《Serenity : Ashrune's Rebirth》 Welcome to Seiki! Monday, September 3 - 11:20 a.m. It all began on a balmy morning over the town of Seiki. Next stop, Seiki, repeat, next stop Seiki. The announcement echoed in every carriage, giving passengers the opportunity to take out their luggage and get ready to leave. Wake up Kamui, we''re almost there. On the train was a young boy with sky-blue hair, waking a sleeping man in his passenger seat. Kamui-Already?... I''ve barely had time to blink and we''re already at our destination! The young man with the dark complexion and blond hair is Kamui Kobayashi, aged sixteen. Kamui-Come on, get up! His friend with the blue haircut is Hiro Vermilion, the same age as Kamui. Kamui-Have we reached Seiki? Hiro-Not yet, but it won''t be long now! The reason these two boys are on the train is quite simple. They''re moving from their hometown to the town of Seiki. Kamui-Ahhh, here we are! Seiki is a new town, built 10 years ago on the ruins of an old town that met with an unfortunate fate. This tragedy really shocked and grieved the Japanese people. However, they have recovered and decided that this history should be put behind them by rebuilding a city that has rapidly become a metropolis thanks to its maritime trade and communication nodes that link it to the whole country. This is where the two young boys, Kamui and Hiro, have decided to live until they finish school. Kamui- New life, new start! Hiro- We''re going to have a hell of a time! The boy raised his hands to the sky to express his joy. As the train opened its doors, the silhouette of a young woman with brown hair came into view. Her gaze met Kamui''s. Woman- Excuse me... Are you Kamui? Kamui- Uh, yes? Why is that, we''re co¡ª Unable to finish his sentence, Kamui felt a hand grab him by the collar¡ªit was Hiro. Hiro- How do you know her?? WHO IS SHE??! Kamui- I don''t know, but in any case, the potential is at its maximum... Hiro-If we''re going to talk in statistics, I think... He glanced back at the woman to quickly analyze the case. Hiro- ...It''s Koshien* level, or to be more precise, it''s a Koshien final! Kamui-Even worldwide, if you''re crazy! He said with a sneer. Woman-Hum hum... You know I''m not deaf... Pressure weighed on the duo''s backs. Kamui-Excuse me ma''am, it wasn''t very polite of me to talk about you like that! Woman-Well, that''s nothing, but what really upsets me is you still haven''t recognized me, Kamui. (*Koshien is the baseball stadium where Japan''s biggest competitions take place.) Kamui- Ah yes, you are Mrs. Seiki... Seiki sounds familiar.... Hiro- That''s really the name of the town, you loser! Kamui- No, I was thinking about something else... Kamui raised his head and looked at the woman from head to toe, then stared at her face until he had the image of a younger girl resembling her. Kamui- Is that you, Akane? Akane-It''s been a long time since we''ve seen each other, Kamui...Letting her emotions speak, the woman went to hug Kamui. Kamui-Seven years already... Time... Kamui smiled and hugged Akane too. Hiro watched the scene from the spectator''s point of view. Hiro- Oh yeah, doesn''t it make the brothers crunch? Kamui-That''s right, I''ll make the introductions. Akane, this is Hiro Vermillon, my best friend and roommate. Hiro, this is Akane Seiki, a childhood friend who must be 3 years older than us. Akane-Pleased to meet you. Hiro- Nice to meet you too! Heh. Kamui-I think we should go, our home is waiting for us! Akane-I''ll take you there in my car. Follow me, it''s parked in the station parking lot. Kamui- What do you mean? Do you know where the boarding house is? Akane-Ah? Didn''t I tell you? I''m sort of the director of this boarding house... Hiro and Kamui were genuinely surprised when they heard this, but it explained a number of things, such as the fact that she was at the station or that she had recognized him at first glance. The trio set off in the direction of Akane''s car to pick it up. ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó [A few hours later] After chatting for hours, Akane, Hiro, and Kamui arrived in front of a small temple at the far end of Seiki town. Although its appearance didn''t resemble the town''s other dwellings, this temple did indeed house people. The two boys were impressed by their new home. Hiro- AMAZING, this is truly my country, my homeland! Kamui- I don''t have the words. Akane- Welcome to Himawari Guest House! From now on, you''ll be living here. Akane got back into her car and started it up. Akane-Sorry, boys, but I''ve got a few errands to run, so I''ll leave you to get settled on your own for now. See you tonight! Kamui-Well, we''ve got to go. He said, advancing towards the house with his suitcase behind him. Hiro knocked on the door opening. Silence seemed to answer Hiro''s question, but that didn''t stop the two boys from entering the house. Kamui-Well then, let''s put our things down! He said as he climbed the stairs. The boy came to a large corridor with several doors, which seemed to be the bedroom corridor. He opened one of them, hoping to find his own room, but unfortunately, there was already someone lying on the bed, a woman with her hair tied back in black. Kamui tried to leave the room discreetly but... The woman woke up and saw the boy''s face. Surprisingly, she showed no particular reaction, just a yawn that showed she was still tired. The boy began to stress as he saw the woman watching him. Kamui-S-Sorry, I didn''t mean to wake you up! I landed here thinking there was no one, but I was wrong and¡ª ??? (Reina)-It''s nothing, forget it, I thought I''d take a nap, but it looks like it lasted longer than expected, thank you for waking me up. