š Teachers' Room
The atmosphere is calm⦠but only on the surface.
Hayato:
ā Looks like the battles have already begun⦠these kids are impatient.
Kentarou:
ā Yeah⦠and there are some strong participants this year.
Hayato:
ā True⦠they all seem powerful.
ā¦But that boyā¦
Hayato:
ā Tadashi⦠where did you find that boy again?
What was his name?
Tadashi:
ā Ren.
He came from the Toyama templeā¦
And from what it seems⦠he has no Reikon.
Silence.
Hayato:
ā ā¦Wait.
That boy from the report⦠that's him?
Tadashi:
ā Yes.
No father, no mother⦠not even any blood relatives.
The only thing he carriesā¦
is a necklace with the hunters' symbol.
Kentarou:
ā That's the dumbest reason to become a hunterā¦
And without Reikon on top of that?
The door opens.
Keiko:
ā What are you all whispering about?
Hayato (excited):
ā Keiko!
Keiko:
ā Shut up.
I know what you did⦠I'll deal with you later.
(Pause)
ā Kentarou⦠have you checked on the injured?
This is going to be a mess.
āļø Meanwhile⦠at the testing grounds
The air is heavy.
Kenji:
ā What's wrong? Mad because I beat that weakling?
Have some shame.
Ren:
ā Shameā¦?
You interrupt a fight⦠and still insult others.
The one who should be ashamed⦠is you.
Silence.
Thenā
Kenji:
ā ā¦HAHAHAHA
You're funny.
ā I'll tell you whatā¦
Leave your badge⦠and get out.
Ren:
ā I'm not leavingā¦
until you apologize to Enzoku.
Kenji:
ā Apologize⦠to that trash?
ā What a joke.
Something snaps inside Ren.
He steps forward.
Fists clenched.
Kenji (grinning, shouting):
ā That confidence⦠I love it!
He activates his techniqueā
Butā¦
Something is off.
Kenji dodges by instinct.
Ren's punch passesāheavy.
Dangerous.
Kenji (laughing like a maniac):
ā Wait⦠waitā¦
ā You don't have Reikon?!
ā HAHAHAHAHA!!
ā Enzoku was already trashā¦
but you⦠you're even worse.
The smile disappears.
Turns into contempt.
Kenji:
ā How did they even let a rat like you in here?
ā But whateverā¦
ā I'll show you somethingā¦
The pressure in the air changes.
Kenji:
ā JÅ«yoku no KÅya.
š A domain forms.
The space grows heavier.
As if the world itself is pressing Ren into the ground.
Kenji reinforces his fists with Reikon.
He charges.
š„ RIGHT HOOK
Ren is sent flying⦠crashing through a shop.
He blocks⦠butā
His arm trembles.
Ren:
ā ā¦What is thisā¦?
Kenji vanishes.
ā” Appears right in front of him.
š„ STRAIGHT PUNCH
Ren is launched⦠breaking through the roof.
He tries to counterā
But Kenji dodges effortlessly.
Grabs Ren by the face.
š„ CRASH!!
Slams him into the wall.
Kenji (narcissistic smile):
ā See?
ā This is the difference between us.
ā Useless people like youā¦
should have never existed.
ā Only the strong⦠remain standing.
ā¦Footsteps.
Ren, on the ground⦠turns his head.
A girl kneels beside him.
Hana:
ā Are you⦠okay?
Ren spits blood.
Struggles to stand.
Hana watches.
Burns.
Open wounds.
Fresh blood.
She says nothing.
Just standsā¦
And walks toward Kenji.
š„ SLAP
The sound echoes.
Silence.
Kenji⦠freezes.
Thenā
He gets irritated.
š„ PUNCH TO THE STOMACH
Hana is thrown away.
Kenji moves in to finish it.
Butā
ā” Ren disappears.
And appears in front of her.
Holding her.
Not even Kenji noticed.
Confusion.
Ren is standing.
Even broken.
Hana looks at himā¦
And sees something different.
It's not pain.
It's not fear.
It's⦠silence.
A cold expression.
Heavy.
š„ As if something inside him⦠has awakened.
