Chapter 131
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Kazuya returned to the Kouzuki Clan on the same day that he heard the conversation between Tenma and Shishio. The two men did not stop him this time because Tenma already taught him the basics and even promised to have a gun made especially for Kazuya. Shishio on the other hand, needed to make plans silently for his succession so he let the boy spend what remaining time he could with Kyouko.
"(It took you guys three years but you've finally made a move)" Kazuya thought as he looked back at the Kurogane estate. He was still feeling anxious about the unknown plan that Shishio and Tenma thought of but he couldn't do anything at the moment.
Even with his abilities, he still couldn't be confident enough to get through every security feature that was installed in the Kurogane estate. Even if he did, the suspicion he would put himself in would be even more disadvantageous because at this moment, both the current clan head and the next clan head of the Kuroganes valued him to the point of taking measures against someone like Nagato Tsuna who they feared to the bones.
Though he feared what they may have planned, Kazuya has learned a lot throughout the years. He had a lot on insights at how the Kurogane clan worked and how Kurogane Shishio thought. Though he was still a little too concerned about his own image in front of Kazuya, the boy could see from the past actions he took after Kazuya gained access to the Kurogane clan's database.
Kazuya cast a small protective barrier around him to prevent any sound from being heard by Shishio's personal driver. HE immediately dialed up the number of one of Kazuno Tech's now leading personnel, Munie Ika.
"Did you call this legend?" he answered the call with his usual demeanor.
"Your access to the Kurogane network still hasn't been discovered right?" Kazuya tried to confirm. He placed a special access point that masked their access to their network like someone else who was currently on. It wasn't perfect because it relied on the limited people who had access to secret files but it was enough for them to find out what they want as well as monitor any strange movements coming from the Kuroganes.
"It's still in place since you didn't allow me to use it as much as I would have liked. How did you get access to their direct network anyway? Doesn't Kurogane Tenma keep everything in that fortress of his?" Ika asked. He was quite curious as to who their boss really was because he had done some amazing things that even he wasn't able to. Furthermore, the skillset Kazuya only let him know was more like of a spy in the movies rather than a mysterious company owner who didn't show himself.
"You'll find out soon enough" Kazuya answered in the same manner like he usually did whenever Ika asked. "I mean it this time. The Kuroganes have started making their move so make sure to take note of every suspicious changes or moves" he instructed. With their access to the famed Kurogane network, they could keep tabs of anything that went through the family's private system.
"Are you looking for anything specific boss? If you tell me something like look out for something suspicious, considering who the network belongs to, every move they make is suspicious if you ask me" Ika commented. He wasn't as familiar with the Kuroganes as Kazuya was so of course his understanding of them was not as deep as Kazuya's.
"Kurogane Tenma has instructed Kurogane Shishio to do something to Kouzuki Kyouko" Kazuya didn't hesitate and told Ika of what he discovered. "From what I've found out, it looks like Kurogane Tenma has been planning it for at least two years so whatever they're planning, they should have taken very careful precautions" he reminded.
Ika was of course shocked. He didn't expect such a bomb to be dropped on him all of a sudden. Though most of the people didn't know about the hidden alliance between their Kazuno Technologies and the Kouzuki Coproration, Ika was one of those who knew.
"They want to swallow the Kouzuki Corporation by using Kurogane Shishio's illegitimate son?" This was what anyone would automatically think which was why it made Kazuya curious as to what Tenma prepared.
"I guess it would be something like that. I didn't find out how they would do it, I just found out that those two would make a move" he replied with a sigh while noticing the driver looking at him from the rear-view mirror with interest. Kazuya knew that the man was interested in eavesdropping on his conversation because the intercom had silently been turned on.
"I'll keep an eye out. I didn't think it would be a serious matter since all you've made me do for you lately were simple things" Ika slightly looked forward to what he would be assigned to do next since things were turning quite serious. Kazuya ended the call.
"Okay, I will be going to school since the thing I was doing with my grandfather is over" Kazuya pretended to be talking to someone which pleased the driver who was curious who he had been talking to on his cell phone for so long.
Kazuya arrived at the Kouzuki house where he got off at the gates. He entered the house and immediately activated the formation to find out where everyone was. To his surprise, Kyouko immediately sensed his entry and access so she rushed to meet the son that had been away for a while.