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website. She looked up at the clock in her room, which showed 6-30 p.m., and then back at the young man with a questioning look. ??? (Reina)-Come to think of it, you must be the new guy? Kamui-Y-Yes! My name is Kamui Kobayashi, and I live here with my friend. And so... Who are you? Reina-That''s right, I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Reina Osaki, and I''m sort of your new roommate in this boarding house, nice to meet you, Kamui. Kamui-My pleasure. But now I''d like to know where my room is because I''ve got suitcases to drop off in my room and in Hiro''s room, who''s my traveling companion. Reina-Ok ok, follow me, I''ll show you the empty rooms. 20:00 [A Few Hours Later] The installation of the two protagonists concludes with dinner around a table in the dining room, where Kamui could be seen, Hiro, Akane, and Reina. This part is one of the most important, as it''s where we get to know each other. The atmosphere is perfect for this type of discussion, and Reina seized the opportunity by asking lots of questions of all kinds. Reina-So you''re from Kyoto? Magnificent, the ancient imperial capital, it must be really cool to live there! She had become so fond of the discussion that she let her feelings influence her behavior at times. Hiro-Yeah, it was cool living in Kyoto, but Kamui and I needed a change of scenery, and that''s how we ended up in Seiki, where we had a great reputation! Hiro puffed his chest out proudly. Reina-Oh yeah?! Her eyes sparkled. Hiro-Of course, I''m not a liar!He was clearly lying. Next to their stage, Akane began a discussion with Kamui about subjects such as her life in Kyoto and how her family was faring. Akane-Speaking of Kyoto, how''s your father, Kamui? I haven''t seen him in years, so I''d at least like to know how he''s doing. Kamui-He works a lot, it''s different from before when he was unemployed, he''s evolved a lot over the last 7 years, if you see him one day, you''ll hardly recognize him! And I think that''s for the best... Kamui put a small smile on his face, which he tried to hold back so as not to let his emotions get the better of him. He''s quite expressive most of the time, but sometimes he holds back his expressions. Akane- All the better then! Akane also wore a smile on her face. She then looked at the clock and made an announcement. Akane-You start classes tomorrow. You''re already on the list, so you''ll just have to follow Reina, who''ll accompany you to your classroom, understand? Kamui and Hiro-Got it!they said in unison. Akane - Well then, it''s bedtime. Goodnight, everyone! Everyone went to their rooms. Kamui lay down on his bed for the first time that day. As he stared at the ceiling, he reflected on the day''s events. Kamui - This day flew by. I can''t believe how quickly it passed. It''s strange to meet old acquaintances here again... Ahh... I didn''t have time to visit, but it''s no big deal. I''ll go this weekend with Hiro. He yawned and slowly closed his eyes, until everything faded into darkness. Kamui - (Please let me live my best life in Seiki.) ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó Tuesday, September 4, 7:50 a.m. Kamui woke up on the floor, looking up at the ceiling. His awakening had been rather eventful. Kamui - I had the craziest dream... I have to tell Hiro! He rushed out of his room and headed towards the living room, where Hiro was already sitting, watching TV and seemingly preparing for class. Kamui - Hey, you won''t believe what happened!!! Hiro - Mhmm? What''s up? Kamui - I had the craziest dream, I need to tell you all about it!!! Hiro - Was there some chick in it??? He said excitedly. Kamui - ? Hiro - Yeah, sorry, I don''t know why I said that. Anyway, tell me everything, but first, get ready. We leave in 20 minutes! ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó 20 minutes later ¨C On the way to school Kamui - ...I flew into the sky. I don''t really remember how or why, and then I woke up, so there you go. Hiro - I could totally see you as a manga scriptwriter. That sounds like a story you''d only see in anime. Do you really think dragons exist, and that you called him? Kamui - I swear it''s true! Why don''t you believe me? Hiro - Because it''s impossible! What did you smoke this morning??? Kamui - It''s fine if you don''t believe me, but I hope Reina does!!! He said, looking at her desperately. Reina - Uh... It''s just that... Hiro''s right. It''s hard to believe it really happened, but next time, call him again and ask him some questions! Reina didn''t know how to answer but didn''t want to offend Kamui, so she opted for an alternative. Kamui - Alright! This time, you''ll see I''m not messing around! Hiro - Oh, we''ve arrived. Kamui - So this is it... Reina - Welcome to Sakagami Gakuen, the largest high school in this city. Just to give you a quick overview, it''s not a prestigious school, but it has several competitive clubs and good teaching. Most students who graduate here can go far in their professional lives. Kamui - It''s beautiful. Hiro - It''s amazing. Both boys were so impressed by the school that they lost for words. Reina - Follow me, I''ll show you to your new class! Classes began, and the math teacher, Ms. Harvey, welcomed the new students into her class and started the lesson. Harvey - Who''s absent today? Student - Ryuhei. Harvey - Again? That''s too bad. He''s been absent a lot lately... She explained several mathematical formulas on the board before writing a problem on it. Harvey - Who wants to solve this equation? No one moved¡ªsome students tried to avoid eye contact with her, others pretended to sleep. Harvey - It''s just a simple first-degree equation... If that''s the case, I''ll call on someone myself... Hiro - I''d love to do it, ma''am! Rising from his seat dramatically, Hiro had been waiting for this moment to shine in front of the class. He wanted to impress everyone, and answering the equation was his chance. Kamui - Oh no... We know exactly how this will end. This guy can''t behave in public... Harvey - A-All right, Hiro? Hiro - It''s time to prove what the big H can do. He grabbed the chalk and started writing a series of complex mathematical formulas before solving the problem and handing the chalk back to Ms. Harvey. Hiro - Well? Harvey - T-That''s the correct answer, I''m surprised at your math skills, Hiro! The TeacherApplauds followed by a chorus of applause from the class, who hailed the new student as their Messiah. Hiro had managed to impress everyone. Kamui - I really don''t have the words, this guy''s too unpredictable... [Canteen - 1:40 p.m.] Hiro was walking through the canteen, surrounded by people, his popularity having skyrocketed suddenly. Kamui - This is really dreamlike... (Is behind everyone) Kamui - Doesn''t matter, I''ll settle down at a quiet table and make some friends too! He found a table with an empty seat and a group of boys around it. Kamui - Excuse me, guys, do you mind if I join you? I''m new to this establishment. Boy 1 - Don''t worry, come if you like. Kamui - Ok, thanks! ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó [End of class - 5:20 p.m.] Kamui and Hiro came out of high school together, both reflecting on what had been a quite eventful first day. Kamui - From day one, aren''t you ashamed?! Hiro - I just seized an opportunity, there''s no need to get upset! They walked 200 meters past the high school. Kamui - Do you know where Reina is? Hiro - Don''t worry, I know my way around here. Kamui - Wait, isn''t that her over there? A silhouette of a woman resembling Reina Osaki was surrounded by several guys who didn''t seem to belong to the school. Without hesitation, Hiro, who had seized the situation, went towards her. Caid - Who are they? Reina - Boys?! Kamui - We''re just here for our friend, we were supposed to make the journey together. Let''s go! As Kamui began to leave, a hand rested on his shoulder. Caid - Where do you think you''re going? With that girl too? I can''t believe you think you''re at the fair. He said sternly. Kamui - You have five seconds to let me go. Caid - Otherwise what? The boy smiled at Kamui, unaware of what was coming. Caid - We''re more, there''s nothing you can do against us... Hiro - Raaah, shut up! You talk too much. Hiro intervened and gave Caid a sharp blow, knocking the leader out. ??? - What the hell have you idiots done?! We''ll take good care of you. The rest of the group quickly became upset when they saw their leader on the floor. Hiro - Shit, I think I''ve done something stupid... Kamui - It''s nothing, a fight every now and then doesn''t hurt! He clenched his fist. Kamui - Hurry back to Reina, I''ll join you. Hiro - OK !!! Hiro fled with Reina at his side. Reina - See you later! Kamui - To us, friends... I never thought I''d have to use this. Now... ??? - Be careful, he must be as strong as his colleague; he managed to knock down our boss! Kamui - Kyoto special... Kamui - And then what? Only in manga is it possible to face several opponents at once! See you soon loser ! Against all odds, Kamui fled from the group. ??? - Let''s follow him! Caid - Forget it, it''s no use, we''ll sort it out. [???? - 7:20 p.m.] At the back of a building, a man sat on some garbage, eating onigiri