She

yl wasn't sure if it would be appropriate for her to stay, but because of I

Abes's request, she decided to leave the room. So after she put the coffee on the table, she took her leave.

Inabe began.

Before we get to the heart of the matter, I have a couple of questions. While it may be strange for me to complain, you're the one who wants to have a meeting here. If you have a reason, please let me know.

If you'd rather choose to meet somewhere in the ruins, we can go there now.

No, it doesn't have that much secretive stuff. Ah, did you choose this place because you thought it was a confidential discussion?

It's more comfortable for me to just speak in a place I'm familiar with.

I get it.

After a brief pause, Inabe stopped asking. Akira only felt a little strange that Inabe stopped here, but he didn't bother to think about it anymore. Contrary to him, Inabe tried to get a deeper understanding of the situation.

At first, they had planned to meet in the fine dining restaurant on the upper floor of Kugama. But Akira said he would rather have a meeting at Cheryl's base, so he changed his plans.

This is because Akira is more careful than usual, considering that Inabe wants to make a request to him without going through the hunter's office. Moreover, he learned from his conversations with Mulin that sometimes people would invite high-end hunters to some high-end restaurants that they were not familiar with in order to trick them into signing unfair contracts. That's why Aki

aSelect in She

The reason for the meeting at the YLS base. Not to mention that in this case, he could use the excuse that the offer was given to him through Shiryl, so it was not surprising that he wanted to have a meeting at the Shiryl base.

Based on what Akira did, Inabe continued to think.

[He may have noticed that I was behind the deal he made the other day in the depths of the Katsubara Ruins.] Alternatively, it is possible that the Shelles are actually the Achillas, and in order to gain the upper hand in the negotiations, he chooses to hold meetings within his own territory. It's also possible that he deliberately asked me to go to this base in order to show off our relationship with other gangs and exert more influence on them]

Inabe thought about Aki since the day Viola visited the temporary base

a How many things are involved.

[If that's the case, then Akira is not only a high-level hunter, he is also a hunter who craves money and power.] After all, there are a lot of hunters who use slum city gangs for covert illegal activities. ]

Inabe then came to the conclusion that while there was evidence that his theory was untenable, it was still wise to err on the side of caution.

So, before we get started, I have something to say. While it is no secret to us that this meeting was held inside the ruins, it was still a confidential meeting related to chengguan. So I need you to keep it a secret as a qualified hunter, and also remember that if you break this promise, there will be consequences. You okay?

Of course.

So let's get started.

I

abe plans a massive expedition to explore Kuzusuha

a Interior of the site. Not only will there be a lot of hunters involved, but he also intends to deploy humanoid weapons that have just recently been approved for deployment. Of course, this is not a cheap operation either, and if the expedition fails, his losses will be enormous. But even so, Inabe is betting on the expedition, and he is now gathering the necessary manpower.

After listening to Inabbe's explanation, Jing frowned, looking a little contradictory.

I'm sure you know about it, but I've been almost in Kuzuusuha the last few times

aSlain in the ruins, right? To be honest, I have no plans to go there anytime soon.

Facing danger is an occupational hazard for hunters. Moreover, we will leave most of the work to the humanoid soldiers. Hunters will only be deployed once the robots have finished protecting the area, so you can only focus on collecting artifacts. Don't worry, the chengguan also plans to deploy powerful power suits, I believe everyone is familiar with the types of power suits mentioned here, and how powerful they are. And unlike the last Katsubara Ruins event, they will not be in beta, so they are no longer limited to melee weapons. We will have enough combat power to safely carry out this expedition.

Even if you say so

Even with this added, Akira seems reluctant. But I

abe then continues.

I heard that you ordered powerful equipment through Mu Lin, a chengguan officer, right? I'm actually involved in this as well.

Achillas's face changed suddenly.

What do you mean?

Achillas' expression, eyes, and voice were hostile. I

ABES's bodyguards inadvertently reacted to that hostility. The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense.

Although Inabe maintained a calm attitude on the surface, he was actually taken aback. The bodyguards of urban management officials are definitely not weak. He would have thought that Akira should be aware of this and that he wouldn't try anything interesting there, but Akira's gesture shows that he has no problem fighting here now.

