Chapter 9
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 9: First Outing (3)
Right after I shouted, silence flowed. Everyone's gaze was fixed on me.
'...Ah.'
Honestly, it's a bit, no, very embarrassing. Shouting a character's name in the middle of a PC cafe. Anyone looking would think I'm a terminal game addiction patient.
But I have no regrets. I'm not from this neighborhood anyway, and it's not a place I'll visit twice. My goal is only one, to catch and crush that master of parent-insults, Yasuo.
Vzzzt-
Just then, the phone in my pocket vibrated. It was an LEL messenger notification.
Where did the overflowing spirit from earlier go? Suddenly using honorifics and even adding emoticons. Must have gotten scared hearing me shout.
Well, it was a bit much for me to cause a disturbance and fight in someone else's business establishment too. It'll be a headache if the police are called.
I sent the reply and put the phone in my pocket.
I strode to the counter. The female part-timer shrank into the corner, overwhelmed by my presence.
"Excuse me."
"Ee, Eek! S, Sorry! Please don't call the police! No, shall I call them?!"
The part-timer rambled incoherently. I bowed my head as politely as possible (though still holding the toy hammer in my hand).
"Sorry for shouting. I got too heated while playing a game. I'll leave quietly."
"Yes...? Ah, yes..."
The part-timer blinked blankly. She probably got cognitive dissonance because she thought I was a big crazy guy but I was unexpectedly polite.
I turned around. The bully high school girls who tried to pick me up earlier were frozen with their mouths open.
"......"
Their gazes looked complicated.
I coolly ignored them and opened the PC cafe door to leave.
Jingle—
Cold wind rushed in. I stood under the streetlamp in front of the PC cafe with my weight on one leg.
Phone in one hand, toy hammer in the other. Preparations are complete.
"Come out, you rat-like bastard."
I wonder what kind of guy will come out. I hope it's at least someone with some size. That way there will be some taste in hitting them.
I tapped the toy hammer on my hand and glared at the PC cafe entrance.
Jingle—
The door opened. I tensed up and gripped the toy hammer properly.
But then.
"......?"
My gaze naturally went down. Much, much lower than I thought.
Three kids who looked like elementary schoolers came down hesitantly. Girls wearing colorful padded jackets, with downy hair still soft on their mouths.
As soon as they saw me, they turned pale and tried to hide behind each other's backs.
'What the? Who are they?'
Are they scouts sent by Yasuo? Or just passing elementary schoolers? While I was staring in confusion, one kid standing in the middle opened her trembling lips.
"Um.. that.. Tryn... no.. Hello, Oppa."
"......Ha."
My strength drained out. I thought surely not, surely not.
I let out a hollow laugh and asked.
"By any chance, is one of you the Yasuo who was insulting my parents in LEL?"
As my voice lowered, the heads of the two kids on either side turned sharply toward the child in the middle simultaneously. Betrayal happened in an instant.
The face of the kid standing in the middle, Kang Min-ji, looked like she was about to cry.
"Th.. Sorry... I..."
The brat mumbled in a crawling voice.
"I was too... excited..."
"Hey."
I cut off her words and took a step closer. The kids stepped back gasping "Eek!". I offered a very merciful and democratic proposal.
"Want to neatly give me transport fare, get hit just once f*cking hard with this toy hammer, and end it?"
I shook the yellow toy hammer right in front of her nose.
"Or, I looked up a gym where sparring is possible on the way here for you. Want to go there and fight 1 on 1?"
"......"
"The rules are simple. Fight until death on the ring, and the loser becomes a dog for life. Crawling on all fours while barking woof woof. How about it, call?"
Kang Min-ji's face turned white. It was fortunate she didn't pee her pants with a giant man looking down and talking about 'dogs'.
"...Ah, I'll do the first one."
"Paying transport fare and getting hit f*cking hard once with the toy hammer?"
"...Yes."
The brat bowed her head low. Good, deal concluded. But ending it here is amateur.
I took out my phone from my pocket and turned on video recording mode.
"Good. Then let's film just one video. It's nothing big."
"Yes? Wh, why video..."
"If I just hit you, I'm a simple assaulter. Well, it's in the realm of crime right now too, but just in case you say something else later."
I thrust the phone lens at the brat.
"Now, say it. 'In exchange for insulting parents in a game, I will be hit with a toy hammer under mutual agreement.' Say it clearly."
The reason I'm being particular about legal procedures(?) like this is because in the past... yeah, in the original world, I almost got my life twisted by the iron mace of the law while trying to implement justice. Violence is simple, but the aftermath is complicated.
