Airi Sakura Being Bullied

Airi Sakura was surrounded by Ishizaki and his two lackeys, her back pressed against the cold stone base of a fountain as she trembled.

Her schoolbag had been thrown onto the ground, books scattered everywhere. Her glasses sat crooked on her face, which was streaked with tears and terror.

One lackey held her phone, scrolling through something with a lewd grin.

The other was trying to snatch the small light-blue floral cloth bag she clutched tightly to her chest—the very bag she had previously used to pack cookies for Yuefeng!

Ishizaki stood a little farther away with his arms folded, a cruel, delighted smile on his face as he savored Airi Sakura's helplessness and fear.

"Tsk, tsk. Who would've thought? Sakura from Class D has this kind of photo saved on her phone?" The lackey holding the phone cackled, turning the screen toward Ishizaki. "Boss, look. Isn't this somewhere around our school? Sneaking around like this—what were they doing?"

"Give it back... it's mine..." Airi Sakura sobbed, trying to grab the phone, only to be blocked by the other lackey.

"What treasure is in this bag? You're guarding it so tightly?" The lackey trying to take the bag tugged hard at it. "Don't tell me it's another 'thank-you gift' prepared for some pretty boy, huh?" He meaningfully glanced in the direction Yuefeng might appear from.

Ishizaki burst out laughing, his voice especially grating in the quiet garden. "Could be. Yuefeng from our Class C seems to like helping the 'weak.'

Last time it was Shiina, and this time... it's Sakura from Class D? Quite a wide range of tastes."

The filthy remarks and malicious speculation shot toward the isolated Airi Sakura like poisoned arrows.

She clutched the cloth bag as if it were her last lifeline, shaking like a leaf in the wind. Tears blurred her lenses, and she did not even have the strength to argue back.

A surge of rage rushed straight to Yuefeng's head, making his fingertips go numb.

Ishizaki! Him again! And this time, he had targeted Airi Sakura—a girl so introverted she was nearly withdrawn, who had only gathered the courage to express her gratitude because of a single act of kindness!

With almost no hesitation, Yuefeng stepped out from behind the bushes.

"Stop!" His voice was not loud, but it rang clearly through the silent garden, carrying barely restrained fury.

Ishizaki and the other two spun around. They froze when they saw Yuefeng, then the vicious grin on Ishizaki's face widened.

"Well, speak of the devil." Ishizaki said sarcastically. "What, Yuefeng? Here to play the hero and save the beauty again? Changed your taste this time?

Sakura from Class D is much more 'interesting' than that bookworm Shiina, isn't she?" He deliberately emphasized the word "interesting," drawing a round of sleazy laughter from the two lackeys.

When Airi Sakura saw Yuefeng, a flicker of hope suddenly erupted in her despairing eyes, only to be swallowed by even deeper fear.

She whimpered and shook her head, seemingly urging him to leave quickly and not get involved.

Yuefeng did not look at Sakura. His eyes were locked tightly on Ishizaki's face as he walked toward him step by step.

The last rays of the setting sun reflected in his eyes, where an icy flame seemed to burn.

"Give her things back." Yuefeng's voice was calm, but beneath that calm was a raging tide.

Under the extreme anger, his Slow Motion perception had not failed. Instead, it had become extraordinarily sharp.

He could clearly "see" the smugness and cruelty flash through Ishizaki's eyes, see his tensed muscles preparing to move, see the two lackeys exchanging looks as they prepared to close in.

"Give them back?" Ishizaki acted as if he had heard a joke. "Why should we? Things we picked up belong to us.

Or..." He stepped forward, crowding Yuefeng, his spit nearly hitting Yuefeng's face. "Are you really screwing her? Is that why you're protecting her so much?"

Yuefeng did not retreat. Meeting Ishizaki's malicious stare, he said word by word, "Ishizaki, if you want to come after me, go ahead.

But what kind of man bullies a girl who does not dare fight back? Or are you only able to make up for the humiliation you suffered at the Sports Festival by taking it out on someone weaker?"

The words struck Ishizaki's sore spot. His face instantly flushed red, and a fierce light flashed in his eyes.

"You're fucking asking for it!" Ishizaki roared. Unable to hold himself back any longer, he suddenly threw a heavy punch at Yuefeng's face! The punch was fueled by rage, powerful enough to cut through the air with a howl!

In the view of Slow Motion, the path of Ishizaki's fist was crystal clear.

Yuefeng had been prepared. He leaned slightly to the right, raising his left hand—not to block, but to use the outside of his elbow to cleverly guide and deflect Ishizaki's incoming fist!

Bang!

A dull thud rang out. Ishizaki's fist grazed Yuefeng's cheek and struck empty air, and the powerful momentum sent him stumbling forward.

Using the force of that deflection, Yuefeng kept his footing steady and instantly slipped into the opening at Ishizaki's unguarded center. He dropped his right shoulder and slammed it fiercely into Ishizaki's chest!

It was not some sophisticated fighting technique, more like a rough street-fighting move, but it succeeded through surprise and perfect timing!

"Ugh!" Caught off guard, Ishizaki took the full blow to the chest. He grunted in pain and staggered back several steps before barely managing to steady himself. Clutching his chest, he glared at Yuefeng in shock and fury.

Seeing their boss take a hit, the two lackeys screamed and lunged at Yuefeng from both sides!

Alarm bells blared in Yuefeng's mind. One-on-one, with Slow Motion and a surprise attack, he might have been able to hold his own.

But against three opponents—and all of them experienced fighters—he stood no chance. Besides, his left arm had not healed yet, and he could not risk using too much force.

He made his decision immediately. Rather than keep fighting, he took two quick steps back while Ishizaki had yet to recover and before the two lackeys could complete their pincer attack, then shouted:

"Sakura! Run! Find a teacher! Find security!"

Airi Sakura was stunned by the sudden turn of events. Only when she heard Yuefeng's shout did she snap out of it.

The instinct to survive overwhelmed everything else, and she shoved away the lackey still standing in front of her.

She grabbed the books scattered on the ground and the cloth bag that had been tugged out of shape, then ran without looking back toward the garden exit, toward the streetlights and voices, using every ounce of strength she had!

"Damn it! Don't let her get away!" Seeing this, Ishizaki shouted furiously. If Airi Sakura escaped and brought a teacher or security guard, things would become troublesome!

One lackey immediately turned to chase after Sakura.

"Your opponent is me!" Yuefeng growled, grabbing a short wooden stick as thick as an arm that some gardening club member had apparently left behind.

Ignoring the pain in his left arm, he gripped it tightly with both hands and blocked the lackey trying to chase Sakura.

At the same time, he kept the other restless lackey and the panting Ishizaki firmly in the corner of his eye.

He had to buy Sakura time! Even if it was only a few seconds!

"Fuck! Deal with him first!" Ishizaki was completely enraged. No longer holding back, he and his two lackeys advanced on Yuefeng in a triangular formation.