The following recap contains spoilers. Proceed with caution.
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Chapter 1: Light and Shadow
A theater troupe is putting on a play of a vengeful daughter searching for her father's murderer. The young man playing the role of the daughter, Masumi, turns in a spectacular performance, drawing much praise from the crowd and quite a few tips as well. As he gets cleaned up backstage after the performance, Masumi's mother Yoko yells at him for not getting confetti cut for their next performance in Osaka before stealing his tips and threatening him with a pair of scissors. Masumi's father manages to get her to back down, but Yoko clearly shows no respect for him before traipsing off with her latest boyfriend. While Masumi cleans up (revealing a massive scar on his right cheek hidden by his makeup), his father tells him he'll take care of the confetti and not to worry about Yoko.
Later, the two hit the town and go about exploring Yokohama. Masumi's father feels like splurging, offering to take him to a high-end Chinese restaurant to have some Peking Duck. Masumi enjoys himself at the restaurant before stepping out to use the restroom, passing the waiter bringing their Peking Duck on his way by. However, the waiter is actually a hitman who shoots Masumi's father dead, leaving before the boy returns from the bathroom.
December 31st, 2000
Kamurocho, Tokyo
The boy is properly identified as Masumi Arakawa, now a grown man and patriarch of a low-ranking family of the Tojo Clan. He calls out to "Ichi" to see if he wants to get lunch, but family captain Jo Sawashiro tells Arakawa he sent Ichi on a collections run: New Years isn't considered a holiday for Kamurocho, and if the money isn't sleeping then they don't either. Down in the street, Ichiban Kasuga chases down a low level thug named Ushio, eventually tackling him and taking his wallet. Ichiban reveals Ushio's crime: he has been scamming high schoolers with tapes of animal mating scenes from documentaries disguised as hardcore porn, and if kids came to the Arakawa family whining about fake porn it would be a black mark on their reputation. Ushio punches Ichiban while he's distracted with the recovered money, and the two get into a brawl before Ichiban defeats Ushio.
After Ichiban's victory, his junior partner Mitsuo Yasumura runs up to make sure everything is okay. Ichiban shows Mitsuo the money he got off Ushio, and Mitsuo is happy because that meets their collection quota for the day in one job. Ichiban disagrees and says they're going to track down the kids that got swindled and offer refunds, which Mitsuo is unhappy about. As Mitsuo prepares to leave, Ichiban asks how bad the blow to his head is. Not the injuries he received from getting punched in the head by brass knuckles, but the damage to his hair- he just got a new punch perm and would hate to see it ruined by some punk. Mitsuo calls Ichiban a masochist, as while he could easily wipe the floor with the kind of punks they face he always lets them get a few hits in; Ichiban defends this by saying that he envisions himself as the hero of a Dragon Quest style RPG, and letting the other guy get a few whacks in is only fair. Mitsuo is exasperated by more Dragon Quest talk, telling Ichiban that Captain Sawashiro has been drilling it into their heads that it's kill or be killed in the yakuza world, and while Ichiban gets that he couldn't live with himself if he killed a man in a simple shakedown. In a way, while Arakawa and the yakuza have given meaning to Ichiban's life and lifted him out of rock-bottom, playing Dragon Quest helped shape who he is as a man and has given him a hero's spirit. Mitsuo is impressed and admits that maybe he should pick up a game at some point in the future.
Mitsuo goes off to return the money while Ichiban goes to complete his rounds. He's approached by Old Man Takeo, who tells him that local drunk Mama Michiyo wanted to talk with him. Ichiban goes to the Champion District and finds Mama Michiyo, sloshed out of her gourd and wanting to celebrate New Years with Ichiban. Ichiban declines as he still has work to do and it's way too early to get drunk. The best he can do is help Mama Michiyo back to her chair when she stumbles out the door to greet Ichiban. When Ichiban leaves, Old Man Takeo returns to tell him there's some trouble over at Shangri-La, where Ichiban grew up. Not wanting to see any harm come to the soapland, Ichiban hurries over there to see what's up, only to learn it's just a clogged toilet and they don't have a plunger handy. Ichiban goes to a nearby cigarette shop to find one, beating up a group of punks that were harassing a tourist on his way. The old lady at the cigarette shop asks why Ichiban doesn't just buy a plunger for Shangri-La, or better yet dump the Arakawa family for a real yakuza family to make some cash. Ichiban swears that he will never abandon Arakawa, and the old lady moves on to ask if the rumors are true and he's babysitting Arakawa's son these days. He counters saying the "young master" is the same age as him, and since he's wheelchair bound he needs a caretaker to make sure he stays active and sociable.