"Kazuya!" despite his expectations to be welcomed home with his mother's smile, he was instead welcomed with a stern look from Kyouko.
"Ohoho, you're in trouble now kid" Kou who appeared not long after Kyouko grinned as if he looked forward to the trouble Kazuya would be in.
"I'm hom— Ow!" Kyouko reached for his ear and pulled him to the house. Kou laughed as he enjoyed seeing his grandson in pain and followed them back towards the Kouzuki house's living room.
"So you still know how to come back here huh" Kyouko dragged him to the couch and crossed her arms before him wearing an annoyed expression. "I've read that all parents have to go through a child's rebellious phase but I never expected to go through it. Are you in your rebellious phase now?" Kyouko pouted and gave a look as if she didn't want to hear an answer to her question.
"Rebellious phase?" Kazuya found his mother's assumptions to be quite amusing. "Didn't I already explain it at the phone? Kurogane Tenma suddenly showed some interest in me and it has never happened throughout the time I spent there" Kazuya explained. "How can I not come home without a good reason?" Kazuya moved closer to his mom and opened his arms wide.
"Don't think you're getting away this lightly!" Kou tried to move between the two as he knew that his daughter was weak to this move. She almost jumped into his arms when he interrupted. "What did that rat make you do? Do you know what he did?"
"What he did?" Kazuya didn't know what this troublesome grandfather of his meant. Judging from Kyouko's reaction which like she had been reminded of something, Tenma must have done something without informing him.
"You didn't know?" Kou looked at him doubtfully.
"I don't. He only taught me a few things about his hobbies" Kazuya mused. He tried to remember if he had been told anything but he was drawing blanks.
"That old man registered you for the junior shooting competition! He taught you how to use those dastardly guns right!?" Kou scolded. "That was the only thing that rat was good at anyway"
"Well he did teach me a thing or two about guns whenever he spent time with me" Kazuya confirmed. "He also told me that I should consider joining a competition because of my talent but he never told me that he would register me himself"
"That old rat…" Kou clenched his fists. "Do you know that he didn't register you as Kouzuki Kazuya but rather Kurogane Kazuya!?"
"I didn't" Kazuya was surprised to hear this. The old man sure was sly and was already taking steps in letting him get used to that name. "What a troublesome old geezer" the two calmed down a bit after hearing Kazuya insult Kurogane Tenma. They were worried that he had been corrupted by them so they were relieved to see that his view of the head of the Kurogane Clan hasn't changed.
"Did they treat you alright?" Kyouko bumped Kou out of the way and made herself comfortable on Kazuya's chest. She found herself soothed as her son grew and had claimed this as her spot now that Mei wasn't there to fight over her son.
"I did get a bit of trouble with Kurogane Sousuke but I made sure that he knew his place" Kazuya smiled. He slowly told them about the incident in which they felt a little pity over the man who dared to spout such words in front of this overprotective boy. They knew that he skimped on the details but it was definitely a terrifying existence to have been on the other side of Kazuya's wrath.
"You should just ignore that stupid man's empty threats" Kyouko said worriedly. "That man has a reputation for saying empty threats"
"Which brings me to the next agenda" Kazuya reached for his pocket and summoned the familiar looking jewelry who didn't look as shabby as they did when he first made them. "Always wear at least the necklace no matter where you are mom" he put the necklace on Kyouko and handed her the earrings.
"Didn't I just say that Kurogane Sousuke is known to give out empty threats? They can't afford to make a move against us right now" Kyouko looked at the earrings and was immediately pleased. No one would dare call her son's handiwork cheap because they looked like something that was handcrafted by a famous expert.
"It's not that…" Kazuya began to tell them about the conversation between Tenma and Shishio.
"How dare they!?" Kou's blood boiled as he listened on how those two were planning to take care of his daughter. "I'll destroy them!"
"Calm down father" Kyouko didn't feel threatened after hearing the plot against her. She touched the pendant that hung from her neck and it felt as if the jewelry her son gave her took all of the fear away.
There was an incident which caused these pieces of jewelries to return to her son's hands. It was when she was inspecting one of the buildings that was being constructed for their company. An accident caused a few metal bars to fall from above in which no one noticed but despite the injuries of some people, Kyouko was without a scratch as she stood in the middle of the debris that appeared to have been shattered.
