The large man looked surprised when he saw Theo slowly rising from his spot, even though his body was covered in wounds and blood dripped from his temple. He grinned, then whistled softly. "Still able to stand, huh. Interesting…"
Theo didn't answer. He only stared straight at the man, his face showing deep anger. His body was still shaky, but his gaze was sharp like a blade. As the man stepped forward with his baseball bat, Theo immediately rushed to meet him—lunging forward with a straight punch to the chest.
A one-on-one duel was inevitable.
The baseball bat swung sideways, but Theo ducked, spun his body, and kicked the man's knee. The thud of his shoe hit hard, making the man lose balance slightly. But he wasn't just anyone—he quickly countered, spinning his bat and hitting Theo's shoulder.
Thud!
Theo staggered, but he endured. He stepped forward again, swung his elbow at the man's jaw, then took advantage of the gap to punch him in the gut. The punch was strong enough to make the man bend over briefly, but he quickly counterattacked, slashing the bat toward Theo's waist.
Their fight was brutal—not a disciplined martial arts battle, but a street brawl full of instinct and savagery. Theo began to struggle for breath, but the fire in his eyes never dimmed.
From a distance, Alvano bit his lip, his hands clenched. His body was still weak, but his heart rebelled. He couldn't just watch. Not when Theo was fighting with everything he had.
"Come on… please… appear again…" Alvano muttered softly as he stared at his hands. "I can't just sit still… I don't want to see Theo bleeding like that again!"
His hands trembled—as if something responded. Alvano gripped the ground, his breath heavy. Inside him, there was a strong urge, as though that power was responding to his sincere will.
"I beg you… appear… my power…"
Blow after blow continued to rain down on Theo's body. The large man swung his bat viciously, striking Theo's back and stomach mercilessly. Theo staggered, his knees nearly hitting the asphalt, but he kept standing. His hand tried to retaliate, swinging a punch at the man's face, but it wasn't strong enough. The man's body was too sturdy, as if Theo's punches were nothing but a passing breeze.
Alvano watched it all, eyes wide open. His heart pounded fast, his whole body trembling violently. He tried to focus, to recall the sensation of when his power had appeared… but everything was a mess.
His resolve was shaken.
Fear, panic, and guilt mixed into one, clouding his mind. He couldn't feel the usual flow of energy in his body—almost as if it had vanished entirely.
"Why… why can't I… why?!" he muttered in a trembling voice.
Suddenly, a loud voice split the air.
"Vano! Stay calm!! I won't lose!!"
Theo's shout echoed, pulling Alvano out of the panic that had drowned him. He turned his head, seeing his friend still standing even though his body was nearly broken.
The man in the jacket chuckled. "Heh… this brat can still talk, huh?" he said mockingly.
He raised his bat high, ready to strike Theo once again with full force. But at that moment, Alvano gritted his teeth. His eyes blazed.
"I have to… I have to get up…"
The fight between them was savage, like two wild beasts tearing each other apart to survive. Theo attacked swiftly—his right fist struck the man's side, then followed up with a knee toward his chin. But the man was tough. His body only swayed slightly, then with equal force, he swung his baseball bat at Theo's left shoulder.
Clak!
The sound of bone and metal colliding echoed clearly, making Theo groan softly but still stand tall. He endured the pain, jumped back, then charged again with a flurry of punches. His rapid attacks pushed the man back for a moment—his face and chest hit several times by hard blows. Theo thought, If I keep pressing, I can bring him down…
But the man was cunning. Seeing Alvano still sitting weakly in the back, he suddenly turned and ran toward him.
"Don't you dare touch him!!" shouted Theo, running to chase him.
It was a trap. When Theo got close enough, the man suddenly spun around and smashed the bat sideways toward Theo's neck—Crack!!
The attack was precise and brutal. Theo staggered, then his body collapsed onto the asphalt. His head bounced slightly, and blood flowed again from his temple.
"THEO!!" Alvano screamed hysterically, his hands shaking as he rushed to his unmoving friend. Tears streamed uncontrollably down his face. Theo's pale, weak face lay right before him. "Wake up… don't leave me…"
The man stood near them, smiling in satisfaction. "Finally, that stubborn brat shuts up…"
With slow, menacing movements, he dragged his baseball bat closer to Alvano. Alvano's eyes widened, his body trembling, fear once again gripping his fragile soul.
But suddenly, a car horn broke through the air.
A car stopped not far from them.
From inside, a schoolgirl hurriedly got out. Her hair flowed neatly, her face familiar to Alvano—he had bumped into her in the corridor some time ago, one of the elite students at their school.
"Stop or I'll call the police!!" she shouted loudly, her voice echoing.
The man looked slightly startled, his eyes narrowing sharply at her. But what changed everything wasn't just her words—it was the aura that suddenly radiated from her body.
Around that girl appeared a transparent layer of aura, softly glowing, expanding slowly like petals of light. The aura enveloped the air around her, and somehow, Alvano could feel it.
Something gentle, like silk brushing against his skin. Warm… calming…
The fear and panic in his heart slowly subsided. His breathing steadied again.
What is this… he thought.
And for the first time since the incident began, Alvano felt his soul no longer waver. A deep calm filled his chest—and in that moment, a faint spark of energy began to glow at his fingertips once more.
The girl radiated a dazzling presence, full of authority and unseen pressure. Even without lifting a hand, the aura from her body made the air feel heavy. As if there was a hidden power behind her seemingly ordinary figure.
The man in the black jacket began to sense something was wrong. He stared at her for a moment, as if trying to confirm who she really was. But his survival instinct quickly spoke—the smartest choice was to leave.
"Cheh… damn it," he muttered. He turned around and quickly strode away from the scene, disappearing into the darkness of the side alley.
"You bastard! Don't run, face me!!" shouted Alvano hoarsely, anger surging in his chest. His body was still weak, but his emotions erupted, unable to accept that the man left so easily after beating Theo to a pulp.
But a soft hand patted his shoulder. "Calm down," said the girl in a calm yet firm voice. "You must focus. This isn't the time for revenge. We have to save your friend first."
Alvano froze. He looked at her face—so calm, untouched by the chaos that had just happened. There was something about this girl—something different from ordinary people. Not just the aura, but the decisiveness in her demeanor made Alvano feel he could trust her.
"Help me lift him," said the girl, bending toward Theo's body, who was struggling to breathe, blood flowing from his temple and neck. Without another word, Alvano helped, and together they lifted Theo into the car.
"Quick, to the hospital…" said Alvano in a panicked voice.
"I've already set the route to the nearest hospital," the girl replied briefly. The car sped away from the scene, with Theo lying in their laps—bloody, but still breathing.
Inside the car, Alvano looked at her from the side. "What's your name?" was the first thing he asked.
The girl glanced at him and smiled faintly. "My name is…"