章 24: 24 - Dambe
'Third time,' Yuuto thought to himself.
The first thought he had upon regaining consciousness.
'The THIRD. DAMN. TIME. I've passed out from getting beat up in this world.' He seethed internally, finding himself kneeling in the principal's office, his arms bound behind him. To his sides stood the butler and Benson, with Satoshi nonchalantly sitting on the principal's desk, sipping from a mug.
"There's something I've been meaning to ask you, you Shota bast—" Yuuto started, but was cut off as the butler struck him, drawing blood.
"What is it, Hiroki Morii?" Satoshi inquired calmly as Yuuto spat out the blood from his mouth, forcing himself to sit up straight again.
"Why haven't you hypnotized me? Just made me watch as you pulled out your tiny shrimp dick and—" He was cut off again, this time by a powerful punch from Tommy, who regarded him with disgust.
Instead of spitting the blood to the side, Yuuto spat it directly onto Tommy's tuxedo.
"YOU INSOLENT!!" Tommy exploded, his fist raised for another strike, but Yuuto just smirked back at him.
"Stop, Tommy," Satoshi intervened, his tone serious. Reluctantly, Tommy lowered his fist, straightening his posture.
"...To answer your question, Hiroki Morii... It's because of that attitude of yours. I despise it," Satoshi stated coldly, his eyes locked on Yuuto. On the sidelines, Kaede, Kanoko, Nao, and Saki stood silently.
Yuuto's gaze flicked to the side to where they were.
'...This bastard was clever. He used that girl's phone to text that teleporting freak and set a trap... Hah, how troublesome,' Yuuto internally sighed.
"Not because I made your dim-witted brother a eunuch cripple?" Yuuto taunted, prompting another punch from Tommy. This one, much stronger than the others, sent him tumbling sideways a bit.
'...I intended that blow to send the insolent fool flying into the wall... Resilient, isn't he...?' Tommy mused, straightening up as he watched Yuuto casually rise back to a sitting position on his knees, ignoring the pain.
"That... did have an effect, sure..." Satoshi murmured, his hand twitching slightly.
'Sire is furious. This insolent fool has no idea whom he has just enraged,' Tommy thought.
"...But I wanted to break you. I wanted you to squirm, to do everything imaginable to try and weasel your way out of this. I wanted you to realize on your own how outmatched you are," he said as he rose from his chair and walked over to the kneeling Yuuto.
"Do you know what I'm going to do now that you are here?" Satoshi asked.
"...Ahh... The classic NTR Villain shtick again? Let me guess, you're gonna violate all these girls in front of me, then make one or all of them kill me Red Wedding style, right?" Yuuto said, his voice dripping with disinterest.
"...Huh. How... observant of you. Indeed."
"It seems I fancy myself the villain in this scenario, wouldn't you say?" Satoshi said, his smirk playful and mocking.
"Seems accurate to me," Yuuto replied with a nonchalant shrug.
'...Even if I do break free, there's the karate girl over there, and this butler here and that four-eyes... I'll have to subdue all of them blindfolded... Tricky,' Yuuto thought, surveying the room cautiously.
"Then, what kind of villain would I be... if I didn't demonstrate the full extent of my capabilities?" Satoshi mused as he locked eyes with Yuuto.
"Feel uncontrollably happy," he commanded, his gaze piercing.
It was then that Yuuto felt an overwhelming sensation rise from the pit of his stomach. His lips twisted into a smile, his eyes sparkled with childlike glee, and a burst of thunderous laughter erupted from him.
"My ability isn't just limited to physical actions. I can make anyone do anything I want... FEEL and THINK everything I want. I just don't often use it... because it's too easy," Satoshi explained, turning to walk back to his chair.
'Indeed... Sire... Such power... It's almost divine. He is destined to rule over all,' Tommy thought reverently.
'Damn it... At times like these, I'm thankful to be on his good side...' Benson reflected, watching the scene unfold.
