Kaikyu (II)
Shinnosuke scratched his head at everyone's expressions and grinned.
"Don't be mad, don't be mad. I was just making a little joke to lighten the mood..."
At that moment, Kaikyu's principal stepped forward and spoke.
"Now that everyone's here, we can begin shortly. Do any of you from Green Vine need time to prepare?"
Eikichi Onizuka glanced at the two behind him and spoke.
"No... we don't need to prepare anything. We can start whenever."
"In that case, please make your way to the gymnasium!"
With that, Kaikyu's principal led Shinnosuke and the others away. Beside him, Takeshi Sagara grinned viciously at Shinnosuke and drew a thumb across his throat!
Seki Kiriko, who had followed behind without saying a word, pulled Shinnosuke aside and whispered to him.
"Satoshi Katagiri is at a serious disadvantage against you in terms of build, so leave him to me. But Takeshi Sagara looks very cunning, so don't let your guard down!"
Shinnosuke nodded to him. Seki Kiriko's words and actions showed a senior's consideration for his junior, and Shinnosuke couldn't help developing a favorable impression of him.
The group was then led into Kaikyu's gymnasium, where tables and stools lay scattered across the floor in disarray. It was already packed with Kaikyu students, each wearing a defiant expression as they shouted threats at Shinnosuke and the others.
"Hey! You Green Vine bastards are dead!!"
"Brother Sagara! Break their legs!!"
"Big Brother Katagiri! Show them what you're made of!!"
"..."
Takeshi Sagara spread his arms as though embracing the cheers and shouted back to the crowd.
"Kaikyu's dignity will not be insulted!!!!!"
The crowd erupted, raising their fists and shouting!!
"Takeshi Sagara! Takeshi Sagara! Takeshi Sagara!"
Kaikyu's principal smiled and spoke to Eikichi Onizuka.
"Then let's begin the exchange between our two schools!"
The moment he finished speaking, the Kaikyu duo charged over! Seki Kiriko threw an arm out to stop Shinnosuke behind him.
"I'll take Satoshi Katagiri. Be careful!"
He then thrust his shoulder forward at Satoshi Katagiri. Shinnosuke's eyes sharpened, but he discovered that Takeshi Sagara had already vanished!
Satoshi Katagiri thrust his palm at the charging Seki Kiriko, and the two locked in a contest of strength. Seki Kiriko then stepped back, spun around, and swung his raised arm at him. Satoshi Katagiri swiftly raised his hand to block the unexpected blow!
The force he felt through his arm made Satoshi Katagiri frown deeply. He thought to himself.
As expected of the guy who defeated our seniors. He really is strong!
Shinnosuke searched everywhere for Takeshi Sagara. Suddenly, he heard a rush of air behind his head. He instinctively raised his arm to protect it, and a stool smashed straight into his arm, making him stagger.
A figure rushed at him. He had spotted his enemy, but the blow had left him unable to regain his balance quickly. All he could do was tense his muscles and take the attack head-on!
Where will he attack? My head? My stomach? Or my legs? Shinnosuke's mind raced, hoping to come up with a countermeasure before the attack landed!
But he never expected the enemy before him to be anything but conventional! At some point, Takeshi Sagara had put on a pair of knuckledusters covered in spikes, and he punched straight at Shinnosuke's eyes!
Eikichi Onizuka immediately rose from the stands, intending to go down and stop him, but it was already too late! And at some point, Kaikyu students had gathered around him.
"Teacher, what are you trying to do?"
"Are you trying to interfere with this match? We can't allow that."
Eikichi Onizuka's face darkened, but all he could do was look anxiously toward Shinnosuke.
The sight of the knuckledusters about to pierce his eyes gave Shinnosuke a fright, but his 12% reaction speed was no joke. He fell backward and dodged the punch!
The sight made Eikichi Onizuka break out in a cold sweat. He then looked angrily to the side, only to find that Kaikyu's principal had slipped away long ago, and the Kaikyu students around him had completely surrounded him!
As Shinnosuke fell, he suddenly planted an arm on the floor and kicked at the despicable man in front of him.
But he couldn't generate much power while falling to the floor, and Takeshi Sagara dodged it easily.
Seki Kiriko punched at Satoshi Katagiri, who tilted his head aside to dodge, rushed in close, and struck him in the abdomen!
Seki Kiriko endured the pain, grabbed his head and pulled it down, driving a knee into Satoshi Katagiri's forehead! Both men retreated!
Satoshi Katagiri wiped the blood from his forehead and looked gravely at the burly man before him.
"As expected of the man who defeated the seniors from our previous class. You really are strong!"
Seki Kiriko spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva and stared at Satoshi Katagiri without speaking. He thought to himself.
He took my blow square on the forehead and he's fine... An ordinary person would have a concussion by now!
The two clashed again! Satoshi Katagiri dodged a flying kick and slammed a backhand into his face. Seki Kiriko gritted his teeth and took the blow, then struck back with a punch to Satoshi Katagiri's chin!
The people in the stands stared at the scene in shock. It was as if two beasts were tearing into each other below! The blood and sweat flying through the air struck at everyone's hearts.
"Are those two monsters...?"
"That guy from Green Vine is so strong..."
"He's Seki Kiriko, the one who beat Senior Mikawa last year!"
"No wonder... But Big Brother Satoshi won't lose!!"
Takeshi Sagara disappeared from Shinnosuke's sight again. Every time that despicable bastard appeared, he dealt Shinnosuke considerable damage!
Suddenly, an iron rod struck the back of Shinnosuke's head! Everything went black before his eyes...