"Roar!"
Before Ryuuto even stepped through the doorway of the boxing gym, a gigantic fist blasted toward him, wind pressure sharp enough to sting his face. If that punch connected, he'd be scraping himself off the wall.
"Ryuuto! Careful!" Gwen shouted.
"It's fine. Stay close," he replied.
He tilted his head, letting the punch slice past. In the same breath, he hooked an arm around Gwen and vanished with high-speed movement, his figure flashing gracefully into the gym.
"Stop right there! State your purpose!"
A woman stepped into their path, armored from neck to toe in a sleek combat suit. The aura pouring off her marked her clearly—the legendary Armor, owner of the gym.
Her brows knotted into a heavy scowl as she locked onto Ryuuto. Every instinct she'd honed in countless battles screamed at her that this boy wasn't ordinary. Her stance tightened, ready to strike.
"Don't tell me you came to 'learn boxing,'" Armor snapped. "If you try anything clever with me, you'll regret it."
Hundreds of boxers shifted in the background, tension rippling through the entire hall.
Ryuuto just smiled. "Relax. We're not hostile. And by the way, you'd catch more guys if you didn't scare them off."
He shrugged. "Just being honest."
The air froze.
Even the kids punching sandbags stopped to stare.
Ryuuto raised a finger at her gauntlets. "I'm here for one thing. I need to borrow those gloves. Mind taking them off for me?"
The hall went dead silent.
Then—
"Presumptuous! Do you know where you are, brat?!"
"This kid's insane! Somebody get a stretcher ready!"
Before Armor could react, the entire gym erupted in shouts. Boxers surged forward, only held back by Gwen's glare and Ryuuto's calm expression.
Gwen stepped closer, jaw tight, ready to fight beside him.
At that moment, a slow, deliberate clap cut through the noise.
"Good. Very good." Armor's voice carried like thunder. "No one has dared talk like that to me in years."
She clapped again, the sound shaking the floor. The boxers immediately retreated, forming a ring around the center. Their expressions twisted with nervous excitement. A battle was about to explode—and no one wanted to miss it.
Armor stepped forward, each footfall making the air thrum. "So. You've come to challenge my gym? You've got guts."
"Wrong," Ryuuto replied lightly. "I only need your gloves. I'll buy you a new pair after this."
His gaze never left her armored fists. There was no hesitation in him. Those gloves were the mission. He'd get them.
Armor's eyes flared. "You're dead!"
Power rippled off her as a red force field burst around her body. Her hair rose from the energy spike, and she charged.
Ryuuto sighed. "Figures. We're doing this the hard way."
He glanced at Gwen. "I'll handle this."
Then he launched himself forward, aiming straight for her gloves.
Their fists collided with a crack that echoed through the entire hall. Armor's expression twisted in shock as Ryuuto's strength surged through her arm like a hammer. She tore her fist back immediately, unwilling to match power with him again.
"I'll say it one more time," Ryuuto called out. "Take off the gloves. I won't hold a grudge."
"Dream on! I'll toss you into the street myself!"
Ryuuto exhaled. "Alright. Thunder route it is."
His figure blurred.
Shadow Leaf Dance.
The gym filled with flickering afterimages, Ryuuto's silhouette weaving through the air like a phantom. Armor spun, trying to track him, but he struck her dozens of times in a heartbeat—sharp hits that rattled her stance and forced her arms to shield her vitals.
"Found you!"
Armor sensed him behind her and hurled a punch with all her strength. The shockwave warped the air.
But Ryuuto had already slipped away, the attack smashing only empty space.
Armor snarled and unleashed her trump card. Red psionic energy pulsed across her suit, wrapping her in a shimmering aura.
"You made me angry. Now brace yourself!"
She vanished with explosive speed, hunting Ryuuto like a missile.