Briana's pov
"This is the sixth day," Kai muttered, breaking the silence.
Yes, it had been six days since Kev's group attacked four of the Phantom Six captains, leaving Shiro Ryota as the only one left unscathed. And in those six days, nothing. No retaliation, no counterattack—just eerie silence from the Phantom Six. It didn't make any sense.
"What do you guys think Shiro is planning?" I asked, the question slipping out unconsciously.
"I honestly have no idea," Jin replied between bites of his lunch. "That guy's a complete mystery."
We were gathered at our usual hideout—the rooftop of the third-year building. The midday sun cast sharp shadows across the concrete, the breeze doing little to cool the heat of the discussion. Not everyone was present today—just me, Jin, Kev, Ryu, Kailey, Kise, and Atsushi. We were originally just here to eat lunch, but with most of the core group around, the conversation naturally shifted to our next move against Phantom Six.
"Kev, any updates from the Maki brothers?" Atsushi asked, referring to Jake and Jerome, who had been tasked with monitoring the Phantom Six captains.
Kev shook his head, his brows furrowed. "Nothing new. Aside from the fact that the captains have fully recovered."
That wasn't exactly good news. If they were back in fighting condition, that meant they could retaliate at any moment. And yet, they hadn't.
Kev had also assigned Lim to keep an eye on Shiro, while Blake was tailing Ken Nobunaga, another unpredictable element in this mess.
"How about Blake?" Kise chimed in. "Has he noticed anything off about Ken?"
Kev exhaled sharply, clearly frustrated. "Nothing. He said Ken's sticking to his usual routine, and apparently, getting rejected is still his favorite hobby."
I scoffed. Ken Nobunaga was an enigma. He wasn't exactly in the spotlight, but he wasn't entirely in the background either. He never seemed to take anything seriously, but that was precisely what made him dangerous—because people underestimated him.
"So what do we do now?" Ryu groaned, throwing his arms up. "This is boring as hell! No fights, no action, no thrill!"
I clenched my fist, tempted to smack him upside the head, but Kai beat me to it.
A loud whack echoed across the rooftop.
"Argh! Kai, what the hell!?" Ryu yelped, rubbing the sore spot.
"You know what, Ryu?" Kai said, shaking his head. "I know you're an idiot, but I didn't think you were this dumb."
Ryu scowled. "Dumb?! I'm just saying the truth! This is so dull! I need some action, man!"
I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Ryu, do us all a favor and keep that nonsense to yourself."
Jin, who had been unbothered up until now, finally spoke, his tone flat. "No one cares, Ryu."
Kise chuckled. "Yeah, man. Just shut up and deal with it."
Ryu crossed his arms, clearly irritated. "Wow, so this is bullying, huh? You guys are the worst! I should beat all your asses right now!"
No one even dignified that with a response. I turned my focus back to my food, deciding to just let him rant to himself.
Then, everything shifted.
Atsushi suddenly froze, his chopsticks slipping from his fingers and clattering onto his tray. His eyes locked onto the entrance of the rooftop, his posture tense.
"Looks like we've got company," he murmured, his voice unusually serious.
My stomach twisted as I followed his gaze. A familiar figure stepped onto the rooftop, and I instantly knew things were about to get complicated.
Ken Nobunaga.
I didn't expect him to show up here. This is bad—though, looking at his casual posture and cocky grin, it seemed like he isn't worried in the slightest.
"Where's Jin?" Ken asked, his lips stretching into an easy smile. I had no idea why he's grinning like that, nor why he is even looking for Jin in the first place.
I turned to Jin, searching for any sign of surprise—but there was none. His face remained unreadable, calm, and serious as always. It was as if he had anticipated this all along.
Jin stood up slowly, his gaze locked onto Ken. "Took you long enough," he said coolly. "I was expecting you."
Ken's grin widened. "Really? Damn! Must be nice to be waited for."
Jin didn't react to the sarcasm. His tone remained level. "What do you want from me, Ken?"
Ken's expression shifted, his usual playful demeanor slipping away as he crossed his arms. His next words sent a ripple of shock through all of us.
"I want to join JRK Clan."
For a second, no one said anything. The air felt thick, heavy with unspoken questions.
This is insane.
______________________________________
Jin's pov
"I want to join JRK Clan."
So that's why he didn't finish me off when we first met.
Back then, in the mall parking lot, Ken had every opportunity to take me out. He was stronger than me—far stronger. If he had truly wanted to, he could've crushed me without breaking a sweat. But he didn't. Now, I finally knew why.
"What the hell are you saying, Nobunaga?! Have you lost your damn mind?!" Ryu barked, stepping forward aggressively.
I put a hand on his chest, stopping him before he did something reckless.
"Jin, don't hold me back! That bastard's our enemy!"
Ryu isn't calming down, but that's nothing new. His temper had always been explosive, and right now, he's close to going off. I'm not in the mood to deal with one of his outbursts.
"Calm your damn nerves, man. Let's hear him out first."
Ryu clicked his tongue, but he took a step back. His glare, however, never wavered. He is practically burning a hole through Ken's head with how hard he's staring.
