Uehara Asuka huddled behind the door, pressing her body against it with all her might, listening to the demon-like banging and vile curses from outside, her eyes filled with despair.
"Please… stop banging… I really don't have any money left…"
Her voice was tearful, full of helplessness and sorrow, like a trembling leaf in a storm.
"Shut up! You bitch!"
Outside, her good-for-nothing ex-husband, a man named Noguchi Kenta, yelled at the top of his lungs:
"Don't you dare cry poor to me! You must give me 300,000 yen today! Otherwise, you'll have to entertain these big brothers properly!"
"Hehehe…"
A lewd laugh came from outside the door, making Uehara Asuka's heart sink to rock bottom.
Those people were delinquents Noguchi Kenta had found from outside, thugs who specialized in collecting debts and protection money.
Just then, the already old wooden door, under continuous impact, finally couldn't bear the weight. With a "crack," a fist-sized hole was forcefully smashed into it.
A head, with a fleshy face, nose hair so long it could almost be braided, and reeking of greasy sweat, poked through the hole.
His small, pea-like eyes greedily scanned Uehara Asuka behind the door.
At this moment, due to fear and tension, she had broken out in a fragrant sweat. Her thin loungewear was soaked with sweat, clinging tightly to her body.
Her already beautiful face was now flushed with panic, adding a touch of pitiful charm.
"Gulp."
The fat-headed, big-eared delinquent leader, a guy named Inokari, swallowed hard.
Saliva almost dripped from the corner of his mouth as he laughed lewdly, turned his head, and slapped Noguchi Kenta on the back of his head, saying:
"Noguchi, good job! The 400,000 yen you owe us can be extended for a few days!"
Noguchi Kenta clutched the back of his head, bewildered, and exclaimed, "Brother Inokari, wasn't it 300,000?"
"Slap!"
Inokari slapped him again, cursing fiercely:
"That was yesterday's price! Today, the interest has gone up, it's already 400,000! If you say another damn word, tomorrow it'll be 500,000!"
Noguchi Kenta was so dazed he saw stars, but he didn't dare utter a single peep, only nodding subserviently.
Inokari ignored him, his gaze once again falling on Uehara Asuka inside the door, already calculating in his mind.
He had to snatch this woman. He'd have a good time with her for a while, and when he got tired of her, he'd sell her to Kabukicho. She would definitely fetch a large sum of money!
Just as his mind was filled with all sorts of filthy thoughts, and he was about to tell his subordinates to continue smashing the door.
From the stairwell, a steady, unhurried sound of footsteps approached.
A young man, wearing a tattered school uniform and stained with mottled blood, slowly ascended the stairs.
He stopped at the corridor on the second floor, looked at the mess before him, then at the several fierce-looking delinquents, and finally fixed his gaze on Inokari's greasy face.
The corner of his mouth curled slightly upwards, and he spoke casually, in a tone that sounded both like he was talking to himself and to everyone present:
"Hey, big brothers, are you queuing up here late at night? Are you waiting to be reborn?"
"Hmm?"
Noguchi Kenta saw who it was and instantly recognized him. He pointed at Ryuzaki Shin and shouted at Inokari and the others:
"It's this pretty boy! He's the one who hit me just now! Brothers, kill him for me!"
No sooner had he finished speaking.
"Slap!"
Inokari backhanded him again, directly knocking him to the ground, and cursed coldly:
"Do you have a say here? Useless!"
Noguchi Kenta clutched his swollen cheek, completely daring not to speak.
Only then did Inokari look at Ryuzaki Shin again, sizing him up with a scrutinizing gaze.
Then, with the sneering tone of an old hand who had been in the game for many years, he said:
"Kid, this is not something you can interfere with."
He paused, his voice laced with threat:
"Seeing that you're still a student, scram now, and I can pretend I didn't see anything."
"Otherwise, I don't mind having a young corpse added to this building."
Ryuzaki Shin smiled.
He took two steps forward, his gaze passing over Inokari and landing on the three fierce-looking delinquent subordinates behind him, who were holding clubs.
Then, he looked back at Inokari, and slowly said in an even more disdainful tone:
"A corpse? You trash who haven't even seen real blood?"
He pointed at Inokari's corpulent belly, then at his nose hair that was almost bursting out of his nostrils, and finally at his shiny forehead, saying with a serious expression:
"Look at you, not old, yet so greasy, your nose hair is longer than your head hair, and your forehead is so bright it could be a mirror."
"It's not your fault to be ugly, but it is your fault to come out and scare people."
"You…!"
Inokari's face instantly turned incredibly grim. After all these years in the game, it was the first time he had been so openly humiliated!
Especially the other party's casual tone and the way he looked at him like trash made him feel as if his dignity had been brutally trampled underfoot!
"It seems you prefer a toast to a forfeit!"
A hint of ruthlessness flashed in Inokari's eyes. He stopped talking nonsense and waved his hand at the three subordinates behind him.
"Go! Break one of his arms, damn it!"
The three delinquent subordinates immediately grinned menacingly, brandishing their weapons, and lunged at Ryuzaki Shin!
At this very moment, in Ryuzaki Shin's mind, the system's voice sounded again!