Mitsuo returns and tells Ichiban he gave back the money, but if they don't make their quota Sawashiro will kill them. Their next job is a shakedown, hitting up a deadbeat that owes 500k to a loan shark. The guy hangs around Public Park 3, and Mitsuo says Sawashiro gave them free reign to do whatever it takes to get the money. Ichiban follows Mitsuo to the park, where he says their man is the big construction worker named Hiratsuka having a smoke on one of the benches. Mitsuo goes over to try and intimidate Hiratsuka, but the guy has about two feet on Mitsuo and isn't paying. Ichiban approaches and starts chatting, reminding Hiratsuka how they used to wrestle together as kids (or more accurately, Hiratsuka used to beat up on smaller kids). Hiratsuka once again says he can't pay as Ichiban goes for the man's wallet, and seeing that they're getting nowhere Ichiban tells Mitsuo to stand aside so the two can fight.
Ichiban defeats Hiratsuka and takes his wallet... and only his wallet, dumping out his money while Mitsuo looks on in confusion. When he walks off, Mitsuo runs after him and asks why Ichiban did that, and Ichiban says that Hiratsuka is leveling with them and just needs more time. After all, why would someone hoarding money be working construction on New Years' Eve and smoking a cigarette butt he probably picked up off the ground? Mitsuo still doesn't get it, and Ichiban says that Hiratsuka's mom used to run a candy store nearby, but fell ill last year and had to close shop; Hiratsuka's debt was to cover her medical bills and he's working hard to pay back what he can. Mitsuo is sympathetic but knows Sawashiro won't be, and Ichiban says that Sawashiro only asked for the wallet, not what was inside (which doesn't reassure Mitsuo).
Just then Ichiban gets a call from Sawashiro himself. He's not happy, not only because Ichiban took too long to pick up his phone but because he's supposed to be with the young master right now. Ichiban apologizes and swears he'll be right over, Sawashiro warning Ichiban not to take the young master anywhere stupid or killing Ichiban won't be sufficient to satisfy his anger. Ichiban gives Mitsuo Hiratsuka's wallet and runs off, with Mitsuo saying he'll kill some time until Ichiban gets back before he dares to approach Sawashiro.
Ichiban runs into the apartment building and asks the front desk operator for Masato Arakawa. Masato arrives soon after, Ichiban apologizing for his tardiness before Masato chides him for making a fool of himself in public. Ichiban takes Masato's bag and wheels him out, with Masato asking if he remembers why today is so important: it's his girlfriend Yumeno's birthday, and he wants to look good in front of her. Ichiban admits he didn't have enough time to get a really nice gift, but Masato has more important worries, mainly that his father doesn't find out about this and if he asks the two just went shopping. Masato mutters that Arakawa still treats him like a child, which Ichiban counters by saying the older man's just worried and wants the best for his son. Masato doesn't appreciate the sentiment and the two head out for the night.
As the near the club where Yumeno works, Masato asks Ichiban to take him into a nearby stairwell. Once there, Masato takes his bag and pulls out an ephedrine injector he had imported. When Ichiban asks what that is, Masato explains it's an experimental drug cocktail that can make even someone as physically frail as him function like a "normal" person (if only for a short time). He does not want to appear weak in front of Yumeno, so he bought the drugs to cover up his disability. Ichiban asks if that's safe, which Masato replies that it hasn't been approved by Japanese regulators yet before asking Ichiban to inject it into his chest. Ichiban refuses as he does not want anything bad to happen to the young master, to which Masato calls him a pussy and injects it himself. True to what he said, the drugs take effect immediately and Masato is able to walk under his own power, telling Ichiban that now they can go into the club.
