Chapter 11 Invasion Pt. 2 — Ryuji vs. Tetsuya

Ryuji chuckled to himself, wiping away a tear with his finger as his laughter subsided. "Alright, guys. I'm heading to the gym for a bit. See ya!" With that, he stood, grabbed his things, and exited the classroom with a burst of energy.

Yumiko followed shortly after, pushing her chair back as she stood. "I'm gonna head out too. Got a few things to take care of around the school," she said with a cheerful wave to Shoto before quietly leaving the room.

Yuumo sighed softly, slumping over his desk and muttering, "Imma take a nap," before resting his head on his folded arms.

Hikaru glanced between Yuumo and Ren, who was still nibbling methodically on his sandwich. Then he turned his gaze toward Neko, who remained silent, and finally followed the others out of the room without a word.

Shoto leaned back in his chair, his eyes drawn to the storm outside. Thunder rumbled faintly in the distance as rain began to streak down the windows, setting a somber, electric mood within the school.

Elsewhere, in the school halls, a different kind of atmosphere loomed. Students from Tetsuya's school roamed the corridors like a pack of prowling delinquents. Among them was a boy with glasses and bright blue-tinted hair tips, idly bouncing a small tennis ball in his hand as he veered off down another hallway.

This left Tetsuya standing in the middle of the corridor with two of his companions flanking him. His sharp gaze pierced through the space as he muttered, almost to himself, "He's next."

Ahead of him, Ryuji walked with a spring in his step, eager to get to the gymnasium. His upbeat demeanor faltered when he spotted Tetsuya and his crew. Their attire and demeanor made it obvious they didn't belong to the school.

"Hm? Are you guys new transfer students? If that's the case, I can take you to the principal's off—" Ryuji began, his tone friendly.

But before he could finish, a sharp gust of wind brushed against his face. In an instant, Tetsuya was in front of him, his elbow driving toward Ryuji's abdomen. Reflexively, the boxer raised his arm to block, the strike landing with a heavy impact that sent a shock through his guard.

Tetsuya smirked, his silver hair glinting faintly under the flickering hallway lights. "I've been looking for someone who can keep up with me. If that red-haired woman couldn't, then you're next."

Ryuji's eyes widened slightly. He must be talking about Hina… So that means—

Before he could complete his thought, Tetsuya was on him again, this time landing a solid kick to Ryuji's gut. The force sent him to his knees, clutching his stomach in pain.

Gritting his teeth, Ryuji forced himself to stand, his body protesting with each movement. He swung a wild punch at Tetsuya, but the silver-haired adversary sidestepped effortlessly and retaliated with another kick—this one connecting with the side of Ryuji's face.

Ryuji hit the ground hard, the world spinning around him as he lay at Tetsuya's feet. The silver-haired boy casually slicked his hair back, his eyes cold and predatory. "If you're not the strongest in this school, get out of my way. Weak attacks like that will only hurt you in the long run, rookie."

Tetsuya's condescending tone ignited a spark of fury in Ryuji. Slowly, he pushed himself to his feet, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. His determination burned brighter now, and without hesitation, he swung again—this time, his fist connected.

The crack of the punch echoed through the hallway, loud and shocking. Tetsuya stumbled back, stunned, his hand brushing the fresh bruise on his cheek. The two students flanking him exchanged wary glances, momentarily caught off guard by Ryuji's resilience.

Other students lingering nearby began to scatter, sensing the tension in the air. No one wanted to get involved in a fight, especially one that might draw the attention of the student council president. Whispers spread like wildfire, and though no one dared speak of Hina's earlier defeat, her absence lingered like an unspoken secret.

Ryuji cracked his knuckles, his glare fixed on Tetsuya. "If you think I'm going down that easily, you've got another thing coming."

Tetsuya's lips curled into a wicked smile, his earlier amusement replaced by genuine interest. "Good. Let's see if you're worth my time."

The storm outside mirrored the battle within, as thunder rolled and rain lashed against the windows. The hallway became a stage, and the real fight was only just beginning.

The clash began without hesitation.

