
Many students had bruises on their faces, leaning on each other, and soft sobs and pained moans filled the air. The once aristocratic academy now resembled a battlefield swept by a storm.
As the two reached the entrance of the training room, they bumped into Sagawa, Mitsuhashi's subordinate. His hair was disheveled, his special attack uniform covered in dust, his eyes red-rimmed, and he clutched a bulging cloth bag tightly in his hand, walking out with faltering steps.
"Sagawa?" Mitsuhashi frowned, his gaze falling on the bag in his hand, "What's that?"
Sagawa seemed startled, suddenly looking up. Seeing that it was Mitsuhashi and Ito, he lowered his head, his eyes flickering, his voice choked:
"This... this is the money everyone pooled... We... let's pay Kaiki."
The more he spoke, the more agitated he became, as if grasping at his only straw of hope: "That way, they'll let us go! As long as we give them the money, it'll all be over! Let's just give this money to Kaiki!"
"Sagawa!" Ito exclaimed, unable to comprehend such submission, "What shameful talk! How can you bow down to those guys!"
Mitsuhashi stood with his hands in his pockets, his tone still carrying his characteristic nonchalance, but his eyes were unusually serious: "We'll handle this matter."
"We're not like you, Mitsuhashi-bro!"
Sagawa, as if ignited, suddenly broke down and cried, his pent-up fear and grievances erupting completely at this moment.
His outburst instantly silenced the previously murmuring and wailing training room and corridor; all eyes turned to him.
Sagawa, tears streaming down his face, his voice trembling, shouted, "Those guys... they're really strong! That's Kaiki!"
He looked around at his classmates, who were injured and had fearful eyes, and said painfully:
"Not everyone at Soft Leaf... is as strong as you two! We... we don't want to come to school every day filled with fear and worry!"
He held up the money bag in his hand, his voice filled with desperate pleading: "This is... this is what most of our Soft Leaf companions think! Please... please let us pay!"
He finally looked at Mitsuhashi and Ito, his voice weakening: "And... and we don't want to see Mitsuhashi-bro and Ito-bro... face even greater danger for us anymore..."
Ito looked at the sobbing Sagawa, then at the silent students around him whose eyes expressed agreement. His tightly clenched fists trembled slightly, and his anger was mixed with a sense of powerlessness.
He understood their fear, but that was no reason to surrender!
Mitsuhashi's face lost its usual playful expression. He was silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the anxious faces, and finally said simply to Ito, "Ito, shall we go?"
Ito took a deep breath and replied firmly:
"Let's go!"
Just as the two had made up their minds and were about to turn and leave to confront Kaiki, a faint but clear voice came from a corner of the crowd:
"How about... we try to find Yuwen-senpai from Suzuran..."
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice, only to see a few students, also injured but still wearing their "Full-Time Student Faction" armbands, standing together.
One of them, a thin student with black-rimmed glasses, plucked up his courage and, under the encouraging gazes of his companions, continued:
"A companion from Suzuran once said... that Full-Time Student Faction members are all comrades... He... he probably wouldn't just stand by..."
Another Full-Time Student Faction student next to him, with a bruise on his face, also nodded vigorously, his voice quiet but full of hope:
"Yes... Mitsuhashi-bro and Ito-bro also said before... Yuwen-senpai told us to help each other... Perhaps... perhaps we can rely on senpai's strength..."
This faint voice, like a stone dropped into the darkness of despair, stirred a faint ripple.
The scene immediately shifted, and the students began to whisper.
A student who had previously cowered in the back timidly said, "But... that's Suzuran! I heard from my junior high friends that it's the strongest thug academy, known as the 'Crow's Nest'! It's full of monsters..."
Another female student, with a mixture of hope and unease, chimed in, "But... if he really is willing to help us... then Soft Leaf might be saved, right?"
At this moment, the golden-rimmed glasses boy with the three-seven split hairstyle, whose hair was now disheveled and whose mouth was bruised, bowed his head in shame, his voice full of self-reproach:
"But... but we refused to join the Full-Time Student Faction like that before, and even mocked them... Now that we're in trouble, we're going to beg them... How could Yuwen-senpai... be willing to help shameless guys like us..."
His words made many students who had previously held opposing views show expressions of shame and fall silent.
Mitsuhashi and Ito looked at the group of frightened students, whose eyes, however, rekindled a glimmer of hope at the name "Yuwen."
On Ito's serious face, a resolute expression gradually replaced his previous anger and helplessness.
He recalled the words that figure had said to them.
"Ah, he definitely will." Ito's voice was unusually firm. He clenched his fists, his gaze sweeping over every anxious face,
"He said, 'True strength is not for bullying the weak, but for protecting those who need protection.' Soft Leaf needs protection now, and he will never stand by and do nothing!"