while gazing up at the sky. Caid - Boss ! The boy came running in, breathless. ??? - ...? Caid - I got jumped by some dudes from your school. They must be new around here, don''t know sh*t about this place. We gotta show ''em what''s up! ??? - New ones, you say?... Did they do this to you? He pointed to the mark on Caid''s face. Caid - Yea. ??? - Interesting... Means they''re good at fighting... Why don''t I take them on? Can you remind me of their names, please? Caid - My boys told me their names are Hiro Vermillion and Kamui Kobayashi. ??? - Kobayashi Kamui, you say?... Interesting, that name evokes a certain memory... Caid - What do we do, boss? ??? - I''ll take care of it, don''t worry. You can go.and watch your language, you''re still up to your old mannerism, Ryoma. Caid then withdrew, leaving the man alone. ??? - Fate has paved the way for our encounter, Kamui. But, alas, one of us will have to triumph over the other to prove his superiority. Karasu 01 September 5 (Morning) ¡ª Sakagami Academy portal Hiro Vermillon, who''d just passed through the school gates, was already yawning. It was going to be a difficult day. ???????? ¡ª (What a fucking idiot, I knew it was a bad idea to sleep late... It''s all the fault of this damn game...) He''d spent a good part of the evening playing this online video game with his classmates that he''d made from day one, which resulted in a lack of sleep. It wasn''t going to be a good day for the young man with the blue hair. Kamui, Hiro''s best friend, looked at him worriedly. ?????????? ¡ª Maybe we should help him, Reina. He shouldn''t be dropping out of school on the second day after all! ?????????? ¡ª Don''t worry. He''ll be fine, he''s just a little sleepy, and besides, it''s not like we''re in a strict private high school in the capital. The academy is precisely designed to receive people from cultures other than Japan, so we don''t have the same teaching methods. ?????????? ¡ª Yeah, I guess you''re right, I''m still going to keep an eye on him because with him everything can go really fast. ?????????? ¡ª Well then, I trust you! Reina was a third¡ª year student and the class delegate. ?????????? ¡ª Yeah perfect, will you come and have lunch with us? ?????????? ¡ª Unfortunately I''m pretty busy at the moment with the club... I''ll be taking my break later. In fact, Reina is a member of the Aikido club. The boys had learned this the night of the incident with the thugs. ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó The blue¡ª haired boy headed for his locker and as he opened it, a letter containing a heart motif fell to the floor. ???????? ¡ª ?! He picked it up quickly and discreetly so that no one would see, then read its contents discreetly and hid it in his pocket before changing his expression. He seemed more awake and cheerful than 5 minutes ago. ???????? ¡ª This is going to be the best day of my life! ?????????? ¡ª I think I missed an episode, why did he get so happy? ?????????? ¡ª I don''t know but in any case so much the better, we won''t have to look after him. The morning''s classes went well, with Kamui and Hiro both in good form, only Hiro was making a few discreet trips on his laptop without being spotted by the teacher. ?????????? ¡ª But what''s he been doing all this time?" he muttered annoyed. Kamui was intrigued by what Hiro was doing; he had a good nose for anything that went wrong and understood that this story would certainly end badly, knowing his friend and his habits. ?????????? ¡ª Don''t tell me he''s doing what I think....? [Canteen] The two boys were sitting face to face, accompanied by their tray, which was rather well stocked with food. ?????????? ¡ª Spit it out, what''s been making you happy all this time? Kamui didn''t beat about the bush, looking increasingly stressed by the answer to his question. ???????? ¡ª Oh, this? It''s nothing..." he replied partially. ?????????? ¡ª Are you sure? ???????? ¡ª Yes. ?????????? ¡ª Then you won''t mind if I borrow this? He quickly grabbed Hiro''s phone from beside him and unlocked it. ???????? ¡ª Please give it back to me, I assure you it''s really nothing!!! he said in a desperate tone. ?????????? ¡ª We''ll go here. Kamui was rummaging through Hiro''s phone when he came across one of his notifications. Clicking on it, he saw a hundred messages scrolling past with a contact called Sora. ?????????? ¡ª So my suspicion was right... Are you talking to someone?... ???????? ¡ª ...Yeah. She''s a girl who sent me a letter in my locker and we''ve been getting to know each other ever since. He felt embarrassed to have to unpack all this in front of his friend. ?????????? ¡ª I see I see... Wait a second how does a girl you don''t even know send you a love letter knowing we''re new here??? Don''t you see the problem with this story? ???????? ¡ª Just say you''re jealous you don''t have a secret admirer like me. ?????????? ¡ª I could but I don''t want to destroy what little pride I have left. Hiro''s phone vibrated, announcing