Facing this earth-shattering blow, Hayashida Megumi's usually calm eyes finally rippled.
He did not dodge.
Because he knew that in a true clash of power, even the slightest retreat would be fatal!
He also roared, channeling all his strength into his right fist!
Then, he met the attack head-on!
At the edge of the field.
Everyone watching subconsciously held their breath!
They knew that this battle had entered its climax from the very beginning!
The next second!
To the horror of everyone!
Two fists, in the sunlight, collided violently!
"Bang—!!!"
A dull explosion, like a drumbeat, erupted across the entire field!
The terrifying impact caused the muddy ground beneath their feet to sink slightly!
A clash of strength!
This was the most primal, purest, and most telling way to demonstrate a man's power!
Ryuzaki Shin felt an overwhelming force surge from the opponent's fist, making his entire arm tingle!
He secretly praised in his heart: What incredible strength!
Truly Suzuran's anomaly!
However, Hayashida Megumi's heart was a hundred times more shocked than his!
He felt as if his punch hadn't landed on a person at all!
Instead, it had struck an indestructible steel plate made of a special alloy!
The violent force emanating from the opponent's fist, accompanied by an astonishing rebound, made him feel as if his finger bones were about to be shattered!
How... how could this be?!
For the first time, a look of horror appeared in Hayashida Megumi's eyes!
His strength was publicly acknowledged as the strongest in Suzuran!
Even Serizawa Tamao couldn't gain any advantage in a pure power struggle!
But now, he was actually... actually feeling a sharp pain from the opponent's bones in a pure power clash?!
Just as his mind was reeling, Ryuzaki Shin smiled.
Kid, do you know what 'copper skin and iron bones' means?
He looked at Hayashida Megumi's face, slightly contorted by shock, and slowly said in a mocking tone:
"Tall guy, is your strength... only this much?"
No sooner had he spoken!
His fist, which Hayashida Megumi had held tightly, suddenly twisted!
A burst of clever force erupted instantly!
Hayashida Megumi felt a numbness in his wrist, and his hand involuntarily let go!
Immediately after, Ryuzaki Shin gave him no chance to react, delivering a ferocious roundhouse kick, accompanied by the tearing sound of air, that slammed into his side!
Hayashida Megumi was greatly alarmed and, without thinking, instinctively raised his arms to protect his body!
"Bang!"
A dull thud!
Hayashida Megumi's body was like a truck hit head-on by a speeding vehicle!
He staggered back more than ten steps on the muddy ground, each step leaving a deep imprint, before finally steadying himself.
His arms burned with pain, as if they had lost all sensation.
And where he had been standing, Ryuzaki Shin noticed that the man hadn't even moved a muscle.
Strength... equally matched!
But physique... completely defeated!
"Damn it!!"
"Hayashida Megumi... actually lost in a direct clash?!"
"This transfer student... is he a monster?!"
The watching crowd completely erupted!
They looked at the demonic figure, their eyes filled with disbelief!
Ryuzaki Shin, however, ignored the shocked gazes around him.
He knew that although that last strike seemed to give him the upper hand, it hadn't actually caused much damage to Hayashida Megumi.
This guy's physical conditioning was also ridiculously strong!
Well then... let's see who can take more punishment!
Ryuzaki Shin laughed and lunged forward again!
This time, he didn't use any techniques, just swung his fists in the simplest, most direct way!
And Hayashida Megumi was completely ignited by his relentless momentum!
He also roared and met the attack head-on!
"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!"
Dull thuds of fists colliding with flesh echoed continuously across the silent field!
The two men, like two tireless beasts, engaged in the most primal, bloodiest close combat on the muddy field!
One punch, one kick!
Neither dodged, neither avoided!
Just a head-on collision!
Ryuzaki Shin did not use any of those insidious moves.
Because this was a way to show respect for Hayashida Megumi.
And also, he wanted to display his power in front of everyone!
This was also a way to show his charm.
Izaki Shun watched the cinematic battle unfolding, feeling his heart pound wildly.
He murmured to himself, "This... this is... the battle of Suzuran's pinnacle?"
Tokaji Yuji also watched, dumbfounded. He subconsciously touched his face, feeling that the beating he received from Ryuzaki Shin yesterday was like a gentle caress.
Serizawa Tamao looked at the two monstrous figures in the field, and for the first time, his usually lazy eyes showed deep apprehension and a hint of bitterness.
He knew that he and these two men were no longer on the same level of existence.
Just as everyone was completely captivated by this breathtaking battle.
The situation on the field quietly changed.
Hayashida Megumi's movements began to slow down.
His breathing also became increasingly rapid.