"Ding! Detecting that the host is facing a choice, the God-tier Choice System is activated!"
"Option One: A man knows when to yield and when to stand firm. Immediately slide to your knees and admit defeat, claiming you were just joking. Completion Reward: Obtain the title 'King of Mouths,' equipped effect: +20% aura when trash-talking."
"Option Two: If you can't beat them, join them. Help these people break down the door together. Completion Reward: Obtain the 'NTR Enthusiast' badge, unlock special plot."
"Option Three: A hero should shine in desperate situations! Save the trapped Mrs. Asuka and beat all these scumbags down! Completion Reward: Unlock the [Female Affection Panel], obtain combat skill [Melee Combat Mastery]!"
Ryuzaki Shin looked at the options before him, and the corner of his mouth couldn't help but twitch again.
This system was truly outrageous!
NTR Enthusiast? That could be a reward?
Without even thinking, he silently muttered in his mind.
"I choose three!"
"Ding! Choice successful! Reward obtained: Unlock [Female Affection Panel], obtain combat skill [Melee Combat Mastery]!"
A stream of information, even larger and purer than before, instantly flooded his mind!
This time, it wasn't just pure combat intuition, but countless techniques for fighting with weapons!
Long staffs, short staffs, daggers, machetes, even bricks and wine bottles… how to swing, how to parry, how to utilize the length and weight advantage of weapons… everything was completely mastered by him in an instant, as if it were innate!
At this moment, the three weapon-wielding delinquents had already rushed in front of him!
Three iron-wrapped baseball bats, from above, middle, and below, came whistling through the air, smashing fiercely towards him!
Blocking all his escape routes!
Ryuzaki Shin's eyes narrowed. He looked around; the corridor was empty, with nothing that could be used as a weapon.
It's important to know that in a street fight, having a weapon and not having one are two completely different concepts.
Even if your fighting skills are superb, facing three strong men with weapons in a narrow stairwell, it's inevitable that you'll get injured.
The best way was to first disarm one person!
But this process would inevitably involve great risk!
Just as Ryuzaki Shin was about to take a hit and forcibly snatch a weapon.
A slightly nervous, yet incredibly clear voice, came from behind him.
"Um… excuse me, everyone."
Everyone was startled, and they all looked behind Ryuzaki Shin.
They saw that fair-skinned, timid-looking pretty boy, Sasaki Yu, walking up the stairs.
He had a nervous flush on his face, but his steps were firm.
He walked up to Ryuzaki Shin, then slowly… pulled out a steel nunchaku, wrapped in a black cloth bag and gleaming with cold metallic luster, from his seemingly ordinary school bag!
"Shin-nii, this… you take it."
Sasaki Yu handed the nunchaku to Ryuzaki Shin, and then he did something that left everyone present dumbfounded.
He turned around, faced Inokari and the three bosozoku, and bowed respectfully at a ninety-degree angle.
"Sumimasen, excuse me, please… continue."
"…"
Just then.
"Ryuzaki-kun! Be careful! Run! Don't mind me! Go to the police station and report it!"
Inside the door, Uehara Asuka's desperate cries came again, filled with sobs and despair.
She was terrified that Ryuzaki Shin would come to harm because of her.
Asking him to call the police was also for Ryuzaki Shin to leave this dangerous place.
"Leave?" Ryuzaki Shin curled his lips into a cold sneer.
He thought to himself.
What a joke, if the police were useful, would these scumbags still be flaunting their power here?
He knew very well that in Sakura Country of this era, the police's response efficiency was shockingly low; by the time they leisurely arrived, Mrs. Uehara would probably have already been ravaged by these scoundrels.
No sooner said than done, the bosozoku with the green hair on the far left had already rushed forward, his baseball bat whistling through the air as he viciously swung it at Ryuzaki Shin's head, cursing obscenely:
"You brat! How dare you meddle in our Red Scorpion's business? Go to hell!"
Ryuzaki Shin's eyes narrowed, and instead of retreating, he advanced, his nunchaku like a black lightning bolt, cutting a tricky arc through the air!
"Clang!"
A piercing metallic clash rang out!
The green-haired man's bat was directly blocked by his nunchaku!
The green-haired man only felt a huge force coming from the bat, and his tiger's mouth instantly went numb, before he could even react.
Ryuzaki Shin suddenly flicked his wrist, and the nunchaku, like a spiritual snake emerging from its hole, coiled upwards along the opponent's bat, then twisted violently!
"Ah!"
The green-haired man screamed, and the bat in his hand instantly flew out!
Ryuzaki Shin caught the flying bat with his left hand, without even looking, he spun his body and swung it backhand, fiercely striking the guy's face!
"Slap!"
A crisp sound accompanied by flying teeth and nosebleed!
The man was spun three times in place, like a broken top, and fell headfirst to the ground, passing out on the spot.
"Useless! Why don't you two go at him together!"
Inokari, who was watching from the side, saw his subordinate taken down in one move and immediately flew into a rage.
The remaining two bosozoku were startled awake by their boss's roar, and ignoring their fear, they roared and attacked Ryuzaki Shin's lower body from another direction, cursing:
"You little bastard, how dare you hurt my brother, I'll break your legs!"
