Chapter 58 - 58: Off-field assistance Kato Megumi

"What the hell are you doing? What was that noise just now?" The bearded man, who had been drinking inside, shot to his feet. The sudden crash had clearly startled him. Cursing under his breath, he stormed out of the room—only to freeze at the sight before him. A masked man stood in the entryway, facing off against his friend, Takashi. And then there was the front door… or what was left of it. The heavy steel security door now lay crumpled on the floor, as if it had been torn off its hinges by something inhuman. The man blinked. He had always prided himself on holding his liquor well. So either he was experiencing the most vivid alcohol-induced hallucination of his life, or— "Am I suffering from alcohol poisoning…?" Neither of the two men in the entryway paid him any mind. Takashi, gripping a knife tightly in one hand, stared at the masked intruder with wary eyes. "Do we have some kind of bad blood between us?" The masked man, Haru, shook his head. "Then… do we know each other?" Another shake of the head. "Wait a minute… are you a cop?" Takashi's voice rose in alarm. But even as he voiced the suspicion, he doubted it. What kind of cop dressed like that? "You will know soon enough." The cryptic response made Takashi frown. Haru calmly pointed at the knife in his hand. "I can tell you're a man with a talent for planning ahead. After tonight, your life will have a set schedule—meals, showers, sleep, everything taken care of. So…" He smiled behind the mask. "You might want to start thinking about your next move." For a second, both men just stared at him, processing his words. Then it hit them. A set schedule? Everything taken care of? —This bastard was talking about prison! "Like hell I will!" Takashi snapped, turning to his friend. "Koga, give me a hand!" Without waiting for an answer, he lunged forward, knife aimed straight for Haru's heart. His attack was ruthless, his killing intent clear. Koga had just grabbed a chair, barely beginning to move— And then he saw it. A simple motion. Haru raised a hand, almost lazily, and— Slap. The sharp sound rang through the room. A split second later, Takashi was sent flying backward. With a loud crash, he slammed into the wall-mounted television, knocking it off its bracket. The screen shattered on impact, pieces of glass and plastic scattering across the floor. Takashi lay sprawled in the debris, his knife flung who-knows-where. He twitched, groaning in pain, but for all his struggling, he couldn't get up. The room fell into a stunned silence. [You are training. (Steel Body) EXP +321] [You are in combat. (Martial Arts) EXP +373] As expected, the experience gain was high. Haru turned to face Koga, who was still holding the chair. The man was frozen, eyes wide, looking as if someone had pressed pause on his life. Haru's voice was gentle. "Koga-san, are you planning to make a move too?" "N-Not at all! I just thought this chair looked a little wobbly and wanted to check it." Koga forced a smile, hurriedly setting the chair down and seating himself like a well-behaved child. His ability to change expressions was almost on par with a certain British politician hearing news of the prime minister's passing. Fear was a strange thing. Once it stacked up, it could completely crush a person's will to fight. The first wave of fear came when Haru ripped the door off its hinges. The second came when Takashi was slapped out of existence. After that? Koga wasn't about to test his luck. "What a shame," Haru murmured. The hairs on Koga's arms stood on end. What's a shame?! Haru ignored him, looking back at the wreckage of the television. He had controlled his strength well—just enough to knock Takashi down, not seriously injure him. Sure enough, five seconds later, Takashi wobbled back to his feet. His eyes were filled with pure terror. I can't let my precious EXP source run away. Haru casually picked up the fallen knife and tossed it at Takashi's feet. Takashi froze. "Pick it up. Let's continue," Haru said. Silence. Koga turned his head away, refusing to watch. For a man to willingly hand his opponent a weapon, he had to be either completely insane or absolutely confident in his own strength. Koga was sure Haru was the latter. "You bastard—I'll kill you!" Takashi's fear pushed him past his breaking point. Three minutes later. He was face-down on the floor, barely conscious. His body was covered in bruises—yet somehow, miraculously, there wasn't a single serious injury. And yet, the pain was so overwhelming that standing was out of the question. Haru, satisfied with his EXP gains, turned to Koga, who was now trembling in his seat. "I already called the cops before I walked in. They should be here soon." Koga flinched. But then— His shoulders sagged with relief. "That's… very kind of you," he stammered, his words barely coherent. For the first time in his life, a former yakuza was desperate for the police to show up and take him away. Leaving the apartment, Haru didn't return to his car right away. Instead, he blended into the growing crowd of onlookers outside. The loud crash had drawn attention—several residents had run outside, fearing structural issues with the building. It wasn't long before the police arrived. And as luck would have it, one of the officers was someone Haru had encountered before. Taking advantage of the moment when the officer's partner was busy questioning the bystanders, Haru casually stepped forward and stopped him. "Yamanaka Takashi is upstairs," he said. The older police officer froze for a moment. "Ha—" He quickly stopped himself, grabbed Haru by the arm, and pulled him aside from the crowd. "Amamiya-san, was this your doing again?" he asked, visibly shocked. Haru nodded. The officer let out a helpless chuckle. "And you're the one who called it in?" "Yes." The officer sighed, exasperated. "Kid, how do you keep getting involved in these things? We told you last time—having a sense of justice