'No... Hiroki...!!' Kaede's thoughts raced with panic as she watched Yuuto's uncontrollable laughter fill the room, echoing off the walls.
'Shit... Shit...!! That means he can just make us believe whatever he wants...!!! No... No way... Does that mean he can make us hate Hiroki...!? No..!!! NO.... I DON'T WANT THAT..!!' Kanoko thought, her panic rising.
'This is just... Hopeless...' Nao thought, Yuuto's laughter ringing loud in her ears. 'I can only hope to appease him so he spares me... Nothing can stop him...' Her thoughts spiraled into despair, the light in her eyes dimming.
Satoshi then reclined casually on his desk, Yuuto's laughter still echoing through the room.
"I can make you feel this happy while I torment these girls right in front of you. I can make you feel sad, powerless... Empty... I can strip you of your identity, make you hear voices, induce hallucinations, prevent you from sleeping, addict you to drugs and alcohol with a mere word, turn you into a coward, or even make you lust after your own family... Who knows? Maybe I'll convince you that you're my little brother. Have you undergo plastic surgery to completely transform into him... And you will do it gladly..." Satoshi detailed with chilling calm.
Every listener in the room was filled with dread.
"Even if you somehow escape, I can just make you submit to me through a video... I am a god, Hiroki Morii. You lost the moment you chose to fight back. You should have stayed down when my brother decided your girlfriend was his for the taking," he concluded, as Yuuto's manic laughter continued to fill the space.
Satoshi sighed, looking into Yuuto's still-laughing eyes. "Alright, consider my last order voided."
'And there it is... The command to nullify Sire's hypnosis... Surely, Hiroki Morii now realizes how outmatched he—'
Yuuto's laughter continued unabated, his head bowed.
'...Did the command not take effect?'
"...Is probably what you think, right!?" Yuuto suddenly said, his head still lowered as he cackled at the ground.
"What...?" Satoshi stammered, caught off guard.
'Hiroki...?' Kaede thought, her confusion growing.
"The truth is, you moron... I was already VERY happy before you gave that order. I'm usually just that cheerful." Yuuto continued laughing heartily. "And soon, I'll get to take a swing at a hypnotist shota in another world."
Benson stared at Yuuto, his expression a mix of confusion and disbelief.
'...What IS with this kid...? Didn't you just hear what he said? There's just no saving you...!!' Benson thought, shaking his head.
Satoshi then sighed deeply.
"...Boring. You've either lost your mind or you're bluffing..."
"Girl, come here," Satoshi commanded Saki.
Obediently, Saki walked over to Satoshi, devoid of any backtalk.
Yuuto's laughter subsided as he watched Satoshi and how he casually placed his palm on her lower back as she stood beside him.
"If I'm not mistaken, you called this one your... Uh... client, right? About you being Anti-NTR Man or something. That means you're all about preventing betrayal, right?"
"Well, you'd be better off focusing on one of the other three. They're closer to Hiroki, so I'd go with them. Not much will happen with this one, honestly," Yuuto said nonchalantly.
'What...? What does he even mean...? Hiroki...!! What are you trying to say!?' Kanoko thought, her face showing her worry and confusion.
"...No, I feel like starting with her," Satoshi responded, beginning to unbutton her shirt slightly.
'Welp, guess I'll just close my eyes and pray and spray,' Yuuto thought, closing his eyes as he began to rise. But just as he started to push himself upward, he felt the cold barrel of a gun press against his temple, a distinct click halting his movement—Benson had drawn his weapon.
"Hiroki Morii. Take one more step or make any move, and I will end you right here," Benson warned, his voice firm and eyes steely.
"..!!"
Yuuto turned his head slightly, locking eyes with Benson.
'This bastard... He's going to move whether I shoot or not...' Benson thought, tightening his grip on the gun as Yuuto closed his eyes again and faced forward.