Uehara Asuka saw this scene through the crack in the door, and her heart jumped into her throat.
She was shocked to see Ryuzaki Shin fighting three people, but more than that, she was worried.
She looked around, her gaze finally landing on the gleaming kitchen knife in the kitchen.
A crazy thought grew in her heart: If… if Ryuzaki-kun really got into trouble, I… I'll fight these scumbags to the death!
However, before she could turn around and rush to the kitchen, the sight before her instantly froze her on the spot.
The two bosozoku hadn't even had time to swing their bats.
Ryuzaki Shin had already closed in, and with a dull thud, his nunchaku struck the opponent's wrist at an extremely tricky angle!
"Crack!"
The crisp sound of bone cracking was particularly jarring in the silent hallway!
The bosozoku let out a pig-like scream, and the bat in his hand fell to the ground.
Ryuzaki Shin didn't pause at all, he pushed the nunchaku forward, directly pressing it against the other person's throat!
The man instantly suffocated, his face turning crimson, he could only desperately grab his throat with both hands, kneeling on the ground, like a fish out of water.
All of this, though it takes long to tell, actually happened in just a dozen seconds!
Three burly men armed with weapons were actually taken down by a seemingly frail student, using a single nunchaku, with devastating force!
Uehara Asuka covered her mouth, her beautiful eyes sparkling, her shock beyond words.
This usually quiet, even somewhat insecure young man, was actually… this strong?!
Inokari was also completely dumbfounded, his fat face filled with shock and disbelief.
But he had no intention of backing down.
The reason was simple.
Although this kid had some skills, he definitely wasn't unharmed.
Looking at his existing injuries, he must have just fought with someone else.
And he was so thin and weak, his stamina must be poor, having dealt with my three subordinates just now, he must be at the end of his rope!
Perfect, I'll re-establish my authority in front of my subordinates today!
Thinking this, a ruthless glint flashed in Inokari's eyes, and his ferocity was completely unleashed!
He suddenly ripped off his greasy tank top, revealing his upper body full of fat and ferocious tattoos, and from his lower back, he pulled out a gleaming large cleaver!
"Kid, you've got some moves." Inokari swung the cleaver, creating a whistling sound, and laughed arrogantly: "But, do you think you can fight against my sharpened weapon?"
As soon as Uehara Asuka saw the cold glinting cleaver, her heart instantly sank to rock bottom.
She saw the fine beads of sweat on Ryuzaki Shin's forehead, and his breathing also began to become somewhat rapid, clearly indicating immense physical exertion.
She thought desperately: No, Ryuzaki-kun will die! He will die! He's still so young, he should have a better future, he shouldn't… "Ryuzaki-kun! You must go! Please, really go!" Uehara Asuka leaned against the wall, tears streaming down her face, screaming hysterically: "Please, I beg you! I'm not worth this! I'm already so happy to have someone like you willing to stand up for me in the last moments of my life, really… it's enough!"
Inokari heard these words and laughed lewdly, his vulgar gaze sweeping over Uehara Asuka's shapely body, deliberately provoking her.
"Kid, did you hear that? The beauty herself is telling you to leave, and you're still staying here to die? Why don't you just roll away obediently and leave this beauty for us brothers to cherish, hehehe…"
"Shut up, woman!"
Ryuzaki Shin, however, didn't even glance at Inokari, he just coldly snapped at Uehara Asuka inside the door.
"When a man is doing business, don't shout! I said I'd protect you this morning, and I will! Now, stand aside and watch quietly!"
Hearing Ryuzaki Shin's words, Uehara Asuka stopped speaking, her tears just wouldn't stop falling.
She thought to herself that she was a jinx, and if anything really happened to Ryuzaki Shin, she would go down with him.
Ryuzaki Shin, however, showed no trace of tension, laughing inwardly: This fatso, he's certainly strong, but his wide-open attacking style is practically a living target, and it consumes a lot of stamina.
An untrained ordinary person would run out of strength after a few dozen seconds of full-force attacking, let alone this fat pig who clearly indulged in wine and women; his body was already hollowed out, all show and no substance.
To beat you, do I need to run?
He looked at Inokari with an idiotic gaze, and said with extreme disdain:
"Tattoos? Quite unique, aren't they? You've got Peppa Pig tattooed on a mantis shrimp, you're quite the socialite, aren't you?"
"Pfft!"
Inokari almost spat out a mouthful of old blood, he couldn't hold back any longer, roaring, he swung his machete and charged fiercely at Ryuzaki Shin!
"You idiot!! I'm going to chop you into minced meat today!"
Ryuzaki Shin sneered disdainfully, his nunchaku danced, creating a series of whooshing sounds.
But he didn't clash head-on with Inokari; instead, he used the flexibility of the nunchaku to constantly move, block, and wear down the fat pig's stamina.
Inokari chopped for a long time, but couldn't even touch Ryuzaki Shin's clothes; instead, the opponent's nunchaku left more than a dozen bruises on his body, making him grimace in pain and gasp for breath.
Just as Inokari's movements showed a slight delay due to exhaustion.
Ryuzaki Shin seized the opportunity!
His nunchaku suddenly changed tactics, precisely wrapping its chain around Inokari's knife-wielding wrist, and then he pulled it back sharply!
