Chapter 24: Endo Vs Inamaru

Hours after meeting Zan-Xi's group, Shoto, Hikaru, Ryuji, Yuumo, and Ren sat in a circle, strategizing their next move, with the focus largely on Endo. Hikaru broke the silence. "As we know, Endo doesn't fight. He relies on that book. That means it needs to be on him at all times."

Ren nodded in agreement, but Ryuji frowned, crossing his arms. "Why don't we just let him forfeit the match—"

Before he could finish, Neko leapt into action, aiming a kick at his face. However, he miscalculated and ended up hitting Shoto instead, who had been sitting nearby, still in shock. Shoto collapsed to the floor, tears streaming down his face as he stared blankly at the ceiling. The reality of having to face his own cousin over the sacred swords weighed heavily on him.

From the dining room, Yumiko rushed in, fanning Shoto as he whimpered on the floor. Meanwhile, Neko dragged a giant suitcase into the room and perched on top of it with a firm expression. "If Endo forfeits, there's no guarantee he'll stay alive. More likely, he'll be killed."

The group fell silent, absorbing his words, but Neko wasn't done. "Besides, we need eight fighters. Right now, there are only six of us."

Ren furrowed his brow. "Wait, seven? Isn't Yumiko one of us—"

Ryuji interrupted with a sharp tone. "She's not a fighter, and that's a good thing. I don't want my twin sister getting hurt."

Hikaru adjusted his glasses, his gaze fixed on the floor as the light reflected off the lenses. "That means we need to find our eighth."

Suddenly, Shoto stirred. Slowly rising, he focused his gaze on the suitcase beneath Neko. Without a word, he walked over and opened it, revealing a collection of swords and a small piece of paper with the word Zamraok scrawled on it.

Hikaru, Ryuji, Ren, and Yuumo leaned in, awestruck. "Whoa…" they murmured in unison.

Scratching his head, Shoto glanced over the group. "Me, Hikaru, Ryuji, Ren, Yuumo… and Hina makes seven. That means… I have to ask… him."

The others exchanged confused looks as Shoto's words hung in the air.

Meanwhile, in another room, Endo was crouched in front of the pile of swords, his hand reaching out to touch one. "Oooou…"

Before he could make contact, Shoto stormed over and grabbed him by the collar.

Later that Night

As the clock approached midnight, Zan-Xi's team had gathered on the rooftop of Shoto's school. Their movements were calm yet deliberate, each step marking their readiness for the confrontation.

Moments later, Shoto's group arrived—Shoto, Hikaru, Ren, Yuumo, and Ryuji, with Endo slung over Ryuji's back like an unruly sack of rice. As they reached the rooftop, they were met with the sight of their opponents.

Stepping forward from Zan-Xi's team was Inamaru, a man with messy brown hair and a jagged scar running across his lower chin. His uniform, though identical to Zan-Xi's, looked more disheveled, giving him an air of recklessness.

Inamaru sauntered forward, squinting as he took in the sight of Endo slouched on Ryuji's back. He turned toward Zan-Xi with a smirk. "Yo, Xi, this is just a kid!"

Zan-Xi gave a nonchalant shrug. "Doesn't matter. Should be easy for you. Knock yourself out."

With a wicked grin, Inamaru turned back to Endo, who suddenly vanished from Ryuji's back. In the blink of an eye, Endo reappeared behind Inamaru, poking him in the back lightly. "Boop!"

Startled, Inamaru whipped around, but before he could react, Endo reappeared again—this time standing precariously on Inamaru's shoulders, wobbling for balance. "Oo-whoa!"

Furious, Inamaru grabbed Endo and slammed him to the ground with a resounding thud. As Endo hit the rooftop, the book he carried tumbled away, its pages flipping wildly as if alive. Suddenly, a loud poof echoed through the air.

Standing where Endo had been moments before was now a 16-year-old version of himself. He straightened up slowly, pulling back his hood with an air of indifference. His voice carried a cool edge as he muttered, "Looks like my daily walk in the sun is over."

Inamaru stared in confusion, his eyes narrowing as he muttered, "What the hell… his entire appearance changed…" His hand reached into his coat, pulling out a small drum that resembled a bongo. The tension between them grew thick as Endo, now visibly altered and more intimidating, slowly unzipped his jacket, shrugging it open completely before charging forward with explosive energy.

Before Endo could close the distance, Inamaru smacked the drum with a powerful strike. A deafening sound reverberated through the air, and Endo was slammed to the ground as if an immense gravitational force had crushed him. The earth beneath him cracked from the pressure. Inamaru looked down at this aged-up version of Endo, a devilish grin spreading across his face as he relished the shift in power.

Endo gritted his teeth, struggling against the overwhelming force pinning him. The ground cracked further beneath him, the weight increasing by the second. Suddenly, in a blur, he disappeared from the ground and reappeared just above Inamaru, his heel crashing into Inamaru's face with brutal force. Staggering from the blow, Inamaru's reflexes kicked in. He struck his drum twice in rapid succession. The sound waves propelled Endo backward, slamming him into the wall behind with a thunderous crash, creating a massive hole.

Smoke and dust filled the air as debris settled around the wreckage. Slowly, Endo emerged, battered and bruised, with cuts lining his body and dust clinging to his skin. He wiped his face, spitting blood to the side, his voice raspy yet determined. "This… isn't what I was expecting," he muttered, brushing himself off despite his injuries.

Inamaru chuckled darkly, setting the drum down with care. "You can teleport too, huh? Interesting. So can I."

In the blink of an eye, Inamaru vanished and reappeared directly in front of Endo. With lightning speed, he drove his fist upward, striking Endo's chin and sending him airborne. As Endo ascended, dazed, Inamaru grabbed him by the collar of his hoodie and slammed him downward with unrelenting force. But just before Endo could hit the ground, Inamaru struck his chest with another drumbeat, creating a sonic shockwave that repelled Endo midair, launching him like a rocket into another wall. The impact created a second gaping hole, dust and rubble scattering in all directions.

From the sidelines, Shoto, Ren, Ryuji, and Yuumo watched in stunned silence, their expressions pale as they witnessed Endo being ruthlessly overpowered by this delinquent from Zan-Xi's crew. Blood dripped from Endo's mouth as he wobbled unsteadily, struggling to stay on his feet.

Hikaru clenched his fists, his voice tense with urgency. "He's going to kill him if we don't stop this match!"

Nearby, Neko, the small cat perched atop a pole, glanced at Hikaru momentarily before returning its gaze to the brutal battle. Its tail flicked as if to signal something.

"He's not done," Neko murmured.

Endo, bloodied but defiant, straightened himself with a slow, painful effort. A wild grin broke across his face as he wiped the blood from his lips and slicked back his disheveled hair. His voice was low but laced with exhilaration. "Oh, this is going to be fun."