Chapter 6 - Internal conflicts

A flight of stairs disappeared, devoured by the speed of his feet, as he continued to accelerate further and further. Within an instant, he reached the only door not yet open and, with a sudden kick, knocked it down.

The room was mostly white as the curtains of the large half-open window. He must have escaped that way. With a little run-up, the Caretaker, followed with difficulty by his escort, reached through that opening to a nearby roof.

Looking up he saw him: here was the traitor. A journalist who had tried to spread lies about the Commander and the Council. He was using his powers to walk on air desperately trying to escape. He was very high up.

Another shot worthy of a jaguar, and the panting man felt a dark presence, herald of death, breathe near him. Only a moment later he impacted with great force against a suburban street.

People fled in terror as the fugitive coughed in shock, before realising he had several broken bones.

"This is the end for me. I cannot escape, I cannot defend myself. I face the legendary Guardian with his even more famous and feared sword. I do not regret my choices. A world darkened and engulfed by ignorance cannot and must not exist.

If to try to make people see the light on the surface I must die, so be it! But I will do so by defending my values, not by giving up and rotting in a cell for years awaiting the moment of my execution!"

And so the man pulled a pistol out of his jacket pocket, just at the moment when he was approached by the spectre that everyone knew as the Guardian. Retreating a few steps into the air, the defender of freedom fired a series of bullets that were, however, easily dodged by his opponent.

This strenuous resistance lasted a small fraction of a minute, for as the journalist prepared to reload his weapon, he saw the shadow he was facing disappear. At the same time, he felt a stabbing pain run simultaneously through his chest. He barely noticed that he had been cut before collapsing to the ground in shock.

It was a couple of revolutions of the long hand of the watch the man who had just been killed was carrying before the other pursuers finally arrived on the scene. They found the ghost they were supposed to protect still motionless, intent on cleaning his katana from the reddish drops with which it had been fed.

The guards waited calmly, without uttering a word. Eventually, after placing his fearsome assistant back in his usual place, the Guardian addressed them in words with just the slightest semblance of human semblance:

"Take him away, to the Collection Centre. You will have an hour's break afterward. I will go and patrol the city in plain clothes. You are free to decide whether or not to accompany me."

And his escorts replied in unison: "Thank you, Sir! It will be done!"

The last word of the speech was an icy "Go".

***********

SOBA KARATE: UMAMI EXPLOSION

And with a powerful direct punch, Eichiro completely destroyed the wall created by the thief. The latter was surprised for a moment, before creating another wall, to which others were then added to form a sort of container around the policeman.

RAMEN JUJUTSU: SWIRLING BROTH

Mr. Shika began to spin, hitting that sort of cage with a series of spinning kicks that caused a small whirlpool that set his opponent back a few steps. There was an opening! Eichiro sprinted forward, but before he could reach the thief, the latter created one last, very powerful barrier made up of several walls, shouting at his comrade to escape.

But he too was too busy with his battle. And to think he thought it would be easy! No one had ever tried to oppose his extremely dangerous magic. Yet that damn cop was avoiding all his attacks. Despite his tired appearance, he was as nimble as a monkey, and his indigo aura instilled a certain awe in him.

No, he couldn't demoralise himself like that! If he had been caught, those bastards would have put him to death! Or to hard labour for life, like his uncle. Plus he had his younger brother and sister to feed, not to mention his partner's family! Pushing his magical reserves to their utmost limits, he created a precise and concentrated wave of accuminated nails aimed at his enemy's heart.

"Auuugggghhh, don't you want to go down nicely? What a pity."

And with that comment, Fumimaro's aura began to take on a definite shape, stretching and intertwining until it formed long chains, which he used as a shield to deflect the deadly opposing blow. Those iron contraptions of death penetrated the surrounding buildings, fortunately already wisely abandoned by the bystanders.

"These chains will block you in more ways than one."

"That is, if you can catch me."

"I hope so. Aaaauuuggggghh!"

"Don't you dare hit me with your yawn."

Large grey spears were hurled at the poor man who was struggling to keep his eyes open, but he managed to evade this threat several times thanks to his reflexes and powerful defence.

