"Huh? In a time like this, there's still school bullying? Fushiguro-sensei, please wait here for a moment."
After seeing everything, Todo's face hardened. He apologized to Mukuro beside him, then boldly pushed through the crowd and strode toward the entrance.
At the mall entrance.
"So what, sneaking looks at Tsubasa at school isn't enough anymore? Now you're even skipping class to come to Takada's meet and greet event? Just in time, Tsubasa also wants to see…"
Three boys and one girl stood in a loose circle. Even though they were wearing school uniforms, their words and behavior were more like low-level street thugs.
They spoke harshly as they surrounded the boy in the middle with hostile looks, who was trying to get away.
People nearby followed the rule of 'less trouble is better.' They kept their distance and chose to ignore the boy's helpless gaze.
Getting involved in disputes between underage students could lead to serious trouble.
Besides, Takada's handshake event was right in front of them. Causing a scene would be a hassle.
On top of that, since the argument was still outside the mall, the security staff who should have been there were already assigned inside the mall to maintain order for the event.
"This ticket was bought by my mom…"
The boy's body trembled, but he tightly covered the pocket of his jacket. Inside was the ticket to Takada's meet and greet event.
At first, he instinctively didn't want to resist. He was afraid they would beat him again.
But this ticket was something his mother had specially bought to cheer him up.
She heard people say that if one shook hands with the idol Takada, one's luck would improve.
She wanted her son's life to be smooth, just like his name. She wanted his future to be steady and bright.
"So what if your mom bought it? This counts as compensation for offending us. Compensation, got it?!"
The leader of the group didn't care about his words at all. He reached out, trying to grab the ticket from the boy's pocket.
"I won't give it to you!"
'Someone, please help me…'
Although he knew no one would help, the boy still stubbornly refused.
But no matter how much he resisted, the outcome would likely be the same. He would get beaten and then robbed.
"Huh?"
The student acted like he heard a joke. Seeing the boy clutching his pocket, he swung his fist, just like he always did when bullying him at school.
"I said, what do you think you're doing?"
The raised fist was suddenly caught by a larger and much stronger hand, completely unable to move.
The group turned around.
Todo's tall frame and serious expression stood before them.
"Who the… who are you? Do we even know you?"
The student whose fist was grabbed wanted to curse, but when he saw those thick muscles, he swallowed his words.
"As a fan of Takada-chan and her future husband, I absolutely won't allow anyone who comes to her meet and greet event to be bullied in front of me!"
Todo never considered people like them worthy of equal conversation or friendship. There was no need to give his name.
Then, without any shame, he shouted it out in front of everyone.
"..."
The four students, the boy being surrounded, and even the nearby crowd pretending nothing was happening all fell into silence.
Todo's sense of justice earned respect, but his words about Takada…
Never before had they seen someone so shameless.
"Huh?"
The students were stunned. This reason was beyond anything they expected.
"Um, we're also Takada's fans—"
"Shut up!"
The only girl among them tried to speak, but Todo cut her off sharply.
"Don't stain Takada-chan's name."
He glared at her like he wanted to devour her.
A terrifying pressure poured out like a wave, making her legs go weak. She collapsed to the ground with a thud.
Crack, crack.
"Ah! It hurts! It hurts! Let go!"
Because of his anger, Todo's grip tightened without him noticing, and the sound of bones cracking rang out.
The student whose fist was held felt as if his hand were trapped in a giant clamp that kept squeezing tighter and tighter.
He dropped to one knee and desperately slapped at Todo's arm, which was thick and hard like steel bars, letting out painful groans.
But those frantic strikes meant nothing to Todo. It was like a mosquito trying to bite through a rhino's hide. No matter how hard it tried, it could not do a thing.
"Let go! Let go right now! If you don't, we… we're calling the police!"
The two boys beside him wanted to rush over and pry Todo's hand open. But when they saw the bulging veins and muscles on his arm, they trembled and did not dare move.
They were used to bullying others at school and picking on honest people in society. They had never faced someone like this head on.
In the end, the only solution they could think of was the police, the very thing they usually looked down on.
"Um… thank you for helping me. But if they call the police, you'll get into trouble…"
The boy with the long bangs experienced being helped in such a situation for the first time in his life.
He had never thanked anyone before, and now he stumbled over words he was not used to saying.
He did not want a good person like this to get into trouble because of him.
Maybe his mom was right. Maybe Takada really could bring people good luck…
"Todo, let go."
Mukuro's voice came from behind.
"Got it."
Todo released his grip.
The boy who had been struggling finally got what he wanted, but the sudden release and the force from his backward pull sent him flying. He crashed to the ground, rolled several times, then clutched his wrist and could not get back up from the pain.
The hand that had been squeezed was now twisted and deformed, every finger bent unnaturally, like a sheet of paper torn out of a notebook and crumpled into a ball.
"That's insane strength…"
Everyone present was shocked at the sight of the hand.
"Run!"
Coming to their senses, the other two boys grabbed their injured companions and tried to flee the mall, which now felt like hell.
"Wait!"
Todo spoke again.
All four froze in place, shaking.
"If I ever see you doing this again, this will be the result! And don't ever pretend to be Takada-chan's fans again!"
He pointed at the injured hand and warned them with a stern face.
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