7 chapter 7, ending school opression

The birds are singing. ​

Chukuba stands before me, an intimidating figure rife with unbridled aggression as he glares daggers in my direction.

Flowers are blooming.​

"You're gonna fight me," he demands, the words carrying the weight of a challenge that cannot be refused.

I regard him impassively. "We're in the middle of class, one which you are interrupting simply by being here."

My measured tones seem to have no effect on the raging teen. The poor teacher has retreated to a corner, clearly aware that attempting to intervene would be futile against such forces.

Chukuba's sneer deepens. "Are you too much of a coward?"

I can feel the restrained power thrumming through my body, the promise of a fight near guaranteed.

He's clearly overconfident but I have no intention of playing his game.

"It would be more honorable to wait until a selected time," Miu tries to interject, ever the voice of reason.

"This bitch ruined the entire karate club!" Chukuba explodes, seeming not to even register her words. "All my club-mates are in the hospital!"

I raise an incredulous eyebrow. "Well, maybe they shouldn't have been bullying like 80 percent of the school's population while avoiding the other martial arts clubs like a bunch of actual barking hyenas."

For a brief moment, it seems like the flicker of logic has penetrated that thick skull of his. But the flickering candle of thought in his head is short-lived.

"NO!" He outright roars, seeming to swell with fury. "We fight now, MOTHERFUCKER!"

THIS PIECE OF SHIT IS ABOUT TO HAVE A BAD TIME.​

'Shut the fuck up, system! I'm trying to focus here and undertale references are stupid!'

With that inarticulate battle cry, Chukuba wrenches my desktop from its moorings like it weighs no more than a feather. He rears back, clearly intending to launch the makeshift missile directly at me.

But I'm already moving.

In a blur of precision, I pivot into his blind spot and unleash a palm strike against his ribs with perfectly measured force - nowhere near my full capability, but more than enough against him.

The blow connects with a boom, launching Chukuba clear through the flimsy classroom door and into the hallway beyond. I stride out after him, watching with a face of disgust as he struggles to pull himself upright.

YOU TAKE THAT BACK!​

'I don't want to, so I wont.'

The system goes silent, seeming to sulk in a corner.

"You cheater!" Chukuba wheezes out through the haze of pain. "You can't use an illegal move like that in a fight!"

I shoot him a withering look full of utter disdain. "Last time I checked, the desks weren't tournament legal gear either."

My disdain seems to inflame him further. Hatred and humiliation war across Chukuba's features as he wobbles into an improvised stance, the fire of misguidedly stupid determination burning in his eyes.

"Now fuck off and wait before I decide that I don't want to wait to fight either," I state, turning to walk away and end this farce.

But the barest shifting of weight is all the warning I need. Of course the moron would try a sneak attack- the concept of honor is as foreign to him as it was for Jiemanji. I don't even bother turning as his overeager punch rockets forward, showing skill but not finesse.

With negligent ease, I simply pivot aside as he launches his body away from the wall. I allow his wild punch to sail harmlessly past. Then, moving with the same unhurried grace, I seize the extended limb and deftly apply a brutal arm lock, followed by me backhanding him straight in the nose. I let his stunned visage dart over my features for about a quarter of a second, and then slam my palm into his stomach.

Chukuba's pained shout rings out as I dump him unceremoniously onto the hard floor. I settle into a ready stance overhead, meeting his incredulous gaze with an impassive stare.

"Here's a lesson," I state, Wanting to sound as badass as possible. "a martial artist should remain aware at all times, especially when an opponent's intent is telegraphed." I say, expecting him to retaliate. Only to see him slump bonelessly to the floor half way to standing up.

I stare.

I was expecting more, but apparently his black belt was decorative. The lunch bell has the decency to ring at that moment.

*

After dealing with the unconscious Chukuba, Miu falls into step beside me as we make our way to the cafeteria.