In turn, he tried to trap the thief with his chains, but he was able to dodge them and then launch another wave of spikes. Meanwhile, the fugitive's colleague, seeing that escaping was momentarily impossible, touched the summoned barrier, transferring part of his energy into it to boost it. If he had succeeded in blocking the moustache, he could have helped his companion get past the other agent and they could have escaped!

He had to rest assured, that his final barrier was impenetrable. Seeing the obstacle in front of him thicken, Eichiro only smiled. The advantage of such busy days was the chance to do his daily training for free.

"Concentrate. Concentrate. Gather all your energy in your arms. Prepare to move it to the point of impact. Imagine the effect of the long pasta on you and apply it in this stroke! The crunchy voluminosity of spaghetti drained a minute before. Sculpt it in your head. Let it run free! That's all that matters now!

Carry this image throughout your body. Melt into it! The moment you execute your move, you no longer represent Eichiro Shika, but the essence of long pasta! All that it means! Now! It's time to strike!"

SPAGHETTI MMA: AL DENTE NUKITE

His hands, assembled in a highly compressed spear, struck the barrier, cutting through it like butter.

*****************

'Shit' was Haruki's first thought when he saw Raiden still motionless and smiling after the punch he had thrown at him. He hadn't moved an inch. It was like hitting a mountain.

''Damn it Haruki, pull yourself together! If I give up after one failed attack, how can I be reborn!" and with that encouragement he retaliated with his other hand, increasing the output of determination even more. Raiden seemed to have no problem giving him another chance. Again nothing.

"Damn it! Go, go! This is my moment! I can do it!!!" With an inhuman effort, he managed to pull the blond giant back. By one step. Tired and fatigued, Haruki was forced to kneel down to catch his breath.

At that moment, Raiden spoke in a scornful tone, smiling and sneering: "Before I throw you out, I wanted to show our classmates a fraction of the power of my muscles, but I was hoping for a stronger opponent. Now everyone will focus on your weakness and not on my muscles.

AND THAT'S A PROBLEM! Nothing should capture the attention of others but my muscles! This fight, this lesson, this day have no reason to exist if no one can admire my muscles! However, I was amused by your determination. Do you have a power centred on emotions perhaps? When you hit me, I felt an adrenalin rush through my whole body. To be honest, that's the only thing these muscles felt!"

"Why did I have to get the crazy person? Why me? He is the physical manifestation of selfhype. Are we sure his surname is not Goman-na [note: arrogant in Japanese, I think]? Oh, I can't waste my time like this. What can I do? My attacks aren't doing anything to him.

Damn, I feel my determination is being replaced by worry. Wait! If hitting him with determination gave him the emotion I felt, then maybe if I hit him in this state I could make him worry and weaken him."

"So for unintentionally giving my magnificent muscles a boost, I'll give you one last chance to attack me! Hurry though, I don't know how much longer I can resist the temptation to pulverise you with the force of my biceps!"

Meanwhile, from the stands on one side rained "Come on Raiden, destroy him!" and "Don't get caught off guard like Taru!", while from the steps reserved for 5A only:

"Come on, loser! Don't be like that nerd!"

"At least that one tried. Look what will happen to this one!"

"He never does anything, at least let him practice!"

Haruki, who now exuded the same aura as he had in the stands when he had been called up, was not about to let the opportunity pass him by.

"If I don't win, my situation will be even worse than before. And if I want to win, I must be able to convey this concern that is filling my soul! I just hope it works, because otherwise, it's over. So, to get out of my social isolation, to not have to suffer anymore, and above all to survive, I have to do it now. I really hope it works!"

And with this attempt at encouragement, he concentrated his energy in the palm of his right hand.

"Remember the lessons about concentration and shaping your energy! Concentrate on your hand! Think of a shape you want to achieve! A sphere! A sphere! Keep that image fixed in your mind! Concentrate all your essence in that shape! The rest counts for nothing! Courage! More, more! More! Every ounce of strength I possess must go into forming my sphere. That's it! Now I must release all the energy contained in this sphere, all my energy, against HIM!"

