Sam leaned out of the way of a sharp jab, then swung his fist back into Lisa's face. She met the blow with her forehead, then froze from a snap of his fingers. He kneed her in the gut, hauled her upwards, then punched her in the face.
"Damn, you're tough." Sam chuckled as Lisa stumbled backwards and stopped.
"Nah." She smirked. "You're just weak—"
Sam never heard the rest of the sentence.
Something hard rammed into his side, and he went limp a split second before getting launched.
Lisa gaped at the sight of Liam stumbling to a stop after body-checking Sam. Then she immediately zeroed in on Liam's appearance.
She was horrified.
His body was red, steaming and shaking. His eyes were bloodshot, and his breathing sounded forced. His veins stood out prominently across his skin, and he was grimacing in pain.
"Liam..." she whispered, her eyes wide. "Wh-what happened to you?"
She flinched as Liam turned his head to her for a brief moment, and she flinched again at his partly glazed eyes and bared teeth.
He suddenly fell to a knee, his breathing growing even more laboured.
"Liam—!"
Before Lisa could run to him, a loud clap froze both of them in place.
"Ugh..." Sam groaned as he jumped forward, throwing a leg back.
"That hurt you bastard!" he shouted as he swung his leg forward.
Liam reacted immediately and blocked the kick. Sam drew his foot away and clapped his large hands together, freezing Liam again. Sam took a step forward, then slammed a hammer fist down on Liam's head.
Liam's head snapped downward, and he coughed hard. Soon, he began choking. For a horrifying moment his breathing was cut short, and he was too disoriented to focus and get it back.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end, and he rolled to the side to avoid a stomp. Even that move was painful, and he shivered as his entire body pulsed in protest.
Sam clapped again, and Liam flinched. Sam's foot drew a quick arc to Liam's head, but this time Liam leaned his head back and avoided the kick by a hair's breadth. Before Sam's foot even touched the ground, Liam gritted his teeth and burst forward, his hand reaching for Sam's face.
Sometimes, one attack is the difference between defeat and victory, Lee had said.
Liam slammed his opponent's head down, grabbed his collar to haul him up, and headbutted him. Both heads shook from the impact, but only one boy kept moving.
"Ah—!" Sam spat before Liam's fist rocked him into the floor again. He raised it again, then smashed it into Sam's nose.
Liam raised his other fist and sent it straight into Sam's gut, causing the boy to cough and gag while holding his gut. Liam raised his fist again—
It froze.
"Stop."
Liam turned to see what had stopped his wrist, and his colourful eyes stared into Lee's white ones.
"You've won. No need to be brutal... hm?" Lee's voice faltered.
His skin's insanely hot... and his pulse—what?
Liam's body suddenly went slack, and his nose began to bleed. He opened his mouth, and blood trickled out.
"Ugh..." Liam groaned before coughing and hacking into his free hand. Lee let go, and Liam bent over in pain.
Liam almost passed out from the crushing pain, but that same pain kept him conscious. Slowly, he tried to get to his feet, and someone grabbed his arm and helped him up.
...Ow. My... it... all hurts...
Everything is ringing...
How... did I do that?
Too much blood loss...
My... everything is screaming...
Soon, Liam was hit by cool air, and he looked to the side to see Lisa holding him up.
"...okay...?"
Her voice... it's so faint...
Liam raised a hand to his ear, then realised blood was trickling down from it.
Oh...
Lisa's pace was steady, and she supported his entire weight. She didn't speak, realising Liam couldn't hear her. Blood dripped from his hands onto her shirt, but she paid it no mind as she looked at his face.
Was he always this tall? Or... solid?
Lisa sighed. I have no idea what he did, but if it's up to me...
She glanced at his bloody face again, and her jaw tightened as her purple eyes glinted.
He's never doing that again.
****
Liam gasped and jolted upwards.
"Good. You're awake."
Liam looked up to see Lisa glaring down at him.
He tried to speak, but his lungs and throat stung too much.
He looked around and realised that they were behind the Crucible. Attached to the Crucible's outer wall was a long sink, and when Liam checked, he was completely clean.
He looked up at Lisa in a mix of surprise and gratitude.
You washed me off? Thanks.
"Tch. Don't give me that look."
Liam flinched and looked away from her harsh stare. It was then he realised that he was sitting on the ground.
He tried to stand, but Lisa walked up close, glaring up into his eyes, only a few centimetres between them. She began to speak, poking his chest with each word.
"Why the hell did you do that?!" she growled. "You were bleeding everywhere! Think about yourself for once, you idiot! You were coughing and choking and in pain! How do you think your family would feel if they saw you like that?! How would you feel if you got permanently hurt?! How do you think I feel, seeing you like that?! HUH?!"
Liam pursed his lips as Lisa wiped the tears gathering at the edge of her eyes.
I... screwed up... Liam thought as his body took the opportunity to tell him that he was in bad shape.
He looked into her eyes:
I couldn't help it. It just happened, like a reflex.
Lisa groaned, understanding the context of the look. She let her forehead fall onto his chest and muttered:
"Promise me..." she said shakily, gripping his shirt. "Promise me you won't do something like that again."
