"B-Boss!!!"
One of the three men yelled the moment he saw their leader lying flat on the ground, totally out cold.
"You little—!! Zapping Finger!!!"
The man pointed his finger at Ao. A crack of electricity burst from his fingertip, shooting straight toward him.
Bzz! Bzz!
Ao twisted his body, dodging by a hair's breadth, and countered with a fist aimed right at Thug B's face.
His knuckles were inches away—
—and then his entire body convulsed violently.
A bolt of electricity surged through him, forcing him to leap back in shock.
"HAHAHAHA!!! Never seen Shocking Cloak, have ya!?"
Ao's whole body spasmed uncontrollably, smoke rising from his clothes.
His hair stood on end like a frightened cat.
Damn it…!
Electricity… the worst matchup possible…
Thug B smirked, taunting him as Ao fought to regain control of his twitching muscles.
Meanwhile, Thug C was dragging the unconscious boss toward the van.
"You could've left that giant lump behind, you know…"
"Shut the hell up, brat!!! The Meca Mask Gang never abandons a comrade!!!"
"What a stupid name…"
"E-EXCUSE YOU!? STUPID NAME!?
I spent THREE DAYS coming up with it!!!"
Furious, Thug B charged up another spell.
"Maybe the naming is the real problem…"
Ao smirked despite his trembling body.
"Bolt Bullet!!!"
Sparks gathered between Thug B's palms, condensing into a crackling orb as bright as a star.
Seeing it, Ao clenched his jaw and forced what strength he could into his legs.
The Bolt Bullet shot forward like a cannon.
Ao barely rolled aside and ripped off his gakuran jacket.
"What the hell are you doing!?"
"Electric Incessant!!!"
Dozens of electric charges formed around Thug B, firing toward Ao like a magic machine gun.
The air sizzled.
Anything the bolts touched scorched black instantly.
Ao dove behind a concrete alcove, breathing hard.
He wrapped the thick fabric of his jacket tightly around his fist.
"Quit hiding, you little shit!!!"
The barrage intensified, lightning filling the street with white flashes and explosions of crackling smoke.
Ao burst from cover, using his wrapped hand to block the worst of it, sparks flying off the cloth.
Thug B's eyes widened.
"What the hell are you—!?"
WHAM!!!
Ao's fist slammed into his ribs, sending him stumbling backwards, choking on his breath.
"Impossible!! How'd you get through my Shocking Cloak!??"
"You never paid attention in basic science, did you…"
Ao punched him again—
pain arcing through his arm as the electricity discharged before his fist made skin contact.
Because the jacket acted as insulation.
It still hurt like hell— but it didn't stop him.
Ao raised his wrapped fist overhead, grinning wildly.
"W-Wait!!! I give up!! Please don't!!!"
Thug B begged, clutching his side in agony.
Ao swung down—
SPLOOSH!!
Water drenched him from head to toe.
He froze mid-punch.
BZZZZZZT!!!!
A violent jolt surged through him again, forcing him to leap back with a strangled gasp.
He tore the soaked jacket off his hand, body shuddering violently.
"D-Damn it…"
He collapsed to one knee.
"Good thing I paid attention in class for once,"
Thug C said while lowering his staff, having just blasted Ao with a water spell.
"Thanks, Meca Blue!! I thought I was dead!"
"No prob."
Thug C gave a silent thumbs-up.
"Alright… time to finish this!!!"
Both remaining thugs raised their staves.
Ao inhaled sharply.
BOOM!
With a stomp, the pavement shattered beneath him, sending tiles flying upward.
He grabbed one and hurled it like a discus.
WHOOSH—CRASH!
The thugs dodged, then cast in unison:
"Water Bullet!!!"
"Full-Power Zapping Finger!!!"
Water and electricity fused, firing toward Ao with lethal force.
He reacted instantly—
snatching a café signboard and chucking it at the incoming water sphere.
CRACK—BOOM!!!
It exploded midair.
Ao grabbed more tiles and rapid–threw them like a storm.
WHISH! WHISH! WHISH!
BOOM! CRACK!
The thugs counterfired spell for spell, neither side yielding an inch.
Ao weaved, ducked, and spun between attacks— a desperate, chaotic dance of survival.
Explosions erupted nonstop. Shattered tiles and splashes of water flew everywhere.
Until—
"KYAAAA!!!"
A girl hiding in a nearby building screamed.
Ao's eyes flicked toward the sound.
A split second.
That was all it took.
He reached for another tile—
TOO LATE.
"Gotcha, brat!!!"
THUD!!! BZZZZZTTT!!!
A direct hit.
The electric blast slammed into the center of Ao's head.
His body jerked violently, collapsing toward the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.
His vision dimmed.
But then—
He saw her.
The girl who screamed.
Curled up with her friends— all terrified…
Except one.
One girl was looking at him with eyes full of—
hope.
…I'm really gonna fall here…? What is that look…? Why are you looking at me like that…?
No one had ever—
Ever—
looked at him like that.
No…
That's… the same look as—
Miyakura's face flashed in his mind.
The eyes of someone who still believes!!!
Ao sucked in a massive breath.
His foot slammed the ground.
THUD!!!
His falling body jerked upright.
He stood tall again.
Covered in soot. Hair wildly standing on end. Muscles flexed in violent tension.
And that feral expression— the one everyone called "the mad dog."
"What the—!? How the hell is he standing!?"
"This is bad, senpai…"
"Bad!? What are you talking about!??"
"That kid…
He's gone feral."