NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 282.1
Chapter 282.1. Fall From Grace
The fluorescent lights dimly illuminate a room surrounded by concrete, with no windows. The walls are bare concrete, and the interior hasn’t been touched, making it a desolate space.
Though spring has arrived, condensation gathers on the ceiling from the cold, with occasional droplets falling. This room is located in the basement of a building, and the sloppy construction that leads to the condensation raises concerns about whether the structure might collapse.
A worn business desk with a single chair—that’s all there is in this room. A middle-aged man sits in the only chair, with a seductive woman leaning against the wall, her arms crossed.
“Yes, yes… It should be fine. I believe it’ll go smoothly. Yes, when it does, I look forward to your cooperation.”
The man speaks to a palm-sized crystal ball sitting on the desk. The faintly glowing crystal ball only responds with voices.
“Are you sure it’s really going to be alright?”
“Of course. You have the evidence on the one who fired the bazooka in the city, and the house that ordered it, right? Then it’s just a matter of capturing them and showing off our competence.”
The man taps his fingers on the table, leaning back in his chair. The chair creaks with a high-pitched sound, clearly indicating its age.
“That’s true… Exactly. If we destroy the Tokugawa Alliance, it could be credited to us, and it would give us a reason to attack the Three Houses, especially the Minamoto family. We can claim we couldn’t stop rogue private soldiers acting like terrorists.”
“Exactly. A flashy battle in the city. Attacking the Amatsukihara Corporation, no less—such a dangerous move for the inner city. This should provide an opportunity for the Miyoshi family to make a comeback.”
The current military strength of Amatsukihara Corporation is extremely dangerous. Since Amano Mamoru is a man of profit, it’s unlikely that power would be directed toward the inner city in general, but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t happen to some individuals.
It’s unacceptable to play with fire against an unpredictable enemy.
For the fallen private soldiers, this is the worst possible method of showcasing their power.
The woman, referred to as Miyoshi, answers in a tone meant to erase the unease.
“I may have spent too much on the lizard’s tail, but I plan to make sure the return is worth it.”
“Once the Tokugawa Alliance is destroyed, I expect your full cooperation.”
“Understood. I promise a generous reward to Amano-kun.”
“I’m counting on it.”
The man chuckles to himself, and from the crystal ball comes a faint chuckle, too. The conversation ends, and the light from the crystal ball fades.
The man gazes coldly at the crystal ball and snorts.
“I’ve spent a lot of money on this operation. If it doesn’t go well, it’ll be a problem.”
“You’re still quite the man, huh. I’m amazed. Is the Oda family still around?”
Teasingly, the woman leaning against the wall speaks, and the man sighs in apparent disinterest, raising one eyebrow, while tapping the table with his finger again.
“The preparation time is too short. It’s a bit risky to operate without leaving any evidence. If it weren’t for you, Tobi Kato, I would have been caught by now.”
“The reward was good. Yoko isn’t in a position to hire me to help her get back on her feet, but if there’s money to be made, I’ll do anything.”
The woman, smiling seductively, is known as Tobi Kato. As the name suggests, she’s a ninja. Unlike the previous Tobi Kato, this one is a woman. She’s also a subordinate of Oda Yoko, but since Yoko stopped giving her assignments, she took up work with the man.
The man’s name is Oda Nobuhiro. A former head of the Oda family, who was manipulated by the Earth Federation’s Fortune and used for their purposes, only to be betrayed by his daughter and fall from grace.
To revive the fallen Oda family, he has been acting in a direction different from his daughter, Yoko.
“The Tokugawa Alliance. A group formed by the foolish survivors of fallen families, living only off connections. We need to eradicate such a dangerous group.”
“I remember them just being a bunch of drunks complaining, but they somehow got their hands on weapons, killed a few important people, and became a criminal group in the underworld.”
Tobi Kato laughs quietly, and Nobuhiro snorts in agreement.
“They were the worst among the fallen families. They made up a goal, got their hands on weapons, and by killing important people, they quickly became a criminal organization.”
It’s truly troublesome. I wonder where they even got those weapons from. Quite mysterious.
“If competent individuals from other fallen families take charge and suppress them, it could provide an opportunity for a comeback. By now, they should be on the move to dismantle them.”
“And how much are you paying for the help?”
“The Tokugawa Alliance’s roster and their bases in exchange—it’s reasonable. The Oda family will get some relief.”
Nobuhiro answers while rubbing his chin, as Tobi Kato makes a greedy smile, forming a circle with her finger. Fundraising is tough. Even fallen families still have some assets. Nobuhiro’s wallet should get a little heavier.
“And the underground Tokugawa Alliance?”
“There is no such thing, but there are some useful individuals. Those who are distancing themselves from the Tokugawa Alliance should be absorbed by the Oda family.”
“That’s a cruel story. I’m amazed. Those on the surface will be pitied, stripped to the bone, and discarded.”
“Those who got caught are now in a world of good and evil, so we should let them die in a grand way.”
In the public eye, the Miyoshi family plans to begin their revival with funding from this event. In the shadows, they will absorb capable individuals from small families. Nobuhiro is pleased with the strategy, praising himself for coming up with such a plan in such a short time, and a faint smile spreads across his face.
“It’s all just coincidence. My name won’t be involved in this at all.”
“That’s right. I’ve been presenting different names to each faction, so there won’t be any evidence left. I’ve made quite a profit from this incident…”
As Tobi Kato speaks with a sly smile, she’s suddenly pierced by a red laser that shoots through the business table.
It happens in the blink of an eye. Tobi Kato, still smiling, turns to ash and scatters across the floor.
The ash floats around, and the basement grows slightly warmer as Nobuhiro kicks the business table away and moves back.
The business table, melted around the spot the laser hit, glows red as the laser’s impact point becomes a pool of liquid.
“With you, the final piece of evidence, dead, nothing will be left. I’m sorry, Tobi Kato. You met the same fate as in your past life. I hope you don’t hold it against me.”
Nobuhiro says coldly as he looks down at the small blaster in his hand. It’s one of his trump cards, emitting ultra-high heat. A human can easily be turned to ash with it.
“You were killed by someone who wasn’t affected by your illusions before, weren’t you? You should have been more careful about who you worked with.”
There’s no question of escaping through an illusion. Nobuhiro’s insight is such that even Tobi Kato’s illusions wouldn’t have fooled him.