Nanase quickly stepped forward, trying to reel him back.
"Housen-kun, we came here to talk. If you're just going to fight, then I'll leave."
"Fight? That weren't even fightin'. All I did was pet the guy." Housen flexed his fingers, the same hand that had struck Sudou still trembling with coiled power. "Well, sorry, my bad, Sudou," he said mockingly, his tone venomous. He deliberately spat Sudou's name without an honorific, grinding it into the dirt.
"You bastard! That's too far!" Ishizaki barked, stomping forward, rage boiling over as he grabbed for Housen's collar.
Housen's eyes sharpened . His lips curved up into that eerie grin, and the room felt colder.
"Think carefully, bubby. Touch me, and you're finished."
But before Ishizaki's fingers reached Housen's shirt, another voice cut through .
"Better think twice, Ishizaki… unless you've got a death wish," came a sharp warning.
It was Ryuuen. His gaze was locked on Housen, sharp and calculating. Ishizaki froze, bewildered.
"Wh-why'd you stop me?! We can take this bastard together!" Ishizaki snapped, frustrated.
Even Ibuki stared in shock. "What the hell, Ryuuen? You never stop a fight."
But Ryuuen didn't answer them. His eyes never left Housen. He wasn't afraid of fights — he welcomed them. But what stood in front of him wasn't just some thug. Housen's presence was wrong. It was like staring at a beast in human skin, a force that could smash through walls without effort.
Ryuen ordered, forcing Ishizaki back before stepping forward himself.
"Hah? So what, you're my opponent now?" Dude,You look weak compare to Sudou over there."
It wasn't hard to see why Housen dismissed Ryuen as weak. On the surface, Ryuen lacked the intimidating size or brute force that Housen flaunted.
"I know you pretty well, yeah," Ryuen replied with a smirk. "I remember hearing that this 'Housen' guy was kind of a celebrity back in my hometown. Didn't expect him to turn out to be such a braindead idiot, though."
Housen had mocked Sudou over and over, calling him stupid without hesitation. Now, Ryuen casually threw the same insult back at him. It was exactly the sort of provocation one would expect from Ryuen. Normally, he was an enemy to every class except his own, but right now, it was almost refreshing to see him standing against Housen. The tense shift in atmosphere even helped Sudou rein in his temper.
"Y-you know this guy, Ryuen-san?" Ishizaki asked, sounding both surprised and uneasy.
"Wait… Ryuen, you say?"
The moment Housen heard Ryuen's name, his expression shifted. A wide grin spread across his face, almost like he had stumbled upon something entertaining.
"Well, ain't this a treat? Gotta be fate. I've heard your name get tossed around so damn much it's been pissin' me off, Ryuen," Housen said, his voice thick with amusement.
"Wow, so you've actually got the brain cells to remember someone's name?" Ryuen shot back without missing a beat.
From the way they spoke, it was clear the two had known of each other for some time. Housen, a first-year from Class 1-D, came from a place close to Ryuen's old stomping grounds.
Meanwhile, the bond between Ryuen and his classmates particularly Ishizaki and Ibuki made it clear he had fully reclaimed his position as leader. He might have stepped down temporarily, but now he was undeniably back in control.
"Still, gotta say… for the so-called 'fabled Ryuen,' you look scrawny. Pitiful, even. Damn, what a disappointment," Housen jeered.
"And you look exactly like what I expected a musclebound freak," Ryuen sneered in return.
Housen chuckled darkly. "Y'know, I stopped by your old hangouts a few times, hopin' to beat the ever-lovin' crap outta you. Funny thing though I never ran into you. Guess that means you were scared, hidin' away like a coward, huh?
"You've been runnin' away and makin' your little soldiers do all the work? Is that it?" Hōsen said, his tone dripping with provocation.
"Kukuku... I'd say it's more like lady luck saved your ass, Hōsen. If you had met me back then, you sure as hell wouldn't be actin' like such a bigshot right now. Guess you lucked out, since you can still say you haven't lost to me yet," replied Ryūen, his sharp eyes gleaming with amusement.
