Renegades: Battlegrounds.-Chapter 58: The Fourth Prospect

Ren remembered the cafeteria. The wild energy. The feeling of barely surviving.

"So let’s see you fought Yuto,"

"..rejected Takeshi,"

"...broke the wrong door into HQ,"

"...and met Shuu."

Shiin closed his book, shaking his head. "You’ve somehow managed to interact with all three Sakuratei’s most dangerous members in less than a week."

"And you’re still alive..."

"Lucky me." Ren muttered.

"Luck has got nothing to do with it." Shiin’s voice sounded too serious now. "They are testing you. All of them. Seeing what you are made of."

Ren absorbed the information but his exhaustion made it harder to process. His mind felt like it was full of static.

"So." Shiin summarized. "Takeshi wants you to join his rebellion against Hasegawa. Shuu will be friendly until you give him a reason not to be. And Yuto’s... well, Yuto’s Yuto, I suppose."

He pocketed his book. "Any of them could make or break your time here."

Ren was quiet for a moment.

Then he spoke. "Thanks for the intel."

"You were actually listening?" Shiin sounded surprised.

"I’m tired, Shiin. Not stupid." Ren started walking again toward the front entrance. "I can barely think right now. But I was listening."

Shiinchiro caught up, walking beside him. "You really think you can do this? Trials, detention, all of it? At the same time?"

Ren didn’t answer immediately.

They reached the front of the building. It was a large glass doors, cracked but intact. Light spilled out. The sound of voices inside, muffled but present.

"I have to." Ren said finally. "For Kaito. For answers. For..." He touched the white armband under his sleeve."...For me."

Shiinchiro studied him, then nodded slowly. "Okay. But seriously, let’s be careful in there. These guys aren’t like the ones at school. They’re much different."

"I know." Ren’s hand went to the door handle.

"And Ren?"

"Yeah?"

"Whatever happens in there..." Shiinchiro’s voice was serious, determined. "I’m not just the guy who guides you, okay? I’m the guy who decides if this is something worth joining."

Ren’s stomach dropped. "Shiin, you can’t be serious..."

"I told you. I make my own decisions." Shiinchiro pushed past him, opening the door first. "Now come on. You’re the one who making us late."

For a moment, Ren just stood there.

Then he followed.

They walked forward into the building together.

The interior was brighter than Ren expected.

The ground floor was open probably was once a shopping area, now converted into a multi-purpose space.

The graffiti continued inside with an elaborate cherry blossom murals covering entire walls, member names, dates, the Five Virtues repeated like a mantra.

But it was clean. Organized. Not the chaos Ren expected from a gang hideout.

A reception desk sat near the entrance. It was empty but clearly used. Sign-in sheets. A map of the building.

Rules were posted on the wall.

1. No fighting inside the Garden.

2. Respect all members regardless of rank.

3. Civilians are off-limits.

4. What happens in the Garden stays in the Garden.

5. Hasegawa’s word is final.

They found the stairs that led up to the second and third floors. They could hear the sound of voices coming from above.

"Third floor." Ren muttered, starting toward the stairs.

His legs protested. The sprint. His day. Everything.

"Just get through this. One step at a time."

They climbed.

The second floor had more rooms, some with doors open showing meeting spaces, storage, what looked like a small infirmary.

Third floor was a hallway with several doors. One was open at the end, light spilling out. Voices coming from inside.

Ren stopped outside the door, hand on the frame.

Inside looked like a briefing room. A long table at the head then small chairs, maps on the wall showing Hanasakura District divided into territories

There were photos of rival gang members pinned up against the wall.

And sitting at the table was Matsuno.

He looked up as Ren appeared in the doorway.

"You’re late." Matsuno said, but his tone was not angry. Just stating the matter-of-fact. "And you broke a door."

Ren stepped inside. "Yeah.. yeah.. yeah.. Shuu said I owe two thousand yen."

"You do." Matsuno gestured to chairs at the table. "Now, sit both of you."

Shiinchiro hesitated, then followed Ren inside.

Matsuno studied them both, then focused on Ren. "Hasegawa was the one who told me about your detention. Two weeks, 3:30 to 6:00 PM right?"

"Yeah."

"That does complicates things abit but we have adjusted things." Matsuno pulled out a folder, opened it. "The Trials starting at 7:00 PM will give you enough time to get here after detention."

Ren exhaled slightly."Yeah they should. Thank you."

"Don’t thank me yet." Matsuno’s expression became serious.

"You will be doing trials exhausted every night for two weeks. The other initiates won’t have that disadvantage. You will be behind from day one."

