The room had fallen into an eerie silence. Every gaze was fixed on Ikku, watching him with a piercing intensity that made his skin crawl. He suddenly realized the weight of what he had just said. Had he said too much? Had he just blown his cover?
Shit... he thought, clenching his teeth. What do I do now? Maybe they've got nothing to do with the rebels… but what if they do? Should I run? But what if they cancel the attack because of me? Damn it, I have no idea what to do…
Suddenly, the silence shattered. A burst of laughter erupted, followed by another—and then an uncontrollable wave of laughter swept through the room. Everyone was laughing as if it had all been some kind of hilarious joke.
"You're hilarious, Ikku!" Babar shouted, wiping tears from his eyes.
"You talk like you're working with them!" added Missak through his laughter. "People from Isru… man, you're too funny! Wahaha!"
Ikku blinked, caught completely off guard. That was the last reaction he expected. But he wasn't about to complain. If they were laughing, he still had a chance. He forced himself to chuckle and played along.
Just then, the door slammed open and a young man rushed in, out of breath and visibly shaken.
"Guys! I think we should cancel the attack in three days. Something feels off, like something bad is coming."
The mood in the room dropped like a stone. Another heavy silence filled the air. And too late, the newcomer noticed Ikku standing among them.
The realization hit him instantly. His face went pale.
Missak closed his eyes, dragging a hand across his forehead in frustration. Babar and Momo sighed deeply, unable to hide their annoyance.
"…Oops. Crap. Sorry," the boy mumbled.
Ikku, meanwhile, was more confused than ever. He had a pretty good idea of what he just heard but no clue what to do now.
Before he could think it through, Missak and the others began to step forward, slowly but surely surrounding him.
"I'm sorry, Ikku," said Missak with regret in his voice. "But we can't let you leave. Not until we know who you're working for. If you know about the attack… you must be with Mékira. That's a shame. I liked you."
"W-Wait! Just let me explain!" Ikku stammered, his heart pounding.
But it was too late for explanations.
A strange glow began to radiate from Missak and the others no doubt about it. It was spiritual energy.
Ikku had no choice. He summoned his own energy, ready to fight.
"You can use Prana too?" Missak said, raising an eyebrow. "That makes you a threat. We need to take you down."
Momo grabbed a baseball bat from the corner of the room and charged at Ikku. He dodged quickly and bolted out of the room, but the others were right behind him.
Damn it, no choice. I have to fight, he thought.
He lunged at Momo with a punch, but Momo dodged with ease. Before Ikku could follow up, he spotted Babar already on the move. He didn't wait he swung a powerful right hook. Ikku barely managed to raise his arms in time to block the hit, but the impact sent him flying several meters back.
Before he could recover, Missak appeared behind him. He wrapped his arms around Ikku's waist, lifted him up, and slammed him into the ground in a brutal suplex. The floor cracked under the impact.
Dazed, Ikku struggled to focus, but Momo was already coming in for another hit. The bat whistled through the air. Ikku rolled back, narrowly avoiding a blow that shattered the ground where he'd just been.
Breathing heavily, blood dripping from his forehead, Ikku stood tall. The three young men stood in front of him calm, confident, and completely in sync.
What the hell is this coordination? he thought. It's like they share one mind. They're moving like one. I'll never win like this. I need to use Turbo. I've got to escape and warn the others.
He dropped into a combat stance. The atmosphere shifted. Everyone could feel it.
"Stay sharp," Missak warned. "He's about to activate his Brand."
But instead of a warning, they heard only one word.
"TURBO!"
Ikku's hair shot upward as if electrified. His pupils turned crimson, his muscles bulged, and his prana exploded outward in a violent shockwave. Dust and debris blasted through the room, forcing the others to shield their eyes.
When they looked up again… Ikku was gone.
"Where did he..." Missak started, but never finished.
Ikku's fist crashed into his gut like a cannonball. Blood spilled from Missak's mouth as he was launched through the air, vanishing into the distance like a broken missile.
"MISSAAAK!!" the others screamed in horror.
Ikku turned toward them, his face covered in blood, eyes blazing with power.
"I'm sorry…" he said with a calm arrogance. "But you're next."
One thing was certain:
Round two had begun.
And this time, Ikku had the upper hand.