"Shouldn't we stop this? This is too much!"
Enji's voice was tense as he watched Haruto slam against the wall again, the brutal sound of impact echoing throughout the underground.
His expression tightened with urgency, fists clenched, but the rest of the crowd seemed indifferent, absorbed in the violence like it was a routine spectacle.
"You're the one who said he was ready," Kikuchi replied coolly, exhaling a slow drag from his cigarette.
"He knew the rules going in."
"No one's allowed out until one of them's in a 'dire situation,'" Nakamura added, crossing his arms.
His expression was cold, detached as if he were watching an ordinary sparring match.
"It's just Haruto being stubborn." Kikuchi sighed, blowing out another plume of smoke.
"I told him to play dead if it got too rough."
Enji ground his teeth, the strain was evident in his eyes. He hated feeling powerless, especially when his friend was on the line.