Inokari's body instantly lost balance and lunged forward.
Ryuzaki Shin didn't hesitate at all; he lifted his right foot and then fiercely… kicked Inokari's crotch!
"Bang!"
A dull, extreme sound, like a watermelon shattering!
"Awooo—!!!"
Inokari let out a scream more shrill and desperate than any before!
His body instantly curled into a shrimp, and the machete in his hand clattered to the ground.
He clutched his vital area, rolling and twitching on the ground, tears and snot streaming down his face, feeling that his balls… might really be shattered.
He immediately tried to get up and leave.
There was no other way; he could lose face, but he couldn't lose his balls.
"Trying to leave?"
Looking at Inokari struggling to get up and escape, Ryuzaki Shin's cold voice rang out.
"Big Brother! I was wrong! I was wrong! Please spare me!"
Inokari was scared out of his wits, kneeling on the ground and kowtowing repeatedly, just wanting to quickly leave this jinx and check on his balls.
"I'm very uncomfortable," Ryuzaki Shin slowly squatted down, patted Inokari's fleshy cheek with his nunchaku, and said in a chilling tone: "Look, how can you make me feel better? Once I'm comfortable, you can leave."
Inokari trembled all over, and without hesitation, he grabbed Noguchi Kenta, who was already terrified and frozen in the corner, and swung his arm in a wide arc.
"It's all your fault, you bastard! If it weren't for you, how would we have offended this boss, damn it!"
And his balls wouldn't hurt so much either.
But he kept that last thought to himself.
"Slap! Slap! Slap!"
More than a dozen loud slaps landed, directly turning the ex-husband into a pig's head.
"Hit him! Beat him to death for me!"
Inokari roared, and the other three subordinates, who had just recovered, also rushed over and gave the ex-husband a fierce beating.
They vented all the resentment in their hearts.
The "crack" of breaking bones was incessant.
"Ah—! Stop hitting me!"
The ex-husband let out a pig-like wail.
Inokari saw that Ryuzaki Shin showed no reaction.
His eyes hardened, he grabbed the ex-husband by the collar, and directly threw him down from the second-floor corridor!
With a "thud," the ex-husband fell heavily into the messy restaurant on the first floor, motionless.
"He didn't die, did he?"
Ryuzaki Shin muttered to himself.
Unexpectedly, a few seconds later, the ex-husband miraculously got up, limped away, and ran without looking back.
"Holy cow!"
Ryuzaki Shin couldn't help but curse this time; that vitality was indeed a bit too tenacious.
"Big Brother, now… can we leave?"
Inokari asked tremblingly.
Ryuzaki Shin thought, keeping them here was useless; killing them was definitely not an option. Fighting and killing were two different concepts, and with his current identity, if he really caused a death, it would be difficult to handle.
However, he was very clear in his mind that these guys, who were bowing and scraping today, would definitely bring people for revenge another day.
Since he had offended them, he would offend them to the death, give them an unforgettable lesson, and make them dare not bother him for a while.
It seems that forming his own force is imminent!
"Are you loan sharks?" Ryuzaki Shin asked coldly.
"Yes, yes, yes, Big Brother, do you want to borrow money?" Inokari quickly nodded.
Ryuzaki Shin directly slapped him: "Borrow your mother's head! Look at this hallway, and the shops on the first floor, what have you guys done to them?"
"You'll have to compensate at least… hmm… 10 million yen!"
"Ten… ten million?!" Inokari's eyes widened, "You… you're robbing us!"
10 million yen would be enough to fully purchase a moderately sized second-hand house or a small new apartment in a slightly more distant area or a small city.
It could also easily buy a mainstream luxury sedan, such as a Toyota Crown, a Nissan Cedric, or a Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
"Otherwise?" Ryuzaki Shin grinned, revealing his stark white teeth, "Do you think I'm playing house with you?"
Inokari's eyes darkened, but feeling the severe pain in his lower body, he could only squeeze out a few words through gritted teeth: "…Okay, I'll pay."
He coldly told a subordinate: "Get the IOU out!"
The subordinate tremblingly took out paper and pen and handed them to Ryuzaki Shin.
Ryuzaki Shin took the pen, and in the loan amount column, he closed his eyes and drew a few circles after the "1," then threw it to Inokari: "Sign it!"
Inokari took it and looked, his hands trembling even more violently: "Big Brother… no… wasn't it ten million? You… you signed one hundred million!"
Ryuzaki Shin raised an eyebrow: "Like you, my hand shook, can't it? What are you talking about, sign it quickly!"
Inokari was sweating profusely from the pain, and could only humiliatingly sign his name.
Then he handed it to Ryuzaki Shin with a forced smile.
But in his heart, he was thinking viciously: You brat, you'd better dare to come to my company for the money!
Ryuzaki Shin smiled; how could he not know what the fat man was thinking?
He understood the ways of the underworld better than anyone.
Whether this piece of paper was useful or not depended on whose fist was bigger.
Was there a difference between writing one hundred million and ten million?
The company's address was on the IOU.
Anyway, he would wipe them out and take as much as he could get!
He saw the phone sticking out of Inokari's pocket and snatched it: "This will be the interest."
