Chapter 85: Proposition.
''Are you going to talk about it?'' Lucas asked.
Ichiro and Lucas were currently putting on their school uniforms after their sparring match.
''Talk about what?'' Ichiro asked, even though he knew what he meant.
*Bam*
Lucas closed the locker door with a slam.
He turned his head towards Ichiro, ''Your bullying incident, why did you never tell me about it?''
Ichiro sighed and closed the locker door, ''It wasn't any importance.''
Lucas's face turned angry, ''What do you mean not any importance?! The principal told me something that the news didn't. It wasn't just an ordinary bullying incident; it was much worse!''
Ichiro put on his blue-colored necktie, ''It is in the past.''
''If it was in the past, why did you go there to get your revenge?!''
Ichiro turned his head and looked Lucas straight in the eye, ''It is in the past because I got my revenge. I don't want to talk about them anymore.''
Lucas gritted his teeth, ''You should have told me; I could have helped you get your revenge.''
Ichiro shook his head and started walking towards the exit of the changing room, ''It was my revenge, not yours. Besides… I didn't really need help.''
Lucas scratched his head and started following behind Ichiro.
The Martial Arts Club building was still full of students and teachers.
Once Ichiro and Lucas left the changing room, they received applause.
Ichiro waved his hand and left the Martial Arts Club building.
Lucas managed to get through the crowd as well and started following him.
They entered the school building shortly afterward.
''I will go get my nose fixed,'' Lucas said and took his shoes from the shoe locker.
Ichiro nodded, ''See you.''
Lucas waved his hand and started running towards the infirmary.
Ichiro went towards his classroom to wait for the next to start.
The school day went by fast.
*Ring*
The last school bell rang, signaling the end of the school day.
Ichiro sighed and stood up to leave.
But then he was stopped by Mark and Jake.
''Ichiro.'' Mark said.
Ichiro raised an eyebrow, ''Yea?''
''Are you going to play Night's End today?'' Mark asked with hope; Jake was also curious.
But Ichiro shook his head, ''I don't have time today.''
''Ah, shame,'' Mark said sadly.
Ichiro started walking towards the exit of the classroom and said, ''We can play sometime next week-''
''Alright!'' Ichiro heard a loud shout behind him, but he had already exited the classroom.
He walked through the corridors under intense gazes of nearby students, but he managed to reach the shoe lockers unhindered.
Shortly afterward, he exited the school premises through the gate and started strolling in the streets.
[…What are you planning, Host?]
'I have no idea what you are talking about.' Ichiro said
[You aren't walking towards your home]
'Detour.'
[…]
The system stayed silent; it doesn't matter where Ichiro is going; it can't mean anything good.
They both stayed silent during his walk, but then System had a slight hunch about where he was going after they reached a particular street.
[Underworld Street…]
'Yep…' Ichiro started walking deeper; the people he saw in the streets were all filled with tattoos and piercings. This is the Dark Area of Irio and the street where Underworld rules.
Ichiro's figure attracted a lot of attention, especially his school outfit.
''Kekeke.'' He heard a peal of creepy-sounding laughter behind him; he turned his head and saw a man holding a knife.
''Are you lost, kiddo?'' The man grinned viciously.
[Iron Lance - Fingerless-Steel]
Ichiro's hand turned into a blur and stabbed the man's neck with his joints of fingers.
''UGH!'' The man grabbed his neck and started rolling on the ground painfully.
Ichiro ignored him and kept walking; now, no one dared to have any ill intention towards him. The strength he showed is high, even in the Underworld scene, and he is still a kid!
[Why are you here, Ichiro?]
'To buy some time…' Ichiro said in his mind and stopped walking; he turned his head and saw an expensive-looking restaurant filled with people of business suits, and some looked like a common thug, but richer version.
'We are here…' Ichiro took a deep breath, 'System, do me a favor and tell me who is the strongest one inside.'
[…Alright]
Ichiro opened the door to the restaurant and walked inside.
His figure instantly caught everyone's attention; they stopped eating and looked at him with questioning gazes.
There were about 30 people inside.
He saw a big table in the middle of the restaurant with thug-looking individuals.
