Content Warning: This chapter will contain some more violence and abuse than the previous ones. Take care as you read!
A view into the Troubled District.
This attacker is the same one who targeted Akira at the interview site.
During the day, he dwells at Central; after all, there he can target Honors students. At night, he commits his heinous acts within the Troubled District, where delinquents are his prey.
Perhaps this man gives the Troubled population a taste of their own medicine? But it's not that simple. Some of these delinquents are like Emilija and Akari; they fight, but have a certain sense of justice. They don’t deserve such fates. And this man operates with no care for karma, but only depravity.
Moreover, he understands exactly how to avoid the Blizzards. He knows all of their restrictions and all their faces. As the Blizzards become more active, he will go into hiding more…
This man’s knowledge is possible because he already has connections.
He forced these connections.
Here is how he is making a name for himself at Northern Peak.
For the men…
He keeps attacking even when they beg for mercy. He breaks their bones. He kicks their genitals. He strips their clothes off and leaves them to wallow.
As for the women…
If he sees them as punching bags, he will target them like punching bags. If he thinks they can fight, he will avoid them.
As such, his encounter with Akari Hirose really pissed him off.
Some of the specifics of this man’s crimes have begun to leak out, but for the most part, vague rumors are all that survive. If you speak about what this man did to you, he will find you and do it again. He will do it worse.
A culture of terror has begun to manifest itself.
The Northern Peak Blizzards keep their eyes and ears open. They will do their best, but alas…
He will remain one step ahead.
—
Noon is prime lunch hour! Now is the best time to try out the dining hall at Central!
The next day, Akira walks among many other students on their way to Central.
My limbs still hurt, but I can walk now without a limp. I see some scary guys, but it’s okay. I’m in a crowd.
He enters the dining hall. It’s crowded here too! Perfect! I can’t always have Akari with me. It’s good that I’ll be able to—
Someone bumps into Akira from behind, knocking him over.
Flustered, Akira looks up.
And it’s that man. The very same man who put his hands on him at the interview.
The man Akari saved him from.
“Ah! You…” Akira trembles, still on the floor.
The bastard smiles down at him. “Long time no see.”
He’s going to attack in the middle of this crowded place?! Then, does that mean—
He gestures to his face. “If I’ve not been on your mind much, you should reconsider.”
Akira winces. What is he doing here?!
Yet, just then, the enigmatic man walks away. “You two can do whatever with him.”
Akira turns around, and witnesses two brutes towering over him.
One of them grabs Akira by the collar. “Get up, little guy.” As Akira is held helplessly in the air, he notices people walking by without a care, some even laughing at him. Emilija… Emilija was wrong! I… I… I…!
He remembers. The unbearable strike of a fist. The painful bruises that tainted his adolescent body.
And now, the brute slaps Akira.
His massive palm crushes Akira’s cheek. It feels more like a punch than a slap.
It feels like a strike from his father.
“NO! STOP IT!” Akira yells as the brutes laugh.
“Damn,” the other brute remarks. “How light is he, Matthew?”
“Like paper,” Matthew answers. “No, even less. Here, you hold him.”
The other bruise seizes Akira’s collar from Matthew. “Wow! Just like a damn child. You sure you’re not a middle schooler?”
Akira isn’t listening to their words. He isn’t able to.
He can hardly breathe.
“Hey Owen,” Matthew whispers, “let’s take him somewhere else. Any one of the people passing by could be—”
Someone leaps in the air and roundhouse kicks Matthew mid-sentence. Just after, that person seizes Akira from Owen’s trembling hands. Another person grabs Owen, locks his arms behind him, and flips him over her head onto the ground.
The Peng Twins have arrived.
Chao places Akira gently back on his feet.
Jie raises her eyebrow. “What’s a tiny guy like you doing at a school like this?”
“Are you hurt?” Chao asks, his voice softer.
Akira, not listening to their questions, sheds tears as he holds his bright red cheek.
“Hey, don’t cry now.” Chao comes to pat his shoulder with a friendly smile.
But at the touch, Akira flinches and runs away.
“Wait! That’s not safe!” Chao shouts. He and Jie chase after Akira, who clumsily sprints out the dining hall door.
And then, right at the end of the dining hall sidewalk, Akira trips.
But before his knees could grind onto the concrete, Chao catches his arm.
“Don’t touch me!” Akira shrieks.
Chao lets go instantly. Akira stumbles about, but regains his footing, standing alone on the main road of the Square.
Then suddenly comes a coughing fit.
The Peng Twins, about six feet before Akira, stare at him as he coughs and cries helplessly. Other people walk by…
Laughing, cringing, looking away.
“Be calm,” Jie advises Akira.
“Wh-Who are you people?” Akira asks, wheezing.
“Blizzards,” Jie replies. “Does that ring a bell?”
Akira, blushing through his tears, murmurs, “Blizzards… A-Akari…”
“Hm? Akari?” Jie looks at her brother, both of them connecting the dots.
With certain clarifications made, the meek Akira now sits with the Peng Twins at a dining hall table.
“Hm, I can see why Akari was quite pushy about introducing you,” Jie comments. “You’re puny.”
Akira looks away and sinks down into his seat.
“Don’t worry,” Chao says. “It’s not impossible for you to grow stronger. For the meantime, rest assured that the ranks of the Blizzards got your back. There’s plenty of people like you, who end up at this school unable to defend themselves. We Blizzards are here to help. It’s impossible to fully avoid battle, but we can at least take protective measures. It was smart of you to try the dining hall at a busy time.”
“Yet I still got attacked.” Akira murmurs. He pushes away his plate, eating nothing.
“Yeah, that’s a bit surprising for an August weekend,” Jie says, hand on her chin. “Maybe just some ambitious idiots?”
“People are going to be less inclined to attack in busier areas,” Chao explains, “especially before the student organizations start full operations in October.” He takes a mouthful of chicken. “A lot of student orgs at this school are hubs for strong people to find opponents to fight, or victims to bully. These cowards can act boldly once they have the backing of an organization. Thus, August and September, when the organizations are semi-dormant, are a bit more peaceful. They especially deter malicious freshmen. Even so, that’s not to say fighting doesn’t happen. This was an unusual case, but not an impossible one. I recommend traveling with strong friends whenever you can.”
Akira doesn’t reply. Instead, a single thought dwells on his mind. This school… is hell.
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