A/N: Hello, readers! Welcome to another chapter! Enjoy!

edited on april 12th, 2025 @ 11:08pm

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𝓒𝙷𝙰𝙿𝚃𝙴𝚁 𝚂𝙴𝚅𝙴𝙽,
𝓢𝚃𝚁𝙸𝚅𝙴 𝚃𝙾𝙶𝙴𝚃𝙷𝙴𝚁.

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TAIJU LETS OUT AN ANGRY SNARL at Takemichi's declaration before sending another punch to his face. Takemichi charges forward once more before Taiju sent another punch to his face, sending him back a few feet before he sent an upwards kick at Takemichi's jaw as blood dripped from his face and onto the ground.

Takemichi charges forward. "I'm not through yet." He claimed as Taiju sends a punch to his stomach before sending another punch to his head as Hakkai watched with a horrified look on his face.

"Stop doing this, Takemichi." Hakkai pleaded as Takemichi breathed in pain.

"I'm not... through yet." Takemichi said as he staggered forward.

"You can't change anything, damn it!" Hakkai yelled as Takemichi lets out a shout of determination. Taiju sent his fist against Takemichi's face once more.

"I had nothing. No friends to confide in and nobody to love. I was all alone." Takemichi thought as he crashed to the ground.

"Takemichi..."

"You're wrong." Takemichi denied as he stood up, breathing heavily as he turned back around to face Taiju.

Kokonoi scoffs while Inui quietly sighed. Ichirou just stared at Takemichi for a moment.

"This guy wants to take over BLACK DRAGON?" Ichirou thinks to himself as he silently snorts in amusement, crossing his arms as he continued sucking on his lollipop. "He's weak as hell."

"Hakkai. You're the one who can't change." Takemichi said, making Hakkai gasp.

"The first time... I swore to change the future was when Akkun died. I was on a dirty stairway in a back alley. I felt like I had to shoulder the whole burden alone. I was so afraid and anxious, it was overwhelming." Takemichi thought.

"I want to save everyone."

"But little by little..." Takemichi continued to think as images of his friends appeared in his mind.

"Dude, you're awesome."

"You actually got those two to make up."

A punch was sent to Takemichi's face.

"Take care of Ken-chin!"

"A hundred million yen on Takemitchy."

"Crybaby hero."

"I leave it in your hands."

"They all accepted me." Takemichi thought.

"Hanagaki Takemichi! I appoint you captain of First Division!" Chifuyu yelled.

"Thanks, Takemitchy." Mikey thanked him.

"Thank you, Takemitchy." Draken said.

"I leave Toman... to you, partner." Chifuyu claimed.

Taiju sends another punch to Takemichi's jaw, sending him crashing to the ground as he stood back up.

"That's enough, Takemichi! You're going to die!" Chifuyu exclaimed.

"If I stand my ground now, I may not change the future. But if there's even the slightest chance..."

Both Takemichi and Taiju punched each other, making everyone gasp as Takemichi crashed to the ground.

Taiju scoffed. "That wouldn't hurt a flea." Taiju claimed before falling to his knees.

"What happened, Boss?" Inui asked.

"No way." Kokonoi muttered.

Ichirou blinked, trying to make sure he wasn't seeing things. "Did he just..." He trailed off in shock.

Takemichi stood back up. "I'm not through yet." He claimed.

"Takemichi... Please, just give up." Hakkai pleaded.

"If there's a chance... I can change the future... it's worth risking your life, don't you think?" Takemichi asked.

"Huh?" Hakkai replied in confusion as Takemichi looked up at him.

"Hakkai, fighting your hardest isn't painful. What's more painful is..." Takemichi started to say as he smiled.

"... being all alone."

This took Hakkai by surprise. "You can talk to me about anything, Hakkai. We're... friends, after all." Takemichi finished, causing Hakkai to tear up and fall to the ground.

"Takemitchy..." Hakkai cried out. "Please... Save me."

"Boss?" Inui questioned before gasping in disbelief.

"That bastard brought the boss to his knees." Kokonoi stated.

"No one has been able to do that before..." Ichirou mumbled as he gulped and looked at Takemichi. "I take back what I said about him."

"Toman's captains are plenty badass." Mitsuya claimed.

"Holy shit, partner." Chifuyu commented, sitting up.

