Chapter 209: Kurosawa Haruka
Chapter 209: Kurosawa Haruka
"Open the door! Open the door!"
"Idiot! Are you a child? Why are you being polite to someone hindering the family's progress? Break the door down!"
"Yes, Boss Watanabe! Boss Watanabe, where are you going?"
"I don't want to see that waste from the Takaichi family."
"Understood, Boss Watanabe. You take a walk; this will be over soon."
As soon as the noise outside subsided, a loud boom echoed as the door was violently smashed open.
For awakened individuals, a wooden door like this posed no obstacle.
Outside stood over a dozen burly men, all menacing in appearance. At the forefront was a towering man named Inoue Mao Koji, a D-rank awakened.
Inside, Takaichi Ryo sat in an e-sports chair, his face expressionless, his eyes numb and indifferent.
The moment Inoue Mao Koji laid eyes on Takaichi Ryo, a phrase came to mind:
"Facing disaster with an unshaken calm."
Takaichi Ryo's composure reminded Inoue Mao Koji of the late family head.
He swallowed hard, a mixture of shock, nostalgia, and an almost imperceptible fear flashing in his eyes.
Quickly masking his emotions, Inoue Mao Koji grinned arrogantly and said,
"Kid, so you didn't run away after all."
Takaichi Ryo stared at him calmly.
Unnerved by the gaze, Inoue Mao Koji felt irritated and snorted coldly,
"The Takaichi family might have tolerated someone useless like you, but you've become an obstacle to the family's future.
So, sorry, you must die!"
Many in the Takaichi family opposed the idea of the clan aligning with the Great General.
For those who adhered to the samurai spirit, some still had their pride.
They didn't want to become slaves to monsters.
For the first time, a trace of emotion appeared on Takaichi Ryo's face. With a hint of mockery, he said,
"Since when did the goal of the Takaichi family's progress become becoming slaves to monsters?"
"Slaves to monsters."
Those words struck the hearts of the men standing behind Inoue Mao Koji like a heavy blow.
The phrase was filthy, repulsive.
Even Inoue Mao Koji's expression flickered unnaturally. He took a step forward, grabbing Takaichi Ryo by the collar and slamming him against the wall.
With a ferocious glare, Inoue Mao Koji growled through gritted teeth,
"The Great General has already arrived in Ashlanda. She's about to replace the imperial family!
For the sake of the family's progress, for the clan's survival, we must align with the Great General!
If we lose our lives, what future is there to speak of?
The Takaichi family absolutely cannot be destroyed because of someone as useless as you!"
If Takaichi Ryo remained alive, the elders who opposed the Great General would undoubtedly back him as the new family head, overthrowing Takaichi Jiro.
They would prop up this puppet to clash with the Great General, leading to the Takaichi family's total annihilation.
Inoue Mao Koji tightened his grip.
"So, please obediently go to hell!"
Takaichi Ryo struggled to breathe, his eyes filled with pity for the despicable man before him.
"How utterly pathetic."
Outside the rented apartment, in a small patch of greenery.
Four or five eccentrically dressed delinquents crouched like rats, sneaking glances at the building above.
"Big sister, those are Takaichi family people. Young Master Ryo might be done for!"
A long-haired delinquent whispered fearfully.
"Move! You're in my way!"
A slender, fair hand roughly grabbed the long-haired delinquent's braid, yanking him back and causing him to stumble.
The hand's owner peeked out, her gaze sharp and mischievous as she stared at the building above.
She was a tall woman with long black hair, an imposing aura, and a figure that was both slender and curvaceous.
At a glance, she bore a striking resemblance to Bayonetta, the Umbra Witch.
This was Kurosawa Haruka, the big sister of the Tomb Tiger gang.
"Big sister, maybe we should leave this alone. The Takaichi family's business isn't something we can meddle in," one of the delinquents said timidly.
"Yeah, big sister, look at those guys—they're at least E-rank or D-rank!"
