Taka just failed at an attempt for romance with Shigure. However, he is determined to not give up.

Chapter 10

Taking down the trio!

Kensei and Sakaki had a fun time once they got back, making fun of him saying stuff like better luck next time and told you so. Taka grunted angrily and began punching the post like Sakaki told him to when he was mad. Miyako laughed hard once she saw this and was relieved that her brother didn't get anywhere with the big boobed lady.

Kenichi and Miu got back half an hour after Taka did and they were quite upset as well. Taka asked what was wrong and Kenichi explained that they were attacked by Ragnarok thugs once they got to the movies.

"Seriously?" Taka replied surprised, "How'd it go?"

"We beat them." Kenichi said punching the pole on the other side, "But still. Those guys are getting aggressive."

"Tell me about it." Taka said devising a plan in his head.

The next day at school he met Nijima at school with a plan. He asked him to look for information on the technique trio so he could fight them. Later that day after school Taka went with Kenichi while they were supposed to be practicing a kung fu punching technique for Kensei. They were told to walk around town swinging their arms to make their punches faster.

Suddenly when they were walking down an empty street they were met by a familiar person. A short kid with short shorts and a headband. The kicker from the technique trio and a group of thugs. Kenichi cowered at the sight while Taka stood firm grinning at the sight.

"Hey hey. Look who it is." Koga said, "Kisara's gonna be happy I found you two."

Suddenly he got a look at Miu and gasped in perverted envy, "Wow look at the size of her boobs! Tell you what Kenichi, I'm gonna beat you two up then I'm gonna take your girlfriend."

Taka stood in his way glaring furiously, "You shouldn't treat girls like objects like that."

Taka put his fist next to his face and the other hand extended out in front of him pointing toward the sky. Koga smiled then jumped at him with an incredibly fast kick. Taka blocked it, but the same leg quickly chambered back and kicked him in the side of the head. Taka cringed at the sharp pain.

"Little bastard." He grunted and got back into his stance.

Suddenly he threw a fast punch which was kicked out of the way then another kick was delivered to his head.

"Did you know that the legs are ten times stronger then the arms?" Koga laughed.

"Kenichi, Miu take care of these other guys." Taka replied, "I've got this shrimp."

He turned around and got another kick to the face. Once Koga landed Taka put up his hands and blocked a second kick, but then got kicked in the stomach. This time Taka held on to Koga's foot and pulled him to the ground. After Koga hit the ground Taka used all of his momentum to deliver a powerful downward punch on the kid's face. Koga kicked off from Taka's body and jumped to his feet.

Taka suddenly fell to the ground with a plan. He would act like he was beaten so he could sneak up on Koga from behind, if he even turned around. Taka guessed that if Koga thought he was beaten then he would move on to fight Kenichi. So Taka laid his head on the ground and shut his eyes.

"Hah!" Koga laughed, "That's what I thought. Now back to Shirahama."

Taka grinned as Koga turned around and began walking towards Kenichi. He slowly rose from the ground as Kenichi finished off his enemies and faced Koga in his stance.

"Now where were we Shirahama?" He said, "Oh yeah. I was beating you up and stealing your big boobed girlfriend."

Taka broke out into a quick run towards Koga. He turned around ready to attack, but he saw nothing. Taka had jumped high into the air flying through the air at Koga like the Altair did on Assassin's Creed. However, Taka knew Koga was too weak to have to kill him. So he didn't extend his hidden blade. Koga dropped to the ground quickly with all of Taka's weight on top of him. As he landed he held his hand out over Koga's face and slammed his head into the ground. Koga slowed down from the impact then fell asleep after Taka picked up his head and slammed it on the ground a second time.

"I told you not to treat girls that way." Taka said, "Overconfident shrimp."

Kenichi had defeated two of Koga's thugs while Miu took out a whopping six. Taka and Kenichi hung their heads, no longer feeling as strong as they did.

"Aw. Come on." Kenichi whined.