Ryuzaki Shin, however, still appeared calm and composed, as if the close combat, comparable to a world war, was merely a warm-up for him.
Hayashida Megumi's heart was in turmoil!
He realized that this man in front of him not only had strength comparable to his own, and ridiculously hard bones, but even his endurance... was like a monster!
He was already close to exhaustion, yet the other man was still full of vigor, as if he had endless energy!
Just as a flaw appeared due to his physical exhaustion!
Ryuzaki Shin smiled.
"It's over, tall guy."
He took a sudden step forward, landing a fierce elbow strike squarely on Hayashida Megumi's chest!
Immediately after, he delivered a lightning-fast roundhouse kick that slammed into his knee!
Finally, seizing the moment Hayashida Megumi bent over in pain, he delivered a powerful uppercut that smashed into his jaw!
"Bang!"
Hayashida Megumi's body, like a kite with a broken string, flew high into the air, then crashed heavily into the mud and water five or six meters away, completely losing his ability to fight.
The entire field once again fell into a deathly silence.
Everyone was completely stunned by this overwhelming battle.
Suzuran's strongest man... was defeated!
Defeated so thoroughly, so... decisively!
Sasaki Yu looked at the god-like man, indifferently observing everything.
He could no longer hold back, and with all his strength, let out a fervent and worshipful cry:
"Shin-nii—!!!"
Makise Takashi looked at Serizawa Tamao beside him, a playful curve on his lips, and slowly said:
"Serizawa, do you see? That's the true pinnacle... We seem to be just scenery at the foot of the mountain."
Serizawa Tamao did not speak. He just looked at the man standing alone in the sunlight, facing all of Suzuran, and an unprecedented light flickered in his usually half-closed eyes.
He slowly nodded, and murmured in a voice only he could hear:
"Of course, otherwise how could that kid defeat me..."
On the other side, Tatsukawa Tokio, who had been silent all along, hadn't participated yesterday because he had surgery.
He seemed to be recovering well now.
He finally understood why Serizawa had lost.
At this moment, he walked up to Tokaji Yuji, who had a twisted expression on his face due to his boss's defeat.
He put his arm around Tokaji Yuji's shoulder, patted him, and said with a smile:
"What's wrong? Still not convinced?"
"Following Serizawa, at most we can be a warlord in Suzuran, but following him..." Tokio pointed his chin at Ryuzaki Shin in the distance, "Perhaps we really can see a different view?"
He paused, then added in a provocative tone:
"Or are you not confident in your own abilities, thinking that if you change bosses, you'll fade into obscurity?"
Tokaji Yuji was startled at first upon hearing this, then a smile appeared on his usually cold face.
He pointed to his head and replied with a confident tone:
"What a joke. With those brutes who only know how to fight, without me, Tokaji Yuji, that Ryuzaki Shin will sooner or later be played to death by someone."
"His organization can't do without me, the strategist."
Izaki Shun, meanwhile, turned his gaze to the equally shocked Ebizuka Trio and said with a smile:
"Hey, you three, how about it? Want to... work for me?"
Izaki Shun thought long-term. He could feel that Ryuzaki Shin's ambition was far beyond just Suzuran.
What he wanted to do was to establish his own core factional power within Ryuzaki Shin's future vast empire!
And these three kids from Ebisuka, they had courage, fighting ability, and a good number of subordinates, making them his best choice!
However, Kirishima Hiromi merely curled his lip. He waved his hand, rejecting Izaki Shun's recruitment.
He, along with Honjo and Sugihara, walked up to Izaki Shun, then bowed respectfully to him, and to Ryuzaki Shin in the distance.
"Senior, of course we will follow Ryuzaki Shin-nii."
He paused, then looked up, and burning ambition blazed in his usually cynical eyes.
"But, we also want to build our own force!"
"From now on, please... take care of us!"
Izaki Shun looked at these three fearless youngsters, and instead of getting angry, he smiled and said nothing more... In the center of the battlefield.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at Hayashida Megumi, who struggled a few times but still couldn't stand up, and slowly extended his right hand.
Hayashida Megumi hesitated.
But in the end, he placed his hand on it.
Ryuzaki Shin pulled hard, hauling him out of the mud and water.
Looking at this man who, though defeated, still had an unyielding look in his eyes.
Ryuzaki Shin smiled.
He patted Hayashida Megumi's shoulder and slowly said in a captivating tone:
"Hey, tall guy."
"Standing alone at the top of the mountain, don't you think... it's too boring?"
"Want to fly even higher, and see a different view?"
The moment these words were spoken, the entire schoolyard instantly fell into an eerie silence.
