Shou-neechan’s leading with her usual American car, Rei-chan and Margo-san’s car follow and enters the pa.s.sage to the hotel’s underground parking lot.
There’s no problem so far.
However.
「 Shou-neechan, I don’t see any guards at all 」
I see uniformed guards, but they seem to be employees of this hotel.
I don’t see any uniform from Kouzuki SS.
「 It’s okay, they’re here. They’re wearing civilian clothes though 」
Shou-neechan said.
「 I’m not Yamaoka-san. I won’t mobilize uniformed men and squeeze it to a single location without thinking 」
Oh, back when Yamaoka was the security director, the number of Kouzuki SS guards wearing uniform dispatched is abnormally high.
「 The other party this time is unfazed by the numbers game, see? 」
The other party is Kansai Yakuza.
「 If you try to compete with them in numbers then they’d use the same thing. They can invite members from their own group in their hometown or maybe borrow some men from the gangs close to them in Kanto. To them, honor is the most important. Especially, they’re making a deal with Kakka. They’ll surely take us on even if it costs them money 」
If Kouzuki SS sets up uniformed men around the hotel just like how Yamaoka would do it, then,
The Yakuza would use the same number for intimidation.
「 Once that happens, it’ll only bother the people around the hotel. Police would also intervene. This is why we decide to fight with quality, not quant.i.ty 」
It means those in Kouzuki SS wearing civilian clothes are;
They’re the top elites in charge of the illegal back-work
They all are incredibly skilled.
「 For example, in a place where you need ten people in uniform, just two in plain clothes would be enough. The cost goes up three times though 」
In short, they pay the top elites 15x compared to uniformed men.
「 The Yakuza gathering in the hotel has been causing trouble a couple of times, but we handle it before the hotel employees, or other customers become aware. And so, the Yakuza’s not coming out of the five floors I mentioned earlier. They’re not entering the lobby, restaurant, or the bar 」
So they’re successful in containing the Yakuza?
「 Oh, the underground parking lot is an exception. Some Yakuza’s job is to meet others up 」
Huh?
「 Not all of the bosses witnessing the deal are present yet 」
Then that means;
Our line of cars heads to the lowest floor of the underground parking lot. The third floor.
「 And, I knew it, they’re here 」
I see some Yakuza in black clothes on the other side of the windshield.
There’s ten of them, obstructing our path.
「 Stop 」
Shou-neechan tells the other cars by radio.
Our cars stopped.
「 As said earlier, the second car will be on stand-by. As for the third car, take care of the rear 」
『 Fujimiya, Roger that 』
『 Margo, loud and clear 』
Then, Shou-neechan opened the door from the driver’s seat and went out.
「 Hey, you’re in the way 」
The men in black grinned.
「 Which boss you follow, Oodori-san or Satake-san? 」
Then, one of the men in black;
「 Huh? Hold, I’m telling you to stop 」
He sticks out his hand and lowers his waist to sit down. He’s opening his right hand for us to see.
His age is about 30 years old. His hair is cut short, and he’s wearing sungla.s.ses.
「 I already am 」
Shou-neechan replies in amazement.
「 Oh, that’s a quick response from you. This man in front of you is a poor man, and so I’d like to ask for your patience. I believe that this is our first time meeting, lady. This man before you hail from Osaka’s Kawachi-Kokubu station, Tondabayashi. My job is to follow the young boss, the eighth Unryuu Kaizan Mori head. Last name Kazama, first name Tooru. My trade is to recruit beginners. That is all I have to say if you have anything to ask then feel free to do so 」
What’s with that greeting?
「 That means that he’s Satake-san’s follower 」
Shou-neechan whispers to me in the car.
Then,
Then, Kazama takes the same waiting pose.
「 Thank you for your kind words. Forgive the late greetings. Before you, is a worker belonging to Kouzuki SS. Last name Seki, first name Shou. My job is to hire out the inexperienced. That is all, feel free to ask if you have questions 」
She greets back to the other party in a loud voice.
「 Thank you 」
「 Thank you 」
The two glare at each other.
