Jin's pov
"So, we successfully got the twins to join us? What's the next move, Kev?" I asked him, knowing he was the brains behind this—I'm just the frontman.
"We're bringing Narumi into the group. We'll get to him first while the other three work on recruiting Ryoma," he replied, continuing to walk without hesitation, so we simply followed.
"By the way, Hyun, the three of us will go ahead. We have something to take care of," Kailey- the so called sister of Claine Yuzu and cousin of Briana whom I didn't know a while ago- said as she excused herself, and we nodded in acknowledgment.
"Alright then, let's go," Kev motioned for us, and Ryu and I followed.
"Kev."
We were caught off guard when Ryu suddenly stopped walking, his eyes locked onto something behind us.
"Well, well, how are the monkeys? Have you gotten any stronger?" said an unfamiliar yet arrogant voice. Who the hell is this guy? Does he have a death wish? But wait... something feels off. One of them—the one in the middle—his presence feels... heavy. What is this? Who the hell is he?
"Shut up, Taiga, unless you want me to send you straight to the hospital," Ryu snapped, addressing the cocky guy. So my gut was right—this is Phantom Six. And the guy in the middle... must be Shiro Ryota.
Hah. This is going to be fun.
"You think you can take me?"
"Why don't we find out?" Ryu smirked before lunging at Taiga.
Kev cursed as Ryu was sent hurtling backward, colliding with the concrete wall. The impact sent dust and debris scattering. Damn it, that wasn't even fair!
The tension in the air grew thick. Shit, Ryu is one of our strongest, and he just got knocked down in one hit?!
"You're too cocky," Shiro said nonchalantly, but his words carried a weight that made the air around us feel heavier. His gaze alone made it clear—he didn't see us as threats.
That pissed me off.
I darted toward him without thinking, swinging a powerful punch to his face.
He tumbled across the ground, dirt clinging to his clothes. Tsk, I thought he was strong. Why did he go down so easily?
But then—
He got up with a grin, brushing the dust off his shirt. "Bold move," he said, and this time, his voice held a hint of amusement. "Do you want your suffering to end quickly?"
I grinned back. "Tsk... Maybe I should just end your life instead?" Without waiting, I charged at him again.
But in a flash, he vanished from my sight.
"Behind you, Jin!" Kev shouted, but it was too late—a solid fist drove into my ribs.
"Guhh!!" I staggered back, pain exploding in my side. Fuck! He's fast! I didn't even see that coming!
Clutching my ribs, I forced a grin. "Heh... you're fast, huh? But let's see if you can keep up with this!"
I dashed forward, using my own speed to close the gap. I threw a feint from the right before suddenly dropping low, sweeping his legs with a low kick. My foot connected, making him momentarily stumble.
Now's my chance—
I aimed a follow-up strike, but before I could land it, he twisted mid-air, launching a spinning kick straight at my face!
I couldn't dodge in time! The force of the kick slammed into my skull—I staggered back several meters, barely staying on my feet.
Shit... he's even stronger than I thought.
I glanced at Kev—Ryu was struggling to get up, clearly hurt. This is bad.
But I refused to back down.
I wiped the blood from my lip and smirked. "Heh... this is getting fun. Let's go all out, Ryota!"
We locked eyes, both of us ready. In a split second, we dashed toward each other.
Our fists collided, each strike carrying enough force to shake the ground beneath us. Every movement was a blur of power and precision. I threw a lightning-fast jab—he dodged, countering with a punch that barely missed my temple. I ducked under him, slipping into his guard, and landed a powerful kick to his side.
He staggered back slightly but recovered instantly, throwing a rapid barrage of punches. I dodged the first few, but one uppercut slipped through—
Pain exploded in my jaw as my head snapped back, my body crashing into the wall behind me.
"Jin!" Kev shouted, but I lifted my hand, signaling him to stay back. This fight is mine.
I forced myself to my feet, exhaling sharply. No way in hell was I going down like this.
I lunged again, putting everything into my strikes. Blow after blow, we exchanged attacks, neither of us willing to back down. Every hit I landed, he returned with equal force. Our fight wasn't just about strength—it was a battle of speed, technique, and sheer willpower.
I knew this wouldn't be easy.
But one thing was certain—I wouldn't fall without a fight.
And this... is only the beginning.
______________________________________
Kev's pov
"Jin, stop!" I shouted, but he ignored me and charged straight at the three Phantom Six members standing before us.
"Ryu, can you still fight? Looks like we're in for a tough one."
"Damn it. Like I have a choice? Let's do this," Ryu growled, shaking off his pain before charging alongside Jin into battle.
Meanwhile, I was left facing one of their members, a cocky freshman who clearly thought he could take me down.
"What's the matter, Hyun? Just going to stand there? Is this really the so-called former rank six? What a loser."
This brat is too arrogant for his own good.
"Hey, kid, do you really think you can beat me? You've got to be kidding me."
"Enough talk! Fight me!" The brat lunged at me, throwing a powerful punch. I barely managed to dodge in time. I hadn't even fully recovered from my fight with the twins, but I had no choice—I had to deal with him.
"Too weak." I smirked, effortlessly dodging his punches. "You're not even landing a hit. Now, it's my turn." I planted a solid punch into his gut, sending him stumbling backward before collapsing to his knees.
"Damn it! I'm not done yet!" he spat, forcing himself back up.
A fool who didn't know when to quit.
"I like your spirit. Come on, let's keep going." We both charged at each other, exchanging furious blows.
The sound of our fists meeting filled the air as we clashed in an intense exchange. The longer the fight went on, the more I realized—this kid was actually managing to land some solid hits. Not bad for a freshman.
