"Help! Let go of me!"
Haruko's exclamation instantly pierced the chaotic thoughts in the minds of the boys.
The frustration and self-pity in Hanamichi Sakuragi's eyes were completely replaced by a primal and violent rage the moment he heard Haruko's voice!
He didn't even think; his body reacted before his brain did.
" Haruko -!!!"
Hanamichi Sakuragi, like an enraged lion, pounced at breakneck speed!
All he could see was that frail figure surrounded by enemies.
All hesitation, all confession, all the mockery from Nango were thrown to the winds.
Upon hearing the exclamation, Koichiro Nango of the West Alley's confusion about true love vanished instantly, leaving only his most instinctive protectiveness and anger.
He jumped off the moving motorcycle.
The expensive Suzuki GSX-R750 lost control and crashed sideways onto the roadside with a loud scraping sound and sparks, but he didn't even glance at it.
"Asshole!"
Nango roared, landed with a roll to dissipate the force, and charged after Sakuragi.
What kind of motorcycle or image it is, none of that matters at this moment.
The moment Ryota Miyagi recognized Haruko Akagi's voice, his heart skipped a beat.
It's Haruko!
A surge of anger rushed to his head, and he flung his backpack off his shoulder, yelling, "Stop!"
After finishing speaking, he moved like a bolt of lightning flying close to the ground, spotted a thug with his back to him who was about to reach out and grab Haruko, and suddenly leaped into the air.
A vicious flying kick landed squarely on the thug's back.
"Bang!"
"Ugh!"
The thug screamed and fell forward, knocking down a person next to him in the process.
Almost simultaneously, Sakuragi's fist arrived.
With bloodshot eyes, he didn't care about any moves and unleashed a furious barrage of punches on the face of the thug closest to him.
"You dare bully Haruko! I'll beat you to death! I'll beat you to death!"
The thug was beaten senseless, his nose was bleeding profusely, and he was completely powerless to fight back.
Nango also rushed into the fray. He was tall and strong, and when another thug pounced on him, he didn't dodge or avoid him, but slapped him directly across the face.
The thug was sent spinning halfway around by his angry blow, seeing stars.
Nango seized the opportunity, grabbed his collar, roared, and lifted him up like a broken sack, slamming him hard against the wall beside him.
Thump!
With a dull thud, the thug slumped to the ground.
Without pausing after landing, Miyagi launched a merciless barrage of kicks at the thug who was trying to get up after being kicked down.
They specifically targeted areas with thick flesh that weren't fatal, kicking the thug until he screamed in agony and rolled on the ground.
In an instant, the situation reversed!
The thugs were beaten until they were sprawled on the ground, howling in pain.
Only the man in the lead, named Mitsuaki Okubo, nimbly jumped back when the chaos first broke out.
He glanced at his subordinate who had fallen instantly, then looked at the three boys in front of him wearing Shohoku high school uniforms.
Instead of showing fear, a sinister smile appeared on his face.
"From Shohoku?"
Mitsuaki Okubo spat out the cigarette butt in his mouth and stomped it out with his foot. "Not bad, you've got some skills."
His eyes turned dangerous as he slowly pulled a switchblade from his lower back.
With a press of the thumb, a sharp blade sprang out with a click, reflecting a chilling glint in the dim streetlights.
"But----"
Mitsuaki Okubo gripped his sword, pointing it at Sakuragi and the other two who had temporarily stopped because of his actions, and said in a chilling tone, "I, Mitsuaki Okubo of the Far East, am not someone you greenhorns can mess with!"
" The Far East!" Miyagi's pupils contracted; that was a notorious gang in the southern part of Shonan.
"Watch out! He has a knife!" Nango immediately became alert and shielded Haruko behind him.
Mitsuaki Okubo revealed a cruel smile as his gaze locked onto Hanamichi Sakuragi, who was still sitting on his underling with his fist raised.
"Red-haired brat, you lie down first!"
He let out a low growl and actually gripped the knife, lunging at Sakuragi.
The actions were ruthless and merciless!
" Sakuragi!!!"
Haruko screamed.
Sakuragi hadn't expected the other person to actually dare to use a knife.
