Chapter 8, a very steamy date.

 The moment we arrive at the roof, I internally note that the story is extremely out of order. The events of episode 1 and 2 happened in the course of one day, skipping an entire week worth of training. The events of Episode 4 happened the very next day, skipping 3 weeks and immediately occurring.

This event is also way before its time, this fight happened in episode 13 which is a literal month and a half before schedule. I haven't even fought that kicker guy yet.

Banishing the thought, I use Observe. My ability reacts to give me the information I need.

Tekeda the striker

Titles: ( 'mundane' middleweight boxing champion.)(The striker.)

STR: 13

END:19

DEX:26

VIT:15

WIS:7

INT:5

Tekeda joined ragnarok after its rival gang, Yomi, supposedly murdered his best friend before he could arrive. In truth, Ragnarok knowing his skill as a boxer hired a group of Omi Alliance Yakuza to frame Yomi for the deed, knowing he'd join the rival gang just for a taste of vengeance. Yomi doesn't care enough to send anyone to clear this up, being a group made up of Satsujinken practitioners, they think it's better for them to have a fierce reputation than to correct a misunderstanding. Despite being in the category of superhumans, the fact that he has never had a martial arts master limits him to the mundane boxing circuit. He thinks he's at a master level, but he has no idea that he is barely at the top of the low-class disciple level when it comes to true martial artists who use Ki.

Wait, this is the second time I've seen a fictional Yakuza group from the Yakuza series of games mentioned in an observation result. Is this a crossover world?

+1 int for discovering one of the worlds included in this world.​

I immediately am wrenched from my thoughts as Tekeda throws a light jab, easily dodged, I estimate he put about half his max speed into that strike.

"HEY! I was talking to you. Don't go spacing out on me!" He demands, already bouncing on heels.

I stare at him impassively. "Why? You are nothing to me. You are literally a rock in the way of my boot, but since I can't go around you, I might as well teach you a lesson to not fuck with me. You interrupted a moment between me and Miu, a bro does not interrupt a moment between another bro and his girl." I state firmly.

In the corner of my eye I see Miu with a smile on her face, her blush apple red.

I grin, and step forward, wanting to get this over with so I can go on a date with Miu.

Takeda seems to sense the shift in my intent and reacts predictably, throwing a directed jab that seems to move in slow motion.

My conceptual weight and high DEX make it effortless to counter. I don't even bother dodging, simply stepping forward, angling my body and absorbing the blow by shifting my shoulder upwards as my slightly lowered frame suddenly changes stances from low to high.

Lifting my foot, I move in, and shatter his knee as it comes slamming down.

His eyes bulge out and he tries to shout in pain.

In the span of three blurred movements I interrupt his shout with an elbow to his gut, and give his left arm 2 extra elbows in the form of crunching bone.

Somehow still not unconscious, the stubborn bastard tries to unleash a scream of agony, but I cut it off by burying my other elbow squarely in his solar plexus. Takeda's eyes bulge grotesquely as what little air remains is forcibly expelled from his lungs. Then, with a pathetic wheeze, he crumples bonelessly to the ground in an unconscious heap.

I then walk away, as he collapses to the ground unconscious from pain.

I stare at his collapsed form for a moment, and decide telling someone that he's up here and unconscious is someone else's problem.

Walking over to Miu, I grin, and raise an eyebrow, "So, About that date?"

She smirks, "I'm sure you'd be honored." her chin lifts Imperiously.

Then she lowers her gaze to meet mine directly, and those full lips curve into a warm smile that sends a little thrill through me.

"I'd love that," she murmurs, reaching out to take my hand in hers.

The simple gesture feels electric, but also deeply reassuring. Like two kindred spirits effortlessly falling into sync. Without another word, Miu tugs me along as we make our way towards the rooftop exit and descend back into the bustling school.

We're almost to the front gates when I pause abruptly, causing Miu to shoot me a quizzical look. Rather than explain, I simply lift a finger and trot back the way we came, leaving her waiting with a bemused expression.

My destination is Takeda's prone form, still out cold from our brief altercation. A mean-spirited impulse overtakes me as I crouch down and rifle through his pockets until I extract a decently thick wallet. Flipping it open, I can't help but whistle lowly at the obscene quantity of bills stuffed inside.