Liam looked down at her, then put his hand on her head.
"I-I'll... try... not to... okay?"
"I don't want your loophole-ridden words, jerk!" Lisa glared up again. "Promise."
At her forceful tone, Liam smiled quietly.
"I... promise," he croaked.
"Promise what?"
"Th-that... I won't... do... it again..."
"Do what?"
"The... self-strengthening..."
"...That's a horrible buff."
Liam chuckled, then coughed, then doubled over in pain. Lisa patted his back in silence, and he eventually stood up straight again.
"Let's go back," Lisa said as she started walking.
Liam hummed his agreement, then held in another cough. At the back of his mind, however...
Attempt five... Successfully sustained state. It seems my body's survival instincts peaked, and because it is already used to the exertion to some extent... my heart went into overdrive.
I promised not to do this again... but I have to. I want to. So I'll perfect it. I'll get better.
Liam followed after Lisa with a small smile.
I won't usethisversion again.
Meanwhile, a few worried classmates were currently running away from the corner.
****
A few minutes ago...
"Wonder if Liam's okay?" Nanami wondered aloud as he and Raidou exited with the others.
"Let's go check on him," Rex replied.
"Didn't that Lisa girl take him away? She said she was going to get him cleaned," Duke spoke.
Nanami noticed Hannah split away from the group, and he called out to her:
"Hey Hannah! You going to check on them?"
Hannah turned around and nodded.
"There's a sink behind the Crucible. It's likely that they're there."
"Then I'll go with you."
"GAAH—!" Nanami jumped.
He turned around to see Lee standing behind him, then groaned.
"Lee, you have got to stop doing that." Nanami put a hand on his chest.
Hannah shrugged, then the girl she'd talked to on the first day ran up.
"Um, Hannah... can I come too? I might... be able to help Liam," the girl said quietly as she brushed her green hair back.
Hannah smiled.
"Sure, Zoe. Let's go."
Thirty seconds later, they were about to walk around the corner. The only thing that stopped them was the sound of Lisa yelling.
"What's going on?" Nanami hissed.
"Shh." Hannah put a finger to her lips.
They all peeked around the corner and saw Lisa putting her head on Liam's chest.
"Ho—!"
Rex clamped his hands over Nanami's mouth as fast as he could.
"Get a hint, you idiot!" Rex hissed. "They're having a moment!"
"So they are like that..." Hannah muttered as she pushed the others so they could leave.
"I did not think they would be that close... maybe I underestimated Liam." Lee nodded.
When they reached a sufficient distance, Lee said:
"Everybody turn around."
"Why?" Nanami asked.
"Do it," Lee said forcefully.
The others complied, and Lee gently pushed Nanami forward.
"Walk."
Nanami turned around, agitated.
"Hey—!"
"What are you guys doing here?"
Nanami froze, then his head turned slowly to see both Liam and Lisa standing there. Lisa's hands were in her pockets, and Liam's hands were behind his head.
"Ehehehe..." Nanami laughed nervously. "You see—"
"We were worried about you, Liam," Rex interjected, glancing at Nanami.
"That's right." Hannah nodded. "Zoe here said she could help you."
Zoe shook a little before stepping forward and bowing.
"Schön, dich zu sehen—I mean, nice to meet you both!"
Liam and Lisa exchanged glances, and Liam lowered his hands with a smile.
"He can't speak right now," Lisa sighed. Then she smiled. "But that's his way of saying hi. It's nice to meet you too, by the way."
Zoe blinked at Lisa's smile, then blushed a little before smiling back. She looked down and clasped her hands together, about to speak when—
"Ohhhh, kawaii!" Lisa exclaimed as she reached out to Zoe with a bright grin.
Zoe flinched at her advance, and Lisa paused.
"Right, sorry," she laughed as she drew back.
Liam raised an eyebrow, then shook his head and croaked:
"Lisa... she isn't scared... just... surprised... okay... maybe a... little... scared."
Lisa frowned at him, then turned to Zoe, who nodded vehemently.
"U-um, I'm not scared of your power—I mean you! I j-just get nervous easily..."
Lisa stared at her for a few seconds, then raised a hand and jabbed her thumb at Liam.
"So you're like this guy? A social disaster?"
"H-huh?!" Zoe flinched back, confused.
"Can I hug you?"
"Yes—HUH?!"
With that, Lisa jumped on Zoe and hugged her, squealing.
"Ā, hontōni kawaii! Itsu made mo dakishimete itai!" [Oh you're so cute! I could hug you forever!]
"W-wah?!" Zoe went red in seconds.
The others stared at the spectacle, dumbfounded. Lisa noticed their stares, then shielded Zoe with her body and narrowed her eyes at them.
"What? You can't have her. Hmph!"
Nanami chuckled, then began laughing. Rex chuckled as well, and Hannah smiled. Lee just shook his head.
After a few seconds, Lisa released Zoe, and the girl finally got to explain why she tagged along.
"M-my Venma is Heal, and I can fix most minor injuries!"
Everybody stared at her.
Liam gaped.
"Say... what?"