'Wanna know what I want to do right now?' Yuuto thought, surrounded by the horde, facing a bloodlusted bully.
'Lick my own blood. That would be metal as fuck. Probably boost my intimidation stat, too.'
He exhaled sharply, the mirror shard clenched in his bleeding palm.
'But not smart long-term. Not with all those scared-shitless psychiatrists who'll take one look at that and scream "psychopath." They'll think I revel in this. No—I can't give them the satisfaction. Can't gloat. Especially not after killing students...'
His jaw tightened.
'This has to look like the perfect self-defense case.'
'Truth is...' His vision darkened for a second.
'I wanna leap on them, stab every inch of their bodies, rip their fucking guts out with my bare hands. But if I strike first, I'm done. That gives them every reason to jail me.'
'No. I need to look like a saint. Say what the law wants to hear. It'll get drowned out. Clowned on. No one will believe a word. Their lies will be eternalized, while mine will vanish in the noise, swallowed by the horde riding their narrative. But that's fine.'
His breathing steadied.
'All I care about... is what shows up on footage. In an unbiased environment, they'll see a kid calling for self-defense, and a group that attacked anyway.'
Yuuto's gaze narrowed. He swallowed hard.
'All I care about is walking out squeaky clean.' His arm trembled. The blood loss was setting in.
'But I can't faint either. They're masquerading as thugs, but if I collapse, who knows what they'll do. They'll kill me and walk free. Worst case? Slap on the wrist after they're through.'
His eyes flicked to the bug hidden on his body.
'Even if someone finds the recording... odds are, it won't be anyone I can trust. They might wipe it.'
'No.' He gritted his teeth.
'I have to stay conscious. I have to defend myself. No matter what.'
'Only I can defend myself. FUCKING no one else can be trusted.'
"STOP!" Yuuto shouted, voice cracking. "JUST FUCKING STOP!! I DON'T WANT TO FIGHT!"He tore his throat screaming.
'It has to look desperate,' Yuuto thought, as the hate kept flooding in.
"Who the fuck's gonna believe that? xD"
'I can't let my emotions show. I'll be judged and slandered nonstop—just because I'm not a bigshot yet.'
"He's seriously saying that after killing Sousuke!?"
'But I'm going to keep going. No matter what they say.'
"This is self-defense—" Yuuto tried to scream, but was cut-off by an even louder voice in the horde.
"FUCKING PSYCHOPATH!!! HE'S LYING - LOOK HE KILLED SOUSUKE!!! HE'S A MURDERER!!!"
'Because Anti-NTR is my thing. Forever.'
"SEND HIM TO JAIL!!!"
The school roared.
'I'll never stop. Even if I have to fight the whole world for what I believe in. You motherfuckers.'
From the sidelines, Yuka stared, her palm covering her mouth.
She saw the fire blazing in Yuuto's eyes.
But... he was clearly wrong. He had to be.
Being slandered by everyone here—how could they all be wrong?
How could one person be right, and all these voices, all these minds, be wrong?
She looked down and away.
Yuuto was truly alone.
But that didn't matter.
Because he would never give up.
'FUCK... FUCK!!!' Yocchan thought, his breath quickening as he stared at Yuuno, who now held a small knife.
'He's going to kill him... This is—no. I need to stop this...!!' Without thinking, Yocchan rushed past Yuuno and slammed into Yuuto, pinning him against the wall.
"Oh?" Yuuno blinked, watching his friend tackle Yuuto.
'Fuck... Gahh!' Yuuto choked as his back hit the smooth wall beside the door to the male bathrooms with a crack.
Yocchan wrapped his arms around Yuuto's neck, choking him out.
And whispered—
"Please... just let it happen!!" he begged, breath ragged.
"Else he's going to kill you...! I'm doing you a favor...!" He was desperate.
'...!!' Yuuto stared into his eyes.
Yocchan was sincere.
But fainting now meant death.
No.
"Then... ch...oke him out!! Not me..!!" Yuuto growled, struggling against his grip.
