Chapter 52: Stirring Undercurrents
"I'm truly sorry, but please listen carefully."
Kizaki looked at Shiraki Kei, emphasizing, "Not just this underground fighting group, but your home in Toshima Ward as well... please keep it down. Don't gather any troublesome people. It's better for everyone."
"..."
...
...
Hongo Hina packed her school bag and happily left the ringside, planning to meet up with the others.
But from a distance, she could see the atmosphere was wrong.
"What's up, what's up? Is someone causing trouble?"
Hina loved a spectacle. She was about to go investigate when Tenma Nozomi stopped her.
"Don't go over there. Please. Let Hana negotiate first..."
Cold sweat beaded on Nozomi's forehead as she muttered, "How could this happen? How did a small-time group like us provoke a yakuza of that level?"
"Yakuza?"
Hina blinked her starry eyes. "Oh, like the Grisly Tooth Gang that hassled Big Brother Shiraki?"
Nozomi shook her head. "No. The 'level' is completely different!"
At this point, Iori Ichika also stepped back, joining Nozomi and Hina.
Being a cop, her identity was sensitive. She couldn't interfere directly, so she could only leave it to Hana and watch from the sidelines.
"That man, 'Kizaki,' is from the Hanayama Group, under the Fujiki Group."
Ichika lit a cigarette, frowning deeply.
"With the Anti-Organized Crime Law, times have changed. Many yakuza have shifted their way of life, moving into gray-zone businesses or even 'legitimate' trade."
"Like the Grisly Tooth Gang and Hana's Jinguji-gumi."
"But there are still some who hold to the traditional chivalrous way (ninkyo), who live by violence. They are standard illegal violent groups."
"The smaller ones have been cleaned up, but groups like the Hanayama Group—not only do they have wide connections, their force is much stronger. Even the MPD can't handle them..."
"..."
Hina listened to the gist of it but remained unconcerned. "Hmm, so basically, scary yakuza!"
She had been the adopted daughter of the leader of the "Army of God," a fanatical religious cult. She had seen big scenes and her thought process was different from normal people. It was hard to scare her with mere yakuza.
"Ichika-nee, you're a cop," Hina smiled, reminding her. "Won't your boss scold you for shrinking back like this?"
Shiraki Kei suddenly spoke up. "Probably not."
Hina paused. "Hm?"
Kei sorted through the memories in his head and asked Ichika, "The real trouble isn't the Hanayama Group itself, but the Hanayama Group's 'Boss,' right?"
Ichika nodded. "That's right. Seems Shiraki-bro knows about it too..."
She reminisced, cigarette dangling. "I heard about the 'Hanayama Group Boss' from a senior at the MPD."
"They say that 'Boss' is the world's greatest fighting genius."
"Hanayama Group, Second Generation Boss—Hanayama Kaoru."
"Four years ago, Hanayama Kaoru's father—the previous boss—was killed by the rival 'Tomizawa Group' from Kobe."
"At the time, Hanayama Kaoru, only fifteen years old, stormed the Tomizawa Group headquarters unarmed and faced over fifty enemies alone."
"Thirty minutes—"
"A fifteen-year-old kid, in just thirty minutes, beat down those fifty-plus men and utterly destroyed a sizable violent organization!"
Speaking of this, Ichika felt like she was telling a fantasy story and couldn't help but chuckle.
"There's even crazier stuff. I heard that Hanayama Kaoru—he can even twist a 50-yen coin into a pretzel with his bare hands!"
"..."
Listening to Ichika's introduction, Tenma Nozomi's pupils contracted, and she broke out in a cold sweat.
She had heard of Hanayama Kaoru before and thought the stories were exaggerated. But the "Hanayama Kaoru" in Ichika's story was definitely even more monstrous than the rumors!
Why? Why would a legendary "monster" like that suddenly send someone to them?
Ichika was breathing heavily too. "Now, we can only rely on Hana's negotiation..."
Compared to these two, the three behind them were much more relaxed.
Yuzuha didn't care about yakuza and started doing horse stance training on the spot.
Hongo Hina was a little excited, the stars in her eyes twinkling. "I knew it! Hanging out with you guys makes it easier to meet interesting people~!"
"...Nice. That's awesome!"