"Help me, Takemitchy." Hakkai begged. "Help me."

Takemichi smiled. "Leave it to me, Hakkai." He said as Taiju finally stood up. Takemichi turned back around.

"Hakkai. The thing you wanted to protect... Yuzuha, who you still protect in the future... I will protect her." Takemichi promised.

"That's not how it is, Takemitchy. There's not a single bruise on my face, right?" Hakkai questioned as Takemichi glanced back at him.

"Hm?"

"But Yuzuha, she's been beaten to a pulp." Hakkai continued, getting Takemichi, Chifuyu, and Mitsuya's attention.

"Huh?"

"I wanted to protect her. I wanted to protect Yuzuha, but I didn't have the courage to defy Taiju."

"Huh?"

"It was the opposite. She always protected me." Hakkai said. "Everything I said was a lie."

"Then, from now on, you'll take the beatings for two. You're good with that, right? Yuzuha?"

"What?"

"It was Yuzuha who did the protecting this whole time." Hakkai revealed.

"Yuzuha?" Takemichi repeated. "You mean, this whole time..."

"Don't mess with my little brother!"

"I will... protect Hakkai."

"She protected you?" Takemichi questioned. "You mean, you lied about protecting your family this whole time even though you promised the day you met Mitsuya-kun?"

"Taiju, why are you beating on Hakkai? You're breaking your promise."

"Promise? You were just using that as an excuse. So I had to discipline him." Taiju grabs his younger siblings. "Both of you, come here!"

"I... made it sound like I did the things that Yuzuha had done." Hakkai confessed.

"That's totally shitty." Chifuyu said as he stood up.

"Loser." Inui commented while Ichirou snorted in agreement.

"Don't say any more, Hakkai." Yuzuha told him.

"It's lame enough that you had to be protected by a woman. But you even lied about protecting her. What a lowlife." Kokonoi insulted.

"You stay the hell out of this! It was my decision. Hakkai's not to blame." Yuzuha shouted.

"Forgive me, Takemitchy. It's all my fault that this has happened. I got you all caught up in my lies. I'm simply too afraid of Taiju, so my only choice was to stab him. I did it to run from my own weakness." Hakkai said.

"Hakkai, you suck!" Takemichi exclaimed, causing everyone to look at him. "But don't think that you're the only person who sucks. I sucked even worse."

"You really do suck, Hakkai." Mitsuya joined in.

"I acted like a hotshot when I said not to hate the life you were born into. But in reality, I freaking hated mine. One time, I became so fed up with all of it that I ran off, leaving both of my sisters behind. When I came back home, my mom slapped me hard. Lame, huh?" Mitsuya continued on. "But after that, my mom gave me a hug. She cried and said, 'I'm sorry for all this.'"

Mitsuya then kneeled down. "You're not the only one who's run away. We're all weak. But that's why we've got friends." He said, standing up.

"We won't abandon you for lying like that." Takemichi declared. "That's what Toman's all about."

Hakkai soon removes his jacket. "Everyone, step back. Taka-chan. Chifuyu. Takemitchy." Hakkai said their names as he smiled. "You're all beat to shit."

"I'm not afraid anymore. Thank you." Hakkai thanked them, stepping forward.

"Hakkai..."

"I'm never wearing that BLACK DRAGON uniform again." Hakkai claimed as Taiju got in his face.

"So, you've fooled yourself into thinking you're tough now, huh?" He asked. "I'm the one who's protected our family. How dare you defy your brother who's protected the Shiba family!"

"Don't, Taiju! Don't you touch Hakkai!" Yuzuha shouted.

Hakkai sends a punch to Taiju's face, making Yuzuha get taken aback. "Huh? Hakkai?" She said.

"Tokyo Manji Gang, Second Division Vice Captain, Shiba Hakkai." Hakkai announced. "To protect Yuzuha, my friends, and my family, I'll beat your ass!"

Hakkai and Taiju soon began fighting. "Hakkai's changed." Chifuyu commented.

"Yeah." Mitsuya agreed.

"He didn't say 'kill.' He said 'beat.' This will change the future, Takemitchy." Chifuyu claimed.

Hakkai and Taiju continued to throw punches at each other. "God, must you continue to test me?" Taiju asked himself as he punched Hakkai's face, sending him to the ground. "Must I really kill the two members of my family? Even though I love them so much? I love them. I love them."