is great, and it's not wrong to want to stand up against criminals, but this kind of thing is too dangerous for you." He shook his head, looking both concerned and frustrated. Haru, already prepared with an excuse, replied smoothly, "I just happened to hear about the fugitive's whereabouts and decided to check it out." The officer stared at him, clearly speechless. "And? Did you get a good look?" "I did." "How's Yamanaka holding up?" "His sleep quality isn't great. He's not asleep yet." "…" The officer pinched the bridge of his nose before waving his colleagues forward. "Let's go." As he turned to leave, he threw Haru a final warning. "This was a big commotion. Don't be surprised if we show up at your place tomorrow." Haru didn't seem to mind. On the way upstairs, the younger officer beside him asked curiously, "Senpai, who was that masked guy? You seemed to talk to him for a while." "A very capable young man," the older officer replied. A Familiar Encounter Back in the car, Haru's lawyer and driver breathed sighs of relief when they saw he was unharmed. "Boss, what exactly happened? I swear I heard something being smashed apart," the driver said. "Oh, that," Haru said nonchalantly. "I accidentally took down someone's front door." "Haha, boss, you're always joking." As they drove home, Haru watched the city lights flicker past the window. When the car neared Snow Ice Cream Shop, he suddenly had an idea and told the driver to slow down. It was closing time. The lights inside were dimmed, and no customers were visible—only a few figures cleaning up inside. After a moment, Aoyama Nanami stepped out carrying several garbage bags. It was almost an exact repeat of last time. The bags were clearly heavy, and she struggled under their weight. Haru, remembering how she had once dubbed him "the guy who eats trash," chuckled to himself and walked over. "Huh? It's you?" Nanami blinked in surprise before her expression shifted to excitement. Haru reached out his hand toward her again. But this time, the girl quickly turned away, clutching the garbage bags protectively behind her like they were priceless treasures. She shot him a wary look. Haru paused. Honestly… she looked kind of adorable, all tense and ready to defend her trash. "I'm not giving them to you this time!" she declared, like a knight standing guard over sacred relics. Haru couldn't help but laugh. "What, do you really think I'm some homeless guy who eats garbage?" "Wait… You mean you're not…?" She frowned. Then her eyes widened as realization dawned. "Wait a second, that voice—Amamiya-san?!" "Can I take those now?" Haru asked, still holding out his hand. Nanami just stood there, staring at him, her mind apparently short-circuiting. Without waiting for her to process, Haru grabbed the bags and turned to leave, just like last time. "Hey! Amamiya-san!" She hurried to catch up. He slowed his pace slightly. "Something wrong?" "Of course something's wrong!" she huffed, puffing up her cheeks. "I have a ton of questions! How can you just walk away like that?" "It's late. You should get home and rest. We can talk another day." "But… The guy in the news—that was you, wasn't it?" "It was," Haru admitted without hesitation. Then, with the same ease, he walked off. Nanami stood frozen, watching his back as he disappeared. "I… might've just uncovered a huge secret." Her mind whirred with possibilities. "An ordinary high school student by day… a crime-fighting hero by night?" The thought was so ridiculous that she immediately dismissed it. But one thing was certain—she probably wouldn't be getting much sleep tonight. .... After returning home and taking a shower, Haru checked his stats. His [Jumping] skill had reached Level 6. Between his sparring sessions at the karate club and tonight's "training" with the fugitive, he had been intentionally focusing on dodging and movement. After all, real combat experience was the best way to rack up skill points. [Teaching] was also close to maxing out. He was genuinely curious—what would happen when it hit the highest level? [Fitness] had already reached the cap, and that alone had shifted his entire fighting style. At 10:30 PM, Haru lay in bed, casually texting Yukino. She had just finished her bath and was getting ready for bed. Haru: It's already so late. You should stop studying for the night. I know you're hardworking, but your health is more important. Yukino: I'm well aware. Haru: Then let's talk about something interesting. Yukino: What, are you planning to flaunt your bizarre fetishes again? This time is it thigh-high socks? Stockings? Or something even more indecent? Haru was caught completely off guard by the sudden verbal barrage. Damn. She had been getting sharper ever since they started dating. The Yukino from before wouldn't have even mentioned such things. Haru: What kind of wild thoughts are you having now? I meant something actually interesting. Like how the script I gave you is about to start filming. I'll probably need to take a few days off to visit the company. Want to come with me? Yukino: Oh, so you want to show me off to everyone? Haru : You saw right through me. Yukino: I suppose it makes sense. A girl as adorable as me dating you—it'd be weirder if you didn't flaunt it. Haru : Wow, that was some sudden self-absorption. Be careful, or I might have to use my ultimate technique on you. Yukino sent back a smug panda emoji, clearly unimpressed. Haru : Remember how I massaged your legs last time? If you want, I could teach you how to do it. Free of charge. This time, she didn't respond immediately. Because, on the other side of the screen, Yukino was sitting in bed, her face burning red. She had completely forgotten about that moment. But now that Haru had brought it up, all she could think about was his precise, deliberate touch. Tonight, her dreams were probably going to be… filled him playing with her legs. Yukino bit her lip, glaring at her phone. Haru, you are so dead. Haru : Good