that he had just received a new message. Instinctively, Kamui handed him the mobile. ?????????? ¡ª I''ll let you do as you like, but be careful, she''s new to the app, that''s an alarming detail. ???????? ¡ª She told me it''s because she created her account especially to talk to me. Isn''t it crazy how women will do anything for men like us? ?????????? ¡ª The only thing I can describe as crazy is the scam you''re running. I''ll give you some friendly advice: it''s obvious it''s a fake account! ???????? ¡ª Stop talking nonsense... The boy consulted his phone to read the new message and froze in place. ?????????? ¡ª What''s going on? ???????? ¡ª E...E...She wants to meet! ?????????? ¡ª Don''t go. ???????? ¡ª Why?!?!?! ?????????? ¡ª I can smell a scam! You''re only going to get ripped off. ???????? ¡ª Yeah, if you like. Hiro stood up, picked up his tray and started to leave. Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ???????? ¡ª Since you''re such a hater, I''ll leave you alone to get angry, see you later. ?????????? ¡ª Honestly, this guy doesn''t know what he''s in for... In the best of worlds this girl really is one and she''s making her declaration to him but in the worst case it''s just a trap... I need to see this with my own eyes! He stood up and took his tray to leave the canteen. [4:20pm ¡ª School exit] ?????????? ¡ª Where is he PUTAIN?! This fool runs fast. Kamui came out of the school breathless, trying to catch up with Hiro who had already disappeared from his field of vision. ¡ª Well, too bad for him, he''s old enough to handle his own problems. Sigh. Reina arrived next to Kamui, also aware of what was about to happen. ?????????? ¡ª Has he really disappeared? ?????????? ¡ª Yeah, I lost track of him.... ?????????? ¡ª Let''s go and find it! ?????????? ¡ª Let''s split up, we''ll find him faster that way! ?????????? ¡ª Okay, I''ll look around the school and you head for the park, these are potentially the two places where high schoolers hang out after class! ?????????? ¡ª Ok ok, I''ll¡ª ¡ª Are you Kamui? A stranger approached and called out to the young boy, who was about to set off in search of his friend. ?????????? ¡ª O... Yes, you are? ¡ª No matter. I was sent here to give you this letter. Now that it''s done, I can go. The stranger handed Kamui the letter, then left without saying a word. Reina ¡ª What could it be...? She looked at Kamui, intrigued. ?????????? ¡ª We''ll see right away. He opened the letter, carefully unfolded the paper and began to read. ?????????? ¡ª 4.30pm, at the waste center. ?????????? ¡ª this doesn''t smell right... You shouldn''t go. She took a serious tone. ?????????? ¡ª I have to go, imagine this letter has something to do with Hiro? The consequence could be "we have your friend hostage if you don''t come we''ll kill him" or something like that. ?????????? ¡ª Yeah, I guess you''re right, I''ll let you go, I''ll continue my research on my own and call you if I hear anything! ?????????? ¡ª Same here! ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó [4:30 p.m. ¡ª Waste collection center] ?????????? ¡ª The boy arrived at the garbage dump just outside town. At first glance, it looked deserted, but if you looked carefully, you could see a figure sitting at the top of a pile of garbage. ¡ª Who are you?! ? ¡ª Oi... So you''re the famous Kamui? You''re skinnier than I imagined. The man stood up and looked down at Kamui. ?????????? ¡ª You''re the one who sent me that letter, aren''t you? ? ¡ª Yeah, I hope you don''t mind. I wanted to meet you so I had to separate you from your bro. ?????????? ¡ª Bro.. You mean Hiro?! So it was you? ? ¡ª You could say that. ?????????? ¡ª Where is it?! ? ¡ª I let him have his fun with one of my acquaintances, don''t worry, in the meantime I''ve got scores to settle with you. ?????????? ¡ª Accounts to settle...? ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó [Hiro''s side ¡ª school roof]. ???????? ¡ª I''m not mentally ready, it''s my first time with a girl, I can''t wait! The boy entered the roof door of the school and saw a figure with his back to him. ¡ª That''s got to be her! He ran towards the figure. ¡ª S¡ª Hello, is that you Sora.prv? ? ¡ª The person turns to the boy with the blue hair. ¡ª Yeah, that''s me. The face of a man with long black hair appeared in front of Hiro. ???????? ¡ª Huh??? ? ¡ª Do you remember me? I''m the one you attacked like a coward yesterday, today we''re going to give you a party. ???????? ¡ª Wha...What? What do you mean, what? It was a lookout ???? ? ¡ª A group of boys who had been hiding in corners of the building all arrive to surround Hiro. ? ¡ª This time you won''t be able to run away from me, Sanda Ryoma, Karasu''s underboss, will show you that you''ve attacked the wrong person. ???????? ¡ª I should have listened to Kamui after all... ?????????? ¡ª I don''t know what you mean, but one thing''s for sure, I''m going to knock your socks off! ???????? ¡ª Tss... And to think I finally thought I had a chance... The boy