I

Abe thinks unnecessary intimidation in this situation can backfire because he changes the way meetings are conducted.

Oh, don't get me wrong. If you refuse this offer, I'm not going to get in the way of you buying new equipment. In fact, quite the opposite, if you accept the offer, I can help you buy a new device.

Watching the flickering terrifying aura gradually subside, Inabe breathed a sigh of relief in his heart before continuing.

You're looking for a powerful device that you can't get through the normal way, right? Not to mention that you're willing to spend most of your rewards on it. I'm sure Kibayashi has some extraordinary connections to help you and I bet they will be able to meet your expectations well. But I know there's a limit to what a simple employee can do. Unlike him, I can connect you with some powerful people. Just to let you know, I can even give you that black power suit. If you accept this offer and do a good job of collecting artifacts during the expedition, I am willing to help you with your equipment. So how?

I really don't want that power set, though.

I'm just saying I can even give you something powerful. When you're looking for a powerful device, money alone isn't enough. You'll also need a high hunter level. After all, there are a lot of companies out there that only trade with hunters who are ranked high enough. You're relying on Kibayashi to circumvent this problem, right?

Well, it's true, but

Then there is no reason to hesitate here. While it may sound suspicious for me to say this, this expedition is also a rare opportunity for you. At least I'll let you know about it. During the expedition, the area will be closed to the public. After all, it would have been a hassle if it weren't for some of the expedition's hunters taking away the relics of that area. It is difficult to have the opportunity to participate in such an expedition. Often, hunters fight each other over this offer. In fact, there is a constant behind-the-scenes rivalry between representatives of various hunter gangs. You can join this expedition without having to go through any of that. So, you have no reason to hesitate.

Akira herself thinks this is indeed a tempting proposition, but that's exactly what makes him suspicious.

Honestly, this offer sounds too good to be true to me. Is there any reason for you to give me such a priority?

Inabe paused, smiled slightly, and confessed.

Well, I can't tell you all the details, but basically, you've far exceeded the criteria included in this operation. For example, your hunter level. The chengguan actually decided to temporarily suspend the expansion of supply lines to the Katsubara ruins. During this break, all the other officers also planned a large-scale expedition. But in order to do this, they need enough capable manpower. Because of that, we're actually fighting for hunters above level 40, you see. That's why all these things are provided for you to join my expedition. While I've gotten answers from other hunters above level 40, the more hunters I have, the better.

Aki

A has no problem with this answer, but he still asks for additional confirmation.

Α。

He wasn't lying, but he was also hiding something.

So he didn't tell me everything, hehe.

Yes, exactly.

To be on the safe side, Akira then asked Inabe a question with a serious face.

I'm sorry if this offends you, but tell me, you don't want to cause me any harm, right?

Here I guess what you would ask. Listen, if you've been so paranoid, that's not the way to negotiate –

Akiras's serious gaze stopped Inabe, and then Inabe froze and said with the same serious expression.

No.

Α。

Not lying.

Akira sighed softly.

Well, I accept your offer. Sorry for being too careful. If I say I know a guy named Viola, I hope you can understand.

Inabe smiled inadvertently.

This explains everything. Looks like she's causing you trouble too, right?

Yes.

Akira smiled wryly. Anyone who knew what he was talking about understood very well, that awkward camaraderie wafting through the air.

After Inabe's business with Akira was over, he went to the relic shop, chatted with Shiryl, and finally left the base. This time, he traveled to the lower district of Kumayama City.

Inabe smiled confidently as he recalled in his mind what had just happened at the base.

[Akira, Shirley, Viola, a gathering place for dangerous people.] I don't know what they're planning to form a gang like this. The answer to this question may lie with Aki

Reasons to look for a powerful device. Well, it doesn't matter, I'll take advantage of this opportunity to make some profit for myself. ]

A Inabe man called him out of the blue.

I

Abe-sama, about D

a

KAM's. D

a

Negotiators on the KAMS side said that the situation was not good for the hunter's request. So it may be difficult to arrange a meeting with him.