I took a quick glance at Ryu and Taiga—both of them were locked in a standoff, neither making a move yet. They were waiting for an opening, though it is obvious they were both already in bad shape.
Then, my eyes darted toward Jin.
This isn't good. Jin is in real danger.
Shiro isn't holding back anymore.
Realizing the urgency, I threw a heavy punch at my opponent, knocking him out cold before turning to Ryu.
"Ryu! Jin's in trouble!"
Ryu instantly shifted his focus to Jin and, without hesitation, sprinted toward him. Taiga tried to stop him, but before he could even move, Ryu delivered a crushing punch that sent him crashing to the ground.
"Move, Ryu! Hurry!" I urged.
Jin was barely standing. His body swayed, drained of energy, while Shiro stood before him—barely scratched. Even with a few cuts and bruises, he looked completely unfazed.
Shiro moved in for the final blow, his fist poised to strike Jin down.
But just as he was about to land the hit—
Ryu yanked Jin back and intercepted the attack with his own punch, sending a shockwave through the air as their fists collided.
"You really think you can take me on?" Shiro smirked, shifting his gaze to Ryu before eyeing the exhausted Jin. "Your little transfer student looks like he's about to collapse. What's the plan now? Still going to fight me?"
Ryu clenched his fists. "I'll handle this. Kev, take Jin and get out of here. I'll buy you some time."
I turned to him, hesitating. "Are you sure about this?"
"Yes. Find Naomi and tell her what's happening. Now get out of here—faster!" His voice was firm and unwavering.
I could tell he had already made up his mind. Even if I tried to stop him, he wouldn't back down.
I had no choice.
Good luck, partner, I thought to myself as I pulled Jin away from the battlefield. Before I left, I turned to see Ryu slowly stepping toward Shiro, his fists tightening.
Shiro grinned. "Brave, aren't you? Let's see if you can back it up."
I pulled back my gaze and muttered "Don't fall partner... I'll be back..."
______________________________________
Ryu's pov
Damn it. I know I don't stand a chance against this monster, but I just need to buy some time. I don't have to win. I just need to hold out long enough for Kev to get back.
"What's the plan, Ryu? Are you seriously going through with this? Maybe you've got a fever or something," Shiro taunted, his lips curling into a smirk as he studied me. His confidence was suffocating. He doesn't see me as a threat. He saw me as an inconvenience, something to be brushed aside.
I clenched my fists. Let him laugh. When this is over, he won't be the one standing.
"Enough talk. Fight me."
I lunged at him, swinging a powerful punch, but he stepped aside with infuriating ease. Before I could react, he countered with a brutal punch to my gut, knocking the wind out of me. My knees buckled as I crumpled to the ground, gasping for breath.
"Too weak," he muttered, his voice filled with disappointment. He grabbed me by the collar and pulled me up, his grip like a steel vice.
"I'm not playing around anymore, Ryu. No more second chances."
His fist came down like a hammer, crashing against my face. Then another. And another. Blood dripped from my mouth as I tried to block the attacks, but his strikes were relentless. My vision blurred, my body screamed in agony, but I refused to give in.
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Taiga struggle to his feet, but Yuroiji is still down. I am alone against this monster.
So this is it. I've reached my limit.
Just as the thought crossed my mind, Shiro was suddenly sent flying, his body crashing against the pavement with a sickening thud.
I barely had the strength to lift my head, but I forced my eyes open, struggling to see what had happened. A tall figure stood before me, his presence radiating authority. I squinted through the haze of pain.
"You're disgusting. Picking a fight with someone who can't even stand against you" the figure said coldly. It must've been him... Damian Jung...
My vision cleared just enough for me to recognize the one supporting me.
Faith.
My body sagged with relief. He knelt beside me, gripping my arm and lifting me slightly to move me to a safer distance.
"Faith..." I managed to whisper, my voice hoarse from the pain.
"Rest. We'll take it from here," he assured me.
I could make out two more figures beside him—Damian and Chord. They were all here.
Shiro groaned as he pushed himself up, wiping the blood from his mouth. His expression twisted with rage as he glared at Damian. "You've got guts, Jung. Butting into something that doesn't concern you. I should break you first."
Damian cracked his knuckles, his expression unwavering. "Why don't you try? See what happens."
Shiro let out a frustrated growl before launching himself at Damian. Their fists collided with a force that sent shockwaves through the air. The ground beneath them cracked from the sheer impact as they traded blows, each strike fueled by raw strength.
Damian was fast, dodging and weaving between Shiro's attacks while delivering his own precise counterstrikes. But Shiro was powerful, his punches are both heavy and brutal. The two clashed in a display of sheer force and skill, neither willing to back down.
Faith and Chord wasted no time, stepping in to keep Taiga and Ivan Yuroiji at bay. The battlefield is in pure chaos, fists flying, bodies crashing, blood staining the pavement.
I wanted to help, but my body wouldn't move. I could only watch as the real fight began, my mind screaming in frustration.
Shiro lunged at Damian again, his movements more aggressive, his attacks more desperate. He wasn't used to being on the losing side. Faith dodged a wild swing and countered with a devastating uppercut to Shiro's jaw, sending him staggering backward.
Shiro wiped his mouth again, his hand trembling slightly. For the first time, I saw doubt in his eyes.
"What's wrong? Thought you were untouchable?" Damian taunted, his stance unwavering.
Shiro let out a roar of frustration and charged forward with reckless fury. Damian met him head-on, their fight intensifying with each exchange. The ground cracked beneath their feet as their blows grew heavier, faster.
This is a battle between monsters.
And for the first time, I realized—we might actually have a chance.
The real fight had just begun.