Katsushika District, late afternoon.
The setting sun painted the school buildings in orange, bleeding across the white walls.
Tap… tap… tap…
The sound of footsteps blended with the faint chatter of students who were beginning to leave the school. Among them, three particularly noticeable students with very different personalities walked casually together.
"Jōgan… we should leave the school quickly. We need to stop by the convenience store before heading to your training location with Uncle Hugo," Zulo said, glancing toward Jōgan as they walked side by side.
"I agree. Before your fans stop us again. A… Zulo, we already have a lot of chocolate," Kaito replied while struggling to carry a stack of chocolates given by Jōgan's fans.
"Yeah… I know. I won't make you wait any longer," Jōgan answered casually. "W… we need rice!" he added briefly before stopping mid-sentence. Suddenly, Jōgan stiffened. His body froze as he stared straight ahead.
Kaito and Zulo turned their heads, following Jōgan's gaze. At the school gate, Sanna stood alone, looking directly at him.
"Ah… it seems I forgot to take something from my locker," Jōgan said awkwardly. His expression became stiff, his words faltering as he began to turn his body away.
"Jōgan…?" Sanna called firmly from the school gate while running toward him.
"Hero, stop and face it. You can't keep avoiding her forever," Zulo added, holding Jōgan's shoulder to give him confidence.
"Jōgan, can we… talk?" Sanna said, now standing right behind him, waiting for the boy to turn around and look at her.
"S-Sanna… hi, how are you?" Jōgan turned to face her, his voice slightly trembling. "D-do you… want some chocolate?" he added, pointing toward the chocolates from his fans that Kaito was carrying.
Hearing that sentence, Zulo immediately slapped his forehead, while Kaito let his head drop to the side.
Sanna remained silent for a moment and shook her head. "I just need to talk. Just us." She looked at Jōgan and stepped one pace closer.
"A… ahaha, y-yes, of course." Jōgan looked away, too nervous to meet Sanna's eyes at such close distance, scratching the back of his neck even though it did not itch.
***
A few moments later.
Inside the school building, the drama room on the third floor. Jōgan held back the pounding of his heart, standing stiffly in the middle of the room, right in front of Sanna.
"S… Sanna," he called briefly, his voice restrained. "What… did you want to say?" he asked, trying to steady both his voice and his heartbeat.
"The train… the incident at the railroad crossing two days ago." Sanna lifted her head, looking at Jōgan with teary eyes. "I… was worried about you… you just left after that." Her voice began to tremble.
Eits… Jōgan clenched his teeth, his face bllushing. "I… I'm sorry, forgive me." Jōgan's voice began to panic. "I was stupid to just leave like that," he said, bowing deeply.
"Stupid… yes, you were stupid. You left just like that without even looking back at me," Sanna said in a soft voice.
Bukkh ~ Pluk!
Sanna's fist struck his chest not hard, but enough to hurt. Enough to matter.. Without warning, she rested her head against his chest and grabbed the front of his uniform shirt.
"Well… I deserve that. I'm sorry." His voice was quiet. For the first time, Jōgan felt time stop and become beautiful at the same moment. "Hug… no… hug… no…" he murmured in his mind while staring at his hands behind Sanna's back.
Grebbhh!
Jōgan lifted Sanna's body and leaped backward, following an instinct that screamed sharply within him, something unfamiliar to him. He'd never felt anything like it. He knew exactly what it was.
BRUAKKKK ~ Tak… Tak…!
The sound of an impact from behind the wall shattered the silence. Desks and chairs were destroyed, sending fragments flying into the air.
***
"Cihh…!" Jōgan clenched his teeth, still staring straight ahead without blinking. Fragments of wall and wood flew and bounced away, reflected in his gaze as he held Sanna in his arms.
A black flail stood embedded in the ground, releasing hot steam, lodged exactly where they had been standing moments before.
Greeeettt ~ Shhhkkkk…
The sound of the flail being dragged carved a deep scratch across the floor, an eerie noise echoing toward the two figures watching them from behind the shattered wall.
