Injury and Deception

"Checkmate," Shroud whispered with his lips before he collapsed to the ground.

"Shroud? Shroud!" Both Kevin and Su screamed in horror as they rushed to his side, attempting to wake him up, but to no avail.

"Stand aside," Director Ryuzaki's commanding voice cut through the chaos. Kevin and Su stepped back, making way for Ryuzaki, who had arrived at Shroud's unconscious body.

The situation had taken an unexpected and serious turn with Shroud's sudden collapse, leaving everyone in shock and concern. Amidst the growing tension and concern, Ryuzaki efficiently assessed Shroud's condition, his practised hands working swiftly.

The director's demeanour exuded professionalism as he carefully assessed the bruises and the troubling cut at the back of Shroud's head, as well as the sizable, vivid blue mark on his left forearm.

These injuries were painful reminders of the earlier impact with a swinging piece of wood. It was evident that Shroud's condition was grave, and urgent medical attention was imperative.

"Kevin, Su, help me with Shroud," Ryuzaki instructed in a commanding tone. Kevin and Su, although still deeply worried, complied without hesitation, assisting Ryuzaki in gently moving Shroud into a more comfortable position. Simultaneously, Ryuzaki quickly dialled a number on his phone.

Meanwhile, the other students who had witnessed the altercation and subsequent collapse stood frozen, their fear intensifying as Ryuzaki's voice resonated with authority.

Some of them glanced nervously at each other, and a few even tried to discreetly retreat from the scene, hoping to avoid the impending consequences.

However, Ryuzaki's next words halted their escape attempts. "I advise all of you to remain where you are," he declared in a chilling tone. The students immediately ceased their attempts to leave, realizing that fleeing wouldn't be an option.

Ryuzaki then again turned his attention to Kevin and Su, who had looks of concern etched on their faces. "I have called for an ambulance, and medical professionals are now attending to Shroud," Ryuzaki assured Kevin and Su, his voice a blend of sternness and concern.

As the tense minutes passed, the distant wails of an approaching ambulance grew louder. The flashing red and white lights soon became visible, signalling the arrival of the medical team. Ryuzaki swiftly coordinated with the paramedics, providing them with vital information about Shroud's condition.

The paramedics worked diligently to stabilize Shroud before carefully loading him into the ambulance. As the vehicle sped away toward the nearest hospital, Kevin, Su, and Ryuzaki watched it with a mix of anxiety and hope.

Once the ambulance was out of sight, Ryuzaki turned his attention back to the remaining students, including Hayato and his group. His cold, unwavering gaze bore into each of them.

"Alright, now that the injured one is taken care of," Ryuzaki turned around to face all the other students with a bone-chilling glare.

"You will all undergo questioning and interrogation by the school's administration," Ryuzaki's commanding voice resounded. "Your actions in this matter will carry repercussions. We shall determine the appropriate course of action once we have assembled all the requisite information."

Ryuzaki's icy, unyielding stare penetrated each student, including Hayato and his group. The weight of his presence and the gravity of the situation pressed down like an ominous storm cloud.

The gravity of Ryuzaki's words hung oppressively in the air. The students realized they were on the brink of facing the consequences of their involvement in the incident. The aftermath of this tumultuous encounter was poised to shape their lives in ways they couldn't yet fathom.

The students, Hayato among them, keenly grasped the predicament they had thrust themselves into. Fear and remorse saturated the atmosphere as they grappled with the magnitude of the impending consequences.

As tension gripped the scene, a voice sliced through the silence. "Umm, Director?" Su's voice quivered with fear, but he needed answers to an impending question on his mind.

"Speak," Ryuzaki granted permission, and Su nervously continued, "Do Kevin and I, along with Shroud, also have to undergo questioning and interrogation by the school's administration?"

Kevin recognized the possibility and shared Su's anxiety as he turned his gaze toward Ryuzaki.

"Hmm, for the sake of maintaining integrity and fairness, yes," the Director responded. "The school's administration must interrogate everyone involved in this incident, including you two and Shroud."

The news elicited inward groans from Kevin and Su, who now realized they couldn't escape the looming ordeal.

"Until the school conducts a full investigation to distinguish the guilty from the innocent," Ryuzaki muttered, capturing everyone's attention. "All of you will be suspended," he declared, causing eyes to widen in shock.

"What? B-But Director, Su and I—" Kevin began, but Ryuzaki interrupted firmly.

"You all engaged in a fight within the school's premises, and that won't be overlooked under the school's regulations," Ryuzaki stated resolutely. "I am the Director of this institution, and I must uphold its rules with fairness and impartial judgment. There is no room for negotiation."

"But?" Kevin started to argue, but Ryuzaki swiftly silenced him with a cutting question, "Do you want your holidays extended?" His words hung heavy in the air, rendering everyone mute. Seeing no further questions, Ryuzaki dismissed them. 

