If this was some sort of mystical fantasy cultivation world, Seiji could just slaughter them all, then wash his hands and walk away without a care in the world. However, this was a modern society. If someone died, it would become a serious matter.
Well, that was unless he had the power to cover it all up, but he didn’t.
So, should he knock out all the remaining black-suited men before leaving?
In all honesty, it wasn’t a bad idea, and it was the only idea he currently had. He could just pretend to be a masked hero of justice.
But even though he was wearing a mask and he purposefully lowered his voice when speaking, there was still a possibility of his identity being discovered, however unlikely.
Only comics would have a situation where a masked superhero could completely fool everyone about his identity with just a mask and a tightsuit!
There were many ways to find out someone’s identity in real life that were difficult to deal with.
And he would prefer to be able to go back to his normal daily life after this…
Seiji remained motionless as he mulled this over in his mind. However, to the remaining black-suited men, after defeating the scarred man with the gun with a single punch, it seemed like he was coldly gazing at them with an aura of danger surrounding him.
All of them believed that after being threatened by a gun, he would completely lose his temper! After all, street fights with and without guns were at completely different levels.
In such a situation, they didn’t think it would be strange if the masked boy instantly started thrashing all of them.
Even the bystanders were looking on with bated breath, and they nervously watched what the masked boy would now do…
"Please… please wait!"
Just as everyone expected violence to break out once more, a girl’s voice rung out.
It was the curly-haired blonde girl.
"Please… please stop fighting. They’ve already lost… is it alright if you just let them go?" She nervously begged the boy.
‘What’s going on?’ Seiji looked at the girl with a confused expression that was concealed by his mask. ‘Wasn’t she the victim? Why was she requesting mercy for these guys? Was she some legendary saint?’
Perhaps she had perceived his doubt as the blonde-haired girl glanced at the black-suited men.
"They… they’re all my father’s subordinates. This all happened because they were trying to catch me… they were just following orders. I… I know that you were being threatened by a gun, and you must be very angry… but, please believe me—they’re actually not as bad as you think…"
The blonde-haired girl glared at the remaining black-suited men, took a deep breath, and her expression suddenly distorted.
"What are you standing around idly for—hurry the hell up and kneel, idiots!!!"
Instantly, those black-suited men reflexively rushed up into an orderly line and kneeled together in synchronized unison using the classic dogeza style.
"Apologize to this gentleman, bastards!!!" The blonde-haired girl had a severe expression as she gave them another order.
"We’re truly sorry!" The men shouted together, causing a sound that reverberated throughout the night sky.
All the bystanders looked on with their mouths wide agape.
Hidden by his mask, Seiji’s expression was no different.
The entire street became dead silent—it was possible to hear a pin drop.
A cold breeze blew down the street.
"That’s… that’s how it is." The girl ran her fingers through her messy hair: "I apologize on their behalf to you as well. I hope that this will quell your rage. If necessary, we can also compensate you… but I’d need to talk to my father about that first."
Seiji finally returned to his senses.
‘Director, wasn’t this the wrong script!!?’ He couldn’t stop himself from mentally commenting on this ridiculous situation. He didn't even know what his current expression looked like. Fortunately, the mask concealed his true expression from the others.
He eyes flicked back to the blonde girl, who seemed to have made a sincere request. He then turned to look at the remaining men, who were deferentially prostrating themselves to him in a neat row. It took him over ten seconds to finally figure out a suitable reply.
"Oh… I’ll accept your apologies then… since the situation is like this…"
He turned around and looked at Watari and Kobayashi; their mouths were wide agape, mirroring the expression that the bulk of the bystanders had.
"What about those two boys?"
"They were accidentally involved in this incident…" The girl explained the events that had previously occurred.
"I see, then you should compensate these two kind-hearted fellows…" Seiji spoke in a righteous tone.
‘Man, so in the end it turns out this was all just a family dispute,’ Seiji sighed inwardly.
"Indeed… my deepest apologies." The blonde girl bowed deeply to him.
"There’s no need to say it to me; just apologize to those two, and take them to the hospital. Remember to pay off all their hospital fees, and give them proper compensation." Seiji waved his hand casually.
"Yes! We… I’ll make them do that," the blonde girl answered respectfully.
Seiji nodded lightly.
"I’m gonna leave now; you guys take care of the rest, and don’t give anyone else any trouble."
He waved his hand again and prepared to leave without giving any clues to his identity, like leaving his name behind.
"Oh… um…" The blonde girl seemed like she wanted to say something.
"What else is there?"
