Evening fell, the sky shifting colors as crows cried out somewhere in the distance.
Ao walked along the road toward home, casually reviewing his notes with one hand.
It was just another ordinary evening—another day repeating the same unchanging loop of his life.
At least, until a lurking shadow stepped out and blocked his path.
A middle schooler, wearing a completely different school uniform—more formal, with a blazer—and even carrying a staff case.
Ao tried to walk past him without interest, but the boy blocked every direction he attempted.
Annoyed, Ao tried retreating instead—only to find several more boys closing in from behind.
Trapped.
A long sigh escaped him as he stuffed his book back into his bag.
"You guys… you're from another school, right? What do you want?"
Ao directed the question at the first boy who stopped him.
"Onishima. Fight me."
Ao sighed again and attempted to squeeze past them, but was shoved back.
"I've got a test tomorrow. Just let me go."
He tried to ask politely. Didn't matter.
The shove came again—harder this time.
The crowd surrounding them started chanting, pushing for a fight.
Ao, not wanting to look like a coward, reluctantly agreed.
The group moved to a nearby park.
The other boy's friends swarmed around, cheering loudly.
Loud enough that Ao's expression darkened with irritation.
"3—
2—
1—
Begin!!!"
The duel started.
Ao sprinted forward, raising his metal baseball bat for a heavy strike.
The bat connected with the opponent's body—
Yet there was no impact sound.
A chill ran up Ao's spine.
He looked at his bat—
Half of it was gone.
Ao instantly kicked off the ground to retreat—
THUD!!
His opponent's staff slammed into his chest, knocking the air out of him and sending him stumbling back.
He managed to widen the distance, but the coughing wouldn't stop.
It worsened—pain spreading through his throat.
Ao looked at the broken bat and noticed the surface near the missing section.
"…Rust?"
He coughed again.
His hand came away with streaks of blood.
A terrible realization formed.
Don't tell me… he damaged my windpipe…
Before he could think further, the boy charged in again, unleashing a combo.
Ao dodged most of it, but a staff strike hit his eye socket cleanly—his vision on one side completely shutting down.
Ao leapt back again, breathing heavily.
He scanned the area for anything usable, then hurled the remaining half of his bat.
The moment it passed near his opponent—
It crumbled into dust.
And in that same instant, Ao vanished from sight.
BAM!
A fist struck the boy from behind, sending him staggering forward—but he didn't fall.
"So it's true… you really are the Mad Dog."
The boy grinned through blood, then attacked.
Ao evaded, watching closely, counterattacking in the gaps—
Until suddenly—
His fist stopped.
"What…?"
There was a strange resistance, like something unseen wrapped around his hand.
The boy slapped his fist aside, sending pain shooting through his nerves.
Ao looked at his palm—skin nearly peeled raw.
Even the breeze felt like boiling water on his exposed flesh.
Using that brief opening, the boy slammed strikes into Ao's leg and shoulder.
Ao nearly fell, but managed to get a counterpunch in—
Only for his other hand to peel open the same way.
He retreated, panting, sweat pouring down his face.
His teeth clenched tight.
The boy charged again—
Ao guarded, but got beaten back, bruises piling on.
He retaliated with a low kick, forcing space between them.
Ao's eyes sharpened.
He dropped his guard intentionally, lowering himself.
"What are you trying to pull?"
The boy scoffed—but Ao only stared back with a grim expression.
"That face… you definitely have some trick in mind.
Not that it'll work!!!"
The boy lunged, smashing his staff onto Ao's head—his vision nearly blacking out.
"I know more about you than you do about me, Mad Dog.
You can't use magic. That plays perfectly into my spell."
Ao steadied himself and looked up.
"Your magic… it's rust, isn't it?"
The boy froze—eyes wide.
"Too late!!!"
He accelerates oxidation…
And not just on objects. When I punched him, something coated my fist—
And only the surfaces he sees are affected.
That's why my kicks weren't corroded…
Ao flung a handful of sand straight into the boy's eyes.
He cried out, stumbling.
Ao tackled him, pinning him down—
And delivered a barrage of punches until the boy's face swelled and blood gushed from his mouth.
The duel ended in the defeat of the challenger.
His face was bruised beyond recognition, lips torn, completely unable to continue.
But this time, Ao himself wasn't unscathed.
His body had taken more damage than any fight before.
And for the first time—
Ao tasted defeat.
Both his palms were shredded to the inner dermis, stinging with grains of sand embedded in the wounds.
His face swollen on one side, eye barely able to open, blood streaming from his nose.
Ao lay on his back, panting, staring at his trembling hands.
"…Damn it…
Ran into something nasty today.
Hope the next one's easier to chew…"
His voice came out weak and tired, before he finally dropped flat onto the ground.