Chapter 83: Not the Same Kind of People
Aura!
As Shiraki Kei and the others walked into the reception hall, the situation became even more complex. Itou Kaiji felt the pressure mount, his mind becoming unusually active as that word flashed through his thoughts.
There were so many different auras!
Since the young "Leader" had appeared, he had been radiating an intense aura, almost dominating everything in the room.
Whether it was that tasteless dad joke, temporarily sparing Sadakuni, or his subsequent "perfect plan," he was practically leading everyone by the nose.
That unique, eerie aura carried a strong aggression.
Only Akagi Shigeru remained as calm as ever, unmoved no matter what happened.
The young Leader's long speech had been intended to break through Akagi's "defenses," but it had failed, interrupted by the sudden intrusion of Kei and the others.
Those few people brought different auras too!
Ignorant, sharp, unfathomable, and savagely violent...
And Shiraki Kei?
If Kaiji had to describe it, he was the "dynamic" kind.
Unlike the young Leader's eerie, calm "perfection," Kei felt active to Kaiji, like a burning bonfire.
Kaiji clearly remembered that in success books and TV lectures, "successful people" always emphasized calming one's aura, or else success was impossible.
Even parents taught their children to think before acting and avoid impulsiveness.
Since everyone said so, it must be right, right? So Kaiji had believed it.
But tonight, seeing Kei, Kaiji felt that compared to the young Leader's "perfection," Kei's "uncertain dynamism" was far more attractive.
"..."
Kei stood face-to-face with the Kakerou Leader.
Although the Leader was clearly trained and fitter than the average person, he was still physically inferior to Kei.
Plus, after successive battles, Kei was covered in blood, making him look even more ferocious.
Yet the Leader showed no fear, calmly rubbing his chin, his aura clashing with Kei's, neither giving an inch.
"More... filth?"
The elderly gentleman stepped sideways, blocking the Leader, staring coldly at Kei. "It seems like a large piece of trash, but with a little time, it can be cleaned up."
"—Sorry," Kei paused, shrugging with a smile. "I didn't catch that."
The next instant—!
At extremely close range, both Kei and the gentleman reached out and kicked simultaneously.
Kei wanted to throw, but the gentleman chose close-quarters striking, slapping Kei's neck and eyes with the back of his hand.
Sensing the other's intent, both changed moves instantly.
Slap! Thud!
Kei tried to grab the gentleman's arm and neck, but the gentleman shifted his footing, preventing Kei from getting behind him.
Hand against hand, foot against foot, they were locked in a stalemate, unable to move.
Both had follow-up moves ready to launch, but the Leader suddenly spoke up curiously. "Is that so? You're the Kengan member who defeated a referee."
Since the Leader spoke, the gentleman paused, his movements freezing.
Kei also held his position, tilting his head to look at the Leader. "Yeah, I beat Mekama. You said you were grateful, so you owe me a favor, right?"
"Of course."
The Leader nodded slightly, then changed the subject. "However, the trouble surrounding that shipment of smuggled arms isn't small. The MPD is watching, so it would be hard for you to handle."
"Kakerou resolved it perfectly, indirectly solving a huge problem for you. So the favor is returned. We're even."
...
Kei shrugged, noncommittal.
On the other side, Baku suddenly spoke up. "Wow. It was an oversight within your own organization, yet you immediately call in the favor to cancel it out. You really are cold."
Hearing this, the Leader hid behind the gentleman again, whispering, "Who is that?"
"Madarame. Known as [Usogui]."
The gentleman answered calmly. "A few years ago, he challenged you, Leader, to Gekokujō and lost his life. He should have died long ago, but survived because you changed your mind."
"Hmm, so that happened. I don't remember it clearly. Must be a minor character not worth remembering."
The Leader nodded. "Whatever. Ignore him. Tonight's matter is more critical."
Seeing his interruption was useless, Baku fell silent, his expression unreadable.
Meanwhile, the Leader's attention was drawn to someone else.
"Indeed. Is it Kyara?"
The gentleman had also noticed the man early on. Even standing in the corner, that savage presence was palpable.
"A former Number 0 who left Kakerou—a man still hunted by the organization—shamelessly appearing here."
The gentleman narrowed his eyes. "Are you cozying up to the loser dogs?"
Kyara glared back, retorting without hesitation. "Yako Jouichi, you wanna eat dirt?!"
Both were impulsive types, ready to fight at the drop of a hat.
However, the gentleman was still locked in a stalemate with Kei, neither willing to let go first.
As the atmosphere deadlocked, another group pushed open the doors and entered the reception hall, adding more fuel to the fire.
Hyodo Kazutaka, Akimiya Kaede, Suedo Atsushi, and the Kengan referee—these four came from the monitoring room, each with different mindsets, mixing into the chaos.
Seeing this, the Leader patted the gentleman on the shoulder, signaling him to step back.
The gentleman released his grip, creating some distance from Kei.
"Sigh..."
The Leader sighed heavily, looking troubled. "So, what now? Although this is just between Kakerou and IDEAL, too many people have gotten involved."
"I don't want to start a fight tonight, so I have to come up with a successful plan. What a headache..."
The Leader started talking to himself. It sounded like complaining, yet he exuded supreme confidence, as if he could solve any difficulty perfectly.
His unique aura spread again, about to dominate the room.
But just then, a soft laugh rang out.
"Heh. As expected..."
Akagi Shigeru spoke, lighting a warm candle in the unnaturally cold atmosphere.
He looked at the Leader. "As expected, we are not the same kind of people. You crave perfection and success."
"But for me, success is a troublesome thing. As soon as I get it, I want to break it. Otherwise, my shoulders feel heavy."
As he spoke, Akagi pushed the table beside him.
Piled on it were several briefcases, each filled with money—the ten billion yen he had just won from Sadakuni.
Cigarette in mouth, Akagi looked at Kei nearby.
"So then, I'll entrust all the 'success' I won tonight to Kei-kun. Don't think this old man is annoying."
Hearing this, Kei smiled knowingly. "Nice. That's awesome!"
He looked at the Leader, explaining with a smile, "When conflicts of interest are hard to decide, messy and chaotic, involving both violence and order, businessmen choose a method to settle the dispute—"
"Entrusting their wishes to the fists of fighters."
"That is a 'Kengan Match'!"
Kei stared into the young man's profound eyes.
"To compete for the right to purchase the Espoir—Leader of Kakerou, let's have a Kengan match!"