Hachiman's POV
Whoosh!!
Hachiman: "!!"
"Stop dodging!! Take it!!"
Hachiman: "Hell no!"
Damn, this guy's relentless. Pinning him down would be ideal, but he's thrashing too much. The area's clear of bystanders, which gives me some room, but he's got a knife. One slip, and I'm done.
"Huff… huff…!!"
Hachiman: "…"
Gotta find a way to stop him… No choice, I'll have to use a chokehold.
Hachiman: "Hey, one question. What's stabbing me gonna do? Will it make you feel better?"
"It will!! If I can kill you, I'll go to prison or anywhere!!"
Hachiman: "Did I do something to deserve that much hate? I just told you the truth. Trainers hitting Uma Musume? Unacceptable. Didn't they teach you that when you got your license?"
"Shut up!! That doesn't matter anymore!! I'm gonna kill you—that's it!!"
Here he comes!
"Raaaah!!"
Hachiman: "Hmph!!" grab!!
"What!? You—'Take this…!'—Gah!?"
Hachiman: "Hng!!" tighten!!
"Guh… you bastard!!"
I grabbed his arm as he lunged, threw him off balance, and locked my legs around his arm and face—a triangle choke. At the same time, I pressed a pressure point to loosen his grip on the knife.
"Guh… let… go!!"
Hachiman: "Not happening!!" tighten!!
"Gurgh!!"
Hachiman: "…CB! Where's the police!?"
CB: "Dunno! But they said they're coming fast!!"
♪~♪~
Bakushin-O: "!! That siren—it's definitely the police!!"
Rice: "Tchank goodness…"
Air Groove: "Hachiman, I'll guide them here! Hold on!!"
Hachiman: "Already am!"
"Gah… ggh…" drop
Hachiman: "!! (He dropped the knife!) Hmph!"
Can't leave a blade on him, not with it this close to me.
Minutes Later
Officer 1: "Freeze! Police!!"
Air Groove: "Over there! The one in the chokehold is our trainer!!"
Officer 2: "Got it! Let's restrain him!! Get the cuffs ready!!"
Officer 3: "Yes, sir!!"
The police took him down. Even cuffed, he kept thrashing, trying to get at me, so they threw him into the paddy wagon. I can still hear him banging on the door.
And then…
Tazuna: "Is everyone okay!?"
Rudolf: "Hachiman-kun, everyone!"
Hachiman: "Tazuna-san, Rudolf… We're fine. No injuries."
Tazuna: "Hachiman Trainer… Thank goodness. I was terrified when Mr. CB called about a man with a knife attacking you…"
Hachiman: "It was sudden. I'll likely need to go in for questioning, so I can't head back to the academy or home yet. Tazuna-san, can you escort the team back? Rudolf, you too."
Rudolf: "No reason to say no. Leave it to me!"
Tazuna: "Count on us!"
Hachiman: "Thank you."
Air Groove: "Wait! You're going alone!? I'm coming with you! It's not that I don't trust you, but your word alone might not hold. I'll back you up for the facts!"
Hachiman: "No. You're the team leader. Who'll hold the team together if you're gone? Air Groove, you're the pillar while I'm away. I trust you with them."
Air Groove: "…Understood."
Fuji: "But Hachiman Trainer-san, I agree with Air Groove. One person's testimony might not be enough. Let me go with you. How's that?"
Hachiman: "Hey, you—'It's fine. You just ran a race; I don't want to burden you.' …"
…Rice and Maurice would probably be too shaken to handle questioning. Bakushin-O saw it but might not explain it clearly. CB's a good fit, but after what I told Air Groove, it's tough to ask a senior like her… Fuji's the best choice. I'll leave the dorm to Air Groove.
Hachiman: "Alright, Fuji, come with me. Tazuna-san, Rudolf, take care of the others."
We rode in a police car to the station for questioning. I explained everything, going back to our rookie days, so it took hours—past midnight. I let Fuji sleep at my place since sending her back to the dorm late wasn't an option. Even with that guy locked up, it's safer for her to stay tonight.
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