"Pant, pant... You absolute madman...!"
Pinned to the floor, Gokudo Flower grabbed my arms and resisted violently.
A strange friction sparked from the back of Muramasa's blade, which was pressing down against her throat, and red blood began to drip onto the back of my hand.
It was a wound sustained during our frantic battle, so I didn't even know when it had happened.
But the sensation of those damp droplets of blood instantly cooled my boiling adrenaline and battle-madness, bringing my reason back to the surface.
'Whoops. I almost actually killed her.'
I withdrew the sword that was crushing her throat and stood up.
"I win now, right? Just surrender quietly."
"...Haaah."
Gokudo Flower, gasping for breath, stared up at the ceiling while sprawled on the floor and let out a self-deprecating chuckle as if she had given up.
"Fine, do whatever you want. I lose, I lose."
Having confirmed her 'GG' declaration, I finally sheathed Muramasa.
"What I said earlier, before we started fighting in the corner of this net cafe—I meant it. If you turn yourself in, we'll take care of the disciplinary stuff and help you out. So think about it."
"Pfft."
Gokudo Flower scoffed at my serious proposal.
"Hey, who the hell do you think you are? Even if you're part of the Zenin clan, you're just some branch-family errand boy treated like a pariah by the elders. What could you possibly do against the higher-ups? Do you think reality is a 1v1 match of StarCraft?"
"Oh, actually, I'm a candidate for the next head of the Zenin clan."
"...What?"
Gokudo Flower's expression stiffened at my blunt confession. I scratched my chin and continued.
"And it's not just me. My classmate who's probably raising hell at the parking lot right now is the future head of the Gojo clan. He's not even a candidate; he's the 100% confirmed successor. If heirs to the Zenin and Gojo clans say they're backing you, do you really think those geezers in the upper echelon can just discard you?"
Gokudo Flower's jaw dropped as if she had been struck in the back of the head with a massive hammer.
"Is... Is that for real?"
"Yeah. Ah, damn, now that I think about it, I should've mentioned my resume before I started throwing hands. I went straight to the punching."
At my words, Gokudo Flower's lips trembled like a mute who had eaten honey. She lowered her gaze to the floor and asked in a tiny, crawling voice.
"...Then, was that also real?"
"I told you! I really am a candidate for the Zenin headship!"
"No, not that..."
Her pale cheeks flushed slightly red as she stammered.
"What you said about my Cursed Technique... being 'cool.' Did you mean that too?"
"...Ah."
Watching a yakuza boss—who had been trying to beat my brains out just moments ago—suddenly blush like a middle school girl made my own face feel hot. I cleared my throat and gave a shy nod.
"Ahem. Yeah, that's also true. It has insane potential. So quit this thug business and join us. You're the real deal."
"...But."
She bit her lip.
"I gathered ten thousand guys. I think of them as my family, in my own way. If I'm the only one who slips away just to save my own skin..."
"Kid, you've known them for two weeks. What kind of 'family' is that? Give me a break."
I ruthlessly cut through her lingering attachment with a fact-bomb as refreshing as a cold Pepsi.
"And that collusion with the political world you mentioned earlier? Wake up. You know what political thugs are, right? Those yakuza are already nothing more than lapdogs for politicians. Besides, Japan's leadership and shadow powers are all in league with the old fogies of the Jujutsu higher-ups."
"...!!"
"Even if the organization collapses, those thugs will just gather and scatter again anyway, chasing after their own interests. In fact, that clumsy political alliance you were banking on would've only resulted in them stabbing you in the back under orders from our higher-ups."
She was completely speechless, staring up at me blankly after being hit with such a realistic insight.
"...Hey. If you don't answer, I'm taking that as a 'yes'."
I reached out toward the frozen girl.
"Lend me your phone. I need to call my classmates and tell them it's over. My phone got smashed while I was dodging your guided missiles earlier."
She obediently pulled a blue phone from her pocket and tossed it to me.
I flipped it open, pressed the buttons with a click-clack, and dialed Shoko's number, which I had memorized.
Ring, ring— Click
— Hello? Who is this? We're in the middle of an emergency, so I'm hanging up. Later...
"Wait, wait! Shoko! It's me, Hachiro!"
— ...Hey!! Why are you calling from a random number? The guy who said he was grabbing his weapon and heading to the parking lot is nowhere to be found!
— It's absolute chaos here! And the boss hasn't even shown her face yet, so get your ass over here right now!
Vivid noise that sounded like a crowded market blared through the receiver, followed by Shoko's irritated voice.
"I caught the boss."
— ...What? You caught Gokudo Flower?!
"Yeah. She was hiding in the corner of the net cafe I was in, so I gave her a good thrashing and finished the capture. How's the situation on your end?"
At my question, Shoko clicked her tongue and continued her report.
— They were fighting a civil war amongst themselves like they were out for blood, but Satoru and Suguru just barged in and made an even bigger mess. They suppressed them well enough, but there's a mountain of injured people, so I'm struggling with using Reverse Cursed Technique right now. Fortunately, no one's dead yet.
"Okay, keep up the good work. I'll be there soon."
After hanging up, I waved the phone lightly and shrugged at Gokudo Flower, who was still sitting on the floor.
"You heard that? Your 'family' already got suppressed by my classmates while they were busy fighting each other. But hey, not a single one of them is dead."
I gave a small smirk and held out my hand to her.
"Since you, the boss, have disappeared, the organization's collapse is inevitable. But honestly, do yakuza bastards even know the meaning of loyalty? As long as they're still breathing, you've done your job. So come on, stop complaining and grab my hand."
"Our homeroom teacher is a pretty scary guy. If I'm any later than this, I'm really going to get it."
"Alright, let's get going."
I looked down at the fallen Gokudo Flower and gestured with my chin. She asked with a scowl.
"Where to?"
"To the freight parking lot where your subordinates are, obviously. You're supposedly the boss who unified the Kansai yakuza; we need to show everyone with their own eyes that you've been completely defeated. That's the only way those thugs will give up their false hope and surrender or disperse quietly."
Gokudo Flower rubbed her temples in irritation at my logic.
"Ugh, so annoying... Hey. Help me up. I've used up all my energy; I can't even stand."
"Man, you're high maintenance. Ugh, fine... one, two!"
I forcibly pulled her up by the arm, but her legs buckled like a newborn calf's, and she slumped back down onto the floor.
"Hey! What are you doing? Are you just acting?"
"Shut up! My technique is specialized for long-range combat! This is the first time in my life I've fought while trashing my body like this... Oh, whatever. Just carry me on your back or pick me up however you want."
She sprawled out on the floor entirely, shamelessly playing the "do whatever" card.
"Unbelievable... you really are something else."
I clicked my tongue in disbelief.
In that moment, a mischievous thought crossed my mind. I slipped my arms under her back and the crooks of her knees. Then, I hoisted her up into the air in a so-called 'princess carry.'
"...!!"
"Wait! H-Hey!! Are you crazy?! What... what do you think you're doing!!"
Gokudo Flower's pale face instantly turned beet red as she flailed and struggled in my arms.
"You said carry you or pick you up. The method of lifting is up to the person doing the lifting."
"No, but not like this, you lunatic! Put me down right now!!"
She shrieked, but I pretended not to hear a thing.
However, despite my calm facade, my inner thoughts were racing wildly.
'...But wait, now that I'm holding her, she's surprisingly light and soft?! "Gokudo Flower"? The