Ichiban and Masato arrive at the club, taking the high-end seat Masato had reserved. However, Yumeno is not there, and after Ichiban asks what's going on the manager informs him that Yumeno is serving another client right now. Ichiban doesn't want to ruin Masato's night, so he heads out into the club to find Yumeno himself. He finds her with a well dressed gentleman whom she shares some familiarity with, who tells Ichiban he got Yumeno first and he'll just have to settle on some other girl. Ichiban takes offense at this, but Masato arrives to take over and avoid drawing more attention. Masato says money speaks louder than dibs around here, and he ultimately has more money for Yumeno than the gentleman. He offers some money to the man for his troubles, but her refuses on the ground that a man of his position shouldn't be accepting money from just anyone, identifying himself as Senior Commissioner Juro Horinouchi, Tokyo PD. Masato asks if a police commissioner should be hanging out at a hostess club, but Horinouchi says there no rules against it before letting Yumeno leave with Masato and Ichiban.
The party celebrates Yumeno's birthday, though Masato is still dismissive of the cop she was with earlier. He tells Ichiban to give Yumeno his gift first, and the others tease him when they see he only had time and money to get a cheap scarf. Masato then presents his own gift, an expensive watch, and he makes it clear he'd like to spend the rest of his life with Yumeno. Just then a waiter comes up and tells Yumeno she's needed up front, and when Ichiban tries to drive him off Masato tells him to lay off and not make a scene in front of the ladies. Yumeno leaves, with the other girls saying how jealous they are of her while Masato orders more drinks. Later, Ichiban goes to the bathroom to stew on how bad a wingman he's being when he overhears Yumeno and Horinouchi talking. Horinouchi is leaving because he does not want to be around Masato, and Yumeno finally reveals she does not either; she finds Masato's advances and gifts creepy, but she's afraid to do anything more because he's the son of a yakuza boss and could do something terrible to her. Horinouchi dismisses Masato as an overconfident young man who thinks money can buy him anything, and the two plan to go together to sell that watch Masato bought Yumeno. Ichiban leaves his stall after the two leave, only to see Masato leaning against a nearby wall. Crushed that he was being used, Masato tosses Ichiban some money and tells him to settle the bill, leaving before Ichiban can say another word.
Ichiban returns to Kamurocho and meets up with Mitsuo at Theater Square before returning to the Arakawa offices. Sawashiro is waiting for them, and Ichiban reports that they returned the money scammed from the high schoolers and turns over Hiratsuka's wallet and the money the family is owed. Sawashiro is impressed... that Ichiban is stupid enough to think he'd miss that the bills are still wrapped in a bill strap displaying the name of Masato's bank. He demands Ichiban tell him where he took Masato, and Ichiban insists they went shopping and Masato gave him the money for his troubles. Sawashiro is not placated and asks Ichiban if he thinks that stubbornness alone will make up for him being such an awful yakuza, and when Ichiban doesn't answer right away Sawashiro decides that perhaps a little Yubitsume will get him thinking straight. Fortunately for Ichiban's digits, Arakawa arrives and calls Ichiban into his office before Sawashiro can do the deed, Ichiban hurrying into the office while Sawashiro glares at him.
Ichiban thanks Arakawa for the save, while Arakawa asks why the two can't get along. Ichiban says it's because he's such a bad earner, and ultimately the two see their jobs in an entirely different light (for Sawashiro it's about money, and for Ichiban it's about honor). Arakawa decides to frame the family in terms Ichiban will understand: the family is akin to an adventuring party from one of his games, with Ichiban as the frontline brawler who charges into the fray while Mitsuo runs support and Sawashiro directs their operations. Ichiban starts to get it, guessing that makes Arakawa the king, while Arakawa counters he sees the men more like his sons than subjects. On that note, he asks how things went with Masato that night, as Masato doesn't stay in touch with Arakawa much these days. Ichiban tells him thinks went okay, and Arakawa invites Ichiban out to dinner.
