The final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day. Students poured out of their classrooms, eager to leave behind the tedious lectures and assignments. Among them, however, was one person who wasn't heading home just yet—Ryner. His footsteps were steady as he walked down the dimly lit hallway, his hands clenched into fists.
"It's time," he thought to himself.
He had spent the entire day mentally preparing for this moment. It wasn't just about revenge for himself anymore—it was about standing up for Shimoya and every other student who had suffered under Tyler's rule. He wasn't going to back down.
As Ryner turned the corner into the courtyard, he spotted Tyler standing near the back gate, phone in hand. The tall delinquent had an irritated look on his face as he repeatedly called one of his goons, but no one was answering.
"Damn it, where the hell are those idiots?" Tyler muttered under his breath, pacing back and forth. He had ordered his lackeys to meet him right after school, but not a single one of them had shown up.
That's when Ryner made his move.
"What's the matter, Tyler? You look lonely."
Tyler turned around at the sound of Ryner's voice. His eyes widened slightly, but the surprise quickly turned into amusement as he sneered.
"Well, well, look who's still walking after the beating I gave him. Should've known you'd come back for more."
Ryner smirked. "Yeah? Funny, I was about to say the same thing to you. But something's off today. Where are your little lapdogs? Did they finally get sick of kissing your ass?"
Tyler's grin faltered slightly, his grip on his phone tightening.
"Tch. Don't need them to deal with trash like you."
"Good," Ryner said, stepping closer. "Because I'd rather fight you one-on-one. Or are you too much of a coward to fight without backup?"
Tyler's smirk vanished, replaced with a dangerous glare.
"You little—!"
Without waiting, Tyler lunged at Ryner, swinging a powerful right hook. Ryner ducked just in time, the force of the punch whizzing past his ear. Wasting no time, he countered with a sharp jab to Tyler's ribs, causing the bully to grunt in pain.
A small crowd of students gathered around them, drawn by the commotion. Some of them were kids who had been bullied by Tyler before. They whispered among themselves, shocked that someone was finally standing up to him.
"Is Ryner really fighting Tyler?"
"He's crazy! No one's ever beaten Tyler before!"
"Yeah, but look—he's actually holding his own!"
Among them, standing invisibly at the edge of the crowd, was Rita. She watched in silence, her expression unreadable.
"Come on, Ryner. You can do this."
Tyler, now furious, cracked his knuckles. "You got lucky. Let's see you dodge this!"
He charged forward and threw a barrage of punches, aiming for Ryner's face and torso. Ryner blocked most of them, but a sudden uppercut slipped through his defense, sending him stumbling back.
Tyler laughed. "Not so tough now, huh?"
Ryner wiped the blood from the corner of his lip. "That all you got?"
Before Tyler could react, Ryner lunged forward, dodging to the side and delivering a swift kick to Tyler's knee, making him buckle. Without missing a beat, Ryner drove his fist into Tyler's stomach, knocking the wind out of him.
Tyler gasped, doubling over in pain. Ryner didn't stop there. He followed up with a brutal punch to Tyler's jaw, sending him sprawling onto the ground.
The crowd gasped.
"He's winning!"
"No way! Someone actually took down Tyler!"
Tyler groaned as he lay on the ground, stunned. He tried to push himself up, but his arms trembled from the pain. Ryner stood over him, breathing heavily but victorious.
"You're done, Tyler." Ryner said, his voice firm. "You're not going to lay a hand on me, Shimoya, or anyone else ever again."
For a moment, Tyler looked up at him, his usual arrogance gone. There was something else in his eyes now—humiliation. Defeat.
Then, to everyone's shock, he lowered his head and spat on the ground.
"Tch… whatever."
It was over.
The crowd erupted into cheers. Students who had once feared Tyler were now celebrating Ryner's victory. Some of them rushed up to him, clapping him on the back.
"That was amazing, Ryner!"
"You actually beat him! I can't believe it!"
"Thank you! That guy has been tormenting us for years!"
Ryner looked around at the smiling faces. It was surreal. For so long, he had been the one taking punches, the one hiding in the shadows. But now, he was standing tall, surrounded by people who saw him as their hero.
And through it all, Rita watched from a distance, a small smile forming on her lips.
"You did it, Ryner. You really did it."
She had wanted to step in and help him, to use her ghostly powers to tip the scales in his favor, but she didn't. She knew this was something he needed to do himself. And now, watching the joy in his eyes, she knew she had made the right choice.
As Ryner turned away from the defeated Tyler, he felt lighter—like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders.
This wasn't just about winning a fight.
It was about taking control of his life.
And for the first time in a long time… he felt truly free.