Five weeks passed.
Not peacefully.
Not gently.
They passed in punches and kicks. In burned lungs and shaking hands. In sweat that soaked uniforms before the sun had even risen.
Kojiro's training never changed.
Only they did.
Daiki.
Yui.
Ren.
Every single one of them.
No matter the time, Kojiro trained each and every student down to the bone.
Daiki got kicked in the stomach more times than he could count while trying to control his flow.
Surge still answered him, but now, he was learning to answer it back.
Instead of charging every opening, he started choosing them.
Daiki's combat sessions with Kojiro stretched longer.
Instead of lasting seconds, he lasted minutes.
Sometimes, only sometimes, he forced Kojiro to actually move.
Along the way, he learned new tricks and had new things up his sleeve.
Despite that, Kojiro dissected him daily. No mercy. No praise unless it was earned.
Until the final day, when he called everyone down.
Kojiro looked at them for a long moment.
"I still don't know if you're strong," he said. "But you're no longer fragile lambs."
A moment.
"The Inter-Exchange Event isn't about winning," he continued. "Not necessarily. It's about exposure. Showing the entire Institute who you are."
His grin returned. Sharp and dangerous.
"Show them you're not prey."
And then...
The day arrived.
The Inter-Division Exchange Event.
Daiki was dreaming....
Until Jin kicked his bed.
"Get up," Jin said flatly. "Before I leave without you."
Daiki groaned into his pillow.
"I just went to sleep..."
Then it hit him.
His eyes snapped open immediately.
"...Today."
Jin nodded.
"The Inter-Exchange Event. We got thirty minutes to get to the auditorium."
Daiki shot upright, fully awake now.
"Why didn't you wake me up earlier!?"
"So if you didn't notice, I've been trying to wake you up for the past ten minutes."
They moved fast after that.
Uniforms? Check.
Buttons? Check.
Hair? Good enough.
Daiki stared at his reflection for half a second.
He was leaner and more built than a month ago.
The bruises and splits on his arms were scars now.
Despite it all, he was still himself.
Just... a bit different.
They walked together through the halls, footsteps mixing with dozens of others. The school felt different today.
It was louder.
Heavier.
Almost charged with energy.
Outside the auditorium, Daiki immediately spotted familiar faces.
Ren enthusiastically waved them over.
Yui stood beside him, a small smile on her face.
"You ready, Fushino?!" Ren asked at top volume.
Daiki exhaled. "Yep."
"Good," Ren grinned. "I need you locked in."
Inside, the auditorium was packed with students.
There were two sections of seating, split cleanly down the middle.
First Years.
Second Years.
Jin stopped at the aisle.
"Guess this is where we split,"
Daiki grinned.
"Show me why you're ranked five."
Jin smirked.
"You need to back up all the talk you had in the hot springs."
He turned and disappeared into the Second-Year section.
Daiki, Ren, and Yui found seats among their class.
Murmurs filled the entire space.
Nervousness.
Anticipation.
Determination.
Then....
The lights dimmed.
Headmaster Arata stepped onto the stage.
The room went silent in a snap.
"Welcome," Arata said calmly, his voice carrying effortlessly. "To the Inter-Divison Exchange Event."
A moment.
"The first event will begin today."
Daiki leaned forward without realizing.
"The First-Year Division... versus the Second-Year Division."
The room erupted.
"And your opening event," Arata said, raising a hand, will be—"
The screen behind him flickered to life.
Daiki's breath froze.