Start in DxD as Motohama: Leveling Up in Another World-Chapter 34: Isn’t the “damsel in distress” cliché a bit overused?

Chapter 34 - Isn’t the “damsel in distress” cliché a bit overused?

"P-Please, let us go..."

A trembling female voice echoed from a nearby alley.

When Shinji turned to look, the scene before him instantly filled him with rage.

There, in the shadows, a group of guys had two girls cornered on the ground.

The girls' clothes were torn to shreds, leaving parts of their underwear exposed.

One of them had chestnut hair tied into twin pigtails with red ribbons. Her voluptuous figure, barely covered, She was, without a doubt, a sight to behold.

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The other girl had reddish-pink hair. While she wasn't as well-endowed in the chest department as her friend, her fair, milky skin was still a sight to behold.

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Both girls were clinging to each other, their bodies trembling. Their teary eyes watched the men with a mix of helplessness and horror.

"Why would we do that?"

"You were the ones who didn't accept our kindness."

"Exactly, you even dared to hit us with those sticks. Bitches."

The men spoke with nasty expressions.

Shinji, witnessing this, felt a surge of anger. After all, he knew both girls. They were popular for their beauty as well as their skill in the Kendo club.

Both of them had been the targets of the perverted actions he used to carry out alongside Issei and Matsuda.

Shinji assessed how many men there were. There were about five of them, all seemingly adults.

He decided he'd step in before things went any further.

With a swift movement, Shinji appeared behind the group of men.

"Huh? What the hell do you want, rookie?"

One of the men turned around, frowning, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. His eyes widened in surprise as he caught sight of Shinji's face, etched with anger.

The man didn't get to finish his question before a fist slammed into his face. His body flew back, crashing a few steps away from the group.

The others stared at the man's body on the ground before their gazes shifted to Shinji.

"You bastard!"

"Who the hell are you?"

"How dare you?"

Three of the men charged at Shinji at once.

Dodging their attacks, Shinji grabbed one by the arm and flung him in an arc, sending him crashing to the ground, unconscious.

The other two froze, stunned. Shinji rushed forward and smashed their heads together. Now, only the youngest remained.

"Please, don't hurt me. They forced me into this."

The young guy started crying as he scrambled backward on the ground.

Shinji decided he wasn't worth the effort and ignored him.

Leveling up in another world had definitely given him some serious advantages. If he hadn't held back, he might've killed most of these guys.

As Shinji turned away, the young man staggered to his feet, clutching a knife, and charged at him.

"Don't mess with us, you son of a bitch!"

"Look out!"

Both girls shouted as they saw what was happening.

Shinji sidestepped just as the guy, wide-eyed with disbelief, stumbled past him.

Quickly regaining his footing, the young man started slashing the air with the knife, keeping Shinji at bay.

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"Stay back! Don't come near me!"

Shinji just shook his head. The guy's movements seemed painfully slow to him. Plus...

"Seriously? You're pulling a knife on me? This might be a Japanese body, but my soul's still Latino, you idiot. I'm ready for stuff like this!"

Timing it perfectly, Shinji grabbed the guy's arm and twisted it, forcing him to drop the knife.

"Ah! It hurts! It hurts!"

The young man screamed, clutching his arm.

Shinji drove a punch into his stomach, knocking him out cold before letting him slump to the ground.

"Tch, trash. To think people used to lump me in with guys like you—it makes me sick."

Shinji's face twisted in disgust.

Back when he was just Motohama, he'd been branded a pervert alongside Issei and Matsuda.

He'd done some bad stuff, sure, but he'd never gone as far as these creeps. Still, perverts don't exactly have a stellar rep, and they end up carrying the stigma that comes with it—sometimes getting blamed for things they never even did.

This kind of scene brought those memories rushing back.

"Not even worth a warm-up," he muttered, glancing at the bodies scattered on the ground.

Calming his anger, Shinji turned to the girls, who were still clinging to each other, trembling as they watched him.

Noticing their clothes did little to cover them, Shinji walked over to the unconscious men, stripped off their outer layers, and approached the girls.

"Here, I know this stuff isn't exactly your style, but it's all we've got. Put something on or you'll catch a cold. I'll wait outside the alley. If you need anything, just yell."

Shinji dropped the clothes in front of them and turned away. One by one, he dragged the half-naked bodies of the men out to the street, piling them up.

A few seconds later, he heard footsteps. Turning around, he saw both girls now dressed in the men's clothes.

Shinji nodded.

"You two okay? Those bastards didn't do anything to you, did they?"

The girls nodded nervously at his questions.

Shinji let out a relieved sigh. Then he scratched his head, wondering how to handle this messy situation.

The girls had just been attacked by a group of guys, so having a man nearby probably made them uneasy.

Shinji confirmed his hunch when he saw their anxious expressions and the way their bodies still shook.

If they knew the guy who'd just saved them was the same creep who'd been harassing them just days ago...

"Can you make it home on your own?"

