Walking out of the main gate, Ren immediately spotted the machine that had been his partner for years.
Parked by the curb was a masterpiece of German engineering. Clad in pristine white paint, its sharp angles and massive rear wing screamed raw power. It was a mechanical beast, a predator waiting to be unleashed.
Ren walked up to the vehicle, running his hand appreciatively along the cold carbon fiber bodywork.
It was the Gumpert Apollo. A street-legal race car often referred to as the "Sun God."
He pulled open the gullwing door and slid into the low bucket seat. The cockpit was stripped down and utilitarian, focused entirely on the driving experience.
Vroom... VROOOOM...
He turned the ignition. The twin-turbocharged V8 engine erupted with a ferocious roar, shattering the tranquility of the night like a waking dragon.
"Long time no see, partner."
"Let's go, my Apollo."
Gripping the steering wheel, Ren murmured with excitement. No boy could refuse a supercar like this, and Ren was no exception.
The reason for his excursion tonight was a phone call from his father.
"Ren, our subsidiaries are holding a business banquet tonight. Go show your face. Attend as the Head of the Katsuragi Family."
"Have fun."
When Ren had told Chairman Sakayanagi to address him as the Head of the Family, his father, Retsu Katsuragi, had nearly jumped for joy at home upon hearing the news.
Every parent hopes their child will achieve greatness. Ren had long since become a dragon, but he had been hiding in the abyss.
It would be a lie to say Retsu didn't have his frustrations about this, but with the elders suppressing the situation, he couldn't do anything.
But now, it was fine. Emerging from the abyss was Ren's own decision.
The elders wouldn't object; their doting on Ren was worlds apart from how they had treated Retsu back in the day.
As for Retsu, he could finally say with pride, "My son is destined for the top."
It would be a waste not to brag to his friends about such an impressive son.
Retsu began paving the way for Ren, and tonight's banquet was the first step.
Having settled the upperclassmen in the school and lost interest in the first years for now, Ren accepted his father's proposal.
After a quick discussion, Retsu immediately had Ren's beloved car delivered to the roadside outside the school.
...
As the thunderous roar of the engine faded into the distance, two figures standing on a high building inside the school grounds finally withdrew their gazes.
"The Katsuragi family really has produced a true monster," Director Koenji sighed with a hint of envy.
Compared to the lawless, unrestrained Rokusuke Koenji in his own family, Ren Katsuragi was clearly superior.
He understood the human heart and knew how to utilize all the resources at his disposal...
Most importantly, Ren considered the family's interests in many matters.
This was something Rokusuke lacked.
Rokusuke was indeed a veritable genius, but geniuses who are too brilliant often become arrogant and self-centered.
A genius like Ren, who was brilliant yet still prioritized the family, was the true anomaly.
Director Koenji was truly envious.
"He is the Dragon. The beast recognized by all of us."
Unlike Director Koenji's envy, Director Katsuragi's eyes were filled with fanaticism.
Fanaticism for Ren.
"In the old legends of Kyoto, dragons are usually seen as guardians. But there is a rare exception—the Black Dragon. It represents darkness, pure strength, and absolute control."
"The family saw Ren as this Black Dragon. His future was decided: he would always be above everyone else, standing at the very top for his whole life."
"..."
Director Koenji couldn't understand this obsession the Katsuragi family had, so he remained silent.
...
"Hey, little lady. It's late to be out here alone. Want to go somewhere fun with me?"
A delinquent with dyed yellow hair, hands stuffed in his pockets, spoke in a sleazy tone to a little girl squatting by the roadside, her head buried in her knees.
He had been watching this little girl for a long time. With long, snowy white hair and a white dress, she looked as pure as a small flower.
She looked like a naive, sheltered girl who hadn't seen the world yet—the easiest kind to trick.
Just offer a few words of comfort at the right time, and she would follow him obediently.
The delinquent had lost count of how many times he had tricked girls like this.
The little girl didn't speak. She didn't even lift her head to acknowledge the thug in front of her.
"Is she a mute?"
The delinquent, who thought himself quite handsome, muttered when the girl didn't take the bait.
Upon reaching this conclusion, his eyes lit up, and he reached out to grab her.
A mute was even better. If she was mute, she couldn't complain or report him after he was done with her. He could discard her without any burden when he got bored.
"Hey... trash. You're making me sick..."
Ren, who had just walked out of the convenience store with a bag of candy, scratched his head helplessly.
Even in the time it took to park the car and buy candy, he encountered this kind of mess.
A delinquent targeting a stray minor on the roadside? Ren couldn't just turn a blind eye.
"Don't meddle in other people's business!"
Seeing someone interfering, the delinquent glared viciously at the source of the voice.
But as soon as he looked up, he froze.
Using his height advantage, Ren looked down at the shorter delinquent, imposing immense pressure on him.
"I-I don't want her anymore. You can have her..."
"I'm leaving right now."
Swallowing hard, the delinquent knew he was outmatched, so he cowardly chose to yield his prey to Ren.
In his eyes, Ren was just like him, eyeing this weak, easy-to-bully little mute.
Ren didn't let him off that easily. He kicked the delinquent hard in the shin. Caught off guard, the thug collapsed, kneeling directly in front of the little girl.
Ren spoke indifferently. "Apologize."
Forced by the situation, the delinquent chose to swallow his pride. "S-Sorry..."
"I can't hear you. Speak up."
Unhappy with such a perfunctory apology, Ren kicked the delinquent in the back, forcing his forehead to slam against the ground.
"I'M SORRY!"
The delinquent shouted loudly.
The gap in physique, combined with the professional efficiency of Ren's violence, filled the delinquent with fear.
He just wanted to escape this place quickly and get away from this terrifying demon.
"Scram."
Ren didn't force a sincere apology; going through the motions was enough.
Expecting a piece of trash to sincerely repent was wishful thinking.
After the delinquent scrambled away in a panic, Ren finally examined the little girl who had been harassed.
Her skin had a sickly, unnatural pallor. Her messy, white hair draped behind her, the strands looking visibly dry and brittle. In her arms, she clutched a slightly torn stuffed black rabbit.
Stare.
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