"Actually, I think you just ran with your tail between your legs. If you're tryin' to tell me that's not how it is, then how about we settle this, right here and now?"
Hōsen clenched his massive fist, his confidence radiating like a beast ready to strike. If he knew who Ryūen was during junior high, then the impression he had of him couldn't be too far from ours. Perhaps he hadn't yet realized that Ryūen wasn't someone you wanted as an enemy.
"Yeah, hard pass. I ain't plannin' on fightin' a gorilla like you when there's nothin' in it for me," said Ryūen
Hōsen's offer had been clear he was itching for a fight. Even Ishizaki and Ibuki were convinced that Ryūen would jump at the chance, even if it meant moving elsewhere to avoid drawing attention. But Ryūen turned him down without hesitation.
"Wait, is this dude all that dangerous? I mean, sure, he's bigger than Sudō and all, but…" Ishizaki muttered nervously.
Rumors about Ryūen had spread even before he set foot in this school. Tales of him fighting off Hyakunin no bōsōzoku[1] single handedly, had given him an almost mythical reputation. Whether the story was true or exaggerated, no one could say for certain. But the very existence of such a rumor was enough to paint him as someone extraordinary.
"Who knows?" Ryūen smirked, offering no clear answer. His expression made it impossible to tell if he was denying it or simply enjoying the mystery. He then gave a small gesture to his subordinates. "Let's go."
"Are you really okay with lettin' a first-year disrespect you like this?" asked Ibuki, her voice laced with doubt.
She knew Ryūen's nature well. He never backed down from a challenge, no matter who the opponent was. That was exactly why she couldn't help but question his choice to walk away now.
"Heh. We can settle things whenever. What's the rush?" Ryūen answered calmly, as though the outcome had already been decided in his favor.
The tension lingered even as he walked away, leaving behind an atmosphere that suggested the fight was inevitable just not today.
Hōsen started walking forward, closing the distance between himself and Ryūen.
"Is that chick one of your little soldiers too?"
he asked, having watched them bicker earlier.
"Yeah, somethin' like that," said Ryūen.
"Huh? What are you talking about? Don't go and act like you're the boss of me," snapped Ibuki.
"So you even stoop to using chicks as soldiers, huh, Ryūen?" asked Hōsen.
"Could say the same to you, buddy. You're the one who brought that cute little thing over there, right?" said Ryūen.
Just like how Ryūen was accompanied by Ibuki, Hōsen had Nanase standing beside him.
"She ain't mine. Well, whatever, I couldn't care less about that. Let's have some fun, Ryūen," said Hōsen.
"Already told ya. Hard pass."
No matter how many times Hōsen tried to provoke him, Ryūen wouldn't budge. As if to signal his disinterest, Ryūen turned his back, showing he had no intention of fighting.
"Huh, that so?...In that case…"
Hōsen's grin widened. The next moment, his figure blurred one instant he was standing two or three meters away, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished. A sharp gust of air swept the space he left behind.
Before Ibuki could even register it, he was in front of her. His massive arm shot out clamping around her neck in a grip.
"Ngh?!"
Her feet is in the air , as he effortlessly lifted her. Ibuki clawed at his hand, panic flashing across her face, but Hōsen's hold didn't yield an inch his arm felt less like flesh and bone, and more like solid iron.
"Let's see how long you can thrash around, little soldier." Said Hosen, with a evil smile.
Hōsen's arm clamped around Ibuki's neck. Her body kicked and struggled, but she couldn't move him an inch.
