29 One Punch Is All He Need

[Did you hurt my friend?]

I asked the guy who was about to walk out of the store with Mayu who was visibly in distress.

This was something I didn't expect to happen here when this store is not that even remotely known by the residents here.

But just a few minutes before, I was just enjoying my popsicles.

**

Mendou: [Oho, I've won like ten more popsicles but it looks like I'm out of space to store them.]

My stomach was already filled to the brim with eating almost countless popsicles. I know it's not healthy wasting my allowance on something like this but don't worry.

It's my money, and despite how I look, I'm working out through a freelance app. I'm not gonna tell which one since that'll be called advertising!

Anyways, after I decided to keep the winning popsicle sticks for later, I noticed that both Migi and Mayu were taking a long time.

I had thought that maybe Migi had built up the courage to say something to her, but to my surprise, I could hear shouting at the other side of the store.

This never happened in the store. I thought that Migi and Mayu would be the ones shouting but as I took a peek.

Migi was getting beat up by some guy. His face was slapped left and right, and without a fight, he was receiving those loud hits.

I was about to jump in, but Mayu stepped in and shielded Migi instead.

I couldn't bring myself to show up now that I was late, and I had to watch the rest that happened from behind another shelf.

I thought that Migi could defend himself, but it seems like he was caught off guard by this guy, or maybe he just lacked the resolve to see it through.

In any case, I stepped in before the guy could go out with Mayu.

Of course, how could I just watch some shady guy go out with a friend of mine... no——

A fellow member of the Literature Club.

Mendou: [Hey. You gangster, Did you hurt my friend?]

I was referring to Migi who they left behind.

He fell unconscious right after I went to him, and with the help of the clerk, I had him call two ambulances due to Migi's inflammation of the mouth. He was having difficulties breathing.

Gai: [Haah? Another one of the losers?! You're just a midget, aren't you?]

He would just lean in and crouch to match my level. Yes, I was just 165 cm in height. It's true, but I never felt inferior just because of my height.

Mendou: [Midget. That's a very foul word to say to someone. But, I wonder who will be looking up to the other later.]

You might ask why. Why did I call two ambulances? Why don't I feel inferior when it comes to height?

There's just one answer to that.

Mendou: [Because I'm going to send you six feet under.]

Gai: [You arrogant, piece of sh——]

Forbidden Move, Pop Culture Style: One Inch Punch.

I performed something like that in one swift movement.

I switched my feet and transferred all of the kinetic energy in my body into one point, in my fist.

I hit him in his solar plexus, sending him beyond the glass door panes and into the empty roadway.

That ought to break a few ribs and knock him unconscious. I can't kill him, but at least I can cripple him for a few months.

That's how angry I was.

Yes. I consider myself to be a side character. There was nothing wrong with that, and now, all I had to deal with now is Mayu, who saw everything from the start.

Mayu: [Y-You...]

Mendou: [Sometimes... you should really be honest with yourself. But, lying about this one, make it an exception, please?]

Putting up a finger to gesture silence, I tried to trick her into keeping it a secret to everyone.

For a second there, I couldn't help but be mad for these two as I became a bit careless in looking after them.

I know I wasn't supposed to use any of my physical or magical abilities against humans but, I was just swayed by my own feelings.

Give me a break man! There's a lot of people that would agree with me, right?

Putting that aside, I had Mayu calm dow for a second to process everything.

Mendou: [Are you good, Nama—I mean Mayu?]

Mayu: [I...——Did he just trip?]

It looked like she saw something unbeliavable that her brain kinda lagged and forgot about it.

A convenient story tool, right? Yes, it is. It's my world, and it's it will damn go through as I like it.

Mendou: [Forget that guy! Shouldn't you be going after someone?!]

Mayu: [!——Migi!]

After I shouted at her, she quickly realized who I was referring to.

She dashed back into the counter where she saw Migi was being treated by the clerk for a first aid. His cheeks were red and swollen, but over all, he would be fine once the ambulance arrived.

I could have beated up the guy the same way but, it would be an obvious assault crime for me since I attacked unprovoked.

Mendou: [Oh, about the glass though, I'd just pay them——]

Just when I looked at the broken glass door of the store, the gangster who were supposed to be at the road was gone.

I could have sworn that he was there a few moments ago, unconscious.

Moving his body would be painful, but regardless, he was not there anymore, as if he was moved.