Just as Benson began to squeeze the trigger, the door behind them burst open. The sudden intrusion knocked Yuuto, Benson, and the butler forward. The gun discharged in the chaos, the bullet speeding toward Satoshi and striking the window instead, lodging in the glass without breaking it.
"What?!" Satoshi exclaimed, turning sharply toward the new arrival.
"Nazuna... You've gotten yourself into a stupid mess again...!" a booming voice echoed through the room.
From the corner of her eye, Nazuna caught sight of Ryuuji and thought urgently, 'Ryuuji...!! Run...!! This isn't a fight you can win...!!'
A moment of uncertainty hung in the air before Satoshi cut through the chaos with a command. Benson, Yuuto, and Tommy scrambled up from the floor.
'An ally...!?' Yuuto wondered, eyeing Ryuuji.
"Nazuna, right? Take him down," Satoshi instructed coolly, his gaze on Ryuuji showing calculated disinterest.
"Pshee... So he got you too, like the rest out there?" Ryuuji muttered under his breath, adopting a defensive stance.
Ryuuji squared his shoulders, bracing for the confrontation.
'No... RUN...!!!' Nazuna's mind screamed as she lunged at Ryuuji, initiating their clash.
"Don't worry. I'mma smack you back into shape...!" Ryuuji called out, parrying her kick with his arm.
Meanwhile, Yuuto scanned the room. Seeing Benson and Tommy preoccupied with Ryuuji, he seized his chance.
'...I can escape,' he resolved, locking eyes briefly with Satoshi, he stood and bolted towards the exit, his arms still bound as he maneuvered through the uncommanded crowd behind the principal's door. Satoshi, witnessing his escape, sharply turned to Benson and Tommy. "Forget this guy. I'll let the new girl handle him. Capture Hiroki Morii," he ordered, directing them towards Yuuto.
Taken aback by the sudden command, Benson and Tommy quickly composed themselves and gave chase, leaving Nazuna alone to confront Ryuuji.
Ryuuji, with a playful yet serious smile, exchanged blows evenly with Nazuna. "You don't have to do this... But I guess you already know that," he said, his voice steady yet edged with concern.
Nazuna, however, was not in control of her actions. Her body moved with terrifying efficiency, driven by something beyond her will. 'I can't stop...!! RUN, YOU STUPID IDIOT, RUN!!!!' she screamed internally, her mind frantic with the desire for Ryuuji to flee.
The fight, intense and brief, unfolded under Satoshi's watchful eyes.
"Hmph... I'm not an expert in fights... But even I can tell," Satoshi remarked casually, observing the combatants.
'It looks like they're evenly matched...? But that guy is holding back.' He noted Ryuuji's restraint—how he pulled his punches slightly upon contact with Nazuna's body, or halted them entirely just shy of striking a vital area.
'...He's skilled, but he'll lose... Still, I'll keep the girl.'
Ryuuji maintained a defensive, non-lethal stance, aiming not to harm Nazuna but merely to subdue her as much as possible without inflicting real damage. However, as the fight dragged on, Nazuna's attacks became sharper and more desperate.
'Ahh... Damn it. I'm gonna lose... Once she picks up someone's rhythm, even if I change my tactics and fight seriously, I won't win... Tsk... What a pain in the ass, this girl...' Ryuuji thought with a mix of frustration and resignation, feeling increasingly unable to match her relentless pace.
Nazuna then executed a precise, forceful kick, her shoe connecting sharply with Ryuuji's windpipe. He stumbled back, clutching at his throat, struggling for air that wouldn't come.
'Ryu...Ji...' Nazuna's thought broke as she realized the impact of her strike.
...Ryuuji couldn't be saved.
Ryuuji simply looked at her, his expression calm, accepting his fate with a quiet resignation that spoke louder than any words could. His gaze was forgiving, understanding, even as the shadows of defeat closed in around him.
---------------------
"LET'S BE BEST FRIENDS!!!"
"Yuck. I ain't gonna be friends with a girl...!!"
