CHAPTER 123: EXPANDING THE NETWORK
Who was the Police Commissioner?
He was the Grand Commander of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department—the "Boss" of the nation's legalized violence. In the hierarchy of Japanese society, he was a titan of the highest order.
But perhaps because he was a Rokushin Kaikan alumnus and a practitioner of Karate—and because Ichika Iori's recent achievements were so monumental—Haru Takeya showed no arrogance in front of Ren Shiroki's group.
Ren, ever the social entrepreneur, exchanged cards with Takeya, sliding the gold-trimmed "Police Commissioner" business card into his collection.
As he flipped through his cardholder—now housing nearly twenty "Monsters"—Ren felt a strange sense of satisfaction. At this rate, he thought, I'll be able to play a high-stakes card game using nothing but the IDs of my friends.
The surveillance van continued to roll through the night.
Takeya reached into the small cooler built into the dashboard and pulled out several sodas, handing them to the group.
"The Army of God's legacy is a mess," Takeya said, popping a tab. "Most of their chemical weapons are still in the wind. The shipment Ichika recovered was barely ten percent of the cult's total stash."
"In other words... the 'Revolutionary Princess' Hina Hongo is likely sitting on the remaining ninety percent."
Takeya took a sip of his soda, his expression somber. "If she decides to flip the table and vent that gas into the subway, this country paralyzes in an hour. That's why I ordered the investigation into her stopped. We don't want to corner a girl who has a finger on the 'Delete' button of Tokyo."
He looked at Ichika. "I'm giving your little 'Underground League' a wide berth. If you can keep Hina distracted with fights and use your influence to find where she hid the rest, you'll have my full support."
Ichika rubbed her temples, groaning. "That's a lot of pressure, Old Man. We aren't heroes. We're just a bunch of stray dogs and an MMA fighter."
"You don't work for free, I know," Takeya chuckled. "I'll grant you security clearance for the 'Specialist File.' You can browse the archives of high-risk criminals for your roster."
Ichika's expression shifted instantly. A shark-like grin spread across her face. "Now we're talking! I'm feeling motivated already!"
Nozomi Tenma was busy peeling bandages from Ren's arms so An Sakurai could inspect the wounds.
"What's the 'Specialist File'?" Nozomi asked.
"It's a dossier that officially doesn't exist," Ichika explained. "A list of the most dangerous human beings currently on Japanese soil. We call it the 'S-File.'"
"Valkyrie is short on monsters who can actually challenge Hina Hongo. I'm planning to 'Rent' a few of our 'Free-Range' criminals to populate the brackets."
Nozomi blinked. "Free-range? You mean you let them roam the streets?"
"There are many reasons," Takeya said, leaning back. "Political immunity, lack of hard evidence, or simply because they're too dangerous to keep in a standard cage. Hina Hongo's name is currently at the top of that list."
Nozomi felt a cold sweat. Being in the same room as the Commissioner while discussing the logistics of using criminals as prize-fighters felt like a one-way ticket to a dark cell.
Takeya waved a hand, sensing her unease. "Don't worry about the 'Grey' stuff. The underground fight circuits are a natural part of the city's ecosystem. I've accepted that."
"What you girls really need to worry about is the 'Black' stuff."
Takeya's tone turned gravelly and low.
"The thing IDEAL is hunting—and the reason the Secret Service Division is moving behind my back—is the 'Legend-File' (L-File)."
"Unlike the S-File, which tracks killers, the L-File tracks Legitimacy. It contains the secret financial flows of every politician and financial titan in Japan. It's a map of every sin the elite have ever committed."
Takeya looked at Ren.
"It's a world of 'Absolute Evil' that makes your underground brawls look like a playground. Even my own Deputy Commissioner is rumored to be on IDEAL's payroll."
"Those guys want to swallow the Kengan Association and Kakerou to use them as blunt-force instruments to seize the L-File. They've already begun their infiltration."
"The 'Synchronicity' of the prison breaks wasn't an accident. The chaos caused by the convicts is a smokescreen. While we're busy chasing the 'Strong,' they're moving in the shadows to seize the 'Power.'"
Takeya paused, his eyes narrowing behind his glasses.
"But I'm not a soft target."
He grinned. "On the political front, the MPD is a stalemate. Everyone has dirt on everyone else. No one can fire the first shot."
"So, history dictates that when the laws fail, the dispute is settled through 'Private Combat.'"
"The Secret Service has their 'Burial' specialists."
"On my end? I can call in the elders of the Rokushin Kaikan. My brothers-in-arms are always happy to punch something for the sake of the school."
"But for the 'Gamble' side of the war? I need connections outside the police. I need legends who can't be bought."
Takeya looked at Ren Shiroki.
"Ren-kun... you have some very talented friends, don't you? The Lie Eater. The Man of the Divine Realm. Introduce me?"
Ren and Takeya shared a knowing, wolfish smile.
Ren wasn't a hero, but he wouldn't back down from a struggle. And gamblers like Baku and Akagi would never turn down a seat at a table that high.
"Akagi-san is a ghost. He doesn't have a phone, and he goes where the wind blows. I can't promise anything there."
Ren pulled out his phone and swiped through his contacts. "But the other one? He'll probably charge you for his time, but he'll love the stakes."
Ren shared Baku's private number with the Commissioner.
Takeya tapped a quick text into his phone. He didn't share the contents, but he looked satisfied.
A few minutes later, Ren's phone buzzed. He picked up to hear Madarame Baku's manic, ecstatic shouting.
{ REEEEN-CHIN! I LOVE YOU! You actually introduced me to the Police Commissioner?! I owe you a massive favor! I'm going to have so much fun with this old man! }
The van dropped the group off at the Soul Combat Hub. Takeya ordered his patrols to increase their presence in the neighborhood to keep the "vultures" away from Ren's construction site.
An Sakurai stayed for an hour, performing a professional diagnostic on Ren. She marveled at the density of his muscle fibers and the clarity of his neurological responses.
While she worked, Nozomi noticed Ren was "Spacing Out." He had that pained, focused look again.
"Thinking about the match?" she asked.
Ren didn't answer. He was replaying the tunnel fight.
Billy Greco.Seishu Akoya.Dorian.Seiichi Minowa.
These men didn't fight for "Points." They didn't care about "Rounds." Their "Might" was designed for the slaughter. Ren realized that his current repertoire of styles—as powerful as they were—was still missing a certain... Lethality.
How do I fight a man who vomits a grenade? How do I punch through a shield held by a man who can crush titanium with his grip?
Ren spent the next day sitting on the porch, watching the steel beams of his new Dojo rise into the sky.
His confusion was a thick fog in his mind. The joy of the brawl with Katsumi was still there, but it was being crowded by the "Reality" of the tunnel.
As he closed his eyes, his consciousness began to flow. The ink-wash lines of his mind coalesced into a familiar, powerful silhouette.
The dark red karategi top. The white trousers. The weathered red headband.
RYU.
The Grandmaster stood in the center of the yard, his eyes calm and encouraging. He looked at his "Idiot Disciple" and tilted his head.
[Are you questioning the path, Ren?]
[Confusion is the first step of growth. Do not fear the maze. As long as you do not stop walking, you will find the truth.]
Ryu let out a soft laugh and beckoned with a hand.
[Words are for businessmen. For us? Let us speak with our fists.]
[Care for a round?]
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