Chapter 28: Exterminate the Traitor!

"Nani! Baka yaro!!!"

A roar of cursing erupted from within the Suo Family office, startling even the underlings stationed outside to provide security.

The old man Suo was unleashing his masterful, tongue-flicking prowess for insults to its fullest extent. While the power was as formidable as ever, it brought him no sense of catharsis. He was truly, deeply furious.

Moriyama and Kitaoji stood to the side, not daring to lift their heads. In truth, Moriyama shouldn't have been standing, but the circumstances this time were different.

A failure—a massive failure.

It was like being transported back to the old days, that familiar feeling of having messed up outside and needing to beg the big boss for help. Kitaoji had just finished reporting the situation: the men sent to ambush the Iwata Family had been completely wiped out.

Although none were killed, "Oni no Takeshi" (Demon Takeshi) had not pulled his punches. Whether a group of yakuza would suffer lasting injuries from such a beating was still hard to say. But that was secondary; the real issue was that Lady Takenaka had witnessed the entire spectacle.

Of course, this had been planned from the start—to have Lady Takenaka witness the downfall of the Iwata Family with her own eyes. The idea was to force her into a clear choice once the deed was done.

But they hadn't expected it to backfire completely. The Suo Family, combined with the Moriyama Family, possessed strength far superior to the Iwata Family. How could he not be furious? How could he not curse?

Suo felt like he could eat them alive.

Fortunately, he was a seasoned veteran. Having been a yakuza for so many years, he had weathered too many storms. Compared to the events of four years ago, this was merely a minor incident. Once he finished cursing, Suo slowly calmed down.

"That brat... how exactly did he manage to floor so many people?"

"This..." Kitaoji found it hard to put into words, but Moriyama was different.

"That guy, I don't know where he learned such a bastard technique, but he just kept kicking everyone in the crotch!" He gestured vividly, as if afraid the boss wouldn't understand.

Seeing this, Suo almost started cursing again. *You idiot, how could I not understand that?* But Moriyama had always been that kind of man—a bit slow in the head—which was why he had been paired with Kitaoji.

Now that he knew the nature of Iwata Takeshi’s fighting style... forget it, that wasn't the point.

"Never mind how he kicks! We’ve lost face, and we need to figure out how to win it back! You idiots!"

"Boss, about this... how about we just gather another group and storm the Iwata Family?"

"Fool! Do you think they wouldn't be prepared for that?"

"Then, then what should we do?"

"Moriyama, first clarify one thing for yourself: what is the reason for this?"

"The reason... Boss, wasn't it to let Lady Takenaka watch the show?"

"You blockhead! I’m talking about the reason for the fight!"

Moriyama looked utterly confused. Wasn't the ambush on the Iwata Family just a show for Lady Takenaka? Was there a difference between the reason for the fight and that?

Kitaoji, standing nearby, understood. "Well, I’ll go..." He meant he would go handle the task.

Suo waved his hand. "What are you going to do? Why are you doing it? And what is the benefit of doing it?"

Faced with this barrage of questions, Kitaoji hesitated. "Hai!" He fell silent and made no further move.

Moriyama still didn't get it. What were the two of them doing?

In reality, the logic was simple. The ambush was indeed for Lady Takenaka, but the problem was that the Suo, Iwata, and Moriyama families were all subordinate organizations under the Yamamoto Group. It wasn't that they couldn't fight—the previous Yama-Ichi War had been internal conflict, after all—but they needed a justification.

In this specific case, could they claim it was for Lady Takenaka? Of course not! Moreover, it was meant to be a secret operation, not something to be shouted from the rooftops. If the first strike had succeeded, it wouldn't have mattered; as even anime characters know, history is written by the victors. Lady Takenaka would surely have stepped in to tidy up the aftermath.

But now that they had failed, they faced a different problem.

"Tell those guys to avoid going out as much as possible for now. If any of them want to go elsewhere, let them go. As for the rest..."

Hearing this, Moriyama finally realized what was happening.

"Yabai!"

Indeed, it was truly terrible. If they couldn't cite Lady Takenaka, they had no justification. To start a war with a brother family for no reason—if word of this got out, both Suo and Moriyama would have to answer to Yamamoto Hiroshi. At the very least, it would cost them a finger. Suo certainly wouldn't be the one to cut his off, so who would?

And there was one more key point. What was Kitaoji about to do earlier?

Moriyama asked with a troubled look, "Boss, surely you don't mean..."

Suo said in plain Chinese, "When it is time to cut, cut!"

Moriyama fell silent. He understood. The person within the Iwata Family would have to fend for themselves. However, Moriyama had failed to consider one thing: Suo’s move of "cutting" was actually a trap for Iwata Takeshi. Kitaoji had long since figured this out, and in his heart, he thought Moriyama was... a complete moron.

...

