I'm Alone In This Apocalypse Vault With 14 Girls?

The horizontal slash nearly grazed Jin, who dodged it smoothly like a leaf caught in a breeze. His hair danced in the wind created by the blade that just skimmed by him.

Kenji came in with a straight thrust, but Jin blocked it with his diagonally held bokken, sending the strike harmlessly away from his shoulder.

*CLACK-THWACK-CRACK!*

The two fighters were causing quite a scene in the courtyard. Kenji was going all out, swinging his wooden sword like crazy and putting everything he had into each hit. But after a while, he started to feel worn out and frustrated, and he was running out of breath.

"ORAAA!" he bellowed, channeling all his strength into a series of overhead attacks.

Jin could totally read Kenji's moves with every wild swing he took, dodging just enough to stay out of reach. Instead of just trying to block, he figured out where Kenji was aiming and smoothly deflected his thrusts.

He kept cool throughout, barely stirring the gravel under his feet as he moved easily from side to side. His bokken felt like his personal shield, and he moved like he was gliding.

Every time Kenji swung hard, Jin would parry just right, using Kenji's own force to push the blade off course. The sounds of their sparring filled the otherwise quiet courtyard, mixed with Kenji's heavy breathing.

"Stand and fight, coward!" Kenji yelled in frustration, his anger boiling over. Sweat soaked his neatly styled hair as he gasped for breath. No matter how much he tried, he couldn't land a single clean hit on Jin, feeling as though he were striking at water.

"I am not your enemy, Tanaka-san," Jin responded calmly, despite his own body coiling with readiness.

The words only fueled Kenji's rage. "Don't you dare mock me!" he shouted, steeling himself for one final, powerful attack.

He poured all his anger and pride into a powerful strike straight at Jin's core. This time, he wasn't playing games—just pure, unstoppable force.

"RAAAHHHHH!"

The strike was fierce enough to break bones, and if it landed, it would decisively end the fight. But as it came crashing down, Jin felt that familiar sensation—time slowing, his senses sharpened, allowing him to trace the attack's trajectory as clearly as if it were drawn in the air.

This time, Jin didn't simply defend. As Kenji's bokken lunged forward, Jin shifted slightly to the side, letting the thrust glide harmlessly past his ear in a swift, fluid motion. He didn't aim to strike Kenji himself. Instead, at just the right angle and moment, his bokken arced upward in a precise diagonal cut, blocking Kenji's downward strike.

*CRACK!*

Both of their arms shuddered from the impact, but Jin's technique proved superior. Kenji's bokken flew from his grip, spinning through the air before landing ten feet away with a dull

*THUNK*

But Jin wasn't done yet. He kept moving his bokken, the tip hovering gently near Kenji's neck, so close that a drop of sweat ran down the wooden side and dripped onto Kenji's throat.

The courtyard was totally quiet.

Kenji stood there, frozen, his eyes wide in disbelief. For the first time in their duel, his cocky attitude slipped away, and he was panting heavily from tiredness.

He looked like a seventeen-year-old kid just starting to realize how big and complicated life really is.

"Are you alright, Tanaka-san?" Jin asked softly, genuine concern in his voice.

Kenji's face flushed with a mix of anger and embarrassment. He harshly shoved Jin's offered hand away and stormed off without uttering another word, his friends scuttling to collect his bokken, keeping their heads low and silent.

As Kael watched him leave, his shoulders sagged. Despite having triumphed in the spar, he didn't feel victorious. All he had wanted was peace, but it felt like he had only deepened the conflict. With a heavy sigh, he reflected on the situation.

A soft voice cut through the chatter of the crowd.

"He did it again after his match with Park Jimin," murmured Lucien Moreau, fiddling with the cybernetic device tucked behind his left ear. A flicker of data danced across his lenses. "No wasted motion… his balance is something else entirely."

Arjun Kapoor crossed his arms tightly and gave a slow nod. "That's… impressive."

Mina Saito, standing nearby, wore an unreadable expression as she adjusted her bokken on her shoulder, eyes fixed intently on Jin without blinking.

"His center of gravity stayed stable," she observed quietly. "Even while he was defending."

Ayane Nakamura stood near the garden stairs, clutching her tablet with wide eyes. "That was… incredible," she whispered to herself.

Students nearby were whispering among themselves. Some watched with admiration, others seemed a bit uneasy, and a few were clearly feeling jealous.

Where Kenji had just been, Jin gave a little bow to that empty spot before putting his wooden sword on the rack and blending back into the crowd, moving along as if nothing had happened.

The afternoon sun was casting a warm glow on the glass buildings, signaling that classes would be starting up again soon. The hallways were already buzzing with lively chatter.

As students in their uniforms filled the corridors of the Yamashiro Institute, the talk shifted to holo-diplomacy competitions, simulation scores, and stock prices—all connected to Kael.

Wandering through the crowd of students and glass-fronted lecture halls, soft whispers trailed behind him. Their hushed tones, slightly muffled by coffee cups and earpieces, weren't loud or mean-spirited at all.

"Was that really just a wooden sword?"

"He didn't even swing that hard…"

"Did you see Tanaka? He's still shaking!"

"Where did he learn to fight like this?"

Jin kept walking, his school bag slung over one shoulder, deliberately avoiding eye contact. He felt awkward about the attention he hadn't sought, but not because he was ashamed.

He was halfway down the spiral corridor when someone matched his pace.

"Jin-kun," came a familiar voice, warm but cautious.

He turned to find Ayane Nakamura with her shoulder-length black hair in a low ponytail, her expression a blend of relief and mild reproach.

"Oh… Nakamura-san," he replied with an awkward smile. "Good afternoon."

"Good?" she shot back, surprised. "You just sparred with one of the top students here, and you greet me like you just woke up?"

Jin rubbed the back of his neck, feeling flustered. "I-I didn't want to fight, honestly. I didn't have a choice…"

Ayane stopped in front of him, her frown gentle but firm. "You were incredible. But are you okay? He insulted your mother."

At the mention of it, Jin's demeanor shifted.

"I'm fine," he replied softly. "I just… couldn't let that slide. Not about her."

Ayane watched him intently. He still seemed like Jin—his kind demeanor, that slightly big blazer, his genuine, bright eyes, and the small scratches on his knuckles. But for a quick moment back in the courtyard, he felt like a totally different person.

"You really don't realize how intimidating you can be when you get serious, do you?" she remarked, crossing her arms.

Jin blinked in surprise. "Intimidating?"

Ayane smiled, a mix of affection and exasperation. "It's not a bad thing. Just… don't lose that softness, alright?"

He looked away, feeling a slight blush creep onto his cheeks. "I don't think I could, even if I tried."

She nudged him playfully with her elbow. "Come on, hero. Class is starting soon. If we're late, Sensei Kuroda will make us do hand calisthenics while going over quantum harmonics."

Jin groaned. "Ugh… I'd rather face Tanaka again."

As they walked side by side, their conversation began to lighten the atmosphere, even as more sets of curious eyes followed Jin's retreating figure.