Chapter 140: Star-forsaken Land (2)
Riding the limousine, they arrived at a spacious private property near Osaka. The place was lined up with traditional Japanese houses like they were in the Edo period.
Feeling the atmosphere that felt like Tokyo instead of Osaka, Ohjin looked around and discovered a Japanese signboard written with a brush hung next to the main door.
‘How do you read that?’
He couldn’t understand what it said because the translation device didn’t allow him to read letters.
He took a picture of the letters with his phone and used a translator.
‘Kuroushi?’
The Japanese meant ‘Black Cow’.
“Is the word “Kuroushi” the name of the clan?”
Ohjin asked the young man named Koshiro who came out with the role of guiding them.
The intimidating young man with a regent hairstyle answered in a merry voice that was unfitting of his appearance.
“Yes! That’s correct! The clan was named Kuroushi because Oyabun is an Awakener of Tauros!”
“It’s… a nice name.”
“Hahaha! Doesn’t the name emit the spirit of men?”
Would the young man know that ‘Black Cow’ meant ‘pushover’ in Korea? Well, judging by his reaction, it was quite obvious he didn’t.
‘Anyways, an Awakener of Taurus, huh.’
Even if it was called the Star-forsaken Land, it looked like you needed to be within the ranks of the 12 Zodiacs in order to be the boss of a group that large.
When he was following Koshiro while having those thoughts—
“Oh-Ohjin, did you know that these guys are yakuza?”
—Ha-eun, who was following next to him, grabbed his arm and whispered in a quiet voice.
“I didn’t know, either.”
“What kind of person introduces someone else to the yakuza?”
Ha-eun forced a chuckle and shook her head.
It did seem like she was surprised by the unpredicted situation, but there were no signs of her being afraid.
‘Well…’
No matter how intimidating the yakuza were, it was probably like looking at neighborhood hooligans in Ha-eun’s perspective, as she was a 9-Star Awakener.
Honestly, not even Ohjin felt the least bit afraid.
“This way.”
Koshiro, who was leading them, opened the sliding-door that seemed to be over 10 meters long.
“Oyabun! I have escorted the guests here!”
Koshiro went inside and bowed his back at a 90° angle.
Inside the room, spacious as a classroom, were intimidating men wearing black suits sitting in two straight lines, and in the middle was a man in Yukata attire sitting firmly on his knees like a pine tree.
It was a scene you would commonly see in yakuza movies.
‘Is that person Sakaki Ryo?’
Ohjin looked at the man who sat on the highest seat.
With a short buzzcut hairstyle, an imposing aura poured out of the distinct scar on his left eyebrow. and eruptious muscles exposed through his baggy Yukata…
Charisma strong enough to overwhelm the group of people could be felt from the man.
When he was in the middle of inwardly admiring the force that was unlike any other from the yakuza boss—
“Koshiro.”
—Sakaki, who was sitting still like a tree, slowly opened his mouth.
And then—
“—YOU DUMBASS!!!”
Bang!!—
—the boss roared at him.
An intangible shockwave blasted off and struck Koshiro’s body as he was bowing down.
“Kugh!!”
Koshiro flew up into the air and spun three times as he acrobatically shot to the ground.
“H-Huh?”
With eyes that were opened wide from the sudden situation, Ha-eun alternated looking at Koshiro and Sakaki.
Sakaki suddenly raised his body and his heated eyes that seemed to be on the brink of burning headed to Koshiro.
“How many times must I tell you that a man shouldn’t carelessly bend down his back for you to understand!!!”
“I-I’m sorry, Oyabun!”
“Your voice is too small!!”
“I’m sorry!”
“Louder! Shout with vigor to the point it will shake your soul!!!”
“I”M SORRYYYYYYY!!!”
“That’s it! That’s what I wanted, Koshiro!!”
Sakaki, who was sitting down with a blunt expression, smirked as he got up from his seat.
He stomped over and helped Koshiro get back up.