Mitsuhashi, for once, put away his cynical demeanor. He stood with his hands in his pockets, tilting his head as he looked at everyone:
"Hey, hey, you cowards."
His tone still carried his characteristic flippancy, but his eyes were exceptionally serious, "Since you're so scared, then just hide behind us. But..."
He suddenly grinned, revealing his signature, somewhat sly smile:
"If Yuwen finds out that the people of Soft Leaf are so pathetic, he'll laugh at us. So—"
He suddenly turned, waving his hand at the crowd with his back to them: "Ito, let's go! Let those bastards from Kaiki see that the thugs of Soft Leaf are not to be trifled with!"
At this moment, Mitsuhashi and Ito's backs seemed to radiate an incredible light in everyone's eyes.
Inside a budget buffet restaurant in Japan.
Yuwen, dressed in a special attack uniform stained with dust and specks of blood, was sitting in a corner of the restaurant, eating heartily.
The table in front of him was already piled high with two small mountains of empty plates, yet he continued to calmly put new food into his mouth.
When he reached out to grab a drink from a distance, he accidentally pulled at a fresh bruise on his cheek—a glaring scratch across his cheekbone.
"Hiss—" He couldn't help but gasp, baring his teeth, and muttering in a low voice, "It really hurts... that Murayama guy..."
A young waitress stood not far away, clutching her order pad, her expression a mix of terror and admiration.
She looked at the towering stack of plates in front of Yuwen, then secretly glanced at the dried bloodstains on his special attack uniform, and couldn't help but swallow.
The eyes of other diners in the restaurant also involuntarily turned to this young man who was devouring food like a storm, and whispers spread through the air.
"Hey, hey, did that kid just finish a fight?"
"He eats way too much... That's already the tenth plate of meat!"
"Is the blood on him real? It looks so scary..."
In the distance, the restaurant owner's face was dark. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead with a towel while quickly searching "buffet blacklist" on his computer, trying to find this guy's record.
Under the waitress's terrified gaze, Yuwen stuffed the last large piece of roasted beef into his mouth, chewed it carefully, and swallowed.
He patted his stomach contentedly, letting out a heartfelt sigh:
"Ah... finally about eighty percent full."
Hmm, eighty percent full, for health.
"Pfft—" A middle-aged man next to him, who was drinking miso soup, nearly spat it out, looking incredulously at the pile of plates in front of Yuwen.
"Eighty... eighty percent full?" The waitress's voice trembled.
When Yuwen finally got up to pay, the owner seemed to have made some kind of decision. He secretly slipped out from the back, hurried over to Yuwen, his face plastered with a forced smile, and discreetly handed him a thick envelope, then pointed to another, more luxuriously decorated buffet restaurant across the street.
"Sir... this is a small token of our appreciation..." The owner said in a low voice, "Please... next time, could you go to the restaurant across the street? Their wagyu is limited, and the quality is better!"
Yuwen looked at the owner with a strange expression, then weighed the substantial envelope in his hand, but his hand honestly took it without hesitation.
He said in a voice only the two of them could hear:
"Oh... the place across the street is the one that sent me here..."
The owner's eyes instantly widened, his face turning from green to pale, as if he had heard some terrible business conspiracy, and he froze.
Akasaka-ryu Jujutsu dojo.
Yuwen left the restaurant and strolled to the Akasaka-ryu Jujutsu dojo where he worked as a part-time coach.
Unbeknownst to him, this originally pure dojo had gradually become an important gathering place for Yuwen and the Full-Time Student Faction.
The dojo master, Master Akasaka, who was nearing fifty, looked at the increasing number of young men in the dojo, all wearing special attack uniforms from various schools and exuding a fierce aura. He could only sigh helplessly, silently accepting the fact that his dojo had "deteriorated."
Most importantly, his beloved daughter was also one of them, and she was about to be taken away by a certain blond-haired thug.
Master Akasaka silently shed a man's tears... Riko had already been waiting anxiously in the dojo. As soon as she saw Yuwen appear, she immediately rushed over.
"Yuwen-senpai! It's bad! The Kaiki people, Sagara Takeshi, he..."
Yuwen listened to Riko's hurried narration, his face not showing much surprise, but his eyes slightly chilled.
"Ah, Kaiki... that Sagara Takeshi guy..." He repeated in a low voice, "So, it's come to this, after all."
Just then, the dojo's main door was yanked open, and a tall, burly figure, like an iron tower, walked in. It was Katagiri Satoshi, the former overlord of Kaiki and now an executive of Yuwen's Full-Time Student Faction.
He had clearly received the news, and his usually calm and resolute face was now clouded with gloom.
