81 Trepidation

[Prefecture of Kanagawa, City of Yokohama]

Yokohama City held the distinction of being Japan's second-largest city. It was also home to the second most notorious gang in Japan, the Muchizuki-Kai, closely following the Yamauchi-gumi.

In contrast to traditional Japanese mansions, their headquarters took the form of a corporate building, resembling a company more than anything else. This structure, however, operated much like a "black company," imposing excessive workloads on its employees.

Within the expansive and opulent leader's office, masquerading as a CEO, sat Kinichiro Tominaga—the head of this criminal organization.

Standing before him, alongside a lady on his arm, was his son, Kenshin Tominaga. With a proud expression, Kenshin introduced his girlfriend, Reina Suzuki, to his father.

Reina Suzuki found herself in an uncomfortable situation, glancing around the room. She had been invited by her boyfriend to meet his family in Yokohama, as their family business was situated there, and it was only a short bullet train ride away. However, she had not anticipated that her charming boyfriend's father would be a menacing middle-aged man bearing a scar on his face.

Kinichiro Tominaga couldn't help but chuckle at Reina's nervousness and reassured her, saying, "No need to be so tense, my dear. I promise, I don't bite... hehe."

Kenshin joined in his father's laughter, adding reassuringly, "No need to feel nervous. My father might appear intimidating on the outside, but he's actually quite kind-hearted inside."

Kinichiro Tominaga's laughter only grew louder in response to his son's comment.

Reina found the exchange between the father and son to be somewhat unusual, but she attributed it to their close relationship.

In response to Kenshin's reassurance, Reina simply nodded.

Kinichiro Tominaga attempted to put on a kindly smile, but his fierce appearance persisted as he inquired, "I've heard that your father is the Chairman of the Suzuki Group?"

Reina Suzuki, her initial worry replaced by a sense of pride, nodded confidently and replied with a hint of arrogance, "Yes, that's correct!"

Kinichiro Tominaga didn't mind Reina Suzuki's confidence and responded with an even wider smile, saying, "Ah, I never expected my son to be so fortunate as to have the Suzuki Group's princess as his girlfriend..."

Despite feeling scared and nervous in Kinichiro Tominaga's presence, Reina Suzuki maintained her composure and spoke with a touch of arrogance.

Kenshin and Kinichiro exchanged discreet glances, harboring a hidden desire for the Suzuki Family's wealth. Even if they couldn't acquire all of it, they believed they could secure shares of the Suzuki Group through Shiro Suzuki's inheritance. Given Reina Suzuki's special place in Shiro Suzuki's heart, she was likely to receive a substantial inheritance. This could significantly boost Muchizuki-Kai's business. However, their future plans would soon face an unexpected interruption, as Reina's brother was poised to challenge them with his formidable force.

[Inside Shin's car]

The car smoothly traversed the road, with Takuza at the wheel, en route to the Yamauchi-gumi Headquarters. Shin couldn't deny feeling nervous as they neared the location, his heart pounding in his chest. Doubts began to creep into his mind.

After all, in his previous life, he had met his end when his boss had ordered someone from the underworld to eliminate him. This traumatic experience left Shin with lingering doubts about the success of his current plan.

As they arrived in Kobe, Tokyo, Shin's car drew closer to the Yamauchi-gumi's location. Takuza steered the vehicle onto a particular road, where they were soon intercepted by a convoy of black cars.

Men clad in black suits emerged from the vehicles and rapped on Shin's driver-side window. Takuza, still seated at the wheel, lowered the car window, revealing a man in a black suit.

The man in the black suit was Saito Nakamura, who had been tasked by the Oyabun himself to wait for a specific car to arrive. When he spotted the Mercedes approaching, he and his men intercepted the vehicle to verify if it was indeed the car or individuals the Oyabun was expecting.

Saito inquired, "Hello, are you Takuza Yamamoto?" He peered inside the car and observed a young man wearing a blue jacket, adorned with KiShin Merchandise branding, hands casually in his pockets. Saito scrutinized the young man's features.

Takuza nodded in response to Saito's question and promptly produced his identification for verification.

Saito shifted his attention from Shinro to Takuza. He examined the provided ID, then glanced at his men, who affirmed the confirmation.

The men in black suits nodded in agreement with Saito.

Saito nodded as he stated, "We've confirmed your identity as the person the Oyabun is expecting. However..." Saito's gaze returned to Shin, who nonchalantly met his eyes. Saito furrowed his brow and asked, "Who is this young man?"

Initially relieved, Takuza was taken aback by Saito's question. He responded with a hint of surprise, "You weren't informed?"

Saito's frown deepened as he shook his head.

Takuza chuckled softly and explained, "This young man is the one your Oyabun wished to meet."

Upon hearing this, Saito was visibly surprised. He scrutinized Shin's youthful appearance, finding it hard to believe. "Are you sure about this? That person seems too young... What possible business could he have with the Oyabun?" Saito questioned, skepticism evident in his voice.

Takuza wore a slight smile as he responded nonchalantly, "That's not your concern." He delivered the reply with a directness devoid of much emotion. In his eyes, the man before him appeared to be nothing more than a subordinate. Takuza had interacted with numerous influential Yakuza families in his city, making him impervious to intimidation from the man in the black suit.

Saito appeared taken aback by Takuza's direct and indifferent response.

Despite his frown, Saito chose not to press the matter any further. Takuza was right; it wasn't his place to question. Saito solemnly nodded to Takuza and, with a serious demeanor, signaled to the group of formally dressed men in black suits.

Saito cast one last glance at Takuza before making his way back to the car and stepping inside.

The convoy of black cars shifted to clear a path for Shin's car.

As Takuza closed the car's window, Shin gazed at him in surprise and commented, "I had no idea you could be so intimidating at times..." Initially, Shin had perceived Takuza as a laid-back and easygoing person, never expecting him to exude such coldness.

Takuza chuckled as he continued driving deeper into the Yamauchi-gumi's territory. "You see, that's how you must interact with individuals of that occupation," he explained. He glanced back at Shin before returning his focus to the road. "I treat people based on their professions," he added, pausing briefly to emphasize his point. "Shinro... You're about to encounter dangerous individuals. It's crucial to maintain a poker face. Revealing vulnerability could lead them to perceive you as weak and unworthy of respect. They might mock you and take advantage," he conveyed, his expression turning serious.

Upon hearing Takuza's advice, Shin adopted a resolute demeanor and nodded in appreciation. "I understand... Thank you for the guidance," Shin acknowledged. He truly valued the advice, recognizing its significance as he prepared to confront perilous individuals. 

In no time, he would come face-to-face with individuals who had blood on their hands. Despite his natural inclination to avoid such encounters, he had no choice but to proceed in order to ensure the growth of his company in this parallel Japan.

[Guys, I'm pleasantly surprised that when I woke up, we were already in the top 8. Thank you, and I apologize for the delayed updates.]