And once again he launched himself forward against Raiden, who was meanwhile quietly flexing his arms in front of everyone. He struck him again in the abdomen and a small impact ensued, smaller than the one caused by Akira, but still powerful enough to knock Haruki back a few metres, who now had difficulty feeling his right hand.

At least he was sure he had hit him! But out of the small cloud of smoke that had been created, Raiden emerged only slightly bent back into the affected area and with that part of his shirt destroyed. After a moment's silence, Raiden resumed laughing in his 50s twentysomething biker voice.

"Then you don't just control determination. You tried to depress me, to bring me down morally. Unfortunately for you, I am too muscular for that to happen!"

And without any hesitation he tore off his shirt, revealing all his incredible superior muscle mass. A few girls from 5B let out a little howl of admiration.

"Here's a taste of the power of my muscles!"

Clutching his left hand so tightly that all the veins in his arm stood out, he struck the platform with power. It was devastating: the entire ring, of considerable size, cracked, and a hole was left at the point of contact that reached up to Raiden's elbow. The pressure was such that Haruki was almost thrown out of the ring. Now, as his opponent became erect again, he had begun to visibly tremble.

His worry continued to increase, his tentacles continued to expand, and his aura became more and more focused, to the point where the emotion he was feeling was no longer mere worry. Fear. A purple so dark that it was almost black, and of such a consistency and thickness that it gave Haruki the impression of being trapped in the middle of the depths of a vast ocean.

No current, no animals, absolutely nothing around, just an endless, inescapable expanse of insulating liquid, capable of imprisoning you in a dimension where there is nothing. Nothing except a deep and universal feeling of terror.

"Now it's my turn!" shouted Raiden with the intensity and brutality of a wounded buffalo. His devastating charge rang in Haruki's ears and in his bones. Just before he was struck, he managed to duck almost reflexively.

Faced with a life-threatening stimulus, a person can have 3 responses: run, freeze, fight. It was as if his mind had chosen the second option and his body the first. Or maybe it had something to do with the will to survive: those who have enough can find the strength to run away or the courage to fight.

Indeed, Haruki's mind kept repeating to him: "Survive, survive! You must survive!"

"I can't get hit, otherwise it will get very bad! TOO BAD! I must avoid it at all costs! So... why don't I get out of the ring? What's keeping me anchored here? What is this burning I feel in my body that prevents me from admitting defeat? I must... I must endure!

If I only concentrate on running away, I will run out of energy very soon! When I am frightened, 2 aspects improve: my agility and my defensive ability. If I can lift my damn arms... Come on! Come on! I will transform this deep fear, this oppressive abyss, into a barrier to protect me!"

Gathering every ounce of determination he had left, he managed to move his left hand and create a barrier in front of him.

"Running or defending is useless! My muscles cannot be stopped!" cried Raiden, as if in a trance of excessive vainglory.

But indeed, those walls composed of pure terror managed to slow him down, and for a good minute, this game between mouse and cat went on like this, with a ferocious beast thirsty for blood and glory and a poor trembling boy trying to block and escape as best he could from that monster. It remained to be seen what would win: Raiden's physical power or Haruki's isolating fear?

The verdict was finally reached.

"You have been good so far, but now it is time to finish this warm-up. The true power of my muscles is beyond your fear, your endurance, your very will to survive!" this blind conviction allowed Raiden to build up enough energy to break Haruki's barrier with a powerful punch at an unheard of speed. In the next split second, Haruki, now panicking, realised that the blow was inevitable and erected a second barrier just in time.

Without it, would it have ended like this? Perhaps Haruki's life would not, but perhaps this story would. Instead, that second wall cushioned the blow.

Of course, it was still devastating. From the right end, Haruki flew to the opposite side of the ring, where his motionless body came to a halt, unconscious, unconscious from the impact, from fear, and perhaps even from a hidden desire to end like this... what? His fight, his day, his life?

But as Haruki lay like that, with the professors standing ready for the worst, the 5B students standing up to cheer and the 5A students shaken by both a sense of worry and one of disappointment, with Akira's eyes slightly wide and a slightly astonished expression, Haruki Shika heard a voice call out to him.

"Haruki Shika, wake up! This is your moment!"