Chapter 341: Love Detective Attacks
Facing the mental pressure radiating from Asagiri, it was not only Shinomiya Unyo who reacted.
Fujiwara Chika and Kaguya Shinomiya felt it too.
Their blood seemed to freeze solid. Their breathing stopped, and fear gripped their throats like an invisible hand.
"This kind of aura..."
Even under the crushing mental pressure, Shinomiya Unyo did not beg for mercy or surrender. Instead, he revealed a smile.
"It really is the real Shadow... not a fake in disguise."
The moment Shinomiya Unyo said this, Asagiri canceled the summons of Human Asura and Walrider. At the same time, the mental pressure created by [Unrestrained Tyrant] vanished.
Everyone present felt as if they had been granted a pardon. The dozens of bodyguards, who were only ordinary people, showed the relieved expressions of survivors who had narrowly escaped disaster.
"Then let's talk."
Asagiri walked to the sofa, sat down on Kaguya Shinomiya's right, and looked at Shinomiya Unyo with calm eyes.
"What exactly did you go through all this trouble to see me for? It couldn't be because years in a high position gave you some strange hobby, and you were secretly looking forward to the moment I humiliated you, right?"
Shinomiya Unyo replied with a smile.
"I don't have that kind of hobby. But I do have a proposal."
Listening to the conversation between her brother and Asagiri, Kaguya Shinomiya felt a little confused.
She could more or less guess why Asagiri had come here. Perhaps Fujiwara Chika or Hayasaka Ai had sent him a message.
But why had her brother, Shinomiya Unyo...
Thinking to this point, realization suddenly flashed through Kaguya Shinomiya's eyes.
So that was how it was.
Shinomiya Unyo was different from Oko Shinomiya. Even setting aside the Shinomiya name and status, he was extremely intelligent. He was skilled in political maneuvering and excellent in nearly every aspect. Although his personality was cold and ruthless, he was undeniably a smart man.
If that was the case, then why had he chosen to bring bodyguards and the Shinomiya Family's Player faction here when Fujiwara Chika was with Kaguya Shinomiya?
Why had he insisted on taking Kaguya Shinomiya back to the main house for interrogation, knowing full well that Fujiwara Chika would never stand by and watch?
If he had truly wanted to bring Kaguya Shinomiya back for questioning, would it not have been better to appear when she was alone?
That was because Shinomiya Unyo's goal had never been that from the start.
That had only been a pretext.
What he truly wanted was to meet the legendary Shadow.
As for how he knew Kaguya Shinomiya knew Shadow?
After learning that Kaguya Shinomiya was a Player, and combining that with the facts that she had become the Student Council President of Shuchiin Academy, that Miwa Ashikaga had become Shuchiin Academy's Chairman and created a Player faction called the Ashikaga Budo Association, and that Shadow was the representative of the Ashikaga Budo Association, it was not difficult to deduce.
The most crucial point was that Shinomiya Unyo understood Kaguya Shinomiya's personality.
He knew she would not easily ask others for help.
That was why he had deliberately chosen this timing, intentionally letting Hayasaka Ai and Fujiwara Chika know that he had come to make trouble, so the two of them would pass the news to Shadow.
Compared to him, I'm still too naive...
While Kaguya Shinomiya was thinking, Shinomiya Unyo had already signaled for the dozens of bodyguards and dozen or so Players to withdraw. He had them close the reception room door behind them.
Then, he looked at Asagiri, who sat opposite him, and slowly spoke.
"Mr. Shadow, or should I call you..."
"Utsunomiya Asagiri?"
Hearing Shinomiya Unyo say his name, Asagiri did not panic in the slightest.
He simply raised his hand, removed the mask from his face, and smiled.
"Call me whatever you want. But if I had only come here as Shadow, you and your subordinates would already be dead."
"Oh?"
Shinomiya Unyo heard this and showed an interested expression. He glanced at Kaguya Shinomiya sitting there, then said meaningfully,
"Can I interpret what you just said as meaning that your relationship with Kaguya is unusual?"
Hearing Shinomiya Unyo's question, not only Kaguya Shinomiya, the person directly involved, but even Fujiwara Chika felt her heart lift into her throat.
Both of them nervously waited for Asagiri's answer.
But Asagiri was not the kind of shy, dishonest protagonist from a school romance.
He did not hesitate at all and answered directly.
"What else? If I didn't have an unusual relationship with Kaguya, your corpse would already be cold by now. Understand?"
"Then this Fujiwara Chika-san..."
"Also unusual."
Asagiri directly interrupted Shinomiya Unyo and said with some impatience,
"Just say what you want to say. Stop wasting the time I could be spending on my beautiful daily life."
"Fine. Then I'll be direct."
Before speaking, Shinomiya Unyo deliberately observed Fujiwara Chika and Kaguya Shinomiya's reactions.
He saw that Kaguya Shinomiya seemed calm on the surface, but her red eyes trembled slightly.
As for Fujiwara Chika...
She had already flushed red enough to start steaming like a maiden in a romcom.
Shinomiya Unyo could tell.
Both Fujiwara Chika and Kaguya Shinomiya had unusual feelings for Utsunomiya Asagiri.
