Shinomiya Kai (3)

Shinomiya Kai looked at the man before him with a trace of fear. His eyelid was already swollen so badly, so why had he cut it open to drain the blood? He was already so badly hurt, so why did he keep getting back up?

This guy's a lunatic... It's just a fight, so why's he trying so damn hard?!

"Can't you just stay down already..."

"Huh? What did you just say?"

Shinomiya Kai suddenly raised his head and roared at him, his face contorted.

"Can't you just stay down already?! Why do you keep getting back up?! It's just an ordinary fight!! Why are you trying so hard?!"

Shinnosuke stared at him, then gave a self-deprecating smile.

"If our positions were reversed, maybe I wouldn't understand either... because I have a reason I have to beat you..."

Shinomiya Kai looked at him through gritted teeth. What the hell is that supposed to mean? What kind of bullshit reason is worth trying this hard for? In that case, I'll just take you down! If I can't make use of you!

The thoughts flashed through his mind. Shinomiya Kai took a deep breath and charged at Shinnosuke, swinging his fist!

Shinnosuke caught his fist, then darted in close and drove his elbow forward! The swelling in his left eyelid had gone down, but blood still obscured his vision. His elbow strike, meant for Shinomiya Kai's chest, hit his shoulder instead!

Shinnosuke's heart skipped a beat as a gust of wind came from behind his head. He ducked instinctively, and a heavy punch swept down, grazing his scalp!

Shinnosuke rolled away to create some distance, then hurriedly felt the top of his head. Thankfully, he wasn't bald... For an instant, he had imagined people calling him "Kappa Shinnosuke"...

In the moment he was distracted, another kick struck him squarely in the abdomen! His stomach churned, and a mixture of blood and stomach acid spewed from his mouth!

"Blegh..."

Shinomiya Kai, who had been about to attack again, immediately stopped. His face twisted in disgust, and he pinched his nose as he backed away.

Shinnosuke wiped the corner of his mouth. He paused at the sight of Kai's expression, then it suddenly dawned on him. If I'd smeared shit on a broom, wouldn't I have fucking won ages ago?

But Shinnosuke didn't want to fight dirty either. The system wouldn't acknowledge him unless he defeated Kai fair and square. He had figured that much out: challenging someone and winning were two different things.

Shinnosuke rubbed his abdomen, then endured the pain and charged at him again! He leaped high, drew back his arm, and threw a charged punch at Shinomiya Kai from midair!

Shinomiya Kai had no time to react. He raised an arm and barely managed to block it, but the bone in his arm cracked. Adrenaline surged through him, and he felt no pain, only a numbness in his arm that left him unable to muster any strength!

Ignoring the strange sensation in his arms, Shinomiya Kai grabbed Shinnosuke, intending to throw him again. But Shinnosuke wasn't about to fall for the same trick over and over.

Shinnosuke hooked his left foot around Kai's, preventing Shinomiya Kai from moving, then punched him in the lower back, stopping the transfer of force!

A punch to the kidney made all that adrenaline useless, cutting the force off right at the source!

Shinomiya Kai felt a spasm in his kidney, and it went numb! The force in his waist couldn't reach his upper body; it was stuck there, unable to move up or down. It felt like throwing his back out right as he was about to finish the seventh round of an all-night battle...

The inexplicable pain left him unable to breathe, let alone cry out! Just then, Shinnosuke suddenly ran behind him, wrapped his arms around his waist, and said with a look of deep affection,

"Jack, you fall, I fall."

Shinnosuke held Shinomiya Kai in a death grip and used the last of his strength to arch backward!

Shinomiya Kai suddenly felt his feet leave the ground. The world turned upside down, and then a sharp pain shot through the back of his head!

"That's a German Suplex!!!"

"Oh my god! Shinomiya-senpai's neck is going to break!!"

"There's actually such a ridiculous move..."

The world around him went dark. In a daze, Shinomiya Kai recalled what had happened before he came to this school. His father, Shinomiya Kenjiro, had sent him to Suzuran, hoping he would grow at this school of crows and build up his own following.

At first, he had constantly wanted to prove himself, and he had soon taken control of his class.

Brimming with confidence, he had been eager to challenge Takiya Genji, who had stood at the top of Suzuran at the time... but in just two moves, he had been beaten unconscious!

From then on, he had trained intensely every day, hoping that one day he could defeat that man. But after being ground into the dirt countless times, he had developed an overwhelming fear of him!

After transferring to Aofuji High, he had regained his confidence there! He had swiftly taken over the school with overwhelming force, but he had kept training, hoping only that one day he could defeat that man!

But a figure had suddenly appeared and shattered the balance he had created, leaving him furious beyond words!

He had carefully looked into the man's background and discovered that he had no prior record of delinquency. It was as though the violence had only begun after he came to this school... and in just one month, he was about to become the new king of this group of schools...

That had made him somewhat angry, but also a little delighted. With him on his side, surely they could defeat that man! Although he had long since left... another batch of monsters had appeared at Suzuran!

The strongest of them was a monster who could fight that Lindaman to a standstill! Genji couldn't even last ten moves against Lindaman!

The thought had filled him with inexplicable dread... There was no way he could defeat someone like that on his own! Then the darkness receded, and a figure emerged...

Shinomiya Kai's eyes gradually cleared. Pain swept through his body, making him knit his brows.

"I... lost again, huh..."

He looked at the guy sitting on the ground, covered in blood and grinning foolishly. Gradually, the grin proved infectious, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his own mouth.

"If it's him... maybe he can do it..."