RH Chapter 22

Chapter 22 – Caught in a Fight

Resonance 4, Part 3

Novel Title: 共鳴発情 オメガバース (Resonance Heat: Omegaverse)

Author：岩本薫 (Iwamoto Kaoru)

Illustrator: 蓮川愛 (Hasukawa Ai)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists: 本浄天音 (Honjou Amane) & 苅谷煌騎 (Kariya Kouki) / 首藤煌騎 (Shutou Kouki)

*Please read at Novels Space.space, the original site of translation. TQ*

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There was a huge disadvantage between the buffalo-like man and the slim Amane. The weight difference was easily doubled. No matter how you looked at it, Amane was at a disadvantage.

Realising that words wouldn’t be enough to stop the situation, Kouki quickly stepped between the two to prevent a fight.

“Both of you, calm down. Honjou-san, please cool your head.”

As Kouki tried to reason with them, the muscle-bound man grabbed his shoulder from behind.

“Get outta the way!”

With tremendous force, Kouki was shoved back, flying all the way into a pool table. He slammed hard against the wooden edge, the impact sending him sprawling onto the table. The balls scattered across the felt, clattering noisily as a few dropped into the pockets.

A female customer who had been watching the game screamed, “Kyaa!”

“What the hell? Is there a fight!?”

The men who had been enjoying their pool game stopped playing and began to stir.

“Oh, here we go!”

“Yeah, take him down!”

The onlookers, treating it like a form of drunken entertainment, began to egg them on with reckless encouragement.

“Hey, anyone wanna place bets?”

“Not even worth betting on.”

“True that!”

Laughter erupted, full of mockery.

“…Ow.”

By the time Kouki shook his head to clear it and sat up, the fight had already begun.

The muscular man swung his massive arms with a loud ‘whoosh’, like the sound of wind cutting through the air. Amane, meanwhile, was elegantly dodging each punch with barely an inch to spare, using fluid sways of his upper body.

So far, he was able to avoid the blows. But if even one of those fists connected, it would be the end.

Kouki had just experienced the man’s brute power firsthand. The thought of Amane’s beautiful face getting completely destroyed made him feel desperate.

He had to help. If it was two against one, they might stand a chance.

Kouki leaped off the pool table, ready to jump into the fray—when suddenly—

“Oooh!”

A murmur of awe rose from the crowd, accompanied by the background noise. In Kouki’s field of vision, Amane executed a perfect spinning kick. The sneakered heel traced a beautiful arc through the air and smashed into the left side of the muscle man’s face, sending his head spinning to the right.

With a blank expression, the man crumpled to the ground, collapsing at the knees and landing face-down on the floor. Amane, standing over the unconscious man, grabbed the collar of his coat, which had slipped off in the midst of the kick, and pulled it back into place. Without sparing another glance at the man he had just knocked out, Amane turned on his heel and started walking away.

For a moment, the crowd was stunned into silence. But then they snapped back to reality and began whistling and cheering.

“Seriously? That was amazing.”

“Who the hell is this guy? Taking down that bull of a man in one hit?”

(That… really was amazing.)

The precision and flawless angle of the kick, executed with pinpoint accuracy, rivalled even the martial arts masters Kouki had learned from as a child.

As Kouki marvelled at Amane’s skill, the man himself walked over.

“Hey, you hurt?”

“I’m fine. Are you okay, Honjou-san?”

“Why the hell wouldn’t I be?”

Amane remained calm, not even breaking a sweat or showing any flush on his pale skin, even up close.

It seemed that Kouki’s help wasn’t needed after all. But either way, he felt relieved that Amane’s beautiful face wasn’t hurt.

“Thank you.”

Since the situation started with the muscular guy picking on him, Kouki expressed his gratitude. Amane shrugged his shoulders.

“You should’ve put up at least some resistance instead of just taking it.”

“Well, that was…-”

Kouki was about to explain that it was intentional, but his words trailed off.

“…!”

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the muscular man, who should have been unconscious, charging toward them, raising a billiard cue over his head. Following Kouki’s gaze, Amane turned around and spat, “Persistent bald freak.” But before Kouki could stop him, Amane dashed forward.

“Honjou-san!”

Amane was dodging the swinging cue with his usual agility, swaying his body from side to side. But this time the man’s swings were faster, forcing Amane to gradually retreat. Trapped against the wall, Amane had nowhere left to go. The muscular man grinned wickedly.

“Die!”

“Honjou-san… watch out!”

Before Kouki knew it, he had leaped in front of the billiard cue aimed at Amane. A loud ‘crack’ reverberated in his ears. A sharp vibration shot through his skull. Clenching his teeth, he braced himself against the shock.

“What are you doing, idiot!”