As advanced as Kyouko was with her training with mana, there was nothing she could do against something she didn't expect. She had been caught off guard and would have suffered like anyone else if she didn't activate her defenses. She witnessed how a barrier protected her from everything but at the cost of her precious jewelry getting shattered.
"You're being too calm about this" Kou noticed his daughter playing with the pendant Kazuya made and sighed. He knew about the incident and when he asked his friend Tsuna about it, the man laughed and told him that even if a truck had been rushing towards Kyouko at top speed, it would have been disintegrated before it hit.
"I hate to admit it but grandpa is right" Kazuya frowned as he agreed with Kou. "Kurogane Tenma has proven himself to be a lethal snake that has survived despite his clan's reputation. "He was confident in his plan to not implicate themselves and even with my time there, I didn't know what he was up to nor what his preparations were" Kazuya tried soothing his mom by caressing her hair gently.
"Are you planning to eat the Kurogane clan instead kid?" Kou noticed a unique grin on his grandson's face. Whenever he saw this grin, there was never something good that would happen to those people it was supposed to be directed at.
It has been proven throughout the years where several members of the Kouzuki Corporation that were known to be troublesome all experienced unfortunate accidents. Not everyone of them were specifically involved with the Kurogane Conglomerate but they were mostly the ones that had ties to other corporations that didn't have a good relationship with them.
The spies were carefully rooted out and there were no suspicions after they were found. None of the other corporations dared to point their fingers at them because no matter how they investigated, it yielded no results. There was just one thing that Kou noticed when all of these incidents happened, all of them took place whenever Kazuya was performing his duties as Kazuno Kaguya.
Kou was already aware of what happened when the Dokuro group assaulted Kazuno Tech while Mei had been there. When he asked his grandson about it, it seemed like Kazuya had treated it as something that happened long ago and forgot until he was reminded. This was the same feeling he got from his friend Tsuna when he asked him about how it felt to have killed a person. It was like they were already numb to it.
It wasn't like Kou hadn't hurt anyone, but knowing how it felt, the amount of bodies that would have been needed would have been enumerable for him to even begin to feel numb about it. This made him fear and respect his grandson a little because he was still able to show such pleasant expressions to please Kyouko.
"Eat them?" Kazuya inclined his head looking a bit confused.
"Didn't they want to name you as their successor? If Shishio fails, wouldn't that make you the next head of the Kurogane clan?" Kou looked quite expectant. Kyouko was startled after hearing this as well, her father had a point.
"Please don't make me feel sick grandpa" Kazuya frowned. "Why would I want to eat tainted food?" Kazuya rejected the Idea. Even if he considered it, it was Kurogane Tenma in the end who still had the power despite who the successor was. It wouldn't benefit them at all if he took the helm of the clan.
"Then what you plan to do about them?" he asked curiously. Kou refused to believe that this boy would sit and do nothing now that his mother was threatened directly.
"The Kurogane clan has already outlived their usefulness. They already ate the gangrene to disinfect the wound. I shouldn't wait until these maggots turn into more bothersome flies"
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Kazuya returned to the Kouzuki Clan on the same day that he heard the conversation between Tenma and Shishio. The two men did not stop him this time because Tenma already taught him the basics and even promised to have a gun made especially for Kazuya. Shishio on the other hand, needed to make plans silently for his succession so he let the boy spend what remaining time he could with Kyouko.
"(It took you guys three years but you've finally made a move)" Kazuya thought as he looked back at the Kurogane estate. He was still feeling anxious about the unknown plan that Shishio and Tenma thought of but he couldn't do anything at the moment.
Even with his abilities, he still couldn't be confident enough to get through every security feature that was installed in the Kurogane estate. Even if he did, the suspicion he would put himself in would be even more disadvantageous because at this moment, both the current clan head and the next clan head of the Kuroganes valued him to the point of taking measures against someone like Nagato Tsuna who they feared to the bones.
Though he feared what they may have planned, Kazuya has learned a lot throughout the years. He had a lot on insights at how the Kurogane clan worked and how Kurogane Shishio thought. Though he was still a little too concerned about his own image in front of Kazuya, the boy could see from the past actions he took after Kazuya gained access to the Kurogane clan's database.
Kazuya cast a small protective barrier around him to prevent any sound from being heard by Shishio's personal driver. HE immediately dialed up the number of one of Kazuno Tech's now leading personnel, Munie Ika.
