A Shatterd soul

Ch.3

The remainder of the day flew by in a blur, with Takemichi's mind preoccupied by thoughts of his encounter with Mikey and Draken. School became a secondary concern as he knew his destiny awaited him at the store, so he didn't put in much effort in paying attention to his classes.

When the bell finally rang, signaling the end of the school day, it jolted Takemichi out of his internal crisis. His mind continued to replay the meeting with Mikey and Draken, their faces etched in his thoughts. Debating what to say to them consumed his every waking moment,

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As Takemichi approached the fighting ring, Kiyomasa's voice echoed from the wretched place, growing louder and clearer. From the upper stairs, he spotted the Mizo Middle five, visibly nervous, their eyes fixed on their fragile friend, Takuya. Sweat trickled down Takuya's forehead, and an uneasy smile clung to his face, betraying his anxiety.

Kiyomasa's loud and obnoxious voice shattered the chatter among the students.

"******* vs. Takuya Yamamoto!"

An eruption of loud chatter ensued, intensifying even more. People insulted Takuya and placed their bets against him

Glancing at the opponent Takuya was set to fight, Takemichi couldn't help but notice the kid's intimidating presence. It was clear that he would prove to be a tough adversary for Takuya.

As Takuya prepared to walk down the stairs and face his opponent, Takemichi's expression turned blank. He knew he would have to let himself be beaten up once again. All he wanted was to get this over with, and finally experience his sweet peacefull death.

"Takuya, hold on," Takemichi interjected, his voice devoid of warmth or concern. "I'll take care of this."

Takuya's eyes widened in surprise and concern. The surrounding students buzzed with curiosity, eager to witness this unexpected turn of events.

Takemichi shifted his gaze towards Kiyomasa, the instigator of the fight. Meeting Kiyomasa's eyes, Takemichi's face remained expressionless, his resolve unyielding.

"Kiyomasa," Takemichi's tone was cold and detached. "Let's settle this. You and me."

The sudden change in atmosphere caught Kiyomasa off guard, momentarily silencing his loud demeanor. The older students laughed, cackling and mocking him.

Takemichi made his way down the stairs wirh eyes carefully watchin and staring at him and into the ring. He didn't want to do this, but it was an important event.

Lazily raising his fists, he mentally prepared himself to endure a beating.

Despite the pain he would inevitably experience, Takemichi tried to convince himself that it wouldn't bother him much. He had been through worse.

"Tch." Kiyomasa wore a crazed expression as he cracked his knuckles, clearly pissed off.

Kiyomasa wasted no time and launched a powerful kick towards Takemichi's stomach. The impact landed with force, causing Takemichi to stagger back, clutching his abdomen in pain. Some winced at the sight, and some laughed.

Seeing an opportunity, Kiyomasa followed up with a series of rapid punches, targeting Takemichi's face. Each blow landed with intensity, jolting Takemichi's head back and forth. Despite the onslaught, Takemichi remained on his feet, his expression unwavering,

Kiyomasa's strikes continued, and one particularly forceful punch narrowly missed Takemichi's nose, grazing his cheek instead. The impact stung, and Takemichi could taste the familiar metallic tang of blood in his mouth. His vision blurred momentarily, but he gritted his teeth and stayed focused, refusing to back down.