It's okay, tell them to go there as planned. Inform them to threaten that hunter if he doesn't seem interested. If that still doesn't work, tell them to leave the negotiations to us and I'll talk to him face to face.

I see!

After a short pause, the same subordinate called Inabate again.

Inabe-sama, if you wish, we can call D now

a

Negotiator of KAMS.

Inabe smiled bitterly.

[So he even turned down D.]

a

The order of the KAMS officer, well. While he's an upcoming star, they're basically spoiling the young hunter. And this is really the person Yanagisawa has a crush on, and to be honest, I don't like him. ]

The hatred for Yanagisawa made Inabbe's face stiffen.

[Well, it doesn't matter.] Just Hu

te

It's so strong, I'll make good use of him. ]

Inabe then adjusted his expression to suit the negotiation.

Connect me.

This is a water plume. Inabe-sama, we're very sorry for that, and we're very grateful for this opportunity, but unfortunately—

I

Abe vigorously interrupted Mizuha's long apology.

Just listen here. Katsuya-kun, huh? I don't really know why, but I've heard what happened to him and he's no longer fit to do his job. I bet it's a lot of trouble for you, considering he's the team leader, right? If you stick with it, I'm sure Yanagisawa won't rate you that highly anymore. Dude, that must be rough.

Indeed as you say

I may actually have an idea of how to fix it.

Do you?!

Hearing Mizuha's somewhat exaggerated answer, Inabbe's smile widened.

I'm not going to say anything bad. Just arrange to meet him. I'll get him back on his feet, and you won't worsen your relationship with me. I'm going there now, so prepare for the meeting.

Inabe hung up without waiting for Mizuha's reply. After all, don't wait for her reply.

Gram also sat in the room with his head bowed. He doesn't even remember how he got back after Shirley left. In fact, if he remembered anything these days, it was even more suspicious. The one next to him only ate half of the meal, indicating that he also had no appetite. The lights were on, but it was because Yumina and the others had turned on the lights and were worried about him. There is no doubt that if he is left alone, he will only continue to despair in this dark space.

The shock of breaking up with Shirley still lingers today.

Yumi

A and the other girls enter the room, worried about him. When they told Katsuya Inabe to come and see him, he just glanced at him and didn't react much. Yumina and the other girls grabbed him by the arm and carried him out of the room by the shoulder. When they did, he didn't even resist.

Katsuya was sitting face to face with Inabe in the reception room of Drarankham. Many young hunters gathered around Katsuya and Mizuha, all looking gloomy.

Even after reading it, Inab felt a little creepy.

[So basically the mood of the whole team is determined by the mood of the main actors of the crew, right? ] A team that is heavily affected by the condition of its leader, I bet they are all on the Katsuyas team. I see now that, as expected, the team is not fit for duty in this situation. ]

I

Abe then turned to Mizuha.

I'll get everyone but him out of this room.

But in his current situation, we can't let him go-

No. This meeting includes his private information as well as other information about the interests of the city administration. So the fewer ears around, the better. That's why I want all irrelevant people to leave the room.

Seeing that everyone was reluctant to leave, Inabe sighed, glared fiercely, and ordered again.

Leave!

Seeing this, Shui Yu and the others finally left the room. Yumina, who was the last to leave, turned and bowed to Inabe as if pleading, then closed the door behind her.

[He turned out to be in a D

a

Such a behaving in front of an officer of the KAMS and an officer of the chengguan, huh? As I thought, these guys really spoiled him. This is simply abnormal for Yanagisawa's influence. Honestly, these guys put too much stock on him. I just couldn't understand what they were thinking. ]

I

ABE has decided to put this issue on hold for now. In order to start the negotiations, he said to Katsuya with a smile.

Now, I'm not sure if you're listening, but before we get into the subject, I want to talk to you about one small thing. I heard you were rejected by Shirley, that must be rude.

Inab's tone was clearly taunting Katsuya instead of cheering him up, which made Katsuya's anger come naturally. This anger turned into energy, and his face returned to his original color, and Katsuya, who had not reacted until now, glared in the direction of Inabe.

So why are you here? You're not related to a hunter who has nothing to do with Shirley, right?

That's true indeed, and that's why I have some business with you.