Both shook their heads quickly, looking like they might burst into tears.

"Please... don't leave us alone," Murayama murmured weakly.

"..."

Shinji was at a loss for words, seeing her expression. In this situation, saying no felt impossible.

"Alright, I'll take you both home," he replied.

They nodded and started giving him their addresses. Shinji wasn't surprised to learn they lived just a few houses apart.

He checked his watch. It wasn't too late, and the buses should still be running. There was a stop not far off, so he decided they'd head there.

The girls nodded at his plan.

The trio set off, with Shinji trailing a few steps behind the girls, who walked hand in hand. An awkward silence hung over them.

When they reached the bus stop, the girls sat together. Shinji took the farthest seat to avoid making them uncomfortable while they waited.

"Um..."

Hearing one of them speak, Shinji turned to her.

"We... we wanted to thank you..."

"You know, for saving us."

Shinji nodded with a gentle smile.

"No need. I couldn't just stand there and watch. If I did, I wouldn't be able to face my grandpa."

That's the kind of man his grandfather had wanted him to become.

The girls looked at Shinji's smile, and it made them feel a little safer. Only then did they realize his face seemed familiar.

"Wait... aren't you the new prince of Kuoh?" Murayama asked, shocked.

"Huh? That guy they say can rival Kiba in looks?" Katase muttered, equally stunned.

Shinji gave an awkward smile.

"That's what they're calling me now? And rivaling Kiba?"

The girls studied his face closely. They hadn't noticed before because it was so dark, but now they realized he was the guy from the rumors. They'd even seen him from a distance during classes.

"But... isn't that guy supposed to be tied to one of those perverts?" Katase asked, her voice laced with doubt as she looked at Shinji. His behavior so far didn't match the image of a creep.

Murayama watched him too, sharing the same thoughts.

Shinji stood up. He couldn't hide it anymore. With a quick bow, he spoke.

"My name's Motohama Shinji. I'm the same guy who used to bother you with my friends. I'm sorry for what I did back then. I regret it."

The girls stared at him, dumbfounded.

"No way... you're really Motohama?" Katase asked, standing up and stepping closer. Her fear had morphed into confusion and disbelief.

Shinji straightened, scratching the back of his neck with a forced smile.

"Yeah, that's me."

Katase looked him up and down but couldn't find anything that tied him to the pervert she remembered. Murayama was in the same boat.

"Uh... how's that possible?"

Shinji let out a nervous laugh before his expression turned serious.

"Putting that aside, I'd like to hear what you think."

The girls exchanged unreadable looks. Sure, Shinji had just saved their lives, but he and his friends had also caused them plenty of bad moments.

"Well, I guess I can forgive you. You never did anything that really put us in danger, after all. Plus, I've heard you've been working hard to clear your name. I think actions define us, and if you've decided to turn things around, it's because you've learned from your mistakes," Murayama said, her expression a mix of confusion and relief.

She'd always hated the pervert trio, though she found it kind of fun to punish them in front of everyone. But that didn't change the fact that they'd never actually harmed her or the other girls. There wasn't much reason to hold a deep grudge.

Shinji smiled at her words.

"Thanks. I promise I'll keep working to be a better person."

He turned to Katase, who was frowning.

"You're not winning me over that easily. I'm grateful you saved me, but part of me can't shake the idea that this could've been some scheme of yours. What were you even doing out there at that hour?"

Shinji's smile faded, replaced by a serious look. He wasn't mad at Katase's words—they were a natural reaction, given it was him.

Even he wondered why he kept stumbling into these damsel-in-distress scenarios. Were the local thugs only good at harassing girls?

"I was heading back from studying for an important exam when I came across that scene. I was just passing by. That's it."

Seeing Shinji's earnest expression, Katase's resolve wavered for a moment. His earlier smile had caught her off guard, and now his serious face struck her as pretty masculine.

Just then, the bus pulled up. The girls glanced at each other and stood side by side.

"You don't need to come with us anymore," Katase said.

Shinji nodded.

"Listen, from now on, I'll be keeping an eye on you. If I catch even a hint that you're still a pervert, I'll beat you up like always..." she declared, raising her fist.

"But if you've really changed..."

Her voice softened with each word.

"I'll... apologize properly."

She shouted before darting onto the bus.

"You're not slick, Aki," Murayama said with a laugh, watching her friend bolt. Then she turned to Shinji.

"Please don't think badly of her. It's hard to wrap her head around your change."

Shinji nodded with a faint smile.

"Don't worry, I get it."

Murayama nodded back, her face flushing slightly.

"Can you come closer?" she murmured, her voice barely audible.

Shinji stepped forward until they were face-to-face. She was a few inches shorter than him.

"You... you were really cool back there. Thanks for saving us."

Murayama stood on her tiptoes and pressed a quick, chaste kiss to Shinji's cheek before dashing onto the bus.

Shinji stood there, watching the bus pull away as Murayama, blushing, waved goodbye.