Amane yelled from behind him, shouting, “Move!” but Kouki knew that if he stepped aside, Amane would just take reckless action again.

“Kariya!”

“Be quiet. Just stay put and behave yourself.”

Without waiting for a reply, Kouki grabbed the cue above his head and yanked it down with force. The muscular man lost his balance. In one swift motion, Kouki switched his grip on the cue, then aimed at the thick neck of the staggering man and brought it down with a loud ‘thwack’. The crack of the cue splitting in two echoed through the air like the sound of a kendo strike landing perfectly.

“…Ugh…”

The man let out a groan from deep in his throat before collapsing forward onto the floor.

Kouki exhaled, finally confirming that the muscular man wasn’t getting up this time.

“Hey, is your head alright?”

Amane moved around to stand in front of him, asking with concern.

In truth, Kouki’s skull was still throbbing from the impact. But he forced a smile and said, “I’m fine.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

He forced a smile, not wanting to worry Amane, when a deep, gravelly voice cut through the crowd: “What’s going on here?”

The moment they heard that low voice, the onlookers parted to the sides. At the end of the newly opened path stood a man.

He was in his thirties, with a sturdy build. His eyes were sharp. There was a scar near his left cheekbone, as if it had been slashed with a knife.

Amane separated himself from Kouki and began walking down the path created by the crowd. Soon, he came face to face with the scarred man.

“…You…”

The man narrowed his eyes as if trying to recall a memory.

“Do you remember me?”

“Ah… you helped me out before. I’m grateful for that. What brings you here tonight?”

The scarred man asked cautiously. Amane, without hesitation, replied, “Relax, I’m not here to cause trouble for your establishment.”

“I just have something to ask you, since you control this area.”

He slipped a hand into the pocket of his mod coat, pulled out his smartphone, and, after a few quick taps, showed the screen to Scarface.

“Do you know this boy?”

Scarface picked up the smartphone, carefully examined the screen, and shook his head.

“…I’ve never seen him.”

Amane, with a disappointed look on his face, shrugged as if to collect himself and asked, “Can you check with the other members too?”

“Hey.”

Responding to the boss’s signal—a nod of his chin—several men gathered around. They took turns peeking at the phone. Each shook their head.

“Seems like a face you don’t see around here. Looks like someone you’d find around the red-light district, though.”

“…Yeah, I agree.”

Amane responded with a gloomy expression and apologised, “Sorry to bother you in the middle of your fun.”

“And… the big guy passed out over there—I made sure to avoid any vital spots. But just in case, you should probably take him to a doctor.”

“Got it.”

Scarface nodded. Amane raised his hand slightly. After saying his goodbyes, he turned and walked back to where Kouki was.

“Can you walk?”

“I can walk.”

When Kouki actually started walking, his head wobbled a bit. But feeling Amane’s gaze on him, he mustered his resolve.

He didn’t want Amane to feel burdened by this incident. It was an impulsive act. His body moved before he could think and he shielded Amane of his own accord.

Perhaps because the boss was watching, the subordinates and customers cleared a path, allowing them to leave the establishment smoothly. After waiting for the vinyl sheet to be rolled back and stepping outside, Kouki voiced the question that had been nagging at him.

“Who was that Scarface from earlier?”

“He’s the guy in charge around here.”

So, he’s the leader of a street gang.

“His family got arrested for assault once. I caught the real culprit and cleared the false charge.”

In other words, that man owes Amane. If that’s the case, he wouldn’t lie.

“So, another dead end…?”

How many wild goose chases had it been since morning?

Unable to hide his disappointment, Kouki lowered his head and let out a long sigh. Immediately after, he felt a warm sensation trickle down his temple.

Wiping his temple with his index finger, he brought it in front of his eyes. —His fingertip was red.

(…Blood?)

He touched the top of his head, which was still throbbing, and his fingers slid over something slick. Apparently, the skin on his scalp had split from the cue stick hit earlier, and now it was bleeding. He pulled a handkerchief from his trouser pocket and pressed it against his temple. But fresh blood kept flowing out.

“Is that where you got hit by the cue earlier?”

Amane, who had been silently watching Kouki, finally spoke.

“Yeah, but it’s nothing. This much is not a big dea-“

“-Don’t be ridiculous!”

His sharp words cut through Kouki’s bravado.

“Never take a head injury lightly.”

Amane furrowed his brow, scolding him, and clicked his tongue.

“Quit acting tough…”

After spitting out those bitter words, he suddenly turned away. Without waiting for Kouki’s response, he ordered, “…Follow me,” and began walking.

Even though Kouki wanted to ask, “Where are we going?” he already knew there wouldn’t be a decent answer after what had happened all day.

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*Translator’s Note: The guy just wanna protect the beauty… Give him some credits y’all… -K

Illustration 5:

Next update: 2024.12.10

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