The chapter opens in a dark room. A young boy is crying loudly, his sobs echoing through the silence. His cries seem desperate, filled with fear and pain. From outside the room, a voice calls out, trying to calm him "Don't cry, brother..."
The scene shifts suddenly to Akira:
Akira is on his knees, staring at his bloodied hands, lost in deep thoughts. His uniform is soaked in red, and there's a sense of weight in the air—an unnerving stillness. His mind is racing, but his body remains frozen in this haunting moment. The others stand nearby, watching him in a mixture of fear and confusion.
Bakiyo steps forward, moving closer to Akira, and tries to pull him up by his uniform. But as he grabs Akira's shirt, the fabric rips with a sickening sound. Akira's upper body is exposed to everyone.
The crowd gasps—not because of Akira's perfect abs, but because of the sight of his skin. His torso is covered in countless cuts, each one an old wound, as if someone had carved into his skin thousands of times. Not just a few scars, but an endless, grotesque pattern of torment.
Akira slowly lifts his gaze to Bakiyo, but something is wrong. His left eye is completely bloodshot, a deep, unsettling red that makes his stare even more menacing.
Bakiyo is taken aback, confusion and hesitation creeping onto his face. But it's already too late.
With a calmness that chills the air, Akira speaks: "I'm sorry."
Before Bakiyo can respond, Akira kicks him square in the face. The impact sends Bakiyo flying backwards, crashing to the ground. But Akira is relentless. He leaps onto Bakiyo and starts punching him furiously, over and over again. Each blow is reckless, driven by something darker within him.
The entire school falls silent. Everyone watches in horror, too afraid to move or speak. The only sound breaking the silence is the soft chirping of birds from outside and Bakiyo's screams.
But Akira doesn't stop. His punches are wild, his hands covered in blood. Bakiyo's face is becoming unrecognizable. Even as Akira's hand bone dislocates with a sickening crack, he keeps going—too far gone to care.
No one dares approach him. The fear in their eyes is palpable. Is this a child's game to Akira? A twisted show of power?
John and Kento burst into the basketball court, rushing toward Akira. They are followed closely by Hinata, whose eyes widen in terror as she watches Akira. She doesn't know whether to run or stay, frozen like an idol—able to see but unable to act. The fear inside her is overwhelming, but it's not just fear. There's something far worse, something deeper that grips her heart.
Kento grabs Akira's hand, trying to pull him away. John shouts for an ambulance, his voice frantic. Akira snarls, punching Kento in return and breaking free. He moves toward Bakiyo again, intent on continuing his brutal assault.
But then, Hinata's voice breaks through the chaos.
"STOOOOOOOOOP!"
Her voice rings out, loud and desperate, filled with an urgency that cuts through the tension.
Akira stops mid-movement, his body pausing as if the world itself held its breath. Slowly, he turns to look at her. His gaze softens for just a moment before he staggers forward, his steps shaky, as though he's walking on the edge of consciousness. But just before he can reach her, his body gives way. His legs buckle, and he collapses, falling towards the ground in a limp heap.
Hinata rushes forward, but Akira is already unconscious, his body completely still.
The silence that follows is deafening.