Jin's pov
"Today is the day, Jin," Ken said as he sat beside me. We were both on a bench at the park inside our village, discussing what might happen later. The atmosphere was tense, heavy with unspoken fears and anticipation. "We've been preparing for this fight for quite some time now. What are you feeling?"
"Anger, hatred, and frustration," I admitted, clenching my fists on my knees, trying to suppress the storm of emotions inside me. "I can't do shit while Kai is in trouble, at the hands of the Phantom Six."
The rage in my chest burned, but I forced myself to stay composed. Losing control wouldn't help Kai—it would only make things worse. I took out my phone and looked at my lock screen. It was a photo of the two of us on our first date. I traced the outline of her smile on the screen with my thumb.
"Calm down, Jin. We will save Kai later. I can assure you that," Ken said, patting my shoulder. There was a certainty in his voice that gave me a moment of peace, but the unease never fully disappeared.
"Thanks, man." I sighed, leaning back against the bench. "But why do you think Akira decided to show up? Why is he helping us now?"
That question had been bugging me since the moment he returned. Why now? Why after all these years? Did he truly come back to help us, or was there something more?
Ken hesitated before answering. "To be honest, Jin, I have an idea, but I need to confirm it first. I don't want to jump to conclusions."
I nodded, understanding his caution. If Ken isn't saying anything yet, then it meant it isn't just a simple guess—he wanted to be sure before telling me. Still, the uncertainty lingered.
"Can we really beat them this time, Ken?" My voice came out quieter than I intended. It wasn't just doubt; it was the weight of responsibility pressing down on me. "Akami Army and Phantom Six together... That's a force unlike anything we've faced before. Are we really strong enough to stand against them?"
Ken's confidence didn't waver. "We have a chance, Jin. With Akira on our side, our win is already confirmed."
I wish I could share his certainty. Akira Yuiji was undeniably strong—one of the best. Maybe even stronger than Shiro. But even with his help, I couldn't shake off the fear creeping into my mind.
To be honest, I was scared. Scared for Kai. Scared for my friends. Scared of what would happen if we lost. It had been a long time since I truly felt this level of fear. But I couldn't let it consume me. Not now.
I took a deep breath and stood up. "I hope we can make it this time."
Ken watched me as I turned away, lifting a hand in a casual wave as I walked off.
I was scared, but I would fight. I had to fight. Running wasn't an option. Not when Kai needed me. Not when everyone was counting on me. Even if it meant facing both Akami and Shiro myself—
—I would save her. No matter what it takes.
_________________________________________
Third person's pov
The sun had set, and with it, the battle between the Crows and the Phantoms, along with their allies, had reached its conclusion. As darkness blanketed the sky, Jin Yagami, the King of Crows, took his first steps toward reclaiming what was his.
Outside his house, Ken Nobunaga, his most skilled fighter, leaned against the wall, puffing on a cigarette. He exhaled slowly, watching the smoke dissipate into the cold night air. The moment he spotted Jin emerging, he flicked his cigarette to the ground, crushed it under his boot, and straightened up, ready to follow his leader.
Down the alleyway, hidden within the shadows of the streetlights, the core members of Crows Zero stood prepared. Their eyes burned with anticipation, their bodies tense with the promise of the fight ahead.
"Get psyched! Let's go!" Kevin Hyun's voice rang out, cutting through the silence like a blade. The call to arms ignited the fire in the hearts of those gathered—Ryu Hyuga, Briana Naomi, the twin captains Jake and Jerome Maki, and their fiercest warriors: Kise Goura, Jerzy Lim, Atsushi Narumi, and Claine Yuzu. With unwavering determination, they followed Jin Yagami, marching forward into the night.
Meanwhile, at Sensō High, another force awaited them.
The Dark Knights stood in formation, their black coats fluttering slightly in the night breeze. At their helm was Damian Jung, his sharp gaze surveying the darkness beyond the school gates. Beside him, Faith Ishida, his co-leader, stood firm, his expression unreadable. Their captains, Jacob Sy and Chord Ruiz, stood by, their arms crossed, their patience unwavering.
"They're here," Damian muttered, the corner of his lips curling into a smirk as he spotted the approaching Crows. "This is it. The biggest fight Sensō High has ever seen."
He turned to his men, his voice a commanding force. "Show those Phantoms and Akamis who runs this school. No mercy."