Yocchan flinched. That sincere look cracked and was replaced by doubt and fear.
"I can't... not here... I can't...!! He's my friend...!"
"I'm... sorry...!" he whispered, voice shaking.
"Stop..." Yuuto groaned, gasping as Yocchan pressed harder, strangling him.
"STOP!" he growled louder, eyes darting, frantic for help. But no one moved. No one.
His eyes locked on the school cameras—then flicked down to the recording device on his body.
His grip tightened around the mirror shard in his bleeding hand.
'What I hate more than hypocrites...'
'Are cowardly ones!! I... WILL NOT... BEND TO YOUR NARRATIVE... EVEN IF IT MEANS STOPPING VIOLENCE! THIS IS MY LIFE ON THE LINE... NOT YOURS!!!'
"Grrrgh...!!!" With a violent thrust, Yuuto jammed the shard deep into Yocchan's neck.
STAB.
"..!!" Yocchan's eyes widened in utter disbelief.
His breath caught. Blood spilled instantly.
A sickening, wet gurgle echoed through the hallway. A jet of crimson burst from Yocchan's neck, drawing gasps and screams from students nearby.
'YOU MADE ME DO THIS...!!' Yuuto snarled internally, but Yocchan still hadn't let go.
Gritting his teeth, Yuuto dragged the shard across his throat, sawing through arteries—severing windpipe. Blood exploded, splattering Yuuto's face in thick, steaming crimson.
"I TOLD YOU TO STOP!!!!" Yuuto roared defiantly, tasting blood in his mouth, his vision smeared red behind stained glasses. Yocchan's strength finally left him as he slumped heavily to Yuuto's side, forming a growing pool of blood.
Yuuto quickly scrambled to his feet, breathing harshly.
'Keep it together,' he reminded himself, locking his eyes fiercely onto Yuuno's shocked face.
"I DEFENDED MYSELF!! HE WAS CHOKING ME OUT, AND I DEFENDED MYSELF!" Yuuto shouted frantically, addressing the ring of students and teachers around them; that finally went silent. "YOU ALL SAW IT! THE CAMERAS SAW IT! AND IF YOU KEEP COMING AT ME LIKE THE MOTHERFUCKING NTR BASTARD YOU ARE, I'LL KEEP DEFENDING MYSELF!"
Yuka stood frozen, staring at Yuuto in disbelief, utterly speechless.
Yuuno's eyes widened in horror, flicking briefly toward his fallen friend, whose body convulsed weakly, choking and gurgling on his own blood, rapidly slipping toward death.
"Y..." Yuuno stammered, the shock breaking his mask completely.
"YOCHAAAAAAAN!!" he howled, charging blindly toward Yuuto.
And the final fight began.
'I didn't expect his friend to go haywire. He's usually the level-headed one. But you charging in like this… it's clear as day.' Yuuto rolled aside just as Yuuno slammed into the wall, missing by inches.
'He's a good fighter. But right now—he's emotional.'
Yuuto repositioned, now standing by the window, eyes locked on Yuuno.
'I need to—' But his thoughts cut short as someone grabbed his arm.
'The fuck?!' Yuuto looked and froze.
It was his sister.
She clutched his arm, eyes wild, lips trembling.
"STOP THIS..!" she sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks.
And in that moment, he was distracted.
Yuuno tackled him with full force. The window shattered as both were hurled through it.
Yuka stared, breathless, as glass rained down and silence fell.
Outside, the two rolled violently on the dirt. Sirens howled in the distance.
Yuuno stumbled off him, underestimating the force of his charge.
Yuuto gasped, eyes unfocused.
'Quick… recover…' But his vision blurred. His breathing choked, shallow and frantic. His limbs numb.
Then, he felt a pinch in his gut.
He looked down.
The knife was lodged deep in his stomach.
'...Alright...'
With trembling fingers, he grabbed the handle and yanked it free. Blood gushed as he tossed it aside; the blade glistening in the early morning sun. It was hot. The air was heavy, and getting too difficult to breathe for Yuuto.
