Resolve

"Charge...? If you really want to charge at me properly..." Yuuto muttered, grasping a nearby rope hooked to the vent duct as Niji rushed toward him.

"Have some finesse!" Yuuto shouted, sliding between Niji's legs and swiftly looping a portion of the rope around his ankle.

'Hm...!?' Ichiji grunted, turning back just in time to see Niji trip and crash into the metal air duct with a loud clang, bending it.

"NIJI, GET UP!!" Ichiji called out as Niji's face collided with the duct, his nose cracking with the impact, blood beginning to pour.

But Niji was resilient. He slowly tried to rise...

...Yet, Yuuto had other plans. Standing over him with a menacing grin, he looked down at Niji.

'...Senpai...?' Chiyoko thought, witnessing the sinister change in Yuuto's demeanor.

'This one's a Yuuto Sakurai special, super sasquatch,' Yuuto thought to himself, springing into the air with his elbow poised, targeting Niji's lower back.

"Fuck...!!! NIJI!!!" Ichiji screamed, watching in horror as Yuuto descended.

'PEOPLE'S ELBOW,' he thought grimly, driving his elbow down with full body weight onto Niji's lower spine.

A sickening snap echoed as Niji let out a piercing scream of agony.

"GRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" His scream reverberated, soon followed by a sudden loss of sensation in his lower torso.

Both Hiyori and Chiyoko turned away, their faces contorted in distress as they tried to block out the harrowing sound.

'Phew...' Yuuto exhaled deeply as he rose from Niji, his focus shifting towards Ichiji.

"Now then... The last one," he declared, his gaze fixed on Ichiji.

'Who... Who is this kid...!? That brat said we had nothing to worry about!!! What is this!!?' Ichiji's mind raced with panic as he slowly retreated, searching desperately for a plan.

As Yuuto advanced, Yonji, having regained consciousness, seethed with fury.

"You... FUCKING BASTARD....!! I'LL FUCKING KILL YOU...." he hissed under his breath, his face twisted in rage as he staggered forward, still reeling from Yuuto's earlier blow to his diaphragm.

Unseen by Yuuto, Yonji crept closer from behind...

'Hah... I should give that guy more credit... I'll reward him after this mission...' Ichiji mused, a smirk crossing his face as he watched Yonji's stealthy approach.

"What's with that face..? Scared out of your wits?" Yuuto taunted, closing the distance with each step.

'It's over, kid...' Ichiji silently celebrated, believing victory was at hand as Yonji closed in on Yuuto.

And then...

STAB

"HAAAA!!!" Yonji's scream erupted from behind Yuuto.

Yuuto swiftly pivoted, his eyes locking onto Yonji...

...And Sato, who had plunged a knife into Yonji's back, the very knife Yuuto had discarded earlier.

"Ah.... HA.... Ah..." Yonji gasped, collapsing in agony.

'Manipulator!?' Yuuto's eyes narrowed as he assessed Sato and the stabbed Yonji.

Meanwhile, Hiyori's cries broke through her gag, "SATOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Tears of relief streamed down her face as she gazed at him.

Earlier...

Immediately after Shiyon and Yuuto departed from the onsen, Sato swiftly rose and headed for the exit without hesitation.

Shun, noticing Sato's abrupt movement, leapt up. He barely had time to digest how Yuuto had become strong enough to stand alongside the revered Shiyon.

"Sato-kun, wait!" Shun exclaimed, rushing to catch up and seizing Sato's arm to halt his progress.

"I get that you're worried!! But Shiyon instructed us to stay put!" Shun implored, his grip firm.

"Shun-senpai. Let go of me," Sato responded, his voice flat, eyes fixed determinedly on the door.

Shun's eyes then widened as he noticed the myriad scars crisscrossing Sato's exposed skin.

"Shun-senpai. Release me. Now," Sato reiterated sternly.

Shun reluctantly loosened his grip, his mind racing with concern.

"Look, I understand you want to rush to their aid, Sato-kun. You're compassionate, but intervening would only disrupt Shiyon-san," Shun argued with urgency.

"These men are hardened criminals—four people! And they easily subdued Hiyori-san as if she were nothing!" he added, his voice laced with desperation.

A torrent of conflicted thoughts overwhelmed Shun. 'That's the reality of our situation, of people like us...!! What could we possibly do against them!!? You think I WANT to stay here!!? Fighting them would be suicide...' He mentally envisaged a grim outcome, him dying to their skilled hands.

'The way they manhandled the girls... These bastards are professionals... We can't do jack against them! This isn't some shounen manga where high-school kids can just take on grown-ass men!' Shun thought, his frustration palpable as he gritted his teeth, watching Sato's determined gaze fixed on the exit.

-----------

"I promise, I'll get stronger and protect you."

-----------

The memory of his promise to Riko made Shun clench his teeth even harder.

"And Shiyon-san even said he'd stop you with force if you—"

Suddenly, Sato turned his head, his glare piercing through Shun.

"I don't care," Sato stated coldly. As Shun looked into his eyes, he realized this wasn't the Sato he knew and cherished.

