Chapter 62: Shock

"This guy is with the Chink; let's beat him up together," another boy with gelled hair shouted.

As soon as he finished, several boys encircled Masashi.

"Stop, all of you, stop!" Aiko, rushing in first, shouted at them.

"Aiko, do you know this guy?" the bespectacled boy asked, looking at her.

"He's my friend, please don't fight. This is just a misunderstanding," Aiko said anxiously.

"Ikeda, he really is Aiko's friend. Don't do anything rash," Mami also ran over.

"I don't care who he is; he struck first. Today, he won't leave here," the boy with gelled hair sneered.

"Fukui, you're going too far," Mami said coldly.

"Aiko, even though he's your friend, he started it. If we let him go now, we'll lose face. But for your sake, if he kneels and begs, I might let him off," Ikeda said, eyeing Aiko's pretty face.

Have Masashi kneel and apologize? With his personality, he'd rather die. Just as Aiko was about to plead again, the boy who had been ignored spoke up, "Get out of the way; this doesn't concern you."

His tone was as calm as ever, but Aiko and Mami sensed a Masashi they had never seen before. Just that one sentence silenced the two girls.

"Kid, looks like you're ready. Kneel and lick my shoes now, and you might still make it," Ikeda sneered.

"Has anyone told you your breath stinks? If you're going to fight, hurry up; I need to get home for dinner."

Ikeda was furious, "Beat this bastard to death!"

Instantly, six boys charged at Masashi...

Five minutes later, everyone couldn't believe their eyes as they watched the six boys writhing in pain on the ground.

Was this a scene from "Fist of the North Star"? How else could such a movie-like scenario be happening here?

No one could see how Masashi took down the six; all they saw was that anyone he touched, even with what seemed like a light brush, would fall and not get up.

What was most terrifying was that the boy would pick up each fallen student and continue beating them.

His movements were clean and precise, but the sound of flesh hitting flesh sent chills down everyone's spine.

No matter how much the boys screamed or begged, Masashi consistently ensured everyone got their share, never missing a beat, until he had thoroughly beaten all seven.

It took him less than ten seconds to down six, but he spent nearly five minutes beating them.

During those five minutes, Aiko and Mami had plenty of time to stop him, but like everyone else, their minds went blank, and they watched in shock until the end.

After beating everyone once, Masashi suddenly turned to the transfer student and walked towards him.

"Th-thank you..." Seeing Masashi approach, the transfer student was both shocked and scared but thanked him for the help.

Before he could finish, Masashi grabbed his collar with both hands, lifted him up, and slammed him against the basketball hoop's rail.

The sharp pain made him cry out.

"Wh-what do you want?" he stammered in broken Japanese, looking at Masashi in panic.

"What do I want?" Masashi suddenly increased his grip, making Zhang Mingxian scream again.

"You ask what I want? I should be asking what you want. It's one thing for a man to lose a fight, but you don't even fight back, letting these trash bully you like a dead dog. Seeing you like this, not only them, but I also feel like beating you," Masashi said, his eyes bloodshot.

Zhang Mingxian didn't have time to wonder how this Japanese boy spoke fluent Chinese. He was too terrified by Masashi's fierce demeanor to speak.

Looking at the pale, trembling boy in front of him, Masashi suddenly felt tired, not physically, but a deep, inner exhaustion.

He sighed, released Zhang Mingxian's collar, and turned to leave.

The students around parted like the Red Sea, no one daring to get close to him.

Seeing Masashi walk away, Aiko bit her lip and hurried after him. The other three girls had no choice but to follow.

In a fast-food restaurant filled with upbeat music, four girls and a boy sat eating, though only the boy was actually eating. The girls were looking at him with strange expressions.

"Don't you have anything to say to us?" Finally, the cute girl with skin as white as jade couldn't help but speak first.

"Today's chicken legs seem worse than usual," Masashi finished the last piece of chicken, tossed the bone aside, and said nonchalantly.

"Is that all you have to say?"

"There's also the soda; it's hard to drink. I've always wondered why so many people like this drink that looks like Chinese medicine."

The girl clenched her fists unconsciously, "Nothing else?"

"So..."

"So?"

"So, the conclusion is, fast food is bad for you," Masashi said, wiping his mouth.

"Is that all you want to say?" The girl couldn't hold back anymore and stood up abruptly.

"Aiko, don't be like this; let's talk calmly," Mami quickly pulled her back down. Murashima also tried to console her.

Aiko sat down angrily, her eyes fixed on Masashi.

"Do you know who you just beat up?"

"Did I beat someone up? I have no recollection," Masashi continued to play dumb.

"You..." Aiko almost slammed the table again, but Mami held her back.

"Masashi, you're in real trouble this time. Those guys have powerful backgrounds; they're not just rich but also have connections to influential people. Especially Ikeda, his father is a current member of parliament with a lot of power. That's why no one at school ever dares to mess with them," Murashima explained from the side.

"I see. If there's nothing else, I'm going home to eat. Be careful on your way back," Masashi said, standing up.

"Eat? Do you even understand the seriousness of this? They'll definitely come after you for revenge. Aren't you worried at all?" Aiko blocked his way, worried and anxious, almost in tears.

Masashi looked at her quietly, then suddenly laughed, a laugh as light as a breeze.

"Kid, whether you believe it or not, there's no one in this world I wouldn't dare to beat up. Don't worry, those punks can't do anything to me," he said, walking past her and out of the fast-food restaurant.

Watching Masashi's retreating figure, Aiko and the girls exchanged bewildered looks.