"At least hold back a little so we can feel like not such woosies." Taka said.

"Sorry." Miu replied.

"Hey hey." Said a familiar deep voice, "That was a nice fight."

The three of them all turned around and saw Sakaki standing there with a bag full of alcohol.

"Nice job with those two idiots, Kenichi." Sakaki said.

"Thank you Sensei." Kenichi bowed.

"And sweet takedown, Taka." He said, "Real badass."

"Didn't even try." Taka replied.

The next day at school Taka and Kenichi walked into class. Two guys were gone from class that were usually here. Taka made nothing of it at first, but then he saw Kenichi pick up a piece of paper off his desk and gasp.

"What is it?" Taka looked at the paper and saw that it had a message on it.

Apparently two of Kenichi's friends were kidnapped by Ragnarok and the people who kidnapped wanted him and Taka to come to the roof.

"I don't get it." Kenichi said, "You and Miu are fine. So then. Nijima maybe?"

Taka thought about how Nijima would react to such a thing and was sure that he would panic and stab both of the kidnappers.

"No." Taka replied, "I don't think he'd be a victim like that."

He looked at the two empty seats and recalled the two guys that were gone from class.

He tapped Kenichi on the shoulder and pointed at the desks. They looked at each other then nodded and ran out the door before class had a chance to start. They ran through the halls as fast as they could then up the stairs and finally busted through the door to find the two guys tied up and the other two from the technique trio. The thrower, Ukita. And the puncher, Takeda.

"Stop!" Kenichi shouted.

"Hey hey!" Takeda smiled, "See what I tell ya. Told you they'd come."

"Yeah we're here." Taka shouted, "So are you gonna let them go? Or are we gonna have to make you?"

Takeda smiled then gestured to the captives, "Let em go."

Ukita grunted angrily and untied the captives.

"Now who's first?" Taka said getting into a stance. "Who's first in line for head removal surgery."

"Taka!" Kenichi shouted.

"What?"

"Don't say stuff like that." Kenichi whined, "It's scary and almost sounds like you actually would."

"I would." Taka replied coldly, "It's not like these are very good guys."

"Yeah but they're still people." Kenichi explained, "Just be careful."

"Whatever." Taka grunted. "I'll take the big guy for you."

Ukita lowered himself and eyeballed Taka. Kenichi faced Takeda.

"One on one huh?" Takeda replied, "Just how I like it. Hang on a sec."

Kenichi tensed up as the boxer reached into his pocket. Suddenly he pulled out a timer and a piece of chalk and started drawing a box around him and Kenichi.

Me thinks this guy takes himself too seriously. Taka thought to himself in a deep British voice.

Maybe we should collect his big toe! Just for kicks and giggles! He thought in a light devious voice.

No. We're not gonna kill him. Kenichi would throw a bitch fit.

Aw come on just one!

"You're mine!" Ukita shouted grabbing Taka and picking him up above his head with barely any effort.

Taka tensed up and locked his legs around Ukita's arms. Once he loosened his grip Taka dropped down and clung to his back choking him with all his might.

"Let go you bastard!" Ukita shouted.

"Fuck no!"

Suddenly Ukita reached up and threw Taka off his back and into the fence. He slammed against the ground hard and let out a yelp of some of his breath escaping. However, despite his pain he got up and got back into his stance. Ukita charged in again, only this time Taka jumped up and kicked him in the jaw. After Ukita took a knee dazed a bit Taka used his shoulders for leverage and jumped over him to his back. He wrapped his arms around his neck and squeezed with all his might. Ukita struggled with all his might trying to get free. However, within minutes he went limp and fell asleep in Taka's arms.

Taka lightly laid him down against the fence and turned around to face Kenichi who was in the middle of getting punched by Takeda. He took a step forward but Kenichi held out his hand.

"No!" he shouted, "This is my fight!"

Taka sighed and sat down next to the still unconscious Ukita. As he watched Kenichi get punched over and over with failed attempts at a counter attack, he figured out a way for Kenichi to get ahead.

