underground figths.

Kei walked through the halls wrapped in bandages, resembling an old mummy encased in a sarcophagus. Only his eye sockets were visible, illuminated by his eyes. Even his skull didn't escape the surgical procedure. It was clear the bandages securely covered from his wrists to his elbows and followed his legs almost to his heels, embalmed with fine herbs used as painkillers to soothe inflammation, along with a brace that adjusted his back and shoulders to Kei's measurements.

Kei walked slowly, the persistent phantom pains fleeting for seconds. The trauma of suffering leaves roots and takes hits, leading him on a dizzying path, but Master Roshi has guided his mental peace. With his hands in his pockets, he took a deep breath and entered his seat in the middle of the room, undisturbed by anyone. During the first months of school, he struck a few who tried to stand in his way, and since then, no one has dared to provoke him.

-My dear friend Kazama, your best buddy Haruo Nijima is here, - said the alien who often annoyed him. But he only had that velvety voice when he brought something that might earn Kei a favor, even with his bandaged attire and antiseptic-covered body. Nijima could hold back his voice, though his alien part harbored curiosity that he had already started to investigate.

-What's up? Do you have something important to tell me? - Kei asked.

-Absolutely nothing, just gathering intel. Word has it that among the first and second years, no one can beat you in a fight. But Kasuya from class 3-D is the most powerful in the entire middle school; he's the king. And although he doesn't look it, he's a dangerous guy who recently got recruited by a gang, which interestingly is a rival to the Black Dogs gang, where you and your brothers are. If my sources are correct, he'll try to challenge you very soon, - Nijima said.

Playing with his notebook, jotting down points and details here and there.

-It's said that Kasuya practices taekwondo; his kicks are deadly, and he's one of the most dangerous fighters in school. One kick can incapacitate; he defeated six people at once, and he was kicked out of the club for his roughness. He kicks with his right leg. So be careful of attacks coming from your left, - Nijima said.

-Thanks for the information. Tell him next week I'll kick his face along with his pride. Just don't bother me this week; he'll get into a lot of trouble if he attacks now. I have orders to fulfill, and Hiyo Kuro is someone very vengeful. His boss must know; not long ago, they wiped out an entire gang, leaving no one alive, - Kei said. He wasn't lying; today he had regular assignments for Hiyo, and he would rest on his day off.

Kei's calm demeanor in his words tried to maintain! It was known between them both that Kei's employer was someone deadly dangerous.

Nijima raised an eyebrow, to reject or accept, that information could be a valuable asset, for now, he would determine how to use the information to his advantage. Kei got up from his desk, leaving Nijima deep in thought, classes starting soon, and needing to grab some first-year lunches.

-Hey, brainiac, what did your parents pack you for lunch? - Kei said.

The nervous kid could only stammer before the class's tough guy. He knew all too well that any wrong word would earn him a beating. Even as he tried to breathe, he couldn't get the right words out.

-Ah, um... I..., - the bespectacled boy said.

-Come on, buddy, relax. I'm just a bit hungry. I'll take something small, like a snack or bread. Got anything? - Kei asked.

-Ah, nooo, - the boy said in a squeaky voice.

Kei turned to his neighbor. - How about you? What do you have? - he asked.

-Uh, I have an orange, - the scared kid said. - His name's Nao. Fits him well; it means 'straight.' He's got shoulder-length black hair and a round face, a typical Japanese look. -

-You shouldn't do that, Kazama, intimidating the weak to get your lunch. I thought we were clear that you wouldn't harass students. School is neutral territory; you can't go around commanding like it's one of those dark alleys where you hide with your friends, - said the class president.

-We're chatting, my dear friends. As you can see, I'm injured. These boys here would mop the floor with me in a moment. Don't you see how healthy they look? - Kei said, looking at the nervous kids. Kei's naturally red hair alone was enough to scare off the faint-hearted.  

-What do you have for me? - he asked.

-Coconut bread, - the boy said.

-Give it to me. That'll do for lunch, - Kei said, grabbing the piece of bread and unwrapping it. He pulled out a long knife, a gift from Bokudo, which even startled the class president, and sliced open the orange, sucking out all its citrusy center with evident pleasure on his face.

-Kazama, - shouted Kasuya, the third-year kid Nijima had warned him about moments ago. He was a hot-blooded fighter, and Kei could only curse internally for this lack of information, this gap he would have to fill with cunning.

-Hold this for me, buddy, - he said to the chubby kid, handing him the knife and the orange. The chubby kid hiccupped at the sight of the blade.

-Kasuya, what a pity that we have to fight like this. We could continue this battle next week. I feel displeased fighting like this, but don't blame me; I wanted to wait to give us a fair fight together, - Kei said, adopting a low stance. The first kick Kasuya threw would be his first mistake; his master had always been clear: strike fast, strike hard, or strike dirty. The latter could only be done in extreme need.

-Hah, I'll show you who's the king of this school,-  Kasuya said, taking a sidelong stance, confident, ready to throw a crescent kick directly at Kei's flank.

He miscalculated, throwing a straight kick instead. Luckily for him, Kei had had enough training in the past six months to dodge quick blows. He grabbed a pen from the desk and buried it in the kid's ankle with force. Kasuya groaned and followed it with a quick jab to the chest, the dead center where the heart lay, not a punch but a spear-like claw.

The second blow was a strong shove against the desk, but Kasuya's skill was good enough to stabilize himself. It was all a blink of an eye, a quick strike that lasted a second. However, for Kei, it was a long chess match, anticipating movements.

Takemoto hadn't taught him that; it was Roshi who had taught him to play Go, chess, and shogi, to see fighting as a battle of wills but also of minds. It could be said that during the last year, Roshi had become a master of strategy and tactics.

-Damn it! - Kasuya shouted, throwing three quick kicks. The first was a swift feint with his left leg, but Nijima's words were in his head: he's right-handed, and the first kick was a decoy!

Kei dodged the two kicks and closed in, gripping the lower part of Kasuya's neck like a vice and pulling hard enough to leave a tiger bite mark. He struck his groin in a brief moment, hitting the bullseye, and followed it up with a knee aimed at his nose, which Kasuya quickly evaded. However, Kei kept attacking relentlessly; the next move was a strong push with his foot, which missed, but Kasuya fell to the ground. He tried to get up, and a rookie mistake turned his back; at that moment, Kei raised his right hand, gripped under Kasuya's left rib with force, like a pull, and attempted a kick, but got closer and gave another strong push, followed by two jabs, phantoms that were decoys for another tiger grip.

"Argh!" Kasuya said, though Kei dodged several blows; one hit his arm, which now stung a bit, but it wasn't serious.

Kei continued, this time delivering three quick jabs, much like the two phantom blows, this time splitting Kasuya's eyes; the fight was over. He followed it with nine more vicious blows and strong grips, targeting exposed skin, not bones.

-Want more, loser? I don't have time to fight. We can continue this fight next week; you can bring your gang or your club, I don't care. But remember, I won't be merciful if you have no honor. Neither will I, - Kei said, looking at the kid with the swollen eye from the punch.

He grabbed his orange and dozed off for five minutes until the teacher came in. Probably, he had seen the fight and didn't want to interrupt. Kei and Kasuya's gangs were known even to teachers; the difference with Ragnarok was that they dealt in more illegal and clandestine interests.

-What are you looking at? - Kei said to the kid nervously watching him.

...