Unji Zuma 2

Not long after a foster home takes Unji in, three of the children gang up and beat him for his perpetual scowl. Driven to ask why the world treats him so harshly, he grabs a nearby brick and strikes back. By his teenage years, Unji leads a gang to victory over a rival crew and informs the defeated that they now answer to him.

Later still, Unji sets out to spark a war, harassing and assaulting officers on patrol until Vega arrests him. At the station, the police chief fills Vega in on the youth's history and notes he will head to a juvenile facility for rehabilitation, though Vega doubts it will reach him. Once the sentence ends, Vega collects Unji, brings him to his apartment, and declares himself the boy's guardian. Furious and recognizing the cop who jailed him, Unji swings a punch, but Vega flips him to the floor and tells him he can only land a hit in his dreams, urging him to keep trying.

Older kids at the group home prey on Unji. Growing up, he builds a gang and throws himself into delinquent brawls. Channeling his pain into violence, he is finally collared by Vega amid a clash. After a stretch in juvenile detention, Vega opts to become his guardian. At the apartment, Unji takes a swing at the officer, who flattens him with ease.

Rounding out Volume 18, this second Unji flashback bridges his childhood loss and his later bond with Vega. The guardianship sets up the relationship and conflict explored in the chapters that follow. It published on May 28, 2024.