"Mr. Yazō Kawaji, Leader Yahiko requests your presence," the guard at the entrance of the Rain Shadow Building said politely, gesturing with a slight nod.
"Watch your tone! What do you mean by 'Mr.'? Call him Chairman!" one of Yazō Kawaji's underlings barked indignantly.
"Enough, don't be rude," Yazō Kawaji raised his hand in a commanding gesture. "Please, lead the way."
This time, Yazō Kawaji came to negotiate terms with the Akatsuki. Deep down, he understood that he was nothing more than a small-time thug leeching off the factory workers. His so-called "influence" among the workers was just a means to squeeze some benefits from those in power.
But when it came to facing the Akatsuki, he wasn't confident at all. Unlike the Hourglass Corporation, which was an outsider, or the spineless Kin Kong, the Akatsuki was a group of bona fide "rebels" who had risen to power by overthrowing the regime. Each of them was a battle-hardened warrior with blood on their hands. His petty tricks might not even register with them—after all, no matter how tough a neck is, it's no match for a blade.
Originally, his plan was to wait until the Flying Rain Corporation started operations, then lead the workers in a strike to show the Akatsuki his value. He'd then negotiate with the higher-ups, ensuring the "union" could continue its good days.
But unexpectedly, more than half a month had passed, and the Flying Rain Corporation showed no signs of starting operations. Without operations, how could there be a strike?
Following the guide to the second-floor office, he saw Yahiko and a middle-aged, thin man sitting at the main seat. Behind them stood four burly men, each with a fierce expression and an air of murderous intent, as if they could devour the three of them alive at any moment.
Looking at his two underlings, who were supposed to act as his bodyguards, they had their heads lowered, shoulders slumped, and seemed to have lost their voices entirely, not daring to utter a sound.
"Useless fools, like dog meat unfit for a proper banquet," Yazō Kawaji cursed inwardly.
Still, he mustered the courage to sit in the lower seat, appearing like a prisoner awaiting interrogation.
Neither Yahiko nor Kijima spoke, simply watching him with calm, indifferent gazes.
Finally, Yazō Kawaji couldn't bear the silence any longer and spoke first, "Leader Yahiko, I'm here today to represent—"
"What's your family name? Yazō?" Kijima interrupted him with the first question.
Caught off guard, Yazō Kawaji instinctively replied, "Yes."
"Oh, is the Yazō Tarō from Hundred Flowers Street your father?"
"That's… correct," Yazō Kawaji answered, surprised.
"Haha, no wonder the name sounded so familiar! So you're the son of the infamous pimp Yazō," Kijima laughed.
Yazō Kawaji was shocked. How could they know so much about his background?
"And you are…?" he asked cautiously.
"Go ask your father if he remembers the name 'Kijima the Spiked Club from Naniwa Street'," Kijima said with a smirk.
"Uh…" Yazō Kawaji was stunned. He had never heard of Kijima's nickname before—it was from the previous generation. But judging by the nickname, he must have been a big shot on the streets. To think there was someone like that among the Akatsuki's upper ranks!
"Well, you're in luck, kid. Since you're the son of an old acquaintance, I'll do you a favor. As your 'uncle,' I'm giving you an opportunity for immense wealth. Bring it here!" Kijima clapped his hands.
An Akatsuki member brought over a tray and placed it in front of Yazō Kawaji. On the tray was a neatly folded black cloak with red clouds.
"Starting today, you're officially a member of the Akatsuki," Kijima said with a smile.
Who am I? Where am I? What am I even doing here? Yazō Kawaji stared at the cloak, utterly bewildered, his mind a complete mess.
Seeing his reaction, Kijima burst out laughing. "You're now an official of Amegakure."
"An official?" Yazō Kawaji finally understood the word. He had become an official of Amegakure! But he wasn't even a ninja—how did he suddenly become an official? From private salt to official salt, this was a monumental turn of events.
"Alright, stop grinning like an idiot. Listen up, I've got an important task for you. If you do it well, the rewards will be immense," Kijima said enticingly.
"What is it? As long as it's within my power, I won't hesitate!" Yazō Kawaji said eagerly, completely falling into Kijima's trap.
"Good. Here's the deal: you're familiar with the situation along the Shule River. Right now, the Flying Rain Corporation is unable to start operations due to upstream resource depletion. Over 20,000 workers are waiting for food. Leader Yahiko's idea is to redevelop the Sada and Sumu iron mines—dig tunnels, open pits."
"You mean turning all 20,000 workers into miners?" Yazō Kawaji asked.
"That's right," Kijima nodded.
"That… might be a bit difficult," Yazō Kawaji calculated in his mind. Transitioning workers was no small matter. Asking knife-grinders to start swinging sledgehammers wasn't something they'd willingly do.
"Oh, it's difficult? Never mind, then. Put the cloak back and you can leave. Hah, I thought you were a smart guy…" Kijima said nonchalantly.
Wait, what?! Does this mean I'm not the only candidate for this job?
"Uncle Kijima, I never said I wouldn't do it!" Yazō Kawaji said anxiously.
"Kid, don't be ungrateful. You think our leader doesn't know what your so-called 'union' has been up to? Do you really think that's a sustainable gig? I was planning to give you a chance because of your father, but if you're not up for it, we'll just forget it," Kijima said casually, sipping his tea.
What?! They're already sending me off with tea?! I never said no!
"Uncle, please, don't rush. This is a big task—give me some time to figure it out," Yazō Kawaji pleaded.
Seeing that Yazō Kawaji was finally taking the bait, Kijima eased up. "Kid, there's no future in running that pathetic union of yours. How much can you make from extorting workers and staging strikes? Now that the Flying Rain Corporation is ours, the price of iron ore is skyrocketing. Just skimming a bit off the top will be enough for you to live comfortably for three lifetimes. Plus, I'm giving you an official position. What's in your head—mud? You don't even know how to play a good hand when it's dealt to you."
Hearing this, Yazō Kawaji made up his mind. "Uncle, don't worry. Leave it to me—I'll handle it perfectly."
"How long will it take?" Kijima asked, blowing on his tea.
"Three… no, two months!" Yazō Kawaji gritted his teeth.
Kijima glanced at the ever-silent, stoic Yahiko. Understanding the signal, Yahiko gave a slight nod.
"Alright, the leader has approved. Do a good job. If you can provide jobs for even 15,000 people, you'll be the deputy general manager of the Flying Rain Corporation!" Kijima said, slightly lowering the target since they still needed people to build roads.
Deputy general manager?! Why not general manager?!
"The general manager is me," Kijima said flatly, as if reading his mind.
"Deputy general manager sounds great," Yazō Kawaji quickly nodded.
Watching Yazō Kawaji leave, Yahiko gave Kijima a thumbs-up. "Uncle Kijima, you're incredible! That move of adapting to the situation was pure genius!"
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
Discover 10 Amazing Fanfics on My Patreon!Unlock 400+ Advance Chapters and Dive into the Story Early! 👉 [patreon.com/DarkGolds]