「 Hmm, who would’ve thought that a lady from a security company knows how to make a formal Yakuza greeting 」
「 Naturally, I’m paid a lot more than you do 」
The two get up.
「 Hey now, aren’t you getting a low salary? If you want, we can hire you. You’re quite the beauty after all 」
Kazuma speaks in a condescending att.i.tude. Shou-neechan;
「 Unfortunately but I know how much you earn. Don’t try to show off. Your cheap suit gives it away 」
「 What did you say? 」
「 You shouldn’t look down on Kouzuki SS’ ability to investigate people. You’re just a leader of a small group under Satake-san’s organization. Indeed, the word immature suits you 」
「 What the h.e.l.l did you say b.i.t.c.h?! 」
Kazuma gets in a rage.
That means these ten people are Kazuma’s group.
「 And so, what do you need from us? 」
Shou-neechan smiles.
「 Oh, shut up. How about you hand over the ladies in the back of the second car?! 」
As expected, their aim is Tsukiko and the two.
「 Hmm, and what happens after that? 」
「 I-I don’t know about that. That’s for the higher-ups to decide what’s next 」
「 So, do you think we’ll obediently hand them over? 」
Kazuma.
「 We’ve got ten people here though? 」
「 What about it? 」
Shou-neechan’s complexion doesn’t change in the slightest.
「 Do you know who I am? 」
「 H-How would I know? 」
Ah, I know this situation.
Shou-neechan is Jii-chan’s full-time bodyguard, she’s always with him on public locations.
「 You know, I’m quite strong. That’s unfortunate that you don’t know. But, you should know about the driver on the car behind me 」
Rei-chan’s in the driver seat of the Takakura sisters’ car.
「 Aniki, that’s 」
「 That’s a big problem! 」
「 You’re saying that we’re to fear her? 」
「 It’s impossible to fight that one! 」
The men in black around Kazuma tells him.
「 I know. I get it. Shut up. You want me to say “Ugh, that’s Fujimiya Reika” loudly, don’t you? But you see, we’ve got this job, and so we have to do this! The higher-ups gave us this mission 」
Kazuma gets angry at them.
「 Oh, I see. In short, you guys are just a messenger 」
Shou-neechan said.
「 I see. Some want to stop the deal today for whatever reason they can get and so you’re causing trouble with us. That’s what your boss thinks 」
I see.
They’d pick a fight, get beaten up by Rei-chan, and then plan to say that they “were beaten up one-sidedly.”
They don’t care about the reason.
Anyway, someone wants to mess things up and cancel the deal today.
「 The deal today shows that the members of Yakuza are accepting defeat to the Kouzuki house. I can understand why some can’t accept it. If so, they want to break the meeting today no matter how reckless it can be, am I wrong? 」
「 T-T-T-That’s not it! 」
Kazuma tries to deny it, but,
「 It’s okay. You don’t have to hide it, I already know. After all, it’s not just you 」
Shou-neechan smiles.
「 There’s a lot of similar events happening inside the hotel. Our people in Kouzuki SS are taking down people like you one after another. Well, it doesn’t look like everyone’s trying to crush down the meeting today though. After all, the people on the upper floors are stuck, and they’re feeling worked up 」
The Yakuza in the hotel are being impatient?
「 But, for some reason, the Yakuza who pick a fight with our people suffer from a sudden illness, like their stomach hurting, or suddenly falling, hitting their head on something and then fainting. We didn’t even do anything 」
The other party is the top elite of Kouzuki SS.
They won’t go as far as mingling with the Yakuza.
They have the strength to control their opponent before the fight commences.
In addition to that, the surrounding people don’t even notice.
「 And so, you want to end up the same? 」
Kazuma;
「 W-We all want to go back to Kansai right now! We don’t want to be locked in this place! That’s why we’re going take you down. I can’t agree with all of this, and so I’ll beat you up. That’s what I decided. What’s left is for us to do it. What about that? We’re going to beat you up, and we’ve got just cause! With that said, Suguichi, go! 」
Kazuma nominates one of the black men.
「 A-Aniki? Me?! 」
「 Did you not hear me? Go already! 」
「 No, but, that’s Fujimiya Reika though!? My bones will break if she hits me! 」
Rei-chan’s battle cane’s power is well known over the past four months.