Seiji looked back behind him, when he realized that he just did the pretentious action of leaning his head back 45 degrees to look at her.
"Um… this… may this girl… know your name?"
The curly-haired blonde girl’s face was flushed red, and her eyes were sparkling. She was nervously playing with her hands, and her expression seemed like that of a shy girl trying to make a boyfriend.
Seiji was rendered speechless upon seeing her demeanor.
What the hell!
Lady, wasn’t this too much of a difference from the impression you gave just now!?
A few seconds ago, you were a person of authority ordering those black suits about—what was with this abrupt change in pose and expression!?
And she even addressed herself as "this girl" in the third person… Seiji felt like goosebumps were erupting all over his skin!!
Seiji’s brain was racing like a river that had burst from its dam, and his thoughts were unstoppable.
"Ah… er… I… don’t have any name." He finally managed to suppress his tumultuous thoughts with great difficulty, and said something. "I’m just a passerby that stuck his nose in where it didn’t belong; there’s no need to remember me."
Then, he turned around and left as he waved.
"…So handsome…" The blonde girl watched his silhouette gradually disappear with hearts popping out of her eyes as she murmured to herself.
Even though she didn’t see his face, Kaede Juumonji believed that he must have an absolutely charming face beneath that mask.
It was no fantasy; it was her instinct as a woman!
Tall, strong, handsome, and gentlemanly… he seemed to be perfect in every way.
That was the type of man that Kaede desired!
Unfortunately, he didn’t want to tell her his name.
Well, it couldn’t be helped. After all, this was him merely passing by and saving some random people. The incident was of such a small scale that it didn't even merit him leaving his name behind.
Ah… amazing, wonderful.
If he didn't want to give his name, then she’d just have to find him by herself, and then…
"M… Miss, what should we do now?" A black-suited man lifted his head and asked her weakly.
Kaede was extremely displeased at being interrupted in midst of her fantasies.
"Of course you should be helping these idiots that have fallen unconscious!! Do I need to teach you each and every little thing!?"
"Of course! Sorry!"
Like little chickens being ordered about by a mother hen, the remaining conscious black-suited men leaped up and tended to their injured companions.
"…It feels like, we had it all wrong…"
"Yeah…"
Kahei Watari and Takashi Kobayashi had managed to crawl up and stand. They inspected their sore bodies, while commenting on this situation to each other.
What the hell was all this!?
"How are your… injuries? In a moment, we’ll take you to check them out at a hospital." Kaede had noticed them getting up: "My apologies for your unfortunate injuries. You have my gratitude for being willing to assist me… Your hospital fees as well as compensation… I’ll have my family prepare it for you."
"Ah… there’s no need—we weren’t that seriously injured." Watari and Kobayashi exchanged glances, and both of them silently agreed that neither of them wanted anything more to do with this girl.
"That’s not acceptable—that gentleman requested me to do so, so you must accept," Kaede said in a serious tone.
‘We were basically just carried by him… Well, if he didn’t appear to save us, we probably would have been beaten until we fainted by the roadside,’ Watari thought to himself, admitting his own weakness.
As he had expected, only the strong could become heroes.
Suddenly Watari noticed that his friend Kobayashi had a hesitant expression.
"Takashi, what’s the matter?"
"Oh… not much, I just feel like that person’s figure and sound seemed a little familiar to me." Takashi Kobayashi reflexively answered him, as he tried searching for who it was in his mind.
‘Could he be… was it really him?’
"What did you say?"
A low-pitched female voice caused Kobayashi to return to his senses, and then he saw the blonde girl with an almost fanatical expression staring at him!
*Smack!*
The blonde girl fiercely gripped Takashi Kobayashi’s shoulder.
"You said… you felt like you’ve seen that person before? Then, could you please… explain in detail, okay?"
Even though she appeared to be smiling, there was a fierce atmosphere about her.
Takashi Kobayashi was completely frightened; he never imagined that a girl would have such an aura around her!
"O… okay."
"Achoo!" Seiji suddenly sneezed inexplicably while on his way home. (TL note: Asians believe that sneezing means someone is talking about him/her behind his back.)
"The wind is cold tonight…"
He checked his system. Even though the incident didn’t really fit the scenario, at least he was able to successfully complete the [do a heroic deed] option, which gave him the unexpected windfall of a whopping 15 points.
Not only that, his system also mentioned [for successfully defeating an enemy with a gun without a gun yourself, you’ve gained 10 bonus points, and the new card [limit break technique—Bullet Time] is now available and discounted for the limited period of one week!]