"Damn it… Urqell," Jōgan gritted his teeth, his voice filled with emotion and pressure as he stared at the two terrifying monsters hunting him.
Tap… tap… tap…
The sound of footsteps echoed, running closer from beyond the room.
Bruakk!
The door burst open roughly. Zulo and Kaito appeared at the same time in panic after hearing the explosion from outside the room.
"Jōgan… what h–!" they shouted almost together, but their voices stopped instantly. Their faces filled with fear after seeing the two Urqell figures standing menacingly before them.
"AAAH… U-URQELL…!" Kaito screamed, trembling in terror as cold sweat ran down his body, nearly fainting.
"Zulo, Kaito… take Sanna and leave, NOW!" Jōgan shouted without room for argument, urgency filling his voice as he slowly released his embrace and pushed the girl away from him. "You're safe… go," he finished with a faint smile, forcing himself to let Sanna go.
"Hakkkss…!" Sanna gasped as she turned and saw the two terrifying figures standing at the broken wall. "J… Jōgan!" she called, worried.
Zulo and Kaito quickly pulled Sanna out of the drama room.
"I… will follow soon," Jōgan answered, a faint smile on his face as he tried to hide his fear in front of the girl.
Tap… tap… tap…
Footsteps echoed, fading farther away from the school's drama room. Jōgan lifted his head, staring at the Urqell with a sharp gaze.
His heart pounded loudly, and his palms trembled slightly.
Yet he forced himself to remain calm.
Slowly, Jōgan closed his eyes.
For a moment, his thoughts spun, recalling his father's warning about those who would take away the people who mattered to him.
(If they cannot touch you… then the ones you love are the ones they will remove.)
Those words echoed clearly in his mind once again.
Jōgan opened his eyes. Now, determination and conviction replaced the doubt on his face.
Grohhh…Bruk… bruk…!
One of the Urqell moved forward, stretching its fingers. Its long, curved claws gleamed sharply as the creature leaped.
Wusshhhh ~ Swringg…!
The air seemed to split apart as the slash shot toward Jōgan, enough to tear his body apart. The Urqell's claws scraped across the floor, leaving a long, deep gouge.
"Cihh…" Jōgan jumped back, avoiding the deadly strike meant to rip him apart. His breath became ragged as he saw the mark of the attack, if he had been even a moment slower.
"Ghrrr…" The Urqell grinned, as if savoring the fear that had briefly crossed Jōgan's eyes.
Bruk… bruk… bruk…
The other Urqell, gripping a black spiked flail, began walking toward the corridor, the direction Sanna, Zulo, and Kaito had gone.
"Eh…!" Jōgan's head snapped up, his eyes filled with panic as he followed the creature's movement. "STOP…!" he shouted loudly. "I am your opponent! Stay away from them…!" His voice trembled, filled with emotion and panic.
Brukk ~ Wusshhhh!
The Urqell gave him no chance. The claw swung again with only one purpose, to kill.
"Hekk…!" Jōgan dodged, leaping to the side. Now his focus was divided. The Urqell with the flail began to disappear from his sight, blending into the darkness of the corridor.
"I SAID STOP…!!"
Jōgan shouted in frustration as he ran toward the corridor, trying to stop the Urqell's steps when.
Swringg ~ Bretthhh!
The floor was slashed sharply again, followed by the sound of claws tearing through flesh.
"ARGHHH…!!!" Jōgan's body slammed onto the floor. Blood dripped from his arm, warm and stinging. "Hakss… hakss… hakss…" Jōgan's breathing turned ragged. His left hand pressed against the long torn wound on his right arm.
"Ghrrr…" The Urqell grinned with satisfaction as it saw Jōgan sprawled on the ground, its fangs protruding from behind its lips.
I… am weak. I cannot protect them.
He murmured in his mind, filled with despair toward himself.