Inokari felt a pang of heartache; this was a new phone he had just bought yesterday, not even warm yet!
But he could only watch as his phone was taken away.
He clutched his crotch, painfully stood up, and prepared to take his subordinates down the stairs.
"Did I tell you to take the stairs?" Ryuzaki Shin's cold voice rang out again, "Since you're their Big Brother, you wouldn't mind being a cushion for your subordinates, would you?"
"A… cushion?"
Inokari was stunned, not understanding what he meant.
But seeing Ryuzaki Shin's demeanor, he wasn't going to let them take the stairs.
The floor heights in Sakura Country are generally not high; jumping from the second floor would hurt, but it was better than getting another beating.
He steeled himself, jumped directly from the second floor, landed unsteadily on the ground, and was about to get on his motorcycle to go to the hospital.
Ryuzaki Shin sneered, picked up a baseball bat from the ground, and swung it forcefully. The baseball bat arced through the air with a "thwack," hitting Inokari squarely in the back and knocking him face down onto his motorcycle.
"Ah—!"
Immediately after, Ryuzaki Shin kicked each of the three subordinates precisely from the second floor, one after another, and they crashed onto Inokari.
"Pfft—"
Inokari was hit so hard that he coughed up blood, feeling as if his internal organs had shifted.
This was the cushion.
The four men piled on top of each other like human pyramids, struggling for a long time before they managed to get up, leaning on each other, limping onto their motorcycles, and fleeing in disarray.
Downstairs, in the previously silent Toyota Century, the driver watched this scene, cold sweat already beading on his forehead. He glanced at his young master through the rearview mirror.
Sasaki Yu was also full of shock, his mouth agape wide enough to fit an egg.
The driver was about to say something.
Just then, the driver's phone rang. He answered it, spoke a few respectful words, and then said to Sasaki Yu: "Young Master, the head of the household is urging us to return home."
Sasaki Yu then came back to his senses. He rolled down the car window and shouted up at Ryuzaki Shin.
"Shin… Shin-nii, um… my nunchaku, I'll just give them to you. Tomorrow morning, I'll pick you up for school."
Before Ryuzaki Shin could reply, the sedan emitted a low engine roar and sped away into the distance.
Ryuzaki Shin watched the receding car, his confusion deepening.
This Sasaki Yu, he looks like a rich person, but why is he sucking up to me so much?
He definitely had to ask this kid what he was thinking tomorrow.
He let out a long breath, feeling somewhat exhausted, and wanted to go to Mrs. Uehara's house for a drink of water.
However, when he pushed open the door, which now had a hole smashed in it, the sight before him made his pupils suddenly contract!
He saw Uehara Asuka holding a gleaming kitchen knife to her fair neck, her eyes filled with deathly stillness and despair!
She… was going to commit suicide!
Ryuzaki Shin's brows instantly furrowed into a knot as he watched the resolute scene unfolding before him.
He cursed inwardly:
"Damn it, this stupid woman, did you ask me before you decided to die?"
"I just helped you chase those people away, I'm as tired as a dog, haven't even had a sip of water, and you're going to pull a suicide stunt on me?"
"If you die, won't all my efforts be in vain?"
"I won't let you die, so you can't die!"
Although he thought this, he knew that the most important thing now was to stabilize Uehara Asuka's emotions.
This woman's spirit was already on the verge of collapse.
He took a deep breath, suppressed the irritation in his heart, and spoke in as calm a tone as possible:
"Mrs. Uehara, please put the knife down first, and let's talk properly."
Uehara Asuka slowly raised her head, her eyes, which should have been charming and captivating, now only held a deathly gray stillness.
She looked at Ryuzaki Shin, tears falling silently like broken pearls.
"Ryuzaki-kun... please go... don't mind me anymore..."
Her voice was hoarse and desperate.
"It's my fault, I've implicated you... that man... he won't let you go... please leave quickly, the farther the better..."
As she spoke, she recalled her tragic life, her voice becoming increasingly choked with sobs.
"My father passed away early, and my mother and I depended on each other... Later, my mother fell seriously ill, and to treat her, I... I only married that scoundrel Noguchi..."
"But I didn't expect him to take the money and gamble it away, completely disregarding my mother's life or death... In the end, my mother still left us..."
"It took me so much effort to finally divorce him, but he still wouldn't let me go, pestering me every other day, suspecting me... suspecting me of seducing other men..."
As she spoke, she broke down into uncontrollable sobs, as if trying to cry out all her grievances.
"I thought, if I just endured it, it would pass... But, it didn't pass... it really didn't pass..."
She raised her tear-filled eyes, looking at Ryuzaki Shin, a hint of reluctance and lingering affection flashing in her gaze.
"Ryuzaki-kun, you are a good child... please leave quickly, don't let a jinx like me ruin your life..."
She pointed to the cabinet in her room, using her last bit of strength to say:
"Inside... there's 200,000 yen I saved up, take it, find a good school, study hard... In the future, find a beautiful wife, and build a happy family..."
"..."
"What the hell!" Ryuzaki Shin was completely speechless.
At a time like this, you're still thinking about me?
He scratched his head, his mind buzzing.
Comforting people?
He had no idea how to do that!
