The giant arena trembled with noise.
Midoriyama High School — 5 boys, 3 girls.
Tokai Academy — 8 boys.
The speaker's voice thundered:
"Combat Match! One-on-One battles! First to 5 victories wins!"
The students from both sides stood on opposite platforms, staring each other down.
The air was heavy.
No one smiled. No one joked.
This was war.
First Match: Haruto Kenzaki vs Shigeru Imano
The crowd quieted as Haruto Kenzaki and Shigeru Imano stepped into the center of the ring.
Shigeru smirked, spinning his iron staff.
Haruto clenched his fists, feeling the weight of the moment.
DING!
First move — Shigeru!
He lunged forward, his iron staff slicing through the air at lightning speed.
Haruto raised his arms to block — BAM!
The shock rattled his bones, forcing him two steps back.
Second swing — horizontal!
Haruto ducked under the deadly arc, feeling the whoosh of metal brushing his hair.
Counterattack!
Haruto threw a straight punch aimed at Shigeru's chest.
CLANG!
Shigeru blocked with his staff, sparks flying.
He twisted, using the momentum to sweep at Haruto's legs.
Haruto jumped — just barely — but his ankle was clipped, spinning him midair.
He landed hard, rolled, and barely dodged the next crushing strike that cracked the arena floor where his head had been.
Shigeru laughed.
"You can't win, kid!"
Haruto grit his teeth. Blood dripped from his forehead where the staff had grazed him.
He charged.
Left jab — Shigeru blocked.
Right hook — Shigeru dodged.
Low kick — Shigeru countered with a thrust from his staff straight into Haruto's ribs.
CRACK!
Haruto gasped — broken rib.
But he didn't stop.
He grabbed the staff mid-thrust — ignoring the pain — yanked Shigeru toward him, and slammed a knee into Shigeru's stomach.
"Guh!" Shigeru coughed blood.
Haruto roared —
Spun around —
Backfist to the jaw!
Shigeru's head snapped sideways.
He staggered.
Haruto didn't let him recover.
He drove a brutal uppercut into Shigeru's gut — lifting him off the ground slightly — then spun again and hammered a roundhouse kick into his temple.
BAM!!!
Shigeru crumpled.
Silence.
Then the referee raised his hand.
"Winner — Haruto Kenzaki!!"
Haruto wiped the blood from his lip, standing tall — ribs screaming in pain — but victorious.
Midoriyama High vs Tokai Academy
Second Match: Arata Kenzaki (Midoriyama) vs Kaito Sugimura (Tokai)
The crowd roared, wild with excitement.
The next two fighters stepped into the cracked arena floor:
Arata Kenzaki — a lean, sharp-eyed fighter from Midoriyama.
Kaito Sugimura — a tank of a boy, thick arms and a cocky grin.
Bell rings!
Kaito charged!
No patience.
Just violence.
He launched a brutal hammer-fist toward Arata's head — like a sledgehammer.
WHAM!
Arata blocked!
His arms shook violently from the force — he slid back a few feet — feet grinding against the dust.
Arata grinned.
"You hit like a gorilla."
Kaito roared.
He threw a wild barrage — left, right, elbow, knee — a storm of fists.
Arata ducked low — slipped inside — BODY SHOT!
THUD!!
Kaito's stomach rippled from the impact — he spat saliva but gritted his teeth.
SMASH!
Kaito backhanded Arata across the face — the crack echoed!
Blood sprayed from Arata's split lip.
But Arata was smiling.
Arata grabbed Kaito's wrist — twisted it unnaturally — and pulled him into a brutal headbutt!!
CRACK!!
Blood exploded from Kaito's forehead.
He stumbled — dizzy — eyes wide.
Arata didn't let up.
Right hook to the ribs!
Left uppercut to the chin!
Spinning elbow to the temple!
BAM! BAM! BAM!
Kaito's knees buckled.
But even falling — Kaito growled and grabbed Arata's shirt.
Desperate tackle!
They crashed onto the ground, fists flying.
The two rolled across the dirt like beasts — elbows slamming, knees pounding.
Crowd screaming!!
From the Midoriyama side, Rei and the others stood, fists clenched.
"Finish him, Arata!!"
Arata slipped his leg around Kaito's neck — locked his arms — triangle choke!
