The group, having spotted Shoot, approached him. Everyone stared intently, their gazes assessing him. Shoot found their intense scrutiny unpleasant.

(Hm? Those guys are…?)

Among them, Shoot recognized several of the high school delinquents who had attempted to extort him at the convenience store a few nights earlier.

“Hey, is this the ridiculously handsome guy? The kid who beat you up?”

“Eh…? N-no… the guy who beat us up wasn’t like this…”

The blond delinquent, his injuries bandaged, hesitantly answered the larger delinquent.

(Ah, I grew so much they don’t recognize me. And bringing this many accomplices… this is it.)

Shoot smiled subtly, approaching the group.

“Oh really? You came here to get beaten up? Saved me the trouble of looking for you. And you brought all these scummy friends…”

His condescending tone and manner angered the larger delinquent.

“What’s with this ridiculously handsome guy, coming over here himself?”

“You, the blond, the one with the piercings, and the one in the flashy shirt. You were looking for me, right? You tried to extort me, a middle schooler, last night, didn’t you? M-e.”

“Wh-what are you saying… Wait. That face… I’ve seen it somewhere…”

“H-hey! Isn’t this him!? It was night, so I don’t remember well, but didn’t he look like this!?”

“That’s him! This kid… Kid!?”

As Shoot goaded them, the delinquents recalled the previous night, remembering the humiliation they’d suffered at Shoot’s hands. They trembled. But they quickly regained their composure; they outnumbered him.

“Hooh? So, this is that middle schooler? He doesn’t look like one.”

“Y-yes! He’s gotten bigger, but he’s the kid who did this to us!”

The blond deferentially agreed. Shoot was certain that the larger delinquent was their leader.

“Hey, you, you seem to have hurt our precious juniors quite a bit.”

“Oh? You gathered your buddies here early in the morning to ambush me? How much free time do you have?”

“We were here last night! You didn’t come, so we came this morning, waiting at the convenience store! This kid is arrogant!”

The other delinquents were furious. They’d been waiting near the convenience store last night and this morning. Many middle and high school students had been affected.

“We’ll settle the score!” “We’ll make him pay double!” “Let’s call an ambulance!” “And a hearse!”

The delinquents prepared their weapons—bats, pipes, and brass knuckles—fully intending to destroy Shoot.

“So, this is payback, huh? That’s great! You came to me. Hey, didn’t you say you’d find me, break my limbs, and make sure I couldn’t leave the house?”

“Wh-what are you so cocky about!?”

“T-that’s right! You can only be arrogant for now, hehehe…!”

The previously injured delinquents flinched, but they regained their confidence. Those who noticed the brewing fight near the convenience store pretended not to see. The convenience store clerk—the part-time worker who was there last night—also pretended not to notice, inwardly complaining, “I changed my shift, so why are they here again…?”

“Perfect. I’ll use you as a warm-up for my revenge, breaking you until you can’t do this again.”

“Don’t act tough, kid! You’re the one who’ll be broken!!”

The larger delinquent roared, and the delinquents attacked with fists, kicks, and weapons.

(I don't need to dodge anymore… “Tough Body.”)

Yawning, Shoot activated his skill. He received their attacks. The result:

“Gyaaaah, it hurts!?” “It’s too hard!! This guy’s made of steel!?” “My hand’s broken!” “Aaah…!”

The delinquents who punched and kicked him clutched their hands and feet, screaming in pain. Those who hit him with bats and pipes groaned in agony. Shoot, unaffected, stretched.

“I-impossible!? What’s going on…?”

The delinquents panicked at the complete failure of their attack.

“It’s just like before…”

“It wasn’t a dream…”

Those who had been injured before remembered that night and trembled with fear.

“Ugh, this many people are noisy. Especially this early in the morning. And even if I finish them off quickly, they’ll just do it again later…”

After a moment of thought, Shoot hit upon a plan.

“That’s it! No one will interfere, and no one will see!”

The delinquents found his self-satisfied manner unsettling. But before they could react, Shoot suddenly gathered them in one place.

(“Spatial Transfer”—)

He teleported himself and the delinquents. Their destination was…

“Wha…?” “Wh-what…?” “Where are we!?” “Weren’t we in front of the convenience store!?” “The sky…? It was bright before…?”

It wasn't a city or a village; it was a mysterious, empty space.

“This is ‘other space’. My first time here.”

Shoot had transported them to another space. “Spatial Transfer” could teleport people to this space. This was Shoot's first visit.

“W-where are we— (KICK!) Gah!?”

“Shut up. Just know that this is a space where I won’t let you escape.”

Shoot curtly explained, kicking the larger delinquent in the jaw. The delinquent, unharmed, stood up, glaring at Shoot with murderous intent.

“Not letting us escape? That’s what we’re going to do! You little brat, I’ll kill you!!”

“Kill…?”

Shoot reacted to the words. Before his trip to the other world, he wouldn't have cared. But having spent over ten days in the other world, the words filled him with disgust.

“You’ve never killed anyone before. What gives you the right to say ‘kill’?”

“““““Wha—! !?”””””

Shoot’s two sentences overwhelmed the delinquents. He’d engaged in life-or-death battles with monsters and bandits, gaining some understanding of killing.

Unlike Shoot, these delinquents lacked that experience. Their words were ridiculous, prompting Shoot's anger and disgust.

“Listen, that word… only those who’ve done it have the right to say it. Like this—”

“I’ll kill you.”

WHAM!! “Gah…!”

The moment the larger delinquent heard Shoot's words, he felt as if a blade was at his throat, freezing him in place. Shoot’s fist then connected, sending him flying.