Mendou: [———]

The ambulances would arrive soon, but the other one was wasted, and I was nonetheless brought to the authorities for a partly false report.

**

Police Officer 1: [...Name?]

Mendou: [——Mendou Kotaro.]

Police Officer 2: [Residence?]

Mendou: [Same town, house number is ****.]

It was night, and I was brought to the police station after calling another ambulance which was sent back due to the false report of a another patient.

It wasn't false, but they wouldn't take the reason that the patient "walked away."

The would ask me a lot of questions that they probably know the answer to.

This is to put me at ease and make me a lot more comfortable to talking to them, which later on becomes a built trust so that they can ask me important questions later that I might answer truthfully.

It was some kind of social engineering.

But what bothers me the most was that, the gangster called Gai, was able to just, vanish.

I couldn't have possible held back accidentally. The only possible reason is that, someone might have moved them out of there when no one was looking.

If I can remember correctly, I heard from Mayu that guy was a member of a gang called Five Black Clubs.

Police Officer 1: [Alright. That's everything. All we need is to just call your parents and...——]

He would just go and dial my parent's number, waiting for them to pick up as be leaned on the telephone.

Mendou: [Officer! By any chance, do you know a gang called a Five Black Clubs?]

Police Officer 1: [Five Black Clubs? Hmm... I think I have. They're a gang that just appeared and advertised themselves in this town, but despite them looking like delinquents, I've never heard them make trouble before.]

I knew it. They were new here.

We've been living here for a long time to know that those guys are new in here. But, to think that their name are known yet there are still no reports about them being troublesome?

Mendou: [Actually, officer! That's why I called the ambulance! There's a this guy called Gai who was injured as well after he attacked my friend, Migi! But he ran away.]

Police Officer 1: [But, that's gonna be something hard to believe. If he was really injured, why wouldhe run from the ambulance?]

Police Officer 2: [Yeah. Moreover, the store had no surveillance camera available so your statements are as good as speculations for us.]

Another police officer on a coffee break would join the conversation, but he was right.

There was no surveillance cameras in that store that would reinforce my statement, but if there were any in that store, I wouldn't have done that move.

Police Officer 1: [Oh! They answered.]

Finally, my parents answered, making the police officer's job a bit more close to finished.

Police Officer 2: [Regarding that gang you've mentioned. We've put them into our watchlist since yesterday when they arrived here. There were a bunch of transfered residents here that looked like they were in the same gang.]

Uncalled, the other police officer would begin to share more information with me. I didn't ask for it, but it was sure useful.

Besides, it all sounds like a big speculation and rumor anyways. They weren't sharing any sensitive information, that's why they're comfortable talking about it.

Mendou: [Same gang, huh? What do you think those guys do?]

Police Officer 2: [I have no idea. But I've heard from other departments that gangs would claim cities as their own and start wars with other gangs, invading their cities and taking control of something. Anything else is just rumors...]

Mendou: [Huh, I see.]

Gang wars. I never thought that I'd hear them around this peaceful town.

If that's true, we're gonna have to be extra careful when going home or outside.

Police Officer 2: [So, if you see something suspicious, just go right to us. Don't take things to your own hands. We would like to believe that someone from that gang did beat your friend up, but without any solid evidence, we can't really do anything about it.]

Mendou: [That's true...]

As it was hard to accept, the police officer's words were true. They cannot just exactly move according to just words of someone.

If it was only it that easy.

Police Officer 1: [Aye. You're good to go. I've talked to your parents.]

Mendou: [——Huh?]

Eh? Somehow, they're just letting me go easily without a warning.

Police Officer 1: [After talking to your parents, I talked to the hospital that you've called two ambulances from earlier. I told them that you only called two in mistake since you were worried about your friend.]

With a smile and a wink, they were kind enough to cover for me. They knew that I never intended to hurt nor bother anyone.

Police Officer 2: [Besides, the clerk didn't even accuse you of destroying the glass door. He was actually thanking you instead! I'm even starting to believe that there was indeed a gangster like you said!]

It was actually moving to have these kind of authorities.

Mendou: [Thank you. I appreciate the help, officers!]

And just like that, I left rhe police ststion without repercussions and instead went home being rich in information.

I didn't call Najimi nor Hoshoujo to bother them with such trivial matter. I intended to keep this whole ordeal a secret from them.

So, with my priorities in line, I had to know now.

Mendou: [Just who... are these Five Black Clubs?]