"Yuu...t...o..." Yuka called from the broken window, her voice barely audible as she collapsed on her knees.
They all watched. Every student and teacher and staff was frozen inside the building. Yuuto stood there, stabbed, beaten, and bloodied.
And still... he stood.
"How..." a student whispered, horrified. "How is he still alive..!?"
Yuuto gulped hard, staring down Yuuno as he scrambled to his feet.
Yuuto swayed, his body limp, strength draining fast.
"You're fucking dead..." Yuuno growled, smirking maniacally behind his ski mask.
But Yuuto's eyes scanned the outside area.
They were in the school's baseball field.
His gaze dropped. A worn, splintered wooden bat lay at his feet.
[BACKGROUND MUSIC: "ANIMALITY" — MAGA]
Slowly, Yuuto crouched. Blood pooled beneath him.
Yuuno froze, warily watching as Yuuto's fingers wrapped around the bat.
He gave it a twirl. It cracked through the air like thunder.
'Thanks.' He took a breath.
"Hey," Yuuto rasped, his voice hoarse and ragged, eyes burning through the blood.
Yuuno narrowed his eyes, bracing himself as a breeze brushed between the two of them.
"I'mma baseball your ass."
"You... bastard...!!!" Yuuno growled, his smirk gone.
"You just killed Yocchan...!! YOU DON'T GET TO TALK LIKE SOME FUCKING HERO!!!" he screamed as he sprinted toward him.
But this time, Yuuto was focused. No one distracted him anymore.
He calmly, slowly got into a batting position - and Yuuno was the baseball, bulleting toward him.
'He's so obvious!!!!' Yuuno thought frantically. 'And he's weak as fuck... I bet there's some twist to it. It could be fake...'
Doubt filled him, but he still kept running.
Still underestimating Yuuto.
Who simply...
...swung as he got into range.
Yuuno frantically lifted his arm to protect himself from the swing. But it was so devastating that he felt his arm breaking as Yuuto smashed it against his hand which was sandwiched between the baseball bat and his temple.
'He just... swung it!?' he thought, as his brain was rattled.
Yuuto jumped to the side as Yuuno hurriedly tried to regain his stance.
...But just before he could raise his arms to defend himself, Yuuto swung again - hitting his temple once more.
Blood burst from his mouth.
His vision went blurry.
Again, he tried to defend himself, but Yuuto didn't relent.
He swung again,
The other temple, knocking Yuuno to the other side.
Then again,
Swinging to the other side.
Yuuno staggered backward, his mind going into disarray.
'No... No... I can't lose... to this nobody..!!!' He clenched his teeth.
But even that thought was cut off as Yuuto swung again.
And again.
Yuuto's expression was blank.
'The sirens sound really close... Are the cops here yet...?' Yuuto thought.
That meant his time was running out—he had to finish this now.
Yuuno was willing to kill him.
If he didn't kill Yuuno before the cops stopped him, it would be over.
Yuuto tackled Yuuno to the ground, who was still disoriented, and began pummeling his face with the baseball bat.
Again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
AND AGAIN.
AND AGAIN.
AND AGAIN.
AND AGAIN.
Yuuno's body convulsed. Yuuto looked up and blurrily saw the cops pulling over near the school's baseball field.
Yuuno was still alive though.
NO.
He has to DIE NOW.
Yuuto stood up and faintly, in the background, he heard a voice shouting through a megaphone:
"YOU!! Get down on your kn—"
But before the police officer could finish what he had to say, Yuuto leapt with his baseball bat and performed a people's elbow, using the full force of his falling momentum.
The handle of the bat came crashing down against Yuuno's face...
...deforming his head.
Killing him.
"STOP RIGHT NOW!!!! OR WE WILL SHOOT!!!"
He heard the call.
Yuuto was on his knees now. If the cops arrested him, they would surely find the recording device—
NO.