"Kenichi!" he shouted, "Remember what Apachai said! A boxer's biggest weakness!"

Kenichi took another punch and stood there thinking. Suddenly, "Yes I remember now! A boxer's biggest weakness is..."

He took a step forward and kicked Takeda hard in the knee. "The lower body!"

Takeda stumbled backwards then gritted his teeth and stepped forward for another punch. Kenichi was able to block this time and kicked him in the knee again. After a few more kicks Takeda stumbled back.

"Why did you even come?" He asked, "Friends hold you back! I learned that a long time ago with a friend of mine. I went to help him and he just left me for dead!"

He then stepped in again for another punch, "You should learn that friends will always hold you back!"

Kenichi blocked the punch then grabbed the back of his head and drove his knee upward. Suddenly there was a ting of the bell and Kenichi's knee stopped in its tracks.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"The bell rang." Kenichi said pointing at the bell, "That's a break right?"

Taka raised his eyebrow. Takeda then nodded and went to his corner.

What's with this guy? I thought for sure he'd say fuck it and keep going. Maybe this guy really was a boxer.

The two of them went back to their corner. Taka got up and patted Kenichi on the back as he panted.

"Sure you don't need some help?" He asked.

"No." Kenichi replied looking to Takeda, "Hey. If its not too much to ask I was wondering something."

"Getting friendly with the enemy?" Takeda replied, "What is it?"

"Why did you quit boxing?" He asked.

Takeda gasped at the question, "Questions like that could get you hurt kid. If you must know I didn't plan to quit. I was naive like you once. Had a friend. My best friend trained with me and we were both going to be the best. Until one day he called and he was in trouble. I had an important fight the next day, but I didn't care. I had to save my friend. I rushed to save my friend and we both were ganged up on by the thugs, but we got a few good hits in too."

The bell rang again and Taka stood up and backed away knowing the fight was back on. Takeda stood up and stepped toward Kenichi.

"Wait I want to hear the rest of the story!" he panicked.

Takeda ignored him and punched past his head. Kenichi spun around and backed away to the edge of the ring. Takeda charged in to punch, but Kenichi spun out of the way causing Takeda to run right into the fence. Suddenly all in one the fence broke and Takeda crashed right through hanging onto the edge. Kenichi rushed forward and grabbed his hand.

"Takeda hold on!" he shouted, "Give me your other hand!"

"You don't pay attention to details very well do you?" He replied, "My hand is paralyzed it happened the day I helped my friend. Let go you'll fall too!"

"No I'm not letting you fall!" Kenichi shouted beginning to slip.

Suddenly his grip loosened completely and he began to drop. When suddenly.

"Gotcha!" Taka shouted grabbing onto his wrist.

He pulled Kenichi back onto the roof. He and Takeda panted.

"You know." Taka said, "Right there. You seemed crazier than even me."

"Why did you help me?" Takeda asked, "You could have died."

"Because it was the right thing to do." He replied, "And friends are not pointless. Just look at Taka, he's my friend and if not for him we both would have died."

Taka nodded, "Yeah. So you know don't say thank you or anything."

"Good friends will always be there for you." Kenichi added.

"You guys done yet?" said a familiar voice.

Ukita was standing back up and approaching the Kenichi and Taka who were sprawled out on the rooftop and Takeda who sat down panting. Suddenly the door slammed open and Miu stood there gasping at the sight.

"Now I'm mad." She said as she charged in and attacked the two of them.

Miu and Taka brought Kenichi Takeda and Ukita back to Akisame's clinic for treatment after he explained that it was all a misunderstanding and making her feel bad. After examining Takeda Akisame was able to heal his arm and make it move again. He greatfully thanked Taka and Kenichi saying that he owed them a debt of gratitude.

Taka and Kenichi have finally dealt with the trio and made friends with Takeda in the process. Next time the pair defend Takeda and the shimpaku shows their face.