Chapter 23: The sparing match and The Emergency.
Introductions barely finished when IL-sun clapped loudly.
"Let the boys fight."
Ji-eun's eyes widened. "Grandpa—!"
Harate lifted an eyebrow and looked at her. "You do remember that it was supposed to be Ren versus Junhyeok."
There was a silence between them.
A very suspicious silence.
Then—
"However," Harate said calmly, "we should test the red-haired one instead."
Akeshi blinked once, slowly.
'So that's how it is.'
'He wants Ren untouched. Smart. Overprotective, but smart.'
'Guess that makes me the sacrificial goat today.'
He breathed out quietly.
Junhyeok stretched his arms with a grin. "I don't mind. A warmup is a warmup."
Akeshi nodded politely. "I'll do my best not to break anything."
Junhyeok froze. "...Break what?"
Akeshi tilted his head. "Hopefully nothing important."
Ren sighed. "You two are impossible."
Akeshi rotated his shoulders, stretching in calm, calculated motions.
Ren stood beside him, arms crossed.
"You okay with this?" Ren asked.
Akeshi nodded. "Better me than you."
Ren frowned. "I'm not fragile."
"I know," Akeshi said. "That's why you don't need to prove anything to them."
Ren blinked. "...You're annoying when you say sensible things."
Akeshi smirked lightly. "You like me this way."
Ren scoffed. "Shut up."
Akeshi stretched his neck. "Fine. Shutting up."
He didn't shut up.
Ji-eun walked over, clutching her phone. Her expression mixed worry and resignation.
"Why are we starting our friendship with a fight?" she muttered.
Ren shrugged. "Ask the old fossils."
Junhyeok joined them. "It's tradition."
Ji-eun glared. "It's stupid."
Junhyeok raised his hands. "Not my rules."
Ren sighed. "Just don't die."
Junhyeok scoffed. "Please. I'll last longer than three seconds."
Akeshi, stretching his legs nearby, lifted a brow.
"You won't," he said gently.
Junhyeok stared. "Bro WHAT—?!"
A quiet presence stepped forward—
IL-sun's wife.
Elegant. Sharp eyes. Quiet authority.
She observed Akeshi stretching and hummed approvingly.
"His physique," she said softly, "looks crafted then hammered by hard work."
Akeshi froze mid-stretch.
Ren muttered, "He means she likes your muscles, idiot."
Ji-eun choked. "REN—!"
Akeshi bowed politely toward the old lady. "Thank you, ma'am."
Her smile warmed. "Strong boys survive long."
Akeshi's expression didn't change, but Ren caught the tiny flicker in his eyes.
'Wish someone had told me that earlier.'
Junhyeok rolled his shoulders, bouncing lightly on his heels.
"You ready?" he asked.
Akeshi responded with a small nod. "Always."
The air thickened.
Ren stepped back beside Ji-eun.
They both shared the same thought.
"Why is our first real hangout starting with a fight?" Ji-eun whispered.
Ren exhaled through his nose. "Because our families are insane."
Ji-eun sighed. "Great. Perfect. Amazing. I love this friendship already."
Ren nodded once, quietly agreeing.
And in front of them—
Akeshi and Junhyeok took their positions.
One calm, unreadable storm.
One proud, determined fighter.
And both old men watched with the relaxed interest of gamblers waiting for the first swing.
A chalk circle was drawn on the stone courtyard. It wasn't ceremonial; it was just enough to say: here.
Junhyeok stepped in first.
He loosened his tie, rolled up his sleeves, and exhaled once through his nose. The smile he had worn all afternoon faded, leaving something quieter behind.
"I'll introduce myself properly," he said. "Han Junhyeok. Butler of Ji-eun's household."
Akeshi stepped into the circle opposite him.
Silence settled.
Junhyeok continued, his voice steady. "Most people don't ask my name. They just call me 'hey you' or 'driver.' I'm used to it."
Ji-eun shifted uncomfortably. Ren noticed, but Junhyeok didn't.
Akeshi inclined his head. "Tarazune Akeshi."
Junhyeok's eyes sharpened. "The one who slipped into default class during the lucky draw."
Ren muttered under his breath. "Cockroach," recalling Harate's description.
Akeshi smiled politely, as if he hadn't heard it. But his posture lowered slightly. He was ready.
Junhyeok raised his fists. "Let's keep this clean."
Akeshi raised his own. "Agreed."
They moved.
Junhyeok struck first with a quick, controlled jab. Akeshi dodged with minimal movement, letting the fist cut through the air. A second punch followed—a low kick. Junhyeok fought like someone trained to protect others, not to show off. He was efficient and practical.
Akeshi's responses were small. A shoulder turn, a step back, a palm redirect. He wasn't attacking; he was observing.
Ren narrowed his eyes. Akeshi was sizing him up.
Junhyeok's breathing became heavier. Not from exhaustion, but from pressure. Akeshi hadn't thrown a single real strike yet, and that was worse. He was being studied instead of fought.
Junhyeok lunged to change the pace. Akeshi finally moved forward with a single step. He delivered a short strike that stopped just short of Junhyeok's throat.
