Fighting maniac

Kai stepped into the hallway, eyes locked onto the scene ahead.

A first-year kid stood frozen, gripping his bag as Renji Takeda and his lackeys surrounded him. The rich brat had one hand on the kid's collar, a smirk plastered across his face.

Kai exhaled slowly. His mind was already made up.

Without a word, he raised the chalkboard eraser in his hand, aimed carefully—

Thwack!

The eraser smacked Renji clean across the forehead, a small puff of white dust exploding on impact.

For a moment, silence filled the hallway.

The first-year blinked. Renji froze, his smirk wiped clean off his face. His lackeys looked between each other, unsure whether to laugh or be shocked.

Then Renji's face twisted with rage.

"…Who the hell—"

Kai sighed, rolling his shoulders. "You're too loud. Keep it down."

Renji turned toward him, eyes burning. "You little—!"

He stormed forward, fists clenched, fully intending to grab Kai and slam him into the ground.

Kai, however, had no intention of getting caught.

The moment Renji lunged, Kai smoothly hopped onto a nearby desk, then leaped to the next one. His feet barely touched the wooden surface before he pushed off again, moving across the classroom by stepping on the desks like stepping stones.

Keep moving. Keep distance.

His brain worked quickly as he landed on the other side of the room.

Enemy count: 8.

Renji, three close lackeys, and four others in the back. They weren't used to real fights—just typical schoolyard intimidation. But that didn't mean they were weak. If they all swarmed him at once, he'd be screwed.

Kai's eyes darted around. Weapons check.

Water bottle on a nearby desk.Pen in his coat pocket.Plenty of desks between him and them.

Good enough.

One of Renji's lackeys, a tall guy with a bad haircut, growled. "Quit running, you coward!"

He charged at Kai, leaping over a desk to tackle him.

Too slow.

Kai grabbed the water bottle mid-movement and swung it upward with a sharp, calculated motion.

Smack!

The plastic bottle connected right between the guy's legs.

The entire classroom winced.

The guy crumpled instantly, gasping for air as he collapsed onto a desk, wheezing.

Kai didn't even pause to admire his work.

The next thug was already closing in, fists raised.

Kai pivoted, gripping the same water bottle and twisting his body as he whipped it straight into the guy's forehead.

Thwack!

The force wasn't enough to knock him out, but it stunned him long enough for Kai to shoot forward. He planted his foot behind the guy's leg and kicked out hard, sending him toppling backward over a desk.

Two down.

Another one came at him from the left, swinging wildly.

Kai smoothly reached into his coat, gripping his pen like a dagger.

As the attacker lunged, Kai slashed the pen across his hand.

A thin line of blood appeared almost instantly. The thug yelped, jerking back in pain.

Kai used the opening to slam his knee into his gut, sending him stumbling backward.

Three down.

Renji's face twisted with fury. "You idiots, stop messing around! Get him!"

Two more rushed forward at once.

Kai exhaled. Too many at once. Need space.

He kicked a desk forward, forcing them to stumble. One of them tripped, but the other vaulted over it, trying to grab him.

Kai smoothly stepped back, then brought the desk up hard.

Right between the legs.

The impact sent the guy crashing down, groaning in agony.

The one who had tripped tried to get up, but Kai snatched another water bottle from a desk and swung it hard into the back of his head.

Thwack!

Five down.

The remaining three hesitated.

Kai rolled his shoulders. His breathing was steady. His mind was sharp.

He took a step forward.

They took a step back.

"…You guys done?" Kai asked flatly.

No response. Just nervous glances.

Kai smirked. "Thought so."

But before he could enjoy the moment—

Strong arms suddenly wrapped around him from behind.

Kai's eyes widened as he struggled, but more hands grabbed at his arms, pulling him down.

"Enough!" a voice roared.

The crowd around them parted as teachers stormed into the room, forcing the fight to a halt.

Kai twisted his head slightly, catching glimpses of concerned classmates, stunned expressions, and Renji himself—looking furious, but still standing.

Damn. Didn't get to finish him off.

His vision blurred. The exhaustion hit all at once.

Kai collapsed.

—

[ System Activation… ]

[ Congratulations. You have completed the first quest: "Survive a One-Versus-Many Fight." ]

[ Reward: System Activation ]

As Kai's consciousness faded, a glowing screen appeared in his mind.