Down one of the narrow streets of Kiro's usual route to school, a group of about six thugs stood, waiting for him. Having already defeated two big names in Ragnarok already, Shaz and Taro, the gang was no longer looking to recruit Kiro, but to teach him a lesson (to save the gang's name). 

"Look, here comes someone now!" One of the guys exclaimed to his buddies, as he slowly picked himself up off the ground. 

"Do you think that's him? He looks kind of weak." A man who leaned on the wall questioned, as he looked off in the distance at the approaching freshman.

Kiro was so distracted with his thoughts, he hadn't even noticed the suspicious looking group ahead of him. He simply walked along the street, fists gripped tightly, as he thought. '[i]I won't let them make me quit the dojo! I've come too far in my training now just to leave![/i]' His mind wondered off to all the times he shared in laughter with his masters, or all the times they were there to give him advice when he really needed it, or all the times they patched him up when he came back from a fight. '[i]Not only that, but if I leave them, it would be like leaving a second family of mine.[/i]' He sighed, as he continued to roll everything over in his head. '[i]I can't tell them I've been getting into fights at school, or that the masters have been helping me win them...[/i]'

"Hey, kid! Are you Kiro Yamamura!?" One of the goons finally shouted out to the boy, just as Kiro had began to blindly walk past the entire gang.

Kiro's eyes suddenly flashed up, as his jaw dropped down to the ground. He hadn't even noticed these scary-looking guys! How could he have been so stupid!? He quickly surveyed his surroundings, as in an instant, he was surrounded, without any hope of escape. He gulped, as his legs began to wobble nervously. "Y-Yeah, I am. Why? W-what's up, you guys?" He awkwardly laughed to try to ease the tension, as he rubbed the back. '[i]No good. I couldn't take on six guys even if I was at my full strength![/i]'

Once Kiro answered their question, all the bullies began to snicker aloud.

"That's all I needed to know! Lights out for you, punk!" The bully exclaimed menacingly, as he, without warning, shot down a straight right towards Kiro's face.

Kiro simply winced, as he awaited the punch to impact. Perhaps if he had remembered his training he could've dodged it, instead, Kiro was much like a deer in headlights.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fKIpKGQMPiU[/youtube]

The punch stopped just centimeters from Kiro's face, as someone's hand had caught the bully's wrist just in time.

Kiro slowly opened his eyes, as he was shocked to see the last person he would have ever expected! Shaz! Except, this was the first time Kiro had seen him without his signature shades. The ones Kiro had shattered must've been his only pair.

"Why don't you and your punk friends leave Yamamura alone?" Shaz calmly spoke, as he stared coldly at the attacker.

"Hey, hey! Let go, man, that hurts!" The bully yelled, as he tried to pull Shaz's hand off of his arm, but to no avail. He cried out in pain, as he dropped down to his knees. 

"It's Iron Grip Shaz!" One of the other goons exclaimed, as they all took one giant step backwards, away from the monster. He had bandages here and there, but the man didn't act like a wounded one.

"Shaz, listen to me! Zangief himself told us-" the man on his knees began to explain, as Shaz kept his grip on his arm, an occasional grunt of pain here and there.

"I don't care what Zangief told you to do, I'm telling you now, to leave Yamamura alone for your own good." Shaz repeated himself, as he tightened his grip on the man's wrist.

"What do you mean!? To go against Zangief would be to go against all of Ragnarok! Are you saying you're quitting or something!?" 

Shaz chuckled. "I suppose that is what that means, isn't it? Then yes, consider this my resignation. Ragnarok, taking orders, never really suited me too much, anyway." The faintest grin appeared on his face, as he, easily, threw the man by the arm, straight into his group of thugs.

They all scrambled to their feet, as they quickly took off. There was no way they could take both Kiro, and Iron Grip Shaz!

"Remember, from now on, when you mess with Kiro Yamamura, you mess with me!" He yelled out to the fleeing group.

"Man, I-" Kiro couldn't even think of the right words to say to Shaz, and so many questions were running through his mind. "Thank you so much, Shaz! You saved me, but, why?" Kiro got straight to the point.

Shaz looked off in the distance, as he didn't want to face Kiro's pathetic look of appreciation. "That alien friend of yours told me that when I was knocked unconscious, Taro came  and tried to finish me off, and you didn't let him. I wouldn't have believed him if I hadn't woken up where I did, the nurse's station. She told me my nice 'friends' had brought me in. That was you and your girlfriend, wasn't it?" 

Kiro looked almost shocked, as he found himself at a loss for words. Why would Niijima even tell Shaz that?

"Well, anyway, I don't know why you were so stupidly nice, but I'm just returning the favor. Don't think this changes anything, I still hate you with a passion. And I promise you, we'll have a rematch soon, and I'll be sure to crush you then." Shaz turned away from Kiro, and began to walk in the direction Kiro had came from.

"Wait! That Zangief guy! He's going to be after you, right? Along with the rest of Ragnarok!" Kiro called out after for him. If he and Shaz didn't stick together, they were going to end up dead!

Shaz chuckled silently. '[i]Zangief.[/i]' He thought, Shaz would never admit it, but that name scared even him. Shaz didn't even bother responding to the dweeb, but continued walking. The less he talked to Kiro, the better. Right now, Kiro was the winner, and Shaz was the loser. And until he was able to change that, Shaz didn't want to look the freshman in the face. It was hard to face anyone after losing a fight, let alone the person you lost too. Shaz felt so much shame.