A boy with platinum white hair, yellow eyes, and wearing a pair of white, moon-shaped earrings appeared at the school gate with a smirk on his face appearing like the epitome of danger. The students notice the delinquent and quickly walk past him out of fear.
"This is the school huh." He took in the sight. "Doesn't look much." He mused. Then he noticed a familiar face in the distance. It was Cai Kang talking to some people. What do you know? I didn't actually think I would meet him here this quickly. He thought then broke into a run and dropped his bag. "Kame*!"
Then Cai Kang's eyes turn to the sound. The boy was in the air and jumping in his direction preparing to punch him. The look of his face is filled with excitement. Everyone including Cai Kang quickly dodge him. The moment the boy's fist hit the ground, it created a large crater, causing tremors, terrifying everyone in its vicinity. The boy looked at Cai Kang with a devilish smile.
"So it really is you. You're here." He said.
"He just put a hole on the ground." A bystander said with astonishment.
"He's probably even stronger than Cai Kang." The students all start to talk amongst themselves.
The guy left the hole and approached Cai Kang. Cai Kang immediately recognized who the figure was. Hyakuya Kurai, a crazy childhood friend of his and former schoolmate. One of the teachers who acts as supervisor, planning to berate him with violating the dress code, is pale with shock and unable to move. Kazuha had an unsure look on her face while looking at the teacher and did a quick hand slicing motion to her neck signaling the teacher not to interrupt. He nodded and left the area. Filling the hole back with dirt is not a problem.
Annoyed with all the attention he is getting, he scowled at them. "What are you looking at assholes? Scram!" Kurai yelled, prompting them to leave in both fear and irritation at his attitude.
Kazuha, Noriko, and Toya were the only ones who stayed behind, mainly to help fill the hole. Other than them, the only other person who even stayed behind is the supervisor albeit from a distance where Kurai wouldn't be bothered by.
Cai Kang then smiled at his old friend. "Langren*? You son of a bitch." He was genuinely happy to see him and noticed that he hasn't changed much except that his hair is neatly cut and combed.
"It's been a while Kame." Kurai said.
"I can see that you are still going on with the nicknames. What the hell are you doing here?" Cai Kang asked.
"Expelled from school again. Besides, I heard a rumor of a guy from China who beat the shit out of that kendo enthusiast who wouldn't shut his trap. I had to see if it really is you."
"You know the guy?" Cai Kang inquired.
Kurai shook his head. "Nope, but I heard rumors of him."
Everyone else who was silent as they watch what they thought is someone trying to commit a murder turn into a reunion between friends.
"Why did he call you Kame?" Noriko said after wiping her hands together, approaching the two with no fear.
The hole is already filled back and evened out.
"That is his greeting to me as kids. As for Kame, that is his nickname for me. It's because that is the meaning of the character Cai. Don't worry, He gives one to everyone. Depending on the name he gives you, he either likes you or doesn't." Cai Kang said and gave their attention to him. "This is Hyakuya Kurai. He's a friend of mine in elementary school." Cai Kang said.
"In Japan?" Toya asked.
"No, in China." Cai Kang corrected. "He was a foreign exchange student from here in Qiyuan. He and his old man came to China for a reason." He said.
"He's from here? What's the reason for him to come to the Inverse?" Kazuha said.
"Well... I can't tell you. But ever since we met, we became best friends. I haven't seen him since the year he went back to Japan." He said.
"Four years ago." Kurai reminds him and changes the subject. "By the way, I heard you got engaged. Is that true?" He said.
Cai Kang opened his mouth to speak but Kurai beat him to it by approaching Kazuha and examining her.
"I heard that your fiancee was a girl with gray eyes. Not bad. She's cute." then he put out his hand in front of her. "My name's Hyakuya Kurai." He said.
"Shiratori Kazuha," She replied politely and took his hand.
"I heard that you fight delinquents. I would've expected you to pick a fight right away after what I just did." He said. There is a bit of darkness in his tone.
"I do not automatically pick fights unless I have to. If you really intend to cause harm to innocents, then the damage would be more intense, and someone would actually get hurt. If that were to happen, I would have intervened." She said with the same tone.
"I noticed you are wearing hearing aids. Can you hear properly?" He asked.