"I can handle it."

"We’ll see." Matsuno turned a page. "There are four initiates total this cycle. You boys would have already met one of them though you probably didn’t know of it."

Ren frowned. "Who?"

The door behind them opened.

Ren turned and froze.

Standing in the doorway was Sudo.

Their Class 1-C’s representative. The responsible one.

The one who had approached him that morning with those careful words. "I hope it’s the right one."

He wore a white armband. Unmarked. Probationary.

Just like Ren’s.

Their eyes met.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Sudo stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. His expression was calm, measured, the same diplomatic one he always wore in class.

"Ryūhara." He said with a slight nod. Then to Shiinchiro. "Hayashi."

Matsuno gestured to the chairs. "Sit, Hamada. We’re still waiting on one more."

Sudo took a seat across from Ren, folding his hands on the table.

Ren couldn’t look away. "You are?"

"An initiate. Yes." Sudo’s voice was quiet but steady. "Same as you."

"Since when..."

"Since last week. I made my decision the same day you fought Yuto." Sudo met his gaze directly.

"When I saw what happened in the cafeteria, I realized something."

"Neutrality isn’t protection. It’s just... waiting to become a victim."

Shiinchiro was staring, mouth slightly open. "But you are the class rep."

"I am." Sudo’s expression didn’t change. "That doesn’t change things."

Matsuno tapped the folder drawing their attention to him. "Hamada approached us three days ago. Hasegawa approved him after an interview. He is smart, organized, and understands what we are building here."

Ren processed this. The class rep. The guy who welcomed him on his first day. The one who seemed so... normal.

"This morning." Ren said slowly, "when you said you hoped it was the right choice—"

"I meant for both of us." Sudo’s slight smile was almost apologetic. "I couldn’t tell you then. Hasegawa wanted initiates to meet here first."

"But you’re the class rep," Shiinchiro said, still processing. "You’re supposed to be... normal."

"Normal doesn’t mean weak." Sudo’s voice was quiet but firm. "I have my reasons for being here. Just like Ryūhara does."

Matsuno nodded approvingly. "Hamada brings skills we need. You’ll see during trials."

Ren studied him. The calm demeanor. The steady hands. Something about Sudo reminded him of Kaito.

"He is not just a class rep. There’s more here."

"Looking forward to working with you," Ren said carefully.

"Likewise." Sudo extended his hand across the table.

They shook. Sudo’s grip was firm, controlled. The handshake of someone who knew exactly how much pressure to apply.

Matsuno turned to Shiinchiro. "And you. Hayashi. You came here to decide if this is worth joining, correct?"

Shiin swallowed hard. "...Yes."

"Good." Matsuno pulled out a white armband from the folder, slid it across the table. "Then you’re in. Hasegawa approved you twenty minutes ago based on your information network. Put it on."

Shiinchiro stared at the armband like it might bite him.

Ren’s chest tightened. He’s actually doing this."

"Shiin, you don’t have to..." Ren started.

"I do." Shiin picked up the armband, hands shaking slightly. "I said I make my own decisions."

He slipped it over his left arm.

Ren watched Shiinichiro, the guy who hated to exercise, who documented gang fights from a safe distance, who’d rather talk his way out of trouble than throw a punch commit to the same path that had nearly killed him twice already.

"Because of me. He’s doing this because of me."

"Shiin—"

"Don’t." Shiinchiro’s voice was firmer than Ren had ever heard it. "I’m doing this for me. Not for you. Not because you need backup. For me."

Their eyes met.

Ren wanted to argue. Wanted to tell him to take it off, go home, stay safe.

But he’d made his own choice. Shiin deserved the same respect.

"Okay," Ren said quietly. "We do this together."

"Together," Shiin echoed, adjusting the armband on his bicep.

Matsuno nodded with approval. "Welcome to Sakuratei. You’re initiate number four."

Sudo, still seated across the table, studied Shiinchiro with that same calm assessment. "You’re an information specialist I heard. That’s valuable. We’ll need that."

"Thanks," Shiin managed, voice still shaky. "I think."

Matsuno turned a page in his folder. "That makes three of you here. We are waiting on one more before we begin the official briefing."

"Who?" Ren asked.

Matsuno’s expression gave nothing away. "Stand up, all of you. The briefing doesn’t start until everyone’s present."

Ren and Sudo rose from their chairs. The three of them, Ren, Shiin, and Sudo stood around the table, white armbands visible on their left arms.

The door opened again.

"That should be the fourth." Matsuno said