It wasn't touching; it was just there.
Junhyeok froze.
The message was clear.
"I could end this."
Ji-eun whispered, "Okay, that's enough—"
A scream cut through the air.
Not from the courtyard.
From outside the estate.
Everyone turned.
A second later, an explosion rolled through the distance—a dull boom, vibrations in the ground, windows rattling.
Dust lifted from the stones.
Akeshi lowered his hand. Junhyeok dropped his guard.
Ren's heart skipped once.
Harate's eyes hardened.
IL-sun's wife spoke first, calm as stone. "That came from the east district."
Another scream followed, shorter and closer.
Then silence..
.
.
.
Concrete dust wafted through the air.
It stepped from the torn open street behind the gate of the estate.
The thing was tall. Wrong. Long limbs. Loose jaw, unhinged, gaping open, exposing jagged, bone-protruding ridges. Fingertips chopped to blackened points, scrapping asphalt with each step. And then the hands—
A male.
Still alive.
The jaws closed around his head. A wet noise was made. The body fell.
Ren didn't notice he had moved backward until his heel made contact with the garden step.
Ji-eun's breath caught. IL-sun led, pulling his wife back with him. Harate was next, face unreadable, but his body was already pulling back.
Ren did not try to argue. Terror had already made up his mind.
Junhyeok
He was shaking. Not running. Just gasping for air, fixed on the monster.
Akeshi moved forward.
He didn't speak. Didn't hesitate. Only stared into the eyes of the creature as if seeing something familiar and vile.
Then Akeshi's attention turned.
A female figure on the sidewalk. Frozen. Cafe waitress dress. Short hair. Wide eyes.
Itsuka
Akeshi moved
A fire hydrant was knocked loose, with water shooting out erratically. He grabbed the hydrant with both hands and threw it.
Concrete dust floated through the air.
From the broken street beyond the estate gate, it approached.
The thing was tall and unsettling. Its limbs were too long. Its jaw opened wider than it should have. Fingers ended in dark points that scraped the asphalt as it walked. And in its hands—
A man.
Still alive.
The creature's mouth closed over his head. There was a wet sound. The body fell to the ground.
Ren didn't realize he had stepped back until his heel hit the garden step.
Ji-eun gasped. IL-sun acted first, pulling his wife behind him. Harate followed, his face unreadable but his body already moving away.
Ren didn't argue. Fear made the choice for him.
Junhyeok remained.
He was shaking but not running. He just breathed hard, eyes fixed on the monster.
Akeshi stepped forward.
He didn't speak or hesitate. He simply stared at the creature's eyes, as if recognizing something familiar and loathsome.
Then Akeshi's gaze shifted.
There was a woman on the sidewalk. She was frozen, wearing a café uniform. Her short hair framed her wide eyes.
Itsuka.
Akeshi moved.
A broken fire hydrant lay near the curb, spewing water everywhere. He ripped it from the ground and threw it.
The metal struck the creature's arm. There was a crack. The monster shrieked and stumbled sideways.
Akeshi grabbed Itsuka by the shoulder and pushed her behind him. She hit the ground and rolled, still alive.
The creature turned.
Its eyes were fixed on Akeshi.
Akeshi exhaled once, biting his lip as he braced himself.
Then—
A blur.
Junhyeok stepped between them, his fist covered in glowing crystalline shards, light cutting through the dust and water spray.
His voice was low and steady. Nothing like before.
"Don't. You'll die."
Akeshi didn't look away from the monster.
"I can hold it for ten minutes," Akeshi said. "Evacuate Ren, the elders, Ji-eun. Now."
Junhyeok's jaw tightened.
Ren finally found his voice. "Akeshi—"
"Move," Akeshi said, with no emotion and no hesitation.
Another scream echoed down the street.
Closer this time.
The creature lowered its stance, ready to charge.
And for the first time since arriving in this world—
Ren understood.
This was real.
Ren's feet stood still.
Akeshi didn't need to turn to know.
"I can help," Ren said.
Akeshi finally glanced at him, just once. It was a sharp, tired look.
"Leave."
Ren stayed.
Junhyeok shot Ren a frantic look. Ji-eun was already being pulled back by IL-sun, her hands shaking. Harate held her shoulder with a strong grip. Luther stood frozen, calculating exits like a machine.
Ren remained.
Akeshi exhaled through his nose, almost a laugh.
Of course you do.
He looked back at the creature.
It was watching him.
Not with hunger.
With recognition.
Like two predators meeting in a territory neither owned.
Akeshi rolled his shoulders to loosen up. His fingers flexed. Water from the broken hydrant flowed across the ground, reflecting the shattered streetlights.
Then he spoke quietly without looking at Ren.
"Don't die."
Ren swallowed. "I wasn't planning to."
Akeshi's lips curved slightly but without humor.
"Good. Because the Gathering is coming."
Ren didn't know what that meant.
But the way Akeshi said it—
Like a man recalling a war that never truly ended—
chilled Ren to the bone.
The creature shrieked and charged.
Junhyeok stepped forward, shards glowing brightly.
Akeshi leaned into action.