"...Yes."
A voice like a mosquito crawling.
"Louder."
"I, I... in exchange for insulting parents in a game... sob... under mutual agreement... will be hit... with a toy hammer..."
Tears welled up in the brat's eyes. Honestly, I don't have a hobby of beating up young girls either. I'm not a pervert.
I expected at least a sturdy military-service-completed high school girl, or a tough auntie wearing hiking clothes. A villain befitting the notoriety of the champion 'Yasuo'.
But to think a soft and downy elementary schooler would come out. I couldn't even imagine.
However.
'There is no mercy.'
If I let it slide because she's a juvenile, let it slide because she's a girl, who will keep the order of this harsh Rift. Physical therapy is the answer to parent-insults. That is my justice.
I handed the phone to Min-ji's friend.
"Hey, you. Film this well. If it shakes, you get hit too."
"Y, Yes! Yes sir!"
The friend took the phone like a disciplined private.
I raised the toy hammer high. Receiving the streetlamp light, the bright yellow toy hammer shone holily.
Min-ji squeezed her eyes shut and hunched her shoulders.
"Clench your teeth tight. Or you'll bite your tongue."
Lower the knees.
Put strength in the legs.
Grip the hammer.
Open eyes wide.
Clench teeth.
One step, big forward.
"────Hammer outgoing!!!"
Whoosh—!
Along with the sound of cutting wind, my justice exploded on the brat's crown.
—Squeak!!!!!
A cheerful yet heavy impact sound rang through the alley.
"Kyaaaak!!!"
Min-ji sat down on the spot with a scream. It was a 3,000 won toy hammer, but it was a strike with my wrist snap and waist rotation added. Her brain must have shaken for a moment.
I extended a hand to Min-ji who was sitting on the ground crying loudly.
"Get up. Gotta give me transport fare."
"Waaaaah... I was wroooong... Mommmm..."
The brat couldn't even take my hand and cried sorrowfully. Looking down at that sight, a feeling of discomfort rather than victory washed over me.
"Sigh..."
A deep sigh came out. I did educate her properly, but as expected, hitting a kid, and a girl at that, doesn't feel very good. Even if it's a toy hammer, maybe I was too serious.
"Wait a sec. If you run I'll chase you to the ends of the earth."
I gave a warning and went into the convenience store right behind. The part-timer flinched seeing me, but I didn't care and headed to the ice cream freezer.
A moment later.
"Here."
I threw the convenience store bag in front of the brats. Three tube ice creams (Jujuba) were inside.
"Eat."
"...Sob, yes?"
"Your head must be hot from breaking. Cool it down."
Min-ji and her friends picked up a tube ice cream each with faces covered in tears and snot. Crying subsided a bit with something cold in their hands.
Watching the brats sucking on the ice creams, I stood with my weight on one leg. It's trivial, but as a senior in life, I should give some advice.
"Hey, brats. It's good to have fun playing games."
I looked straight into Min-ji's eyes.
"But don't insult parents. That's really uneducated behavior. Got it?"
"...Yees... sniff."
"Touching family is crossing the line. Your mom is precious to you too. You should know other people's moms are precious too."
Min-ji bowed her head low and nodded. Seems like communication is finally working a bit.
And lastly, I left the most important warning.
"And also."
I raised my index finger and thrust it in front of the brat's nose.
"Don't ever play Yasuo again. That is science. If you catch my eye one more time, it won't be a toy hammer then. I'll really fold your spine."
"...Sob, yees... I won't..."
Min-ji swore while sobbing. Good, with this I protected the peace of the Rift at least a little.
I thrust my hands into my pockets.
"Eat the ice cream and go home. Don't need the transport fare. I'll call it even with me buying this."
"...R, Really?"
"Yeah. Instead, if you get caught next time, I'll charge interest then. Go."
I waved my hand without looking back and left the alley. Sounds of the brats bowing and saying "Thank you... Goodbye..." could be heard from behind.
Trudge trudge. The way to the bus stop.
The evening air with the red sunset spread was cold, but it felt less cold than when coming.
When I put my hand in my pocket, a crumpled bunch of receipts rustled. 3,000 won toy hammer, and three ice creams.
"...It's a deficit, f*ck."
Let alone transport fare, I just got my wallet emptied. Still, well, it wasn't a bad feeling.
My shadow stretched long under the streetlamp lights turning on one by one on the darkened street.
In this strange Reverse World, I was adapting in my own way.