“Gravity? Like the thing that makes things fall?” Gen asked, still marveling at his axis being changed to a horizontal state.

“This is what happens when you sleep through physics class!” Sophia retorted. “I would explain it to you, but…”

The Gainen gleefully glided toward Gen, juggling energy globes as he giggled.

“I think you need to deal with him first, before that,” she concluded. “The kid is okay, the nurse is helping him, but as I told you, you need to finish this quickly. The cops are coming.”

“I GOT THAT!” Gen barked back as his focus returned to the approaching Gainen. It was disconcerting to look up at an enemy who was moving forward.

The gravitational juggler sped up, and small, almost imperceptible radial shockwaves, with him as their epicenter, began to form as he released the condensed spheres of power he was playing with. Each of them, in increasing numbers, began orbiting around him, creating a ring-like formation, as if he were a clown-coded mockery of Saturn.

The loud buzzing sound of the now rapidly spinning circular blade of pure energy approached Gen’s head, parallel to the damaged wooden floor but perpendicular to his current foothold.

The young brawler saw the incoming attack, and for a moment, the confusion made him hesitate. But soon he realized something, and before the gravity blade reached him, he jumped back, going up the wall.

“Ya ain’t gettin’ me with that attack, ya fuckin’ idiot!” Gen roared as the energy blade hit the wall behind him. Suddenly, that whole section blew apart, scattering outside into the yard, flying down but parallel to the floor until slamming against one of the outer walls of the school perimeter.

“If that hits you, you’re going to die!” Sophia screamed, trying to warn him.

“I ain’t that dumb! I noticed!” he replied, thinking about what his next move should be, as the giggling juggler seemed to be preparing for his next attack, summoning more spheres.

Gen knew this was life or death, and he needed to stop hesitating and act—but he didn’t know if he was fast enough.

Fast.

That was when the idea struck him.

So far, he had been able to partially activate the medal’s ARMORED form. His grandfather, who had mastered the damn thing, was capable of encasing his whole body in a powered suit. But Gen, without much training or knowledge, having essentially taken the medal without permission, wasn’t able to fully materialize the armor.

So far, he had only been able to coat one of his arms or both forearms, granting only a partial boon to his physical capabilities. He was more accustomed to punches than kicks, so he never thought about powering up his legs.

But this seemed like the right time.

The Gravity Gainen began to juggle more condensed gravitational fields in his ugly, sharp-fingered hands as he looked up at Gen, its toothy smirk displaying absolute enjoyment in causing pain.

“Here goes nothin’!” Gen rushed down the wall, putting his life on the line, as it was very likely that if he got hit, he might be launched toward the horizon and hit everything in between.

As he approached, the Gravity Jester began throwing orbs—or more precisely, letting them drop down—inverting their gravitational properties so they would be rejected from the floor and blasted upward, at least in relation to regular gravity.

Gen, focusing as he never had before, forced the energy of the medal through his body as he attempted to avoid the incoming attacks. It was easy at first, as they had a linear trajectory, but soon their number became almost overwhelming, some even grazing him, cutting perfectly smooth dents into his shoulders and sides.

“GEN, IF YOU’RE GOING TO DO SOMETH—” Sophia shouted, scared for his well-being.

“I KNOW! I SHOULD DO IT NOW!” he retorted as the energy finally coalesced around his ankles, materializing two golden boots up to his knees. Suddenly, his speed multiplied.

Leaving a trail of crackling orange lightning, Gen jumped as he blasted off the wall that had been torn apart by the gravity blade, meaning he lacked any more footing to run on.

“CONCEPTUAL BREAK!” the young brawler roared as he performed a front flip, flying feet-first toward the juggler, who attempted to shift the angle of his gravity blade to parry Gen.

The armored feet of the young brawler collided against the spinning circle of energy, and a storm of purple particles and orange lightning blasted from the point of impact.

Shockwaves of energy burst forth as both attacks remained in momentary balance, the circular motion of the gravity saw clashing with the forward momentum of Gen’s dropkick.

“YA AIN’T SEEN NOTHIN’ YET!” the young brawler spoke through a fierce smirk as he focused his will and determination, his fighting spirit crackling like storm clouds over a raging volcano.

The armor covering his legs began to expand, reaching over his waist, as his eyes flooded with the same orange luminescence surrounding his body. Through a sudden burst of acceleration, his armored greaves crashed through the energy saw, which shattered like glass, defragmenting into purple sparks.

Gen crashed feet-first into the Gainen as every bolt of orange lightning blasting off his body gathered around the silhouette of his enemy.

Cracks began to form as he blasted through, landing on the floor while the creature began to dematerialize. Gen pulled out a silver medal that, much like with the Slasher Gainen before, he used to absorb the particles, trapping the creature inside.

He let out a long, drawn-out sigh as his armor vanished, realizing that his gravitational orientation had returned to normal upon defeating the Gainen.

The young brawler turned around and gave Sophia a thumbs up, only to see her standing very still with a man dressed in a beige overcoat and brown suit behind her. He looked rough, with pale skin, sunken eyes, a patchy beard, and shaggy hair with some white already sneaking in.

“You’re Reiji’s grandson? Go back to your home with her and wait there. We have a lot to talk about,” he told him in a gruff voice, the kind you only get if you smoke like a Victorian factory chimney.

He pointed toward the side door as he handed Sophia his card. It read:

“Jean Ettiene Murasaki – Pine Hill Police Department”

“Leave. I’ll handle things here.”