On the way to Shijo-kawaramachi, Chongzong remembered that he should check on Yuki and Mizuo's situation.

Glancing at the time, realizing that it was already after school hours, he decided to call directly instead of sending a text message.

However, he couldn't reach Yuki and Mizuo on their phones.

Thinking about what happened today, a bad feeling surfaced in Chongzong's mind.

Without any hesitation, he immediately sped along the route Yuki and Mizuo would take home from school.

When he arrived at the alley, he saw two or three thugs seemingly surrounding two kids.

He swiftly leaped onto the wall of the alley and took down the thugs in no time.

Indeed, the surrounded ones were Yuki and Mizuo.

Upon confirming the situation, Chongzong's heart almost stopped.

He was a step too late, as Yuki's hair had already been cut at the corner.

The scattered scissors and hair on the ground made Chongzong's heart burn like a fire.

"I'm sorry I'm late..." (Chongzong)

Trembling, Chongzong hugged his two sisters, blaming himself for realizing too late that his sisters were harmed.

If he had been just a bit later, then...

"I'm okay, brother." (Yuki)

Yuki gently patted Chongzong's shoulder, sounding very relaxed, not at all like a girl who had just been bullied by thugs.

"Hair grows back quickly, it's okay." (Yuki)

"I'm also fine, Chongzong, brother." (Mizuo)

Mizuo mimicked patting Chongzong's shoulder, but her voice still trembled slightly, showing signs of panic.

"My phone is broken, but I can buy a new one, hehe." (Mizuo)

The two children bravely calmed their frightened emotions and tried to cheer up Chongzong.

Meanwhile, the three thugs that Chongzong knocked down started to regain consciousness one by one.

Sensing the movement, Chongzong immediately stood up.

"Which one of them is the leader?" (Chongzong)

"The one who had the scissors just now." (Yuki, Mizuo)

Yuki and Mizuo answered in unison, pointing to the thug that Chongzong had kicked the farthest.

"Okay." (Chongzong)

Chongzong swiftly knocked out the other two thugs first, then turned back to kick the thug leader, who was trying to get up, back down.

Initially, Chongzong, filled with remorse and anger, wanted to beat up these thugs badly. (Actually, his blows earlier were not light, just precise, not causing too much pain for the thugs to pass out)

However, Yuki and Mizuo made Chongzong calm down just now.

He realized that he couldn't resort to violence in front of them.

He couldn't become like the people he despised.

"Hey, who sent you?" (Chongzong)

Chongzong grabbed the gang leader by the collar.

If the guy didn't confess honestly, he would quietly break one of his hands, without letting Yuki Mizuo know - Chongzong thought to himself.

"It's... Kuroda." (Gangster A)

Surprisingly, this gangster had no backbone and confessed immediately.

It was that name again.

With new and old grudges piling up, Chongzong clenched his fist so tightly that his nails pierced through the skin into the flesh.

He couldn't leave Yuki and Mizuo here to go find Kuroda.

Nor could he take Yuki and Mizuo with him to find Kuroda.

Fortunately, there was someone he could rely on.

Chongzong dialed Usagi Yui's phone number.