Cherry Blossom Viewing and Fireworks
The mohawk-wearing cyborg glared at me with his single eye.
“How dare you interfere with our operation?”
Mohican One-Eye roared as he charged straight at me. The attack carried the savage momentum of a wild boar, but it was laughably easy to read. I slid aside at the last moment and drove my fist into his temple.
CLANG!
That was no sound a human skull should make. I instinctively cradled my knuckles. Fuck, that hurt. The bastard just laughed, completely unfazed. Looked like his entire skeleton had been replaced with steel.
“Heh heh heh! Did you really think a pathetic punch like that could defeat me?”
This time he swung at me. Something told me getting hit would be a very bad idea, so I ducked low. The cherry tree behind me wasn’t so lucky. His fist connected with a sickening crack, and the whole trunk splintered and toppled. Yeah. Definitely don’t get hit. I retreated behind another tree.
Getting struck was out of the question. This guy was a full-body cyborg. Brute-force punches weren’t going to cut it against that kind of durability. I’d need to combine shadow techniques with proper martial arts if I wanted to put him down. The problem was the crowd; I couldn’t openly use shadow powers with so many eyes on me. I needed a moment to figure out how to cook this freak.
BOOM!
While I was thinking, Mohican One-Eye smashed straight through the tree. His shoulder slammed into my chest like a freight train and sent me flying. It was just a body check, yet my ribs felt like they’d caved in. The sternum and connecting ribs were definitely cracked; every breath sent sharp pain radiating through my torso. At least the regeneration was already kicking in. I just had to endure it a little longer.
“Scream in agony and die!” he bellowed.
“If I die, my master will kill every last one of you too.”
He rushed me several more times. When I kept dodging, he hurled a curse at me in frustration. Enraged by my taunt, he wound up for a massive haymaker. Finally. The opening I’ve been waiting for.
Shinkai Yatsude — Shin’en Kyūban
Abyssal Suction Cup
I twisted aside from the incoming punch and latched onto his arm with the technique. Powerful suction gripped my palm; once I grabbed something with this, it wasn’t coming off unless I allowed it. I yanked his arm forward then shoved it back, deliberately throwing off his balance. It was a setup move, creating the perfect gap for the next technique.
Shinkai Yatsude — Jūshi Mitsuru Kaika
Ten Fingers Full Bloom
The moment all ten fingers pressed against his chest, I unleashed the technique. The abyssal energy concentrated at my fingertips surged into his body.
“Wh… what the hell did you just do?”
I’d always wanted to say the line after using a technique with a slightly delayed effect.
“Huh?”
Red flower-shaped marks bloomed across Mohican One-Eye’s neck and face. He coughed up a fountain of blood and collapsed.
“Guh…!”
Unfortunately, either my proficiency was still too low or the cyborg had some kind of life-support implant, because he didn’t die. He simply lay there groaning. Great. Now saying “You are already dead” feels incredibly lame. I moved in to finish him, but the remaining Jinildang grunts rushed forward to protect their boss.
Even though they had a high chance of dying, they still charged in. Guess that’s what you expect from a long-established terrorist organization. At least they don’t abandon their leader like disposable trash.
“You bastard!”
“I’ll hold him here!”
It was like a scene from a movie, full of dramatic sacrifice. Two of them grabbed my waist and clung desperately while the last one popped a smoke grenade. They used the cover to drag Mohican One-Eye away.
In the end, two of them fell to my hands. The police arrived late and the incident was finally brought under control.
“Taira! Are you okay?”
Just like a scene from an action movie where the hero gets treated in front of an ambulance, I was sitting on a stretcher receiving basic first aid. While the paramedic worked on me, Sinoe Misano came running over with a worried expression.
“I’m fine. A few bullets grazed me, but none actually hit.”
In truth, about twenty rounds had struck me. The bleeding was pretty bad, and I felt slightly dizzy. I need to get home and eat a mountain of meat.
“Hubae-gun! Are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere? Oh no! You’re covered in blood!”
Mimata Chieri arrived a little later. She asked about my condition, then saw my blood-soaked clothes and made a heartbroken face. The rest of the team also gathered around, worried about my health, but I really was okay. The bigger problem was that while I had blocked the explosion, quite a few people had been shot.
“Excuse me. What are the casualty numbers?”
“Seventeen dead, roughly sixty injured.”
The police officers who had initially questioned me because of all the corpses nearby completely changed their attitude once I revealed my identity and the surviving witnesses confirmed I had fought the terrorists. They even gave me sensitive information without hesitation.