He tried to dodge in haste, but the distance was too close; the blade was already upon him.
At this critical moment—
A calm, emotionless voice, yet carrying a chilling coldness that seemed to freeze the air, came clearly from the alleyway to the north. " Okubo."
It's just a simple name.
Mitsuaki Okubo's thrusting motion froze in mid-air.
His blood seemed to freeze in that instant, and a chill ran through his entire body.
Even the hand holding the knife trembled uncontrollably, and cold sweat instantly soaked his back.
He struggled, turning his stiff neck little by little, to look in the direction from which the sound came.
In the dim light, Kawamoto Kazuki stood there.
He simply stared silently at Mitsuaki Okubo, at his sword suspended in mid-air.
"You----"
It felt as if Mitsuaki Okubo's throat was being choked.
This word seemed to drain the last bit of his strength and courage.
With a clang, the switchblade in his hand fell to the ground.
Immediately afterwards, his legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground with a thud.
His face was ashen, his body trembled like a leaf in the autumn wind, and he didn't even have the courage to look up at Kawamoto again.
This sudden turn of events left Sakuragi, Nango, Miyagi, and even the still-shaken Haruko completely stunned.
They looked at Okubo Mitsuaki Okubo, and then at Kawamoto Kazuki, who had calmly walked over after saying just one sentence. Their hearts were filled with shock.
Kawamoto walked up to Okubo, his gaze falling on the fallen switchblade.
He stretched out his foot and gently kicked the knife towards Okubo's hand.
Do I need to tell you how to do it?
Kawamoto's voice remained steady, yet carried an undeniable air of command.
Okubo's body trembled violently. He hesitated almost without hesitation, a resolute look flashing across his face.
He suddenly grabbed the switchblade from the ground and, to the horrified looks of Sakuragi and the others, plunged it into his own left arm. "Ugh--!"
Okubo groaned, veins bulging on his forehead, blood instantly staining his sleeves.
But he gritted his teeth, daring not to let out a loud scream.
Kawamoto watched him do all this indifferently before slowly speaking.
"What you do to students in other schools in other parts of Shonan is none of my business, nor do I care."
His gaze swept over Okubo, who was trembling with his arms crossed, and the thugs who were already too scared to move.
"But I'm here behind Shohoku."
"Did you remember?"
Four words, spoken softly, yet carrying immense weight.
"We've got it! Kawamoto —Brother Kawamoto! We've got it! We'll never do it again! We'll never mess with the Shohoku people again!"
Okubo the excruciating pain, Okubo kowtowed repeatedly, offering incoherent promises.
"Roll."
Kawamoto uttered a single word.
Okubo as if he had been granted a pardon, and with the help of his men, he scrambled to his feet and fled in panic.
In the blink of an eye, they disappeared at the end of the alley, leaving only a small, glaring pool of blood on the ground.
The alleyway returned to silence.
Sakuragi, Nango, Miyagi, and Haruko all stared blankly at Kawamoto Kazuki.
Under the mixed light of moonlight and streetlights, Kawamoto's expression remained calm, as if he had merely shooed away a few flies.
But at this moment, in the eyes of the four, this silent teammate seemed to be shrouded in a mysterious and unsettling shadow.
People in the Far East are terrified at the mere mention of his name, some even resorting to self-harm as an act of atonement.
Kawamoto he----
Who exactly is this person?
What kind of story lies behind him?
Countless questions churned in their minds.
" Haruko -san..."
Kawamoto broke the silence first, looking at the still-shaken Haruko Akagi, his tone softening slightly. "Are you alright?"
"N-nothing----" Haruko quickly bowed as she came to her senses.
"Thank you, Kawamoto, thank you Sakuragi- kun, Nango- kun, and Miyagi- senpai."
Kawamoto turned to Hanamichi Sakuragi, who was still somewhat dazed, and said, " Sakuragi, take Haruko home."
He glanced again at Nango's motorcycle lying on the side of the road and Miyagi's schoolbag lying on the ground.
The others dispersed.
After saying that, he didn't say anything more, nodded slightly to everyone, and then turned and walked towards the convenience store he was originally going to.