CHAPTER 9: THE DEMON WAKES UP
Amidst the heavy tension in the canteen,
Akuro took off his torn white leather jacket with full swagger and freezing anger.
Giving a dangerous, dark cyan glare to Daizen Mori, he flashed an angry smirk and threw the jacket towards him.
"Don't let my jacket get dirty," Akuro ordered in a voice so cold it sent shivers down the spines of the surrounding students.
The moment Daizen Mori caught the jacket, he realized the person standing in front of him was no longer the Akuro they knew.
It felt as if his human body had gone to sleep and a true Demon had awakened from within.
"Toma..." Daizen said in a cracked voice, his hands trembling. "Boss's aura... has completely changed."
"Shut up and keep watching," Toma Kagetsu gritted his teeth, his dead eyes locked on the fight.
"Boss won't leave this pigeon alive now. He has entered his close-combat zone. It's game over for this little bird."
A demonic glint flashed in Akuro's eyes. Without any warning, he suddenly doubled his speed.
Lunging forward like a feral wolf, he closed the distance and launched a terrifying Low Kick (Thigh Destroyer).
The kick was so heavy it cut through the air with a snapping sound.
But Raizen's footwork was impeccably precise.
He slightly lifted his lead leg, slipping the kick effortlessly, and immediately executed a Slip → Counter Punch.
Putting the full power of his body rotation behind it, his Gyaku-Zuki (Reverse Punch) connected squarely with Akuro's jaw.
BAM!
Akuro's head snapped back, spit flying from his mouth, but the monster didn't lose his footing.
Instead of backing away, he resorted to his dirty Kudo street style.
He instantly used his left hand to execute a Face push + punch technique right into Raizen's face, blocking his vision.
In the very next second, he whipped a fast,
cutting Spinning Elbow toward Raizen's temple.
Raizen narrowly raised his arm and blocked the devastating elbow with a solid
Jodan Uke (High Block).
The CRACK of bones colliding echoed throughout the canteen.
"Where are you going to hide?!"
Akuro laughed loudly.
Without pausing,
Akuro threw a Fake kick → punch feint.
The moment Raizen lowered his guard to block the nonexistent kick, Akuro dashed forward with full force and grabbed Raizen by the collar and neck.
Clinch!
Akuro secured an unbreakable
Neck Control Grip
And, without a second thought, drove two brutal Clinch Knee Strikes straight into Raizen's solar plexus.
THUD!
THUD!
The air was knocked out of Raizen's lungs. His organs rattled.
But Akuro wasn't done.
He grabbed Raizen's hunched body, utilizing a classic Judo move—Seoi Nage (Shoulder Throw)—lifting Raizen into the air and spinning to slam him onto the floor.
But Raizen's 'Control is Everything' principle was still alive.
Right before going airborne, Raizen dropped his center of gravity and delivered a
Close-range elbow-style strike
With his bare hands straight onto Akuro's collarbone.
Akuro's grip loosened from the sharp pain.
Before hitting the ground,
Raizen balanced himself and landed a fast
Distance Control Kick (Push Kick)
To Akuro's stomach to break away.
The moment two feet of distance separated them,
Raizen unleashed his speed.
The Red Storm Barrage.
Raizen stepped in and unleashed a flurry of
Pressure Jabs to break Akuro's heavy guard.
Tap-tap-tap-tap!
Akuro got confused, and right in that blind spot,
Raizen landed his fastest Jab → Cross combo.
Akuro's head jolted, and as his guard opened up,
Raizen sank a perfect, under-the-ribs
Liver Shot (Low impact, high damage)!
CRRRCH!
Akuro's body paralyzed for a split second.
The liver shot had completely shaken him.
Raizen didn't stop there; exploiting the opening, he launched a lightning-fast
Double Kick Combo (Mae Geri into Mawashi Geri).
The first kick struck Akuro's chest, and the spinning second kick slammed straight into his head!
Akuro stumbled back violently.
Blood began to seep from his nose and mouth.
The crowd held its breath.
The commentator boy,
Kashi, yelled into his camera,
"Oh my God guys!
Did you see that?!
Red Hoodie just landed a massive combo and pushed Akuro back!
Is Akuro going to lose?!"
But Akuro... didn't fall.
The monster was panting, blood dripping down his face,
But that sweet, psycho smile had returned to his lips.
"This is fun..." Akuro screamed.
Ignoring his wounds,
Akuro lunged forward like a wild beast.