Still, if any of the injured died, the death toll would rise above twenty. A major disaster. The police who had arrogantly assumed no one would touch an area near a Taira property and therefore skipped patrols today were going to get roasted by the media and public opinion. A few high-ranking officers would probably have to resign.
“So many victims…”
“Yeah.”
While I was talking with Sinoe Misano, I heard a commotion from the side. Moments later, Taira Yukiko pushed through the crowd, tears streaming down her face. The moment she saw me she ran over and threw her arms around me.
“Ryuta…!”
“Mother, you’re getting blood on you…”
She must have rushed straight from work; she was still in her formal attire. My blood now stained her white blouse. It had only been a little over a month since her husband died. This terrorist attack must have been an enormous shock. Taira Yukiko crouched down beside me, carefully checking if I was injured anywhere.
“I was so worried.”
Her eyes were full of tears. It seemed she had grown deeply attached to me in the short month since we’d met after her husband’s death.
The surrounding area buzzed with whispers. The director of the Human Resources Development Center had personally come to check on a mere employee, after all. Those who knew the employee’s surname was Taira were busy explaining their theories to those who didn’t.
“Let’s get you to a hospital.”
“I’m fine. They’re all just grazes… Actually, I’d really like to eat some meat right now.”
“You call this fine?”
Taira Yukiko didn’t trust my words and called over a paramedic to ask about my condition. Hmm. She doesn’t believe me. My face had been mostly shielded so there wasn’t much blood there, but my shirt was completely soaked dark brown. I could understand why she was skeptical.
“They say you really are okay. Team Leader Sinoe, come here for a moment.”
Taira Yukiko beckoned to Sinoe Misano, who had been standing awkwardly nearby. Sinoe Misano gave a crisp bow. “Yes, Director!”
“I’m going to take my son home and will return later, so please handle the company matters here, Team Leader Sinoe. This isn’t our responsibility anyway; we’re the victims. There’s no need for you to do anything special. Just make sure to accurately check the casualties among our Human Resources Development Center personnel. For those who died, the company will provide condolence money, so please take care of it properly.”
Even though she said she would return, Taira Yukiko gave detailed instructions on several tasks. I kept telling her I was fine, but she supported me all the way to the car I had parked. She put me in the back seat, sat in the driver’s seat, and looked at me through the rearview mirror.
“I heard you stepped forward to fight the terrorists.”
“If I hadn’t, everyone except me would have died.”
“Still, never do something like that again. Your life is more precious than everyone else here combined.”
Everyone’s life has the same value, I thought, but the look in Taira Yukiko’s eyes told me she was completely sincere.
“I won’t die.”
“....”
Taira Yukiko said nothing in response and simply drove. She probably understood what my words meant. I had no intention of dying a meaningless death like Taira Saburo. With the combination of the Yeouiju and regeneration, dying an untimely death was actually quite difficult.
We arrived at the parking area and got out of the car.
“Take off your clothes immediately.”
“Yes.”
Taira Yukiko threw my clothes into a fire pit in the front yard and poured oil on them before setting them ablaze. I thought the pit had been built for barbecue parties. Why was she burning my clothes?
“It is a Taira family tradition. When blood is shed by the Taira bloodline, even if it’s only a small amount, clothing stained this heavily must be burned.”
What a weird tradition. Since I was now shirtless after removing my blood-soaked top, it was a little cold. Taira Yukiko noticed and led me inside the house.
“Welcome ba—ahh!”
The housekeeper started to greet us cheerfully but froze when she saw me shirtless and covered in blood. She covered her mouth in shock.
“Bring clean towels, warm water, and disinfectant.”
“Y-yes, ma’am.”
Taira Yukiko practically forced me into a chair. She soaked the towels the housekeeper brought in warm water and gently wiped my upper body. The warm, tender touch felt incredibly nice. Since I had been shot from every direction, my back was also soaked in blood, so she cleaned that as well. The soft warmth against my skin felt so good it was almost dangerous.
So good, in fact, that I got an erection without realizing it. Taira Yukiko definitely noticed. But she said nothing. She simply pretended not to see it, finished cleaning the blood, and applied disinfectant to the regenerating wounds.
“Ugh…!”
It stung quite a bit. With so many wounds, I couldn’t help flinching. Thankfully the pain made my erection subside quickly. Since I tend to stay hard for a long time once I get excited, it was fortunate. Otherwise I might have had to ask the housekeeper for meat while visibly aroused, which could have led to some awkward misunderstandings.
“I’m going back to the scene of the incident.”
“Yes. Please be careful, Mother.”
After seeing Taira Yukiko off, I asked the housekeeper for meat, devoured nearly two kilograms of it, and immediately passed out.