"You want me to fight Kengan matches for the Shinomiya family?"
Jaden frowned slowly.
He still hadn't decided whether he wanted to live as a fighter in this world, but he was very familiar with the name Shinomiya.
From the memories of this life-no, more accurately, from common knowledge-no one living in this country was unfamiliar with the three major conglomerates.
Togami.
Shinomiya.
Sanzenin.
Aside from these three, there was supposedly once another giant corporation, but for some reason it had vanished. Even digging through his memories, Jaden couldn't recall its name.
Even so, Togami, Shinomiya, and Sanzenin were absolute giants.
So when Kaguya Shinomiya mentioned the Shinomiya family, Jaden couldn't help but feel surprised.
Not tempted.
Just genuinely astonished.
He had already heard from Erina how important Kengan matches were to corporations in this country.
Which meant-
How could a family like Shinomiya lack fighters?
And yet they were approaching a newcomer like him?
It was hard to imagine.
"Not for the Shinomiya family," Kaguya Shinomiya said calmly. "For me."
She exhaled slowly and met Jaden's gaze directly.
"The Shinomiya family has no shortage of fighters. In fact, we have many."
"Even if someone wins a Kengan match, it means nothing to the Shinomiya name."
"Because we fight Kengan matches frequently, even the more capable fighters only receive better treatment within the family. It's not enough to make a direct member go out of their way to recruit them."
She paused briefly.
"And you wouldn't think a corporation as large as Shinomiya doesn't train its own fighters, would you?"
...That was blunt.
Jaden swept his gaze over her and smiled faintly.
"So not for the Shinomiya family, but for you."
"That means what you need isn't just a fighter."
"And since you came to me-a newcomer-it also means the compensation you can offer isn't particularly high."
"At least, not high enough to match what you want me to do."
"Am I wrong?"
Kaguya Shinomiya nodded without hesitation.
"That is indeed the case at present."
She smiled.
"But the present is irrelevant."
"Even if you fought Kengan matches for the Shinomiya family, all you'd gain is slightly better treatment."
"But if you help me accomplish certain things..."
"You'll secure an entire bright future."
This had always been her plan.
Kaguya Shinomiya understood her own advantages.
And she acknowledged her disadvantages.
She wasn't highly valued within the family.
But she was still a legitimate direct member.
The eldest daughter of a merchant family on the scale of Shinomiya.
The reason she hadn't acted before was simple.
What she had seen up until now wasn't enough.
But then she saw Jaden.
A newcomer who defeated the super rookie Ryo Himuro with a single punch.
Most investments pursued stable, high returns.
But she had already been pushed to the edge.
So she could only choose a high-risk gamble.
Or accept a slow death.
For Kaguya Shinomiya, seeing a possibility was enough.
And Jaden was that possibility.
"If we fail, we lose everything," she said softly.
"But if we succeed..."
"Mr. Yuki, I'm willing to give you one-tenth of the Shinomiya family."
One-tenth.
The words carried weight.
In Jaden's understanding of this country, the Shinomiya family was essentially a strengthened, merged version of multiple top conglomerates from his previous life.
Among Shinomiya, Togami, and Sanzenin, the latter two were more active overseas, their influence spread across the world.
Shinomiya, on the other hand, rarely extended outward.
In exchange, its control over the mainland was terrifying.
Even combined, Togami and Sanzenin could only restrain Shinomiya to some extent.
They couldn't achieve true balance.
Calling an ordinary merchant family "rich enough to rival a nation" was praise.
Calling one-tenth of Shinomiya "rich enough to rival a nation" was almost an understatement.
The offer was undeniably tempting.
But Jaden wasn't the kind of person who would be blinded by it.
Because he could see it clearly.
Kaguya Shinomiya was offering him a banknote called "opportunity."
A zero-cost gamble for her.
If he won, she gained nine-tenths for free.
If he lost, he lost everything.
Jaden understood how important opportunity was in this country.
He really did.