"Did you call this legend?" he answered the call with his usual demeanor.
"Your access to the Kurogane network still hasn't been discovered right?" Kazuya tried to confirm. He placed a special access point that masked their access to their network like someone else who was currently on. It wasn't perfect because it relied on the limited people who had access to secret files but it was enough for them to find out what they want as well as monitor any strange movements coming from the Kuroganes.
"It's still in place since you didn't allow me to use it as much as I would have liked. How did you get access to their direct network anyway? Doesn't Kurogane Tenma keep everything in that fortress of his?" Ika asked. He was quite curious as to who their boss really was because he had done some amazing things that even he wasn't able to. Furthermore, the skillset Kazuya only let him know was more like of a spy in the movies rather than a mysterious company owner who didn't show himself.
"You'll find out soon enough" Kazuya answered in the same manner like he usually did whenever Ika asked. "I mean it this time. The Kuroganes have started making their move so make sure to take note of every suspicious changes or moves" he instructed. With their access to the famed Kurogane network, they could keep tabs of anything that went through the family's private system.
"Are you looking for anything specific boss? If you tell me something like look out for something suspicious, considering who the network belongs to, every move they make is suspicious if you ask me" Ika commented. He wasn't as familiar with the Kuroganes as Kazuya was so of course his understanding of them was not as deep as Kazuya's.
"Kurogane Tenma has instructed Kurogane Shishio to do something to Kouzuki Kyouko" Kazuya didn't hesitate and told Ika of what he discovered. "From what I've found out, it looks like Kurogane Tenma has been planning it for at least two years so whatever they're planning, they should have taken very careful precautions" he reminded.
Ika was of course shocked. He didn't expect such a bomb to be dropped on him all of a sudden. Though most of the people didn't know about the hidden alliance between their Kazuno Technologies and the Kouzuki Coproration, Ika was one of those who knew.
"They want to swallow the Kouzuki Corporation by using Kurogane Shishio's illegitimate son?" This was what anyone would automatically think which was why it made Kazuya curious as to what Tenma prepared.
"I guess it would be something like that. I didn't find out how they would do it, I just found out that those two would make a move" he replied with a sigh while noticing the driver looking at him from the rear-view mirror with interest. Kazuya knew that the man was interested in eavesdropping on his conversation because the intercom had silently been turned on.
"I'll keep an eye out. I didn't think it would be a serious matter since all you've made me do for you lately were simple things" Ika slightly looked forward to what he would be assigned to do next since things were turning quite serious. Kazuya ended the call.
"Okay, I will be going to school since the thing I was doing with my grandfather is over" Kazuya pretended to be talking to someone which pleased the driver who was curious who he had been talking to on his cell phone for so long.
Kazuya arrived at the Kouzuki house where he got off at the gates. He entered the house and immediately activated the formation to find out where everyone was. To his surprise, Kyouko immediately sensed his entry and access so she rushed to meet the son that had been away for a while.
"Kazuya!" despite his expectations to be welcomed home with his mother's smile, he was instead welcomed with a stern look from Kyouko.
"Ohoho, you're in trouble now kid" Kou who appeared not long after Kyouko grinned as if he looked forward to the trouble Kazuya would be in.
"I'm hom— Ow!" Kyouko reached for his ear and pulled him to the house. Kou laughed as he enjoyed seeing his grandson in pain and followed them back towards the Kouzuki house's living room.
"So you still know how to come back here huh" Kyouko dragged him to the couch and crossed her arms before him wearing an annoyed expression. "I've read that all parents have to go through a child's rebellious phase but I never expected to go through it. Are you in your rebellious phase now?" Kyouko pouted and gave a look as if she didn't want to hear an answer to her question.
"Rebellious phase?" Kazuya found his mother's assumptions to be quite amusing. "Didn't I already explain it at the phone? Kurogane Tenma suddenly showed some interest in me and it has never happened throughout the time I spent there" Kazuya explained. "How can I not come home without a good reason?" Kazuya moved closer to his mom and opened his arms wide.
"Don't think you're getting away this lightly!" Kou tried to move between the two as he knew that his daughter was weak to this move. She almost jumped into his arms when he interrupted. "What did that rat make you do? Do you know what he did?"
"What he did?" Kazuya didn't know what this troublesome grandfather of his meant. Judging from Kyouko's reaction which like she had been reminded of something, Tenma must have done something without informing him.
