Capítulo 37: CHAPTER 36 - Secrets Unveiled (5)

In that crucial moment, Ichiro reached the gunman, tackling him to the ground just as he fired a second shot. The bullet whizzed harmlessly into the air, narrowly missing the stranger who had been their initial target.

Ichiro wrestled with the criminal, disarming him and securing the weapon. As he looked up, he met the gaze of the stranger, their eyes locking in a moment of shared relief and gratitude.

Ichiro and the mysterious man fought valiantly together, but despite their best efforts, the backup for the criminals soon arrived in numbers too great to handle. The tide of the battle had turned, and it became clear that continuing the fight was a losing proposition.

"I think it's time for me to leave," the mysterious figure stated calmly, interrupting Ichiro's thoughts.

"Whaa?" Ichiro barely had time to react before the stranger suddenly vanished into thin air, leaving Ichiro all alone to face the remaining criminals.

Ichiro couldn't believe his eyes. The mysterious figure had just disappeared without a trace, leaving him bewildered and surrounded by hostile individuals. Panic welled up inside him as he assessed the situation. He didn't want to continue the fight, not when the criminals had guns, making it a perilous endeavor.

With the system's assistance, Ichiro was confident that he could hold his own against most adversaries, but the odds were against him now. His priority was self-preservation, and he knew it was time to retreat.

Making a quick decision, Ichiro activated his stealth ability, fading into the shadows and slipping away from the scene unnoticed. He knew that running away wasn't a heroic choice, but survival was paramount. He would have to regroup and find another way to make a difference, one that didn't involve confronting heavily armed criminals in the dead of night.

As he disappeared into the darkness, Ichiro couldn't help but wonder about the mysterious figure who had come to his aid. Who were they, and why had they chosen to intervene? The questions would linger in his mind, motivating him to continue his journey of self-improvement and crime-fighting, albeit in a different way.

Ichiro decided to make a pit stop at the convenience store near his place before heading home. It had been a while since he had received any financial support from his family, primarily because he hadn't visited them in ages. Lately, Akihiko had been his financial lifeline, helping him with his daily expenses. Emi had also offered to lend him money, but Ichiro felt a sense of embarrassment about borrowing from a girl.

As he entered the store, the old man behind the counter, who had been managing the place for years, greeted him with a warm smile. Despite Ichiro's face being mostly obscured by his hoodie and a face mask, the old man always seemed to recognize him.

"Oh, you're here again," the old man chuckled. "Hello, kid."

"Hello," Ichiro replied with a nod, feeling a sense of comfort in the familiarity of the store.

"The water's just been boiled," the old man said, already anticipating Ichiro's usual choice of instant noodles.

"Thank you," Ichiro replied with a grateful smile as he began browsing the shelves. He scanned the selection of noodles, considering which flavor he would enjoy for dinner that night. Despite the difficulties he faced, there was a sense of routine and comfort in these simple moments, a respite from the challenges that awaited him outside the walls of the store.

As Ichiro made his choice and headed to the counter to pay for his noodles, he couldn't help but appreciate the small, consistent kindnesses of the old man who ran the store. In a world where his own family had turned their back on him, and where his existence was shrouded in secrecy, the simple act of being recognized and greeted with a smile provided a semblance of connection and warmth that he cherished.

"Rough night, I see," the old man behind the counter remarked as Ichiro was about to take a sip of his soup.

Ichiro was momentarily dumbfounded, wondering how the old man could possibly know about his night. He hesitated for a moment before responding cautiously, "I guess."

The old man continued, a hint of concern in his voice, "Hmm, don't push yourself too hard."

"Uh-huh," Ichiro replied with a nod, still trying to make sense of the situation. He wondered if it was all just a coincidence or if the old man somehow knew more about his life than he let on.

Ichiro continued with his meal as the old man went about his work. He couldn't help but ponder what the old man might be thinking about his secretive and challenging situation. When he finished his meal, he left without bidding the old man farewell, his mind preoccupied with the mysteries of his life.

Upon arriving home, Ichiro was surprised to find the same guards on duty as before. A mischievous grin spread across his face as he decided to play some tricks on them, partly to alleviate his own boredom and partly to test their abilities.

"Did you poke me?" one of the guards asked, clearly agitated.

"Poke you?" the other guard replied with a frown.

"Please, stop fooling around. Just because you felt something earlier doesn't mean you can play tricks on me."

"As if! Why would I even do that?" the first guard retorted, irritation evident in his voice.

Both guards exchanged furious glares, their argument escalating. Despite their supposed magical abilities, they were on the weaker side, unable to sense Ichiro as he played his pranks.

"I said, stop that!" the first guard demanded.

"Why did you hit me in the head then?" the second guard countered.

"You keep poking me on the side!"

"For the last time, I didn't do it!"

Ichiro watched with amusement as the two guards quarreled, taking pleasure in the rare opportunity to see them flustered and out of their depth. "Idiots," he mumbled softly, reveling in the satisfaction of having outsmarted them for once.

As the two guards continued to argue with each other, Ichiro seized the opportunity to carefully make his way through the commotion. Some of the servants noticed the escalating dispute between the guards and hurried over to intervene, pulling the two men apart.

"What is going on here?" a senior servant demanded, their voice carrying a tone of authority.

"This guy kept poking me," the first guard insisted, pointing angrily at his colleague.

"I did not," the second guard countered, his face a mixture of frustration and indignation. He vehemently denied any involvement in the trickery.

The rest of the servants grew cautious and concerned, their eyes darting between the two guards and Ichiro, who remained hidden in plain sight. They wondered what could be causing this bizarre altercation in the middle of their duties.

Ichiro, emboldened by the chaos he had created, decided to play more mischievous tricks on the servants who had gathered to investigate the situation. He couldn't resist the temptation to escalate the confusion.

"Hey, stop that!" one of the female servants exclaimed as she felt a slight tug on her hair.

"What are you looking at me for? I didn't do it!" the servant standing near her argued, denying any wrongdoing.

"You—" one of the muscular guards began, his voice laced with anger as he felt someone touch his spine.

"Whaaaat?" the targeted servant stammered, bewildered and shocked by the unexpected accusation.

The servants were now in disarray, each suspecting the other of playing tricks and causing the disturbance. Ichiro watched from the shadows, his face hidden behind his hoodie and mask, thoroughly amused by the chaos he had incited.

"Ah, we're being haunted!" one of the female servants screamed, her voice trembling with fear.

"What? Haunted, by who?" questioned another female servant, her face draining of color as she tried to make sense of the situation.

"Who else but Lady Takahashi, of course," the first servant replied, her fear evident in her trembling voice.

Ichiro, hidden from view, paused in his mischievous actions, taken aback by the mention of his mother. He hadn't anticipated that anyone would bring her into this.

"Why would she haunt us?" one of the servants demanded, incredulous.

"That's right, are you crazy?" another chimed in.

"Crazy about what?" argued back the first servant. "We all did something to her son. If she wants revenge for everything we did, I'm sure she can."

"You crazy...!"

"That's right, she's already dead."

"Plus, the master has everything under control. If she wanted revenge, she would have acted by now."

"That's right! I mean, her son's life is on the line, and still, no one cares."

Ichiro couldn't believe what he was hearing. The servants, all of them, thought so little of him, even believing that his own mother would haunt them for their actions. Rage welled up inside him, and he felt an overwhelming urge to confront them and exact revenge.

However, he knew he needed to remain calm. Losing control and doing something awful to them wouldn't solve anything. Taking a deep breath, he slowly retreated from the scene, making his way back to his place. He decided to let go of his anger for now and strategize a more subtle way to pay them back for their callousness.