"I can hear you just fine. Besides, I don't need them to hear. I can read your lips."
He smiled, which was mischievous at first, but it widened at her display of strength in their handshake. Both of them hadn't let go of their handshake after a couple of seconds. It is a clear show of strength.
"You're strong." He commented.
"Right back at you." she smiled back with the same intent. Both excited at the competition.
The Shiratori siblings and Cai Kang can sense the tension. Cai Kang has been itching for a duel with Kazuha for a while. But because he is trying to keep things a secret and out of respect for the Shiratori family, he hasn't been able to let out when facing a potential rival.
"Hey, want to have a duel for old times sake?" Cai Kang said, breaking the tension and the handshake.
Kurai's attention turned to Cai Kang. "Yeah! I want to see how much stronger you got." He said.
"Hate to interrupt but class is about to start." Noriko said.
All of them walked together and Cai Kang looked at Kurai's expression, it is clear that he is uncomfortable, and his hand is already bruising. He then looked at Kazuha's hand. It is clear that she is trying to hide it but shows the same kind of expression as Kurai. If Kurai of all people feels uncomfortable from pain, then that means Kazuha is quite strong but that also means the opposite. Those two would make such good friends but also terrible enemies.
Cai Kang and Kazuha head back to class after dropping Kurai off at the teacher's lounge.
"Is your hand, okay?" He asked her.
"It's fine. It'll heal soon." Cai Kang grabbed Kazuha's hand to take a better look at it. Her hand is even more bruised than Kurai. It looks like he might have broken something.
"You idiot. If it hurts, you should've let go. If you weren't so durable yourself, he would have crushed it." He said and used his chi to heal her hand.
"Of all people, you're telling me that?" She says incredulously.
"Fair, but you are not as strong as Kurai. He's completely jacked up on strength." He said.
"He's not just a childhood friend of yours, is he? He's your rival." she concluded.
Cai Kang nodded. "We both had a history of fights. Even as a girl, he never takes it easy on me to train. He was my first friend who knew about my gender change."
*
Cai Kang and Kazuha walked back to class after Cai Kang healed her hand. However, she has to wear a bandage around her hand for the rest of the day. Cai Kang's healing abilities are mediocre at best so this is the best he could do. Whispers of what happened are already spreading like wildfire. Kazuha had to adjust her hearing aids to block out the sounds of whispering. Cai Kang hears rumors here and there about the Wolf boy. A former delinquent known for his strength and battle prowess who is noted to be so strong that he disbanded gangs that never reappeared. Two years ago, he quit but he has already left a mark among middle and high schoolers. His signature appearance is his natural platinum white hair and yellow eyes, feeding into his wolf boy persona more.
Soon afterwards, Kurai was introduced to the class and everyone was looking at him. He gives off the air of a delinquent and in addition to his display of strength back at the front of the school building makes him even more intimidating. Many are wondering why he still goes to school. What is even more surprising for Cai Kang is that he didn't expect that he and Kurai would be in the same class.
*
"Who would've thought we would have two transfer students in the same class." One student said,
"Yeah, not just that but they are both superhuman." Another said.
"He really hasn't changed at all has he?" Cai Kang muttered to himself.
So far, it seems that Kurai doesn't pay attention much in class. He is quiet most of the time, but his attitude is equivalent to a wild animal. His strength is unpredictable, and he has already started breaking records in physical activities and also for literally breaking things. That already scares a lot of people, so people have been staying away from him. Kazuha spends the rest of the day with a bandaged hand and is unable to write but otherwise, she doesn't seem to be in pain. Cai Kang knew his real personality. He is short-tempered, competitive, and petty. Luckily for him, he doesn't always go straight to violence. He is thought to look like a wolf rather than a human due to his unusual features. Many can guess what kind of life he lived just by the way he looked.
Cai Kang heard more whispering. Despite past and current rumors, they fade away quickly. Kazuha has spent the past two weeks trying to erase all memory of the engagement rumor except Karasuma who is still very much delusional and her lab rat, but he is a loudmouth and the best that she could do was to keep his mouth shut for the matter and make everyone think of him as crazy and his words unreliable.
After classes were over, Cai Kang, Kazuha and Kurai sat at the rooftop conversing while eating lunch.