Everyone's gaze subconsciously focused on Hayashida Megumi.
They were all waiting.
Waiting for the man acknowledged as Suzuran's strongest to make his choice.
At Suzuran, everyone knew that Hayashida Megumi was a bug-like, transcendent existence.
He disliked forming factions and disdained participating in power struggles that, to him, resembled children's games.
But similarly, everyone was clear that if this man wished, he could ascend at any time and become the sole king of Suzuran.
In fact, with his strength, it wouldn't be difficult for him to dominate the major delinquent high schools around Suzuran.
However, he did not.
He just stayed there, like a silent guardian, or a world-weary ascetic, year after year, in Suzuran, this nest of crows.
And now, Ryuzaki Shin, an equally monstrous existence, had actually invited him!
If... if Hayashida Megumi really agreed... what kind of waves could these two monsters, teaming up, stir in this small Suzuran?!
Thinking of this, many people's breathing became heavy!
A flame called "expectation" burned in their eyes!
However, Hayashida Megumi merely gave Ryuzaki Shin a deep look.
For the first time, an extremely complex ripple appeared in his calm, ancient-well-like eyes.
He was silent for a long time.
So long that even the sound of their breathing became unusually clear.
Then, he slowly shook his head.
"Forget it."
His voice was still as flat, devoid of any emotion.
"I don't want to participate in factional disputes."
After speaking, he no longer looked at Ryuzaki Shin, but turned around, preparing to leave.
Whoosh—!
A wave of disappointed murmurs rose from the crowd.
Ryuzaki Shin, however, showed no surprise at Hayashida Megumi's answer.
He didn't even say a word to try and make him stay, just smiled, nodded, and said decisively:
"Alright then."
"But if you ever change your mind, you can always come find me."
Hayashida Megumi's footsteps paused slightly.
He looked back at Ryuzaki Shin with some surprise.
He had expected that an ambitious man like Ryuzaki Shin, after being rejected, would at least try to persuade him further, or even use force to compel him to submit.
After all, his strength was an irresistible temptation for anyone with ambition.
But he hadn't expected Ryuzaki Shin to just... give up so easily?
This man was even more cunning than he had imagined.
Of course, Ryuzaki Shin wouldn't force the issue.
He knew Hayashida Megumi's personality better than anyone.
To sum it up in one word—"Buddhist."
This guy was naturally uninterested in power, fame, and fortune.
He was like a hermit operating outside Suzuran's rules, only pursuing pure, evenly matched battles.
In the original storyline, the first thing this guy did after graduation was to embark on a nationwide journey, and later became a professional fighter.
For someone like him, you want to win him over with power and status?
What a joke.
What did Ryuzaki Shin rely on to win over others?
Playing to their preferences and reasoning with them!
To deal with minor characters like Chuta, pure violence was enough to subdue them.
To deal with smart people like Izaki Shun, he had to show his magnanimity and ambition, letting him see the value in following him.
To deal with single-minded guys like Makise, he had to attack their hearts, using the most primitive methods to break down their psychological defenses.
Each person's character determined the method of winning them over.
This was the wisdom of a boss!
But for Hayashida Megumi, Ryuzaki Shin truly had no solution at the moment.
To win him over, he could only wait for some special opportunity in the future.
However, Ryuzaki Shin wasn't too dejected.
The core team was complete.
Izaki Shun, the strategist, responsible for devising plans.
Makise Takashi, the fierce general, responsible for leading charges.
Tamura Chuta, the intelligence chief, responsible for gathering information.
Sasaki Yu, the money god, responsible for... well, responsible for paying.
Of course, Xiao Yu was only temporarily paying small sums; after tonight's operation, Yu's financial support would no longer be needed.
However, Xiao Yu was from high society after all, and his connections might be needed for future endeavors.
Moreover, Xiao Yu's family seemed to be in some trouble now, and they might be able to help solve it in the future, thereby gaining benefits.
In short, for now, it was a perfect foursome!
Of course, this didn't include Serizawa and the trio.
In short, the core team was entirely sufficient.
As for Hayashida Megumi?
No matter how good he was at fighting, could he be as good as himself?
In pure hand-to-hand combat, he was basically undefeated!
What's more, he also had the system, a cheat-like advantage!
So, Hayashida Megumi's inclusion would, at most, be icing on the cake.
Whether he was there or not, it didn't matter.
What's the use of being good at fighting when you're in this line of work?
If you want to climb to the top, you need to rely on tactics and brains!
Having understood all this, Ryuzaki Shin no longer bothered with the distant Hayashida Megumi; he now just wanted to quickly organize his team and then deal with that 100 million yen "IOU."
