For a moment, the entire alley fell silent.
The Akehisa High delinquents all turned to look at Sato. When they saw his rather slender figure, they immediately looked furious.
"Hey, bastard! Who are you calling punks?! We're delinquents!"
Sato looked puzzled.
"Is there a difference?"
"Of course there's a difference, you idiot! We're aiming to become yakuza someday. How can those worthless street punks who just loaf around be compared to us?!"
Sato could tell the guy was genuinely angry, even though he personally didn't think there was much of a difference.
Apparently, being compared to ordinary punks was an insult to them.
Yakuza or street punks...
Weren't they both just scum of society?
Suddenly, the delinquent leader looked at Sato and burst into laughter.
"Hey, kid, don't tell me you're trying to play the hero and save the damsels?"
"A hero saving beauties? No way! People like that still exist these days?"
"This guy's an idiot! Hahaha!"
"You think you're some kind of hero?"
The Akehisa delinquents roared with laughter. Some were laughing so hard they couldn't even stand up straight.
The corner of Sato's mouth twitched.
Do I really look that unthreatening?
However, not everyone among the delinquents was laughing.
Several of them stared at Sato with horrified expressions. Even their pupils were trembling.
T... that's him...
...
At the back of the alley, Kawasaki Akemi and Hayakawa Kyoko finally caught a chance to catch their breath.
Akemi supported herself with one hand on her waist and the other on her knee. Looking at Sato, who had become the target of the Akehisa delinquents' laughter, she wore an expression of disbelief.
"Kyoko-neesan, I can't believe this kind of hero-saving-the-beauties scene actually exists in real life. But charging in here all alone is way too stupid. He could've at least called the police! Such a waste of such a handsome face!"
Kyoko ignored her.
She frowned slightly as she looked at Sato.
For some reason, she felt she'd seen him somewhere before.
But where?
She racked her brain but couldn't remember, eventually patting her own head in frustration.
The gesture startled Akemi.
"Kyoko-neesan, are you okay? Did you hit your head?"
"You're the one who hit your head!"
Kyoko rolled her eyes before continuing to stare at Sato.
"I just feel like I've seen him somewhere."
"Seen him? Don't tell me it was in a dream. Wait... Kyoko-neesan, you have erotic dreams?"
"You're the one having erotic dreams!"
Unable to hold back anymore, Kyoko kicked Akemi.
Akemi dodged and suddenly lowered her voice.
"Kyoko-neesan, he's distracted all of them for us. Let's make a run for it!"
Kyoko came to her senses.
She glanced ahead and realized all of the Akehisa delinquents had stopped paying attention to the two of them.
It really was the perfect opportunity to escape.
The thought crossed her mind.
But she quickly shook her head.
"No. No matter what, he came out because of us. We can't do that."
Akemi opened her mouth to argue, but after seeing the determination on Kyoko's face, she quietly closed it again.
Fine.
You're the boss, after all.
"IT'S HIM!!!"
Just then, a terrified scream suddenly rang out from among the Akehisa delinquents.
Everyone immediately turned to look.
The delinquent leader frowned at the panicked boy.
"Ansuke, what are you yelling for?!"
"It's him!!"
"That's right! It's really him!!"
Several more delinquents stared at Sato with faces full of fear.
The leader gradually began to feel that something was very wrong.
He grabbed Ansuke by the collar.
"What do you mean, 'him'? Who is he?!"
Ansuke answered with a terrified expression,
"He's the guy who beat Sagara-san and all the others by himself!"
Huh?
The leader froze.
Then his eyes widened.
No way?!
That monster?!
He abruptly turned toward Sato, who was standing there with a helpless smile, and involuntarily swallowed.
Damn it!
I thought this guy had a screw loose for walking in here alone.
Turns out we're the idiots!
The sound of people swallowing nervously echoed around him.
It was obvious that they all knew about Sato's absurd fighting ability now, and panic spread through the group.
"Boss, what do we do?!"
someone asked.
The delinquent leader felt like his head was about to split.
He shot the speaker a vicious glare.
"How the hell should I know?!"
Besides, he knew even more than the others did.
This terrifying guy wasn't just ridiculously strong.
His background was unbelievably powerful as well.
Normally, if they got caught fighting, the police would lock them up for a few days at most.
But after Sagara-san and the others had been arrested, they'd been locked up for over half a year before finally getting out recently. (MC met Takeshi Sagara at 216)
He'd even heard that if they hadn't been minors, they would have been imprisoned for years.
How were they supposed to fight someone like that?
...
Behind them, Akemi looked around at the strange silence.
"Kyoko-neesan, what's going on with them? Why did they all suddenly stop talking?"
Since they were standing at the back, neither of them could see the terrified expressions on the Akehisa delinquents' faces.
Kyoko rolled her eyes.
"How should I know?"
"Um..."
The Akehisa leader suddenly forced an awkward smile and cautiously approached Sato.
"Well... Boss..."
Boss?
Sato raised an eyebrow.
Is he talking to me?
"This is all a misunderstanding. A misunderstanding!"
The leader instantly transformed from a snarling wolf into a meek little lamb.
Speaking as gently and carefully as possible, he said,
"We didn't know you knew those girls. We'll leave right away and won't disturb you any longer."
How boring.
Sato sighed in disappointment and frowned.
"So this is what passes for delinquents these days?"
The leader's expression stiffened, looking as though he were on the verge of tears.
We only bully ordinary people.
Who'd dare mess with someone like you?!
"Scram."
Sato waved his hand impatiently.
The Akehisa High delinquents immediately fled as though they had just been granted a royal pardon.
Not far away, Kawasaki Akemi and Hayakawa Kyoko stood frozen in shock.
Just... who exactly was this guy?