And with those words, the two clans—Crows Zero and the Dark Knights—united under a single cause. A moment that had once seemed impossible had come to fruition. Two of Sensō High's most fearsome forces marched as one, converging upon the battlefield where everything would be decided.
Waiting for them was a lone figure, standing firm amidst the chaos.
Akira Yuiji.
The former King of Sensō High did not flinch as he faced the approaching storm. His sharp eyes flickered with understanding as he took in the combined might of his enemies. A lesser man might have faltered in the face of such overwhelming opposition, but not him.
He already knew.
Their plan was in shambles.
The enemy had not dispersed. They had not stationed their forces around the perimeter as expected. Instead, every last one of them was gathered here, at the front entrance, waiting.
There was no other path. No back entrance. No weak points to exploit. If they wanted to enter, they would have to fight their way through every single one of them.
Jin Yagami stopped just before the sea of enemies. He turned, facing the gathered forces of the Dark Knights and Crows Zero. His voice carried over the rain-soaked streets, unwavering, resolute.
"Today, Sensō High will witness the greatest battle it has ever seen. This is our only chance to bring down the Phantom Six and the Akami Army. There are only three things I ask of you: Never surrender. Protect your allies. And destroy them all."
He let those words sink in, his burning gaze meeting those of his comrades. "Never hesitate. Take down every single enemy in front of you."
Without waiting for a response, he stepped forward, leading the charge.
The rain began to fall harder, each drop drumming against the pavement, against their skin. The tension thickened, the air itself heavy with the anticipation of violence. No one moved. No one dared make the first strike.
Then, from the enemy's ranks, three figures emerged, their presence enough to send a ripple through the battlefield.
Shiro Ryota.
Akami Holmes.
Jermaine Lee.
Three of the most dangerous fighters in the Phantom-Akami alliance stepped forward, their eyes locking onto their targets.
Shiro's cold gaze fell upon Jin, and for a moment, everything else ceased to exist. There was no rain. No soldiers. No war.
Only the two of them.
"Meet me on the third floor," Shiro said, his voice calm, steady, and filled with finality. "That's where this ends."
Without another word, he turned his back on Jin, walking into the unfinished building, followed closely by Akami, Jermaine, Satoshi Cruz, and Hero So.
The rain pounded the earth, yet still, no one moved.
Jin inhaled deeply, his fingers curling into fists. Then, with a thunderous roar, he charged forward, his warriors following suit, the battle erupting in a violent, chaotic clash.
The war had begun.
Sensō High would never be the same again.
And neither would they.
________________________________________
Jin's pov
My only job is to save Kai and destroy Shiro Ryota, so I can't afford to mess this up. I charge toward our enemies without hesitation. The first enemy within my reach receives a punch to the face, and I follow up with a swift kick to the second one.
They outnumber us. The Crows have only fifty-six members, while the Dark Knights have seventy-two. Together, that makes one hundred twenty-eight of us, but our enemies number approximately one hundred fifty. I can only hope that our skill and determination will overpower their sheer numbers.
"Yagami! We have to catch up to Shiro!" Akira shouts as he delivers a powerful punch to the man in front of me. We need to break through this massive wave of enemies before we can reach him.
"Jin, step back a little. We'll create an opening for you," Atsushi calls out. I immediately retreat a few steps as Atsushi, Kise, and Jerzey push forward, fighting with relentless intensity to clear a path for us.
"Jin, let's go! We can't waste the opportunity Kise and the others gave us!" Ken yells as he plows through the enemy ranks, throwing punches at anyone who dares to stand in his way. Ryu and Kev follow closely behind him, cutting through the chaos like blades through paper.
I can't afford to hesitate. I glance at Damian Jung, who's busy fending off multiple enemies at once. I give him a quick signal, and he nods in acknowledgment before moving to follow me. We need to get to Shiro Ryota as quickly as possible.
"Akira! There's an opening, let's move!" I call out. In a flash, Akira Yuiji dashes toward the entrance of the building, effortlessly cutting down every opponent in his path. With him leading the charge, it's much easier for the rest of us to break through and enter the building.
"Faith! Briana! You two are in command! Lead everyone!" Damian shouts as we breach the entrance. Faith Ishida gives a confident thumbs-up. He and Briana are both capable leaders; I trust that they can guide our team to victory while we press forward.
Inside, the resistance is lighter. There are still a few enemies scattered throughout the building, but they're weaker compared to the ones outside. We make quick work of them as we advance toward the stairway.