“Are you hurt anywhere?”
“I’m completely fine, Oyabun!!”
“Yes! That proves you’re a part of our family!”
He exploded out in hearty laughter as he hit Koshiro’s back.
“You’ve done well in escorting our guests! Return and get some rest for today!”
“No, Oyabun! I wish to work more!”
“YOU IDIOOOOOOT!!”
Bang!!—
Koshiro’s body shot up into the air once more.
“Kugh!!”
“A man must also rest to the best of his abilities when rest is given!!”
“Ah, I understand!”
“Your voice!”
“I UNDERSTAAAAAND!!”
‘What the hell is wrong with these guys?’
Ohjin looked at the skit unfolding in front of his eyes with his mouth open.
Ha-eun stuck close to him and spoke in a low voice.
“Ohjin, are yakuzas normally like this?”
“No, I think these guys are a bit weird.”
“Are they really even yakuza?”
“…I wonder.”
They imagined fierce and threatening gang members on their way there, but what laid in front of their eyes were people who seemed to be straight out of a mediocre yakuza game.
“In any case, they don’t look like bad people.”
“Though they are weird.”
They realized what Cheon Sanggil meant by him having a unique personality.
“Then I’ll return for today, Oyabun!!”
“Take a good rest, and I’ll see you tomorrow!”
“Yes, sir!!”
Koshiro slightly bowed his head that time and went outside as he closed the sliding door behind him.
Sakaki turned his body around and stretched his hand out to Ohjin.
“I ended up being discourteous in front of our guests.”
Fortunately, he was aware of the fact that what happened just then was discourteous.
* * *
* * *
“Nice to meet you. I’m Gwon Ohjin.”
Ohjin tried his hardest to keep a straight face as he accepted Sakaki’s handshake. He could feel an unknown, hot energy from his hand that was full of calluses.
“The Star of the Weaver Girl’s wolf! I’ve heard about you a couple times through rumors! Alright, so you came looking for me because the elder introduced you?”
“Yes.”
“Kahaha! I’m very indebted to that elder. I welcome you!”
Sakaki exploded out in loud laughter as he shook his hand up and down.
Maybe it was because he was an Awakener of Taurus that was second to none in physical strength, but Ohjin’s arm went up and down like a dancing balloon on the streets.
“Boys!! Prepare two more seats!”
“Yes! Oyabun!”
One of the men that was sitting in the line got up and quickly headed off somewhere. Without even a couple seconds passing, two luxurious cushion seats were brought and placed in front of Sakaki.
“Come here and sit comfortably,” Sakaki said as he indicated the cushion seats.
‘Is he telling us to sit comfortably there?’
Ohjin forced a smile as he sat on the seat.
The atmosphere couldn’t possibly allow them to sit in comfort when there were intimidating yakuza sitting in two straight lines right beside them.
“So, how is the elder doing lately?”
“He’s in very good shape.”
“Haha! Well, there’s no way that the Star of Celestial Pivot would lose his light!”
“How did you two become acquainted?”
—One of the Seven Stars and a yakuza boss…
It wasn’t a combination that easily came to mind.
“Are you aware that there aren’t many Awakeners in Japan?”
“Ah, yes. I am.”
“The situation has gotten better, but it was so severe that monsters used to roam around in packs in the middle of cities due to a shortage of Awakeners back then.”
It was a fact Ohjin was very familiar with, and also the reason why had Japan earned the name of ‘Star-forsaken Land’.
Usually, it was normal for countries that had a small number of Awakeners to completely disappear, but could it be called a fortune within misfortune?
As there were as few gates as there were Awakeners in Japan, they were able to prevent the disaster of their entire nation getting erased from the map.
“I was busy fighting monsters with a vigilante group I made back then… but to be honest, it was a hopeless fight.”
Sakaki put on a bitter smile and continued.
“But in the midst of that, I met the elder.”
“Did Sir Cheon Sanggil drive out the monsters?”
