The mohawked punk was seething with rage—but the memory of Dou Tang's terrifying strength, that single bone-shattering punch, made his entire body twitch.
In the end, he climbed obediently onto his bike. "Damn bastard… you'll regret this soon enough."
Pedestrians instinctively stepped aside, clearing the road for the line of bōsōzoku bikes as Dou Tang quietly pulled out a mask and slipped it over his face.
Then he crossed his arms, straightened his back, and sat upright on the back seat like a dignified boss being chauffeured around.
To any onlooker, it didn't look like he'd been taken hostage—it looked like the gang was escorting him with reverence.
Eight motorcycles revved their engines in unison and roared off toward the west side of Ikebukuro.
Curious, Dou Tang asked,
"So where are we going? Aren't you guys local to Ikebukuro?" The mohawked youth sneered.
"We came from downtown Tokyo! You think we're settling this in your turf? Hell no! We'll teach you a lesson first—then drag your sorry ass through the streets for everyone to see!"
Dou Tang arched a brow.
"That's… pretty over the top."
Seriously? In this day and age, these idiots still didn't know what law enforcement was? Still—maybe that was fine. If they were that clueless, he wouldn't have to hold back.
That earlier punch—full force, no hesitation—had already told him what kind of people they
were.
Of course, what he didn't realize was that the punch had already scared them half to death.
As for Huaiyin and Kume Chinatsu, he wasn't worried at all.
It wasn't even dark yet, so no spirits would appear—and Huaiyin's Candy Bean guardians
were practically indestructible. Ordinary humans wouldn't stand a chance.
Not long after the bōsōzoku left, however, the two girls emerged from the shop. "Huaiyin-chan! Kiryu-kun's been taken!"
Kume Chinatsu's voice quivered, panic written all over her face.
Huaiyin glanced at the pile of shopping bags on the table, then turned calmly to the clerk. "Excuse me, could we leave these here for a while?"
The clerk nodded quickly.
Kume Chinatsu spun around in disbelief.
"Huaiyin-chan! Did you even hear me?! Kiryu-kun's been taken away!" After neatly setting their bags aside, Huaiyin smiled faintly.
"No need to panic, Kume-senpai. I'm sure my brother will be fine."
A bunch of ordinary humans? Threaten him?
She didn't believe it for a second.
Kume Chinatsu shook her head frantically.
"No, no, no! I mean, Kiryu-kun's strong, sure—but still! We have to call the police!" Without hesitation, she pulled out her phone—
but instead of dialing 110, she called her father.
Detective Kume Ryuuichi, just about to clock out for the night, smiled when his daughter's name lit up his screen.
It had been a while since she'd called.
"Chinatsu! What's up? Daddy's heading home—how about a movie tonight?" "Dad! My friend's been taken by a bōsōzoku!"
"What?!"
"I'm in a shopping mall near Ikebukuro—Kiryu-kun might be in danger!"
Ryuuichi froze.
Images flooded his head at once.
Bōsōzoku? What kind of "friend" gets mixed up with a biker gang?
Was he a delinquent? Didn't she say she was going to a study group today? Wait—she was hanging out with a boy?! On her day off?!
My precious daughter's fallen in with a thug?!
Ryuuichi's forehead vein bulged as righteous fury flared.
"What?! That kid named Kiryu—where is he?! I'll teach him a lesson myself!" "Dad! What are you even talking about?!" Kume Chinatsu yelped.
"Kiryu-kun's the victim! Some gang called Onigashima said he's their enemy—they
came and dragged him off!"
Nearby, Huaiyin raised an eyebrow.
Victim?
She looked around the shop—shattered glass glittered under the lights, streaked with blood.
A twisted steel pipe lay nearby, dented inward with what looked suspiciously like a fist-shaped crater.
You call that a victim?
…Well, if she says so.
Ryuuichi finally regained his composure.
"Onigashima… that's the gang from Saitama, right? I heard they were planning a big ride through Tokyo tonight. What are they doing in Ikebukuro?"
Ikebukuro was west of central Tokyo, and every time these gangs gathered, the police mobilized quickly.
But they were slippery—always changing routes mid-ride.
Just like tonight.
Hundreds of motorcycles had set off from Saitama, supposedly heading downtown. Everyone assumed Onigashima planned to stir up trouble in Shibuya or Shinjuku.
But in reality, their main pack was cutting straight through the city—aiming to raise hell in Ikebukuro instead.
Normally, "raise hell" just meant illegal racing. Traffic cops could handle that.
But kidnapping someone? That turned it into a criminal case—violent assault and abduction. "Dad, I'm here with Kiryu-kun's sister at the mall. What should we do?"
Ryuuichi thought quickly.
"First, stay put and keep safe. If the gang targeted him, his sister might be in danger too. Send me your location—I'll drive over right now and pick you both up."
"Tell Kiryu-kun's sister not to worry. Trust the police—we'll get him back safely." That reassurance finally gave Kume Chinatsu a sliver of peace.
But when she turned around, she saw Huaiyin sitting casually in a chair, one leg crossed over
the other, sipping milk tea.
Not a single trace of worry on her face.
At her feet—broken glass and that dented steel pipe.
…How were both of these siblings so calm?! Hanging up, she said,
"Huaiyin-chan, don't worry—my dad's a police officer. He'll be here soon to pick us up, and the police will go rescue Kiryu-kun."
Huaiyin smiled gently.
"Don't worry, Kume-senpai. I'm fine—and my brother will be fine too."
Because in her mind, no human threat could hurt Kiryu Dou Tang anymore. Not unless it came from something far beyond the mortal world.
Kume Chinatsu nodded slowly. Seeing Huaiyin so composed, her own panic eased. She sat beside her, gathering her courage.
"Huaiyin-chan, earlier I heard those bikers say Kiryu-kun was their enemy. Why would he have a grudge with a bōsōzoku?"
Huaiyin thought for a moment.
"My brother… used to be a delinquent. He liked street racing. And fighting."
"Really?!" Kume Chinatsu gasped. "But—he seems so calm now! Maybe a little scary, but still a good person. Why would he become a delinquent?"
Huaiyin pouted slightly.
"If I had to say… back then, he met the wrong people. Made a mistake. He kind of gave up on himself after that.
But now… now he's completely different."
Her words faded, her voice softening—eyes dimming just a little.
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