Kaito gasped — muscles bulging, veins popping — struggling wildly.
He slammed Arata onto the ground once.
Twice.
Three times.
THUD!! THUD!! THUD!!
But Arata held on — tightening the choke — face grim, blood dripping down his chin.
Kaito's face turned purple.
His hands clawed desperately at Arata's arm
Then finally,
his hands dropped.
Kaito passed out.
The referee jumped in, checking the pulse — then waved his hand.
"Winner — Arata Kenzaki!!"
Midoriyama: 2 Wins – 0 Losses.
The Midoriyama audience exploded with cheers, stomping the stands, screaming their warriors' names.
Even the commentators were shouting.
"WHAT A BRUTAL FIGHT!! These Midoriyama students — THEY'RE MONSTERS!"
On the giant screen, Arata was shown standing over Kaito's unconscious body, chest heaving, blood dripping from his lip —
but his eyes burned with victory.
Third Match: Reina Tachibana (Midoriyama) vs Daiki Morimoto (Tokai)
The ground still trembled from Arata's savage win.
The next fighters approached.
Reina Tachibana — Midoriyama's speed demon.
Slim, sharp eyes, black hair tied in a high ponytail. Gloves tightened, ankles wrapped.
Her style: Lightning-speed assassination.
Daiki Morimoto — Tokai's heavy brawler.
Massive arms, thick legs, scar under his left eye.
His style: Brute force. Smash everything.
Bell rings!
Daiki roared and rushed in — fists swinging wildly.
Reina moved.
Like wind.
Daiki's punch sliced through empty air — Reina was already behind him.
"Huh?!"
Before he could react —
Reina landed a knife-hand chop to his neck.
Snap-kick to his kidney.
Spinning elbow to his jaw.
THWACK! THWACK! CRACK!
Daiki staggered.
He spun with a roar — backfist!
BOOM!!
Reina ducked under it — barely — feeling the fist pass inches over her head like a cannonball.
She slid in — body low — legs tense — and unleashed a flurry of rapid punches to Daiki's ribs!
THUD-THUD-THUD-THUD!!
The sound was ugly, like a hammer against wet meat.
Daiki gasped.
He lifted his arms to guard —
but Reina was already moving again.
"Try to catch me, fatass!" she whispered.
DAIKI EXPLODED!!
Giant right swing — Reina parried.
Left jab — Reina ducked.
Grab attempt — Reina leaped back gracefully.
Daiki's anger grew.
He rushed like a bull — lowering his shoulder — aiming to crush her against the wall!
BOOM!!
Reina sidestepped at the last second.
Daiki Slammed headfirst into the wall — cracks spiderwebbing across the stone.
Crowd screamed.
Reina wiped sweat from her forehead, calm and cold.
Daiki turned around, blood running down his forehead.
"I'LL KILL YOU!!"
He sprinted — fist cocked — pure rage.
Reina smiled coldly.
She sprinted straight at him.
"Wha—?!"
Daiki threw the hardest punch yet —
but Reina leapt — planted her foot on his incoming arm — vaulted over his head!
IN MID-AIR — she twisted —
axe-kicked the back of his skull with all her weight!!
BOOOOM!!!
Daiki collapsed face-first.
BOOM!
The arena shook.
Blood pooled under his head.
Referee counted.
1… 2… 3… 4… 5…
No movement.
"WINNER — REINA TACHIBANA!!"
Midoriyama: 3 Wins – 0 Losses.
Midoriyama side ERUPTED!
Flags waving, fists pumping the air.
Their coach nodded silently — proud, but still calm.
Reina stood over Daiki's unconscious body — breathing lightly — not even tired.
"Next," she muttered, walking away.
Dressing Room
Sol: (pounding his fist into the wall)
"We fought like animals out there. Brutality, pure and simple."
Shin: (eyes narrowed)
"And the teachers? Not a word. They just let us go wild."
Ryker: (his voice cold and distant)
"They're all corrupt. They don't care about us, just the results. To them, we're just tools in a game."
Celica: (softly, looking down)
"So... are we becoming like them?"
Ryker: (turning to face her, his voice firm)
"We're not them. But we need to fight smarter. We won't lose ourselves in their game."
The room fell silent once more, each of them digesting his words.