As they roam the streets in search of food and walk past the myriad of couples celebrating the New Year, Arakawa asks Ichiban if he's gotten a girl yet. Ichiban says no, as he tends to drive women away more often than not, but he guesses Arakawa had plenty of girls during his youth. Arakawa counters that he's still quite popular, but as far as family goes he only ever had eyes for Masato's mother. Knowing Ichiban hasn't heard the story, Arakawa starts talking about his past: 24 years ago when he was just a grunt in the Hikawa family, the boss asked if he'd marry his daughter, but Arakawa was already in love with a woman named Akane. The two dated in secret until Arakawa learned she was pregnant, but he could never find the right time to tell the boss and break off his engagement. When he finally did, the boss had his boys beat Arakawa bloody and put out a hit on Akane and the child. Arakawa managed to escape, but by then Akane was in labor at the hospital with the yakuza closing in. They made arrangements to meet at Café Alps and escape, but Akane was discovered near the coin lockers at Shinjuku Station. She called Arakawa to inform him of what happened, and Arakawa told her to hide their baby in one of the lockers and walk away to throw the yakuza off their trail- he would come by and recover the both of them. Unfortunately the yakuza found him first, and when Arakawa arrived after fighting them off he couldn't locate Akane. He searched the lockers until he heard a baby crying in one, and in desperation he proceeded to punch the locker open to get to the child. Arakawa hurried to a hospital, and while Masato survived he had hypothermia which damaged a number of his organs (hence why he is wheelchair bound); if he got there only a minute or two earlier, Masato would have been fine. Ichiban tells Arakawa that he can't blame himself for the events of that night, adding that he doesn't think it's a burden to watch over Masato. Arakawa finishes his story by saying the yakuza cornered Akane at a bar she frequented, and while he was taking Masato to the hospital they killed Akane. The Hikawa family ceased to exist after that point (Arakawa implying he wiped them out after Masato was treated), but he's done enough talking and lets the matter rest. There's one more thing he wants to say, though: even if it's only by oath, he still considers Ichiban a son.
As they walk, Arakawa suggests they treat themselves to some Peking Duck. Ichiban is excited to try some and goes to find a restaurant, but the only Chinese restaurant in town is closed for the holiday. Arakawa tells him they'll just have to go another time, and in his excitement Ichiban draws the attention of a few passersby. While Ichiban greets them, Arakawa has to chide him that he's acting too loose for a yakuza and needs to control himself in public. Ichiban apologizes and the two decide to go to their usual oden place for dinner instead. On their way there, they pass by Shangri-La and Arakawa asks if he's been back recently, and Ichiban admits he hasn't. Arakawa tells him he should consider it, as there might come a time in the future where he can't come back. Ichiban considers it and tells his backstory: he was born in Shangri-La 23 years ago, his mother one of the hostesses and his father presumably one of her customers. His mother abandoned him shortly after he was born, and the owner Jiro Kasuga adopted him and raised him with help from the girls and some of the other locals. After his foster father died Ichiban dropped out of school and became a street punk, but one day he hit above his weight and attacked a yakuza. The yakuza dragged him into their office and beat him to a pulp, but just before they killed him he blurted out that he was a member of the Arakawa family. The yakuza decided to call his bluff and called Arakawa, but surprisingly Arakawa showed up and claimed Ichiban was one of his boys, even offering a finger to them as repayment for his actions (though he tells Ichiban later that he did it to maintain his reputation). Ichiban was so impressed by Arakawa's actions that he spent almost four months outside the office begging Arakawa to accept him into his service, enduring a number of beatings from Sawashiro and a few attempts by Arakawa to dissuade him. Still Ichiban persisted, and eventually Arakawa accepted him into his service.
After dinner, the two head to Theater Square to watch the countdown. However, they spot a woman being harassed by some punks, and unwilling to let that sit the two intervene and tell the thugs to walk away before they get hurt. The punks are unimpressed and make fun of Ichiban's hair, and he steps forward to show Arakawa what he's got. Ichiban defeats the punks, but when he goes to check on the woman she runs away in terror, Arakawa telling him to let her go as it's not what yakuza like him do. Arakawa leaves for the night, and as the New Year is rung in Ichiban goes to the store and enjoys a few beers at the park.
