Chapter 146: The Ultimate Pleasure of the Twelve-Layered Ceremonial Robes (4/4)

Kinoshita Hideshige's original plan, of course, was that after Takanori secured the deal, he could acquire it for himself for just over 10 billion yen. Then, all subsequent profits would belong entirely to him.

If Takanori really had this capability and profited several billion yen from the middle of it, that should have been enough.

Under the current arrangement, there was indeed nothing to find fault with, and the profits would be more than sufficient.

The important question was, what would the percentage be?

Takanori smiled and said, "If I can produce the funds, I can do it right now."

Kinoshita Hideshige's expression changed. "Who on earth can give you that much money?"

"Brother Hideshige, didn't you already know? Wasn't I able to hand 75 million yen over to Suzuki-san?"

"...It couldn't all be your own earnings, could it? Didn't you take a portion out of the money I lent you first?"

Takanori replied noncommittally, "I hadn't started acting earlier precisely because I was gathering capital. I have... a bit of a talent for foreign exchange trading. Besides, I've also been participating in Professor Yamamoto's research."

"..." Kinoshita Hideshige had no retort. "Are you saying that in the end, I'll only get 37.5%?"

Takanori shook his head. "To pull this off, the Shindo Group also lent me a hand, and we leveraged Brother Hideshige's and Sumitomo's invisible influence. Leaving aside my planning and execution in all of this, Brother Hideshige, I'll give you 50%. As for the Inagawa-kai and Sumitomo sides, you can take charge of distributing their shares. How does that sound?"

"50%..." In his heart, Kinoshita Hideshige actually wanted more. He would have preferred to put in another 1.5 billion yen, but... just how much had this guy earned using his 1.5 billion yen?

Although the money was a loan from him, being able to earn this much in a mere two months was also a testament to the man's ability.

Securing the land of Takeda Manufacturing was equally a testament to his ability.

Recalling the warning from Inagawa Kazushi and the situation where all opportunities had seemed lost before Takanori suddenly turned everything around, Kinoshita Hideshige's thoughts gradually shifted.

He gazed intently at Takanori. "Takanori, let me ask you a question, and I hope to get an honest answer."

Takanori acknowledged his gaze, guessed his underlying intention, and then replied candidly, "What question?"

"Right now, just how much capital do you actually control?"

Kinoshita Hideshige's eyes burned with an inscrutable intent.

In a split second, numerous thoughts raced through Takanori's mind.

The strength he currently wielded had its formidable aspects, but it also came with hidden vulnerabilities.

The biggest problem, of course, was his shallow foundation.

The reason he had been forced to remain completely passive during the earlier struggle for Takeda Manufacturing was that he only had one path available: maneuvering along the razor-thin edge where top-tier forces clashed, quietly holding onto a slim hope and merely giving it a try.

Fortunately, he had pursued an open strategy. When Takeda Takanao had made an enemy of the entire world, Takanori had tried to befriend him, genuinely considering his future development and even preparing to bring in Yamamoto Kento.

Now, a massive fortune in real estate had fallen into his hands.

The land of Takeda Manufacturing was different from the money he held in the foreign exchange market. The former was glaringly obvious and caught everyone's attention. The latter was hidden solely within the securities firms and the banking system.

Yet once the paperwork for the Takeda Manufacturing land was finalized, Takanori could not guarantee that his assets would remain a secret.

Although Zhao Yuanxi had already completed the registration of the offshore company, and foreign accounts were nearly ready for a timely transfer of funds, any transfer would leave a paper trail.

Therefore, Takanori could afford to answer Kinoshita Hideshige honestly.

The question was, what happened after he told him?

Unless one was content to remain a nobody, anyone climbing upward would forever play the dual roles of both hunter and prey.

If he wanted to maintain his status as a hunter, Kinoshita Hideshige's purpose in asking this question was crucial.

Takanori had no desire to be so passive, so he stared back and asked, "Brother Hideshige, is 50% not enough?"

Proposing the 50% share was a way to concede a certain amount of profit to deepen their relationship while simultaneously emphasizing his desire for an equality of status.

Since both were intelligent men, Kinoshita Hideshige understood the implication of his question.

Thus, he stated his attitude first: "It's too much."

Takanori was somewhat surprised. "Too much?"

"15 divided by 40—even though I couldn't pass the entrance exam for Tokyo University, I can still do that math."

"..." Takanori was genuinely taken aback. "Brother Hideshige, do you not accept what I said earlier?"

Kinoshita Hideshige nodded. "Those forces were already there to begin with. Whether you could utilize them and utilize them well was your ability. I only want what is rightfully mine. As for Kazushi-san's side and Sumitomo's side, you'll have to deal with them yourself."

