Kael looked curiously at Yukinoshita Haruno, waiting for her answer.
On what basis? Just her pretty face and skilled acting? That might fool ordinary people, but Haruno knew he wasn't ordinary and still tried it. She was bold indeed.
Shizuka saw Haruno's embarrassed expression and couldn't help laughing. It had been a long time since she'd seen this little trickster humbled. In Chiba, few could break Haruno's composure. Yet in Tokyo, they had already met someone who did.
"Shizuka." Haruno, flustered, glared at her, hoping she would restrain herself. Did her embarrassment really make Shizuka so happy? If Shizuka knew what Haruno was thinking, she would have clapped and said, "Yes." But she didn't. Facing Haruno's glare, she coughed and forced back her laughter.
Then she said: "Haruno, since Renjou already knows you're lying, let's be honest. It's better for everyone."
Haruno sighed. "I suppose so."
Kael watched her with interest. Haruno said: "Renjou-kun, since Shizuka wants honesty, I'll speak plainly. We truly need a strong fighter, not to expand into Tokyo, but to protect ourselves."
Kael raised a brow. "Go on."
Haruno continued: "Living in Tokyo, you must have heard of the Shinomiya family."
Kael replied: "The Shinomiya conglomerate is well-known. Even non-Tokyo residents know of it."
Haruno said: "Currently, the head, Shinomiya Gan'an, is stepping down due to health. Control of the conglomerate has passed to his three sons—Shinomiya Oko, Shinomiya Seiryū, and Shinomiya Un'yo. Though there's also a daughter, I don't consider her a threat."
Well, Shinomiya Kaguya was a heroine, yet in Haruno's eyes, not worth fearing. In the original story, Kaguya indeed had little presence in the family. Strong at school, but bullied at home by her brothers, unable to raise her head. No wonder Haruno dismissed her.
Haruno continued: "Now, the three sons all want to inherit the conglomerate. They must prove themselves before Gan'an dies to secure succession. Shinomiya Un'yo chose to expand in Chiba, targeting our Yukinoshita family. He launched a Kengan match against us, aiming to swallow our family whole. If he succeeds, he'll secure his foothold in Chiba. So we urgently need a strong fighter. Earlier, I hid this from you partly to avoid scaring you, partly to avoid you demanding too much."
Kael understood. "In short, you want maximum benefit at minimum cost."
Haruno smiled. "Isn't that basic business practice?"
"That's at least the truth," Kael nodded. "So, how many fighters have you recruited?"
Haruno looked embarrassed. "None… not even one."
Kael frowned. "Your family isn't poor. How can you not find a single fighter?"
Shizuka added: "Because Shinomiya Un'yo played dirty. He hired members of the Kure clan, paying a huge price to pit them against Yukinoshita. Any fighter who joined us was crippled by the Kure clan. After that happened several times, no one dared join."
Kael said: "The Kure clan—the assassin family, right?"
The Kure clan appeared in Kengan Ashura. A thousand-year-old assassin family. Since the Asuka era, for 1,300 years, they bred for combat, sometimes mixing with martial families, sometimes introducing outside bloodlines. This selective breeding and absorption of techniques continued for centuries, producing generations specialized for battle. Their system evolved constantly, creating the terrifying Kure clan.
Shizuka nodded calmly. "Yes, the assassin family passed down for over a thousand years."
Kael realized: "No wonder no fighter dares join you if the Kure clan is involved."
In Kengan Ashura, the Kure clan was already formidable. Their leader, Kure Erioh, nicknamed the Mighty Demon, was the first Fang of Metsudo. The Fang was the chairman's strongest enforcer. Meaning Kure Hei was once the strongest fighter in the Kengan matches. That showed the clan's power.
And that was just in the original story. Now Kael was in a crossover world, far deeper, full of countless masters. If the Kure clan had also spent 1,300 years absorbing outside bloodlines here, he had reason to believe they were even more terrifying than in the original.
Shizuka said: "The Kure clan is fearsome, but not invincible. My master is no weaker and doesn't fear them. Unfortunately, he's busy and can't help."
"Oh? Who is your master?" Kael asked curiously, hearing Shizuka's pride.
In the original Oregairu, Shizuka was just a martial arts enthusiast. But in this crossover world, she had a master. And one she was proud enough to compare to the Kure clan. That was remarkable.