Shiraki Kei was eager to try, his desire to chat with Kizaki practically bursting out. "Hanayama Kaoru—I really want to meet him!"
Hina tilted her head, suggesting, "Shall we go ask in a bit?"
Kei nodded, then asked Hina, "Do you have a coin?"
"..."
The two chatted enthusiastically, making Nozomi and Ichika's scalps tingle.
Why are you two reaching a consensus on this?!
...
...
The audience gradually left.
In Nozomi and Ichika's view, the worst-case scenario had happened.
Hana's negotiation with Kizaki wasn't going well.
Kizaki spread his hands, interrupting Hana. "So—Miss of the Jinguji-gumi, do you not understand what I'm saying?"
He strolled over and patted Kei on the shoulder.
"This young man... is the one who ruined the Grisly Tooth Gang? And the 'strongest' one here, right?"
Kizaki smoothed back his hair and explained patiently.
"You should know, recently a foreign criminal organization invaded, trying to swallow up our 'underground.' People have already been wiped out."
"To counter this, the Fujiki Group, Jinwa-gumi, Shue-gumi, and several other large yakuza organizations plan to unite to stabilize the situation."
"And this street in Shinjuku is the territory of our Hanayama Group's subordinates. We don't have time to manage a new group like yours right now."
"So just dissolve it quietly, alright?"
As a martial faction yakuza, Kizaki's attitude was quite polite.
Hana tried to negotiate. "In that case, we'll move somewhere else. We can change the name, too. We won't trouble the Hanayama Group..."
"I said no!"
Kizaki looked helpless. "Right now, all the yakuza families are stabilizing the situation. Although my Second Boss doesn't care, since we promised the Wakagashira (Underboss), we must uphold benevolence and duty. We can't ignore things!"
"Besides, the Jinwa-gumi also asked us. They said this—"
"'For the safety of the Jinguji-gumi and its leader, Mitani Hana, she is forbidden from doing anything conspicuous recently, to avoid being dragged into trouble.'"
"..."
Hearing this, Nozomi and Ichika whispered to each other.
"Isn't the Jinwa-gumi the 'superior' of the Jinguji-gumi? Just like the Fujiki Group and Hanayama Group. Why would they care so much about Hana?"
Nozomi was confused. "For Hana's safety... sounds too friendly, doesn't it?"
Ichika thought for a moment. "I heard the Jinwa-gumi has always looked after the Jinguji-gumi. I thought it was just normal favors, but now it seems the relationship is definitely unusual. Is it a friendship between the fathers?"
But even if it was to take care of Hana, the "fact" of shutting down Valkyrie wouldn't change.
Ichika grinned slyly. "Why not agree first, then secretly run it somewhere else?"
"Don't joke. That would ruin Hana," Nozomi facepalmed. "Yakuza rules are strict. Once you agree to shut down, you have to keep your promise."
"..."
As they discussed, Kizaki focused his attention on Kei again.
"This young man. We've heard about your conflict with the Grisly Tooth Gang. And you seem to be targeted by 'others' recently."
"You're strong—but to ensure you don't cause us trouble, and for your family's safety, please keep it down recently. Don't make any other moves."
As he said this, Kizaki casually got close to Kei, draping his jacket over his arm.
A sharp knife was hidden under the jacket, pressed against Kei's abdomen. Standard yakuza intimidation. No killing intent, but the threat was obvious.
"..."
Kei was still thinking about Kizaki's words.
On the other side, Hongo Hina couldn't hold back. Dissatisfied that her newfound fun was about to vanish, she moved first.
Smack!
Hina suddenly raised her hand, slapping at Kizaki's eyes to temporarily blind him, then followed with a side sweep kick aimed straight at his lower back.
The sequence was lightning fast. Kizaki couldn't react.
Just as Hina was about to land the hit, a thick arm suddenly shot out, blocking Hina's kick for Kizaki.
Following the arm, a massive, burly giant came into view.
"...Ugh?!"
Kizaki rubbed his watering eyes, looking to his side, shocked. "Second... Second Boss? Why did you come personally?"
"...A feeling."
A somewhat delicate, boyish voice came from the giant's mouth.
His gaze swept over the group, lingering on Hina for a moment, before finally landing on Shiraki Kei. He said softly:
"Just... had that feeling."
"..."
Hanayama Kaoru had arrived.