Flashback 1 – The Alley FightThe alley fight back in his hometown, where he had taken down a dozen guy all armed with bats and pipes. The first charged him, swinging a steel pipe down Hōsen caught it with one hand, yanked the attacker forward, and smashed his face into the wall hard enough to leave a crater.s before anyone could even react he kick of the ground. Each strike precise, overwhelming,
The rest swarmed, but he didn't retreat. Every step he took forward sent bodies flying. A bat shattered against his arm as if it had struck iron. His counters were merciless knees to jaws, elbows to ribs, fists sinking into stomachs with such force that people dropped unconscious in one hit. In less than a minute, the alley was littered with groaning bodies.
Flashback 2 – The Hundred Bikers
A long, deserted stretch of road at night. Headlights flooded in from every direction—an entire gang, a hundred strong, roaring down on him with chains and clubs. Anyone else would have run. Hōsen stood there laughing.
The first biker tried to run him over Hōsen sidestepped, grabbed the handlebars, and flipped the entire motorcycle into the air, rider and all. Chaos erupted. He moved like a blur, kicking people off their bikes mid-charge, dragging others down by their collars, throwing bodies into each other with thunderous impact. The sound of engines, screaming metal, and shouts of pain mixed together until the gang scattered, their so-called "army" broken by a single monster in human form.
---
Back to the Present
Ibuki's nails dug into his arm, but nothing worked.
Ryuuen turned back around and saw Ibuki being choked out by Housen. She thrashed desperately, twisting her arms , trying use her legs land a kick on his stomach or chest, but Housen's grip was immovable, as if carved from steel.
"Hah. Just try and slip outta that. Or all of you watchin' can jump in and get a piece of me too," Housen taunted, his voice dripping with absolute confidence.
The look on his face wasn't just fearlessness—it was the conviction of someone who believed no one here could rival him. But stepping in myself would only risk drawing the school's attention. If faculty caught wind of this mess, it would end here and now.
The only one who could act without hesitation
.—Ryuuen—
finally.he moved, though the annoyance on his face was obvious. He wasn't charging to fight; he was moving to save Ibuki.
In a blur, his leg whipped up with startling speed, faster than any normal human eye could track. A kick traveling at the speed of sound shot straight for Housen's head.
but unbelievably, Housen caught it. His massive hand snapped up just in time, stopping the strike mere inches from his face. The wind pressure shock through the hallway floor, a sharp thud echoing as their strengths collided.
" !?" Superior ryuuen.
a grin spreading across housen face.
Ryuen see this,Rather than try to pull back, he twisted his body violently, using the momentum of his kick as leverage. His knee bent mid-air, muscles straining, then he snapped his hips downward like a coiled spring releasing all at once. The sudden torque caught Housen off guard his arm jerked slightly to the side, just enough.
Crack!
Ryuuen's heel scraped off Housen's forearm, breaking the lock that had stopped him cold. The recoil launched him backward, flipping once before landing firmly on the ground several steps away.
"You bastard! " said Ishizaki.
"Yes, yes! Man, am I glad I came all the way to this school, is worth after all!" Housen laughed.
But just as the tension peaked, Nanase, who had been silently watching from the very start,
"Please stop, Housen-kun"
Housen froze mid-action, his grin fading slightly as irritation flashed across his face.
"What did you just say?" replied back to her.
"The upperclassmen have all been worried about the surveillance cameras around here for a while now," said Nanase calmly. "Judging from the situation, I've determined there's nothing to gain by resorting to violence here."
" I know, I know," Housen muttered, a crooked grin tugging at his lips.
"I was just messin' around with 'em."
He added that he'd known from the start that us second-years were bound by the presence of the cameras. If that were true, then everything Housen had done since showing up here became all the more baffling.
But even after Nanase's warning, Housen looked as if he was about to resume his rampage. Seeing that,
"If you really do understand, then that's all the more reason to stop. And if you insist on wasting more time here…" she paused briefly, then met his gaze without hesitation.
"…then I'll have no choice but to bring up that matter. And I'll tell everyone here about it."
Whatever she was referring to, it made Housen's eyes narrow in sharp focus. He froze for a moment, then suddenly let go of Ibuki's neck. She collapsed to the floor, coughing and hacking for air.