"ANYONE WHO TOUCHES HIKKI IS A DEAD MAN WALKING. LET ME GO."

Sato's icy stare bore into Shun. At that moment, Shun knew, if he didn't release Sato now, he might well be in grave danger—a feeling eerily reminiscent of the one he got from Shiyon.

Reluctantly, he let go, and Sato bolted towards the exit.

Sato raced down the hallway towards the girls' room, but as he did, he spotted Shiyon sprinting in the opposite direction. Quickly, Sato ducked into a shadowy alcove to avoid detection, watching Shiyon rush past.

'Shiyon-san's in a hurry... But where's Sakurai-senpai? Does he need help?' Sato wondered, stepping out of his hiding spot to continue towards the girls' room.

Just then, he saw Yuuto emerge from the room, heading rapidly in the opposite direction of the main exit.

'Shiyon-san's bound for the main exit... but Sakurai-senpai is headed towards the fire exit?'

Curiosity piqued, Sato decided to trust his instincts and follow Yuuto,

----BACK TO THE PRESENT----

"GAAAAAAAH!!!" Yonji screamed as Sato forcefully lodged the knife into his side.

Without hesitation, Yuuto smashed his elbow into Yonji's temple with full force, sending him tumbling to the side. Yuuto and Sato exchanged a quick, affirming nod, acknowledging each other's efforts, while Hiyori looked on in shock.

"SATO!!! SAKURAI!!!" Hiyori screamed, capturing their attention. As they turned, they noticed not just Hiyori's bound figure but another imminent danger.

"HMMMMm!!!" Chiyoko's muffled cries echoed as Ichiji gripped her tightly, teetering on the roof's edge.

Both Yuuto and Sato fixed their intense gaze on Ichiji.

"You two really did manage to screw everything up," Ichiji hissed, tightening his hold on Chiyoko, who struggled vainly.

"To be fair, if we're blaming anyone, it's that idiot boss of mine. He said we'd have no trouble... And now look. My backup hasn't arrived, which means someone's taken them out," he grumbled, casting a wary glance around.

'...Could it be Harvester who took 'em out?' Yuuto wondered silently, his expression unreadable.

"Sakurai-senpai," Sato murmured, still focused on Ichiji, positioning himself slightly behind Yuuto.

"I called the police on the way here," Sato informed him softly.

[Background Music: Mr. Kitty - After Dark (Slowed To Perfection)]

"..."

'That's not immediately helpful... But...'

"Good. Now we just need to take down this bastard. He's not going to wait around for the police," Yuuto stated coolly,

"You crafty little children... I can hear the sirens now. You called them, didn't you? I guess I have a few minutes?" Ichiji said, looking resignedly to the sky while inching closer to the roof's edge with Chiyoko in his grasp.

Sato's jaw clenched in anger as he glared at the man.

"Well, since you've ensured my mission's failure... Isn't it only fair I make sure you fail to save everyone here?" Ichiji taunted with a resigned yet mocking smile.

"Hmph," Yuuto grunted, eyeing a nearby rope still attached to the duct.

"I'm probably going to die, but this girl's coming with me..." Ichiji declared coldly, causing Chiyoko to cry even harder, her face draining of color.

"YOU BASTARD!!!" Sato bellowed furiously.

Meanwhile, Yuuto walked over to the rope and grasped it, coiling the end around his hand.

'Alright... This is the last one I'm borrowing from you,' Yuuto thought silently, only to himself.

'...Not hearing any objections, so I guess that's a yes...' Yuuto mentally sighed as he readied himself, squaring his shoulders as he faced Ichiji.

"JUST LIKE OLD TIMES," Yuuto called out, charging towards Ichiji with determination.

"SAKURAI!!!" Hiyori cried out.

"SAKURAI, DON'T!!!" Sato yelled.

Chiyoko could only emit muffled screams through her gag as she squirmed, helpless.

Just then, Ichiji smiled sinisterly as he and Chiyoko fell backwards off the roof.

'NO!!!!!! HE WON'T MAKE IT!!!' Sato's mind raced in panic.

At that critical moment, Yuuto's form blurred into motion. With a powerful, graceful spin, he launched himself into the air, his foot arcing high. To Sato, it seemed as if a martial arts master had leapt from the pages of a comic.

!&)(*&^%!%BLACK LETTER STYLE: BLACK TAEKWONDO...!!!!%@(*&^%!@&*^

As Ichiji's head receded from the roof's edge, Yuuto's foot connected squarely with the back of his head with devastating force, instantly snapping his neck.

The impact halted Ichiji's fall momentarily.

In that split second, Yuuto seized Chiyoko, scooping her under his arm as he grasped the rope with his other hand, controlling their descent.

"Holy... Shit..." Hiyori gasped in disbelief, witnessing Yuuto's form and how he saved Chiyoko.

Sato dashed towards the edge, his eyes on Yuuto's swift rescue.

Below them, Ichiji continued to plummet, his fate sealed, stunned by the swift retribution that had just befallen him.