Cherreads

Chapter 17 - From Broken to Unbreakable

Two hours after the chaotic battlefield match…

After that legendary ass-whooping, I headed back to class. Teacher was yapping, but my focus was elsewhere... Kiba. Dude looked like he was simultaneously planning a revenge arc and crying internally. Scary stuff.

MC (thinking): "Hope this works..."

School ends. I zoom out of that class like the Flash and shout—

MC: "YO, KIBS!"

Kiba turns around.

Kiba (dead inside): "...What?"

Okay damn. That tone was chillier than an ice demon with emotional trauma.

MC (smiling nervously): "I need to talk to ya. Spare me a few minutes, man?"

Kiba stares at me. I swear, I heard boss battle music. Then he nods. We start walking.

MC (thinking): "Shhii... this MF is scary right now. His aura screams 'I've seen things.'"

After a few minutes, we pass by the courtyard, and—bingo! There she is.

MC: "Yo, Koneko!"

She turns her head like a suspicious cat.

Koneko: "What?"

She spots Kiba and raises a brow, clearly concerned.

MC (thinking): "For someone who acts like she doesn't care, she's kinda sweet... probably hides cookies in her sleeves."

MC: "Hey, can you help me with something real quick?"

Koneko: "What do you need?"

MC: "Wanna show Kiba something, and I need you to assist."

She glances at Kiba, then nods.

MC (grinning): "Great! To the back of the school we go, warriors!"

We arrive at the deserted back courtyard.

MC: "Koneko, stand here. Kiba, watch closely. This will be legendary."

MC: "Okay Koneko, now punch my stom—"

BOOM.

I don't even finish my sentence. She gut-checks me so hard, my ancestors felt it.

MC: "UUUGHHH!"

I collapse on the ground.

MC (twitching): "Damn... that hurt like taxes."

Kiba blinks.

Kiba: "What are you planning?"

MC (wheezing): "Give me... a sec..."

I rise, barely, like a zombie on vacation. Koneko just smirks.

MC (thinking): "Smug little muffin... oh you're gonna regret that."

MC: "Alright. Hit me again."

Kiba and Koneko (together): "What?!"

Koneko: "Are you... a masochist?"

MC: "HELL NO. Just do it."

She squints at me like I owe her money but does it again.

WHAM!

This time, I don't even budge.

Koneko: "Huh?"

Suddenly she winces.

Koneko: "Owowowowow!! My hand!"

She jumps back, waving her hand like she just punched a steel wall.

MC (grinning): "Not so smug now, huh?"

I was mocking her, as I laughed

Suddenly—

Koneko (POW): "DON'T GET COCKY!"

Uppercut. I go airborne like a Looney Tune.

Moments later, I'm sitting next to Kiba, chin swollen like a balloon animal.

MC: "So… did you see what I did there?"

Kiba: "...No."

MC: "It's a technique that lets you harden your body and weapons. Like armor, but cooler. I call it... Haki."

Kiba and Koneko both look at me like I just summoned Excalibur.

Koneko: "So you came here just to flex?"

MC: "Nah. I wanna teach Kiba."

Kiba: "...You're gonna teach me?"

MC: "Yep."

Kiba (shocked): "Why...?"

MC (grinning): "Because you're my friend."

Kiba's eyes widen. He starts to shake slightly. I see a tear sneak out.

He wipes his face and smiles.

Kiba: "...Thank you."

MC (patting his back): "No problem, my G."

Koneko (softly): "You're not bad. For a weirdo."

MC (smiling): "Aww, you do care."

Training Arc: 3 Days Later

Kiba's been grinding like a Souls player in New Game+. I'm watching him from a shady tree.

MC: "C'mon dude… almost there."

Suddenly, it happens.

Kiba's arm turns black. His sword glows like it's dipped in spiritual Monster Energy.

MC: "YOU DID IT!"

Kiba: "I DID IT!"

He leap up.

Kiba: "I. DID. ITTTTT!!"

I leap up too.

MC: "HELLS YA DUDE!!"

Then we jumped at the same time.

We bro-hug like it's the end of a sports anime.

Then Kiba faints mid-hug.

MC (catching him): "Bro? You good? Bro??"

He's out cold, but smiling.

MC (grinning): "Damn right you are."

I give him a piggyback ride, then pause.

MC: "Wait... where does this MF even live?"

I think real hard.