Ichiban is woken up the next morning by a police officer asking for his papers. Unfortunately someone nicked his wallet while he was asleep on a bench, and he has nothing to give the officer. The officer tells him to file a report at the station and be more careful next time, and as the cop walks off Ichiban gets a call from Arakawa asking him to come to the office, but to be discreet about it. Ichiban leaves the park, only to find Kamurocho is crawling with cops, recalling that the officer that woke him up mentioned something happened earlier that morning. He takes the back streets to get to the Arakawa office. Before he can go inside, he's jumped by men from the Sakaki family who tell him the Arakawa family is in deep shit. Ichiban fights off the yakuza and goes inside the office, finding Arakawa alone in the dark. Arakawa tells Ichiban to sit down and explains the problem: the Arakawa and Sakaki families have been feuding for years, ever since word got out the Sakaki were suspiciously close to the Tojo Clan's longtime rivals in Kansai, the Omi Alliance. Arakawa had been discreet about his opposition after an attempt to confront the Sakaki patriarch at a board meeting failed, but two hours prior he got a call from Sawashiro saying he had killed a Sakaki man after a one-on-one confrontation. The police already have the body and it's only a matter of time before they come knocking, and to make matters worse the Sakaki family outranks the Arakawa in the Tojo hierarchy and the Clan could consider it a mutiny- they'd be expelled and fall into ruin in short order.
Arakawa cannot afford to lose Sawashiro, so he asks if Ichiban would tale the fall. Ichiban counters that he should be the one asking, and gladly accepts Arakawa's request. Unfortunately, Arakawa explains that taking the fall comes with banishment as well, though Arakawa tells Ichiban he'll work with the main family to get him reinstated before he gets out of prison (and the courts will go easier on a civilian than a yakuza). As he heads out, Ichiban gets a call from Mitsuo wishing him a happy birthday and asking what his plans are for the day. Ichiban tells Mitsuo that something came up and he's going to be busy for a while, telling Mitsuo to enjoy his life and become a real man. He decides to go to his favorite ramen shop for beef bowl, and after he's eaten he heads out to the police station to turn himself in. Eventually, Ichiban is found guilty of murder and sentenced to fifteen years in prison.
Later, the two hit the town and go about exploring Yokohama. Masumi's father feels like splurging, offering to take him to a high-end Chinese restaurant to have some Peking Duck. Masumi enjoys himself at the restaurant before stepping out to use the restroom, passing the waiter bringing their Peking Duck on his way by. However, the waiter is actually a hitman who shoots Masumi's father dead, leaving before the boy returns from the bathroom.
December 31st, 2000
Kamurocho, Tokyo
The boy is properly identified as Masumi Arakawa, now a grown man and patriarch of a low-ranking family of the Tojo Clan. He calls out to "Ichi" to see if he wants to get lunch, but family captain Jo Sawashiro tells Arakawa he sent Ichi on a collections run: New Years isn't considered a holiday for Kamurocho, and if the money isn't sleeping then they don't either. Down in the street, Ichiban Kasuga chases down a low level thug named Ushio, eventually tackling him and taking his wallet. Ichiban reveals Ushio's crime: he has been scamming high schoolers with tapes of animal mating scenes from documentaries disguised as hardcore porn, and if kids came to the Arakawa family whining about fake porn it would be a black mark on their reputation. Ushio punches Ichiban while he's distracted with the recovered money, and the two get into a brawl before Ichiban defeats Ushio.
After Ichiban's victory, his junior partner Mitsuo Yasumura runs up to make sure everything is okay. Ichiban shows Mitsuo the money he got off Ushio, and Mitsuo is happy because that meets their collection quota for the day in one job. Ichiban disagrees and says they're going to track down the kids that got swindled and offer refunds, which Mitsuo is unhappy about. As Mitsuo prepares to leave, Ichiban asks how bad the blow to his head is. Not the injuries he received from getting punched in the head by brass knuckles, but the damage to his hair- he just got a new punch perm and would hate to see it ruined by some punk. Mitsuo calls Ichiban a masochist, as while he could easily wipe the floor with the kind of punks they face he always lets them get a few hits in; Ichiban defends this by saying that he envisions himself as the hero of a Dragon Quest style RPG, and letting the other guy get a few whacks in is only fair. Mitsuo is exasperated by more Dragon Quest talk, telling Ichiban that Captain Sawashiro has been drilling it into their heads that it's kill or be killed in the yakuza world, and while Ichiban gets that he couldn't live with himself if he killed a man in a simple shakedown. In a way, while Arakawa and the yakuza have given meaning to Ichiban's life and lifted him out of rock-bottom, playing Dragon Quest helped shape who he is as a man and has given him a hero's spirit. Mitsuo is impressed and admits that maybe he should pick up a game at some point in the future.
