Haruto's vision blurred with every impact, but he forced himself to focus, drawing on every ounce of his remaining strength and training.
Blood filled his mouth, the metallic taste lingering as his jaw clenched tight.
The urge to retaliate, to give Daiki back every punch with even greater force, roared inside him—a voice urging him to become the monster Daiki wanted to see.
But then, Jin's words echoed in his mind, steady and unyielding: "Be worse than your enemy, be crazier."
Haruto's lips curved into a bloody grin as a chuckle escaped him. His laughter, raw and defiant, cut through the heavy silence between them.
"You must not be paying attention, Daiki," he sneered, spitting blood right onto Daiki's face.
For a moment, Daiki froze, his expression hardening as he wiped the blood from his cheek, smirking through narrowed eyes.
"So that's how you want to play, huh? Let's see how 'changed' and 'durable' you really are."