However, just as he was about to lead his subordinates back to base...
Hayashida Megumi, who had already walked over ten meters away, suddenly stopped.
He didn't turn back, but slowly spoke in a flat yet perfectly clear voice:
"Hey, Ryuzaki Shin."
"The reason this forest of Suzuran maintains a delicate balance isn't because the lions here aren't strong enough, but because there are too many lions here."
"Without a king, everyone is just a crow fighting for themselves; though chaotic, it is also safe."
He paused, his tone becoming somewhat profound.
"But, once a true king appears in this forest, one that all lions must submit to..."
"Then, the hunters outside the forest will come, drawn by the scent of blood."
"They will bring the sharpest weapons and use every means to challenge you, to hunt you, just to prove that they are the strongest hunters."
"At that time, you will never know peace."
"From now on, you must be careful."
After speaking, he no longer lingered, and his tall figure quickly disappeared into the end of the rain curtain.
Ryuzaki Shin was startled at first upon hearing Hayashida Megumi's words, and then he understood what the other man meant.
Suzuran, as the recognized "strongest" among delinquent high schools, was like a golden signboard.
Previously, there was no unified overlord here; various factions were intertwined, and no one submitted to anyone else.
So, although those guys from other schools wanted to challenge, they couldn't find a clear target.
But now, it was different.
Once he truly dominated Suzuran and became the sole king...
Then, he would become everyone's target!
He would become that most conspicuous and tempting "Tang Monk's flesh"!
At that time, Housen, Kurotaki Alliance, Toyaru, and even those monsters from more distant places, would swarm in like sharks smelling blood!
They would use every means to challenge him, to defeat him, just to step on his corpse and ascend to the throne of "strongest"!
This was the destiny of a king.
And also, the glory of a king!
Thinking of this, Ryuzaki Shin felt no fear at all; instead, he felt his blood boil once again!
An extremely arrogant and excited smile appeared on his face!
He looked in the direction Hayashida Megumi had left and murmured in a voice only he could hear:
"Hunters?"
"Heh heh..."
He slowly raised his head and slowly spoke to the empty sky:
"This hunting ground isn't big enough..."
"I just... think there are too few prey right now."
The afterglow of the setting sun, like spilled golden paint, dyed the rooftop of Suzuran High School a magnificent orange-red.
Ryuzaki Shin stood at the edge of the rooftop, in front of the wall he had personally graffitied, quietly gazing at the name he had written a few days ago.
The black spray paint was bold and wild, just like him.
Behind him stood a group of people.
Serizawa Tamao, Izaki Shun, Makise Takashi, Tamura Chuta, Tokaji, the trio... and Sasaki Yu, who had been like a little shadow, always sticking close to him.
These tough guys, who once ruled their own corners of Suzuran and couldn't stand each other, now stood behind him like the most loyal guards, in silence.
Ryuzaki Shin knew that from today onwards, Suzuran, this crow's nest that had plagued countless generations of delinquents, had finally achieved its true unification.
As for the Armed Front that was still strutting around the playground yesterday?
Haha... Ryuzaki Shin curled his lips, his heart completely unmoved.
Yesterday's dirty sneak attack, in the eyes of everyone at Suzuran, had completely disqualified them from being considered Suzuran members.
Suzuran didn't need that kind of underhanded trash.
Just as he was lost in thought, Serizawa Tamao's always somewhat lazy voice came from behind him.
"Hey, Ryuzaki, stop acting all profound over there."
"Now that the entire Suzuran is yours, shouldn't... it be time to give our group a resounding name?"
Ryuzaki Shin turned around, looking at the 'crows' in front of him, all bruised and swollen, but with eyes burning with fierce flames, and smiled.
"That's true."
As soon as he said this, everyone nodded in agreement.
Then, as if a floodgate had opened, they began to discuss animatedly.
The first to speak up was Makise Takashi, who was uglier than anyone else but had a louder voice than anyone else.
He slapped his muscular chest and, in a very proud tone, said gruffly:
"If you ask me, we should call ourselves the 'Fist King Society'!'
"Simple! Brutal! You'll know immediately that we speak with our fists!"
"..."
No sooner had he finished speaking than Izaki Shun rolled his eyes, looking at him as if he were an idiot, and curled his lips.
"Give it a rest, you. With your sloppy fighting, 'Fist King Society'? Are you trying to make all the delinquents in Tokyo laugh their heads off?"
He paused, a confident smile, as if 'everything was under control,' appearing on his face, and slowly said:
"If you ask me, a name should not only be imposing but also... have depth."
