Fear. Terror.
Such emotions were unfamiliar to Roldy.
He understood their definitions through conversations with others—but he had never truly felt them.
In nature, badgers are fascinating creatures. Biologically speaking, they hardly understand fear at all. Though not large in size, they possess fiercely combative temperaments and astonishing aggression. The honey badger is the most famous example—but the wolverine surpasses even that.
However, when Roldy said such things aloud, it inevitably sounded arrogant to others.
Tokikake and Gion froze for a moment. Then their young faces flushed red at a visible speed.
Geniuses in their youth were at their most hot-blooded—how could they tolerate such provocation?
"Arrogant brat!"
Tokikake growled, shrugging off his outer jacket and tossing it aside. The faint outlines of muscle could already be seen on his exposed arms.
"Let me see if you're really as strong as they say!"
He clenched his fist.
After a brief hesitation, he used only seventy percent of his strength—enough to show his ability while still leaving room to hold back.
Even so, the power behind the punch was impressive. His small fist cut through the air with a sharp whoosh. For someone his age, his speed was excellent.
Unfortunately—
To Roldy, it was far too slow.
As the punch approached, Roldy casually tilted his body and effortlessly avoided it. Tokikake's unguarded back was a glaring opening—but Roldy didn't strike.
"That speed…"
Gion's eyes flickered in surprise.
She knew Tokikake's strength well. Even Vice Admiral Sengoku had praised him as a rare talent. He was older than this eight-year-old boy, and though Roldy's towering size meant greater strength, it should have come at the cost of agility.
Yet despite all that—
He had dodged so easily?
"Damn it! Stop dodging if you've got guts, you coward!"
Missing his first strike irritated Tokikake. Suppressing his shock, he threw a second punch—this time with his full strength.
"I think that's enough."
Roldy extended one massive hand and grabbed Tokikake by the head, lifting him straight into the air.
The scene turned comical.
Tokikake flailed wildly, suspended midair, his short arms swinging uselessly. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't reach Roldy's face.
It looked less like a fight and more like an adult humoring a child.
"Let me go! Today I'll show you the true power of Marine Headquarters' genius, Tokikake!"
He was furious—unwilling to accept the gap between them, even though he clearly felt it.
Thud!
Roldy released him.
Tokikake landed squarely on his backside.
"Gion, don't you dare stop me, got it? Don't stop me! I'm sending this arrogant guy straight to the hospital today!"
Fuming, Tokikake spoke as he slowly edged backward—one hand even stretching out toward Gion.
"I'm not stopping you," Gion said with a sly smile. "Go ahead."
"That's even better! Once I go all out, the consequences will be very serious! Yes, that's right—so make sure you don't stop me!"
"…"
"Don't stop me!"
"I'm really not."
"…You're seriously not going to stop me?"
"…Could you at least pretend to stop me?"
Tokikake instantly switched expressions, looking pitiful.
Roldy stared, dumbfounded, scratching his head.
Was this… how city kids interacted?
After the farce ended, the three of them ended up sitting together rather peacefully.
Two self-assured prodigies who had yet to face real hardship.
One abnormal child among his peers who had never had friends.
Surprisingly, they got along extremely well.
After chatting for a while, the "Little Tyrants of the Residential District" gained a new member.
Under Gion and Tokikake's self-proclaimed protection, Roldy inexplicably joined their small clique. He didn't mind in the slightest—in fact, he was happy to have made two new friends.
…
Life at Marine Headquarters was peaceful and comfortable.
At least, that's how Roldy saw it.
His basic needs were met lavishly. He could bask lazily in the sun or play around with his two new friends.
In the blink of an eye—
He had already spent a week at Marine Headquarters.