Mitsuo goes off to return the money while Ichiban goes to complete his rounds. He's approached by Old Man Takeo, who tells him that local drunk Mama Michiyo wanted to talk with him. Ichiban goes to the Champion District and finds Mama Michiyo, sloshed out of her gourd and wanting to celebrate New Years with Ichiban. Ichiban declines as he still has work to do and it's way too early to get drunk. The best he can do is help Mama Michiyo back to her chair when she stumbles out the door to greet Ichiban. When Ichiban leaves, Old Man Takeo returns to tell him there's some trouble over at Shangri-La, where Ichiban grew up. Not wanting to see any harm come to the soapland, Ichiban hurries over there to see what's up, only to learn it's just a clogged toilet and they don't have a plunger handy. Ichiban goes to a nearby cigarette shop to find one, beating up a group of punks that were harassing a tourist on his way. The old lady at the cigarette shop asks why Ichiban doesn't just buy a plunger for Shangri-La, or better yet dump the Arakawa family for a real yakuza family to make some cash. Ichiban swears that he will never abandon Arakawa, and the old lady moves on to ask if the rumors are true and he's babysitting Arakawa's son these days. He counters saying the "young master" is the same age as him, and since he's wheelchair bound he needs a caretaker to make sure he stays active and sociable.
Mitsuo returns and tells Ichiban he gave back the money, but if they don't make their quota Sawashiro will kill them. Their next job is a shakedown, hitting up a deadbeat that owes 500k to a loan shark. The guy hangs around Public Park 3, and Mitsuo says Sawashiro gave them free reign to do whatever it takes to get the money. Ichiban follows Mitsuo to the park, where he says their man is the big construction worker named Hiratsuka having a smoke on one of the benches. Mitsuo goes over to try and intimidate Hiratsuka, but the guy has about two feet on Mitsuo and isn't paying. Ichiban approaches and starts chatting, reminding Hiratsuka how they used to wrestle together as kids (or more accurately, Hiratsuka used to beat up on smaller kids). Hiratsuka once again says he can't pay as Ichiban goes for the man's wallet, and seeing that they're getting nowhere Ichiban tells Mitsuo to stand aside so the two can fight.
Ichiban defeats Hiratsuka and takes his wallet... and only his wallet, dumping out his money while Mitsuo looks on in confusion. When he walks off, Mitsuo runs after him and asks why Ichiban did that, and Ichiban says that Hiratsuka is leveling with them and just needs more time. After all, why would someone hoarding money be working construction on New Years' Eve and smoking a cigarette butt he probably picked up off the ground? Mitsuo still doesn't get it, and Ichiban says that Hiratsuka's mom used to run a candy store nearby, but fell ill last year and had to close shop; Hiratsuka's debt was to cover her medical bills and he's working hard to pay back what he can. Mitsuo is sympathetic but knows Sawashiro won't be, and Ichiban says that Sawashiro only asked for the wallet, not what was inside (which doesn't reassure Mitsuo).
Just then Ichiban gets a call from Sawashiro himself. He's not happy, not only because Ichiban took too long to pick up his phone but because he's supposed to be with the young master right now. Ichiban apologizes and swears he'll be right over, Sawashiro warning Ichiban not to take the young master anywhere stupid or killing Ichiban won't be sufficient to satisfy his anger. Ichiban gives Mitsuo Hiratsuka's wallet and runs off, with Mitsuo saying he'll kill some time until Ichiban gets back before he dares to approach Sawashiro.
Ichiban runs into the apartment building and asks the front desk operator for Masato Arakawa. Masato arrives soon after, Ichiban apologizing for his tardiness before Masato chides him for making a fool of himself in public. Ichiban takes Masato's bag and wheels him out, with Masato asking if he remembers why today is so important: it's his girlfriend Yumeno's birthday, and he wants to look good in front of her. Ichiban admits he didn't have enough time to get a really nice gift, but Masato has more important worries, mainly that his father doesn't find out about this and if he asks the two just went shopping. Masato mutters that Arakawa still treats him like a child, which Ichiban counters by saying the older man's just worried and wants the best for his son. Masato doesn't appreciate the sentiment and the two head out for the night.
