How hot is Tokyo? You'll understand once you see this."
"This book does not involve any underage content; all appearing characters are over eighteen."
"Due to certain reasons, all schools appearing in this book are adult colleges, not middle schools. They are unrelated to reality and purely fictional."
"This book promotes positive energy, justice, and love, with no negative guidance."
"Many pictures. Even if you haven't seen 'Crows Zero' or 'High&Low,' you'll understand completely."
"This book has been there, so there's no need to explain how authentic it is."
Landlady
"My head hurts so much…"
"My whole body hurts…"
Ryuzaki Shin's consciousness gradually struggled out of a chaotic haze. The first sensation he felt was pain, as if all the bones in his body had been taken apart and reassembled.
His first thought was, 'Wasn't I thrown into the river?'
In his previous life, he had clawed his way up from the bottom, ruthless and cunning, eventually becoming the head of a gang.
However, with the changing times, the old gangster ways no longer worked.
He was forced to become a frontman for a conglomerate.
But after the conglomerate laundered its assets,
He was discarded by the conglomerate once his usefulness ran out, ending up as a corpse at the bottom of the bay.
Before he could think any further,
A strong smell of smoke and burning charcoal assailed his nostrils.
"The smell of burning charcoal?"
He looked around, and what met his eyes was a narrow, dilapidated Japanese-style room.
On the floor lay an empty charcoal brazier, and the gaps in the windows and doors were tightly sealed with tape.
"What the hell is going on?!"
Just as he exclaimed, a torrent of memories flooded into his mind!
The original owner was twenty years old this year, a young man who was 1.8 meters tall but as scrawny as a bean sprout, bullied his entire life.
His parents toiled fishing in the countryside, borrowing from all their relatives to gather enough money for him to study in Tokyo.
However, due to the inferiority caused by poverty, he was constantly bullied.
The original owner couldn't take it anymore and transferred schools.
But on his very first day at Suzuran Adult College, he was beaten half to death, eventually losing all hope and choosing to commit suicide by burning charcoal… this twenty-year-old young man, Ryuzaki Shin.
"Good heavens, I'm utterly speechless! The buffs are maxed out!"
Ryuzaki Shin rubbed his throbbing temples, unable to stop his mouth from twitching.
"This script isn't right! When others transmigrate, they're either a Dragon King or a rich, handsome man. I transmigrated directly to a suicide scene?"
But thinking about that now was useless; he needed to figure out what to do next.
Let the events of his past life fade with the wind.
But having a second chance at life, this time, he must personally control his own destiny!
Having finished his thoughts, he struggled to sit up from the tatami mat and looked down at his new body.
He was tall enough, but there wasn't much muscle on him. With a slight movement, the injuries from yesterday's beating sent waves of sharp pain through him.
He patted his pockets.
Empty.
He rummaged through the backpack by the bed.
Empty.
He glanced around the sparsely furnished room.
Empty.
"My pockets are cleaner than my face."
Ryuzaki Shin sighed. This starting mode was indeed quite challenging.
Just then, a fierce quarrel suddenly erupted outside the door, followed by a woman's desperate cries.
"Please, don't do this. I really have no money left!"
"Baka! You bitch! You must have hidden the money! Give it to me now!"
"I don't! I really have no money…"
Ryuzaki Shin's brow furrowed. He remembered that the landlady of this two-story building was a kind-hearted woman named Uehara Asuka, a beautiful lady with fair skin and a charming figure. He didn't know why she got divorced.
The original owner had already been three months behind on rent, but she, understanding that he was a poor student, gently told him to pay when he had money.
The man shouting outside must be her ex-husband, who constantly pestered her.
He stood up, enduring the pain throughout his body, and staggered to the door, pulling it open.
As soon as he poked his head out, the sight before him made his pupils contract.
A man reeking of alcohol was fiercely grabbing Mrs. Uehara's hair, slamming her head against the wall, all while cursing incessantly.