It was still early for "Red Romance" to open for business. Lady Takenaka was on the phone alone.

"That is how it is."

"Very interesting."

"Indeed, very interesting."

"Then..."

"I understand."

The call ended quickly. No one knew what was discussed except for Takenaka Kazuko. But anyone could see that her mood was excellent. If one were to explain her mood, it actually had nothing to do with the phone call, even though she had used the word "interesting."

It was simply that she had never seen a guy like that before. During the street battle, Iwata Takeshi had displayed a fighting style that was bizarre yet incredibly formidable. He was worthy of being called "Oni no Takeshi."

Although his technique of kicking people in the crotch was underhanded, his ability to win against superior numbers was undeniable. Moreover, in the final stage of the battle, when his three men—Cat, Fish, and Clear—could no longer provide support, it was Iwata Takeshi who took on three people single-handedly to secure the victory.

This man... Lady Takenaka unconsciously licked her bright red lips.

...

Night fell over Tokyo, and the city was ablaze with lights. If the day was prosperous, the night felt like the beginning of an entirely different world. Shinjuku was particularly dazzling in this other world. The gaudy, flamboyant signs were eye-catching.

The Iwata Studio’s sign outside was not bright at all, but inside, it was filled with laughter and cheers.

"Really?"

"Sugoi!"

"Boss, you're amazing!"

It wasn't just the three of them—Cat, Fish, and Clear. Though they should have been resting their injuries, they couldn't resist coming back once they heard there was drinking.

Some were a bit out of sorts, like Matsushige Yutaka.

"Aiya, really... I... ah..." He was deeply frustrated, blaming himself for getting too excited the previous night and failing to make it to Iwanami Shoten today.

Everyone naturally teased him for it. But someone else felt a bit more comfortable: Endo Kenichi, who had a big mouth. He hadn't been qualified to participate anyway, and seeing that Matsushige, a fellow villain, hadn't gone either, he felt much more balanced.

In reality, Endo Kenichi was the highest-paid among them because his scene required jumping from a height—a stunt shot. He had volunteered to do it himself, earning 200,000 yen.

As for the drinking, that was Kagawa’s department. His performance today had even won the praise of Ichikawa Ennosuke III—though it was just a nod, to Kagawa, that was more than enough. Why? Because the third-generation master was praising him for knowing his limits; by not over-performing in that situation, he showed a steady temperament. Kagawa was delighted, pouring drinks for Iwata Takeshi and the others with a beaming smile.

And then, of course, there were the two old men of the Iwata Family. Though they were missing fingers, it didn't stop them from drinking.

Just moments ago, Iwata Takeshi had announced major news: the distribution for *The Violent Man* had been settled with Toho, and he had chosen a revenue-sharing model.

The moment the boss finished speaking, the atmosphere at the table exploded. There were cheers, howls, and even singing. As for the singing, it sounded terrible... *ah-hoo, ah-hoo*...

"Cheers! Drink up!"

In truth, several people there didn't understand what the revenue-sharing model meant. It perfectly embodied the phrase: "I don't understand it, but I'm deeply shocked!"

In reality, choosing revenue sharing meant risk. If he wanted stability, he should have chosen a buyout. There were many details involved, which need not be explained here.

Just then, the Iwata Family’s phone rang.

"I'll get it, I'll get it, haha..." Yamashita, his face flushed red from drink, went to answer the phone with a laugh.

But as soon as he grabbed the receiver, he froze as if hit by a paralysis spell.

"You were the one who answered the call last night, too, weren't you?"

Without anyone noticing when, Iwata Takeshi, along with Cat, Fish, Clear, and Shimazu, had appeared behind the old man Yamashita. As for Matsushige, Endo, and Kagawa, they were... confused, but already trembling.

The old man Yamashita turned around, not daring to look up.

Iwata Takeshi didn't soften his heart, continuing, "How did those two sisters arrive so conveniently? After the drinking finished yesterday, who was guarding the house? Do I need to say more? I just can't figure it out—why would you betray the Iwata Family?"

Truth be told, Iwata Takeshi hadn't initially suspected Yamashita, because when he first arrived in this world, it was Yamashita who had told him many stories of the past, and even shared the last words of Fang Wen. This clearly showed the trust Fang Wen had in him.

So, why?

"Didn't we agree... no more yakuza?" Yamashita squeezed these words out through his teeth.

So that was it.

Iwata Takeshi felt a complex mix of emotions. *Who the hell wants to be a yakuza!*

Suddenly, Yamashita pulled out a small knife, and then...

...

Years later, someone near the Sumida River spotted a homeless man with only one finger remaining on his right hand.

I'm late with the release again, and I'm truly sorry. But please believe that I, the "Black Car," am adjusting things. Thank you all for your support. I’m sincerely asking for votes and bookmarks. Now, back to writing.