As the near the club where Yumeno works, Masato asks Ichiban to take him into a nearby stairwell. Once there, Masato takes his bag and pulls out an ephedrine injector he had imported. When Ichiban asks what that is, Masato explains it's an experimental drug cocktail that can make even someone as physically frail as him function like a "normal" person (if only for a short time). He does not want to appear weak in front of Yumeno, so he bought the drugs to cover up his disability. Ichiban asks if that's safe, which Masato replies that it hasn't been approved by Japanese regulators yet before asking Ichiban to inject it into his chest. Ichiban refuses as he does not want anything bad to happen to the young master, to which Masato calls him a pussy and injects it himself. True to what he said, the drugs take effect immediately and Masato is able to walk under his own power, telling Ichiban that now they can go into the club.
Ichiban and Masato arrive at the club, taking the high-end seat Masato had reserved. However, Yumeno is not there, and after Ichiban asks what's going on the manager informs him that Yumeno is serving another client right now. Ichiban doesn't want to ruin Masato's night, so he heads out into the club to find Yumeno himself. He finds her with a well dressed gentleman whom she shares some familiarity with, who tells Ichiban he got Yumeno first and he'll just have to settle on some other girl. Ichiban takes offense at this, but Masato arrives to take over and avoid drawing more attention. Masato says money speaks louder than dibs around here, and he ultimately has more money for Yumeno than the gentleman. He offers some money to the man for his troubles, but her refuses on the ground that a man of his position shouldn't be accepting money from just anyone, identifying himself as Senior Commissioner Juro Horinouchi, Tokyo PD. Masato asks if a police commissioner should be hanging out at a hostess club, but Horinouchi says there no rules against it before letting Yumeno leave with Masato and Ichiban.
The party celebrates Yumeno's birthday, though Masato is still dismissive of the cop she was with earlier. He tells Ichiban to give Yumeno his gift first, and the others tease him when they see he only had time and money to get a cheap scarf. Masato then presents his own gift, an expensive watch, and he makes it clear he'd like to spend the rest of his life with Yumeno. Just then a waiter comes up and tells Yumeno she's needed up front, and when Ichiban tries to drive him off Masato tells him to lay off and not make a scene in front of the ladies. Yumeno leaves, with the other girls saying how jealous they are of her while Masato orders more drinks. Later, Ichiban goes to the bathroom to stew on how bad a wingman he's being when he overhears Yumeno and Horinouchi talking. Horinouchi is leaving because he does not want to be around Masato, and Yumeno finally reveals she does not either; she finds Masato's advances and gifts creepy, but she's afraid to do anything more because he's the son of a yakuza boss and could do something terrible to her. Horinouchi dismisses Masato as an overconfident young man who thinks money can buy him anything, and the two plan to go together to sell that watch Masato bought Yumeno. Ichiban leaves his stall after the two leave, only to see Masato leaning against a nearby wall. Crushed that he was being used, Masato tosses Ichiban some money and tells him to settle the bill, leaving before Ichiban can say another word.
Ichiban returns to Kamurocho and meets up with Mitsuo at Theater Square before returning to the Arakawa offices. Sawashiro is waiting for them, and Ichiban reports that they returned the money scammed from the high schoolers and turns over Hiratsuka's wallet and the money the family is owed. Sawashiro is impressed... that Ichiban is stupid enough to think he'd miss that the bills are still wrapped in a bill strap displaying the name of Masato's bank. He demands Ichiban tell him where he took Masato, and Ichiban insists they went shopping and Masato gave him the money for his troubles. Sawashiro is not placated and asks Ichiban if he thinks that stubbornness alone will make up for him being such an awful yakuza, and when Ichiban doesn't answer right away Sawashiro decides that perhaps a little Yubitsume will get him thinking straight. Fortunately for Ichiban's digits, Arakawa arrives and calls Ichiban into his office before Sawashiro can do the deed, Ichiban hurrying into the office while Sawashiro glares at him.
Ichiban thanks Arakawa for the save, while Arakawa asks why the two can't get along. Ichiban says it's because he's such a bad earner, and ultimately the two see their jobs in an entirely different light (for Sawashiro it's about money, and for Ichiban it's about honor). Arakawa decides to frame the family in terms Ichiban will understand: the family is akin to an adventuring party from one of his games, with Ichiban as the frontline brawler who charges into the fray while Mitsuo runs support and Sawashiro directs their operations. Ichiban starts to get it, guessing that makes Arakawa the king, while Arakawa counters he sees the men more like his sons than subjects. On that note, he asks how things went with Masato that night, as Masato doesn't stay in touch with Arakawa much these days. Ichiban tells him thinks went okay, and Arakawa invites Ichiban out to dinner.