Ken remained unfazed, stuffing his hands into his pockets like this was nothing more than a casual conversation.
"I'm sick of the Phantom Six's system," he finally said. "I don't like the way Shiro runs things anymore. That's why I ignored his orders to take you out back at the mall."
I studied his face carefully, looking for any signs of deceit. I had a habit of reading people—it was how I survived in fights, in negotiations, in everything. If someone was lying to me, they couldn't hold my gaze.
But Ken? He stared straight at me, unwavering. He wanted me to know he's telling the truth.
"I still don't trust you," Briana suddenly spoke, stepping forward, her arms crossed. "You could be playing some long con."
Her tone is sharp, challenging. I could practically see the fire in her eyes. Briana was never one to back down, not even against someone like Ken Nobunaga.
Before things could escalate, I gently grabbed her hands and pulled her back.
"Relax. He's not lying."
She frowned at me, clearly not convinced. "And how would you know that?"
"I just do."
"That's not an answer, Jin."
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I can tell when someone's lying to me. It's just something I've always been able to do, trust me."
Kai, who had been quietly eating this whole time, finally spoke up. "I believe him."
That caught everyone's attention.
"If Nobunaga really wanted to screw us over, he wouldn't have helped us when those punks jumped us the other day," Kai added, still chewing. "He could've just stood back and watched us get wrecked."
That was a fair point.
"Ack! You're the only girl that's ever complimented me, Yuzu," Ken suddenly said, with teary eyes. "Everyone else just rejects me." He added with an idiotic pout.
The mood instantly shifted from tense to ridiculous.
Kai didn't react, but Kise laughed. "Damn, dude. You're down bad."
"Tragic," Atsushi muttered under his breath.
Ken clutched his chest dramatically. "It hurts, man. It really does."
I palmed my face. This guy...
Kev, who had been silent up until now, finally cut through the nonsense. "So, why do you really want to join?"
Ken's expression turned serious again. "Aside from hating how Phantom Six is run? I want to be close to Jin."
That made me pause. "...What?"
Before I could move, Ken threw an arm around my shoulder, grinning.
"Relax, relax! I just want you to introduce me to your sister."
I immediately shoved him off. "Hell no."
Ryu's anger flared up again. "Huh?! What the hell are you planning, bastard?!"
Ken just laughed, enjoying the chaos he'd caused.
"So, boss," Kise suddenly said, turning to me. "What's the verdict? Do we let him in?"
I exhaled, weighing my options. Then, I made my decision.
"We'll let him in."
Atsushi raised an eyebrow. "You sure? No second thoughts?"
I nodded. "We need every advantage we can get."
That's the truth. Ken Nobunaga is a damn good fighter. If he's on our side, that's one less monster we had to deal with.
Kev, however, still looked doubtful. "And what if he betrays us?"
Ken's usual playful demeanor faded. His voice dropped to a rare, serious tone. "I don't betray people."
For the first time, his presence felt genuinely intimidating. It was a reminder that, underneath all that carefree arrogance, he was still a powerhouse—a warrior who could hold his own against the strongest.
I met his gaze. "...I know."
I clapped a hand on his shoulder before sitting back down. "Welcome to JRK Clan."
Ken grinned. "Glad to be here."
Then, his face turned serious again. "But we need to talk. In private."
That got my attention. Without hesitation, I stood up and followed him off the rooftop.
As soon as we were alone, Ken leaned against a nearby wall, his usual easygoing attitude completely gone.
"We're still in bad shape," he said.
I crossed my arms. "Explain."
"If the Dark Knights find out I've joined you guys, they won't help you anymore."
I frowned. "Why?"
"They'll assume you're strong enough to fight Phantom Six without them."
"...And that's a bad thing?"
Ken sighed. "That's where the Akami Army comes in."
That sent a cold chill down my spine.
"If Dark Knights step back after learning, Akami Holmes will take that as his cue to move," Ken continued. "And if that happens... Phantom Six won't be our only problem."
Akami Holmes. I hadn't forgotten about him, but I had been avoiding thinking about him. That guy was unpredictable, calculating, and absolutely ruthless. If he saw an opportunity to strike us down, he would take it.
I clenched my fists. "So what do we do?"
Ken smirked. "Tomorrow, gather all your strongest members. I'm going to make you even stronger."
Then, he patted my shoulder and walked away, leaving me with one lingering question:
How the hell does he plan on doing that?
______________________________________
Kev's pov
"What do you think they're talking about, Kev?" Ryu asked me, his voice laced with curiosity as he sat beside me.
"I have no idea."
My eyes flickered toward the door where Jin and Ken Nobunaga had just disappeared. I didn't really understand why they had to talk in private when they could've discussed it right here. It felt suspicious—unnecessary even—but I let it slide. I still had my doubts about Nobunaga, but for now, I'd trust Jin's judgment.
Moments later, Jin returned to his spot, his expression unreadable. I immediately walked over to him.
"What happened?" I asked without hesitation.
