Ch.137Legal Affair? (6)

“Haaaaaah…!”

After activating the Stance of Blazing Heat, I used my momentum to quickly dodge the attack.

For now… I needed to buy time while evading.

If I could just think for a moment… I felt like I could recall something.

Whoosh-!!

After creating a significant distance between us, I released the Stance of Blazing Heat and steadied my breathing.

Certainly, the opponent’s body wasn’t without weaknesses.

I could clearly see the glowing lines symbolizing vulnerabilities. However, those lines were moving rapidly.

Simply detecting weaknesses and bringing my sword to them wouldn’t be enough.

My trusty technique, Flash Strike Style Zero: Armor Breaker, wouldn’t be enough to defeat this enemy.

I needed to master a new technique.

The passive approach of detecting weaknesses was insufficient.

I needed to actively slash at the enemy with my sword to create weaknesses myself.

Once I grasped the concept, what I needed to do became clear.

Click-!

I took my stance, holding the spoon.

“Wahahahah!! So you’ve prepared yourself!! Good!! Now die!!!”

The old man laughed as he rushed toward me.

“I won’t let you through!!”

Kana tried to block the old man’s path.

“Celebrity Punch!!!!”

The old man immediately threw a straight punch at Kana.

BOOM-!!

Despite taking a defensive stance, Kana’s body was sent flying helplessly.

Kana… you’re suffering from a chronic swordsman’s disease… being pathetically weak without your sword.

“The 16th filming crew!!!! I’ll be the 16th one to appear on broadcast!!!!”

The old man charged toward me.

“Come.”

I had a sense of the technique. The question was… whether I had the talent to execute it right away.

But… if I don’t believe in my own talent, who else would?

I was the type who confidently quit college as soon as I started making money with web novels in my original world. If there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s believing in myself.

“Wahahahah! Die!!!”

As the old man closed in, I also threw my body forward with all my might.

“Flash Strike Style Zero… Armor Breaker!!!”

I swung my spoon toward his baseball bat.

The baseball bat itself didn’t have moving weaknesses. That’s why I could break it with my original technique.

CLANG-!!!!

As the side of my spoon struck the baseball bat hard, the bat shattered into pieces.

“Wahahahah!!! So what are you going to do now?!”

The old man coolly tossed aside what remained of the bat and tried to throw a punch at me. It was a punch with murderous power.

If I couldn’t dodge this, I would die. I sensed that instinctively. Death or victory. It was a simple matter.

“Flash Strike… Style One…!!”

At this moment, I reached a new level.

SWOOSH-!!!

I delivered a massive sword strike with my spoon.

THWACK-!!!

The spoon hit the old man directly on the forehead. Though I struck a vital point like the head, the old man didn’t even try to avoid it. He knew his body was incredibly tough.

“I told you!! It won’t work!!!!!”

The old man laughed, sensing victory.

CRACK-!!!!

However, my sword strike wasn’t over.

What I struck wasn’t just his head.

It was the aura surrounding his entire body.

I needed to cut through his iron-wall defense, the concept itself.

Cutting through even concepts… that was the new level of Flash Strike I had reached.

CRACK-CRACK-CRACK-!!!!

Focusing my breathing, I could clearly see it. His defense was gradually crumbling.

CRACK-!!

Simultaneously, light began to emanate from his body. Of course, it was light only visible to my eyes. Light symbolizing weaknesses.

Light was coming from his entire body.

Rather than inflicting damage through attacks, I was increasing his weaknesses. That was Flash Strike Style One.

“Flash Strike Style One… Helmet Splitter!!!!”

I struck his head with my spoon once more.

CRACK-CRACK-!!

That further increased the weaknesses in the old man’s body.

“………!”

Kana could also sense it to some extent. She immediately realized that the old man’s absolute defense had crumbled.

“Shota… did you grow again?”

Kana asked in a bewildered tone.

“Now, Kana!! His defense has dropped!! Finish him!!!”

I shouted toward Kana.

I’d applied plenty of defense reduction debuffs. Land the finishing blow!! Kana!!

“Okay!!!”

Kana, holding her spoon, closed the distance behind the old man.

“You insects…!”

Only then did the old man’s expression turn to fear for the first time.

“Hyaaaah!!!”

With a fierce battle cry, Kana swung her spoon.

THUNK-!!!

The spoon cleanly pierced the old man’s stomach.

This time, the damage went through.

“Gaaahh!!!”

The old man gasped for breath.

THUD-!!!

Immediately after, the old man collapsed face-down, showing the whites of his eyes.

“I heard a loud noise… is everything okay?!”

Tina, who seemed to have finished providing first aid to Eri and Thumbs-up Man, immediately rushed to the scene.

“You did it….”

Upon seeing the fallen old man, Tina’s expression softened.

“As expected… Shota, you really are a hero. You saved us in our moment of crisis.”

Tina smiled, ran toward me, and kissed me.