took a more serious tone. ???????? ¡ª Damn it, I hope there aren''t any cameras around here because there''s going to be a massacre. ?????????? ¡ª You''re a good lad, don''t you want us to get into trouble for what we''re going to do to you? ???????? ¡ª You''ve misunderstood, guys... You''re the future victims. He nonchalantly removed his jacket and tossed it aside. ?????????? ¡ª Oooh, you really think you can beat me one on one? He glanced at his buddies. ?????????? ¡ª Make a circle. We''ll settle this quickly. The riffraff complied, forming a makeshift arena that blocked all exits. ???????? ¡ª Nice staging. I hope your level is up to the show. ?????????? ¡ª Shut up and fight. ???????? ¡ª Don''t cry too much when you''re on the ground. ?????????? ¡ª Don''t worry about me. You''ll pick it up. ???????? ¡ª So, if you''ll allow me... Without waiting, Hiro lunged, pivoting on himself before unleashing an acrobatic kick. His style, taekwondo, was often seen as too artistic a sport, but in a military setting, it became a formidable weapon. ?????????? ¡ª You think you can fool me with dancing? He avoided the attack with one fluid step and retaliated instantly. His fist shot out. ???????? ¡ª (Shit¡ª ) The impact was brutal. A right to the jaw. Hiro took a step back, a metallic taste invading his mouth. ???????? ¡ª Boxing?! (His fist almost tore it off.) Ryoma didn''t give Hiro time to breathe. He followed up with a left jab. Hiro barely dodged, but felt the wind graze his temple. ???????? ¡ª (He''s fast...) No time for doubts. He planted his foot on the ground and retaliated with a side kick, aiming for the ribs. Ryoma raised his arm to block. The impact resounded throughout his forearm. ?????????? ¡ª Not bad. But not good enough. He grabbed Hiro''s leg and yanked him towards him. Hiro lost his balance. An opening. Ryoma cocked his fist. ???????? ¡ª Shit. At the last moment, he swung backwards and used his momentum to strike with his heel to the chest. BAM! Ryoma staggered back three steps, almost stumbling. The scum around them became excited. Scum 1 ¡ª Oh fuck, he touched it! Thug 2 ¡ª Ryoma, smash it! ?????????? ¡ª ...Interesting. He straightened up, a toothy grin on his lips. ?????????? ¡ª I admit, you''re no laughing matter. But you ain''t seen nothing yet. He was back on guard. This time, his gaze was sharper. Hiro understood. The real fight was just beginning. ???????? ¡ª (Maybe I should be more careful.) ?????????? ¡ª I''ll show you that I''m not Karasu''s number two for nothing. Ryoma jumped on the spot to provoke Hiro, a typical Infighter boxing technique. ???????? ¡ª Shit, I''ve got to do something! ?????????? ¡ª Disturbed? It''s normal, let me finish you off quickly. In a burst of confidence, Ryoma threw his best punch at Hiro. But then the scum were surprised to see the result of their attack. Hiro avoided his punch with a quick kick to the head. ?????????? ¡ª Damn... ???????? ¡ª Wow, what abject language... You seemed more confident earlier haha. ?????????? ¡ª I''m not going to let you win, you bastard... Ryoma''s nose was bleeding, but he was still determined to win. He had only one thought in mind: to kill Hiro. Just then, he prepared to throw another punch, this time in the direction of the oncoming kick, relying on the raw power of his right arm. Hiro stepped back 5 meters. ???????? ¡ª Argh... (He could have broken a bone, this guy isn''t just a street fighter. He must have fought hundreds of them before knowing such physical strength...) ?????????? ¡ª So what do you think? ???????? ¡ª I don''t suppose I have a choice? ?????????? ¡ª Huh? What are you talking about? ???????? ¡ª You''re going to preview it. Before Ryoma knew it, Hiro was already in the air, spinning around. The technique was so spectacular that everyone froze. The 1080 degree. Hiro had put all his power into this blow. A lightning kick. An impact so violent that Ryoma "Iron Fist" Sanda collapsed to the ground, not even realizing what had just happened. Thug 1 ¡ª Ryoma ! Thug 2 ¡ª Guys, let''s go! We must avenge our buddy! Thug 3 ¡ª Yeah! Hiro took a step back, raising his hands. ???????? ¡ª Oh shit... I think I''ve done too much. Just then, the roof door opened violently. A woman jumped out and, in a flash, knocked several scum to the ground. Reina ¡ª I leave you and Kamui unsupervised, and now you''re getting into trouble? Hiro raised his arms, a big smile on his face. ???????? ¡ª My heroine! Thug 3 ¡ª We also attack the fi¡ª Thug 4 ¡ª Wait... I recognize her... Thug 3 ¡ª YES! Scum 2 ¡ª Let''s get out of here. If we get into trouble with her, it could get really dangerous. Little by little, the riffraff scampered off. Hiro watched the scum disappear one by one, still impressed by the presence of the woman who had just intervened. He blew out his breath, releasing the tension he was still feeling. ???????? ¡ª Well, at least that''s settled... He turned his head towards the young woman, a nervous smile on his lips. ???????? ¡ª But by the way... You mentioned