Takanori looked at him earnestly, his expression relaxing as he smiled and asked, "Could it be that their appetites are huge?"

"You know very well they are," Kinoshita Hideshige shook his head. "You helped the Shindo Group and the Inagawa-kai get through their immediate crisis and are already helping them make money. What stance does Kazushi-san have to demand a cut from you? As for Sumitomo, they can already be considered to have obtained what they wanted, not to mention there is a brand-new cake left to slice."

"What a headache," Takanori sighed. "Still, Brother Hideshige, you've helped me a lot all along. Without your initial assistance, President Inoue would never have agreed to let me buy my house for 100 million yen."

"Takanori," Kinoshita Hideshige said solemnly, "you haven't answered my question yet."

Takanori reined in his emotions and answered truthfully: "Subtracting the 1.15 billion yen already spent on Takeda Takanao, plus Brother Hideshige's 1.5 billion yen, the Shindo Group's 500 million yen, and President Inoue's 300 million yen—if all these funds are fully mobilized, it amounts to just over 10 billion yen."

Kinoshita Hideshige was deeply shocked. He fell silent for a long time before asking in a somewhat dry voice, "From March... until now?"

Takanori nodded.

"...You haven't even really used the Shindo Group to directly secure any benefits for yourself." Kinoshita Hideshige found it hard to comprehend. "Foreign exchange... is really that easy to make money from?"

"Otherwise, why would the financial conglomerates' money have gotten trapped this time?" Takanori replied truthfully. "Of course, the risks are also immense. I just had very good luck and made a high-stakes gamble over the Takeda Manufacturing affair."

"It was all just your plan, while you sat back without taking direct action..." Kinoshita Hideshige fell silent for a long time before abruptly saying, "Takanori, let's go get a drink."

Takanori smiled. "Alright."

...

No matter what, Takanori possessed a perfectly legitimate and legal identity in Japan.

With the contract with Takeda Takanao in hand, that piece of land already belonged to him.

Other hunters who wanted to treat him as their prey would also have to weigh the risks and the costs.

Kinoshita Hideshige had chosen to become his ally.

"Takanori, let me tell you, it hasn't been easy for me all these years either!" After three rounds of drinks, Kinoshita Hideshige began to open his heart. "Do you know why Kazushi-san thinks well of me? Because I know how to judge people! There are a lot of things I don't understand, but I know how to judge people!"

Takanori listened with a smiling chuckle.

"Do you know why I wanted to join Sumitomo?" Kinoshita Hideshige set down his glass and continued, intoxicated, "Because I am well aware that Mogami Real Estate is not as powerful as it appears on the surface! The financial conglomerates are truly terrifying entities!"

"That's why I said you should take half. Without Brother Hideshige as my fallback, how could I possibly dare to provoke such matters?"

"Your brain is smarter than mine." Kinoshita Hideshige pointed at his own forehead, his eyes hazy with drink as he asked, "Tell me though, that cultural and entertainment stuff you talked about—will it really have a greater future than real estate? Mogami Pleasure Town and all that—you've put a lot of heart and soul into it. Does it really have a brighter future than purely selling land?"

Takanori was now completely certain: Kinoshita Hideshige had relinquished that 12.5% share of the profits because he had set his sights on this brain of his.

So his younger brother Hideshige truly was a man capable of widening his own path; no wonder the underworld boss appreciated him so much.

"Of course it does!" Takanori declared. "If not for this incident, the locations for my bookstore and dance hall would have already been chosen and getting ready to open!"

"Miki! Did you hear that!" Kinoshita Hideshige pointed at Takanori while speaking to an elegant mature woman behind the bar. "A proud student of Tokyo University wants to open a disco hall!"

Kono Miki, the proprietress of the private, high-end izakaya, smiled and said, "It must be a very special disco hall."

"Of course it is!" Takanori also affected a drunken demeanor, slapping the table with a touch of youthful arrogance. "Music, fine wine, rhythm, atmosphere, and most importantly—the show! Every single night, my dance hall is going to have a show!"

"You brat... did you use to hang out in all sorts of places before?" Kinoshita Hideshige stared at him wide-eyed.

"How could that be? I am a proud student of Tokyo University!" Takanori replied with a straight face.

The two men burst into laughter together, while Kono Miki covered her mouth, looking at Takanori with curious eyes.

For that Kinoshita Hideshige to treat someone so young like a brother and bring him to this place—

"So, are you really going to go ahead with those two things, the bookstore and the dance hall?" Kinoshita Hideshige looked at him. "And what about Mogami Pleasure Town? I was planning to squeeze Tomokazu out; are you willing to join in?"