Katsuya showed a little surprise. I

Abes' mocking smile turned into a friendly one, and he did it on purpose.

You—what do you mean?

As a businesswoman and gang leader, sometimes she has to make tough decisions and that's it.

I

Abes' words reinvigorate Katsuya's hope, which he had always hoped for

YL does this for a reason. There must be some misunderstanding here.

Tell me, tell me everything.

If you really want to know, don't keep your head down, straighten your back. That's not how you present yourself in negotiations, you know?

Katsuya straightened his back in a panic. Seeing this, Inabe was convinced that he had won.

I'm sorry to start with something unpleasant, but to put it simply, Shirley is in debt, or more like a loan. Well, in any case, both refer to the same thing.

debt

From this sentence, Katsuya immediately guessed that Akira wanted to get Shirley under the pretext of that debt. So naturally, he thought that he might be able to pay off Shirley's debt.

How much is this debt?

I don't know the exact number, but it's not small, for sure. Let me ask you this, how much do you think it could be?

Considering that it was big enough for Shirley to make such a difficult decision, Katsuya paused before speaking his guess.

For example, 30 million no, 50 million Au

um？

When Katsuya said this, he just guessed that it must be big, but it wasn't completely out of reach. But Inabe shook his head and replied.

Unfortunately, it's going to be much more than that.

Much more than that? So I guess it's not like 55 million either, so, 500 million?

It has at least 5 billion. It could be as high as 10 billion or even more.

Katsuya lowered his chin and shouted in a panic.

A. Are you serious!? No matter how you cut it, it's too much

It's a debt for someone who can even attend that feast, you know? 30 million gold coins? 50,000,000 gold coins? Hehe, it can't be that small. It seems that you have not fully understood the true value of the people who were able to attend that feast. In that case, one can casually reach billions worth of AU

UM transactions. Well, though, there is a difference between her debt and her organization's debt.

Katsuya hadn't fully recovered from the shock yet, listening to Inabe's words.

The bigger the company, the greater the responsibility it bears. And then there's debt, um, investments, loans, you name it. It takes talent to manage that much money. After all, the person lending it does want something in return. The girl was basically that talented, but then she failed. I guess that's what happened.

Katsuya understood that this was not something he could handle, and frowned.

But even so, there's no doubt about her talent, so I'm willing to bet she'll try to get back on her feet with what little money she has. In fact, considering that she was able to attend that feast, she did a great job. Cher is actually making money by selling relics now. This is not surprising in the East End. I'm sure she'll be able to pay off her debts at this rate soon, which is why I also sponsor her artifact shop. We did talk about business at the banquet, remember? That's exactly what we're talking about there.

Katsu didn't expect Shiryl to have such a hard time, and at the same time hated herself and couldn't help her.

She

Yl's relic shop needs relics, so she needs skilled hunters. Luckily, she has a relationship with Aki

A has some connections then, I bet why she would go to Aki when you're a skilled hunter yourself

A, right?

Yes.

You are indeed a skilled hunter, and the hunter level is also very high. Based on the information I have gathered about you, I myself have confirmed that you are a skilled hunter. But, unfortunately, you're not the kind of hunter Shirley is looking for. After all, you are a skilled monster hunter. Most of your track record comes from conquering monsters or securing intercity traffic. So, unfortunately, this record doesn't prove your skill in hunting artifacts. But for AK

This is not the case. He did a great job as a relic hunter. He is basically a skilled treasure hunter.

If it's just so much, I found some old-world terminals a while back, right?

It was just a coincidence, right? We really can't expect you to continue to produce this kind of result from that one, right?

Katsu couldn't refute it either, just sat there quietly.

And, if not by coincidence, but by your talent, from Cheryl's point of view, this has not changed much. You're from D

a

Hunters of Kam, the gang decides where the artifacts you collect will go, not you. I bet they won't let you give those relics to Shirley, even if it's for your good, even if Shirley tries to negotiate with Frankham that won't work. D

a

Kam's Hu

te

s is heavily supported by gangs, and it's not cheap. It is conceivable that the ruins where its members gather will go there first. They will have no relics available to Shirley. In contrast, Aki

A is an independent hunter, which is hard to find. So, as long as she can be on his good side, she can expect some relics to come to her.