"You didn't know?" Kou looked at him doubtfully.
"I don't. He only taught me a few things about his hobbies" Kazuya mused. He tried to remember if he had been told anything but he was drawing blanks.
"That old man registered you for the junior shooting competition! He taught you how to use those dastardly guns right!?" Kou scolded. "That was the only thing that rat was good at anyway"
"Well he did teach me a thing or two about guns whenever he spent time with me" Kazuya confirmed. "He also told me that I should consider joining a competition because of my talent but he never told me that he would register me himself"
"That old rat…" Kou clenched his fists. "Do you know that he didn't register you as Kouzuki Kazuya but rather Kurogane Kazuya!?"
"I didn't" Kazuya was surprised to hear this. The old man sure was sly and was already taking steps in letting him get used to that name. "What a troublesome old geezer" the two calmed down a bit after hearing Kazuya insult Kurogane Tenma. They were worried that he had been corrupted by them so they were relieved to see that his view of the head of the Kurogane Clan hasn't changed.
"Did they treat you alright?" Kyouko bumped Kou out of the way and made herself comfortable on Kazuya's chest. She found herself soothed as her son grew and had claimed this as her spot now that Mei wasn't there to fight over her son.
"I did get a bit of trouble with Kurogane Sousuke but I made sure that he knew his place" Kazuya smiled. He slowly told them about the incident in which they felt a little pity over the man who dared to spout such words in front of this overprotective boy. They knew that he skimped on the details but it was definitely a terrifying existence to have been on the other side of Kazuya's wrath.
"You should just ignore that stupid man's empty threats" Kyouko said worriedly. "That man has a reputation for saying empty threats"
"Which brings me to the next agenda" Kazuya reached for his pocket and summoned the familiar looking jewelry who didn't look as shabby as they did when he first made them. "Always wear at least the necklace no matter where you are mom" he put the necklace on Kyouko and handed her the earrings.
"Didn't I just say that Kurogane Sousuke is known to give out empty threats? They can't afford to make a move against us right now" Kyouko looked at the earrings and was immediately pleased. No one would dare call her son's handiwork cheap because they looked like something that was handcrafted by a famous expert.
"It's not that…" Kazuya began to tell them about the conversation between Tenma and Shishio.
"How dare they!?" Kou's blood boiled as he listened on how those two were planning to take care of his daughter. "I'll destroy them!"
"Calm down father" Kyouko didn't feel threatened after hearing the plot against her. She touched the pendant that hung from her neck and it felt as if the jewelry her son gave her took all of the fear away.
There was an incident which caused these pieces of jewelries to return to her son's hands. It was when she was inspecting one of the buildings that was being constructed for their company. An accident caused a few metal bars to fall from above in which no one noticed but despite the injuries of some people, Kyouko was without a scratch as she stood in the middle of the debris that appeared to have been shattered.
As advanced as Kyouko was with her training with mana, there was nothing she could do against something she didn't expect. She had been caught off guard and would have suffered like anyone else if she didn't activate her defenses. She witnessed how a barrier protected her from everything but at the cost of her precious jewelry getting shattered.
"You're being too calm about this" Kou noticed his daughter playing with the pendant Kazuya made and sighed. He knew about the incident and when he asked his friend Tsuna about it, the man laughed and told him that even if a truck had been rushing towards Kyouko at top speed, it would have been disintegrated before it hit.
"I hate to admit it but grandpa is right" Kazuya frowned as he agreed with Kou. "Kurogane Tenma has proven himself to be a lethal snake that has survived despite his clan's reputation. "He was confident in his plan to not implicate themselves and even with my time there, I didn't know what he was up to nor what his preparations were" Kazuya tried soothing his mom by caressing her hair gently.
"Are you planning to eat the Kurogane clan instead kid?" Kou noticed a unique grin on his grandson's face. Whenever he saw this grin, there was never something good that would happen to those people it was supposed to be directed at.
It has been proven throughout the years where several members of the Kouzuki Corporation that were known to be troublesome all experienced unfortunate accidents. Not everyone of them were specifically involved with the Kurogane Conglomerate but they were mostly the ones that had ties to other corporations that didn't have a good relationship with them.