Just as we're about to ascend, two figures step forward to block our way—Hero So and Satoshi Cruz. Their presence alone radiates power, and I can tell this fight won't be easy. I prepare to engage, but before I can attack, Ken stops me.
"Let us handle this, Jin. You, Akira, and Damian need to keep moving. Catch up to Shiro, we'll meet up with you once we finish here." He gestures to Kev and Ryu, who step up beside him, ready to face off against Hero So and Satoshi Cruz.
"Thanks, man," I say before dashing up the stairs. The second floor is much quieter than I expected, with only a handful of enemies waiting for us. They're no match for us, and we take them down with ease before rushing toward the next stairway that leads to the third floor.
"This is as far as you go," a voice calls out from behind us. We pause and turn to see Akami Holmes standing there alone.
He's alone? I think I can take him—
"Leave him to me. We have unfinished business," Damian interrupts, cracking his knuckles as he steps forward.
I hesitate for a second, then nod. This is another opportunity to move forward, and I can't waste it. Damian can handle himself—I have to trust him.
Akira and I charge up to the third floor. The moment we arrive, I sense danger. A fist comes flying toward me at full speed—I can't dodge in time! I raise my arms to block, bracing for impact, but nothing happens.
I open my eyes to see Akira Yuiji standing in front of me, his hand wrapped tightly around the incoming fist. The force behind the punch is immense—I can feel the shockwave from where I'm standing—yet Akira caught it effortlessly. Just how strong is this guy?
"After all this time, you finally decided to join the fight, huh?" King says with a smirk, his fist still locked in Akira's grip.
"Yeah, well, it's just as unusual to see you joining a faction. What's your reason?" Akira responds, releasing King's fist. The tension between them is thick. This isn't just a fight—it's a battle between two of the strongest fighters in Sensō High. I feel rooted in place, unable to move.
"Shiro is in the center of this floor. Go now, before I change my mind and decide to kick your ass first," King warns before throwing a flurry of punches at Akira.
He's right—I would only get in their way. I'm not at their level yet. I have to focus on my mission before something terrible happens to Kai.
Just a little longer, Kai. I'm coming. I will save you, no matter what.
________________________________________
Shiro's pov
"Your prince is already here, Ms. Lady in Distress. He's downstairs, to be specific. Aren't you excited?" I teased Yuzu, who was comfortably sitting atop a pile of concrete blocks, lazily munching on a pack of nuts.
This girl is insane. Doesn't she realize the situation she's in?
"Yeah, I know he'll come. So what?" she replied nonchalantly, popping another nut into her mouth. To make things even more absurd, she had taken my phone and was now watching animal videos as if she were in the middle of a lazy afternoon, not a hostage situation.
I let out a sigh and sat down on a stack of iron posts in front of her. If she were anyone else, she'd probably be trembling in fear, but not Yuzu. She and Yagami really are perfect for each other—both unshaken by chaos, both completely unfazed by danger.
Then I heard it. Footsteps echoing through the unfinished building. Heavy. Determined.
That presence—I knew it could only be him.
"Yuzu, go hide," I ordered without looking at her.
She raised an eyebrow at me. "Why?"
I didn't have time to explain. They were already here.
"Things are about to get messy. You don't need to be dragged into this," I said, pushing myself up to stand. I moved forward, stepping into the hallway, ready to face the one I had been waiting for.
"Don't order me around. I know how to protect myself," she snapped, standing beside me stubbornly.
I turned my head and gave her a serious look, my expression leaving no room for argument. "This isn't something you can handle. Just do what I said."
She hesitated for a moment before clicking her tongue and retreating, slipping into one of the unfinished rooms. Smart choice.
I turned my attention back to the hallway and waited.
The tension thickened with every second that passed. The dim light from the setting sun barely reached inside the skeletal structure of the building, casting long, eerie shadows. The rain outside had finally stopped, but the air remained damp, filled with the scent of wet concrete and rusted metal.
Then, from the darkness of the corridor, a figure emerged.
A slow, sarcastic chuckle escaped my lips. It's him...
"So this is where you are, Ryota."
He came to a stop a few feet away from me, standing tall, his eyes sharp and calculating.
"Took you long enough," I said, his voice as cold as ever. "Shall we settle this once and for all?"
I rolled my shoulders, cracking my knuckles as I smirked. "You won't be able to run away from me this time, Shiro."
I let out a dry laugh, tilting his head slightly as he observed me. "Run away? You think I've been running? No. I've been waiting for this moment."