MC: "C'mon brain… you read the manga. Where's his dorm? WHERE?!"

Nothing.

MC: "Screw it. You're crashing at my place, bro. (As friends.)"

I toss him gently on my bed like he's a sacred sword. I sit on the couch, exhausted.

MC (thinking): "He did it. And me too. You think I just sat there like a bum while he trained? Nah. I was grinding too."

I stretch, then breathe in. Suddenly, pink aura envelops me. Advanced Armament Haki.

MC (smiling): "Hells. Freakin'. Ya."

I lay down. The world fades to black. My thoughts?

MC: "Day 3 of Operation Kiba Glow-Up: Complete... not like he needed it."

Scene: A few days later, in front of the school gates

The sun was doing its thing—warm, golden, peaceful. I was chilling outside the school gates, soaking it in like I was getting paid for it.

MC (thinking): "Nice day... but boring as hell."

Suddenly, the squad pulls up.

Enter: Issei, Koneko, Asia (aka: The beautiful angel), Kiba... and wait—Saji?

MC (thinking): "Huh? Saji? Ohhh right. Forgot that dude tags along sometimes in the manga."

Issei walks up with the swagger of a man who just discovered a new pair of oppai.

Issei: "YO, LEV! My bro!"

MC (grinning): "What's up, Hentai King?"

Cue reactions:

Kiba bites his lip, looking away.

Koneko snorts.

Saji starts laughing like a madman.

Asia is physically trembling from trying not to giggle.

Issei (deadpan): "...I don't like that nickname."

MC (grinning wider): "Too bad. That's yours now. Trademark pending."

They stare at each other like two anime rivals about to clash over snack rights.

Issei (sighing): "Okay, I'll deal with that emotional trauma later. For now... let's go."

MC (thinking): "Didn't even ask where. Didn't need to. I read the manga. I knew."

After a few hours the fight had begun.

MC is chilling, casually perched on a rooftop like a low-budget Batman.

Below, chaos.

Kiba, Issei, and Saji are in the middle of an intense fight against one of the most stubborn cockroaches in fiction.

Freed. That greasy, anime-wannabe psychopath. I've whooped his ass twice already, and he keeps crawling back like expired leftovers.

Freed is laughing like the Joker with caffeine withdrawal.

Freed (mocking): "You really think you can stop me? I'm built different, baby!"

He lunges at Kiba.

Now in the manga, this is where Kiba's sword should've broken like a cheap chopstick... but not this time.

Kiba's sword turns black—shimmering with Armament Haki.

Freed (blinking): "HUH?!"

Kiba (calmly): "Not today, freak."

CLANG! He blocks Freed's strike.

Freed tries to retreat like a rat after seeing a slipper, but—

Saji (grinning): "Nope. Stay put, freak."

Saji activates his Sacred Gear and locks Freed in place.

MC (stretching on the rooftop): "Aaaand now... showtime."

Kiba (yelling): "HRAAAHH!"

SLASH!

Freed is cut deep. He coughs blood like he just ate spicy ramen with a side of disrespect.

Freed: "GHHH—YOU LITTLE—!"

Before he can spit another insult, things get... weird.

A man steps into the battlefield. Pale robes. Creepy aura. Looks like someone photoshopped a pope onto a haunted doll.

MC (thinking): "Oh great. Boss battle music intensifies."

Kiba (furious): "VALPER GALILEI!"

Valper smirks like a man who reads villain quotes off fortune cookies.

Valper: "How pathetic. Beaten by mere devils."

Then—POOF! Dude vanishes like a plot hole.

Xenovia and Irina appear, weapons drawn.

Xenovia: "STOP HIM!"

Irina: "He got away again—dammit!"

Kiba clenches his fists. Xenovia cured. Issei looks like he just saw a man steal his entire harem.

Then someone speaks.

Saji (confused): "Um... guys?"

Saji(looking around): "Where's Levi?"

They all stop.

Pan around.

Empty rooftop.

Kiba: "He was literally just there—"

Meanwhile - Unknown Location

Valper is in a dark room with evil villain lighting.

Valper (smirking): "Time to set my plans in motion..."

Knock knock.

Valper: "Who the hell—?"

He opens the door.

MC (grinning like a demon with a secret): "Fouuund youuuu~~"

Valper's eyes widened, then screamed so Loud he sounded like a girl.

Valper(Screaming):AHHHHHH!!!"

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