A Lewd Cultivator in Brockton Bay 7: Anger I (Patreon)

A Lewd Cultivator in Brockton Bay
Chapter 7: Anger I

-VB-

Our date at Downtown went smoothly. We chatted, ate our fill of delicious morsel, and enjoyed our time together. 

I was distinctly aware of three pairs of eyes constantly watching me, one within the restaurant and two outside. I ignored those in favor of making Amy giggle with a joke of mine. 

The bill was … Ugh.

I might actually have to go out and loot from some of the gangs if I want to supplement my income. 

As I walked Amy home, I pondered on the realization of my advancement. I hadn’t noticed it, but I became strong in the span of a month that I spent hiding and training in my house. I was sure that my medicinal baths which bordered on the alchemical definitely helped me, too. 

“What are you thinking about again?” 

I stopped thinking and looked down to meet her eyes while continuing to walk beside Amy. “Just… didn’t realize that I might be far stronger than I thought I was.”

Amy frowned. Then her eyes widened. “Wait, does that mean-!?”

“That I will soon go out as a cape? Yes.”

“As part of New Wave, right?”

I nodded. Though it was kind of a forced upon decision by Brandish, I didn’t mind joining New Wave if it meant I wouldn’t have any trouble with Amy. In fact, I might be able to get Brandish to “sign off” on our relationship completely. 

Amy was, after all, still a minor, and if Brandish wanted to, then she could force this adult-minor relationship into the open to publicly end me.

I wasn’t scared of that scenario, merely uninterested in seeing Amy distressed from such an outcome. 

“But I will be operating differently.”

She tilted her to the side, just a bit that it was noticeable to me, but I wasn’t sure she noticed it. Cute.

“Different how?”

“I think I will hold my ground centering on my house.”

“Yeah, New Wave does that too… Wait, are you …?” she asked suspiciously, stopping her walk. I stopped only a feet in front of her. “You’re going to hold territory? Like a gang?” she asked, aghast.

“Less of a territory and a permanent patrol route where I take down any and all criminal activity with extreme prejudice,” I objected with a sigh. “Unlike many in New Wave, I cannot fly. I am stuck on the ground. Maybe once I advance enough, then I might be able to mimic flying, but it would expend strength and effort better used elsewhere.”

“...So you know that you will grow stronger.”

“Of course. We’ve seen it already, haven’t we?”

“I did.”

I nodded. Then I planted a kiss on her forehead, making her cheeks just a bit red with her blush and making her wear a surprised look that wiped away her serious stare. 

“W-What was that about?”

“You look cuter this way.”

“Ugh,” she punched me in the chest in embarrassment.  “Ugh,” she murmured while cradling her fist in pain.

I laughed.

“Oh, what is this~?” 

… Just the slimy-ness of the voice was enough to get their intent. I looked over my shoulder - we were still a ways away from the Dallon household - and saw five bald and tattooed stereotypical E88 gangsters.

And I couldn’t help but sigh.

They took that as an insult - and rightfully so.

“Yo, this guy thinks we’re a hassle,” one of them sneered. “Should we make an example out of him?”

Even Amy looked nonplussed and unthreatened, which was about the right reaction considering how I beat Brandish in our spar.

“Should I let them go?” I asked Amy, not even bothering to look at the thugs. 

Amy faked a pensive look.

Seeing that they were being ignored, all five of them began to walk towards us.

“Nah,” she said with a gleeful look.

Away from her house, family, and workplace, she was allowing a bit of entertainment. A bloody entertainment, but the thugs were asking for it.

“Of course, my princess.”

The clearly Empire gangsters began to pull out switchblades and … was that a pistol?

I met the eyes of the leftmost gangster. 

You’re first.

Before any of them blinked, I slid from where I had been standing in front of Amy and came right up to the pistol-holding gangster’s face. 

I lowered myself into a horse stand, and in the same instance, punched with my right, extending from myself directly away. 

The ground trembled when I stomped upon taking the stance, and the gangsters, none of whom were no more than two yards from me, stumbled while the poor soul that I’d struck flew off like a ragdoll. He sailed over twenty yards before hitting the ground and rolling over another five.

I stared at the downed thug before turning to the rest with a spin kick, hitting not their faces but their shoulders.

I spun and struck one, tossing him to the side. I hit the ground with that leg and spun around with the other, and when I touched down after striking the third gangster, I stomped down into a horse stance again, and … that was it.

That was enough to take out all five of them. 

Amy walked over to the gangster I had thrown with but a single fist strike while I stood over the other four. 

“Now,” I grinned. “Wanna tell me why you’ve been following us for the past hour?” 

Amy gave the whizzing gangster (I’m surprised that he was still conscious) just enough healing to keep him “alive” and then walked over to me. “You broke his sternum and seven ribs. Less force next time. It’s nothing a braindead idiot wouldn’t have suffered pulling a gun on a cape,” she chided.

“But I was threatened with a gun~!” I replied with a faux defensive girly voice.

Amy gave me her best disgusted face. Then she got serious and turned to the gangsters. “They have been following us?”

“I don’t have evidence I could show in court, but yes. I’ve felt their eyes on me for some time. I think since we entered the restaurant.”

The coincidence of which led me to think that - just maybe - the restaurant may be in cahoots with E88. It would explain the strictly white-skinned staff. Why else would Amy and I suddenly get eyes watching us after entering an establishment? 

Amy glared down at the four, no doubt thinking about how they ruined our night.

“F-Fuckin’...!”

I turned around and my eyes widened just in time to see the would-be-pistoler that Amy just healed raise up his gun that he had some-fucking-how held in his hand and aimed.

At Amy.

Who just healed him.

I moved.

She turned to ask why I pushed her.

BANG!

...

CRUNCH