Escalating Chaos / Blood Is Spilled

Shinjuku, the Abandoned Building.

With the arrival of yet another visitor, the atmosphere grew even more chaotic.

Higashi Kōichi.

The number two referee of Kakerou.

He was an elderly man dressed in a suit and leather shoes, older than Akagi Shigeru and nearly the same age as Q Dalang, but utterly different from him in appearance and bearing.

His gray-white hair was slicked back, his facial features were sharply defined, his eyebrows were thick and curled at the ends, and a distinctive little mustache sat on his upper lip.

He stood straight and was well-proportioned, with a white handkerchief tucked into his breast pocket. He looked impeccably presentable and every bit a gentleman.

"Everyone," Higashi Kōichi said calmly, bowing before raising his eyes to survey the room, "Kakerou will be officiating this gamble."

"..."

The atmosphere in the room grew somewhat stiff.

Shiraki Uke was the first to break the silence. Unable to hold it in any longer, he leaned back in his chair and burst out laughing.

"Pfft—haha! We said we'd have a quiet one-on-one gamble, but this room just keeps getting livelier!"

This gamble should have been a contest between Baku Madarame and Q Dalang, but through a series of coincidences, it had grown more and more complicated.

There was Shiraki himself, who had accepted a commission from the Nogi Group; Akagi Shigeru, who acted as he pleased; Baku Madarame, who had his own objective; Takaomi Kaji, who had followed Baku here; Q Dalang, who killed for fun; the Masked Man, who gave off the smell of blood; and Higashi Kōichi, who was here to officiate the gamble.

With seven people gathered together, the office was already a little crowded.

As Shiraki Uke marveled at it, Yagyou came to a stop beside the gambling table with his hands behind his back, his gaze passing over the faces in the room.

Even with all he had seen, he could not help feeling a little surprised.

"Hmm, quite a gathering of rare guests..."

Baku Madarame went without saying. He had deep ties to Kakerou and was an old acquaintance of Yagyou himself.

The other one... was presumably Akagi Shigeru.

The "Man of the Divine Realm" who held sway over the underworld came and went without a trace, but his name was known to everyone.

The young man with short black hair beside Baku looked a little nervous and was thoroughly unremarkable.

As for the last one—the one laughing so loudly—he drew a few extra glances from Yagyou.

He was an unfamiliar face, a fairly tall man with streamlined muscles faintly visible beneath his loose jacket. His physical abilities were certainly beyond those of an ordinary person; he had to be a professional when it came to "fighting."

Yagyou could not help wondering whether the man was "muscle" hired by Baku Madarame. But judging by where he stood, he seemed to be on Akagi Shigeru's side.

Akagi Shigeru, Baku Madarame, and Q Dalang—were there three sides to tonight's gamble?

The complicated situation piqued Yagyou's interest. The corners of his mouth rose, lifting his delicate little mustache.

As Higashi pondered, Kaji Takaomi, an ordinary person, could not help asking.

"Excuse me, but what exactly is 'Kakerou'...?"

"..."

Yagyou narrowed his eyes and, in accordance with the usual rules, began introducing Kakerou to everyone.

"Since Lord Kokonoe's opponent today is not a member of Kakerou, I shall explain once more."

"'Kakerou' is a 'neutral organization' that presides over and officiates gambles at its members' request."

"Once a winner and loser have been decided, our club also assumes responsibility for collecting the stakes."

Yagyou paused. "Even if the stake is your life—the same applies."

"..."

Takaomi Kaji was somewhat bewildered by this. "A life? You must be joking..."

"No."

Yagyou explained slowly, "Our club has a long history. According to our records, we began operating as far back as 441 years ago."

"The foundation of Kakerou was laid by our first leader, Kiruma Yōnosuke. In the beginning, the leader was merely responsible for punishing scoundrels who refused to accept their losses..."

"Most of our first clients were commoners, followed later by merchants, samurai, and officials... The people who used our services rose higher and higher in status, until even those in power came to us to preside over and officiate their gambles."

"In particular, even when stakes and rules are difficult to settle, we can officiate appropriately, and 'always collect the stakes.'"

"Our first leader was a master of ninjutsu to begin with. No matter how high his opponent's status or how great their power, he could always collect the stakes in the end."

