Chapter 344: Jinx's Arrival, The Last Night
As the first rays of the sun crested the horizon, a deceptive calm settled over Tokyo. The fighters and their patrons, who had all arrived in Japan, moved with a quiet purpose. The slaughter had not yet begun, and even those with blood on their minds understood the value of enjoying life's final, peaceful moments.
The city itself had become a peculiar spectacle. On any given street, one might see towering foreigners with the cold eyes of predators or individuals whose physiques were so densely muscled they seemed carved from stone. They turned heads on every corner, a silent announcement that the world's most dangerous were gathering.
Inside the shop, Kirari completed her final set of strength training, her breathing controlled and even. She turned, a faint sheen of sweat on her brow, to find Ren lounging on the sofa, completely absorbed in his phone.
"Ren," she purred, her voice a low, dangerous hum. "Is that little screen more attractive than I am?"
"Kirari. You're done with your workout?" Ren asked, his eyes still on his phone.
"Hmph. Keep being so negligent, and you might find your special prize has vanished," she teased, leaning over the back of the sofa. "What are you looking at? A message from Lucifer and the others?"
Ren nodded, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Mm. It seems they 'coincidentally'ran into Sonoko and Ran on the street today. And then, they'coincidentally' ran into Rindou. I'm not sure whether to call it coincidence or inevitability."
Kirari rolled her eyes, a flicker of annoyance in her expression. "Don't you dare start talking like Yuko. You completely short-circuited her last time. What was it you said? 'Is it a coincidence or an inevitability that I am saying this to you now?' The poor girl just froze! Her brain couldn't process it."
Ren chuckled softly. "The power of rhetoric. But Kirari, what time are we leaving tomorrow morning?"
"Six o'clock," she answered, her tone shifting back to business. "But I have a feeling we're going to see some unexpected matchups this time."
Ren waved a dismissive hand. "It doesn't matter. The Kengan tournament is just a stage for the fighters. Everything else… that's your arena."
"Tsk. You're surprisingly lazy," she commented, a sly glint in her eyes. "Do you still have your White Butler outfit?"
"You still remember that old nickname, huh? I have it, but I have no intention of wearing it."
"No way," she protested, her voice dropping to a seductive whisper. "It was so handsome, really."
In the end, Kirari did not return to the shop. Ren knew that in these final hours, she needed to keep an even closer watch on the gathered predators. They were only one night away from being confined to the tournament grounds, and she would ensure nothing went awry.
With the shop closed for the evening, Lucifer and the others returned exceptionally late from their shopping spree. Stepping into the quiet, empty space, Ren stretched languidly.
"It's really been a long time since it was this quiet," he murmured to himself.
He had grown accustomed to the constant, lively chaos that Lucifer and the others brought with them. Yet, Ren wasn't a sentimental person. He wouldn't find himself suddenly missing their presence, scrolling through photos on his phone or forcing a phone call just for peace of mind. He simply settled into a chair and began to read, perfectly content in the silence.
Meanwhile, somewhere in the bustling heart of Tokyo, Ichihara Yuko lounged in a cafe chair, sipping her drink with a playful smirk.
"What do you all think? Is Ren missing us right now? Maybe he'll call in a little bit."
Lucifer waved her hand dismissively. "Impossible, absolutely impossible. Ren would never call. Whether he misses me… well, I'm not so sure about that, but he definitely won't be the one to pick up the phone. Besides," she added, her crimson eyes glinting with mischief, "you're the one who really misses him, aren't you, Yuko?"
Yuko started, then huffed, a faint blush dusting her cheeks. "Me? I would never miss that man who lives to annoy me."
"Everyone says that, but they still adore him," Kobayashi Rindou chimed in playfully. "And Lucifer, you sound like you have a story to tell."
Lucifer's smile widened. "You might not know this, but Yuko and I take turns watching the shop. Every single morning when I wake up, I find Yuko practically draped over Ren. It's quite the amusing sight, Yuko."
Yuko's face flushed a deep red. It was a difficult thing to explain. After being brought back to life, she was free from her old burdens and worries, and she had simply let herself go. Plus, she found a certain thrill in seeing Ren's rare moments of flustered surprise, which was why she so enjoyed teasing him. She knew their interactions sometimes bordered on overly intimate, but whenever someone interrupted them, she was surprised to find she felt no embarrassment at all, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Ran Mouri, clutching a small paper bag, looked up with curiosity. "But I'm still wondering… Rindou-san said earlier that Brother Ren fighting and Brother Ren fighting in the Kengan Matches are two different things. What's the difference?"
"The difference?" Rindou leaned in conspiratorially. "When Ren fights normally, he's fighting people who genuinely annoy him, so he holds absolutely nothing back. But when he fights in the Kengan tournament, he adheres to every piece of combat sports etiquette. He's much more controlled. He'll even say a polite goodbye after the match. In short, he's a little too well-mannered compared to the other fighters."
Ichihara Yuko tilted her head. "Eh? That sounds like a butler. So is that where the 'White Butler' title comes from?"
Hearing the nickname, Rindou couldn't help but burst into laughter. She waved her hand, trying to compose herself. "That has a little something to do with it, but it's not the true origin. You'll find out soon enough. It's an absolutely unexpected story."
"Eh?!" the others exclaimed in unison.
It wasn't until the sun had fully set that the group finally returned. Ichihara Yuko was brimming with complaints, as Ren had, in fact, not called. When she walked in and saw him sitting there, calmly reading a book as if the world hadn't turned, a wave of irritation washed over her.
"We leave at six tomorrow morning. I assume you all ate while you were out?" Ren said, not even looking up from his page. "Everyone get some rest. We have a lot to do tomorrow. Rindou, Sonoko, you two go handle the arrangements."
"You really won't even turn your head," Rindou said with an exasperated sigh. "Kirari isn't here today, either."
"Mm. She's still busy. As for Lucifer and Yuko, the shop is closed, so there's no need to stand watch. You should all get some rest early."
"Oh," they both replied.
Rindou tilted her head. "Eh? What about you?"
"I'm waiting for a friend," Ren said calmly. "Don't worry. Once she arrives, I'll go to bed."
As instructed, the group dispersed to their rooms. It was worth noting that Lucifer paused at her own doorway for a long moment before silently slipping into Ren's room instead, a fact that went completely unnoticed by the others.
Ren sat in the quiet darkness of the shop. The hours ticked by until, close to midnight, the front door creaked open and Jinx stumbled in. This time, however, she surprisingly surrendered her 'friends'—Fishbones and Pow-Pow—without a fuss. Ren nodded, leading her upstairs to a guest room. He told her to get some sleep and to find Kasugano Sora in the morning for a change of clothes. With that, he finally turned off the lights and returned to his own room.
Jinx stared at the beautifully clean room, scratching her head in confusion. "This place is really nice… Way better than those rich-jerk mansions… Haah… I'm actually kinda sleepy… Get clothes from Sora… What clothes…?" she mumbled, her words slurring together. "Damn Chef… always doing too much…"
The moment her head hit the pillow, she was fast asleep.
Across the hall, Ren pushed open his door. In the dim moonlight filtering through the window, he saw a lump under his covers, with a single, small foot peeking out. He was slightly startled for a moment, and then a warm smile spread across his face.
This little queen was as interesting as ever.
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