"Hyakuya-kun, how long have you been a martial artist?" Kazuha asked.
"Kurai is fine." He assured her. "I've been a martial artist since I was five. I was naturally pretty strong, so I had to learn how to redirect it." he said then shoved his food in his mouth.
"You mean, you were always this strong?" She said while staring at her bandaged hand.
"Sorry, but yeah," he half-heartedly apologized. "It is hard to work out my strength. It gradually grew as I got older," he said.
Kazuha then heard something and went to the fence to check on the commotion. The other guys check on it too.
"Hyakuya Kurai! Come out! I am Karasuma Takashi. The Captain of the Kendo club and the champion 'Thunder' among my high school peers in the prefecture. I have heard of your strength and the deeds which you have committed. I challenge you!"
Kurai smirked hearing a challenge on his first day at school.
"I guess he had heard of what you did this morning." Cai Kang said. "He might be more upset that you managed to crush Kazuha's hand."
"This is nothing. I've gotten way worse injuries than this." Kazuha said and noticed something different. "Careful, it looks like he is using a real sword this time."
"Gosh. This guy knows who I am. You make me blush." Kurai said sarcastically before he scoffed, "What a moron." He immediately jumped from the roof, surprising Cai Kang and Kazuha until they noticed he landed in the trees to support his landing. He walked up to Karasuma. "My name is Hyakuya Kurai of the Cai school of martial arts." That got people muttering.
Kazuha immediately looked at Cai Kang in shock. "You never told me he is a student in your school."
"I guess I forgot to mention that." Cai Kang said as both looked down to watch.
Kurai then punches his fist into his hand. "And I accept your challenge."
"Oi! Wolf Boy! This guy is a complete narcissist. Even if you win, he will never accept it. Trust me. I've put him in the hospital once and he still won't admit he lost!" Cai Kang yelled in chinese. There is no need to but frankly, he is annoyed by him and would gladly watch Karasuma get humiliated again.
Kazuha, who understood what he said, sighed in disbelief but isn't taking any action. Cai Kang took it as a sign that she doesn't want to get involved.
Kurai looked up at the roof and hearing Cai Kang's warning only to make him smile even more, leading him to crack his knuckles and facing his opponent who got a metal sword instead of a wooden one. It looks like he might take this one seriously though it wouldn't matter anyway. It seems fighting anyone doesn't compare to fighting those with an inflated ego. It is satisfying to watch them lose their cool knowing that they would lose.
"You know, if what Turtle hair said is true then I should warn you. I am not like Cai Kang at all. I am a more savage fighter and use what you call less than graceful techniques. Despite being all talk, I heard that you are not a bad fighter. And for that, I won't hold back, you walking stereotype." He vowed silently.
"That is exactly what I want." Karasuma said. "You will pay for harming her." He said in a fighting stance.
Kurai stifled a laugh. "Delicate hand?" he said staring at his own hand. "What are you, a poet?" He showed his hand, still bruised. "This is what she did to me. If you think she's delicate, then what do you call yourself?"
Both Cai Kang and Kazuha can see his aura spiking and run to the front of the school where the school is watching the fight. Karasuma attacked him with multiple thrusts from his sword which Kurai easily dodged, he doesn't seem impressed and is openly mocking him with a composed state, before landing a fist to the gut which sent him flying to the concrete wall of the gate, leaving a crater there. The entire school is astonished and impressed by how strong Kurai is. Karasuma fell on the ground, and it was clear he was out cold. Kurai had an unimpressed expression on his face. Cai Kang and Kazuha checked up on him with the other students also surrounding him. They were surprised his ribs weren't shattered.
"Hmph. I won. At least he could handle a punch." Kurai said and left. He was clearly disappointed.
Looks like he hasn't neglected his training although he changed his fighting style. It's a bit different now. Cai Kang thought.
Karasuma is in the nurse's office and while his body may not be broken, his ribs are heavily bruised, similar to what Cai Kang did to him the first time. Although he restrained himself, he still inflicted some serious damage. However, he has a fast recovery rate so he just needs to stay in the nurse's office for the rest of the school day with a bit of treatment and he would be walking back home. For an ordinary untrained Kyo, he is quite more durable than he'd initially thought. Kurai also manages to fix the damage he inflicted on the school before he gets called out for it.