"ALRIGHT!! LET'S FIGHT FOR IT! IF I BEAT YOU, WE'LL BE FRIENDS!!"
"Tsk. It's on. I won't ever lose to a weak girl..."
------------------
'Always... Such a pain...'
Tears streamed down Nazuna's cheeks as she leapt into the air, twisting her body in a sideways flip. Her kick, swift and precise, struck Ryuuji's temple with a piercing impact. As he fell, a serene smile remained etched on his face.
'It was fun... Somewhat, being with that girl... Hiroki Morii... Get that dumbass out of this for me, will ya'?' Ryuuji's thoughts flickered briefly before being cut off as his body hit the ground.
Inside, Nazuna was screaming—a tumultuous uproar of helplessness, rage, and grief consuming her. Yet outwardly, she could only watch in silent horror as Ryuuji's body lay motionless on the floor.
As the dust settled and Satoshi remained seated nonchalantly on his chair with Saki by his side, Nazuna felt trapped in a prison of her own consciousness, forced to witness the horror of her actions without the power to intervene or even flee.
She then turned away quietly, her steps heavy as she rejoined the group of girls. Ryuuji's final, forgiving smile haunted the brightly lit room.
"This Hiroki Morii is just terrible, isn't he? Prolonging the suffering for you all... Haaah... What a pain." Satoshi sighed, his voice dripping with feigned sympathy and a smirk playing on his lips.
Nao stood immobile, once more finding herself more frozen than her hypnotized mates.
'I... I... Did this...' She thought, a chilling realization settling over her.
Meanwhile...
"He gave us the slip... Damn it..!!" Benson exclaimed, frustration evident as he and Tommy lost sight of Yuuto.
"Ahh... Worry not, deviant. Aren't your other comrades arriving soon?" Tommy inquired, trying to reassure his partner.
"Ahh, them... Yeah. Knowing those muscleheads, they're already here somewhere in the school, searching for him by now."
"Then, let's head back to Sire. There might be a body to clean up," Tommy suggested pragmatically.
"Right, right..." Benson agreed with a heavy sigh as the two turned and made their way back to the office.
Elsewhere...
"Aren't you excited, Bagundi?" Tagundi teased.
"Ooooh, yes, yes, Tagundi," Bagundi responded, both sharing a chuckle as they entered the stadium and discovered the bodies of three police officers. They noticed the door to the locker room shutting as they lingered in the dim light.
"Hehehe... Boyyyy~... We just want to play around with you..." Bagundi called out with a playful, thick African accent.
"Yes... We will be gentle~..." Tagundi murmured, their voices mingling in the dark.
The two African twins, masters of Dambe; Bagundi and Tagundi.
[Dambe is a fearsome and intense African martial art originating from the Hausa people of Nigeria. Known for its brutal efficiency, it features fighters who use one arm wrapped in cloth and resin, known as the "spear," to deliver devastating punches, while the other arm acts as a "shield" for defense. The sport allows kicks and even combat on the ground, making no moment safe and the bouts exceptionally fierce. Historically a test of valor among butchers, Dambe matches are swift, merciless, and often end in knockouts, showcasing the raw power and unyielding courage of its combatants. Yes. This martial art is one that can be fought anywhere, in any situation. And it has only evolved since.]
The two towering figures, standing over two meters tall, gently nudged open the door, their builds as imposing as tanks.
...But they had failed to notice...
CLICK.
...that the three policemen were missing their pistols; instead, Yuuto stood ready in front of them, aiming two pistols at the fighters, with an additional gun and two batons holstered under his belt.
"Playtime's over," Yuuto declared, his voice calm and resolute as he squeezed the triggers.
BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG
Four rounds fired rapidly. Two bullets hit each of the twin's bare chests.
The giants could only stumble and fall in confusion, losing the strength to stand as the acrid smell of gunpowder filled the air around Yuuto.
Dambe might be a fearsome martial art, but it has yet to stop bullets.
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