Chapter 7 – Exploring the neighborhood with a brick in my pocket (3)

I knocked him out again.

Yawning, I checked my status screen, happily noting that my crimes committed stat was still filled with Assault & Battery. During the time that James Clerrr had been yelling, the time remaining until the penalty had restarted with a full 24-hour countdown.

One of my theories had now been validated, even if I had committed the same crime against an individual, it seemed I could continue doing the same thing against them. I immediately became tempted to try dragging James Clerr to school with me. Wouldn't I be able to beat him up daily without having to worry about the penalty?

But then thinking of his ugly face and the fact that he was in his thirties, I couldn't but sigh again. There was no way to sneak him in as a student. It was even more impossible to try to get him to be a professor. Putting it simply, he was too weak. If even a weakling like me could soundly beat him up on my first day being awakened, he could never pass somebody who could teach the stupidly talented kids that came from all over the world.

Lost in my musings, I quietly played on the phone, not caring that the battery was going to die. After all, it didn't belong to me.

Suddenly I felt a sensation, as if somebody was staring at me. I slowly gazed around, focusing my eyes until I had a 360 view of my surroundings in my head.

Everything looked clear although my intuition insisted that something or somebody was looking at me. Almost on instinct, I looked up at the surrounding rooftops until I saw what looked like a shimmering curtain of light.

Bingo.

Crouched behind a chimney of the dilapidated house across the street, I caught sight of a robed figure diligently staring at me. The figure kept wavering in my sight as the shimmering light spread over them like a blanket.

I continued to focus my gaze until I saw a pair of dark eyes. Meeting the dark eyes, I waved gently while smiling at the person who stared at me in shock before immediately disappearing.

"Tsk, if you're going to stare that openly, you should come out and say hello," I grumbled.

Shaking my head at the figure's poor manners, I couldn't help but tap James Clerr's head with my brick.

"It's about time for you to be awake so there's no use pretending. I'm tired of playing whack-a-mole so directly answer my question. Otherwise, I'll just kill you. After all, according to you, nobody will find the body and it will have disappeared by tomorrow right?"

Seeing as he stayed silent, I just began to tap his head increasingly harder. When training a person, silence with the immediate threat of violence was the best way to make someone cave in. Naturally, it wasn't a threat. I would properly beat him until he gave me what I wanted.

After a couple of seconds, the man below me let out a deep sigh.

"Fine…sir. I use my ability through my hands. As you correctly said earlier, I use wind to coat my hands while punching. Could you please stop hitting me and let me up."

"Hmmmm. You can only use your abilities through your hands or you choose to use your abilities through your hands. There's a clear distinction between those two so I suggest you be honest."

As he became silent once more, I grinned to myself before tapping his head with the brick once more.

"Done talking? Shall I finish you off?"

"…I choose to use it with my hands, sir. I am capable of using wind with my entire body but I am only proficient in attacking with my hands. The most I can do is slightly speed myself up otherwise. I promise that it!"

"Really? No wind blades? Tornadoes or the likes?"

"...No. I'm not strong enough to do that."

"No what?"

"…No sir." He muttered unwillingly.

"Good. Any other abilities? This is your only chance to be honest with me." I warned him while intentionally tapping the brick again.

"…I have night vision as well as a gift called sleight of hand. It's not an offensive gift, it just makes stealing a bit easier."

"Excellent. You truly have the talents of a criminal. Now hold your hands out for me."

"What?" He asked me in a shocked tone.

"Hold your hands out. If you attack people by punching, shouldn't I at least break your fingers before I release you? After all, you've been beating me up and robbing me for years. Don't make me repeat myself. Properly hold your hands out to be broken or just die now. It's your choice. Or, would you rather I broke both arms? I'm not too used to my strength so it might take a couple of hits with this brick before I shatter them. Would you prefer that?"

"Tch! I suggest you don't go too far, sir! You may have beaten me but I'm just one of the many underlings of the boss of this area, sir! The boss is stronger than you think and will get retribution if you cross the lines, sir! After all, you live in this area, sir. Think of your life and safety, sir."

Hearing the sarcastic tone of his voice as he said sir, I couldn't help but burst out laughing. I laughed so hard I could feel tears coming out of my eyes.

"I don't give a flying fuck about your whatever boss. I'm on my way to First High Magic Academy. If he wants to retaliate he can come find me then since I'll be waiting for him. For now, it's just you and me with your boss nowhere in sight. Since you dare attack me, you'll pay the consequence. Now. Hold those hands out. I'll make it so anytime you dare to think about clenching that fist at me, you'll remember this moment."

Seeing that he was still silent, I shrugged.

Thud.

After habitually knocking him out, I got up and arranged his hands on the ground. After callously smashing them with a brick, I calmly dislocated his shoulders. Of course, it wasn't to the level that his bones would break, just enough that he wouldn't be able to form a fist and attack me without feeling an immense amount of pain.

I then leaned against the wall and settled in to wait for him to wake up.

Growllllll.

Damn it. I was still hungry.