「 I’ve seen it on TV. She pierced a car door with just one shot. It was featured on the 6 o’clock news. The program was “Fujimiya Reika vs. Mystery Russian girl” If she hits me on the wrong spot I’d surely die, you know!
Yeah, I’ve seen that too.
Anya’s an international criminal together with Kyouko Messer, and they’re not shown on promotional videos.
The show is mostly about Rei-chan’s skills.
「 It’s okay. I’ll be sure to pick up your bones when that happens. I’ll also look after your women. Now go! 」
「 Hey! Aniki! Just what was that last line?! 」
「 Nevermind that! Since you don’t want to go, Masuko, Wakashimazu, join him! 」
「 What, me?! 」
The men in black called trembles.
「 We can end this as long as one of you guys are hurt. That will be the end. That will be the deciding part. We can call an ambulance, police, and a lawyer. Hashimura-Aniki’s prepared all of it. While at it, we can make some rumors on the net. Media will surely take the bait if we tell them that Fujimiya Reika picked a fight with the Yakuza. I mean, they’ll surely bite that. The middle-cla.s.s group journalist is all against violence. They’ll even write on their affiliate sites 」
Somehow, they have a solid plan.
「 But, why does it have to be me?! 」
「 It’s you, Masuko, or Wakashimazu, just one of you guys! 」
「 Could you at least make the game 1 of ten? 」
「 Are you an idiot? You’d put me in danger if we do that 」
Err.
「 Anyway, someone has to be ready to get some bones broken! Get out already Fujimiya Reika!!! 」
Kazuma shouts.
However.
「 Okay~ 」
Huh? Edie’s out of the car before I knew it.
「 Hallo! 」
She smiles as she calls out to the Yakuza, then,
She’s flexing her legs.
「 W-Who are you!? 」
A blonde-haired, brown-skinned, blue-eyed high-school uniform wearing beauty.
Furthermore, Edie’s smile is as bright as the summer glow.
「 H-Hey, go somewhere else. It’s dangerous here 」
Then, Edie takes the same formal greeting pose as earlier.
「 Uhhh, Greetings! Greetings! 」
What?
「 Is there anyone who knows who I am? Graciously, I’m just a high-school girl. Edie-chan’s the name!!! 」
Uhm, Edie.
「 Edie-chan’s greeting you all with my head up high! 」
The Yakuza guys are dumbfounded.
「 Hey, you’ve mixed up the Yakuza greetings with Mito Komon 」
Kazuma said, looking astounded.
However, Edie shows calm.
「 Oops, I made a mistake. How do I say that? Ah “I apologize” 」
「 So, what are you? 」
「 I need not name myself for you b.a.s.t.a.r.ds!!! 」
Edie points at the Yakuza while making a cool pose.
「 No, you just named yourself! 」
Ignoring Kazuma’s retort, Edie;
「 Now then, I have sad news for you all 」
Huh?
「 I’m just an American high school student, see? I’ve got nothing to do with her company at all 」
Edie’s not tied with Kouzuki SS,
If it’s Michi, she’s registered as Misuzu’s bodyguard, but,
Even if they have a close relationship with us, we’re not contracted with Kouzuki SS.
「 And so, if I beat you all up here, it won’t be related to her at all 」
Edie takes a deep breath and takes a stance.
「 I just don’t like you guys. I don’t like that face of yours. I don’t like your clothes and those sungla.s.ses of yours. That’s why I’m going to beat you up. That’s the pretext 」
The Yakuza’s dumbfounded as the foreign girl picks a fight with them.
「 Oh my, it must be embarra.s.sing for the Yakuza to be defeated by an exchange high school student coming from America, isn’t it? 」
Shou-neechan laughs.
「 There’s no tomorrow for you. For I will end you today 」
She grins.
「 D-Don’t f.u.c.k with us! We’ve got ten people here! We’ve got ten times the fighting power! There’s no way a woman like you could beat us up! 」
「 It’s okay. I usually on 3x but I’ll triple it and then quadruple it, and so now I’m at 24x power! 」
「 Don’t be ridiculous! 」
At that moment, Edie jumps out!
