The next morning was calm, but Yuki's thoughts were not.On the way to school, she walked beside her friend while Jack walked ahead with steady steps.Yuki muttered in a low voice,"I feel like he's not a normal student… two days ago, when he looked at Kamiya, it was like he wanted to devour him. I got chills just from where I stood."
As they approached the school gate, they saw a police car parked near the entrance, with two officers talking to one of the teachers.Yuki and her friend exchanged uneasy looks, while Jack kept walking without stopping.They entered the classroom, and the first lesson was English.The teacher stood before the board and said in English,"The police have started investigating the fight from two days ago, after a report from some parents."
All eyes turned toward Jack immediately.He, in turn, looked toward the back door and saw Kamiya standing there — glaring at him with hatred, a white bandage wrapped around his hand.He didn't say a word, just walked out of the room with heavy steps.
During lunch break, Jack sat at his desk, his head resting on his arms, silent.The whispers of students mixed with the noise coming from the cafeteria outside.He thought about what happened last night…"Really, what happened to me?"
He suddenly felt a hand gently grab his arm.He lifted his head and found a slim boy with short brown hair standing before him.The boy spoke quietly,"My name is Shin. I'm from another class... I have a request. I want you to follow me for a bit, I need to talk to you alone."
The students exchanged silent looks. Jack didn't say anything — he simply stood up and followed.But the moment they stepped onto the rooftop and the door shut behind them, Jack felt something strange.He stopped in place, staring at nine students waiting for him there.In the middle stood Kamiya, his face full of anger.
He said mockingly,"Last time you were lucky... today you'll learn some manners."
Jack didn't understand his words, but he could read their meaning through their eyes.He said calmly in English,"I don't understand what you're saying, but I don't want to fight."
But Kamiya didn't wait. He lunged forward with a sudden punch.Jack's senses reacted unnaturally fast.He dodged the hit at the very last second, just before three other students attacked him all at once.
Crash! — a loud impact echoed, making the students in the yard below look up toward the rooftop.One of them shouted,"There's a fight on the roof!"
Within moments, the hallways filled with running students, the noise growing louder and louder.
But when they arrived, the sight was shocking.Jack stood in the middle of the rooftop, calm and still,while Kamiya lay on the ground crying, and seven other students were scattered around him — two of them bleeding from their faces.Jack walked toward Kamiya, leaned down, and whispered coldly,"I told you I don't want to fight."
Moments later, Yuki arrived, out of breath from running.She froze the instant she saw the scene.She stepped closer quickly and shouted,"What did you do?! They'll expel you for this!"Jack answered in a calm, steady tone,"They started it first."
The teacher arrived soon after, chaos spreading across the rooftop.Students shouted, the school officers rushed in, and everyone was talking at once.
Elsewhere — far from the school — inside the facility.One of the scientists entered the director's office quickly, holding papers in his hand."The parasite has started responding. Reports confirm an increase in neural and physical activity for Project 96. It seems he's entering the awakening phase."
The director lifted his head from behind the desk, a sharp look in his eyes."So... it's time for the field test. Send the retrieval team."
In a dark corridor, three men walked in perfect sync.The first, Akado, said,"I didn't expect them to find him this quickly."The second, Gary, replied,"It's fine... the sooner we finish, the sooner we go back."Akado looked toward the third, Hatz,"Is your gear ready?"Hatz smiled faintly and said,"Yes, but this will be my last use of it."Akado laughed,"If your request gets approved, you'll be one lucky man."Gray cut in sharply,"Enough talking. To the helicopter."
The three moved toward the rooftop, the helicopter blades already spinning in the dark.
At school, the teacher held Jack gently by the arm, leading him toward the principal's office.He sat inside with the principal, the teacher, and two officers in plain clothes.Yuki waited outside, worry written all over her face.
One of the officers spoke in Japanese,"They said you used violence in school two days ago. Why did you do that?"The teacher translated his words into English for Jack.Jack took a slow breath and replied in a low but steady voice,"I didn't start the fight. Someone tried to hit me first."
The teacher translated carefully.The second officer raised an eyebrow and asked,"Who started the fight exactly?"Jack paused, then said,"The student who sits in the third row... Kenta.He's been mocking me for days. I ignored him, but two days ago, he pushed me in front of everyone."
The teacher translated, and the officer took notes.The principal spoke nervously,"Sir, Jack is new here and doesn't understand Japanese well. There may have been a misunderstanding."The teacher added,"Student Yuki confirmed that he didn't attack anyone — he only defended himself."
The two officers exchanged looks, then one of them said in a calmer tone,"Understood. We'll issue an official warning this time."
The teacher smiled gently at Jack as she translated,"You won't be expelled — just a formal warning. But be careful from now on."
Jack left the office slowly, finding Yuki waiting in the hallway.She walked beside him, her tone slightly sharp,"You think you got off easy? Everyone's talking about you now."He didn't respond, only kept walking silently.
And in the distance, a military helicopter was approaching the city.The man who had been watching Jack earlier was following him from afar in a black car, smiling faintly as he murmured,"The tug of war has begun."