Pushing through Raizen's strikes, he unleashed a
Rapid Punch Barrage.
Raizen dodged and retreated, but Akuro's momentum was overwhelming.
Akuro forced Raizen's guard down with a heavy
Body punch combo , and then, putting his entire weight into it, connected a brutal Hook to Jaw!
SMASH!
Raizen's feet left the ground.
He flew through the air and crashed brutally into a heavy steel canteen table ten feet away.
CRAAASH!
The steel table flipped over, scattering plates across the floor.
Fresh blood began streaming from Raizen's nose.
He had taken deep damage.
The students in the background screamed in fear and excitement:
"Oh my God! He threw him right through the table!"
"Bro, Akuro really is a monster! The red hoodie guy is finished!"
In the VIP corner of the canteen,
Meiko Fujiwara sat comfortably in her seat.
Crossing her legs, she smiled sadistically and said loudly,
"Fascinating...
This is the first time
I've seen the undisputed King of Hakuho in this terrifying form.
"This new toy really set things on fire."
"How beautiful…
Nothing is more entertaining than watching monsters bleed."
This is fun!"
Her minions standing nearby trembled.
"Meiko-sama... this boy was actually giving Akuro a tough fight, but it looks like his death is certain now."
"How did that feel... little bird?" Akuro said in a serious, freezing tone.
Raizen wiped the blood from his mouth, his icy eyes locked on Akuro.
"You've talked enough, now it's my turn."
"You keep calling me a bird…
so let me show you how predators fall."
"Keep talking.
It makes it easier to hear your bones break."
His heavy boots thudding against the floor, Akuro walked over to Raizen.
He grabbed Raizen's stark white hair mercilessly, pulling him up, and raised his fist to land a
Downward Hammer Punch.
But then... a moment came.
The turning point of the beast.
Just as Akuro threw his heavy punch,
Raizen countered, catching the incoming fist tightly mid-air right before it hit his face!
SMACK.
Dead silence fell over the canteen.
Raizen's icy eyes suddenly began to glow.
He started crushing Akuro's fist with his bare hands using all his strength.
"He... still has this much life left in him?!"
Akuro's eyes widened in shock.
The bones in his knuckles crunched under the immense pressure of Raizen's grip.
Raizen shoved Akuro backward, breaking his defense, and landed a deadly Karate Spear Hand (Nukite) attack—forming his four fingers like a knife—straight into
Akuro's face and neck area with full force.
CRAAACK!
The impact was so terrifying, heavy, and loud that everyone's breath hitched.
Akuro's head snapped backward, blood spraying into the air.
And right there... standing in the back, the condition of the four idiots (Kenta, Shoji, Reo, Ryu) completely deteriorated.
Seeing that horrifying violence and hearing that bone-chilling sound, Shoji's survival instincts completely failed him.
Trying in vain to hide his terror, he puffed out his chest and stammered,
"H-Hey, don't be scared guys!
We are... we are standing so far away,
nothing will happen to us..."
But while Shoji was speaking with a trembling voice, the fight in front of them was so intense that Kenta, out of sheer panic, tried to grab the edge of a table for support but accidentally placed his hand right on the crotch of Shoji's pants!
And Kenta didn't even realize it!
Shoji's face turned red, first from fear and then from sheer embarrassment. He looked down, trembling.
"H-Hey Kenta..." Shoji stuttered badly.
"W-Where the hell is your hand?!"
Kenta suddenly snapped back to reality, looked down, and jerked his hand away as if he had been electrocuted.
"You bastard!" Kenta yelled in disgust.
"Why are you standing so close to me?
I was trying to hold the table because of the tension!"
But the terrifying 'CRAAACK' sound combined with this weird incident completely blew the fuse in Shoji's brain.
His fear spiraled completely out of control... and standing right there, he peed his pants!
A yellow stream ran down his trousers and began pooling on the floor tiles.
"Gross!"
Kenta pointed at his wet pants in shock and absolute disgust, his voice echoing through the canteen.
"You bastard,
I'm sweating here watching this game of death, and you literally peed your pants!"
All the nearby students' eyes suddenly shifted to Shoji's wet pants.
Even in that tense atmosphere of death, despite their fear, people started laughing inwardly.
"Hey, look at that coward, he wet his pants!" a boy in the crowd yelled.
"What a disgusting smell coming from there, ew!"