night, my dear Yukino. "Hmph. Running away now, are you?" She tossed her phone onto the bed, turned off the lights, and pulled the covers over her head. One overly sweet goodnight message wasn't enough to make up for his teasing. She would definitely make him pay for it at school tomorrow. .... The next morning. After greeting a few familiar classmates, Haru had just taken his seat when a group of girls excitedly gathered around him, their faces full of curiosity. "Amamiya-san, we have a question for you." "Oh? You already heard about my one-against-ten achievement?" "Eh?" The girls were momentarily stunned before bursting into laughter. "Do you even need to ask? That news spread through the entire school ages ago!" "So, what do you want to ask?" "Is it true that you have a girlfriend?" "Yep, bad news for you all—you're out of luck," Haru teased. "Hah! You wish! It's not like we even like you in the first place," the girls shot back playfully. Then, they confidently shared their own theory. "Your girlfriend is Yukinoshita-san, right? You two are always together. Who in their right mind would want to compete with that? Just standing near her is enough to make anyone feel inferior!" Gossip among girls spread faster than wildfire. By midday, the entire school knew that Haru was dating Yukino. And the students, always eager for fresh drama, welcomed the news with open arms. They hadn't even finished digesting the "karate club showdown" gossip, and now a brand-new scandal had landed right in their laps. The girls who admired Haru felt a little disappointed, but not devastated. After all, many students had already noticed how often he and Yukino were seen together. Even if there hadn't been solid proof before, everyone had their suspicions. Everyone, that is, except for Utaha, who was eating her lunch in silence. "Bad news," she muttered, lightly gripping her chopsticks with a sigh. She had expected this day to come, but witnessing it firsthand still stung. Feeling a gaze on her, she turned to see Kato Megumi watching her closely. Quickly composing herself, she forced a calm expression and said, "I'm fine. Just lost in thought for a moment." Megumi nodded, not calling out her obvious lie. After a few seconds of hesitation, Utaha's eyes flickered with uncertainty. "...Can you do me a favor?" Meanwhile, on the other side of the school… As soon as Haru finished his lunch, a group of boys surrounded him. Judging by the fire in their eyes, he assumed they were also here to grill him about his relationship with Yukino. But instead, they eagerly asked, "Amamiya! Are you seriously just a substitute sparring partner in the karate club?" Haru blinked. Oh. So that's what they were excited about. Turns out, these guys weren't here for the romance gossip at all. It was admiration—pure, unfiltered awe. Haru recalled how, back in middle school, he had taken an interest in the Aikido club because Yukino practiced it. That year, the club had performed well in a city tournament, and its leader—an unimposing, stocky senior—became a figure of reverence among the male students. Now, seeing the same starry-eyed expressions directed at him, Haru asked, "Are you guys thinking about joining the karate club?" "Yes! If you're only a substitute and you're this strong, then the club captain must be on a whole other level!" Their response was immediate, their excitement unwavering. Clearly, Haru's one-against-ten feat had completely swept away their sense of reason. Being responsible, he decided to clarify, "It's true that I'm a substitute, but my situation is different. I've been training in various martial arts since I was a kid, so you can't really use me as a reference." "As expected! Senior Oyama was right—you strong types are always so humble!" one of them exclaimed, shaking his head in amazement. Haru: "…?" Oh, so that's why they all came looking for me in the middle of lunch. Oyama must've hyped me up again. Having been in the karate club for a while, Haru was well aware that the senior members were his "number one fan club." Most likely, their over-the-top praise was just a tactic to recruit more members. Understanding their motive, Haru put on a serious expression and said, "The secret to getting stronger is hidden within the karate club. If you want it, you'll have to find it for yourselves." "Oh, come on! That's straight out of One Piece! Never thought you were an anime nerd, Amamiya!" The group burst into laughter, their excitement still high, but now with a sense of camaraderie. Joking around, they decided to pay the karate club a visit. That day, Haru's name was on everyone's lips. Rumors spread like wildfire, and by the time school ended, he made a swift retreat—straight to the photography club. There was no way he was heading to the dojo today. It was bound to be packed with curious onlookers. "I knew you'd be hiding here," Yukino remarked as soon as he entered. With all the gossip swirling around, she had expected him to slip away. According to his own words, this was called a "tactical retreat." "Can't be helped. Everyone's way too enthusiastic—I need to lay low for a couple of days." Haru sighed dramatically, playing up his exhaustion. For the rest of the afternoon, he focused on teaching in the photography club, gathering experience while discreetly observing everyone's reactions. Seeing that Utaha had seemingly composed herself and was paying full attention to his lesson, he felt relieved. He had never intended for anything to happen between them, but since she was part of the club now, he felt responsible for looking after her. Besides, it was obvious that Yukino took this upcoming film project very seriously. When Kato Megumi called Haru away for something, Utaha set down her pen and quietly followed him with her gaze. At lunch, despite her best efforts to act normal, she had eventually caved and asked Megumi for a favor. And now, it seemed like Megumi had found the perfect moment to help her out.