Chapter 227: Undercurrents and Equilibrium
Thanks to Fusui Kure, Ren Shiroki was finally able to contribute more than just
moral support.
The first breakthrough didn't come from the "Legal" world of the MPD, nor from
the "Underworld" of the Hanayama-gumi or the Kure Clan, and certainly not from
Motobe's "Soldiers."
It came from the Shinshinkai.
With over six hundred branches nationwide and a million-plus disciples embedded
in every tier of society, the Karate organization was a "Martial Combat Group"
with unparalleled reach. They were more unscrupulous than the police, more
public than the yakuza, more numerous than specialized soldiers, and more
widespread than the Kure Clan.
Once a juggernaut of that scale was mobilized for a single objective, nothing
could hide from it. Dorian hadn't been able to evade his duel, and Sikorsky was
proving equally unable to hide his tracks.
Baki thanked Katsumi over the phone before looking up at the group. "They found
them. Sikorsky did the deed, but it looks like... He is involved as well."
The group froze. "Who?"
"—Yujiro Hanma."
Baki's brow furrowed, his voice dropping into a low, troubled murmur. "What the
hell is he planning now?"
Without waiting for the stunned reactions of the others, Baki left them with a
curt, "Don't come. I'll handle this," and sprinted off to rendezvous with the
Shinshinkai leads.
However, even with Baki Hanma's warning, the stakes were too high. This involved
Karura Kure and the potential location of a massive chemical weapons cache.
Neither the Kure Clan nor the Metropolitan Police could afford to stay on the
sidelines.
The MPD split their forces: Mitsuo Sonoda headed to the emergency summit with
international authorities to coordinate a response to the convicts and
syndicates, while Ichika Iori took to the streets to hunt for local leads.
"Let's get moving," Ichika said, rubbing her temples. "Stay in contact if you
find anything. I have a really bad feeling about this—"
To ensure maximum efficiency, the group departed from the Soul Combat Hub,
fanning out across the city.
Ren Shiroki wasn't alone; Fusui Kure was right beside him.
It had to be said that Motobe's "Soldier" disciple was incredibly efficient.
Within minutes, they had triangulated Sikorsky's activity range using several
leads. Combined with the Shinshinkai's surveillance, they locked the target down
to a luxury international hotel in the Ginza district, near the Hakozaki area.
"Gramps is absolutely losing his mind because Karura is involved," Fusui said as
she hopped onto her fully fueled motorcycle, gesturing for Ren to take the back
seat. "He wanted to send my brother Raian, but since Baki's old man is there,
Gramps is playing it cautious. He knows the weight of titles like 'The Ogre' and
'The Strongest Creature' better than anyone."
Ren climbed on, resting his hands on Fusui's shoulders.
Fusui snapped her goggles into place and grinned. "Anyway, let's head there and
see how the cards fall!"
The engine roared to life, and the bike tore down the street at top speed,
weaving through back alleys and shortcuts toward the Ginza hotel.
Ren and Fusui arrived at the hotel. Seeing that it was still "Open for
Business," they deduced they were likely the first of their group to arrive.
They walked through the grand entrance, greeted by an enthusiastic bellhop.
After brushing him off, they scanned the vast, opulent lobby. It was crowded
with at least a hundred people, appearing to be several international tour
groups.
Fusui turned to Ren, their eyes meeting. Both confirmed a sense of extreme
"wrongness" simultaneously.
Hidden within the crowd were multiple "experts." They spotted the tell-tale
signs: specific callouses on the hands, old combat scars, and that metallic
scent of blood that no amount of cologne could fully mask. These individuals
were positioned tactically, covering every exit and entrance.
Fusui kept her goggles on to hide her Kure eyes, her gaze narrowing behind the
lenses.
"They aren't here for us," she whispered. "This looks like a coordinated
terrorist hit. They're preparing to seize control of the entire building in a
single heartbeat."
Ren nodded, walking beside her as they feigned the role of tourists. "Look at
the man at eight o'clock," Fusui continued. "Good form. Finger callouses from
high-frequency shooting."
Ren signaled his understanding. Making a scene now with so many civilians
present was a recipe for a massacre.
Ren sent a SITREP to Katsumi and received a call back almost immediately.
"Ren-kun, can you talk?"
"Yeah. It's complicated down here."
"I know," Katsumi's voice was grim. "That hotel is owned by a senior Shinshinkai
disciple who does business overseas. He just sent word that someone tried to
kidnap him in his office. They failed because they didn't know he was a
Karateka, but it was close."
"According to our intel, the organization behind it is IDEAL. They are planning
a large-scale operation centered on that building. Sikorsky—the Russian convict
who took your sister—is an independent variable, but IDEAL is likely using his
presence as cover to move their own pieces."
"Reliable staff members are already beginning a quiet evacuation of the
civilians, but the situation is a powder keg. IDEAL has units already deployed
inside. If we move too fast, they'll take hostages. We need specialists for
this."
"I've synced this intel to the others. Be careful."
The Shinshinkai's "Million-Man" network was proving terrifyingly effective,
moving pieces before the authorities even realized there was a board. However,
there were some things you could only see if you were standing in the middle of
it.
Ren and Fusui noticed a new detail. The hidden experts in the lobby weren't one
group—they were two distinct factions. Both were trying to stay undercover, but
they were clearly guarding against each other.
IDEAL is one group. Who the hell is the other?
A notification pinged on Fusui's phone. It was a direct line from the Kure main
house. Her eyes widened.
"—It's The Worm," Fusui whispered.
"The what?"
"The Worm," she repeated. "A massive criminal syndicate, totally different from
IDEAL. Their history goes back centuries, and they've been getting more active
lately. IDEAL likely hasn't struck yet because they've noticed The Worm's
presence. They're locked in a cold war."
"According to Grandpa's guess... both groups are here for the same thing: Hina
Hongo and her chemical weapons."
The relaxed mood Ren had been trying to maintain vanished.
Fusui's expression turned dead serious. "The building is in a state of 'Sinister
Equilibrium.' Nobody wants to be the first one to pull a trigger."
"Ren-chin, keep your eyes on the shadows. Watch the 'waiters' and the
'tourists.' And until the civilians are out... don't start a war."
Ren gave a sharp nod.
They moved through the crowd, blending into the noise of the tourists. Ren's
mind went into overdrive, his consciousness accelerating as he processed every
micro-detail. The ink-wash lines of the SC Center swirled around him.
Analysis: Standard combat stance detected. (Combat experience confirmed.)
Concealed blade at the waist. (Target: Hostile.) The man on the left... powerful
leg muscles? (No... improper torque for a fighter. Likely a pro cyclist.)
Ren's gaze shifted to the side. A new phantom emerged in the ink—a young woman,
about 164cm tall, weighing roughly 61kg. She was small, but her build was
incredibly tight and powerful. She moved through the crowd with the fluidity of
a ghost, her presence flickering in and out of the ink-wash lines.
[Be careful, soldier. A lobby can turn into a kill-zone in the time it takes to
blink.]
[To protect yourself and the civilians... you must be more than a fighter. You
must be a survivor. Think three steps ahead of the battlefield.]
[This is the hard-earned experience of Delta Red...]
The phantom of Cammy White had arrived.
(End of Chapter)
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