Bruk… bruk… bruk…
Degg… degg… degg…
Those footsteps moved in rhythm with his heartbeat. His eyes glanced toward the corridor, now empty. His ears caught the sound of the Urqell's footsteps growing farther away, yet closer to the death of his friends.
"N… no." Jōgan clenched his teeth, his face tightening as he looked upward. "I cannot give up…!"
Wusshhhh ~ Swringg!
The Urqell leaped again, slamming its claws toward Jōgan, ready to tear his body apart.
Grebbhh~!
Jōgan half rose, his left arm gripping Urqell's wrist tightly. "Hakss… e-enough!"
With ragged breaths, Jōgan forced his body to stand. He gathered all his strength, then hurled the Urqell to the side.
Wesshhh ~ BRUAKKKKK!
The Urqell's body was thrown violently, crashing into the drama stage until it cracked and partially collapsed.
Tap… tap… tap!
Jōgan ran forward, then leaped toward the Urqell with his fist clenched. "HAAAAA!!" he shouted, filled with the anger he tried to release.
The Urqell reacted quickly, jumping aside to evade.
BRUKK~ Tapp ~ wessh!
Jōgan's fist smashed into the stage, creating a large gaping hole. Without giving it a moment to recover, Jōgan leaped again, delivering a kick toward Urqell's head.
The Urqell raised its hardened arm, attempting to block the attack.
BRUAKKKKK..!
The powerful impact instead sent Urqell's body flying backward, crashing into the wall of the drama room.
"I… I will not let you touch them," Jōgan said, his voice trembling with anger.
"I WILL NOT…!!" He dashed forward, driving his fist toward the Urqell's chest.
BRUAGHH~KRAKK!!
Jōgan's punch landed directly on target, followed by the sound of the Urqell's ribs cracking.
"Grohhh…" The Urqell groaned, its fury rising as it stared into Jōgan's eyes with pure hatred.
Wusshhhh~!
The Urqell swung its claws again, this time aiming straight for Jōgan's chest.
Jōgan tried to evade, leaping backward.
But he was too late.
Brethhh~!
The sound of tearing echoed clearly. Jōgan's body jerked backward, his hand reflexively pressing against his burning chest.
ZRRRRTTT ~ KRRRKKK!
The Urqell's grin spread wide. It sharpened its claws as Gamma energy screeched around them. Harsh friction erupted with sparks of blue and red energy, like a massive electrical short circuit roaring through the room.
Brukk… Brukk… WUSSHHH~!
The Urqell charged again, lunging toward Jōgan with full force. Jōgan reacted quickly, his body moving nimbly as he leaped away from the path of the attack.
VUUUMMMM ~ KREEEK!
Thermal and atomic pressure tore through the surface, exposing the floor layers beneath it.
"Eits…!" Jōgan flinched, his jaw tightening as he saw the impact of his opponent's claws, capable of slicing his body apart with a single swing.
"Gerhhh… die!" The Urqell grinned cruelly before attacking again, claws raised and ready to tear him apart.
Brukk ~WUSSHHH!
The attacks came one after another without pause.
Tap… Tap… Tap…
Jōgan jumped repeatedly, barely escaping each deadly slash.
SSSSHHH ~ ZZZRRRTTT!
The floor material hissed and vaporized under the pressure of the energy. The floor and walls split apart, forming black trenches that sparked with blue flames.
"Hakss…!" Jōgan caught a single opening a blind spot. His body dived forward, launching a kick aimed directly at the Urqell's jaw.
BRUAGHH!!
But in an instant, the Urqell twisted its body and kicked Jōgan's stomach with brutal speed.
BRUAKKK ~ CSHHHHHH!
Jōgan's body crashed through the wall of the restroom. Pipes burst apart, and water gushed out violently, flooding the floor.
"Uhuk… uhuk… kohh…" Jōgan coughed, struggling to draw in oxygen. "If I retreat now, I will hate myself!" Jōgan suppressed his anger as he tried to stand in the middle of the rising water.
Brukk… Brukk… Brukk…!
The Urqell's footsteps approached slowly, cold, certain, and ready to end everything.