“Hey!! I worked hard too, you know?! Don’t treat me like I’m invisible!”

Kana flared up.

“That’s right. Kana did well too.”

I said to Kana.

“Ugh……”

Kana’s face reddened at that. She’s really weak to praise. She was someone with many inner vulnerabilities despite her outward appearance.

“Saito Kana… she might be suitable as a hero’s companion after all.”

Tina muttered something.

“Kana. Do you want to join Shota’s harem too?”

Tina asked with a bright smile.

“What harem?! T-That’s so vulgar….”

Kana shouted loudly, her face flushed.

“Hmm… I think it would be fine.”

Tina tilted her head.

“Anyway!! What about Eri and Thumbs-up Man?!”

I was worried about their condition. Especially Eri!! The others were martial artists with good endurance, but Eri was just an ordinary person. I was concerned something serious might have happened to her.

“I’m fine. Really… Shota, you worry too much.”

At that moment, Eri walked over.

“Eri!!”

I immediately embraced her.

“I’m sorry… Eri. For getting you involved in something dangerous…..”

I apologized while holding her.

This forest was originally a dangerous place, but I never expected someone this crazy to be here. It was my oversight. Due to my sense of adventure, I had put a precious woman in danger.

“Mmm… it’s okay. In the end, Shota always saves us.”

Eri said, gently caressing my cheek.

“But… if I can be a little selfish… I’d like to have Shota all to myself before we leave the forest.”

Eri said hesitantly, her face reddening.

“Yes. If that makes you feel better…..”

I smiled and kissed Eri. Later… I’d have to make use of that cabin in the forest again.

At that moment, I sensed someone behind me.

“Kugh… my ultimate technique filled with the will to become a celebrity… my absolute defense was broken… kuhek!”

The old man had gotten up.

Wait. He’s getting up?

Isn’t it a shonen manga rule that when your eyes roll back, you’re out of the fight!!

Then, the old man immediately took out a pocket knife from his pocket.

“What now? Want to try again?”

Unfortunately for him, he was no match for us anymore.

Shing-!

However, the old man pointed the blade at his own neck.

“Stop! Just turn yourself in to the police!! Don’t do anything stupid!”

Kana shouted in a fierce tone.

“Ah… life is really fucking shitty. Kuhehehe.”

The old man chuckled and said.

“After a miserable school life, I got a job at a miserable company… married a woman who didn’t even pretend to love me… got divorced as soon as the money ran out… and even found out that my only son wasn’t even mine…”

The old man was suddenly pouring out his elderly depression.

I feel sorry for him, but… nope. Can’t let that slide.

“Life is really fucking shitty!!!”

The old man immediately thrust the knife into his neck. There wasn’t even time to stop him.

“Eri! Close your eyes!”

I quickly covered Eri’s eyes. I didn’t want Eri to see such a horrific sight. That was my true feeling.

———-

Well. That’s how the old man met his end.

Kana used the Saito family’s influence to explain the situation to the police.

Normally, witnesses and victims would have to go in and out of the police station for days for questioning, but we got a free pass on that process.

Kana and Thumbs-up Man decided to continue their training in this forest. As if nothing had happened.

“Hey. Are we just going like this?”

Kana spoke in a tone suggesting she had something to say.

“Oh. Feeling lonely that you can’t train with us in the forest?”

I said with a smile.

“No way!!! Thumbs-up Man! Let’s go!!! Leave that playboy behind!!”

Kana angrily dragged Thumbs-up Man away. Hehehe. Such an honest kid.

Anyway, Eri, Tina, and I were able to safely return to the beach.

Well… before that, Eri activated her exclusive rights and spent some intimate time with me.

———

“Wow… they fell asleep.”

Umi finally opened her eyes.

“Had a good nap.”

Taiga also woke up with a big yawn.

“…….”

Madoka, who had been sleep-talking, also woke up. A river of drool was flowing from her mouth. This childlike aspect of her is cute.

“…….!!”

Noticing my gaze, Madoka immediately blushed and wiped away the drool.

“B-Brother… were you just looking at me with a mocking expression?”

Madoka seemed quite upset about it.

“That’s just your paranoia.”

I casually brushed it off.

“Ugh… annoying.”

Madoka kicked me lightly, seemingly irritated.

Anyway, time had passed, and it was around 4 PM.

“Shall we prepare dinner then?”

I said as I got up.

There’s a yard in front of our lodging. We can have a barbecue there. Of course… I was in charge of grilling.

When everyone’s in a good mood after eating… I’ll casually persuade Tina to join the harem. That was my strategy.

“Alright!! Let’s go everyone!!!”

I immediately led my girlfriends to the lodging.

It seemed that Madoka and Tina needed to return to the Kujo family’s campsite. Well… it was originally their family trip. I had a hard time consoling Madoka, who became very sulky about it.

Anyway.

But… when is that girl Mika coming?