Shiina Mahiru, Miura Yumiko, and Yuigahama Yui found themselves cornered in a dimly lit alley, their escape blocked by five rough-looking men.
Each of them had the classic delinquent look—dyed hair, tattoos snaking up their arms and necks, piercings gleaming under the flickering streetlight. Their hungry eyes scanned the three girls in front of them, and one of them licked his lips in anticipation.
"Oi, little ladies, why don't you come have some fun with us tonight?" one of them sneered, stepping forward.
Miura Yumiko's legs trembled, but she still mustered the courage to step in front of Mahiru and Yui, her fists clenched tightly. She put on a brave face, trying to sound firm despite the fear creeping into her voice.
"Tch, who the hell would want to go anywhere with scum like you?! My friend already called the police! If you know what's good for you, you'll back off before they get here!"
The thugs laughed in unison.
"Hah, this one's got some bite. But..."
"Oi, boss, her legs are shaking!" another chuckled.
"Hah! Cute. That fake bravado is kinda hot."
Yumiko bit her lip in frustration. She hated that they saw through her fear, but her body wouldn't stop shaking. She had never been in a situation like this before. Who would've thought that a simple shopping trip with new friends would turn into a nightmare?
Worse, these bastards had planned this. They had herded them into this alley like prey, cutting off all escape routes. Ebina had managed to slip away to call the police, but the rest of them…
They were trapped.
"W-What do you want?" Mahiru finally found her voice, her usually calm demeanor laced with anger. "You do realize that assaulting high school girls is a serious crime?"
One of the men let out a crude laugh. "Relax, sweetheart. We just wanna have a good time. It's all consensual, y'know? If you're good girls, we might even treat you afterwards."
The way he leered at them made Yuigahama clutch onto Yumiko and Mahiru's hands tightly, her fingers ice cold.
Why was this happening? The city wasn't supposed to have these kinds of thugs lurking around. Wasn't this supposed to be a safe neighborhood?
"Oi, boss, I can't wait anymore," one of the delinquents said impatiently. "You guys keep watch, I'll start with this one."
"Tch, dumbass. I go first. Rank has its privileges."
The men exchanged grins before closing in, their intentions clear.
Mahiru, Yumiko, and Yuigahama shrank back, their hearts hammering in their chests.
"D-Don't come any closer!" Yumiko shouted, voice cracking.
"Our friend really did call the police!"
"Yeah?" One of them sneered. "They won't get here in time, princess. Just relax and—"
BAM!
A body suddenly crashed into one of the thugs, knocking him to the ground with a heavy thud.
"What the—?!" The remaining four turned toward the entrance of the alley, eyes widening in shock.
Standing there, holding a camera with a cold expression, was Hozuki Nozomi.
The three girls' eyes widened in relief.
"Nozomi-kun!" Yuigahama gasped.
Mahiru's gaze flickered to the thug that had just been knocked down—her breath hitched in realization.
It was him.
The same upperclassman from the football club who had confessed to her at lunch, the one who ran off after she rejected him.
Her stomach dropped as a horrifying realization settled in.
Had he… arranged this?
Nozomi's voice cut through the tense air. "Got everything on camera. Video, audio, the whole thing. Your dumbasses just got caught in 4K."
The thugs bristled in anger.
"Tch! You little shit, think you're tough?! There's five of us! You just signed your own death warrant!"
"Let's get him!"
Five thugs lunged at him, their expressions twisted with malice.
One of them brandished a switchblade, while another, a red-haired punk, swung a baseball bat straight for Nozomi's head with a vicious arc.
The other three weren't far behind, fists clenched around bricks they'd grabbed from the ground.
"Kuso… Where the hell did these guys come from? Are they trying to kill me?!" Nozomi muttered to himself, his sharp eyes scanning their movements.
The moment felt surreal. If it weren't for the mission prompt from the Game Life System, would Shiina Mahiru have been lost to him? Would Miura Yumiko and Yuigahama Yui have suffered an unspeakable fate?
The sheer audacity of these scumbags—trying to harm his tenant and his potential future tenants—ignited a fire within him. They had made one fatal mistake.
They pissed off the wrong person.
Just as the baseball bat whooshed through the air, aiming for his skull, the three girls gasped in horror.
"Nozomi, abunai!"
But Nozomi didn't retreat. Instead, he stepped forward, raised his arm, and—
BANG!
The bat connected with his forearm.
And stopped.
[Ding! Passive skill "Damage Rebound" activated.]
CRACK!
The red-haired thug's scream pierced the air as his wrist snapped like a brittle twig. The bat slipped from his fingers, clattering uselessly to the pavement. Nozomi didn't let up. His fist shot out like a bullet, smashing into the thug's chest and sending him flying backward.
The other delinquents froze for a second, their bravado crumbling.
But Nozomi wasn't about to give them time to recover.
[Ding! Skill "Accurate Hit" activated.]
His body moved on instinct, honed to perfection. Each strike was fluid, precise, and unstoppable. To the watching girls, it looked like a scene from an anime—Nozomi weaving through the thugs like a specter, his fists moving too fast for the eye to follow.
BAM!
One punk took a straight jab to the gut, doubling over before being sent sprawling with a spinning kick.
THWACK!
Another tried to swing a brick at him, but Nozomi ducked and landed a brutal uppercut to his chin, knocking him out cold.
It was like a meteor shower of punches.
He stepped on the wrist of the thug clutching the switchblade, forcing him to drop it with a pained yelp before kicking the weapon out of reach.
Now, time for the grand finale.
[Ding! "Yin-Yang Qi" activated.]
This ability inflicted a slow-draining debuff—sapping his opponent's strength until they could no longer fight. Nozomi delivered a few final blows to ensure its activation before stepping back, watching as the once-confident punks writhed in pain, their energy fading like dying embers.
Turning his gaze to the senior from the football club—the very same guy who had confessed to Shiina earlier that day—Nozomi narrowed his eyes.
"So it was you," he muttered darkly.
Coward. Scum. Not only did he hold a grudge for being rejected, but he had also stooped to something this vile? Unforgivable.
Nozomi's foot lashed out, slamming into the senior's gut and sending him sprawling alongside the thugs he had recruited.
Silence fell over the alleyway.
Then—
"Nozomi!"
The three girls rushed to him, their faces a mixture of relief and admiration.
"Are you okay?!" Yumiko asked, scanning him for injuries.
"That was so cool! Sugoi! Where did you learn to fight like that?!" Yui's eyes sparkled with awe.
Shiina Mahiru, however, studied him carefully. "Thank you, Nozomi. But… about that senior…"
Before he could answer, the distant wail of sirens echoed through the alleyway.
A squad of officers, led by a stern-faced detective, swarmed the scene.
"Freeze! Hands where we can see them!"