Chapter 46: A Beautiful Person
Undoubtedly, Mitani Hana, head of the Jinguji-gumi, was spot on.
Shiraki Kei, even with money, was absolutely the type you "couldn't hook."
Or rather, his independence—even willfulness—was top-tier. He couldn't be swayed by anyone else's thinking.
"Starting a 'Fighting Center'..."
Hana pursed her lips, frowning. "Isn't that a bit... idealistic?"
"Yeah," Ichika puffed on her cigarette. "Gyms and dojos can attract members, but if it's only for serious fighters? That niche is way too narrow. Will anyone actually come?"
"..."
In contrast to those two, Tenma Nozomi had a slightly different take.
"No, wait... maybe it is feasible..."
She frowned, recalling something. "You guys don't hang around the underground fighting scene much, so you don't know. There are a lot of 'weirdos' in this circle. Normal gyms can't handle them."
"For example, I heard about a lunatic at some gym who trained at high intensity all day long, not even stopping when he wet himself."
"When someone like that shows up, the gym owner can only curse their bad luck. If the guy dies on the premises, they get sued."
Nozomi analyzed, "Aside from the super-rich or established masters with their own schools, most fighters can't train properly at home. The equipment isn't professional enough, and medical care is non-existent."
"..."
Yuzuha chimed in on this point. "True. The medical room at Valkyrie Opera was terrible. If injuries aren't treated properly, they leave lasting damage."
"—Exactly."
Nozomi shrugged. "Actually, going to an MMA gym occasionally is fine, but once blood is drawn, you get kicked out."
"And Shiraki-bro's idea isn't exactly original. The Shinshinkai, Rokushin Kaikan, and some niche boxing gyms operate as 'fighting centers.' We can reference their business models."
"These 'shops' often have something in common—"
Nozomi looked at Kei. "They aren't purely for profit. They focus more on providing a 'platform' for members to train and spar."
At this point, Nozomi scratched her head helplessly.
"But I can't run a business like that. You need a boss who can hold the fort, like the head of the Shinshinkai. I don't know if Shiraki-bro can handle it..."
"But if you really get it running, we can collaborate!"
Nozomi suddenly felt optimistic, picking up her previous train of thought. "Let's do it! I'm going to organize a women-only underground fighting tournament! I can even gather up the delinquents while I'm at it—the police will owe me a huge favor!"
"See you later, Shiraki-bro! We'll set up the first match ASAP. Remember to come watch! Maybe it'll help you recruit members!"
"..."
...
...
Nozomi's ability to take action was definitely max level.
By the next evening, Kei received a message from Hana saying the first "test" match was about to start. The location was a hidden live house in the 5-Chome district.
Basically, a small venue for underground idols.
Kei arrived on time. The trio had been waiting, and Yuzuha had come to watch the fun.
"It's definitely a 'new venue'..."
Yuzuha looked around. As a former fighter for an established group, she could clearly see the lack of "preparation."
Not only was there no proper ring, but the referee was a temp—she looked like a hostess who was high.
But to Yuzuha's surprise, the place was packed. The atmosphere was much hotter than at Valkyrie Opera.
Yuzuha guessed, "Must be the fighters. Who are they?"
Ichika was confident. "You'll love them. They're the 'brutal' type!"
Everyone looked at the ring and instantly understood. It was the two female delinquents who had been fighting most viciously on the street the night before.
"I told them I'd give them a place to settle it without the cops bothering them, and they agreed instantly."
"Just as I guessed, their friends and the local punks all came to watch. Cleared up the streets nicely!"
"..."
Just as Ichika said, the audience was clearly divided into three groups: the two opposing sides and the bystanders watching the drama.
The three groups mingled, noise constant, occasionally erupting into shouting matches.
Ichika crossed her arms, brimming with confidence. "How about it? Awesome, right?"
Hana nodded in agreement.
However, the other three—Kei, Yuzuha, and Nozomi—had strange expressions, seeming to realize a critical problem.
Ichika was confused. "What's wrong?"
Nozomi sighed. "Let's watch the match first. But it's probably what I'm thinking..."
...
...
The event started. Four matches in a row.
As expected of rival delinquent gangs, the fights were incredibly intense. Groin kicks, choking, stomping, scratching—every dirty trick in the book.
