Chapter 64

"Goodness, Susukino has become quite dangerous lately. It's getting hard to do business in peace, isn't it?"

"Oh, what a hypocritical line."

"It was a very peaceful town until a certain someone came along, wasn't it?"

In a large commercial building in Susukino, a room was the stage for a heated discussion between a portly middle-aged man speaking a fake Kansai dialect, a refined woman in a kimono, and a muscular, bald man with an eccentric appearance.

"Who are you referring to as 'a certain someone'? I've been working so hard to ensure the safety of Susukino."

"Stop telling such obvious lies. You even hurt the girls at my place the other day. You're just a nouveau riche thug getting carried away!"

"Oh, how scary. Ultimate Man, you have quite a temper."

"It's 'Great Ultimate Yayoi'! Don't abbreviate it like that! At least call me Ultimate Woman!"

The bald, muscular man, referred to as 'Ultimate Man,' is a renowned businessman known as 'Great Ultimate Yayoi.' He runs several gay bars and cross-dressing cafes in Susukino and plays a role in maintaining the peace and resolving disputes between establishments, thus protecting the night of Susukino.

Moreover, he is a man who identifies as a woman.

"Red, you should be more careful about who you associate with. Your dignity will suffer if you team up with someone like this."

"Mind your own business. I've chosen carefully and am working with Yayoi. Leech, at least she is far more admirable than you."

The woman in the kimono, called 'Red,' is the owner of high-end restaurants and upscale cabarets in Susukino and reigns alongside Yayoi as one of the top figures in the area.

"Tsk. With such old-fashioned thinking, your employees will start leaving. I heard one of your cabaret girls quit recently, didn't she?"

Leech, the portly man, despite being a newcomer to Susukino, has already gained influence comparable to Red and Yayoi due to his vast wealth. However, he has been disrupting the peace by forcefully bringing independent stores under his control through intimidation and hostage-taking, and by causing various disturbances at Red and Yayoi's establishments.

"Don't worry about me. If Susukino becomes peaceful, they will return."

"Hmm. If that's the case, we must make it a peaceful town soon. I'll have to work even harder."

"Even harder? You need to stop underestimating us!"

Reacting to Yayoi's anger, the two burly men standing behind her stepped forward. Like Yayoi, they are men who identify as women.

"Oh, how scary. This is getting dangerous."

As Leech muttered, the three bodyguards standing behind him also stepped forward.

The two bodyguards behind Yayoi and the three bodyguards of Leech exchanged hostile glances. Red, who had been watching quietly, finally spoke.

"Dies."

"It's fine. I'll take care of anything before it happens."

Hearing Dies' words, the five bodyguards who had been glaring at each other took a step back.

Dies, who had started working as Red's bodyguard about a month ago, had single-handedly subdued dozens of thugs sent by Leech, protecting Red and creating a legendary tale. Since then, his skills have been recognized by the toughs of Susukino, and he has become a respected figure among them.

"Wow! To make my guys back off with just one word, you're impressive, alright."

"Ah, thank you."

"Dies, I don't know how much Red is paying you, but I'll offer you double, no, triple! How about working for me?"

"Ah, no way. I value loyalty and trust more than money. I have no intention of working for anyone else until my contract with Red is over."

Leech, speaking in a clumsy Kansai dialect, tried to recruit Dies, but his efforts were in vain.

"Tsk, can't be helped. It's a waste, but I'll crush both Red and you, Dies."

"Leech!"

"Oh, how scary. Just kidding, just kidding. Don't take it seriously, Ultimate Wo... I mean, Yayoi."

Leech, who continued to provoke Yayoi, stood up and headed for the exit.

"There's no point in continuing this discussion. I'll be going now. We need to work hard to make Susukino peaceful."

After being rejected by Dies, Leech left the room with his subordinates.

In the room, Yayoi spoke up.

"Sorry, Red. I let my emotions get the better of me and ended the discussion..."

"It's not your fault, Yayoi. Leech never intended to back down from the start. We need to focus on his movements now. A full-scale conflict might start."

Red had quickly understood that Leech had no intention of making peace and was already planning for the next stage.

"It's troublesome. Leech has a lot of subordinates. I've been trying to gather reliable allies, but it's not enough."

"I tried to hire a security company to increase our numbers, but Leech has already put pressure on them. We need to come up with another plan."

"He has plenty of money, which makes him even more troublesome."

Watching the two of them, Dies quietly pondered.

(Numbers are a pain. I don't think I'd lose in a direct fight if I use 'Enhancement,' but I'm not suited for guerrilla warfare... If there was another person with my level of combat skills, it would be easier...)

Unaware of Dies' thoughts, the meeting between Red and Yayoi continued into the night.

◇

"Really a waste of time. By the way, how was it? You made me attend this boring meeting just to introduce you to Dies. Did you get anything out of it?"

After the meeting, Leech, who was complaining in the car, asked his three bodyguards.

"To be honest, I couldn't figure it out. There was no sign of bulletproof vests or weapons, and his clothes weren't made of special fibers. Despite his stance being full of openings, he didn't seem to be on guard at all. I don't think he's a person worth being cautious about."

The first to speak was a woman with short black hair and a black suit. Her name is 'Nikera,' a top-notch assassin who has taken down high-profile targets like politicians and generals.

"I mostly agree. His hands were clean, suggesting he doesn't handle weapons regularly. He's either a civilian or a monster who doesn't need to be cautious. I think it's the former."

The next to speak was an elderly man with a stern face, wearing sunglasses.

His name is 'Toujou,' a professional mercenary who has fought in various battlefields around the world.

Even to him, Dies didn't seem like a person to be wary of.

"I'm not a fighter, so I can't tell if he's strong, but he didn't seem to be lying. He either has the real skills to subdue us or is extremely confident."

The third bodyguard, a man with narrow eyes, spoke last. His name is 'Jasper,' a top-tier magician in the underworld who specializes in illusions and mental magic, and excels in sabotage and inciting internal conflicts.

To him, Dies appeared to be just a confident person whose true abilities were unknown.

"If you say so. It seems the thugs I sent to capture Red and her girls just made a mistake. I worried too much."

Hearing their reports, Leech sighed in relief but still sounded displeased.

" Funds are still abundant. I have many pawns and your cooperation. The day when I can claim all of Sapporo, as that person desires, is not far off!"

Leech declared confidently and disappeared into the night.

Happy New Year!

I apologize for the delay. I'm resuming updates!

Also, I apologize for the late announcement, but the first volume of the manga adaptation is now available! I hope you will read it as well.

Thank you for your continued support of "I Was Not Reincarnated into Another World!"