Gram also imagined a lot of things, frowning.

Does he have such a good relic hunter? Is it enough for Cher to do this?

I have my position to consider, so make sure this doesn't leak out there, okay? It seems AK

IA has only recently brought back the old world automata. I've heard that he's a team, so the money from that automaton will be distributed to the rest of his team, and Shirley won't get anything this time. Even at this moment, there are many companies competing to get their hands on these automata. Just imagine how much benefit Shirryll would have if these relics were handed over to her. For her, look forward to Aki

a It is not surprising that the same will be achieved in the future. And the more Akira likes her, the more likely it is that his relics will fall into her hands. I bet that's why she went out of her way to get Aki

a Reasons to like her.

Katsuya imagined more, and his brow deepened.

She doesn't know you don't have a good relationship with Akira. After seeing your reaction. As a businesswoman and her gang leader, her choices are up to you and Aki

A, but her only option is to stand with Aki

a Side. Not allowing her to feel was a difficult decision. Well, that's just my guess. I wasn't her after all, so I didn't know what the hell she was thinking at the time. Well, though, judging by the conversation between the two of you at the banquet, I can guess so much.

Katsuya wanted Shirley to do so for a reason, which almost confirmed him. But what happened after that was beyond his reach, worse than he expected.

Is there really nothing I can do?

Seeing that Katsuya lowered his head in frustration again, Inabe said to him as if he had given him hope.

In fact, I'm planning a massive expedition to the interior of the Katsubara Ruins, and I'll need a lot of skilled hunters to carry out this plan. So yes, I'm going to hire a lot of skilled hunters who specialize in hunting monsters to keep the expedition area safe. If successful, I believe we can return with a large number of relics from this expedition. Of course, I will have ownership of these relics and where to send them. Normally, I would prioritize sending these relics to chengguan-related companies, but if you do well in the expedition, I don't mind giving some relics to Shirley. Of course, I will tell her that this is mainly due to your hard work. If Shirley knew that there were other options for the origin of her relics, I believe her opinion of Akira would be lower, and she would never have to make that difficult decision again. Except for Aki

Alas, she has other options. So what do you think?

Inabe said this, giving Katsuya a friendly smile. But when he saw Katsuya's expression, he was shocked, and a sense of determination appeared on his serious face. Katsuya then lowered his head and looked at Inabe.

Please let me join you on your expedition.

Of course.

The strong determination that emanates from Katsuya's body, like physical pressure, makes Inabe a little overwhelmed.

[It turns out that this is the real him, hehe. I get it. No wonder D

a

KAM was so devoted to him. I'm willing to bet that the people around him also lost to this, which would explain why D

a

KAM will split. ]

In order to control the conversation, Inabe deliberately smiled.

Then we have an agreement. Don't worry, I'll keep my word. That's why, keep it a secret, okay? I have my position to consider here. You get the idea, right?

Yes.

Sounds good. If they ask you what's going on, tell them you're enraged after I offered you a lucrative expedition to the ruins. Honestly, I don't care what excuses you make, as long as you keep it a secret.

Good.

Now, I don't have anything more to talk to you about. I need to go to the original negotiator in Drarankham and let her know that this matter is settled. So, I'll take my leave.

Inabe stood up and walked towards the door. Katsuya also stood up and bowed to Inabe in a panic.

Ah, well, thank you very much!

You're welcome. I look forward to your work.

When Inabe left the room, he found Yumina and the others waiting nearby. Even Mizuha was present, and he asked her to meet again.

Inabe felt that the reaction of Mizuha and the others was a little strange, and everyone looked happy. The gloomy mood they had had before they left the room was nowhere to be found. Gram was still in the room, and they couldn't possibly know that Gram had pulled himself together.

[It's a shame that these guys are really rude.]

Thinking so, Inabe put the matter out of his mind.

Inside the house, Katsuya apologizes to Yumina and the others for worrying them. He apologized, smiling as he cheered on the upcoming expedition.

Everyone present was happy that Katsu was able to pull himself together in such a short period of time. Oddly enough, no one found it suspicious.