Upon learning that Sagara Takeshi had actually led the Kaiki thugs to Soft Leaf to collect protection money, a complex emotion—anger, disappointment, and perhaps a hint of self-reproach—churned in his eyes.
Katagiri Satoshi strode to Yuwen's front, his heavy body seemingly carrying immense pressure.
He looked directly into Yuwen's eyes, his voice low and hoarse:
"Yuwen, you promised." He clenched his fists, his knuckles white from the effort, "You said... you would help me bring Sagara... back."
Yes, Katagiri Satoshi's decision to join Yuwen's Full-Time Student Faction was partly to repay Yuwen's favor, but the deeper reason was that he could never truly abandon Sagara Takeshi, who had once fought alongside him but had now betrayed him.
Yuwen had indeed promised him that he would help him find his lost partner.
Even though Sagara Takeshi had used despicable means to seize the position of Kaiki's boss, and even though Sagara Takeshi had completely abandoned what they had once protected together, Katagiri Satoshi had never truly hated him.
They had been through too much together, from nobodies to ruling Kaiki; the bonds forged over those years had long been ingrained in their bones.
He firmly believed that the Sagara Takeshi he knew, who also yearned for strength, was merely temporarily blinded by power and ambition, and had taken a wrong turn.
He believed that the true Sagara Takeshi was still somewhere, waiting to be awakened.
Just then.
The dojo door opened again, and Mitsuhashi and Ito walked in, followed by Imai, who Mitsuhashi had cajoled and tricked into coming.
As soon as the three entered, they saw Katagiri Satoshi standing like an iron tower in front of Yuwen, and they all paused in surprise.
Although they had recently participated in a joint operation against external forces as executives of the Full-Time Student Faction, and had developed a camaraderie from fighting alongside each other.
However, the problem now lay with Kaiki, and Katagiri was the former boss of Kaiki. This identity made the current encounter inevitably carry a hint of subtle awkwardness and apprehension.
Mitsuhashi habitually narrowed his eyes, Ito's expression became more serious, and even Imai shed his usual goofy demeanor, appearing somewhat wary.
Katagiri saw their reactions and understood what they were thinking.
He took a deep breath, his massive body turning to the three, his voice low but exceptionally clear:
"I know what you are worried about." His gaze swept over Mitsuhashi, Ito, and Imai.
"The Full-Time Student Faction is the path I chose. Sagara... is my responsibility. This time, I will stand with you, with the Full-Time Student Faction."
Ito's clenched fists relaxed slightly. He nodded: "Ah, we believe you, Katagiri."
Mitsuhashi also reverted to his cunning self, shrugging: "Well, it's always good to have one more strong fighter, right, Imai?"
Imai immediately puffed out his chest: "Exactly! With me, Imai, there's nothing to be afraid of!"
However, despite their words, when they truly began to discuss how to respond, a heavy atmosphere still enveloped everyone.
Going directly to Kaiki's main base? This was, after all, facing an entire school of thugs. It was false to say they weren't worried.
Riko said worriedly: "Kaiki's numbers... are too many. Is it really okay for us to go like this?"
Even the usually reckless Imai scratched his head: "Uh... directly fighting our way in, it does sound a bit..."
Katagiri's brows furrowed even more. He knew Kaiki's strength better than anyone: "I admit, Kaiki's overall strength might not be comparable to those monster schools known as The Three Heavens. But..."
He paused, his tone heavy, "Over the years, Sagara and I have poured countless efforts into Kaiki. It is no longer the disorganized group it once was. They are well-trained and extremely exclusive. For us, as external thugs, to directly fight our way into Kaiki's interior—this goes beyond an ordinary brawl; this is a declaration of war! An invasion! Most Kaiki thugs, to protect their 'territory,' will fight to the last moment like an enraged swarm of bees, utterly insane."
Katagiri's description made the atmosphere in the dojo even more oppressive. Everyone seemed to already see the vast, dark crowd of Kaiki thugs resisting to the death.
However, Yuwen, the center of the storm, remained unusually calm from beginning to end, even having the leisure to gently press the bruise on his cheek left by Murayama.
It wasn't until everyone had discussed enough that they realized their "creator" of the Full-Time Student Faction, the core of the core, hadn't offered an opinion for a long time.
All eyes, including Katagiri, Mitsuhashi, Ito, Imai, and Riko, involuntarily focused on Yuwen.
Yuwen seemed to have just woken up. He rubbed his hair and said in a light tone, as if discussing the weather:
"Ah, speaking of which, there's something I forgot to tell you all." He looked around, seeing their puzzled expressions, and slowly began,
"I am currently, I suppose, the top of Oni-Dwell..."