The spies were carefully rooted out and there were no suspicions after they were found. None of the other corporations dared to point their fingers at them because no matter how they investigated, it yielded no results. There was just one thing that Kou noticed when all of these incidents happened, all of them took place whenever Kazuya was performing his duties as Kazuno Kaguya.
Kou was already aware of what happened when the Dokuro group assaulted Kazuno Tech while Mei had been there. When he asked his grandson about it, it seemed like Kazuya had treated it as something that happened long ago and forgot until he was reminded. This was the same feeling he got from his friend Tsuna when he asked him about how it felt to have killed a person. It was like they were already numb to it.
It wasn't like Kou hadn't hurt anyone, but knowing how it felt, the amount of bodies that would have been needed would have been enumerable for him to even begin to feel numb about it. This made him fear and respect his grandson a little because he was still able to show such pleasant expressions to please Kyouko.
"Eat them?" Kazuya inclined his head looking a bit confused.
"Didn't they want to name you as their successor? If Shishio fails, wouldn't that make you the next head of the Kurogane clan?" Kou looked quite expectant. Kyouko was startled after hearing this as well, her father had a point.
"Please don't make me feel sick grandpa" Kazuya frowned. "Why would I want to eat tainted food?" Kazuya rejected the Idea. Even if he considered it, it was Kurogane Tenma in the end who still had the power despite who the successor was. It wouldn't benefit them at all if he took the helm of the clan.
"Then what you plan to do about them?" he asked curiously. Kou refused to believe that this boy would sit and do nothing now that his mother was threatened directly.
"The Kurogane clan has already outlived their usefulness. They already ate the gangrene to disinfect the wound. I shouldn't wait until these maggots turn into more bothersome flies"
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.Kazuya returned to the Kouzuki Clan on the same day that he heard the conversation between Tenma and Shishio. The two men did not stop him this time because Tenma already taught him the basics and even promised to have a gun made especially for Kazuya. Shishio on the other hand, needed to make plans silently for his succession so he let the boy spend what remaining time he could with Kyouko."It took you guys three years but you've finally made a move" Kazuya thought as he looked back at the Kurogane estate. He was still feeling anxious about the unknown plan that Shishio and Tenma thought of but he couldn't do anything at the moment.Even with his abilities, he still couldn't be confident enough to get through every security feature that was installed in the Kurogane estate. Even if he did, the suspicion he would put himself in would be even more disadvantageous because at this moment, both the current clan head and the next clan head of the Kuroganes valued him to the point of taking measures against someone like Nagato Tsuna who they feared to the bones.Though he feared what they may have planned, Kazuya has learned a lot throughout the years. He had a lot on insights at how the Kurogane clan worked and how Kurogane Shishio thought. Though he was still a little too concerned about his own image in front of Kazuya, the boy could see from the past actions he took after Kazuya gained access to the Kurogane clan's database.Kazuya cast a small protective barrier around him to prevent any sound from being heard by Shishio's personal driver. HE immediately dialed up the number of one of Kazuno Tech's now leading personnel, Munie Ika."Did you call this legend?" he answered the call with his usual demeanor."Your access to the Kurogane network still hasn't been discovered right?" Kazuya tried to confirm. He placed a special access point that masked their access to their network like someone else who was currently on. It wasn't perfect because it relied on the limited people who had access to secret files but it was enough for them to find out what they want as well as monitor any strange movements coming from the Kuroganes."It's still in place since you didn't allow me to use it as much as I would have liked. How did you get access to their direct network anyway? Doesn't Kurogane Tenma keep everything in that fortress of his?" Ika asked. He was quite curious as to who their boss really was because he had done some amazing things that even he wasn't able to. Furthermore, the skillset Kazuya only let him know was more like of a spy in the movies rather than a mysterious company owner who didn't show himself."You'll find out soon enough" Kazuya answered in the same manner like he usually did whenever Ika asked. "I mean it this time. The Kuroganes have started making their move so make sure to take note of every suspicious changes or moves" he instructed. With their access to the famed Kurogane network, they could keep tabs of anything that went through the family's private system."Are you looking for anything specific boss? If you tell me something like look out for something suspicious, considering who the network belongs to, every move they make is suspicious if you ask me" Ika commented. He wasn't as familiar