"What an idiot..." I mutter under my breath, deftly extracting and pocketing the entire cash sum - around 140,000 yen from a quick estimate. The only thing I leave is a single 100 yen note, which I toss carelessly onto the loser's unmoving chest.

By the time I rejoin Miu, she's regarding me with arched brows and barely concealed amusement. I simply grin unrepentantly and present her with the pilfered cash.

"Looks like he's paying for shopping, a meal and a movie today," I quip lightly.

I passed her all the notes. Her eyes sparkle with amusement.

Rather than rebuke my petty thievery, Miu lets out a rich peal of laughter.

"To the victor go the spoils," she declares with mock solemnity, fanning herself outrageously with the ill-gotten funds.

My grin stretches wider at her delighted reaction, feeling lighter than I have in ages despite the brief tussle.

Who would have thought we'd end up playing hooky and enjoying a spontaneous date, courtesy of the arrogant fool presently drooling all over the rooftop?

Chuckling under my breath, I offer Miu my arm in an exaggerated gentlemanly gesture.

She accepts with an amused roll of her eyes, tucking the money into her pocket as we saunter out of the school gates - completely uncaring that the day is barely over half done.

The warm sunlight bathes us as we step out into the city, bright with the tantalizing promise of A nice day out on the town.

For now though, there's only the intoxicating company of my Miu and a free afternoon to spend however we please.

Hey, how are you so good at this? She's already at 100 reputation and you haven't even kissed her yet. 

*Sounds of turning pages* 

Her profile in the multiverse always notes that she's not this easy. 90% of gamers just get kicked in the balls and ignored.

 Well, you're one kiss away from rolling her over to affection. So-​

'Shut up system, stop trying to ruin my date with game mechanics.'

Sweet silence follows, and we make our way to the center of the city.

*

We arrive at the lively shopping district, the storefronts and bustling crowds a welcome change of scenery from the school grounds. My eyes are immediately drawn to an ice cream booth with a cheerful awning, noting how Miu's gaze lingers there as well.

Smiling to myself, I reach out and take her hand, giving it a gentle tug to lead us over to the ice cream vendor. We settle onto the barstools at the small attached table as I scan over the expansive menu hung behind the counter.

My eyes are immediately drawn to the elaborate milkshake offerings, zeroing in on what looks to be the most extravagant - and expensive - option involving premium caramel and chocolate ice cream. A grin tugs at my lips as I remember the seriously impressive wad of cash I liberated from Takeda's wallet. He's definitely paying for this little outing, in more ways than one.

Feeling almost gleefully vindictive, I give the oblivious boxer a mental salute before leaning over the counter. "I'll take one of your Decadence Shakes, my good man."

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Miu's gaze flickering indecisively between a couple of the more tempting ice cream flavors. Her sharp inhale doesn't escape me as the server calls out my admittedly pricey order.

Turning, I pin her with a roguish grin. "And for the lovely lady, a pair of cup scoops - one of the pralines and cream, and one of the strawberry cheesecake."

"Zack!" Miu lets out an exasperated huff, even as her eyes shine with poorly concealed delight. "What about my figure?!"

I smirk unrepentantly, giving her a slow, appreciative once-over that makes her cheeks flush prettily.

"Your figure will remain as sexy as is humanly possible, trust me. We burn more calories in a single intense workout than most people do in a whole day. Hell, I'm pretty sure without access to ki, our bodies would stop functioning altogether from the sheer intensity."

Miu's brow furrows contemplatively for a moment before she shrugs, seeming to accept my logic. "I guess you're right. I never really thought about it like that before."

My sinfully decadent milkshake arrives moments later, topped with an obscene swirl of whipped cream and drizzled caramel. I take an experimental sip through thesbury straw, feeling the rich treat coat my tongue with an explosion of sugary delight.

Miu's own towering ice cream concoction looks just as mouthwateringly indulgent. She takes a delicate bite of the pralines and cream scoop, then shoots me a wicked sidelong glance as her lips Part in an utterly shameless, lewd moan of pleasure.

My eyes widen a fraction at the borderline obscene display, feeling an unexpected jolt of heat in my loins. Miu simply smirks at my reaction, licking a stray bit of cream from the corner of her lips in a way that can only be described as deliberately provocative.

Two can play at that game. Forcing myself to recover my composure, I lean back and take a pointed pull from my shake's straw.