Tetsuya dashed toward Ryuji with explosive speed, twisting his body mid-air and landing a clean kick across the boxer's face. The sheer force sent Ryuji stumbling to the side, but he refused to back down. Gritting his teeth, Ryuji retaliated with a swift jab to Tetsuya's gut, forcing the silver-haired fighter to stagger.

Recovering quickly, Tetsuya lunged forward with almost inhuman agility, flipping over Ryuji in a fluid motion and striking the back of his head with his heel. The blow sent Ryuji down on one knee, his vision blurring slightly. Yet even in this vulnerable position, the boxer didn't hesitate—he launched an uppercut aimed squarely at Tetsuya's jaw.

With effortless precision, Tetsuya stepped back, the punch grazing harmlessly past him. His smirk widened, devilish and taunting. "Is that all you've got?" he sneered, moving immediately back to the offensive.

Ryuji grunted, refusing to answer. He surged forward with a flurry of jabs, each one more desperate than the last. His fists moved with the speed and power of a seasoned boxer, but his swings were reckless, lacking precision in the heat of the moment. Tetsuya weaved through the attacks with fluid grace, his movements almost mocking in their ease.

Then, with a sudden feint, Tetsuya twisted his body into a roundhouse kick. Ryuji ducked just in time, narrowly avoiding the strike, but as he rose, Tetsuya's devilish smirk grew wider. With lightning speed, Tetsuya followed up, slamming the back of his foot against the side of Ryuji's head.

A loud ringing filled Ryuji's ears as he staggered, his vision spinning. Blood trickled down his face, his body screaming for him to stop. But Tetsuya wasn't finished.

"Stay down," Tetsuya commanded coldly, his voice devoid of sympathy. Ignoring his own words, he unleashed a relentless barrage of kicks, each one more brutal than the last. Blood splattered across the hallway as Ryuji's defenses faltered, the silver-haired fighter's strikes landing with terrifying precision.

Five minutes passed. The hallway fell silent, save for the sound of shallow, labored breaths.

Elsewhere, Shoto emerged from the classroom with Yuumo slumped over his back, carried as if he weighed nothing. Ren, Hikaru, and Neko followed closely behind, the latter bounding ahead on four nimble kitten legs. Ren kept his eyes on the cat, ensuring it didn't wander off too far, while Hikaru lingered, glancing at Shoto with a skeptical expression.

"Wake him up already," Hikaru said, folding his arms. "Yuumo has legs, you know."

Shoto sighed softly, adjusting the unconscious gamer on his back. "You're so mean, Hikaru. Are you ever going to be nice?" he replied in a mellow tone, though a faint hint of teasing lingered.

Hikaru scoffed, turning his gaze to the rain streaking down the windows. Lightning flashed in the distance, illuminating his sharp features for a moment. "Even if I was nice, it would only be to them. Not to you, Kazami."

Shoto glanced at him briefly, his expression calm and unreadable. Then, he looked forward again, his voice quiet. "I guess we're the last ones here."

Hikaru stopped mid-step, surveying the empty corridor with a frown. The quiet felt unnatural, even with the storm outside. "Something's off…" he murmured to himself, suspicion creeping into his tone.

Shoto paused, noticing Hikaru's sudden change in demeanor. "Hm?" he asked, confused, as Hikaru turned and started heading toward the direction Ryuji had taken earlier. Without hesitation, Shoto followed, still carrying Yuumo effortlessly on his back.

In the hallway ahead, a faint gust of wind swept between Tetsuya and his two companions. The silver-haired fighter wiped a speck of blood off his cheek as he turned to the others.

"I'm heading back to our base," Tetsuya said flatly, patting his companions on the shoulder as he passed them. "You two can do whatever you want, but I think the message has been sent."

The two nodded silently and walked past the battered Ryuji, their footsteps echoing faintly in the now-empty corridor. They disappeared into the distance, leaving Ryuji alone.

The boxer was a broken figure, kneeling amidst a pool of his own blood. Bruises covered him from head to toe, his breathing shallow and labored. His vision blurred, but through the haze, he saw two figures running toward him.

His strength fading, Ryuji managed a faint smile before succumbing to unconsciousness. The last thing he saw was the storm outside, mirroring the chaos within the school.