On Astral Tides: From Humble Freelancer To Astral Emperor

One Hundred And Fifty-Six

“Thank you, Oshiro-kun, I feel a little better now.” Nagi-san smiled at me, even though she still had some bruises on her face and neck. Beside us, Daichi-san and Masaji-san were marvelling at how good they felt, as I had used my Ether Healing on them first. I had wanted to go ladies first, of course, but Nagi-san insisted that her husband and father-in-law needed attention first, which was true, they had ben beaten far more severely than Nagi-san had…

“It’s the least I could do. I’m really sorry about this.” I apologised again for the disaster that had happened here. “I’ve left most of the outward-facing damage such as bruises and abrasions, but since the internal injuries have largely been healed, within a day or two they should be gone.” It would have looked strange if they had no injuries in this situation, considering what had happened.

The smoke had mostly cleared, as the fire department had arrived and was putting out the blaze at the construction site. On seeing the unconscious (or barely conscious, if they were the unlucky ones) yakuza, emergency services had been shocked, and they had also put in calls to the police and requested ambulances. The wails of sirens were loud, multiples coming closer. Soon the place would be crawling with police and medical personnel, and I wasn’t sure what to do about this whole mess.

“Your abilities are indeed powerful.” Masaji-san rotated his arm, which was suffering from torn muscles and heavy bruising before, but now functioned properly again. “As expected of one chosen by the kami of this shrine.”

“Yeah, but that doesn’t change the fact that I got everyone mixed up in this mess.” My gaze went to the corner, where Kana-chan, Marika-san and Shaeula were gathered. “I’ve failed in my obligations. I never thought that my enemy would be so savage as to target innocents and use criminal gangs in the Material. It was an oversight, but if things had been just a little different…”

I looked at the heap of battered yakuza in one corner of the room. One of them had tried to crawl away, but Shaeula had kicked him unconscious. I didn’t try to stop her that hard. As long as they aren’t dead, I don’t think I can get into any more trouble anyway… Putting aside my worries about how I was going to explain this to the police, I considered all of the things that could have gone wrong. If my Foresight hadn’t of been nagging at me, if I’d have been a bit slower dealing with the thugs, if another group came upon Shaeula while she was in the Boundary, if Kana-chan was assaulted before I got here…

Seeing the misery and guilt writ across my face Daichi-san spoke up. “I must thank you again for saving my daughter. You have suffered injuries to protect her, for which I am most grateful.” He bowed, and that just made me feel worse. Injuries, huh? Sure, but… They would heal. I was in quite a bit of pain, especially the gunshot wound in my shoulder, which was still oozing blood, my bone bruised, but with my stats and Ether Healing, It’d be like nothing had ever happened in a few days.

“I’m glad she’s all right.” I agreed. “But even so, she wouldn’t have been in danger unless…”

“I daresay if I had a weapon I could kill every man here and do what I wanted with the women… do you remember saying such, Oshiro-san?” Masaji-san interjected, bringing me up short. “Well, we have seen the proof of it here, have we not? You also said that you feared Shaeula or Kana being subjected to the whims of the powerful…” his expression was unreadable, and I wasn’t sure whether he was angry or some other emotion dominated him. “Tell me, is this opponent you face, one who controls criminal mafia and has no qualms about using them to do unspeakable things, a good man?”

Kondou Kazuo, a good man? Hardly… “No, I know for a fact he’s kidnapped, abused and killed women. He’s also a sadist, who enjoys causing pain and suffering. And it’s a man like that I’ve brought down on this shrine…” I went to bow in apology once again, but Masaji-san stopped me.

“Obviously I am not pleased, I thought my heart would break when my precious granddaughter was taken by them, for such a horrible fate…” at his words, Kana-chan looked over in surprise. “… but have you not proved that we need good people who will stand against evil more than ever? Someone cruel, with your strength, willing to do what he wants, take what he wants… who can stop him? Just look around us…”

Yeah, I know, it was one of the main reasons I decided to pursue this path in the first place. Well, okay, half was to escape a life of boredom, but the other half was to make sure my sister, Eri, my family and friends… that they were all protected from harm, as such power will inevitably find its way into the hands of evil people, and even those who start off good may well be corrupted…

“I didn’t see it, but I heard you were very brave, Akio-sama.” Marika-san said weakly, breaking me out of my gloomy thoughts. That reminded me of the main problem. I walked over to her, kneeling down beside her.

“I’m really sorry Marika-san. I promised you, your mother and your grandfather that you’d come to no harm here, and you’ve barely been here a few days and already I’ve broken my promise. But don’t worry, I’ll take you back to Nishimorioka as soon as I’ve tidied up here. I’m not sure how I can apologise to your mother though, she was really against this, and she’s been proved right…”

“That isn’t true!” Marika-san protested. “I’m not hurt, Akio-sama! So you haven’t broken your word!” beside her Shaeula patted her head gently.

