The first day back at school after his recovery felt strange for Mikey. His arm was still stiff, but the cast was off. The hallways buzzed with whispers—rumors about Kang's arrest, the fight, and Mikey's broken arm.
Some kids looked at him with pity, others with respect. But to Mikey, none of it mattered. He tightened his fists at his sides. I'm not the same anymore.
[Testing the Phantom Jab]
During gym, a group of smaller bullies were messing with a freshman, shoving him into lockers and laughing. Old Mikey might've hesitated. But not now.
"Back off," Mikey said flatly, stepping forward.
The bullies laughed. One swung at him lazily.
Mikey didn't even blink. His fist shot out—Phantom Jab.The bully didn't even see it coming. One second he was grinning, the next he was doubled over, gasping for air as Mikey's punch sank into his gut.
The other two froze, eyes wide. Mikey didn't smirk, didn't brag. He just looked at them with a cold glare that said more than words ever could. They scattered instantly.
The freshman stared at him like he was looking at a superhero. "T-thank you…"
Mikey just nodded, walking off. Inside, though, he felt it—the Phantom Jab worked. His uncle's technique wasn't just theory. It was real power.
[Jin's Presence]
Later, out by the school yard, Jin leaned against the wall, watching Mikey from a distance.
"You're catching up," Jin said with a small grin when Mikey joined him. "The way you dropped that punk… I almost didn't see your punch myself."
Mikey smirked for the first time in weeks. "I told you I wasn't gonna be left behind."
Jin's eyes narrowed—not with malice, but with intensity. "Good. Keep climbing. You'll need more than just that Phantom Jab when Kang comes back."
Mikey's expression hardened at the name. Kang was still out there. But he wasn't just waiting.
[Kang in Juvia — The New Mentor]
In a dark training hall inside Juvia, Kang knelt before a towering figure—a veteran Muay Thai master who had once been expelled from every gym in Thailand for his brutality. His name was Thanom "The Executioner."
Thanom's voice was low, cold, and sharp."Your anger is wild. Your fists are heavy. But your technique? Sloppy. You broke your master because you fought like an animal. If you want true power, you'll fight like a god of war."
Kang smirked, blood dripping from his split lips after another harsh spar. "Then teach me."
Thanom's eyes glimmered. "Very well. I'll show you a secret my own master called The Eight Limbs of Ruin. Each strike will feel like death itself to your opponent. But it will cost you—your body will rot faster if you overuse it."
Kang clenched his fists, his smile stretching wider. "Perfect."
[Foreshadowing End Scene]
That night, as Mikey struggled through training, his uncle urging him to refine the Phantom Jab, Kang was learning Thanom's brutal sequence—knees that could shatter ribs, elbows sharp as blades, and a hidden finishing strike that looked like pure execution.
Jin stood above it all, watching Mikey's progress without worry. But in Juvia, Kang's shadow grew darker, deadlier, and hungrier.