The Nogi Group's Commission

Gradually, the men in black noticed that something was off.

Shiraki Uke stood 187 centimeters tall, and Mr. Tonegawa was nearly 180 centimeters tall. Both counted as "tall."

But at that moment, both of them looked noticeably "taller" to the people around them, so much so that they had to look up at them!

If it had to be explained, it was probably... their auras?

The auras they gave off were completely different, yet their presence seemed equal, making it impossible to look away.

Even the air seemed to blur around them. After more than ten seconds passed like that, Shiraki Uke and Tonegawa both snorted at once and burst out laughing.

"As expected of someone involved in the 'underworld,' I know what to do now—"

Tonegawa adopted a more relaxed expression, then suddenly bowed his head slightly and said to Shiraki Uke in a serious tone, "I'm truly, terribly sorry about this incident!"

"...Eek?!"

The two men in black couldn't help crying out in surprise.

They had never expected Mr. Tonegawa to be the first to apologize!

They weren't the only ones. Even Shiraki Uke was a little surprised, but after a moment's thought, he understood the crux of the matter.

Shiraki Uke grinned. "Mr. Tonegawa, did you prepare two different approaches?"

"No, more than two."

Tonegawa enjoyed talking to smart people. He smiled faintly and said, "Entrepreneurs, ordinary people, deadbeats, people from the underworld... and so on. They all require different negotiating methods."

This was the Teiai Group's number two!

In terms of unarmed combat alone, Tonegawa, a "businessman," was no match for Shiraki Uke. Threatening him with force would be useless, so he might as well be frank from the start.

It was hard to strike someone who greeted you with a smile. Besides, Shiraki Uke had a connection to that "Katahara Metsudo," so there was no need to act like a superior.

"Please, come in."

Shiraki Uke stepped aside and invited the four into the open lot, then set out a table and hot water for them.

Though he wasn't thirsty, Tonegawa took a tactful sip.

The two men in black followed his example. Only the Sanjigumi underboss knelt off to the side by himself, his hair a mess from nerves.

"Back to business."

Tonegawa waved a hand, and a man in black took out a document and placed it in front of Shiraki Uke.

"The Sanjigumi and my company—the Teiai Group—have an ongoing business relationship. They help us collect some troublesome debts."

"Not long ago, the Sanjigumi received a commission. The client offered a great deal of money to watch an unofficial Kengan match, but required that the outcome be controlled."

"Suspicious from every angle, right? But the client offered so much that those fools didn't even have time to think!"

"And so the Sanjigumi's boss, Inoue Sugaya, came to you. He planned to have you fight a match you were sure to lose while collecting the debt on this plot of land."

"I won't make excuses for our side, but our debt collectors were also taken in by that story. They never considered the danger involved."

Tonegawa let out a heavy sigh.

"Think about it carefully, and it's obvious: having a fighter registered with the Kengan Association throw a match would not only damage the association's reputation, but also offend its member companies."

"Thankfully—you won."

Tonegawa looked at Shiraki Uke. "Although it also displeased the Kengan Association, this was already the best possible outcome. Thank you very much!"

"As for the 'client,' he used a false identity, and our subsequent investigation turned up no leads. I'm sorry."

"..."

With that said, the outline of what had happened gradually became clear.

Tonegawa's gesture of goodwill made things much easier for Shiraki Uke, who asked what would happen to his family's debt.

Tonegawa produced another contract.

"As an apology and a punishment, the Sanjigumi will bear all the expenses, compensation, and cleanup from this underground fight, as well as part of your debt."

"As for your family's debt, it will be reduced to twenty million yen, and no further interest will accrue."

"—That is the greatest concession we can make."

At that, Tonegawa suddenly raised an eyebrow and looked at Shiraki Uke. "That won't be much of a problem for you, will it?"

"..."

Shiraki Uke rubbed his chin and began to think.

Tonegawa's side had shown considerable sincerity and remorse. After all, his medical expenses alone had previously come to about twenty million yen.

That effectively meant the Teiai Group had provided a low-interest loan, with a rate not much different from a bank's.

Ten million yen of the debt had been written off, and no further interest would accrue. It was indeed a very good outcome.

"..."