Ryuzaki's unwavering sternness left no room for doubt regarding the gravity of the situation. The remaining students, Hayato's group included, stood in uneasy silence, their faces reflecting a blend of fear and remorse.

They were acutely aware that their actions had crossed a line, and the weight of the consequences now bore down on them.

Realizing that there was no room for negotiations, Kevin shot a glare of resentment at Hayato and the others. He then nudged Su to leave the school with him, his foul mood evident.

Before Kevin and Su departed, however, Ryuzaki added that their suspension would last until Shroud's recovery. Afterwards, the school's administration would proceed with questioning and interrogation.

****

Wheee-Whooo

The flashing red and blue lights of the ambulance illuminated the nearly dusk street of Nagazora city, while the wailing siren demanded immediate attention, conveying the urgency of the situation.

Inside the ambulance, a team of medical experts diligently monitored the vitals of the student named Shroud. Though he appeared unconscious to onlookers, within the vehicle, a different story unfolded.

[Hahaha, I must say, Autumn, that was some impeccable acting skills you just displayed. You would have almost fooled me as well if I wasn't aware of your situation.] The Whisper praised Shroud for his acting skills. Although from the outside Shroud appeared injured, it was all part of his plan.

'Oh, Shut it Whisper. If you ask me, this isn't much of a laughing matter,' Shroud retorted. To this, the Whisper responded, [Is it because of those individuals?]

'You already know the answer,' Shroud telepathically replied with annoyance. He was deeply concerned about the spies that the Fire Moth had sent after him.

'Sigh, well, at first I was just hoping for it to be more of a verbal confrontation, but I didn't expect things to escalate this quickly,' Shroud sighed inwardly. Yet, Whisper's next remark stung him, [With the way you just treated that insect, Hayato, what did you expect?]

[But I cannot say that I don't approve; that stone to the head was pretty entertaining to watch, a pity that it would have been more entertaining if the head exploded with all the insides being splattered everywhere,] The Whisper remarked with a maniacal undertone in its voice.

'If I were to do that, I would have faced serious legal charges and prison time. (Although, they wouldn't be able to confine me in a standard prison),' Shroud telepathically said to The Whisper.

[Who cares, you know that you are a rank individual, Autumn, you are basically a superhuman. So why must you be afraid of the police or the law?] The Whisper sneered. (A/N: Spoke just like how Ice Cube once said: F the po-, *gets handcuffed.)

'Can't you see that I am injured right now?' Shroud said, but The Whisper responded with no sign of concern, [Well, that's not my problem, and also inflicting harm on yourself was your own decision. I am just here to watch.]

What Whisper was saying was the truth hidden from everyone's observation by Shroud. There was no way he could receive any form of damage, much less a bruise, from a bunch of high school students whose strengths had yet to mature.

And though the swing of the previous wooden club could indeed pose some serious injuries to any other typical common folk, there was no way it could cause harm to Shroud. At most, it would tickle him.

But then, it left a question. How did Shroud get injured if there was nothing that could harm him? Well, indeed, there was nothing that could have harmed him, except for one factor― Shroud himself.

What had happened earlier was that, when parrying the attacks of Hayato and his group, Shroud had purposefully allowed himself to receive not just a few hits but quite a lot of them. Amidst all the chaos, he had also, in a pretentious manner while dodging or parrying, managed to inflict some hits on himself.

But things escalated rapidly when one of Hayato's henchmen picked up the wood and swung it down. Seeing this, Shroud seized an opportunity and decided to do something unthinkable.

He positioned his left arm to shield the side of his head, but he also subtly arranged his nails to dig into his skin.

As he tried to protect himself with both hands, Shroud used his right hand to punch his left arm, creating a bruise in that area.

When the wood struck his left arm, which was positioned at an angle, it skidded across his skin, creating a cut.

All of this happened so swiftly that no one noticed it was all an act by Shroud. By injuring himself in this manner, he had effectively created a scene where his injury took precedence, diverting attention from anything amiss.

In this way, Shroud deceived everyone, even though it resulted in his own injury, with his strategically arranged plan, Hayato and his gang were now in a precarious situation.

'I wonder if Ryuzaki would be so kind as to pay for my medical bills,' Shroud thought wistfully. Even though his pockets were full, saving money would be the wiser choice. After all, money is a volatile commodity; it is never enough.

However, Shroud's thoughts needed to be put on hold for another time as the ambulance had reached its destination—the hospital.

To be continued...

****

A/N: Hope you enjoy the chapter and feel free to comment. Your thoughts and criticism are valuable in helping me improve and stay motivated to write more.

Another chapter is done; I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far. I also received a suggestion the other day to introduce some villains, and I think it's about time to do so.

However, the villains will have to wait a bit longer because I am currently working on them. Looking back, however, I realize that I may have made the main character a bit too powerful too early, at least for now that is. Stay tuned, and that's all I wanted to say.