The cold, hard floor of the storage room bit into Takuma's back as he stared up at Daichi, who loomed over him with a menacing grin. The air was thick with the scent of dust and sweat, the distant murmur of students outside the old gym drowned out by the heavy thudding of his own heartbeat. Takuma's vision blurred for a moment as Daichi’s fist hurtled down toward him, a wave of instinct urging him to move.

Takuma’s hand shot up with a speed and precision that startled even him, catching Daichi’s fist just inches from his face. The impact jarred his arm, but he held firm, gripping Daichi’s knuckles with an iron-like strength that made the older boy’s grin falter.

“You… you think you can stop me with that?” Daichi growled, his voice dripping with disbelief as he tried to wrench his hand free from Takuma’s grasp.

Takuma’s grip tightened, his eyes narrowing as a strange, unfamiliar surge of power coursed through his veins. It was as though the adrenaline had flipped a switch inside him, unlocking a reservoir of strength he’d never known he possessed. The pain from his earlier injuries dulled, replaced by a sharp focus that honed in on Daichi and the threat he posed to Miu.

“Back off,” Takuma warned, his voice low and laced with a resolve that sent a shiver down Daichi’s spine.

Daichi's surprise quickly gave way to rage, and he swung his free fist at Takuma’s head. But Takuma was faster—much faster than before. He ducked under the blow, twisting his body to use Daichi’s own momentum against him. With a fluid motion, Takuma yanked Daichi forward and kicked out at his legs, sending him crashing to the ground with a grunt.

The room fell into a stunned silence as Daichi’s gang watched, eyes wide with shock at seeing their leader toppled so easily. For a split second, even Daichi seemed dazed, his expression flickering between anger and confusion as he scrambled to his feet.

But Takuma didn’t give him time to recover. He was already moving, his instincts taking over as he pivoted and slammed the pipe he had dropped earlier into Kenji’s midsection, doubling him over with a groan. Hiroshi came at him from the side, but Takuma spun, his foot connecting with Hiroshi’s jaw in a swift, brutal kick that sent him sprawling across the floor.

“This can’t be happening!” one of the other boys muttered, disbelief etched into his voice as he watched Takuma systematically dismantle Daichi’s gang.

But it was happening. Takuma could feel the raw power in every movement, the precision and speed with which he moved, as though a veil had been lifted from his abilities. For so long, he had held back, afraid of what he might become if he truly let go. But now, with Miu in danger and the stakes higher than ever, that fear was gone—replaced by a burning need to protect.

Daichi roared in frustration, charging at Takuma with a reckless abandon. He threw a wild punch, but Takuma sidestepped effortlessly, countering with a powerful strike to Daichi’s ribs that knocked the wind out of him. Daichi stumbled back, clutching his side, his face contorted in pain and fury.

Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author's consent. Report any sightings.

“Damn you!” Daichi spat, his voice hoarse as he struggled to catch his breath. “How are you this strong?!”

Takuma didn’t answer, his gaze cold and unyielding. He knew that explaining this sudden surge of power would do no good. He barely understood it himself. All he knew was that he couldn’t afford to lose—not here, not now.

Daichi’s eyes flickered with something akin to fear as he took a cautious step back. He wasn’t used to being overpowered, especially not by someone like Takuma, who had always seemed like an easy target. But now, as he stared into Takuma’s determined eyes, Daichi realized that he had grossly underestimated him.

“This isn’t over!” Daichi snarled, though his voice lacked the conviction it had before. He glanced at his fallen comrades, hesitation flickering across his face.

“Take your crew and leave, Daichi,” Takuma said, his voice steady. “There’s no need for this to go any further.”

For a moment, it seemed like Daichi might listen. But then his pride flared up, overriding his fear, and he lunged at Takuma with a feral growl. Takuma braced himself, ready to end this fight once and for all, but before he could strike, a sharp whistle pierced the air.

“Enough!”

Mr. Tanaka’s authoritative voice boomed through the gym as he strode into the room, flanked by two other teachers and Aya, who looked both relieved and terrified. The teachers quickly moved to separate Takuma from Daichi, who was still seething with anger but now visibly deflated in the presence of authority.

“Takuma! Daichi! What the hell is going on here?” Mr. Tanaka demanded, his stern gaze shifting between the two boys.

Daichi opened his mouth to speak, but Takuma cut him off, his voice calm and controlled. “Daichi and his gang ambushed us. We were defending ourselves.”

Mr. Tanaka’s eyes narrowed as he took in the scene—the overturned equipment, the bruised and battered boys, and the intense atmosphere still hanging in the air. He sighed heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose as if warding off a headache.

“I want both of you in my office. Now,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. “The rest of you, get to the nurse’s office and then home. We’ll be discussing this further tomorrow.”

Daichi glared at Takuma, his jaw clenched so tightly it looked like it might shatter. But he said nothing, instead turning to stalk out of the gym with his lackeys trailing behind him, nursing their injuries. Aya rushed to Miu’s side, pulling her into a tight hug, relief washing over her.

Takuma let out a slow breath, the adrenaline slowly ebbing away and leaving him feeling both drained and oddly exhilarated. He glanced down at his hands, still trembling slightly from the intensity of the fight. The power he had unleashed was both thrilling and terrifying, and he couldn’t shake the feeling that it was only the beginning.

Miu approached him, her eyes filled with gratitude and something else—something deeper. “Takuma… thank you. I don’t know what I would have done if—”

“Are you okay?” he interrupted, his concern for her overriding everything else.

She nodded, giving him a soft smile that sent warmth flooding through him despite the situation. “Thanks to you.”

Before he could respond, Mr. Tanaka’s voice cut through the air again. “Takuma, my office. Now.”

Takuma nodded, giving Miu a reassuring look before following Mr. Tanaka out of the gym. As they walked through the quiet hallways, Takuma couldn’t help but wonder what was going to happen next. He had shown a side of himself today that he had kept hidden for so long, and he wasn’t sure how it would change things. But one thing was certain—there was no going back.