with the Kuroganes as Kazuya was so of course his understanding of them was not as deep as Kazuya's."Kurogane Tenma has instructed Kurogane Shishio to do something to Kouzuki Kyouko" Kazuya didn't hesitate and told Ika of what he discovered. "From what I've found out, it looks like Kurogane Tenma has been planning it for at least two years so whatever they're planning, they should have taken very careful precautions" he reminded.Ika was of course shocked. He didn't expect such a bomb to be dropped on him all of a sudden. Though most of the people didn't know about the hidden alliance between their Kazuno Technologies and the Kouzuki Coproration, Ika was one of those who knew."They want to swallow the Kouzuki Corporation by using Kurogane Shishio's illegitimate son?" This was what anyone would automatically think which was why it made Kazuya curious as to what Tenma prepared."I guess it would be something like that. I didn't find out how they would do it, I just found out that those two would make a move" he replied with a sigh while noticing the driver looking at him from the rear-view mirror with interest. Kazuya knew that the man was interested in eavesdropping on his conversation because the intercom had silently been turned on."I'll keep an eye out. I didn't think it would be a serious matter since all you've made me do for you lately were simple things" Ika slightly looked forward to what he would be assigned to do next since things were turning quite serious. Kazuya ended the call."Okay, I will be going to school since the thing I was doing with my grandfather is over" Kazuya pretended to be talking to someone which pleased the driver who was curious who he had been talking to on his cell phone for so long.Kazuya arrived at the Kouzuki house where he got off at the gates. He entered the house and immediately activated the formation to find out where everyone was. To his surprise, Kyouko immediately sensed his entry and access so she rushed to meet the son that had been away for a while."Kazuya!" despite his expectations to be welcomed home with his mother's smile, he was instead welcomed with a stern look from Kyouko."Ohoho, you're in trouble now kid" Kou who appeared not long after Kyouko grinned as if he looked forward to the trouble Kazuya would be in."I'm hom Ow!" Kyouko reached for his ear and pulled him to the house. Kou laughed as he enjoyed seeing his grandson in pain and followed them back towards the Kouzuki house's living room."So you still know how to come back here huh" Kyouko dragged him to the couch and crossed her arms before him wearing an annoyed expression. "I've read that all parents have to go through a child's rebellious phase but I never expected to go through it. Are you in your rebellious phase now?" Kyouko pouted and gave a look as if she didn't want to hear an answer to her question."Rebellious phase?" Kazuya found his mother's assumptions to be quite amusing. "Didn't I already explain it at the phone? Kurogane Tenma suddenly showed some interest in me and it has never happened throughout the time I spent there" Kazuya explained. "How can I not come home without a good reason?" Kazuya moved closer to his mom and opened his arms wide."Don't think you're getting away this lightly!" Kou tried to move between the two as he knew that his daughter was weak to this move. She almost jumped into his arms when he interrupted. "What did that rat make you do? Do you know what he did?""What he did?" Kazuya didn't know what this troublesome grandfather of his meant. Judging from Kyouko's reaction which like she had been reminded of something, Tenma must have done something without informing him."You didn't know?" Kou looked at him doubtfully."I don't. He only taught me a few things about his hobbies" Kazuya mused. He tried to remember if he had been told anything but he was drawing blanks."That old man registered you for the junior shooting competition! He taught you how to use those dastardly guns right!?" Kou scolded. "That was the only thing that rat was good at anyway""Well he did teach me a thing or two about guns whenever he spent time with me" Kazuya confirmed. "He also told me that I should consider joining a competition because of my talent but he never told me that he would register me himself""That old rat" Kou clenched his fists. "Do you know that he didn't register you as Kouzuki Kazuya but rather Kurogane Kazuya!?""I didn't" Kazuya was surprised to hear this. The old man sure was sly and was already taking steps in letting him get used to that name. "What a troublesome old geezer" the two calmed down a bit after hearing Kazuya insult Kurogane Tenma. They were worried that he had been corrupted by them so they were relieved to see that his view of the head of the Kurogane Clan hasn't changed."Did they treat you alright?" Kyouko bumped Kou out of the way and made herself comfortable on Kazuya's chest. She found herself soothed as her son grew and had claimed this as her spot now that Mei wasn't there to fight over her son."I did get a bit of trouble with Kurogane Sousuke but I made sure that he knew his place" Kazuya smiled. He slowly told them about the incident in which they felt a little pity over the man who dared to spout such words in front of this overprotective boy. They knew that he skimped on the details but it was