Chapter 125: New venture
"Masa, here! Here!"
After Masa changed into loose gray sweatpants, a black hoodie jacket, and a black beanie, Asics Gel NYC, he went to the appointment place in the Kabukichou to meet Nozomi, Hana, and Ichika.
"This place is as lively as ever."
It wasn't his first time entering the Kabukichou, but he had to admit that this place smelled like lust as ever.
"Don't come to this place," Nozomi said sternly.
"I know." Masa was speechless, but he also understood Nozomi's worry since this place was where most prostitutes gathered, waiting for the lonely souls to fill their loneliness with money.
Whether they were men or women, no one had prejudice.
As long as you have money, everything can be found in this place.
In the past, only the underworld gangs could own this place, but after a while, their control over this place had loosened, or they started to get flexible and let the skyscraper build on this area.
Babel Tower.
It was the symbol of Kabukichou, a 225-meter sky-scraper that shone dazzlingly, mixing with the festive nights of this sleepless city.
Still, their destination wasn't the Babel Tower but somewhere else.
"Close your face with a hoodie and a facemask." Nozomi quickly put the hoodie of Masa's jacket on him and gave him a facemask. "You are a famous figure, after all. What if someone recognizes you here?"
"You spoil him so much, Nozomi." Hana was speechless.
"He isn't a young boy like before," Ichika was also speechless.
Unlike Nozomi, who remained indifferent after Masa's feats, the two of them, who had been working closely with him, understood how fearsome Masa had become.
Masa was no longer that boy with whom they could toy. Instead, they were the ones who were under his mercy, and their lives were connected to him.
If Masa failed, then they would fail, but if he rose, they would also rise, and frankly, deep in their hearts—
Let's keep that inside, they thought.
Still, Masa didn't care much about Nozomi's act since, in her eyes, he was probably that little brother that she needed to take care of. "So where are we going?"
"Impatient, aren't we?" Nozomi was speechless. "Everything has been settled. The first match will be settled at the music club, Coppe."
"Yes, it is owned by our affiliation."
In other words, they were paying protection money to Hana's yakuza group.
Did they force the owner?
No, instead, the owner was happy that he could get more money by leasing the venue for this underground match.
But what if they were discovered by the police or something related?
Well, wasn't that the reason why Ichika was there?
As long as there was money, everything could be solved.
Still, the four of them didn't waste their time and quickly went to the venue, watched the crowd, and told everything about how this idea had begun.
"It all started when I was afraid to meet you after I retired and watched two women fight each other on the street..."
With an awkward expression, Nozomi told Masa everything about her sudden decision to retire as a professional fighter, then watched two women fight each other on the street before she pulled Hana and Ichika to make an underground fighting arena.
"It's a good idea." Masa nodded and said, "Though it might need some improvement."
"What kind?"
"Well, beauties. You need a lot of them to make those crowds stay for a little longer."
Watching the two women fighters at the venue, Masa sighed, thinking that they weren't that good-looking.
"Beauties, huh?" 3x
The three of them nodded, thinking that Masa was correct. If Masa was a sleazy guy, then they would roll their eyes since this guy was a bastard, but considering he had been loyal to his girlfriend and never ever cheated, even after many temptations on him, they could say that this guy was cold-headed or even indifferent, and for a business to succeed, he would do anything.
In Masa's eyes, the success of the business couldn't be left to fate or prayed to god or whatever since, in such a case, those businesses would fail without a doubt.
In business, there was only one inevitable result, success or failure, and there was no in-between.
Naturally, Masa wished to succeed, and he would do anything for it.
Still, Nozomi was a little shaken by how calm Masa was as he didn't appear unperturbed by everything, whether it was the scent of smoke, perfumes, sweat, and many others seemingly used in the underground fighting arena.
While she didn't want to, she sighed and knew that Masa had grown up into a man, an adult, and sooner or later, he would leave and make his own family, which made her so uncomfortable.
"Focus, Nozomi-nee."
"I know."
Nozomi rolled her eyes and rubbed Masa's head helplessly. "What are you trying to preach, your big sister, since you have become much taller now?!"
"You know what, he's massive, he's not just a little taller."
"Yup, yup."
Masa was about 189 cm tall, and his height was just towering.
When he entered, he naturally attracted attention, but somehow, everyone there could tell he wasn't someone they should mix with, especially his eyes, which appeared like a dangerous beast.
Yet, Nozomi, Ichika, and Hana didn't care much since they had been with him since he was a little boy.
"From the east, "The Street Fighting Chica!" Shinohara Julia!"
"From the west, "The Pummel Queen!" Kobayawaka Yumi!"
As the three talked, Masa didn't say anything and just observed around, sighing as he looked at the crowd and the fighters, but then again, it wasn't a failure, and he could tell that they had a chance to make everything huge.
The market for combat sports was high, especially underground, where everyone could see the beast that was tamed by society was let loose.
At the same time, this was also a place where Masa could collect information and many unique techniques that couldn't be discovered in public, so there was no doubt that this place was the best spot for him.
Still, Masa couldn't help but think about the problem that Sayuri had talked to him about before.
'Father, huh?'
Masa didn't remember it well, but it seemed that he had seen this person several times when he was a baby. Though he was so young at that time, he didn't remember it well, but then again, his mother's decision to remarry was quite strange, and by then, there was an accident, and his mother and stepfather passed away.
Was it all a coincidence?
Or... was there something hidden?
If it was before, he might not have the power to uncover anything, but now?
"Oi! Oi! What is that woman doing here?"
"Eh?"
"So beautiful..."
When the fights started in the middle, and the crowd was in excitement, their attention was quite drawn toward a beautiful woman who entered the venue.
Her figure attracted everyone's attention since she was a famous woman in the business industry.
With a beauty that eclipsed all other women and an aura that could seduce anyone yet still gave off an elegance and gracefulness that differentiated her from all the women in this world, she quickly became the center of attention.
"Kurayoshi Rino." Hana's expression quickly became a wary one, and she stood in front of Masa as she glanced at his expression; he was as blank as ever and didn't seem to pay attention to the woman, which made her sigh in relief, and also helpless since if Masa was so loyal then, how could she seduce him?
Still, when Hana thought about Masa's partner, she was also helpless since Eriri was a high-class lady.
Ichika and Nozomi were also stunned when they saw Rino's beauty since whether they were males or females, they could easily be seduced by her, which somehow reminded them of a certain someone.
A hair mid-back length maroon colored hair that is styled in curly ringlets at the tips where two hair strands fall past her neck to her sizeable chest with bangs swept to the left side, an hourglass figure, and full lips neatly painted with red lipstick.
Rino wears an ankle-length sleeveless dress that exposes her back and high heels.
Still, while she was such a beauty, no one dared to get close to her, especially when many bodyguards surrounded her.
Nevertheless, Rino didn't look at the fight but looked around until she found a figure she had been looking for.
Masa also turned since he heard a commotion, and his eyes met Rino's for a moment.
When they met, his expression was that of weirdness, but his arm was held by Nozomi all of a sudden, which made him sigh helplessly. He patted her hand, holding it, then looked at the fight, ignoring Rino.
Nozomi sighed in relief, then met Rino's eyes.
However, those problems aside, this venture had a chance to succeed.
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By the way, it will be One Piece for a moment, then Mahouka Arc soon; please look forward to it.