“No, that’s not it.”
Sakaki shook his head.
“Then…?”
“Instead, he handed down teachings that enabled us to fight against the monsters.”
‘Teachings?’
“Are you saying he taught you skills?”
It wasn’t impossible for an Awakener to hand down skills to other Awakeners, but that was only valid when both Awakeners were from the same constellation. As every stigma had a different way of controlling mana, it was fundamentally impossible to hand down skills from a different constellation.
As far as Ohjin knew, Seong Sanggil was an Awakener of Capricorn.
He shouldn’t have been able to pass down teachings to Sakaki.
“What he taught us isn’t skills. Should I say he taught us how to control our stigma…? No, the expression ‘taught’ doesn’t fit. He gave us ‘enlightenment’ on how to control our stigma.”
‘He gave them enlightenment?’
“…Is that possible when your stigmas are different?”
“That is the reason why the elder is so outstanding.”
The edges of Sakaki’s lips rose while his eyes shone with respect.
“Anyways, the vigilante group was able to drive out the monsters thanks to his teachings.”
‘Then does that mean the vigilante group turned into the Kuroushi clan?’
“I see.”
“What kind of relationship are you in with the elder?”
“Hm.”
There wasn’t much Ohjin could say, even if he asked that question. Relationship aside, all they had done was meet up a single time and share a conversation.
“Haha! There’s no need for you to answer if it puts you in a difficult spot. The elder shouldn’t have sent you for no reason.”
“Thank you.”
Ohjin slightly nodded his head.
“So… what’s the reason you came looking for me?”
“Have you heard of the Black Star Organization?”
“Of course. It’s become noisy because of those bastards lately.”
Cold killing intent formed in Sakaki’s eyes.
Ohjin smirked once he saw his eyes containing killing intent and continued with a stern voice.
“I have come to eliminate that Black Star Organization.”
“Ho.”
Sakaki’s eyes shone with interest, and soon after, he exploded out in loud laughter.
“I was worried about what kind of help I needed to provide the elder’s guest, but it seems that it was unnecessary!”
He slammed his seat and continued.
“We’re also chasing after those devilish bastards!!”
Devilish bastards…
Ohjin didn’t know what kind of deeds the Hippocampus faction in Japan had committed, but it had become clear that their actions were typical of the ‘Black Star Organization’, unlike the Hirudo faction led by Isabella in Italy.
‘This won’t take long since we have the same goal.’
Cooperating with the Kuroushi clan would be a big help in hunting the Hippocampus faction.
“Then how about we cooperate?”
“Of course!”
Sakaki accepted the proposal right away without needing a second of consideration.
“Working together with the Star of the Weaver Girl’s wolf couldn’t make me feel any more reassured!”
Kuhahaha!!—
Getting excited by being able to obtain an unexpected ally, Sakaki laughed out loud. His muscles that were exposed through the gaps of his Yukata could be seen pulsating every time his laugh got louder.
“What are you guys doing!!! Bring us alcohol immediately!!”
“Yes, we shall prepare it right away, Oyabun!”
“Kokuryu Muni(無二)! Prepare the Muni!”
“Ah, but that’s the one that Oyabun’s wife cherishes…”
“You idiot!!!”
“Ahhhhhhh!”
Bang!—
One of the members that was hit by a shockwave was sent flying back.
“A man should never look back!! We can just tell my wife that Koshiro secretly drank the sake later!!!”
“S-So there was such a method!!”
‘What kind of ‘men’ are you…?’
T/N: The Kokuryu ‘Muni’ is an actual Japanese sake that is very expensive. The cheapest one I could find online was at $6,264 (USD).
The reason why ‘Black Cow(흑우)’ means pushover in Korean is because of how sport betting sites banned the word ‘Pushover(호구)’, which sounds like Hogu. People started to use a word that sounds similar to Hogu as a replacement, which was Heugu(흑우), and that became more widespread over time.