"Hakkai!" Yuzuha shouted out.

Chifuyu let out a harsh scoff. "Goddamn monster." Mitsuya commented.

"Hakkai!" Takemichi called out.

"What a shame, Hakkai." Taiju said as he glanced at the others. "You're not getting out of here alive. It's hopeless trying to run. My soldiers have this church surrounded."

Chifuyu looked out the window. "He's right, Takemitchy. There's a hundred of them." He informed.

"I never planned on running away. Chifuyu, unless we defeat this guy and all of BLACK DRAGON, the future won't change." Takemichi said.

"You're right about that, Takemitchy." Chifuyu agreed.

"Guess we're going to die." Mitsuya claimed.

"That's right." Takemichi agreed.

"What's wrong with you? Why are you smiling? Are you insane? You could really die, you know?" Yuzuha exclaimed.

"Sorry. My expectations for him made him suffer. I'm a failure as a big brother." Mitsuya apologized.

"Mitsuya..." Yuzuha mumbled.

"You protected Hakkai all by yourself, Yuzuha. I seriously respect you for that." Mitsuya said.

Yuzuha teared up as Mitsuya placed a hand on her head as he grinned. "Now, it's our turn." He claimed.

"Let's protect Hakkai!" Takemichi shouted.

Chifuyu sent a punch to Inui while Mitsuya punched Kokonoi. Takemichi charged at Taiju, who threw a punch at him.

Takemichi spat out blood, landing straight on Hakkai's face as Taiju punched Takemichi once more. Hakkai gets up he prevents Takemichi from collapsing on the ground.

"You okay, Takemitchy?" Hakkai asked.

"Yeah. Thanks, man." Takemichi replied.

Yuzuha had tears streaming down her face as Hakkai sent another punch at Taiju who blocked it and punched him back. He then punched Takemichi, who quickly regained his balance.

"I swear I'll protect Yuzuha!" Hakkai claimed as him and Takemichi charged forward at Taiju and the fighting soon resumed.

"Thank you, you guys." Yuzuha thanked them in her head.

Chifuyu heard his bones crack as he collapsed to the ground. "Damn it! My leg's messed up, Takemitchy!" He said.

Inui glances over at Ichirou, who was sitting on the edge of the wooden bench with his legs crossed. "Thanks for the help." He spoke sarcastically.

"You had him handled perfectly." Ichirou claimed as he grinned.

Kokonoi sent a kick to Mitsuya, causing him to kneel on the ground as he was trying to catch his breath.

Takemichi staggered as Hakkai caught him. "Sorry, Takemitchy. You're way past your limit, aren't you?" Hakkai questioned.

"You're a fool, Hakkai. You've ended up losing everything." Taiju said.

"Get lost, you asshole." Hakkai spat back.

"Huh?"

"I hope you learn your lesson in hell, scumbag. That'll wake you up." Hakkai retorted as Taiju snarled.

Hakkai sets Takemichi down before him and Taiju continued throwing punches at one another.

"I'm not through yet. I still haven't taken half as much as Takemitchy has. I'm not through." Hakkai claimed. "I'm not through yet!"

Hakkai heard something in the distance, making him laugh. "I'm even starting to hear things." Hakkai continued on before he gasped.

There was a faint sound of a familiar motorcycle engine in the distance, grabbing everyone's attention.

"This sound..." Chifuyu muttered.

"Mikey's CB250T." Mitsuya finished.

"Mikey-kun?" Takemichi questioned with uncertainty.

Outside, Mikey was walking up the steps of the church.

"Mikey?" Taiju repeated.

"What's Toman's boss doing here?" Kokonoi asked.

"Manjiro, huh? I wonder how much he's changed since I saw him last." Ichirou thinks to himself.

"Mikey-kun's come. Who called him? Now we're saved." Takemichi thought as he stood up. "With Mikey-kun here, we can defeat BLACK DRAGON."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Mitsuya chimed in.

"Huh?"

"We're only here because we broke the truce between Toman and BLACK DRAGON. What will Mikey think of that?" Mitsuya questioned.

Mikey then walked into the church. "Merry Christmas." He greeted as he smiled. "Just what... are you guys doing on this day?"

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A/N: Another chapter is finished! Thanks for reading!

Word Count: 1996 words.