In his previous life, he only knew one way to comfort people: send everyone who made the other person unhappy to the bottom of the bay to feed the fish.
Simple, brutal, effective.
But now... looking at the beautiful woman crying her heart out, determined to die, he was at a loss for words.
Just as he was getting a headache and was about to go directly and snatch the knife away.
In his mind, that familiar voice rang out again.
"Ding! Detecting that the host is facing a major choice, God-tier Selection System activated!"
"Option One: Silence is golden, turn around and leave, respecting her choice. After all, a person who wants to die cannot be saved. Completion Reward: 200,000 yen (from the landlady's gift)"
"Option Two: Appeal to her emotions and reason, use positive, inspirational quotes to awaken her love for life. Completion Reward: Obtain the title [Soul Mentor], equipped effect: Persuasion +10%"
"Option Three: Use the most direct and overbearing method to shatter all her psychological defenses, making her understand that with you here, she doesn't even have the right to die! Tell her: 'Everyone likes to have a gentle and lovely wife warming their bed at night. Do you want me to sleep hugging a cold pillow from now on?' Completion Reward: Charm +1, Uehara Asuka's Affection +30!"
Ryuzaki Shin raised an eyebrow as he looked at the three options.
Option One, immediately PASS.
Option Two, inspirational platitudes? Forget it, I feel like throwing up just listening to them, and you expect them to persuade someone?
That leaves only... "System, I choose three!"
"Ding! Selection successful! Reward obtained: Charm +1, Uehara Asuka's Affection +30!"
In an instant, Ryuzaki Shin felt as if his facial features had undergone a subtle change; his eyes became deeper, and the unintentional curve of his lips took on a hint of devilish handsomeness.
At the same time, a virtual panel, visible only to him, appeared above Uehara Asuka's head.
"Name: Uehara Asuka"
"Age: 28"
"Height: 165cm"
"Measurements: 92-60-95"
"Cup Size: F"
"Affection: 50 (More than friends, less than lovers)"
"Times driven: 0"
"Mental State: Has strong affection and dependence on you, but feels inferior due to age difference and her past experiences, suppressing her true emotions, yearning for strong support and care."
"Holy crap!"
Ryuzaki Shin's eyes widened as he looked at the data on the panel, especially the F and the 0.
Mrs. Uehara
That figure is simply unfair!
And... she's still a virgin?
Is that good-for-nothing Noguchi Kenta impotent?!
He admitted that the moment he saw this panel, his heart, which had been dormant for many years, ungracefully began to beat faster.
There's nothing to deny; reborn into this world, one should live freely and face one's desires directly.
As for the age difference?
Heh heh, how does that saying go?
Young men don't know the goodness of older women, mistakenly valuing young girls as treasures!
Moreover, he could tell that this woman didn't want to die at all.
Every person who cries and makes a fuss about wanting to die actually doesn't want to die; they are just using this extreme method to crave love and salvation.
Having understood this, Ryuzaki Shin no longer hesitated.
He looked directly into Uehara Asuka's tear-filled beautiful eyes and walked towards her step by step.
His steps were not fast, but each one felt like it was treading on Uehara Asuka's heart, steady and powerful.
Uehara Asuka watched him approach, her body instinctively shrinking back, and she clutched the kitchen knife in her hand even tighter.
"Ryuzaki-kun... don't come any closer..."
Ryuzaki Shin didn't stop. His gaze was focused and domineering, as if he wanted to see through her soul.
"You said you implicated me?"
His voice was deep and magnetic, carrying an undeniable tone.
"You're wrong."
He stopped in front of her, looking down at her.
"I'm just doing what I want to do, fulfilling my promise to you."
Uehara Asuka was stunned. She hadn't expected to hear such words from this young man.
In her heart, her defenses quietly loosened a little.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at her red lips, slightly parted in surprise, and continued:
"You said I should find a beautiful wife and build a happy family?"
His gaze became scorching, as if it wanted to melt her.
"But what I want has never been 'a' beautiful wife."
"What I want is you."
Boom!
These words, like a clap of thunder, exploded in Uehara Asuka's mind!
She felt her mind go blank, and the kitchen knife in her hand became unsteady.
She looked at the young man in front of her. His handsome face, under the dim yellow light of the corridor, appeared exceptionally charming.
She suddenly remembered, in her youth, who hadn't fantasized about an handsome, powerful, and domineering young man riding a white horse, coming before her and promising to protect her for a lifetime?
She had only thought it was just a fantasy.
But now...
Ryuzaki Shin looked at her hazy eyes, knowing the time was right.
He slowly reached out his hand, not to take the knife from her, but to gently wipe away the tear stains on her cheek with his thumb.
Then, he leaned down and whispered into her ear, in an aggressive voice that only the two of them could hear, the words that would shatter all her defenses.
"So, put away your ridiculous notions."
"Because, without my permission, you... have no right to die."
"Everyone likes to have a gentle and lovely wife to warm their bed at night. Do you want me to... sleep with a cold pillow in the future?"
Clang!
A crisp sound.
The kitchen knife in Uehara Asuka's hand slipped to the floor.
Could she still not understand what Ryuzaki Shin meant?