'System…'
[That man with a mohawk. He is Peak Martial Captain.]
Ichiro looked at the man with a mohawk, he had red hair styled as a mohawk, and half of his face was tattooed. He was wearing an expensive-looking tuxedo with a gold watch on his left wrist.
Ichiro began his walk to the table.
''Hey, brat! Where do you think you are going?!'' But then a man who looked like a thug appeared in front of him.
Ichiro grabbed his shoulder and twisted.
[Ironic Edge - Gravity Control]
The thug fell down on his knees.
''Stay down like a good doggy,'' Ichiro said coldly.
The thug had sweatdrops trickling down his cheek.
The man with a mohawk was impressed; he waved his hand to stop anyone from approaching Ichiro.
Most people inside the building already held their guns, but seeing the man with mohawk wave his hand, they decided to back off.
Ichiro reached the table and sat down, facing the man with the mohawk.
''Quite bold of you.'' The man with mohawk said with a slight grin.
Ichiro didn't change his expression.
''Why are you here?''
''You guys ordered an assassination.''
The man with mohawk nodded, ''And? Was he your friend, and you are here to take your revenge for his death?''
Ichiro shook his head, ''No, I was the target.''
The man with a mohawk was stunned for a moment, until he burst into laughter, ''Hahaha! Now that I think about it, you do look familiar. How did you survive, and why did you come here?''
''I killed him,'' Ichiro said with a cold expression.
The man with mohawk's face turned serious, ''That is not a good joke.''
Ichiro shrugged and waved his hand. Suddenly a corpse appeared on the table, ''Does he look familiar?''
''How?!'' The man with mohawk shouted in surprise, he didn't know how the corpse appeared suddenly, and he didn't know how that kid in front of him managed to kill a man who was even stronger than him!
Ichiro sat calmly.
[Calm Nature Activated]
Since he entered the building, his calm nature has been calming him down.
Ichiro showed the dead body because the Underworld lost precious asset, and now they will want Ichiro to repay it. It gives him enough time to reach Martial Captain, and once he reaches that level. It will be much easier for him to fight the Underworld.
He can't completely defeat Underworld, they still have Martial Commander, but Ichiro is confident enough to defeat that thug in front of him.
The biggest weakness of the man with a mohawk was his lack of stamina. He has experienced riches beyond his wildest dreams.
He stopped training and focused on the worldly pleasures instead.
Even though he is Peak Martial King, Ichiro is confident enough to defeat him once he reaches Martial Captain, especially when he unlocks his Iron Style completely.
He doesn't know how strong the Martial Commander is, or is he like the thug in front of him.
The man with mohawk had sweatdrops appearing on his forehead, his throat became parched.
The people in the restaurant got serious, the tightened their hold on their guns.
The man with mohawk turned his gaze towards Ichiro, ''Boss won't be happy for killing a member of League of Assassins.''
Ichiro nodded, ''That's why I am here. I have a proposition for you.''
The man with mohawk raised an eyebrow, ''I am listening.''
''Tell your boss, that I don't know why you are trying to assassinate me, but I am willing to repay for the loss of one of your men.''
''It isn't that cheap, I doubt you have the money.''
Ichiro nodded, ''I don't, but I can repay another way, Like doing a missions, etc.''
The man with mohawk rubbed his chin. It doesn't sound too bad to have a Golden Child of Irio on their side as their personal slave.
''I will talk with boss.''
Ichiro nodded and stood up, ''I will be waiting for the answer.'' He turned around and started walking towards exit of the restaurant.
The man with mohawk grinned viciously, 'Brat, you have no idea the trouble you are getting in.'
Ichiro exited the restaurant and saw the grin with the corner of his eyes.
'Morons.' He shook his head. He isn't the one who is getting in trouble, they are.
Longer he spends time on the so-called missions, more time he has to get stronger. It won't be long until Underworld is wiped out.
'Soon they will wish that they didn't accept my offer…' Ichiro is certain that the Boss of Irio's Underworld will accept the offer.
They lost a valuable assassin, and that will cost them a lot of money. They need to repay the League of Assassin somehow, and Ichiro's proposition was perfect for that.