Kamui... Silence. His gaze swept the surrounding area. No sign of his friend. Reina ¡ª A weird guy came up to us looking for him. A bad feeling seized him. ???????? ¡ª ...Don''t tell me he''s screwed up again? The echo of the wind on the roof was his only response. KARASU 02 [Side of Kamui.] ?????????? ¡ª Hey, I asked you to reveal your identity! The stranger shrugged his shoulders, an enigmatic smile on his lips. ¡ª Ah, that''s right, you''re new to this town. Without hesitation, he jumped from the top of the mountain. Kamui narrowed his eyes, watching his fall. "I hope he broke something while jumping¡­" he thought. LThe other stood up without the slightest difficulty, bokken in hand. ¡ª Let me introduce myself, Ryuhei Muramasa. Leader of Karasu, protective gang of this city. ?????????? ¡ª We must admit that this guy is imposing... he thought in a low voice. ???????????? ¡ª I''m sorry, I have a duty to fulfill, that of protecting the city from future pests. Kamui ¡ª What do you mean by that? ???????????? ¡ª I''m saying you''re a problem for this town and so to fix it I''m going to have to deal with you quickly. ?????????? ¡ª What? Ryuhei''s words hit him hard. A fight to the death... It was not a simple altercation but a call for crime. Kamui had no desire to fight and his legs began to tremble. ???????????? ¡ª Come on, don''t worry about it, it''s just a man-to-man fight. ?????????? ¡ª ¡­ ???????????? ¡ª Have you lost your language? ?????????? ¡ª Tou¡­ ???????????? ¡ª Repeat louder. ?????????? ¡ª As always, I get myself into quite a bit of trouble... That said, if you think that a little scum like you can get the better of me, you don''t know me very well. The boy was no longer like before, you could feel a slight rising intensity in the tone of his voice indicating that he was getting more and more angry. The conversation quickly got him into this state. ???????????? ¡ª Oh, if I know you much more than you think, that''s even the reason that pushed me to start this duel with you... It would be a waste to let the most feared man in Kyoto slip away... ?????????? ¡ª Don''t say another word. Kamui clenched his fist, as if trying to hold back his rage that was ready to explode. ???????????? ¡ª ...You don''t think the same thing as me... White Demon ? ?????????? ¡ª I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP! A flash of rage crossed Kamui''s eyes. He didn''t wait another second. With a lightning movement, he rushed towards Ryuhei, his fist raised, ready to strike with all his might. ???????????? ¡ª How predictable¡­ It''s disappointing- Ryuhei put his guard up to try to protect himself but¡­ Kamui had feinted the punch to grab his hair, he followed up with a knee fly kick to his face. ???????????? ¡ª Argh kickboxing¡­ AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! SUBLIME I EXPECT NO LESS FROM YOU WHITE DEMON! This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ?????????? ¡ª I already asked you to stop calling me that. ???????????? ¡ªAnd why is that? You should be proud to have such a reputation, it''s not given to everyone, especially when you know where you lived. ?????????? ¡ª This name no longer has any meaning for me... My past is behind me and that''s where it will stay. ???????????? ¡ª Nice speech but it''s not you who decides. The leader of Karasu jumped on Kamui to strike him several times with his sword in succession, not letting him breathe. ?????????? ¡ª Argh¡­ ???????????? ¡ª Do you think you can escape your past? What an illusion. It is there, in each of your steps, in each of your choices. And now... here he is in front of you, once again. ??? - Magnificent. Perched high up, a boy watched the fight from an abandoned seat in the middle of the dump. ??? ¡ª It''s not every day that a spectacle like this happens¡­ and I''m lucky to be there to witness it. Unfortunately for Ryuhei, this time there may be no turning back. He was a young man with natural blond hair, his messy cut reminiscent of a wolf cut neglected. His scarlet eyes shone with an intrigued shine under his blue jacket. ??? ¡ªHowever, one question remains... Who will win between the White Demon of Kyoto and the Black Wing of Seiki? The fight between Kamui and Ryuhei took a different turn from the beginning. Indeed, Kamui who was on his guard at the beginning seemed much calmer and relaxed which was a good thing. He concentrated on blocking each of her attacks with his arms. ???????????? ¡ª Do you want to play it like that? Alright. The swordsman slows the pace of his attacks. He no longer sought to follow up, only to strike with more power, each blow aimed at injuring... or worse. ?????????? ¡ª (The swelling, if it continues like this he will break my arm) ???????????? ¡ªI wish this fight had lasted longer... so that you could reveal the full extent of your abilities. But, time is against you. Yakuza will not delay in taking care of your fate. Kamui pushed back Ryuhei with colossal force with a spear. The mention of the term