Overcome with shame, humiliation, and extreme terror, Shoji covered his face and sprinted towards the toilet at full speed.
Seeing this opportunity, his two idiot friends (Reo and Ryu) also took the escape route right behind him.
"Bye bye Kenta! Take care, if we survive we'll meet again!"
Reo yelled as he disappeared into the crowd.
Kenta was left standing entirely alone near the wet floor.
"You selfish dogs! Leaving your only friend here in the jaws of death, you cowards?!
Fine, I'll stay right here and
watch the whole fight!"
Back at ground zero, after that deadly Nukite, the level of the fight was completely even.
Both monsters had reached their absolute limits.
Akuro had weakened; there were marks on his neck,
But the demon hadn't given up.
Raizen had completely identified Akuro's attack patterns.
When Akuro launched another heavy attack out of sheer desperation,
Raizen performed a flawless Phantom Counter.
He slipped past Akuro's strike—looking as if he had vanished into thin air for a split second—
And entered his blind spot perfectly.
Without pausing,
Raizen unleashed his most dangerous, bone-crushing
Ice Breaker Kick
Straight into Akuro's ribs.
THUD! CRRRCH!
Blood sprayed into the air.
A terrifying shockwave ripped through Akuro's ribs,
and letting out a choked gasp,
he crashed brutally to the ground.
The floor tiles trembled.
Raizen looked down at Akuro with cold eyes.
"You were never the demon here.
You were just loud."
Toma's eyes widened.
"Impossible…
Boss has never been pushed this far before…"
Daizen swallowed hard.
"This red-hoodie guy…
who the hell… is he?"
"Why… why aren't you breaking down?!
Everyone breaks down.
Everyone kneels down.
So why are you still standing?!" Akuro thought furiously,
Laying on the ground amidst the blood dripping from his own mouth.
This little bird has to fall!
The condition of both fighters was horrific.
The canteen was filled with blood, sweat, and sheer exhaustion.
Sitting in her seat,
Meiko Fujiwara was still enjoying the spectacle.
Clapping her hands, she commented loudly,
"What a comeback!
Red hoodie boy, you actually brought the demon of Hakuho to the ground!"
Meiko's minions trembled in terror.
"Meiko-sama...
this boy really is a monster.
He actually brought Akuro down!"
Kashi screamed into his camera,
"Did you see that kick?!"
"What a brutal rib-breaking kick!"
"Red Hoodie just brought down Akuro—
the boss of the Black Blazers! "
"History is being made right now, friends!"
But just then... the atmosphere of the canteen completely shifted.
It felt as if someone had sucked all the oxygen out of the room.
The canteen entrance was permanently blocked once again.
New characters had entered—
Figures who were considered nothing short of gods in the school.
The absolute top of the food chain at Hakuho High School:
The Student Council!
The Senior Leader of the Student Council—
**Souma Kanzaki**—
Arrived, watching the live video of the fight on his mobile phone.
Behind him stood his entire iron-clad authority:
Vice Leader -- Tetsu Saedomi,
Girl Leader -- Satsuki Kiryuin,
Discipline Committee Head — Genji Ichimonji,
and Treasurer of the Student Council — Kyousuke Shidou.
All the students were left utterly stunned seeing these five legends together.
A deathly silence fell over the entire canteen crowd in the blink of an eye.
"The Student Council?!
What are they doing here?!"
Terrified, trembling voices emerged from the crowd.
Souma Kanzaki stepped forward calmly.
The crowd automatically parted, making way for him.
Akuro was panting heavily, struggling to get up from the ground, and Souma came and stood directly in front of him.
Looking down at him,
Souma said to Akuro in a calm voice:
"How many times do I have to tell you not to interfere in school matters?"
And before Akuro's exhausted brain could even comprehend the words...
BAM!
Without any warning, Souma Kanzaki landed a pure, heavy, and perfectly executed 'Boxing Punch' straight into Akuro's stomach.
Akuro's eyes bulged.
His breath hitched completely, and doubling over in agonizing pain, he collapsed back onto the ground.
The terrified gazes of all the students were now completely fixed on Senior Leader Souma Kanzaki.
The monster who had been fighting like a demon for the past half-hour was just put in his place with a single punch by the new leader.
Staring down at Akuro on the ground, Souma said in a cold voice filled with absolute authority:
"While children play gangster games in my school…
they forget who owns the ground they stand on."
"How many times have I explained to you not to come to school and ruin the school environment.
I wish you had understood this earlier."