「 HAWOO！！！ 」
Edie’s foot kicks on a vital point of the man called Sugiuchi.
「 B-b.i.t.c.h!!! 」
The three men in black are all taken down before Kazuma could react.
All of it done in one hit.
Edie’s following Shou-neechan’s instructions.
「 HAWOOOOOO!! POWOOO!!!! 」
She got herself close to her opponent like flowing water.
「 That was Kudou style movements 」
Kudou Haruka bends herself forward from the back seat of the car.
「 Yeah, Michi’s training her quite a lot 」
Kudou style’s method is to ward off the enemy Qi.
The Yakuza can’t do anything about it.
「 W-What?! What?! Awawawawa 」
Kazuma looks around to find his subordinates taken down in an instant.
「 You’re the last one 」
「 W-Wait! 」
「 I won’t! 」
Edie jumps like the wind.
Her last move was an axe kick on Kazuma’s head.
「 Puhiiiiiiiiii!!!! 」
Kazuma fell on the ground as he raised a strange scream.
It took less than three minutes to take down ten people.
「 We can’t employ you unless you have this much strength 」
Shou-neechan tells Haruka inside the car.
「 Haruka-san, you were the champion in high school Karate, was it? Can you do that? Can you control the same number of people at the same duration as she did? 」
Haruka hangs her head.
「 We’re not done yet!! 」
At that moment, Edie pulls out a shuriken from her skirt, then,
She throws it behind us.
「 H-Hiiii!!!! 」
Looking back, there are still more men in black in the shadow of a car in the parking lot.
Edie’s thrown shuriken stabs in the concrete floor right next to the men in black’s step.
「 I knew it was strange when they kept shouting ten people! Ten people! 」
Edie runs through the side of our car.
「 HAWOOOOOO！！！ 」
Zuka!
Baki!
Doka!
I can’t see behind the car, but I can hear Edie taken them all down.
Shou-neechan enters the car and speaks to me.
「 Naturally, I also know that there’s another team behind us. Michi-chan and Margo-san did too 」
She smiled at me.
Edie’s a girl who can read the atmosphere.
It’s as if she acted that she just noticed.
Although, she might’ve perceived them from the beginning.
「 Then, let’s leave as soon as possible. We don’t want to reveal our hand in here. I’ll leave this to Edie-chan 」
Shou-neechan said.
「 Do you know the word “power scouting”? 」
「 No, I don’t 」
「 It’s when you don’t know how strong the enemy is, so you force them to attack and see their strength and style 」
「 So that one just now? 」
「 Yes. They’re just threatening about calling a lawyer, writing rumors, or using journalists. They want to see how we react with those threats 」
They want to see?
From where?
「 Don’t look back. There’s a camera inside the car on the right side. The window’s a bit open, and the lens and microphone are popping out so I can see it right away 」
Shou-neechan said.
「 It’s okay. The inside of the car is a blind spot from that camera, and they can’t hear us with their mic either 」
In short, the Yakuza side is trying to investigate us.
「 Those who tried to pick a fight with Kouzuki SS are their camouflage. Their aim was us from the start 」
This is to make sure that it doesn’t look strange if someone tries to pick a fight as soon as we arrive.
「 The real deal is about to start, what the enemy wants to see is… 」
Right.
It’s Tsukiko, Yomiko, and Luna right now.
The Takakura sisters.
If the enemy is using Kiyomi-san’s Miko power,
Or maybe, it’s Kiyomi-san who’s the mastermind of this all.
The one that weighs their mind the most is…
How much power do the sisters have now?
We mustn’t let them know.
Therefore, Shou-neechan gave the three instruction to not come out of the car.
「 How about we break the camera they planted? 」
I asked Shou-neechan.
If we break the cameras, then the enemy won’t know what we’re doing.
At least, if they try to sneak a photo on us, Michi and Edie can detect their Qi.
「 No, it’s better if we show that we’re not aware of the camera. For now 」
I thought that it just started with Yakuza and Edie’s hand-to-hand combat, but,
Actually, information warfare still continues?
「 I’m done with all of them 」
Edie returns to the car smiling.