Volume 4 Chapter 6, Part 2 R.A.A.T Born II： Reunion
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Suzuri said with an exasperated voice, and Ako looked at Naoshi with resentment.
”Hahaha…”
”Naoshi-san, aren’t you getting worse every year?”
Yukinojo and Tesshin turned back to their older friend with wry smiles, but a third voice broke into the pleasant atmosphere.
”Sorry to interrupt your conversation.”
The woman, who had just stood on the platform a moment ago, spoke to the powerful individuals gathered, who could only watch from a distance.
Two men and women in the same uniform followed behind her.
”May I have a moment, Kazuramichi family’s Acting Head of the Family-dono?”
The dark gray eyes of Ashina Itoko, filled with nostalgia, looked straight at Naoshi.
* * *
”If you think this is rude, then go home.”
The air grew tense with her dismissive words.
”Hey now, ain’t this just how we greet folks in Kansai? Don’t tell me you’re some outsider who ain’t used to it?”
As they were left speechless, Naoshi shifted to a joking tone, and the faces of the squad members behind Itoko showed unmistakable disgust.
However, they were not the ones most offended and close to a breaking point at this moment.
”Our acting head is quite busy as you can see. If it’s something urgent and important, I can take you in their stead.”
Saying that, Ako stepped between them to block Naoshi’s gaze.
Her voice was far too cold to simply be trying to protect her brother-in-law’s time.
”Whoa, hold on now, Ako-chan!”
”Ashina-san. I haven’t forgotten what you did. No, surely the Kazuramichi’s will never forget.”
Ignoring her stepbrother’s bewildered call, Ako only fixed her gaze directly on Ashina Itoko.
”I am──”
”So, what is it that you want──”
With her interjection, everyone could feel the temperature in the room drop.
”Ako.”
Naoshi, wearing a smile on his face, called out to his sister-in-law to stop her.
”Have I ever asked ya to protect me?”
”────I apologize. I overstepped my bounds.”
”N-no… I’m sorry for my assistant’s rudeness, acting head. Bringing up something from years ago…”
”No…”
Naoshi’s hostility was calm on the surface, shown in a refined manner.
”Think it’s just kiddin’ around to stir up trouble and slap an ‘I’m sorry’ on it?”
”────”
Eight years ago, Ashina Itoko, the family’s expected exorcist, faced Kazuramichi Naoshi’s challenge.
──This was after rejecting a proposal to avoid a one-on-one due to their differing genders.
Just as victory was near for Naoshi, a family member of the Touin attacked him unexpectedly, muddling the fight.
This incident turned tragic.
The family member was Itoko’s half-sister, driven by the need to protect her sister’s future.
However, regardless of the motive, it was a fact that they ambushed the heir of another house, an act that could not avoid conflict between the 8 families.
Even Yoshiya, known as a moderate, did not hide his anger at the dishonor brought upon his nephew, and there were no voices in the Kazuramichi house seeking to avoid confrontation.
”Y’know, folks in Kazuramichi don’t take well to disrespect. You’ll end up dead if ya ain’t careful.”
What prevented that was the family member’s suicide and the dissolution of the Ashina family, with 2 families from Nara and the Narita family from Wakayama stepping in to mediate.
Naoshi seized this as an opportunity, seeking a new target among the mediators’ kin.
But in the end, there was no apology from the Touin family, who merely expressed regret, nor from Ashina Itoko, who vanished from the public eye, leaving bitterness behind.
”So yeah, don’t stir the pot too much, alright?”
For Naoshi, it was a thing of the past.
Though they couldn’t settle it, he was confident he had beaten her.
But the family’s resentment ran deep, and given the reasons, Naoshi couldn’t simply tell them to forget it.
──Yet, with the subject coming over cheerfully, he felt he had to set a boundary.
”Understood, acting head-dono of the Kazuramichi family. I have one request in that regard.”
”Alright. Spill it. What’s the deal?”
”We believe many would like to see the extent of our capabilities firsthand.”
”Makes sense.”
”To prove our strength, may we borrow Kansai’s strongest as our opponent?”
”Wha──”
Ako, who had remained composed, now emitted an unsettling aura at the audacious request, while Yukinojo and Tesshin also furrowed their brows at the sudden turn.
But the only one unfazed was Naoshi himself, who calmly responded.
”Time and place?”
”Today, here. The Bureau of Onmyō has a facility underground.”
Without hesitation, Itoko answered as though the arrangement was already set in stone.
”I see.”
Naoshi fell silent, his expression unreadable. The room grew tense as Itoko patiently awaited his answer.
”Three conditions. Agree, and I’m in.”
”Name them.”
”First, it’s one versus three. I’m the one, and y’all are the three.”
”Agreed.”
As some of her team members began to react indignantly, Itoko raised her hand to silence them and waited for Naoshi to continue.
”Second, I pick the referee. Their word’s final—no exceptions.”
”Understood. Who will it be?”
”Suzuri-chan.”
”Wha—me?” Suzuri’s eyes went wide in complete surprise, but Naoshi waved his hand with a relaxed smile.
”Nah, not you directly. Go fetch yer dad, will ya? Let him know I’m askin’ him to ref as a favor.”
”Oh, uh, alright. Got it.”
”The head of the Shiun family, is it?”
”It ain’t about favoritism or Osaka ties. I just want someone good at negotiatin’. Keeps things fair, right?”
”We appreciate the consideration. And the third condition?”
”This is the last time I hold my family back. Next time, I ain’t stoppin’ ’em, no matter what happens. Don’t forget that.”
Naoshi’s voice remained calm and affable, even as Ako stood beside him, watching every move like a hawk, her vigilance obvious.
”We’ll keep that in mind.”
Itoko, facing Naoshi’s smiling yet resolute demeanor, removed her hat and bowed gracefully, her ash-blonde hair shimmering in the light.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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