"We should be called—'Crows of the Apex'!'
"Apex represents our ambition to dominate Suzuran!"
"And Crows represents our identity as Suzuran!"
"How about that? Doesn't it sound epic and fated the moment you hear it?"
However, before he could finish, Tamura Chuta immediately shook his head and retorted:
"No, no, it's too chuunibyou. It gives me goosebumps just listening to it."
"Besides, we finally transformed from crows into phoenixes, so why would we still call ourselves 'Crows'? Isn't that lowering our own value?"
He stroked his chin and, in a very serious tone, suggested:
"If you ask me, why not call ourselves—'G.P.S.'!"
"Huh?!"
Everyone looked bewildered. What in the world was that?
Chuta, seeing their confusion, quickly explained:
"G stands for Great! P stands for Powerful! S stands for Student!"
"Put together, it's—Great and Powerful Students!"
"How about that? Isn't it both imposing and international?!"
"..."
The entire rooftop instantly fell into an extremely awkward silence.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at these three clowns and felt his head buzzing.
He sighed, waved his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet.
"Alright, alright, everyone stop arguing."
He felt that an organization's name didn't need to be so complicated.
Catchy and imposing was enough.
He thought about his own name—Ryuzaki Shin.
Dragon, True Dragon.
An idea flashed through his mind instantly.
He looked at everyone, a wicked smile playing on his lips, and then, slowly, enunciating each word, he said:
"From today onwards, our organization will be called—"
"True Dragon Society!"
As soon as the words fell, the entire place was silent for a moment, and then, a deafening cheer erupted!
"True Dragon Society! What a great name!"
"Ryuzaki Shin! True Dragon! Shin-nii is the True Dragon! The symbolism is so damn awesome!"
"Hahahahaha! From now on, when I go out, I'll be a member of the True Dragon Society! It sounds exciting!"
Ryuzaki Shin looked at their excited expressions and nodded in satisfaction.
After all, the boss had spoken; even if they didn't like it, they couldn't say anything.
Just then, Serizawa Tamao spoke again.
"Ryuzaki, now that the organization has been formed, then... it's time to tell us what you plan to do next, right?"
"You wouldn't gather us all together just to be a king in the small pond of Suzuran, would you?"
Chuta immediately got excited when he heard this. He was the first to step forward, patting his chest, and guessing excitedly:
"I bet! Shin-nii must be taking us to conquer the world!"
"The next target must be Housen! After all, those bald guys are our Suzuran's sworn enemies!"
"Exactly, exactly! Let's take down Housen! Let them know who the boss of Toyaru City is!"
"And the Black Flame Union! Those guys are pretty arrogant too!"
"If not, we'll attack Oya High!"
Everyone started discussing animatedly again, but without exception, it was all about dominating other delinquent high schools.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at their inexperienced expressions, smiled, and shook his head.
He slowly walked to the edge of the rooftop, hands behind his back, overlooking the small campus below, then raised his hand, pointing to the bustling, neon-lit city in the distance, and asked slowly, in a tone full of grandeur and ambition:
"Hey, what do you all see?"
Everyone looked in response, all bewildered.
Makise scratched his head and replied gruffly:
"I see... buildings?"
Chuta also chimed in: "And... roads and cars?"
Serizawa even curled his lips directly: "Damn, what else can you see besides skyscrapers?"
Ryuzaki Shin looked at these blockheads and sighed helplessly.
Just then!
A clear and slightly excited voice suddenly rang out from the crowd!
"Can... can I say something?"
Everyone subconsciously turned to look, only to see Sasaki Yu, blushing, raising his right hand high, looking as obedient as a primary school student answering a question in class.
Makise, seeing him like this, twitched his mouth and couldn't help but retort:
"Xiao Yu, are you kidding me? Do you think this is a classroom? Raising your hand to speak?!"
Sasaki Yu's face turned even redder after being told off. He quickly lowered his hand and bowed deeply to everyone.
"Sumimasen~"
"..."
At this, everyone was completely speechless.
However, the next second, Sasaki Yu suddenly lifted his head!
His eyes, which should have been timid, now sparkled with an unprecedented, bright light!
He looked at Ryuzaki Shin and said loudly, in a tone full of admiration and understanding:
"Shin-nii definitely wants to say that what he sees is not this small Suzuran, nor those boring delinquent high schools!"
"What he sees is the entire Toyaru City!"
"What Shin-nii wants to do is become—"
"The King of Toyaru City!"
Ryuzaki Shin was startled for a moment after hearing Sasaki Yu's words, then burst into a hearty laugh!
"Hahahahaha! Well said!"
