Three Days Later… January 8
???? POV
This boy has something special. His injuries should take a normal person at least a month to heal. Based on my experience, he should've needed two weeks… yet his healing keeps accelerating. It's as if his body is getting used to the process. At this rate, he'll be fully healed by the end of the week.
I reach for the claw‑shaped object hanging from my neck.
With a body like this… I wonder if he can learn Chi.
The thought tugs at my curiosity enough to act. I place the Dragon's Claw on his chest. While he's in this comatose state, his dormant Chi should be at its most malleable.
With this artifact, his body should learn to draw upon Chi more easily, making future training far smoother.
Recover quickly, my student. Once you awaken, I'll make a warrior out of you.
Denji POV
The empty void.
No clear thoughts form here — just like when I last died. But this time, I'm not dead. I can feel an energy, thick and viscous, full of life, slowly moving throughout the void.
And just like before, all my hidden desires start clawing their way out. Especially that sick, twisted desire I've kept locked away.
But this time… there's something new.
A craving.
The thrill of dancing the tango with death — sharpening my body and spirit. The way every thought narrows down to one instinct:
Hit harder. Be harder.
.
.
.
Bump
.
.
.
My heartbeat.
.
.
.
Bump
.
.
.
It's so loud.
.
.
.
That thick energy starts flowing smoother.
.
.
.
Bump
.
.
.
Every beat pushes the energy farther and faster.
.
.
.
Bump. Bump. Bump.
.
.
.
My heartbeat drowns my consciousness in its rhythm.
7 Days Since the Fight
I wake up to see a man with faded red hair watching me. He approaches slowly, removes the claw necklace from my chest, and puts it back on.
???: "How are you feeling, young man? My name is Richard — or as you can call me, sensei."
He looks at me like a man who just pulled the rarest Pokémon card in existence.
Denji: "What do you mean, sensei? And where am I?"
I look around. I'm in an apartment. Nothing unusual — which is strange, considering my last memory was clocking Killer Croc in the back of the head.
Richard: "It's simple. I saw your potential in that fight and decided to take you as my student. As for where you are — this is my apartment."
Watching him closely, I notice the signs: controlled breathing, silent steps, perfect posture. He's trained — extremely well. But that alone doesn't tell me how strong he really is. Still, if he wanted me dead, he had plenty of time while I was unconscious.
Denji: "I'll accept on one condition. Spar me. I see no reason to call you sensei unless you can prove you're capable of teaching me."
Richard nods and leads me to his gym room. We both take our stances.
I charge at him — no quirk, just raw stats and technique — and get absolutely demolished.
Every punch redirected and countered. Every kick avoided and punished. Every attempt at grappling ends with me locked and tapping out.
The one time I use Hardening, he sends something — that same living energy I felt in the void — straight into my body and shatters my Hardening from the inside.
Denji: "You're very skilled, sensei. I look forward to learning from you. Just one question… what was that energy you used? I felt something similar while I was knocked out."
Richard Mutters: "You felt Chi? That shouldn't be possible. It requires a meditative state with full attention. Even if your body used Chi unconsciously with the claws help, you shouldn't remember it."
All I can think is:
Occlumency for the win — saving all mental activity to my library.