definitely a terrifying existence to have been on the other side of Kazuya's wrath."You should just ignore that stupid man's empty threats" Kyouko said worriedly. "That man has a reputation for saying empty threats""Which brings me to the next agenda" Kazuya reached for his pocket and summoned the familiar looking jewelry who didn't look as shabby as they did when he first made them. "Always wear at least the necklace no matter where you are mom" he put the necklace on Kyouko and handed her the earrings."Didn't I just say that Kurogane Sousuke is known to give out empty threats? They can't afford to make a move against us right now" Kyouko looked at the earrings and was immediately pleased. No one would dare call her son's handiwork cheap because they looked like something that was handcrafted by a famous expert."It's not that" Kazuya began to tell them about the conversation between Tenma and Shishio."How dare they!?" Kou's blood boiled as he listened on how those two were planning to take care of his daughter. "I'll destroy them!""Calm down father" Kyouko didn't feel threatened after hearing the plot against her. She touched the pendant that hung from her neck and it felt as if the jewelry her son gave her took all of the fear away.There was an incident which caused these pieces of jewelries to return to her son's hands. It was when she was inspecting one of the buildings that was being constructed for their company. An accident caused a few metal bars to fall from above in which no one noticed but despite the injuries of some people, Kyouko was without a scratch as she stood in the middle of the debris that appeared to have been shattered.As advanced as Kyouko was with her training with mana, there was nothing she could do against something she didn't expect. She had been caught off guard and would have suffered like anyone else if she didn't activate her defenses. She witnessed how a barrier protected her from everything but at the cost of her precious jewelry getting shattered."You're being too calm about this" Kou noticed his daughter playing with the pendant Kazuya made and sighed. He knew about the incident and when he asked his friend Tsuna about it, the man laughed and told him that even if a truck had been rushing towards Kyouko at top speed, it would have been disintegrated before it hit."I hate to admit it but grandpa is right" Kazuya frowned as he agreed with Kou. "Kurogane Tenma has proven himself to be a lethal snake that has survived despite his clan's reputation. "He was confident in his plan to not implicate themselves and even with my time there, I didn't know what he was up to nor what his preparations were" Kazuya tried soothing his mom by caressing her hair gently."Are you planning to eat the Kurogane clan instead kid?" Kou noticed a unique grin on his grandson's face. Whenever he saw this grin, there was never something good that would happen to those people it was supposed to be directed at.It has been proven throughout the years where several members of the Kouzuki Corporation that were known to be troublesome all experienced unfortunate accidents. Not everyone of them were specifically involved with the Kurogane Conglomerate but they were mostly the ones that had ties to other corporations that didn't have a good relationship with them.The spies were carefully rooted out and there were no suspicions after they were found. None of the other corporations dared to point their fingers at them because no matter how they investigated, it yielded no results. There was just one thing that Kou noticed when all of these incidents happened, all of them took place whenever Kazuya was performing his duties as Kazuno Kaguya.Kou was already aware of what happened when the Dokuro group assaulted Kazuno Tech while Mei had been there. When he asked his grandson about it, it seemed like Kazuya had treated it as something that happened long ago and forgot until he was reminded. This was the same feeling he got from his friend Tsuna when he asked him about how it felt to have killed a person. It was like they were already numb to it.It wasn't like Kou hadn't hurt anyone, but knowing how it felt, the amount of bodies that would have been needed would have been enumerable for him to even begin to feel numb about it. This made him fear and respect his grandson a little because he was still able to show such pleasant expressions to please Kyouko."Eat them?" Kazuya inclined his head looking a bit confused."Didn't they want to name you as their successor? If Shishio fails, wouldn't that make you the next head of the Kurogane clan?" Kou looked quite expectant. Kyouko was startled after hearing this as well, her father had a point."Please don't make me feel sick grandpa" Kazuya frowned. "Why would I want to eat tainted food?" Kazuya rejected the Idea. Even if he considered it, it was Kurogane Tenma in the end who still had the power despite who the successor was. It wouldn't benefit them at all if he took the helm of the clan."Then what you plan to do about them?" he asked curiously. Kou refused to believe that this boy would sit and do nothing now that his mother was threatened directly."The Kurogane clan has already outlived their usefulness. They already ate the gangrene to disinfect the wound. I shouldn't wait until these maggots turn into more bothersome flies".