"Xiao Yu, Xiao Yu, I really underestimated you! I didn't expect that the one who understands me the most would be you, my little bean sprout!"
He smiled and waved at Sasaki Yu.
Sasaki Yu, seeing his boss's summons, instantly became flushed with excitement. He straightened his back and walked confidently to Ryuzaki Shin's side.
Ryuzaki Shin put an arm around his shoulder and said loudly to everyone, in a very appreciative tone:
"Did you all hear that?! This is the kind of ambition our True Dragon Society should have!"
Sasaki Yu, praised like this, instantly felt like he was floating!
He proudly lifted his head and glanced disdainfully at Makise not far away, his eyes seemingly saying:
Hmph, ugly guy, did you see that? This is the difference in intelligence!
Makise, seeing his smug expression, gritted his teeth in anger but didn't know how to retort, so he could only curse silently in his heart:
Damn it!
This scheming boy!
Ryuzaki Shin looked at their still somewhat confused eyes, his smile gradually fading, replaced by an unprecedented seriousness and grandeur!
He pointed to the dilapidated campus below and said in a deep, infectious voice:
"What Xiao Yu just said is right, I don't want to play childish games with you anymore!"
"Look at yourselves, each of you is a student of Suzuran. What will others think of you when they hear that? They'll only think you're a bunch of social trash who only know how to fight! Useless!"
"Your parents worked hard to raise you, do they want to see you like this? Do they want to see you unable to find a decent job after graduation, only to barely survive at the bottom of society?!"
His words were like heavy hammers, striking hard at everyone's hearts!
Although they were delinquents, they also had their parents, and their own dignity!
Ryuzaki Shin saw their expressions gradually becoming heavy, knowing the timing was right.
He changed his tone, and his voice became impassioned!
"But from today onwards, everything will change!"
"I want all my brothers who follow Ryuzaki Shin to live lives of distinction! I want your parents to be proud and honored to have sons like you!"
"I admit, this path will definitely be a thousand times more dangerous than fighting in school! We might fail, and we might even... die!"
"But you tell me! Do you want to be a crow trampled underfoot for the rest of your lives, or do you want to follow me and see the true scenery at the top?!"
Everyone was silent for a while, but it didn't last long.
"I want to!"
"I want to!!"
"Shin-nii! We'll follow you!"
Everyone was completely ignited by Ryuzaki Shin's words!
After all, this age is a time of hot blood, especially for these delinquent leaders present.
Their eyes burned with fierce flames!
Ryuzaki Shin looked at their excited expressions and nodded in satisfaction.
Then, he turned his gaze to the distant, more prosperous and brilliant night view.
His voice was not loud, but it clearly spread throughout the entire rooftop.
"Xiao Yu, you were half right just now."
"My first step is indeed to become the King of Toyaru City."
"But..."
He paused, and from his deep eyes, an indescribable ambition, enough to make the whole world tremble, burst forth!
"This is... only the first step."
"My goal is to conquer all of Tokyo, and even..."
"The entire Sakura Country!"
"And tonight is the beginning of us taking this first step!"
"After so many days of delay, it's time to collect my debts..."
Night deepened.
On a secluded street in Toyaru City, neon lights flickered, painting the entire street with a vague yet dangerous hue.
Ryuzaki Shin stood at the street corner, a freshly lit Seven Stars cigarette dangling from his mouth. He took a deep drag, then slowly exhaled.
Behind him stood the core cadres of the True Dragon Society, all silently waiting for their boss's command.
Further back, in the shadows of a street corner, were over forty elite delinquents they had selected from Suzuran.
They were scattered in groups of two or three; some leaned against walls smoking, others conversed in low voices, but every single one of their gazes, subtly yet unmistakably, was fixed on the brightly lit shop deeper down the street.
This was Ryuzaki Shin's arrangement; after all, forty people walking together would be too conspicuous and easily alert the enemy.
The shop's sign was made of exaggerated neon tubes, spelling out three prominent characters—
Pachinko.
Pachinko, for many people in Sakura Country, signified the dream of instant wealth and the nightmare of losing everything.
Originating from a type of pinball game in early 20th-century Europe, after decades of development and evolution in Sakura Country, it had long since transformed from a simple recreational game into a massive, complex gray industry with intricate profit chains.
From the most primitive manual pinball machines to today's electronic pinball machines with cool sound and light effects and endless gameplay variations, the core of Pachinko has never changed—
That is, gambling.
Players buy steel balls with money, then control the force of the ball's launch to make it fall into specific areas, thereby winning more steel balls.
These steel balls, although they cannot be directly exchanged for cash.
