บท 67: Beginning with Shimokitazawa’s Underworld
"You really spent the whole day watching me at the kendo dojo."
After a full day of kendo lessons from Saeko Busujima, Shin finally left the dojo, having even exchanged contact information with her.
To his surprise, Yukino Yukinoshita had also stayed with him all day at the dojo, quietly watching him practice sword techniques. He hadn't expected Yukino to be interested in kendo at all.
"It's just watching; it's not like I had to wield a sword myself. What's so strange about it?"
Yukino turned her head, her cheeks slightly flushed—perhaps due to the sunset. In truth, her time at the dojo was mostly spent watching Shin himself; she wasn't particularly interested in kendo.
Shin, focused and serious, looked quite handsome, especially in combat. He exuded a mysterious charm that captivated her.
Hearing Yukino's words, Shin didn't know what to say. He had thought she might mention "being there to keep an eye on Akagi and Tamiya," but she didn't bring it up at all.
Did she forget about Akagi and Tamiya? Was she just there spending the day with him?
In fact, Akagi had already messaged him, saying his outing with Tamiya in Akihabara had wrapped up, and he even inquired how Shin's "date" with Yukino had gone.
Shin ignored that part, intending to tell Yukino about Akagi's update if she asked, but since she didn't, he suspected she might have forgotten. Or perhaps she trusted Akagi and Tamiya?
As they parted, Yukino turned to him and asked, "Are you going to the dojo again tomorrow?"
Though Shin had spent the day practicing with Saeko Busujima, she had mostly been teaching him weapon techniques. Saeko even mentioned he could contact her anytime if he needed more lessons, so Yukino assumed he'd likely return to the dojo.
But Shin thought about it and shook his head, "Probably not tomorrow."
Given his strength, learning weapon techniques was more of a supplement, meant for an element of surprise. For instance, unleashing an energy slash like the Ki Sword against Frieza might be unexpectedly effective. But relying solely on these techniques wouldn't be enough to defeat Frieza, so he wouldn't spend much time at the dojo. Occasional training would suffice; his main goal was to gain power through missions.
"I see…"
Shin sensed a flicker of disappointment from Yukino, though it quickly vanished as she regained her usual calm.
After parting ways at the station, Shin didn't head home right away. Instead, he contacted Sayo Ogiwara to check on her.
Sayo mentioned she had bought some daily necessities and clothes, as well as ingredients to make him a meal. It seemed Sayo was indeed settling into his home.
However, Shin wouldn't make it back for dinner tonight, so he told her not to wait up before putting away his phone and heading out.
…
Shimokitazawa was a fascinating place: small in scale, yet bustling with a mix of people, with cafes and bars scattered throughout. Unsurprisingly, it was also a hub for small-time gangs. Despite being loosely organized, they still created quite a presence.
Shin chose this location mainly because the name sounded familiar. Though he'd watched a lot of anime, he didn't have much experience with subcultures. But Shimokitazawa, as a notable name in subculture, had left an impression on him.
After spotting the Shimokitazawa Station on the subway, he decided to visit a local gang here. Why not in Tokyo's main districts? Too complicated.
Tokyo's gangs were massive and structured, with hierarchical systems. To reach a gang leader, one would have to get past the enforcers stationed at local establishments, and even then, those guards rarely had the authority to summon the leader.
In contrast, Shimokitazawa's gangs were smaller, and their leaders only managed a few locations. By showing up, Shin could likely draw out the head himself.
In an underground bar in Shimokitazawa, neon lights flickered, and the dance floor was already drawing a crowd. As night fell, the once-closed establishments began to buzz with activity. Within hours, the place would likely be packed, blaring loud music.
Bang.
The doors opened, and people looked up to see a high schooler with his hands in his pockets entering. Shin scanned the bar, sizing up his surroundings.
"Bars aren't for kids," muttered a muscular man by the door, frowning as he didn't intend to entertain Shin.
"Better come back when you're older."
High schoolers were a hassle and not profitable; the management didn't care for them. Ignoring him, Shin continued to assess the bar and nodded in satisfaction.
"So many malevolent spirits here… a lot of people must have died in this place."
Indeed, Shin was not just admiring the decor but observing the number of spirits within the bar. These spirits, typically born from grudges of those who died unjustly, revealed how many lives had been lost here.
There was a large black spirit next to the man beside him, though the man couldn't see it.
"Are you looking for trouble, kid?"
Hearing Shin's blunt remark, the man's gaze turned fierce. He didn't understand the talk of spirits, but the fact that Shin mentioned the bar's violent past was a red flag. The bar had indeed seen its share of deaths, having been a battleground for gang fights in Shimokitazawa, and only those in the underworld would know that. To him, Shin went from an ordinary high schooler to a provocateur.
"You're not worth it," Shin muttered, pulling out a "Stand Arrow"—now just the arrowhead—from his pocket. He'd removed the shaft for easier carrying. After all, the shaft only served as a projectile guide; his strength alone could propel the arrowhead better than any bow.
The arrowhead lay still in his palm, showing no sign of targeting the man. In other words, to the arrow's "Stand ability," this man had no aptitude for a Stand.
To be continued…
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Btw, hand over your Power Stones, Ningen!
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