Her body went limp, unable to support herself any longer, and she directly fell into Ryuzaki Shin's arms, wrapping her hands tightly around his waist, burying her head in his chest, and bursting into tears.
Ryuzaki Shin gently stroked her smooth long hair, his heart peaceful.
He didn't say anything more, just let her vent years of grievances.
After a long while, her crying gradually stopped.
Uehara Asuka lifted her head from his embrace. Her pretty face was tear-streaked like a cat, but her beautiful eyes were sparkling, as if hope had been rekindled.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at her like this, a smile playing on his lips, and suddenly, he scooped her up in a bridal carry!
"Ah!"
Uehara Asuka let out a surprised cry, her hands instinctively wrapping around his neck.
"Ryuzaki-kun, what... what are you doing?"
Ryuzaki Shin carried her, striding into her room.
"Are you still going to be so willful? Threatening to die at the drop of a hat?"
Ryuzaki Shin's voice carried a hint of sternness, but more than that, it was a kind of doting.
He had done so much for her; it was only reasonable for her to become his person now.
As the woman of the boss, she must not be troublesome.
If she kept threatening to die at the drop of a hat, he would be annoyed to death every day.
Moreover, it was from a young man ten years her junior!
Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz:
"No... I won't dare anymore..."
After a while, she felt... "Ryuzaki-kun... you... you..."
Well, a man's normal physiological reaction should be understandable, right?"
"Although this body is thin and weak, and I feel uncomfortable everywhere, it has plenty of capital."
"Hmm, those who know, know!"
Just as he was lost in thought, Uehara Asuka, who was lying on the bed, slowly got up.
She sat up, her back to Ryuzaki Shin, and tidied her somewhat disheveled loungewear. Her pretty face was so red it could almost drip blood.
Then, she subconsciously raised her hand, wanting to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, but suddenly let out a soft "Eh?"
She saw a patch of startling crimson on her fair, tender palm.
It was blood!
She spun around abruptly and realized that a large patch of dried blood was on the back of Ryuzaki Shin's tattered school uniform, clearly an injury sustained during the earlier brawl.
"Ryuzaki-kun! You… you're hurt!"
Uehara Asuka's eyes instantly reddened, and the tears she had just stopped began to threaten to overflow again.
Her heart was filled with endless self-reproach and heartache. How much had this young man endured to protect her?
"Why are you crying again?"
Ryuzaki Shin looked at her, on the verge of bursting into tears, and felt his head buzz.
Why was this woman like a faucet?
He directly pulled out the [Special Healing Potion] from his pocket, a system reward, and without even looking, tossed it to Uehara Asuka.
"Here, help me apply it."
Uehara Asuka fumbled to catch the medicine bottle, then carefully walked behind Ryuzaki Shin and asked him to take off his old school uniform.
When she saw the crisscrossing scars on Ryuzaki Shin's back, her tears could no longer be held back and fell, pattering down.
Although most were just superficial wounds, to her, they were so shocking.
Ryuzaki Shin felt the warm tears on his back, frowned, and said in a domineering tone:
"I don't like women who cry. From now on, if you're with me, you'll stop crying!"
"Mm…"
Uehara Asuka was stunned by his sudden declaration and subconsciously stopped crying, nodding obediently.
Her heart, however, was pounding like a startled deer.
He said… from now on, she would be with him? What did that mean?
Could it be… could it be that he really wanted to be with her forever?
But… we're a full ten years apart… Although… although I don't look old, and my figure is better than those younger girls… But… but he's only eighteen, could it just be a moment of impulse?
Uehara Asuka's heart was like a dramatic emotional play, with various thoughts flooding in, adding a touch of captivating charm to her already flushed face.
Ryuzaki Shin didn't know what she was thinking. He only felt a comfortable sensation from the cool ointment on his back, and combined with fighting two battles today, a strong wave of sleepiness instantly washed over him.
He yawned, stood up directly, and prepared to return to his room to sleep.
"You…!"
Uehara Asuka felt a deep sense of unease seeing him about to leave.
After the series of events during the day, she felt secure only when Ryuzaki Shin was by her side.
Snapping back to reality, a sudden urgency in her heart, she inexplicably embraced him from behind!
She pressed her face tightly against his lean yet firm back and, in an almost pleading tone, said tremblingly:
"Don't go… Tonight… can you stay tonight? I… I'm scared…"
Ryuzaki Shin raised an eyebrow, looking back at the shaky door with a large hole smashed through it.
Indeed, this door was like paper. If a pervert really came at night, it would be difficult to handle.
But from Uehara Asuka's hot body and hurried breathing, he read another, deeper meaning.
Just then, Uehara Asuka asked timidly again.
"Is it okay?"
Ryuzaki Shin showed a troubled expression, sighed, and said helplessly:
"Alright, since you're begging me so much, I'll reluctantly stay."
In his heart, however, he was secretly laughing: "You vixen! When you reveal your true form later, you'll have to taste my old Sun's big stick!"
Ryuzaki Shin walked directly to the bed, lay down in a spread-eagle position, and prepared to sleep.
Uehara Asuka, seeing him lie down, said with a slight blush, "Take a bath first, Ryuzaki-kun. I… I'll go first…"
With that, she grabbed her change of clothes and fled into the bathroom as if escaping.