Takanori took another large gulp of alcohol before heavily setting down his glass. "I'm in! Brother Hideshige, as long as we can continue to trust each other like this, believe me—the future of Mogami Real Estate will be better than you can imagine!"

"Miki! Bring more wine!"

"Brother Hideshige," Takanori said softly, watching Kono Miki's graceful retreating figure. "Even though we succeeded this time, don't let your guard down. A man like Omiya Hiroshi might still harbor a desperate madness. No matter what a cornered beast might do, you must pay utmost attention to your own safety."

"What else can he do?" Kinoshita Hideshige dismissed the thought casually. "As for safety, I've long had thorough arrangements in place. I understand what you mean, don't worry. Kazushi-san has already made arrangements for you as well."

What was Takanori worried about? It certainly wasn't himself.

The arrow had already left the bow; the Metropolitan Police Department's ongoing investigation into the Shindo Group could not just fizzle out into nothing. Shindo Shogo would shoulder everything, and a prison sentence was unavoidable, though there would be room to maneuver regarding the subsequent penalties. Suzuki Daiki had fulfilled his wish to become the head of the Suzuki Group, replacing the original Shindo Group, and would protect Takanori with all his might.

He was even glad that 500 million yen of the Shindo Group's funds had been extracted in advance and handed over to Takanori.

In truth, Takanori's worry was for Kinoshita Hideshige.

Since this man, whose path had broadened, had taken the long view and chosen to become his ally in anticipation of a greater future, how could he stand by and watch him fall into disaster?

In his study of Japan's bubble era years ago, Kinoshita Hideshige had been a representative figure. In this very year of his boundless glory, he had nearly been blown to death in his own home.

Takanori did not know whether, in the original course of events, Omiya Hiroshi was the one who did it.

Either way, he was destined to face this calamity this year.

Now that the butterfly storm was beginning to blow, what if he actually got blown up?

If that happened, he would lose a valuable force he could leverage.

Having said all he could, Takanori could only resolve to be a little more watchful behind the scenes.

After another bottle of wine, low in alcohol though sake might be, the intoxication gradually accumulated.

Only then did Kinoshita Hideshige stagger to his feet and ask, "Miki, is everything prepared?"

"Then, I shall take my leave first." Kono Miki bowed deeply. "Kinoshita-kun, Takanori-kun, good night."

Takanori looked at him, somewhat dazed.

And Kono Miki truly left the izakaya, closing the door behind her.

"Let's go!" Kinoshita Hideshige threw an arm around his shoulder. "We're going upstairs together; that way we'll walk steadier."

"Brother Hideshige, what on earth..."

"Celebrating our victory! Celebrating!" Kinoshita Hideshige blinked suggestively. "Didn't you mention culture and entertainment? Entertainment!"

"..." Takanori vaguely understood. This izakaya was not merely a place for drinking.

He felt a mix of amusement and exasperation. So sharing one's heart meant that after drinking together, they had to go shoulder heavy burdens together as well?

Yet, Takanori immediately felt a surge of anticipation.

This was quite special indeed. The proprietress had actually left on her own initiative, leaving the entire place to the two of them?

Then what kind of place, and who, awaited them upstairs?

"Ding!"

The elevator doors slowly opened, revealing a brand-new world before them.

Behind a wooden torii gate reminiscent of a Shinto shrine lay a pond adorned with plants and lights. In the middle was a long wooden bridge spanning the water, with boardwalks branching off from the bridge leading to rooms encircling the pond.

Takanori caught sight of fish swimming leisurely in the pond, but what drew his attention even more were the beautiful women in kimonos sitting outside the doorway of each room. Every single one of them wore lavishly heavy and intricate garments, looking exceedingly formal.

The lights from the corridors shone upon their faces, leaving Takanori momentarily dazzled.

There had to be... twelve of them, right?

"Welcome home!" the twelve kimono-clad beauties chorused, bowing low in unison toward the elevator exit.

Kinoshita Hideshige waved a grand, sweeping hand. "Twelve Jingu princesses! Tonight, we are the deities of this Yozakura Shrine! Let the battle commence—how would you like to start?"

The *jūnihitoe*—the most formal and elaborate court robe in traditional Japanese women's attire, carrying an air of profound solemnity.

The *Saiō*—imperial princesses historically appointed to serve as shrine maidens dedicated to the gods.

At this moment, twelve solemn and graceful beauties knelt in unison in this hidden paradise, ripe for the plucking.

Naturally, these were not true imperial princesses or shrine maidens, but their appearances, attire, and deportment genuinely evoked a sense of nobility and purity.

So *this* was the kind of game played at Yozakura Shrine.

Takanori was struck dumb.

Younger brother Hideshige, compared to you, I really am still just a novice!

You really know how to play!