"I hope the Shinomiya Family and the Ashikaga Budo Association can establish a relationship of mutual trust."
"Hm?"
Seeing Asagiri's confused expression, Shinomiya Unyo immediately explained,
"By relationship of mutual trust, I mean a cooperative relationship. Both sides would stand on equal footing, with neither side above the other..."
"That's not what I'm confused about."
Asagiri waved his hand, interrupting Shinomiya Unyo, and asked a question that completely exceeded the other man's expectations.
"Is that it? Why are you talking to me about this? If Kaguya agrees, go talk to Miwa Ashikaga. If she agrees, then it's fine. Why come ask me?"
"Uh..."
Shinomiya Unyo looked at him in disbelief, as if Asagiri had just said something absurd.
After a brief hesitation, he said,
"You are the actual person in charge of the Ashikaga Budo Association, so..."
"Person in charge? No, no, no."
Asagiri denied Shinomiya Unyo's words without even thinking.
"Please figure out the facts before acting, okay? I'm just the brand ambassador, the representative of the Ashikaga Budo Association. Representative, understand? It's called the Ashikaga Budo Association, so the actual person in charge is obviously Miwa Ashikaga. The authority to make these decisions is in her hands."
Shinomiya Unyo was stunned. For a moment, he did not know how to react.
Kaguya Shinomiya understood very well why her brother was so shocked.
In Shinomiya Unyo's mind, if he possessed Asagiri's power, it would be absolutely impossible for him to share authority with anyone.
Not only would he want to become the strongest Player, he would also want to hold the strongest Player faction, one capable of overturning an entire city or even the global balance of power, firmly in his own hands.
Anyone, whether Miwa Ashikaga, Kaguya Shinomiya, or Fujiwara Chika, would be nothing more than subordinates.
The right to decide could only belong to himself.
However, Asagiri did not think that way at all.
He had no interest in the power that came with controlling the strongest Player faction. He merely felt that the various affairs involved in building a faction were too troublesome, a complete waste of time that could otherwise be spent enjoying his beautiful daily life.
Utsunomiya Asagiri was different from Shinomiya Unyo, from Oko Shinomiya, and from everyone in the Shinomiya Family.
And the current Kaguya Shinomiya had also become different from the Kaguya Shinomiya in Shinomiya Unyo's memory.
"Alright, that's enough."
Asagiri stood up, pointed casually at Kaguya Shinomiya, who was sitting there, and said,
"Whether to cooperate or not, and the specific details if we do cooperate, will be decided by Kaguya Shinomiya. Her decision is my decision."
After saying that, Asagiri walked toward the reception room door.
Just as Shinomiya Unyo was about to leave as well, a blur flashed across his vision.
The next moment, Asagiri's black eyes, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, were staring directly into his face.
"Because Kaguya Shinomiya's relationship with you seems to be fairly good, this is a special exception. The next time you show hostility toward her, Fujiwara Chika, Hayasaka Ai, or any Player in our faction..."
"I will kill you."
At that moment, Shinomiya Unyo felt his entire body freeze.
He could not even blink.
This was different from the fear of facing weapons like knives or guns. The moment Asagiri uttered the words "kill you," Shinomiya Unyo seemed to see the very concept of death materialize before his eyes.
He understood very clearly.
The other party was not bluffing, nor was he merely threatening him.
If he truly did something like that again...
He would definitely die.
Meanwhile, in Kaguya Shinomiya's heart, there was only one thought.
Utsunomiya-san just now...
Called me by my first name, didn't he?
...
As Asagiri was leaving the mansion, he heard hurried footsteps behind him.
"Utsunomiya-san~ Utsunomiya-san~"
He turned around and saw Fujiwara Chika running up to him with a bright smile.
"Do you have any plans next?"
Asagiri replied casually,
"No plans. What about you?"
Fujiwara Chika put her hands behind her back and whispered,
"Um... I, I don't either..."
"Oh, I see."
Just as Fujiwara Chika was hesitating over how to invite Asagiri to do something together, she saw him suddenly look as if he had realized something.
Seeing this, joy surged in Fujiwara Chika's heart.
Could it be that he understood what I meant and plans to invite me first?
That's great, Chika!
This is the power of a love detective in action...
"You want to go train with Asuna and the others, right?"
Seeing Asagiri's smiling face, and hearing him completely misunderstand her meaning, Fujiwara Chika parted her lips to explain. But when she opened her mouth, shyness somehow made her admit it instead.
"Yes..."
After saying yes, Fujiwara Chika immediately looked as if she were about to cry.
So even with all my theoretical knowledge, my practical ability is still as bad as Kaguya Shinomiya's?
"Yes what yes? Don't yes."
Asagiri had actually seen through Fujiwara Chika's thoughts. He was only teasing her.
As expected, the moment she heard his next words, the adorable, aggrieved look on Fujiwara Chika's face instantly blossomed into an excited smile.
"I'm going to see Kayaba Akihiko and check on his research progress. Want to come along?"
Fujiwara Chika nodded repeatedly like a chick pecking rice.
"Yes, yes! I want to go together!"
.....
[If you don't want to wait for the next update, read 50 chapters ahead on P@treon.]
[[email protected]/FanficLord03]