Inside the Shinomiya mansion in City D—
The seventy-five-year-old patriarch of the Shinomiya Consortium, Shinomiya Gan'an, sat at the head of the room. Below him, his three sons knelt, sitting nervously, not daring to move.
Even though they didn't know why their father had summoned them, they weren't foolish enough to act presumptuously in his presence. The tension in the room thickened with every passing moment.
Gan'an's eyes flicked back and forth between his sons.
He was all too familiar with the dynamics among them, having observed them closely over the years. There was no sense of familial love between them, only endless estrangement and a consuming desire to inherit the vast Shinomiya fortune.
Years ago, Gan'an had been in the same position.
Through relentless study and self-improvement, he had defeated his own siblings and ascended to become the head of the Shinomiya Consortium.
Now, his sons were caught in the same cycle.
Perhaps this was the tragedy of the wealthy, Gan'an mused silently. But he didn't object to it. After all, his own upbringing had taught him that the world was a place where the strong devoured the weak.
The same principle governed everything—
Monsters roamed freely, destroying the environment and human lives. Like many other powerful families, the Shinomiya Consortium had privately cultivated its own defense forces to protect its heirs. But today, the appearance of the giant left Gan'an feeling even more hopeless.
Could ordinary humans really protect themselves against such overwhelming power?
That gaping chasm of strength left Gan'an, a man who had always stood at the top, feeling utterly powerless. Without true strength, no amount of wealth mattered. Powerful monsters could undo lifetimes, even generations, of hard work in a single moment.
If not for the intervention of a mysterious figure, the giant would have obliterated the entire city.
And the Shinomiya knew very well that most of the consortium's assets were tied to this city.
Had the destruction been allowed to continue, the Shinomiya Consortium would have been wiped off the map of the global economy.
It was in the wake of this crisis that Gan'an, an old man who had spent his life in power, awoke to a grim realization: in a world ruled by inhuman forces, money was not omnipotent. Only true strength could secure what you wanted.
The consortium had invested in scientists and tried to win over heroes from the Hero Association. But the results were far from ideal.
Heroes, too, were human. And as long as they were human, they had desires. Whether they craved fame or wealth, the Shinomiya Consortium could provide it.
But this only worked with ordinary heroes.
They had succeeded in recruiting a few A-class heroes, but the S-class remained beyond their grasp.
Even sending one of his sons to train under the legendary martial artist Bang (Silver Fang) had ended in failure—Bang had rejected the request due to lack of qualifications.
To make matters worse, Gan'an's three sons were utterly disappointing.
They spent all their time squabbling over the inheritance, showing no interest in anything else. They lacked the discipline or willingness to endure the hardships needed to become stronger.
Gan'an's body was growing weaker by the day. He didn't have many years left to live.
Internally, the Shinomiya Consortium was falling apart. While he was still alive, he could keep things together, but once he passed away, the delicate balance would shatter.
There wouldn't be a need for old enemies to seek revenge; the internal strife alone would be enough to bring down this seemingly invincible giant.
Something had to be done.
And the mysterious figure who had recently obliterated the giant brother was the answer.
If such a powerful individual could be recruited to join the Shinomiya Consortium, all their current worries would be erased.
The most important detail was that the hotel where the mysterious figure was staying belonged to the Shinomiya Consortium.
Information about Yami and his companions, including their appearance, had already reached Gan'an.
This man had not only defeated Watchman Dog but had also gone toe-to-toe with Tatsumaki. Recruiting him was a long shot, but even establishing a connection would be an invaluable asset to the consortium.
"Hmph, hurry and make the necessary arrangements," Gan'an ordered.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for our Shinomiya family. We must meet this person at the hotel before the others—or the Hero Association—get to him."
"Control yourselves. If this meeting goes wrong because of one of your impulsive actions, you can consider your futures on the family farm."
"Understood?"
Instead of relieving the tension, Gan'an's words only made his sons more anxious.
They had never seen their father wear such a serious expression before.
Any thoughts they had of trying to bluff their way through this were immediately squashed. They could only nod eagerly in agreement.
After all, none of them wanted to be sent off to the countryside to raise pigs.
"Understood, Father!"
"Now that you've got it, why are you still sitting here? Get to work!"
"And bring that girl, Kaguya."
Gan'an hesitated for a moment before finally deciding to summon the illegitimate daughter he had long disliked.
Don't misunderstand—it wasn't a sudden change of heart.
Ever since Kaguya's mother had died, Gan'an couldn't stand the sight of her. She reminded him too much of the woman he had truly loved. Every time he looked at Kaguya, it brought back those painful memories.
But now, it was time for Kaguya to serve the family.
According to the intelligence gathered, the mysterious powerhouse who had defeated Tatsumaki was a young man.
Perhaps bringing Kaguya along would help facilitate the meeting.
As for Kaguya's own feelings? They didn't matter to Gan'an. All heirs of the Shinomiya Consortium were expected to sacrifice everything for the family.
And as an illegitimate daughter, it would be an honor for Kaguya to become the bargaining chip that secured an alliance with this powerful individual.
"Yes, Father!" the sons replied in unison.