After giving her a charged look, I decide to up the ante casually plucking the bright red cherry off the top of my milkshake.

Holding Miu's gaze steadily, I pop the stem into my mouth and bite down with an audible crunch.

"You know..." I murmur around the tart fruit. "I can't help but wonder if there are any other cherries around here worth popping?"

My eyes trail meaningfully down to the plump strawberry perched atop Miu's ice cream scoop. Before she can react, I deftly snag it between my fingers and bring it to my lips with a roguish smirk.

"Maybe yours?"

Miu's cheeks flush brilliantly at the suggestive implication. Rather than respond verbally, she simply holds my heated stare as I push my shake across the table towards her. But instead of letting her take a sip, I seize her towering ice cream concoction.

"Although..." I drawl lazily. "There are a couple larger scoops I might be more interested in palming."

Slowly, with great deliberation, I spoon off a bit of the very top portion of the mounded ice cream - right where certain intimate feminine charms would be located if these were literal anatomical representations.

Rather than eat it right away though, I bring the spoon to my lips and begin sensually licking and suckling at the melting treat. All while pinning Miu with an utterly shameless stare.

Her blush goes atomic, cheeks practically glowing as she seems frozen - unable to tear her eyes away from my mouth working the spoon clean. I can't resist dragging my tongue along the curve of the utensil with a pointed flourish before popping it between my lips entirely.

"Delicious..." I practically purr once I've swallowed the bite down.

Miu finally breaks her trance with a harried clearing of her throat, tearing her gaze away as she tries to regain her composure.

"You...you have your win for now," she mutters thickly. "But I swear, I'll make you feel for this later."

The last part is punctuated by her eyes snapping back up, blazing with a mix of arousal and competitive fire that sends a shiver of anticipation down my spine. Yes, this is shaping up to be one deliciously heated game of tease and one upmanship between us.

We quickly pay for the decadent treats, fingers brushing in a way that somehow feels electric. Then Miu surprises me by firmly grasping my hand and leading us down the bustling street towards the cinema. I expect her to choose some romantic comedy, but she surprises me again by queuing for the latest high-octane action flick.

"You seem like the type to appreciate some mindless explosions over sappy romance," she explains with a knowing grin when she catches my curious look.

Unable to argue with her logic, I simply chuckle and shake my head in bemused acceptance. Who knows, maybe Miu will find more ways to upend my expectations as this unique date continues? Either way, I can't wait to find out.

Squeezing her hand, I fall into step beside the fierce disciple - our earlier promise of competitive payback hanging like a tantalizing promise in the air between us.

*

After the movie, Ryozanpaku seemed more appealing than battling endless crowds at the mall.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows, Miu looked at me, a genuine smile on her lips.

"I had a wonderful time today," she said, her voice soft.

My grin was wide enough to rival the shine of the moon.

"Me too, it was a fantastic date." I took a step closer, mirroring her movement.

Her eyes fluttered shut, sending a jolt straight to my gut.

We leaned in, and our lips met in a kiss that felt like a homecoming. Time seemed to melt away, the world reduced to just the feel of her lips and the press of her body against mine.

Although after a few timeless moments, I start to feel an intensifying pressure.

A pressure that seems to be coming from the recently repaired gate to Ryozanpaku dojo.

A pressure of Immense ki.

a pressure that prickled the hairs on the back of my neck.

It emanated from the recently repaired dojo gate, a dark, heavy feeling that settled like a shroud around us.

A sudden drop in temperature, a wave of pure, unadulterated irritation washed over me. I knew, without a shred of doubt, who it was.

We broke the kiss, pulling away reluctantly.

In unison, our heads snapped to the side. Standing in the doorway, his face a thundercloud, was Miu's grandfather.

Unlike Hayato's usual stoic, happy go lucky, demeanor, today, he looked positively murderous.

His eyes, usually sharp but full of warmth for his granddaughter, were narrowed into slits, boring into me with a fury I'd never seen before.

The air crackled with barely contained rage. His voice, when it finally came, was a low growl barely above a whisper.

"If you," he began, each word dripping with venom, "have the audacity to indulge in such… public displays of affection… mere steps from the sacred training grounds of Ryozanpaku, then you clearly possess the audacity to train until your very muscles, bones, and ligaments scream for mercy."

The last sentence wasn't a promise, it was a threat. A very real, very terrifying threat.