But-
When he had been researching this world at home, he had already thought about it.
In his previous life, he was constantly busy.
Studying.
Chasing opportunities.
Pouring everything he had into the future.
And just as he was about to realize his value-
He arrived here.
If she wanted him to exhaust himself again for a so-called opportunity...
He didn't want that anymore.
Not becoming a chef was like that.
Fighting Kengan matches for interest was like that.
All his days here had followed that same principle.
As long as he was happy, it was enough.
Using his second life to desperately fight for someone else-
"Let's forget it," Jaden said calmly.
"A reward this large means trouble countless times greater."
"If this were a game, I'd definitely accept the hidden quest."
"But betting my life on it?"
"I'm sorry."
"I can't help you."
"You should look for someone else."
Kaguya Shinomiya wasn't surprised.
If he had agreed so easily, she would have been disappointed.
"Profit and risk always go hand in hand, Mr. Yuki," she said. "Are you afraid?"
"Provocation won't work on me."
"If you think I'm afraid, then so be it."
"I genuinely lack the ability."
"You should invite someone more capable."
Jaden said this calmly.
And Kaguya Shinomiya smiled.
She slipped a business card into his hand.
"In that case," she said, "contact me when you're more confident."
"There's no need to rush."
The moment the card touched his palm, Jaden hesitated-just for a split second.
That was enough.
Kaguya Shinomiya and Ai Hayasaka turned and walked away.
...
Jaden stared at the business card in his hand.
Speechless.
"Did she just set a trap for me?"
There was no helping it.
Who wouldn't hesitate when holding a ticket that could grant one-tenth of the Shinomiya family?
This time-
It was his desire fighting against his reason.
Sigh.
Jaden let out a breath.
His decision hadn't changed.
Still, he casually tucked the business card into his pocket.
They hadn't spoken outside the O-uchu owner's office.
He had followed Kaguya Shinomiya and Ai Hayasaka to a quiet corner of the hallway.
Meanwhile, Erina had already finished speaking with Ohya Ken.
She came looking for Jaden.
And while hiding on the other side of the corner wall, she heard almost the entire conversation.
At first, she was shocked that the Shinomiya family wanted Jaden.
But as she listened-
To Kaguya Shinomiya's offer.
To Jaden's refusal-
The hesitation in her heart slowly faded.
-If Jaden refused Shinomiya, then I definitely can't drag him into Totsuki's affairs.
She knew he wasn't a bad person.
She understood that when he helped her, it was out of goodwill, wrapped in awkward excuses.
-Just like bringing her to O-uchu this time.
And because she understood that, she felt even more certain.
She couldn't pull him down with her.
Even though the Nakiri family hadn't taught her this way-
She made the decision herself.
As for Jaden-
Just as he put away the business card, another figure emerged from the corner.
Seeing the person approach, Jaden finally understood what Erina meant earlier about him becoming famous after just one Kengan match.
-This is getting troublesome.
But unlike Kaguya Shinomiya, this person didn't make an offer.
They handed him a letter.
"Mr. Yugi asked me to give you this," the person said.
"He was worried you might overthink things."
"He said that after you read it, you should visit him when you have time in the next few days."
With that, the person turned and disappeared into the shadows.
Jaden looked down at the letter.
From the memories of this life, he already knew the old director-Old Man Yugi-wasn't as simple as he seemed.
After all, the old man had given him an apartment.
Arranged for him to enroll at Totsuki.
Even so, Jaden hadn't expected contact after just one Kengan match.
But judging from everything he knew, the old man was kind.
He would never harm him.
Even the house he lived in now came from him.
Jaden remembered that kindness.
And since enrolling at Totsuki, he hadn't gone back to visit in a long time.
Now that the old man wanted to see him-
"Then," Jaden murmured, "after settling Erina's return to Totsuki..."
"I'll bring a gift."
"And go see the old man."
More Bonus Chapters!!!!
Every 250 power stones = Bonus Chapter