Yakuza had disturbed him. ?????????? ¡ªWhat do you mean by that? ???????????? ¡ª I mean Seiki is constantly under surveillance by the Yakuza. It''s not just a government-run metropolis¡­ here, it''s almost their second landmark. ?????????? ¡ª Hahaha... A nervous laugh escaped his throat as he ran a hand over his forehead, trying to hide the tension building inside him. ?????????? ¡ª It seems that once again fate is working against me, so I will never be able to escape them? Hahahahaha¡­. Bullshit¡­. Rubbish¡­ BULLSHIT! IT''S NOT POSSIBLE AFTER EVERYTHING I HAVE ENDURED, WILL I HAVE THE RIGHT TO A LITTLE FUCKING REST?!! The brown-skinned boy had given in to anger, an anger that was more like a panic attack than anger in itself... It was as if a defense system device had been activated. This respectful and studious boy that Kamui was had completely disappeared. Here we had a man, lost, desperate for his situation. He couldn''t accept it. It was simply denial. ???????????? ¡ª Let''s get this fight over with, White Demon. ?????????? ¡ª Yeah, let''s get this over with quickly. Ryuhei rushed towards Kamui, the bokken brandished, but against all odds, Kamui, now completely dominated by his instincts, disarmed Ryuhei with a brutal blow which broke the weapon in two. The fight was coming to an end. ???????????? ¡ª Shit ! My weapon! As the piece of wood fell to the ground, Ryuhei didn''t notice Kamui, who pounced on him like a rabid animal. He narrowly avoided the attack, but the "wild beast" did not stop there. Kamui launched a new offensive, more furious than ever. ???????????? ¡ª (It smells bad...) Out of pure survival instinct, Ryuhei launched into direct confrontation with Kamui. The shock was so violent that a strange phenomenon occurred: a devastating explosion of energy. Both fighters were thrown several meters. ?????????? ¡ª Hein ?! ???????????? ¡ª What... I don''t have time to think, let''s go! Taking advantage of the opening, Ryuhei rushed towards Kamui at full speed, ready to deliver the final blow. ?????????? ¡ª "How predictable you are, it''s disappointing." Kamui countered Ryuhei''s attack with a faster and much more powerful blow. A bestial assault, with bare hands. ???????????? ¡ª HOW !? AAAAAH ! Ryuhei collapsed, unconscious. ¡ó ¡ó ¡ó [A few hours later.] ???????????? ¡ª Ahhh... My head... What is...? As soon as his eyes opened, Ryuhei saw the familiar figure of Ryoma. ?????????? ¡ª Finally back with us, boss? ???????????? ¡ªRyoma¡­ What am I doing here? Flashes of his fight with Kamui flashed through his mind, leaving him disoriented. ???????????? ¡ªSo¡­ I lost? haha, there''s no denying it¡­ he''s truly the best of his students. ??? ¡ª Digusting. This is my opinion on your performance, Muramasa. The young man in the blue jacket appeared. ???????????? ¡ª All that was missing was Akira''s little girl. ??????????? ¡ª A thousand apologies for existing senpai. I feel like today I''m going to become your worst nightmare. Ryuhei The boy stood up and faced the other boy. ???????????? ¡ª Mhm? Akira?¡ª I''m officially joining the round table, we could have formed a very good team but it all had to go to waste. ???????????? ¡ª What do you mean?... ??????????? ¡ª You still don''t understand? ???????????? ¡ª He didn''t dare... Akira?¡ª Yes, you are banned from the organization with Karasu. ???????????? ¡ª Oh yeah? So much the better.. He clenched his fist, holding back his hatred with all his might. ??????????? ¡ª Without wanting to be mean, I understand them, trash like you can tarnish the reputation of our clan with this story, we just threw out the trash before that happened. ?????????? ¡ª YOU YOU¡­ ???????????? ¡ª Ryoma, stop. ?????????? ¡ªAre you serious, Ryuhei? Watch how he speaks to us. Are you going to let this pass without saying anything? ???????????? ¡ª We''re just trash rejected by society... but we''ve managed to rise pretty high thanks to our actions. And anyway, I had already planned to leave this criminal organization. It does not defend Karasu''s values. ?????????? ¡ªYeah, you''re right, bro! We''re not going to let ourselves be defeated for so little, haha! ?????????? ? ¡ª I see... You are probably affected, but you will quickly understand that it is not beneficial for you. ?????????? ¡ªWhat do you mean by that?! ?????????? ? ¡ª Okay... I''m leaving. Forever, I hope so. Akira turned on his heel and left. ???????????? ¡ª RETURN TO Ryuhei tried to chase Akira, but Ryoma held him back. ?????????? ¡ª It''s okay... Karasu doesn''t need our help to move forward. Do you remember when we stood on our own two feet? Even if we lose comrades along the way, we must continue to move forward, as always. ???????????? ¡ª Yeah, you''re right... ?????????? ¡ª And now what do we do? ???????????? ¡ªI think we should go back to class. ?????????? ¡ª Good idea. There, we will make a new start... this time, without dragging ourselves into the questionable affairs of this organization. The two boys then turned and walked away from the dump.