"Pick up your things. We're following Ken. He's about to be attacked." His tone was sharp, urgent. Without wasting another second, he grabbed his things and rushed out of the rooftop.
We had no choice but to follow. I quickly slung my bag over my shoulder, exchanging a brief glance with Ryu before we both took off after Jin.
By the time we reached the school grounds, Ken was already standing face-to-face with four captains of the Phantom Six. My fists clenched at my sides. Did Jin really predict this was going to happen?
"So, you officially joined the enemy team, huh? Traitor!" Hero So's voice rang through the air, filled with venom as he glared at Ken.
So it was true. He really only wanted to join our group. Nothing else. But that's fine. At least Jin isn't the only ace we have against these bastards.
"I have my own reasons, So. Now get the hell out of my way, or you'll die." Ken's voice was calm, but the weight behind his words was unmistakable.
Hero So didn't budge, his smirk only growing wider. "Fuck you and your reasons, Ken. If you really want me to step aside, then make me."
Ken exhaled slowly, cracking his knuckles. "Don't say I didn't warn you."
And then, he lunged.
Hero So swung first, but Ken ducked, avoiding the punch effortlessly. In a blink, Ken's fist buried itself into So's stomach. The impact left him gasping, his body doubling over instinctively. Without hesitation, Ken grabbed his shoulder and forced him to his knees before delivering a brutal kick to his face. Hero So crumpled to the ground, unmoving.
"Pathetic. You can't even lay a finger on me." Ken scoffed before turning his attention to the remaining three. "You bitches want some too?"
Jiro Matsuda's face darkened. "I hope you know what you're doing, Ken."
He charged forward, throwing three rapid punches. Ken dodged them smoothly, almost lazily, as if he were dancing around his opponent. When Jiro went for a fourth strike, Ken caught his wrist and, in the same breath, lashed out with a kick, sending Taiga—who had been sneaking up behind him—flying backward. Then, he turned his attention back to Jiro, landing two devastating punches to his face before tossing him into Ivan, who had been rushing in to attack.
Ivan barely had time to react before Ken followed up, striking with a brutal elbow to his temple. Ivan's legs gave out beneath him, his body collapsing to the ground in a heap. Ken took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling steadily, as he surveyed the battlefield. Bodies littered the ground, groaning, twitching, utterly broken.
"That should do it." He said while dusting his hands as if he just finished taking out some trash.
He's a monster.
"I'm still here, Ken."
A shiver ran down my spine at the sound of that voice. Even Ken stiffened slightly, a flicker of tension crossing his face.
From a short distance away, Shiro Ryota strode toward him. His presence was suffocating, like a blade pressing against the air itself.
"You disobeyed me once when you refused to finish off Yagami. That's why I stripped you of your position as co-leader. And now? You couldn't even do your job as a spy and instead, you joined them? What happened to your so-called 'I will never betray anyone'?"
Ken met his gaze with unwavering determination. "This is how I do things, Shiro."
Shiro smirked. "Your ways are for the weak."
Ken's eyes burned with fury. "You're my best buddy, Shiro. But this ends here."
"Give me your best shot."
Without hesitation, Ken charged.
He threw two consecutive punches, but Shiro dodged them with ease. Shiro countered with a punch aimed at Ken's ribs. Ken barely managed to block it, but I could tell he felt it. Shiro was ruthless—he never held back.
Then, without warning, Shiro struck. Two solid punches landed on Ken's face, followed by a brutal kick to the stomach. Ken hit the ground hard, coughing as he tried to get back up.
Shiro didn't let up. He stepped forward and drove a knee into Ken's ribs, forcing him to roll over in pain. Ken groaned, his breathing ragged, but his eyes still burned with defiance.
"You still got a long way to go, buddy." Shiro muttered before turning his back and walking away.
"Do you think I'll fall for your weak-ass punches?" Ken growled, voice hoarse but defiant.
Shiro halted mid-step. Slowly, he turned to face Ken, who was struggling to rise to his feet.
Then, Shiro chuckled. A quiet, almost amused sound before his face returned to its usual cold expression. In an instant, he was in front of Ken again, driving his knee into Ken's stomach. The impact forced Ken to his knees.
Shiro grabbed him by the hair, forcing his head up so their eyes met.
I couldn't take it anymore.
I stepped forward, but before I could make a move, Jin blocked my path, raising a hand. "Let them settle this one, Kev."
Jin's voice was calm, but his eyes burned with barely restrained rage. I hesitated before reluctantly stepping back.
Shiro pulled Ken to his feet, leaning in slightly. "No matter how hard you try, you still won't be able to defeat me."
Then, with one final, merciless kick to the face, Ken collapsed. This time, he didn't get back up.
The fight was over.
We rushed over to him. His injuries were bad. He was completely unconscious.
"Don't worry, bro. We'll get stronger and take him down once and for all." Jin murmured, his voice filled with a quiet promise as he lifted Ken onto his back and carried him toward the infirmary.
There was no doubt about it anymore. We have to get stronger. Because if we didn't, there would be no stopping the raging dragon that was Shiro Ryota—the uncrowned king of Sensō High.