The two delinquents went back and forth, ripping out handfuls of hair and smearing their cheap makeup all over their faces.
The audience's emotions were successfully riled up.
"Yeah! Pull her hair!"
"Kill her, Julia-nee!"
"Beat her to death! Strip her! Gouge her eyes out!"
"..."
Soon, the night's matches ended amidst the revelry.
...
...
After the show, Ichika and Hana were happy. They had collected quite a bit in wagers and wanted to take everyone out to celebrate.
But to their surprise, Nozomi looked grim. "Just as I thought... it won't work."
"Hm?"
Ichika and Hana were confused, then heard Kei and Yuzuha discussing it.
Yuzuha drank her juice, shaking her head. "Matches like this won't work. The audience will get bored quickly."
Kei gave his opinion. "Punks fighting has no technique. The fighters are too mediocre. It won't attract repeat customers."
"The 'clientele' is also a problem." Yuzuha, the veteran, thought further. "The audience tonight was mostly friends of the fighters. They don't have much money to bet."
"To attract more customers, you need fighters with enough 'charm'—strong personalities."
"..."
Having said that, Yuzuha noticed Ichika and Hana looking at her.
She knew what they were thinking but shook her head helplessly. "For friendship's sake, I wouldn't mind fighting here, but I still need to recover. My body took a beating; I'm about to collapse."
"And—"
Yuzuha's tone shifted back to that of a "professional" underground fighter. "If it's just me... without suitable stakes and opponents, I won't fight. It would ruin my reputation."
"At the very least, the opponent needs to be on Tojo Ran's level."
"..."
Everyone fell into thought. Nozomi looked at Kei. "So, Shiraki-bro, you didn't find any suitable 'members' to recruit either, right?"
"Indeed."
Kei nodded, answering seriously, "The key problem is... they're 'ugly'."
Nozomi sighed. "'Ugly,' huh? Well, can't help that... HAH?"
The four women froze, staring at Kei in confusion, wondering why he would say such a thing.
"Hey..."
Nozomi found it novel and teased, "Those delinquent girls aren't exactly lookers, but you're pretty blunt."
Ichika was also puzzled. "According to Hana's assessment, Shiraki-bro shouldn't be the shallow type, right?"
"..."
Seeing their strange looks, Kei remained calm. "Is that strange?"
The four thought about it, then nodded.
Kei tried a different angle. "Is it wrong to like looking at beautiful things?"
"Well, no, but..."
Nozomi scratched her head. Something felt off.
Kei understood. He asked seriously, "How does a person become beautiful?"
That question was simple.
Nozomi answered casually, "Makeup, dressing well, working out, avoiding bad habits, sleeping early, reading more... stuff like that?"
"Yes. Although that's incomplete. There's also kindness, resilience, intelligence... many types of 'beautiful'..."
Kei said deeply, "For example, a beautiful person—someone with a toned, slender body. A body like that takes effort. You have to train every day."
"Or style, makeup, accessories, fashion... you have to study those things."
Kei explained slowly.
"So, if someone has a great body, or is beautiful, or cool, or kind and brave, or intelligent... I think it's fine to say directly that I like them."
"Because those people achieved that transformation through their 'personal will,' not by drifting along or blindly following others."
"People who can control their own consciousness... feel very 'beautiful' to me."
Kei looked at the four women. "Nozomi, Ichika, Hana, Yuzuha. And my sister, Fusu, Maruko, Akagi-san, Baku... You are all people who determine yourselves."
"I think you are all very beautiful!"
"..."
These words stunned the four women.
But thinking about it from that angle, Kei made sense. He was looking for clients who could become "Fighting Center Members."
These punks couldn't even control their own will. They drifted through life on the streets, living a seemingly exciting life but leaving no mark. How could they possibly fight a beautiful match?
"I see."
Ichika lit a cigarette, looking troubled. "Ordinary delinquents are everywhere, but where do you find 'beautiful' people? People like that don't become delinquents..."
"Wait!"
Ichika's eyes suddenly went wide. She remembered a file she'd seen at the police station.
"There is one! A super dangerous one!"
She had an idea and urged them, "Let's go, let's go! I know who to find. I'll take you there tomorrow."
Nozomi was confused. "Where?"
"High school—Ouzakura Girls' Academy."
Ichika narrowed her eyes. "There's a 'former terrorist' in that school."