"…Heh. Not bad, Nanase." Housen sneered, though his eyes gleamed with an edge of seriousness now. "But just remember—if you don't live up to my expectations, I won't show you any mercy. Even if you're a girl. Got it?"
"When that time comes, I'll take whatever comes my way," Nanase replied without flinching.
Even in the face of his blatant threat, Nanase didn't sound rattled in the slightest. Her calmness was almost unsettling, as if she were completely unfazed by standing in the second-years' territory, staring down someone like Housen.
Even so, this Housen wasn't someone to take lightly. Among my peers, there were plenty who could boast of their strength Ryuuen, Sudou, Albert. And other some But for a first-year, Housen had just proven he was more than capable of standing on their level. If he ever fought seriously, I couldn't predict how far things would spiral.I couldn't even begin to predict the limits of his strength No wonder Ryuuen had stopped Ishizaki from charging in recklessly one slip-up, and they'd be crushed.
This was one hell of a first-year.
"All right, I'll stop. My business here's done. Let's go, Nanase," Housen finally said.
"That's a wise decision," she replied.
Yet, before leaving, Housen turned back to Ryuuen with a taunting smirk.
"If you get down on your knees for me, I don't mind teaming up with you. Whaddya say, Ryuuen-paisen?"
"Sorry, but I only work with humans. Can't say I've got any interest in teaming up with a wild gorilla," Ryuuen shot back.
"Too bad," Housen chuckled.
But just when it seemed things were winding down, his attention shifted. Standing nearby was another first-year who had been silently observing the entire confrontation.
"Hey, you just gonna sit there hiding and watching, punk?" Housen sneered.
"Do you know the proverb 'A wise man keeps away from danger'?" the boy replied smoothly, meeting Housen's glare without flinching. "Casual conversation is harmless. But if you stir up trouble here, it won't be beneficial for anyone least of all you. Don't you think it's wiser to withdraw for now, Housen-kun?"
There was no fear in his voice only calm, logical reasoning.
And then, as if on cue, a sharp voice cut in.
"What do you think you're doing, Housen?"
Everyone turned to see a man in a suit who had appeared without warning, his presence silencing the chaos at once. Many of the second-years who had been lingering fled instantly, slipping back into their classrooms.
"Housen," the man continued, "I understand you're restless. But I'm also sure the school rules have been drilled so thoroughly into your head by now that it feels ready to explode," said the adult.
"Yeah, yeah, I know," said Housen.
"If you do understand, then hurry up and disperse. No fighting in the hallways.
"That was hardly even a real fight, though," snorted Housen.
With a scornful chuckle, he thrust his hands into his pockets, and then turned around, making an unexpectedly casy decision to retreat. He then ordered Nanase to retreat as well.
"Well, see you later, Horikita."
Housen purposefully dropped Horikita's name before he left... Well,no. It might be more accurate to say he was addressing the whole of Class 2-D
"We apologize for the disturbance," said Nanase, with a bow of her head.
With that apology, the situation seemed to have been more or less successfully contained. But, when Nanase lifted her head back up, she looked me right in the eyes right as she was leaving. It was the same look she'd given me when she first arrived on this floor. A probing look, almost as if she
wanted to know something.
However, as soon as I noticed her looking at me, she immediately averted her eyes, and chased after Housen.
"I must apologize to you all. I'm terribly sorry. My students have caused you quite a bit of trouble," the teacher apologized to Horikita as she stood by watching everything that happencd.
"No, it's all right..." she replied.
"Since we're here, please allow me to briefly introduce myself. I am Shiba Katsunori and I will be overseeing Class 1-D. I've only just accepted a position here at this school. I look forward to getting to know you all," said
the teacher.
After giving us that brief self-introduction, Shiba-sensei left, following at Housen.Then, almost as if they were taking turns, the level-headed boy
[1] 百人の暴走族を倒す (Hyakunin no bōsōzoku o taosu)= “Defeating a gang of 100 delinquents.”