"That was rather anticlimactic," she comments with a bemused look. "I was expecting more of a challenge from the vaunted 'Karate Club Captain.'"

I shrug nonchalantly. "His arrogance outstripped his skills by several orders of magnitude. Hopefully that wake-up call will instill some much-needed humility."

Miu lets out an indelicate snort. "Fat chance. He'll probably just double down on the bravado to save face."

"Then he'll continue receiving lessons until the point sticks," I reply evenly. "Some students are just slower learners than others."

As we enter the bustling cafeteria, Miu glances around with a slight crease in her brow. "I wonder what the fallout from that little exhibition will be? What I've heard is that the karate club has held an iron grip over the school's hierarchy for 2 years. Something to do with a ragnarok or something."

I stiffen slightly at the mention of the infamous gang of martial artists, but keep my expression neutral with an effort. No need to show any cracks she could potentially probe about my meta knowledge.

I shrug, not wanting to talk about the street gang of martial artists that might be after my blood. Internally, I sneer, If ragnarok comes I'll just kick their asses. "Well, their reign of terror is over," I state with finality, putting a little extra conviction behind the words. "A new order is being established, one where martial ability is respected, not exploited for stupid bullying."

"We can do it together." She smirks, "kick their asses I mean."

There's a glint of something more in her eyes that sends a welcome flutter through me. She may be the one and only successor of the renowned Ryozanpaku, but she's also extremely undeniably attractive. She's also a girl that I've really started to connect with.

Feeling suddenly emboldened, I arch an eyebrow teasingly, "Are you saying you want to go on a date Miu?"

Rather than the anticipated blush or smile, she shockingly leans in closer with a conspiratorial murmur. "Maybe, and maybe if you do good, there might be a reward for repeated performance. Zack."

The sound of my name, whispered in that dulcet tone, hits me like a physical caress. Our eyes lock and I can feel the undeniable spark of chemistry crackling between us, the air thickening with an intangible tension. All at once, the noise and chaos of the surrounding cafeteria seems to fade into an insignificant backdrop.

"Is that so?" My own voice has dropped to a heated rumble as I deliberately inch closer, drawn in by an elemental force.

Miu also leans forward, looking me in the eyes, as her lips to purse, she begins to close her eyes-

Only for our potential first kiss to be interrupted as someone shouts my last name at the top of his lungs.

"HAMMERS!" A voice, belonging to a young man with shoulder length white hair held up in a ponytail. His blue school uniform matches the school's style, but not the color, just so he can be a tiny bit more visible in a crowd of nobodies.

He lifts a pair of boxing gloves into the air, identifying himself as the least dangerous type of martial artist. One that refuses to use all their limbs as weapons.

I'm vaguely aware of Miu straightening up beside me, the heated tension between us dissipating like a pricked balloon.

I see Nijima, the informant rat bastard scurry off into the hallway as I immediately become furious.

"I am Takeda the striker!" the blueberry suit wearing idiot shouts, no idea of the fury he's unleashed. He seems to relish the murmurs and stares rippling outward from his early bid for the spotlight.

I'm going to fucking murder Nijima for leading this moron to me!

Tekeda walks over to the table and grins 'menacingly" at me.

I fix Takeda with a look of flat disdain, refusing to rise to his obvious baiting. "Can I help you with something? Or were you just looking to embarrass yourself publicly?"

The strutting fool sneers, squaring up like he's in some cheap boxing movie. "Don't get cocky, new kid! I've heard all about your little exhibition against the Karate Team earlier. Their captain may have been a joke, but I'm a whole other level of fighter!"

The speed of his punches are still a joke, though. I notice his arm isn't fucked like in canon for some reason, though.

I shoot a look over at Miu, to see her own expression is one of annoyed disdain.

I'm going to make an example out of this blustering fool with delusions of grandeur.

I'll make his arm match his canon counterpart too.

I think you're overreacting.​

This time, No one's healing that shit.

Okay, wow.

​

'No one asked you! system!'