Ryuzaki Shin lay on the bed, feeling the faint residual body scent on the bedding, and began to contemplate his plans for tomorrow.
"First, I need to ask that kid named Sasaki Yu why he's been following me and giving me weapons."
"Then, it's about building influence."
"How can I be a boss without subordinates behind me?"
Several candidates instantly appeared in his mind.
The first was Tamura Chuta.
This kid, in the original plot, was the protagonist Takiya Genji's first subordinate. Although his strength was average, he was loyal and knew Suzuran's power structure like the back of his hand, practically a living map. He would be perfect as an intelligence chief.
The second was Makise Takashi, known as the "One-Second Man."
This guy was a tough nut to crack. He was beaten by Serizawa many times but never gave in; his bones were very hard, and he was also loyal. Although he was a bit ugly, like a Xiao Chunan, subduing him wouldn't be too difficult. Force was secondary; the main thing was to win his heart.
The third was Izaki Shun.
This guy, in the original work, was the protagonist team's number one strategist. He was intelligent and had a group of brothers under him. If he could be subdued, his own faction could quickly take shape.
"If I take down these three forces, I'll have a foundation at Suzuran."
Ryuzaki Shin thought.
"What's the point of being a king in school? To grow big and strong, I still have to play in society."
"It's only the start of the semester now; that kid Genji probably hasn't had time to transfer yet."
"Hehe, I know the plot well; I'm playing with an information asymmetry."
"What do you call this? Walk the protagonist's path, and leave him no path to walk!"
Just as he was smugly planning his grand conquest.
"Whoosh—"
The bathroom door was pulled open.
A wave of hot air, mixed with steam and the scent of shower gel, instantly surged out of the bathroom.
Ryuzaki Shin subconsciously looked up.
He saw a graceful figure, wrapped in a pure white bath towel, slowly emerge from the mist.
Water droplets slid down her smooth long hair, past her fair, slender neck.
Ryuzaki Shin felt his throat go a bit dry.
Uehara Asuka felt uncomfortable under his burning gaze, her pretty face so red it looked like it could drip blood, and she said softly:
"Th-that… you should also take a bath. You're covered in bloodstains…"
Ryuzaki Shin took a deep breath, put on a gentlemanly facade, nodded, stood up, and walked towards the bathroom.
In his heart, however, he sneered: "Treacherous woman, trying to tempt me with such a low-level tactic and then trap me? You underestimate Ryuzaki Shin's self-control too much!"
He walked past Uehara Asuka, creating a gust of wind.
Uehara Asuka felt her bath towel almost being blown off and instinctively gasped, covering herself with her hands.
She was about to remind Ryuzaki Shin to take off his clothes, but was shocked to find that in the short few steps he took from her side to the bathroom door.
That tattered school uniform had been fluidly removed, like a butterfly shedding its skin, and neatly hung on the clothes rack outside the bathroom door!
Uehara Asuka's beautiful eyes widened, and she couldn't help but exclaim.
"So… so fast…"
Ryuzaki Shin naturally heard this comment, his mouth twitched, and he cursed inwardly: "Fast my ass! Can't you speak properly?!"
He walked into the bathroom, turned on the shower, and the cold water pouring over his head instantly cleared his somewhat heated mind.
While lathering up, he pondered in his mind.
"This woman, is she trying to play the classic 'hero saves the beauty, then she offers herself' trope?"
His thoughts stirred, and he brought up Uehara Asuka's favorability panel.
"[Name: Uehara Asuka]"
"[Age: 28]"
"[Height: 165cm]"
"[Measurements: 92-60-95]"
"[Cup Size: F]"
"[Favorability: 60 (Not yet lovers, could fall at any moment)]"
"[Times driven: 0]"
"[Psychological State: Her favorability towards you is rapidly increasing. She already sees you as a reliable support to entrust her life to, but deep down, she still feels a hint of unease and hesitation due to the age gap.]"
"Hmm? It's at 60?"
Ryuzaki Shin was a bit surprised.
He remembered that when he completed Option Three, the favorability was 50 points.
Now it had become 60 points, proving that in that brief interaction just now, another 10 points were added.
"It seems this favorability isn't entirely determined by system rewards; the character's own emotional fluctuations also affect it."
He analyzed, but looking at the 60 points of favorability, he fell into thought again.
"Not yet lovers… Then what does she mean by keeping me here? Testing me?"
He shook his head, unable to understand.
Forget it, don't try to guess a woman's thoughts.
He dried himself and walked out wearing only a pair of boxers.
When he reached the bed, he found that Uehara Asuka was already lying on her side on the bed… asleep!
She was wearing a silk slip dress, her graceful curves faintly visible in the dim light.
Ryuzaki Shin was utterly speechless.
Who the hell could handle this?!
He wasn't a saint; not thinking about something happening was impossible.
If he really did nothing and slept next to her, he might just explode on the spot tonight.
"Damn it, I'm out of here!"
Ryuzaki Shin felt that if he stayed any longer, he would turn into a beast.
He turned and prepared to leave this tempting room.
However, just as he was about to take a step.
A cool, tender little hand suddenly reached out from under the covers and precisely grabbed his arm.
"Shin… don't go…"