"The gap is too big!"
The Tomb Tiger gang members whispered among themselves, trying to dissuade her.
Most of them were F-rank, with Kurosawa Haruka being the only E-rank among them.
Facing those D-rank Takaichi family men would be suicide.
The long-haired delinquent leaned closer and whispered in Kurosawa Haruka's ear,
"Big sister, maybe we should get the boss involved! The boss is a solid D-rank. If he leads the whole gang, we can definitely save Young Master Ryo!"
Kurosawa Haruka's eyes flashed with disdain.
"My father only cares about money!
When he found out Takaichi Ryo was broke, he forced us to break up.
Now that Takaichi Ryo is being hunted by his own family, do you think he'd help?!"
Despite its intimidating name, Tomb Tiger wasn't taken seriously in Ashlanda's underground circles.
In fact, there was a saying about them in the streets...
"Following Tomb Tiger means starving nine meals in three days."
The Tomb Tiger gang used to scrape by with petty jobs, like working as security guards or extorting protection fees from high school students.
But now, with Mount Vesuvio's volcano on the brink of eruption, many people had begun fleeing Ashlanda. The city's economy was in free fall, and even the gang's meager share of the pie had been snatched away by more powerful organizations.
"But..." The long-haired delinquent tried to argue further.
Kurosawa Haruka cut him off impatiently.
"Shut up! That man is mine, and I will save him!
He may be heartless toward me, but I cannot be ungrateful toward him!
In the world of outlaws, the most important thing is loyalty!"
The long-haired delinquent was at a loss.
"Big sister, what's so great about Takaichi Ryo?"
A rare blush crept across Kurosawa Haruka's face.
"He's handsome!"
Her sudden shyness left the gang members stunned, all letting out a synchronized "Whoa!"
Kurosawa Haruka cleared her throat and regained her composure.
"Listen up, here's the plan!
Braids and Spiky, you two attack from the left and draw them away!
Porcupine, you're with me to rescue Takaichi Ryo.
Coyote, your legs aren't great, so stay here to cover us! Be our lookout, got it?
Oh, and earlier, I spotted a man—Watanabe.
That guy's a C-rank. Not sure where he went, though.
Everyone clear?"
Though scared, the gang members knew loyalty came first in the underworld.
Whatever their big sister said, they obeyed.
They nodded solemnly.
Kurosawa Haruka shifted from a crouch to a low, stealthy stance, her eyes glinting with determination.
"Then let's stick to the plan!"
But just then, they all felt a shadow pass overhead.
In unison, they looked up.
Hovering three meters above them was a brawny man with short red hair.
His arms were crossed, his chest tattoo on display, and his gaze toward Kurosawa Haruka carried a disturbing lewdness.
"So, you're Takaichi Ryo's girlfriend?"
He licked his lips and sneered.
"I wonder how someone of such a 'noble' status would look beneath me."
The man's energy radiated intensely, his entire presence exuding a terrifying aura.
A suffocating pressure swept over them like a tidal wave.
The gang members, who moments ago were fired up to rescue Takaichi Ryo, instantly froze in fear, their faces pale with terror.
The long-haired delinquent shakily pointed at the red-haired man, stammering,
"W-W-Watanabe Ei!"
Watanabe Ei licked his lips again, his smile twisted and perverse.
"That young master is too composed. I didn't see even a flicker of panic on his face.
But if I humiliate his girlfriend in front of him, I wonder if he'll still keep that lofty demeanor?"
🌟 Unlock Exclusive Early Access on Patreon! 🌟
Hello, beloved readers!
Join my Patreon community to enjoy:
📚 Daily Updates: Never wait for new chapters—get your story fix every day!
📖 20 Chapters Ahead: Access new chapters far in advance of Scribblehub/RoyalRoad/Webnovel releases.
Support the creation of the stories you love and dive deeper into my world!
Patreon.com/Alex_Cruise
https://ko-fi.com/anish_44