"As a result, Kakerou earned the trust of those in power, and its influence gradually reached the very heart of the nation."

At this, Yagyou smiled faintly.

"There is also an interesting story about the first leader—"

"In 1582, whether out of carelessness or on a whim, Oda Nobunaga, having accomplished his ambition of conquest, actually wagered his own head against the leader."

"It is said that Nobunaga lost, and the leader took his head at Honnō-ji."

"Besides that, there were the Sakuradamon Incident, the assassinations of key government officials during the Meiji Restoration, the wrongful imprisonment of a Shōwa-era politician, and the overnight bankruptcy of a certain young IT company president..."

"Many events throughout history were actually just a matter of paying gambling debts."

"..."

The long explanation left not only Takaomi Kaji dumbstruck, but also piqued Akagi Shigeru's interest a little.

He had heard of Kakerou before, but this was the first time he had received such a detailed introduction.

"Officiating gambles and settling disputes..."

Akagi Shigeru glanced at Shiraki Uke, then looked over at Yagyou. "Like the Kengan Association?"

Yagyou noticed Akagi Shigeru's glance and surmised that Shiraki Uke probably had some connection to the Kengan Association. He then patiently explained, "No, they are different in nature. Presiding over fighting matches and officiating gambles are two different things."

"I see." Akagi Shigeru nodded.

"Mr. Yagyou, that's enough explaining."

Q Dalang had grown a little impatient from waiting and cut in. "What we need to discuss now is the stakes. Please decide on the amount from a neutral standpoint."

"In that case..." Yagyou was just about to speak when Baku Madarame suddenly cut in.

"Ah—I have a suggestion about the stakes!"

Baku Madarame pulled a pickled plum from his pocket and, chewing on it, pointed at Q Dalang. "I don't want ten million. I want your Kakerou membership. How about it?"

Q Dalang could not help laughing. "Hahaha, so you want my membership..."

His expression was amiable, but inwardly he muttered, cursing the young man before him as a fool.

All it had taken was that description for him to get carried away. How precious was a Kakerou membership? How could a mere young thug possibly be worth such a stake?

"A membership is worth far more than ten million. At this rate, we'll never be done..."

At a loss, Q Dalang turned to Yagyou. "Mr. Yagyou, I'll leave the decision to Kakerou. You can set the stakes."

"Very well."

Yagyou nodded with considerable gentlemanly grace and said in a low voice, "Well, in that case, Lord Kokonoe shall wager his membership—along with all his assets, including his real estate, as the stakes for tonight."

"..."

At those words, Q Dalang's smile froze.

"Mr. Yagyou..."

Q Dalang forced a smile. "By that reckoning, tonight's stake would be my Kakerou membership, thirty million yen in cash, and this building."

"...You really want me to wager it all?"

Q Dalang stared at Yagyou. "Are the people in this room really worth that much? At least tell me the basis for your judgment."

"The basis?"

Yagyou's expression did not change. "What a strange question. Kakerou's judgment is 'absolute.' We never make mistakes in our valuation, so I must ask Lord Kokonoe to abide by our club's rules."

"...Quite right."

Q Dalang was displeased, but he could not take back what he had just said.

But immediately afterward, something happened that angered Q Dalang even more—

Higashi Kōichi actually bowed slightly to the other four and asked, "That is the extent of Lord Kokonoe's assets. May I ask whether it is sufficient?"

Akagi Shigeru still wanted to raise the stakes and wager more, but Baku Madarame spoke first. "Ah, that's fine."

"Very well."

Yagyou looked helpless and remarked, "You gentlemen are being far too accommodating to Lord Kokonoe."

Q Dalang froze, veins bulging on his forehead with anger.

Chapter 19: Blood Is Spilled

"Ha—hahaha!"

Q Dalang was so furious that he laughed, his fingernails rubbing back and forth over his cane.

Before he could calm himself, he saw Baku Madarame cross his legs and grin slyly. "Grandpa, are you scared? Scared I'll win the gamble easily..."

"That's true. Big stakes are far too exciting for someone your age. They're bad for your health."

Baku Madarame looked over at Akagi Shigeru and Shiraki Uke on the other side and suggested to Shiraki Uke, "Hey, buddy, for your old man's health, maybe you shouldn't let him play?"