Ayano struggled, his body listing painfully to one side, favoring the multiple bruised ribs and the deep, psychosomatic trauma inflicted by Retsu.
The single, secret needle Retsu had inserted into his spine wasn't in full effect yet, but it was enough to cause intense fatigue and instability, making every step a monumental effort.
The Saint Shinomiya school building loomed ahead, a bastion of privilege and power that currently felt impossibly distant.
Thankfully, the final bell had rung long ago, and the hallways were deserted.
Ayano couldn't bear the thought of any student—least of all his subordinates—seeing him, one of the Eight Limbs reduced to this pathetic state.
He knew, however, that the inner circle, including their boss, Matsuda Sosuke, still held court in the Principal's office.
Completely out of breath, and staggering on the brink of collapse, Ayano finally reached the door to the Principal's office—the effective headquarters of the 24th District Bully Society.