Shiraki Uke was about to agree when the Sanjigumi underboss suddenly spoke up from the side.

"Wait!"

No longer concerned with appearances, the underboss crawled to the table on his hands and knees, waving his hands frantically. "That's not right! You can't do that!"

Under Tonegawa's proposal, the Sanjigumi would have to cover the ten million yen written off Shiraki Uke's debt, plus all the expenses, compensation, and cleanup from the underground fight, for a total of around twenty million yen.

Now that the Sanjigumi had been abandoned by their bosses, the Jinwa Group, its members had scattered like monkeys from a fallen tree, leaving the underboss a commander without a single subordinate.

If Shiraki Uke agreed, the underboss alone would be twenty million yen in debt, with no way to pay it back!

"Mr. Tonegawa, Bai Mu, let's talk this over again!"

The underboss hurriedly proposed, "Bai Mu and I—or just me—will track down the client and give the Teiai Group an answer. If we succeed, write off all the debt!"

"Hey, Bai Mu, your family can't pay back twenty million either, can it? Let's make the proposal to the Teiai Group together. We'll track down the real culprit behind this..."

Before the underboss could finish, Tonegawa cut him off sharply. "Spineless trash!"

The underboss was so startled that a few strands of hair drooped down. "...Huh?!"

Before he could defend himself, he saw that Shiraki Uke had already signed the new contract.

The underboss immediately went limp and collapsed to the ground.

Tonegawa glanced at the underboss, who lay there like a lump of mud, and waved mercilessly for the men in black to drag him away. "You idiot, don't think everyone in the world is your mother!"

Shiraki Uke felt much the same way.

The cost of his treatment was real, and the bank wouldn't have approved a loan for Arisa, a minor. Without the Teiai Group's loan, there was no telling whether his family could have made it through the past few years.

From that perspective, the Teiai Group's money really had helped them through an urgent crisis.

A debt had to be repaid—Shiraki Uke had no intention of bargaining.

"..."

Tonegawa looked over the contract, which had been made in duplicate, and put away his copy.

"Under the contract, if you still can't repay the twenty million yen debt within a year, your family's plot of land will still belong to the Teiai Group. Is that clear?"

Shiraki Uke nodded and smiled readily. "Of course."

"Very good. Sorry for the trouble, and thank you for the hospitality."

Tonegawa rose and took his leave.

Tonegawa returned to the back seat of the black sedan.

The underboss was still slumped in the front passenger seat. One man in black drove, while the other sat beside Tonegawa.

Tonegawa tossed the contract to the man in black beside him and said casually, "Stop considering the development of that plot. Find another plan."

"What?!"

The two men in black were bewildered. "Mr. Tonegawa, you saw the Shiraki family's situation too. How could they possibly come up with twenty million in a year? There's no need to abandon the development plan!"

"Idiots!"

Tonegawa shouted at them again and said helplessly, "I've told you many times: look at a person's spirit."

"Trash who drift through life and refuse to pay their debts aren't remotely the same kind of people as an exceptional talent who can turn a situation around. They're not even the same species!"

"That man, Shiraki Uke, will definitely find a way to earn twenty million yen. He might even do it soon. There's no need to consider the possibility of failure at all!"

"Hmph. Besides that, there's another matter to deal with—"

Tonegawa rubbed his brow, his expression changing.

"We must find a way to investigate and find out just who that person is who commissioned the Sanjigumi and schemed against the Teiai Group."

Chapter 13: The Nogi Group's Commission

In some ways, the human body was a wondrous thing.

A body brought to life by intense combat could naturally recover very quickly with appropriate, timely medical treatment.

Thus, on the third day after the match, Shiraki Uke had already removed his bandages.

Free of their restraint, exercising was much easier, and he could finally begin intensive strength training.

Though he had no professional exercise equipment, there were several stone locks, wooden posts, tires, and the like in a corner of the warehouse, all useful tools.

Shiraki Uke carried them into the open lot, coughing as the dust on them got in his face.

"Phew..."

He rubbed his nose, his face grimy.

What he had before him was enough to begin rehabilitation training, but to go further, he would need more professional equipment. At the very least, he needed dumbbells and barbells.

Maybe getting a gym membership would be a good option too?