Mrs. Uehara's face was streaked with tears, her hair disheveled. Seeing Ryuzaki Shin emerge, she immediately cried out in alarm:
"Ryuzaki-kun! Go back! Don't come out!"
She was still worried about the safety of him, her burdensome tenant.
Ryuzaki Shin felt a stir in his heart and was about to step forward.
At that moment, a crisp "ding" sounded in his mind, making him freeze instantly.
"Ding! God-tier Choice System successfully activated!"
A protagonist's halo?!
Isn't this standard for transmigrators?
Immediately after, three clear options appeared before his eyes.
"Option One: Silently close the door, pretend nothing happened. After all, less trouble is better than more trouble; interfering with everything will only harm yourself. Reward for completion: Obtain a small amount of Japanese Yen, recover some stamina."
"Option Two: Rush forward and righteously shout: 'Stop! I don't care who you are, immediately release this beautiful lady, or I'll call the police!' Reward for completion: Beginner Fighting Techniques."
"Option Three: Roar at injustice, use your aura and methods as a former gang boss to drive away the landlady's scoundrel ex-husband. Reward for completion: Full recovery of physical injuries, Charm +1."
Ryuzaki Shin's eyes instantly changed.
What was this? A cheat? Had his cheat code arrived?
He shook his head, repeatedly confirming that the virtual panel before him wasn't a halluc caused by burning charcoal.
"It seems I just need to make a choice to get a reward."
He quickly began to analyze in his mind.
These three options all had interesting rewards.
Option One: "Obtain a small amount of Japanese Yen, recover some stamina."
"Small amount," "some"… these words clearly indicated a lack of generosity.
Ryuzaki Shin pouted: "What a stingy system."
Besides, silently close the door?
What a joke. He was a big shot in his previous life, after all. If word got out that he stood by and watched someone die, how could he ever hold his head up again?
Although no one recognized him now… as the first thing he did in his new life, he couldn't be such a coward, could he?
Directly Pass!
Next, Option Two: "Beginner Fighting Techniques."
This was a good reward. For his current bean-sprout-like body, it was like a timely help.
But the question was, could shouting solve the problem?
The guy outside reeked of alcohol and had a fierce, meaty face; he clearly looked like an unreasonable scoundrel.
Moreover, in his previous life, he was a gang boss who had fought his way up from nothing.
Did he need these beginner techniques?
No way!
Finally, only Option Three remained.
"Full recovery of physical injuries, Charm +1."
This reward was what he needed most right now!
Physical recovery meant he had the capital to act.
As for Charm… what was that for?
Could he eat it?
However, having it was better than not having it.
Most importantly, the moment he saw Mrs. Uehara, he was captivated.
Fair-skinned, beautiful, with a curvaceous figure.
Simply put, a pear-shaped body.
Suddenly, he had an urge to bring glory to his country.
Thinking this, he no longer hesitated.
"System, I choose three!"
"Ding! Choice successful! Reward being distributed…"
As soon as his voice fell, Ryuzaki Shin felt a warm current instantly spread through his limbs and bones!
The tearing pain receded like a tide.
He could even hear his bones making "cracking" sounds. All the injuries on his body had… healed in just a few seconds!
"Holy cow! That's intense?!"
Ryuzaki Shin clenched his fists, feeling the surging power within his body. This was the feeling he was familiar with!
Although this body was still thin, at least he was no longer a sickly person who could be pushed over easily.
He tidied the faded school uniform he was wearing, and his gaze instantly changed.
It was no longer the self-deprecating, timid gaze of a youth, but had become deep and cold, carrying the indifference of someone long accustomed to a high position.
"Ryuzaki-kun! Don't come out!"
Uehara Asuka outside the door saw Ryuzaki Shin really walk out and was so anxious that tears almost fell.
Ryuzaki Shin roared.
"Let go!"
The drunkard also turned his head, and seeing Ryuzaki Shin's bean-sprout-like physique, he scoffed disdainfully.
"Where did this brat come from? Get back inside! This is none of your business!"