This is a hostile world.
Who's to say there isn't a cop among that pile who won't simply destroy it to justify cruelty? It has to be made public. Now.
Yuuto stood up, holding tightly onto the baseball bat.
Breathless, bleeding, and barely conscious.
He then ripped the recording device from his shirt and began advancing toward the police.
"Holy shit... He looks like a corpse," one of the cops commented.
"Just what the fuck happened here—" another started, but then a teacher yelled:
"THERE, POLICE OFFICERS!!! THAT'S THE MURDERER!!! STOP HIM!!!" A teacher's voice roared through the air.
Immediately, the officers shifted position as Yuuto advanced - still carrying the bat with his almost entirely limp arm.
One of them stepped forward, raising his taser at Yuuto.
"STOP!!" one of them yelled.
"WE WILL SHOOT YOU!!!" he called out.
But Yuuto gripped the recording device tightly.
The baseball bat, too.
And then, he started to run toward them.
"SHOOT HIM!" a cop encouraged, and a taser round was released.
Yuuto, groggy and nearly collapsing, moved the bat and blocked the taser round - hurling it aside.
"SHIT..!!! HE'S STILL COMING!!!" the officer yelled, dropping the taser, and drawing his live firearm.
"STOP OR I WILL SHOOT YOU!!!" he shouted.
But Yuuto didn't relent. He kept running—now only several meters from the police squad.
The officer clenched his teeth, nearly looking away, but still pulled the trigger.
A thunderous BANG echoed across the school's baseball field.
THUD.
SWISH.
The bullet punched clean through Yuuto's shoulder.
But he kept running.
'Not yet... Never... Never..!' Yuuto thought, as his body screamed in agony.
"I SAID STOP!!! STOP!!!!" the officer nearly begged.
But Yuuto kept running.
The officer felt his determination waning. But protocols were protocols.
After shaking off his initial discomfort—
BANG.
ANOTHER SHOT.
The aim was slightly better.
A bullet punched through his gut.
But he still wouldn't fall.
He crashed right into the officer, gasping with every ounce of strength he had:
"Proof... of... what happened... here...."
He tightly clutched the officer's now shocked hand and tossed away his pistol like he was removing garbage from a toddler's hand.
"Proof... of what happened... here..." he repeated, as he slammed his bloodied palm onto the officer's hand—for all the other officers to see.
"A recording... device..." He coughed out a stream of blood, staining the young officer's uniform.
"I... defended myself... it's... a recording device... I... defended myself..."
They all looked at him in disbelief.
He came running through bullets—just to say that.
"This is... the truth... I defended... myself... this... is a recording... device... recorded... everything..."
"I... I get it, kid..! Let go..!" the officer said as Yuuto's grasp faltered.
The officer finally had the recording device in his grip.
"SOMEONE CALL AN AMBULANCE!" someone shouted in the background.
But Yuuto didn't stop.
He clutched the officer's shirt, clinging to him and staining the uniform with his blood. He then looked up at the officer's horrified expression.
"I..." Yuuto rasped, his consciousness slipping.
"DEFENDED... MYSELF... FROM THESE... THUGS... I... AM NOT... A CRIMINAL... I... DEFENDED MYSELF...!! ALL BY MYSELF... THE SCHOOL... IS AGAINST ME...!! EVERYONE... IS AGAINST ME..!!!"
He groaned.
Yuuto took a moment to glance around him; confirming that the other police officers saw that he handed him the recording device.
The officer, shaking off his initial shock, raised his hands to support him.
All the other police officers watched.
"I'm going... to die..." he coughed more blood.
"With my... dying breath... let it be known... I..."
He desperately grasped.
"Defended... myself..." Like a broken record, he repeated. Even as he collapsed, with his knees giving out.
"This is... a recording... device... I... defended myself... recording..."
He slumped.
His body shut down and he collapsed into the officer's arms.
"Everyone... saw... I gave it to you... right? The... recording..."
"Recording..."
"Re..."
Darkness.