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Chapter 8
Van and Dame sat side by side, eyes fixed on Kenji as he lay motionless on the bed, his breathing steady but distant. The silence between them was heavy, like they were both waiting for something… or someone to wake up.
Van folded his arms. "His reaction earlier… it wasn't just rage. It was like he snapped when I said that word."
Dame nodded slowly, eyes narrowed in thought. "When he wakes up… let's not mention the S-word. Just to be safe."
Van leaned forward, staring at Kenji's face. "His eyes… it was more like he was afraid. Remember when we first saw him? When those guys were beating him?"
"Yeah," Dame murmured. "He wasn't even reacting. Just… taking it."
"Exactly. Like he was a lost cause. But when I said that word… it was as if I reminded him of hell."
Dame's brow furrowed. "I'm getting trouble signs here. We better find out what's really up with this guy."
Van nodded in agreement, then turned to him with a spark of resolve. "Dame… we seriously need Miss Lana to let us train under Mr. Lee."
Dame let out a long sigh and rubbed the back of his neck. "Ughh… hmm…"
Before the conversation could continue, the door slid open with a soft whoosh.
Miss Lana stepped in, followed by another woman in a pristine white coat and a gentle smile.
"Good noon, boys," the woman greeted warmly, eyes scanning the room before settling on Kenji. "I'm Dr. Ichinawa. I'm here to check up on your friend over there."
She gestured toward Kenji's unconscious body.
Van immediately stood up, expression guarded. "Hmm, right… but I'll stay," he said firmly.
Miss Lana sighed. "Van…"
But before she could argue further, Dame stepped forward, serious and calm.
"Miss Lana… there's something important you need to know."
"So you and Van want to learn martial arts… from Mr. Lee?" Miss Lana asked, arms folded, an eyebrow raised.
"Yeah," Dame said quickly, stepping forward. "Please let us do this. My mom always told me—it's important to know how to defend yourself… to protect the ones you love from dangerous people."
He paused, his voice lowering. "If Van hadn't stepped in… Kenji might've…"
"Quiet, Dame," Miss Lana cut in, her voice sharp but filled with concern. "Nobody's going to die, okay?"
There was a moment of silence before Dame cleared his throat and continued.
"Van and I… we've been practicing already. Mr. Lee saw Van that day and even invited us to come train at his Martial Palace."
Miss Lana blinked, a memory flashing in her mind.
"Oi, Lana… I'd like to talk to you about some things," Mr. Lee had said just days ago, his eyes briefly drifting to Van and Dame.
A soft smile tugged at the corner of her lips.
"Your mother would be proud, you know? To see that her little Damian is all grown up and fighting for what's right."
"Y-yeah," Dame muttered, rubbing the back of his neck as a blush crept up his cheeks. "So… what do you say? Will you let us go?"
Miss Lana took a deep breath, her eyes drifting to Kenji's room. "Okay," she said at last, "but only on one condition…"
Dame leaned in, hopeful.
"You take Kenji with you."
"Eh?"
"He needs it too. He may not say much, but… he needs to learn how to protect himself. And maybe… open up."
Dame gave a firm nod. "We'll make sure he does."
Miss Lana's expression darkened slightly. "The guys who attacked Kenji… can you describe them for me?"
"Yeah," Dame said. "They wore white hoodies with gold linings. But what stood out most… was the red skeleton emblem drawn across the chest."
Miss Lana's eyes narrowed, her tone dropping to a whisper. "The Red Skulls…"
"What's that?" Dame asked curiously.
She forced a small smile. "Oh, it's nothing. You and Van go check on Kenji. I've got some errands to run."
As Dame exited the room, Miss Lana stood still for a moment, lost in thought.
Fighting was never really Van's thing.
Sure, he knew how to throw a punch or two, but it wasn't something he loved doing. Yet… when he beat those Red Skull thugs, something inside him shifted.
It wasn't pride.
It wasn't power.
It was something else. Something… deeper.
Like a whisper inside his soul.
"[You have unlocked the ultimate ninja system]
The words echoed in his mind like a glitch in reality. A voice he didn't recognize. A system? A dream?
He stared blankly at the wall.
If I told Dame this, he'd think I'd lost my mind. Heck, maybe I have…
His thoughts drifted.
Saving Kenji… could that have been the more than just saving a person
Van leaned back against the wall, eyes narrowed in thought. "Ahh… I wish I knew what the final requirement was," he murmured.
Click. Click.
The door slid open.
Dame strutted in, wearing the biggest grin Van had ever seen on his face.
"Dude! Guess who's about to become strong?" Dame announced dramatically.
Van raised a brow. "You…?"
"That's right!" Dame beamed. "I did it! I convinced Miss Lana to let us train at the Martial Palace!"
Van's eyes lit up. "Dude, you're awesome!"
"Yeah, yeah, I know," Dame waved it off with a smug grin. "You can thank me later. Maybe buy me a soda."
Yawwwnn…
A soft groan came from behind.
Van and Dame both turned as Kenji stirred on the bed.
"…What happened…?" Kenji's voice was groggy.
But then—boom.
Kenji's eyes flew wide open. In the blink of an eye, he flipped from the bed, landed on the floor, and launched himself toward them in a blur. One second, he was groggy. The next, he was standing inches from them, moving like a living flash of light.
"What the—?!" Van gasped.
Kenji's eyes darted around in panic.
"Van? Dame? Are you okay?! I didn't hurt you, did I? I-I'm sorry if I did! Please don't tell anyone—I didn't mean to! I didn't mean to move like that—I just—"
He zipped around them again, voice rambling, movements jittery and almost inhuman.
Then…
He stopped.
Frozen mid-breath. His chest heaved slightly, eyes wide like a cornered animal.
"D-Dude…" Dame's jaw dropped. "How the heck are you that fast…?"
"Are you… some kind of superhuman or something?" Van asked, still stunned.
Kenji chuckled nervously, rubbing the back of his head.
"I guess… I've got a lot of explaining to do," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, laced with nerves and a truth too heavy to hide any longer.
His eyes flickered between Van and Dame, as if unsure whether to run or finally let them in on the chaos that was his life.