“You are a brave one, Marika. I know it was frightening, but Akio will never-never allow this to happen again. Will you?”

Her amber eyes met mine, her gaze intense, and I shook my head in denial. “No. I’ve learned my lesson. The price was still too high, but when I think about how much worse it could have been…” I clenched my aching fists hard, bloodied and bruised knuckles white. “… I’m going to crush that bastard for even thinking he can do as he pleases. And then I’m going to build us a Territory both here and in the Boundary that will keep everyone I cherish safe from harm. I swear it!”

At my bold declaration, Shaeula giggled gleefully. Continuing to pat Marika-san on the head reassuringly, she turned to Kana-chan as well. “There, you see? Akio is more-more determined than ever. It was a cruel experience, but you both did well, and remained strong. Rely on us-us, and this will become part of your strength.”

“I was … so… scared!” Marika-san burst into tears, and Shaeula pulled her into a hug, rubbing her back gently, murmuring reassurances, while Kana-chan… she looks a bit sick…

“I appreciate you saying I did my best, but honestly… I didn’t hesitate to tell them where you two were. I feel a bit guilty about that… can you forgive me, big bro?”

Well, I can’t exactly blame her… “There’s nothing to forgive. I’m in the wrong here, right? Besides, you stepped up to defend Marika-san at the end, even though you were so scared you wanted to pi… err, cry, right?” I changed what I was about to say at her sudden scowl. “Anyway, you did the best you could. I mean it.”

“Well, I’m happy to hear you say that, big bro. and I don’t think everything has sunk in yet, I still feel numb. But I made myself a promise if I got out of it unharmed…” she trailed off.

“Oh?” I asked, but she merely smiled at me mysteriously, looking even cuter than usual.

“That. Is. A. Secret. Big. Bro.” she said in a singsong voice.

“In any case, what are we going to do about this whole mess?” Daichi-san asked. “How do we explain it?”

That’s a damn good question… I decided to fire off a text to Karen-chan, authorising her to pull funds to replace the building materials and machinery lost in the fires, as well as effect repairs to the shrine and my home. As I was finishing up that paramedics and police rushed into the building, led by a grizzled older Inspector from the Organised Crime Control Bureau, supported by a number of other officers. Seeing us and the additional unconscious Yakuza, he flashed us his badge, taking control of the situation.

“I’m Inspector Sato Jun, Organised Crime Control. Just what happened here? It’s like a damn warzone. We haven’t had a turf war between yakuza gangs in years…”

Well here we go. Time to take responsibility. Sucking in a deep breath I stepped forwards, drawing his attention.

“Whoa, looks like you need medical help. Medics, we’ve got a gunshot victim over here!”

“Don’t worry about it, I’d rather you take a look at the others first.” I deflected. “The yakuza bastards were pretty rough with them.” Of course, I’ve healed the worst of it…

“I see.” As his men and the paramedics were carrying out unconscious yakuza on stretchers and gurneys after handcuffing them, several more medics came over to inspect Kana-chan’s family. As they made conversation, inspecting their injuries, Inspector Sato, realising I seemed to be in charge, started talking to me, his piercing eyes eager for information.

“So, may I start by taking your name and relationship to this shrine?” he asked.

“I’m Oshiro Moonstone Akio. Please excuse the odd name, I’m a half. As for my relationship, I’m an investor here, and I live with that girl over there in one of the back buildings.”

“I see, I see.” He nodded. Another officer joined him in the uniform of the Organised Crime division, and started taking notes. “So, care to tell me just how a score and a half of the…” he looked over at one battered yakuza who was shirtless, as he was being lifted onto a stretcher. “… judging by that tattoo, Matsubato family… are beaten to within an inch of their lives here? It’ll be touch and go whether some of them even survive, with those injuries…”

I felt an ache in my chest and swallowed nervously. Damn, I tried not to kill anyone, not that they didn’t deserve it, but I don’t really want to kill if I can help it… besides, prison isn’t how I saw my future… “Well, I was in bed with my girlfriend, when I got up to have a beer. I heard someone breaking into my home and I could smell smoke. I grabbed some makeshift weapons from the kitchen and went to see who it was, only to discover a half-dozen or so men breaking in. They looked bad news, and one even had a gun. I guess I panicked and went past my limits, because I took them out. No way I was letting them get to my girl.”

“I see. You…” his tone was heavy. “… took out a half-dozen yakuza who were well-armed, with whatever you could scrounge up from your kitchen. Do I have that right?”

Well yeah, it sounds unbelievable, because it bloody well is! Still, that doesn’t make it less true.