Can be exchanged at the shop for various "special prizes," such as a small gold flake or a seemingly ordinary card.
Then, players take these "prizes" to seemingly unrelated "prize exchange centers" near the Pachinko shop to exchange them for cash.
This roundabout "three-shop system" cleverly circumvents the gambling activities explicitly prohibited by Sakura Country law, making Pachinko shops a money pit where countless people fall into addiction and cannot extricate themselves.
Every day, countless people, with fantasies of overnight riches, walk into this place.
Then, after losing every last penny, they are thrown onto the cold streets like walking corpses.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at the rather large Pachinko shop before him, then at the two dozen or so coolly modified motorcycles parked haphazardly outside the entrance.
And those bosozoku, in twos and threes, either squatting on the roadside smoking or leaning against their motorcycles bragging.
A cold, sharp curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.
Just then, the door of the Pachinko shop was kicked open from the inside!
Immediately after, a middle-aged man in a suit, but with disheveled hair and a look of utter despair on his face, was thrown out like trash by two bosozoku wearing special attack uniforms.
He fell to the cold ground with a "thud," ignoring the pain in his body.
He scrambled and crawled to kneel before the two bosozoku, clutching their legs, and cried out tearfully:
"Big brother! Please... please lend me a little more money! Just one hundred thousand! No! Fifty thousand is fine!"
"I promise! I can definitely win it back this time! I was just that close! Just a little bit more!"
The two bosozoku, however, impatiently kicked him away, then spat out a vicious gob of saliva.
"Get lost! You've already lost three million, you bastard! Still want to win it back?!"
"In your next life!"
The middle-aged man was kicked and rolled several times on the ground, but he still refused to give up, struggling to get back up.
But another bosozoku directly stomped his foot heavily on the man's face, then, in an extremely contemptuous tone, said:
"No money left? No problem."
"I heard your wife is quite attractive? And your daughter, who's still in high school, seems pretty fresh too?"
"How about... you let them come over and 'chat' with us brothers? Maybe if we're happy, we'll lend you some more money?"
"Hahahahaha!"
Filthy words, accompanied by unrestrained laughter, echoed in the cold night.
Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man's body instantly stiffened.
In his already murky eyes, for the first time, deep fear and... regret appeared.
The cadres behind Ryuzaki Shin, watching this scene, all instinctively clenched their fists.
A trace of unbearable emotion flashed in Izaki Shun's eyes.
And Makise, even more, let out a roar and was about to charge forward!
"Damn it! These scumbags!"
However, before he could move, a hand gently rested on his shoulder.
It was Ryuzaki Shin.
Makise looked back to see Ryuzaki Shin, his face devoid of any expression, simply watching everything before him with an almost indifferent calm.
Then, he slowly shook his head.
Although Makise was puzzled, he still suppressed the anger in his heart and retreated.
He knew that Shin-nii must have his own plans.
Ryuzaki Shin looked at the scene before him, like a living hell, without the slightest ripple in his heart.
He had seen too many things more tragic and darker than this.
Those who are pitiable must have something hateful about them.
Since this man chose to walk into this shop, he must be prepared to bear all the consequences.
Just then, Tokaji Yuji, who had been silent, suddenly stepped forward and said in a deep voice:
"Boss, I've been to this shop before."
"On the surface, it's Pachinko, but in reality, there's an underground casino inside."
"That middle-aged man just now must have lost his mind upstairs, wanting to borrow high-interest loans to win back his money, and as a result... he played himself to death."
Izaki Shun also nodded in agreement. He pushed up his glasses, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.
"These Red Scorpion guys, although they're just a low-ranking bosozoku, the waters behind them run deep."
"I guess they must be colluding with some larger yakuza organization in Toyaru City; otherwise, they wouldn't dare to open such a big establishment here."
He paused, then looked at Ryuzaki Shin with a tone of inquiry.
"Ryuzaki, do we just charge in and smash the place, or..."
Ryuzaki Shin listened to their analysis and nodded inwardly.
He did not directly answer their questions; instead, he turned his gaze to Sasaki Yu, who had been standing beside him, silent the entire time.
"Xiao Yu, what do you think?"
Sasaki Yu was startled by the question, and then his fair, delicate face instantly flushed crimson.
He hadn't expected that at a time like this, Big Brother would ask for his opinion.
He glanced at Tokaji, who was eager to try, and then at Izaki Shun, who was confident.
He knew he couldn't embarrass Big Brother.
He took a deep breath and, imitating Ryuzaki Shin, slowly spoke in as calm a tone as possible:
"I think... what Big Brother Tokaji and Big Brother Izaki said both makes sense."
