Chapter 22 A Terrible Mistake

"Mind letting go now?" Yukio said, holding his hands up in peace, "I'm not here for a fight–promise."

A moment was taken to weigh his options before Noah finally released Yukio's throat, causing the youthful, azure-haired man to cough out before caressing his neck.

Though it was smoothly played off by the sly system wielder as he slung his arm around Noah's shoulder, "Such a prankster, man! Ha-ha!"

"Yeah…" Noah went along with it.

As such an impromptu excuse managed to work, the two walked towards an isolated, empty section of the school building as right when they turned the corner, bloodlust oozed from Noah's pores.

Yukio was quick to assure he was there in good faith, "Hey! Hey! I told you–not here for a fight, man! We both know I'd lose, anyway."

"Then what're you here for? It better be to give me some answers," Noah said, squinting at him.

"Sure thing, but I'll need to let you know a thing or two before we get down to business," Yukio told him.

"Yeah? What's that?"

"I've got a 'Dead Man's Hand' of my own in case you do try to kill me. That is, I'll make everybody in this city immune to your hypnosis–there will be no twisting everybody into your friends or hiding your misdeeds," Yukio told him, "I have authority of illusions and deception, ya know? Would be an easy task."

Such a threat was something that had weight against Noah, though it only served to anger him as he felt as though he was being blackmailed, which Yukio seemed to sense as he wore a bubbly smile quickly.

"But, hey! That's just a 'what-if' if you decide you want to off me! I'm planning on us getting along nicely, actually," Yukio told him.

Noah watched him carefully, "Why're you trying to act all 'buddy-buddy' with me now? Aren't you with the enemy? Those soldiers that attacked me yesterday–I'm certain they're affiliated with you and that other guy."

"Ah, that?...I'll tell you," Yukio grew serious.

Right before the blue-haired, youthful man could divulge such information, the morning bell rang, echoing through the halls as Yukio looked up, wearing a changed smile.

"Well, that can wait until later!" Yukio beamed.

"Hey, wait a second…this is important!" He insisted.

Yukio stuck his tongue out, waving at him as he began to take his leave, "I'll contact you later after you get out of class, alright? Just have some faith in me."

"--" He looked at the enigmatic man.

After Yukio turned a single corner, he glanced down the hall to see the mysterious man had already vanished from the premises.

Though he didn't hold an ounce of trust in the stranger affiliated with the enemy, it was the only potential source of information he had.

'I'll go along with it for now. If he ends up trying to play me, I'll crush him,' he thought.

Class proceeded as usual, though he was antsy after being surprise attacked on multiple occasions now. He found himself continuously looking out of the windows, hardly paying much attention to class. In the scope of his abilities and what was out there, it felt so minuscule, especially considering the strength in the palm of his hands.

"Hey, are you feeling alright?" Emily whispered to him, seated beside him.

He had been staring outside the window, tapping his pen against his desk repeatedly for some odd minutes, only taken out of his thoughts from her words as he gave her a reassuring smile.

"Yeah, I'm fine–just slept the wrong way," he laughed it off.

"Oh…I see. Well, you should make up for the rest you lost when you get home," Emily smiled.

"Yeah, I'll do that," he nodded.

–

Nothing of note happened during school, though it was partly due to him actively avoiding others while his mind was plagued by thoughts and paranoia. It felt as though there was a third-party, lurking and watching his every move–the elusive "Sentinel" organization.

As he walked home casually like any other day, he was hyper aware of his surroundings, waiting for Yukio to show himself, either for his promised alliance or for an ambush–either way, he was prepared to respond.

'I just want answers already. Maybe they know more about this 'system' stuff, too,' he thought.

While passing a corner mostly occupied by old stores, mainly local businesses that were dying out, it was a less affluent part of town, resulting in no-good thugs loitering around.

He didn't even take notice of the thugs that intruded in his path, waiting by a dark alleyway as he passed by, being stopped as one of them got directly in front of him.

"--" He looked up at the man.

The tan-skinned man with blonde cornrows huffed from a cigarette, blowing the smoke directly into his face, "Hey, we've got somethin' to show ya'--c'mon."

It was an obvious, thinly-veiled trap that was crystal clear by the smug, malicious grin present on the man's face. Behind him, a pair of thugs were blocking him from moving back.

As he was already not in the best of moods, he went along, as the secretive nature of the alleyway was beneficial to him, too.

"Sure," he said coldly.

Thinking they just snatched 'easy' prey, the thugs laughed, giving each other looks that were hardly secretive in their flimsy plan.

The sophomore simply walked into the alleyway, cracking his knuckles before turning to face the trio of hoodlums that now blocked the entrance to the grimy, repugnant alley.

"Drop all yer' shit right now," the tan-skinned, blonde one in the red basketball jersey demanded, pulling out a pocket knife.

"Dumbass," the bulkier, brown-skinned one added with a laugh.