“Yeah, and so… well, when I got outside I saw more were setting ablaze the materials around the construction site, so I dealt with them, but then I worried about the people inside the shrine, they have young girls as you can see, so…”

“Just hold on.” Inspector Sato pinched the bridge of his nose, looking annoyed. “You are saying you beat up even more yakuza. We found an automatic rifle out there…” his eyes strayed to the bullet wounds in my body. “… so, what happened to the rest? Tell me the truth son, it’ll go easier for you. Which family are you with? This isn’t Matsubato territory, so something must have brought them here in force and so well armed.”

“I do not-not care for the way you are speaking to Akio…” Shaeula piped up, annoyed, but Kana-chan shushed her.

“Come on Shaeula, calm down. You can’t mess with the police! Let big bro handle it.”

“Your girlfriend is quite protective of you it seems.” Inspector Sato noted. “Foreign I see, or is that hair bleached? Maybe wearing contacts too? I suppose that would fit modern yakuza fashion. So, I’ll ask again. Which family? Inagawata? Anegasakita? They left you behind to enjoy a holiday? I’ve never understood why you young fools are so willing to go down for your bosses.”

“I think you’ve got the wrong idea, sir.” I protested. “I’m not a yakuza, I’m a businessman.”

“Of course. So a businessman took out all these people? It seems you are better suited as a jester. You agree, right officer?”

The policeman next to him taking notes nodded. “That’s right, Inspector, sir. A real comedian here. Must think you were born yesterday.”

Shaeula was fuming, but Kana-chan and Marika-san were keeping her in check, which was one bright spot of relief. The last thing I needed was for her to cause a scene here. The place was crawling with police now.

“The quicker you confess, the sooner you can get those injuries looked at.” The Inspector stared at me as if I was some low-level piece of street scum. “I’m in a good mood, as taking all those Matsubato bastards off the streets will probably collapse that gang, that’s one down. But even so…”

“I assure you, he is not a criminal.” Masaji-san shook off the medic that was looking at his injuries. “Oshiro-san is a benefactor of our shrine, and selflessly rushed to our aid to defend us when the brutes were going to kidnap my granddaughter.”

“That’s right.” Kana-chan agreed. “They said they were going to sell me to a soapland after they’d… used me… but big bro beat them all up!”

At the barrage of support that everyone threw at him, Inspector Sato sighed. “I don’t know what you or your gang has threatened these people with, but… it’s simply impossible for you to have defeated an entire gang of yakuza. At least try to be plausible. And even if not… well, I think this might well count as excessive self-defence.”

Yeah, that was what I was afraid of. Japanese law is screwed up when it comes to defending yourself or others from criminals…

“Hey, Inspector, sir!” a policewoman called out, entering the shrine. “We’ve pulled some cameras from the building site. They are a bit smoke-damaged, but we should be able to extract the data back at the station.”

Wait, we have cameras?

On seeing my puzzled expression, the Inspector chuckled. “I guess you didn’t know, but most construction sites will set up cameras in case they are accused of violating safety and labour standards. It looks like you don’t want us to see what is on it. Anyway… I’m going to have to ask you to come to the station with me. At the least, even if I believed your tall tale of legendary heroics that would make Miyamoto Musashi blush, we need to have a good long talk about the use of lethal force you employed.”

“I see. Am I under arrest?”

“No, not if you are co-operative. I’ll also need to question everyone else here, but…” he trailed off meaningfully, and I understood.

“All of them, especially the girls, have been through a shocking experience. I’d appreciate it if you went easy on them.”

“Of course. Our officers simply want to ascertain what happened here. We are of course always discreet and considerate of victims of violent crime.”

“All right then.” This is a real problem, but… “I’m leaving you in charge, all right Shaeula? I can only trust you to look after everyone. All right?” she opened her mouth to protest but I shut her down firmly. She scowled at me, but nodded in the end.

“Very well. I shall not-not let you down, I shall make sure all is well with Marika and Kana. I shall eagerly await your swift-swift return.”

“I know I can count on you.” I answered, before turning to the Inspector. “Well, shall we be off then?”

“I appreciate your co-operation. Still, I think we should take you to a hospital first. Don’t want you dropping dead on me before I get some answers, right?” Inspector Sato smirked, triumphant.

“No, I’m fine. I’m pretty durable. How else would I have taken out a mob of angry yakuza?”

“Still sticking to that story huh? Well, suit yourself. I always get to the bottom of these matters. You’ll be telling me everything I want to know soon enough…”

As I stepped out of the shrine into the smoky night air, amazed at the amount of fire engines, ambulances and police cars dotting the streets around the otherwise quiet location, I bit down on a sigh. All I wanted was to rest up and heal myself, but now I’m being taken to the police station. Hopefully I wont end up in the cells, my father will kill me if I end up being a criminal… and what would Aiko say?