"But..."
His tone shifted, and a shrewdness unbefitting his age flashed in his normally timid eyes!
"We came here today to collect a debt, not to fight."
"So, I think we should... try diplomacy first."
"After all, why use fists for a problem that can be solved with money?"
When Ryuzaki Shin heard this, his eyes instantly lit up!
Well done!
This kid, he's got something!
He had originally thought Sasaki Yu was just a slightly chuunibyou, naive rich second-generation.
He hadn't expected him to say something so insightful at a crucial moment!
It seems the education of a chaebol family is indeed extraordinary.
Ryuzaki Shin thought to himself, it seems his previous guess was correct.
He patted Sasaki Yu on the shoulder and said in a highly appreciative tone:
"Xiao Yu, well said!"
"We'll do as you say!"
He paused, scanned his surroundings, and then issued an order in an unquestionable tone.
"Serizawa, Xiao Yu, you two come in with me."
"The rest of you stay outside and act as the situation dictates."
"Yes, Boss!"
Everyone responded in unison.
Serizawa, hearing his name called, showed an excited smile.
Mainly, he was poor; he wouldn't have dared to look at such a place before, so this was an eye-opener.
Tokaji and Makise, however, pouted with some reluctance.
Ryuzaki Shin ignored their reactions. He led Serizawa and an excited Sasaki Yu slowly towards the brightly lit pachinko parlor.
The two bosozoku smoking at the entrance merely glanced at the three as they approached.
Seeing them dressed in ordinary clothes, like students from the neighborhood, they didn't pay much attention, not even bothering to ask any questions.
Ryuzaki Shin and his two companions walked into the store unimpeded.
As soon as they entered, the two bosozoku began discussing them in extremely vulgar tones.
"Tch, just a few more poor students trying their luck."
"Yeah, I wonder if they'll cry all the way home to mommy after losing all their money, hahahaha!"
"You think, if that pretty boy runs out of money, will he..."
"Hehehe, goes without saying, doesn't it? That face of his is a hot commodity in Shinjuku!"
However, what they didn't know was that the "poor students" they spoke of were here today to cause trouble... As soon as Ryuzaki Shin walked into the store, a murky air, a mixture of smoke, alcohol, and cheap perfume, assailed him.
The entire hall was brightly lit and bustling with noise.
Dozens of pachinko machines were neatly arranged, emitting a constant, irritating clatter.
Countless gamblers, eyes bloodshot, stared intently at the machines before them, their faces etched with greed and excitement... Ryuzaki Shin ignored these utterly depraved gamblers. He merely scanned the area and quickly spotted a hidden door in a corner at the very back of the hall.
Two burly men in black suits and sunglasses stood by the door, exuding a fierce aura that warned others to keep their distance.
Ryuzaki Shin's lips curved into a smirk. He led the three directly towards that direction.
The two burly men saw them approaching, sneered dismissively, then opened the door and gestured for them to go down.
One of them even scrutinized Sasaki Yu with an extremely vulgar gaze, then chuckled sinisterly:
"Oh, another pretty boy, eh?"
"Kid, if you lose all your money later, you might consider some special services; there are plenty of people who like your type!"
Sasaki Yu's face turned green at his words, but he still forced himself to hold back from reacting.
Ryuzaki Shin gave the two men a deep look, memorizing their faces.
Ignoring their taunts, he walked directly down the stairs.
As soon as they reached the bottom, an even stronger, more foul and murky smell assailed them.
The underground casino was even more chaotic and frantic than upstairs.
Dice, pai gow... all sorts of gambling games were available.
Countless gamblers surrounded the tables, shouting hoarsely, their faces filled with greed and madness.
Just then!
In his mind, the system's prompt sounded again!
"Ding! Detecting that the host is making a final choice, the God-tier Choice System is activated!"
"Option One: Simple and crude. Directly overturn the nearest gambling table and loudly declare: 'I'm here to smash this place up, not to play house with you lot!' Completion Reward: Obtain skill [Demonic Strength] (Passive). Each of your attacks will increase attack speed by 10%, stacking up to 6 times!"
"Option Two: Walk up to the dealer and say earnestly: 'Are you hiring here? I think I'd be quite good at dealing cards. Mainly, I want to contribute to society.' Completion Reward: Obtain skill [Cash Power] (Active). You can throw banknotes as projectiles."
"Option Three: Look down on all beings. Is what these people play even called gambling? Personally sit at a table, win all these scumbags' money, and let them know what a true Gambling Saint is!! Completion Reward: Obtain skill [Gambling Mastery]!"
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There's one more update today, will post it later...