As they roam the streets in search of food and walk past the myriad of couples celebrating the New Year, Arakawa asks Ichiban if he's gotten a girl yet. Ichiban says no, as he tends to drive women away more often than not, but he guesses Arakawa had plenty of girls during his youth. Arakawa counters that he's still quite popular, but as far as family goes he only ever had eyes for Masato's mother. Knowing Ichiban hasn't heard the story, Arakawa starts talking about his past: 24 years ago when he was just a grunt in the Hikawa family, the boss asked if he'd marry his daughter, but Arakawa was already in love with a woman named Akane. The two dated in secret until Arakawa learned she was pregnant, but he could never find the right time to tell the boss and break off his engagement. When he finally did, the boss had his boys beat Arakawa bloody and put out a hit on Akane and the child. Arakawa managed to escape, but by then Akane was in labor at the hospital with the yakuza closing in. They made arrangements to meet at Café Alps and escape, but Akane was discovered near the coin lockers at Shinjuku Station. She called Arakawa to inform him of what happened, and Arakawa told her to hide their baby in one of the lockers and walk away to throw the yakuza off their trail- he would come by and recover the both of them. Unfortunately the yakuza found him first, and when Arakawa arrived after fighting them off he couldn't locate Akane. He searched the lockers until he heard a baby crying in one, and in desperation he proceeded to punch the locker open to get to the child. Arakawa hurried to a hospital, and while Masato survived he had hypothermia which damaged a number of his organs (hence why he is wheelchair bound); if he got there only a minute or two earlier, Masato would have been fine. Ichiban tells Arakawa that he can't blame himself for the events of that night, adding that he doesn't think it's a burden to watch over Masato. Arakawa finishes his story by saying the yakuza cornered Akane at a bar she frequented, and while he was taking Masato to the hospital they killed Akane. The Hikawa family ceased to exist after that point (Arakawa implying he wiped them out after Masato was treated), but he's done enough talking and lets the matter rest. There's one more thing he wants to say, though: even if it's only by oath, he still considers Ichiban a son.
As they walk, Arakawa suggests they treat themselves to some Peking Duck. Ichiban is excited to try some and goes to find a restaurant, but the only Chinese restaurant in town is closed for the holiday. Arakawa tells him they'll just have to go another time, and in his excitement Ichiban draws the attention of a few passersby. While Ichiban greets them, Arakawa has to chide him that he's acting too loose for a yakuza and needs to control himself in public. Ichiban apologizes and the two decide to go to their usual oden place for dinner instead. On their way there, they pass by Shangri-La and Arakawa asks if he's been back recently, and Ichiban admits he hasn't. Arakawa tells him he should consider it, as there might come a time in the future where he can't come back. Ichiban considers it and tells his backstory: he was born in Shangri-La 23 years ago, his mother one of the hostesses and his father presumably one of her customers. His mother abandoned him shortly after he was born, and the owner Jiro Kasuga adopted him and raised him with help from the girls and some of the other locals. After his foster father died Ichiban dropped out of school and became a street punk, but one day he hit above his weight and attacked a yakuza. The yakuza dragged him into their office and beat him to a pulp, but just before they killed him he blurted out that he was a member of the Arakawa family. The yakuza decided to call his bluff and called Arakawa, but surprisingly Arakawa showed up and claimed Ichiban was one of his boys, even offering a finger to them as repayment for his actions (though he tells Ichiban later that he did it to maintain his reputation). Ichiban was so impressed by Arakawa's actions that he spent almost four months outside the office begging Arakawa to accept him into his service, enduring a number of beatings from Sawashiro and a few attempts by Arakawa to dissuade him. Still Ichiban persisted, and eventually Arakawa accepted him into his service.
After dinner, the two head to Theater Square to watch the countdown. However, they spot a woman being harassed by some punks, and unwilling to let that sit the two intervene and tell the thugs to walk away before they get hurt. The punks are unimpressed and make fun of Ichiban's hair, and he steps forward to show Arakawa what he's got. Ichiban defeats the punks, but when he goes to check on the woman she runs away in terror, Arakawa telling him to let her go as it's not what yakuza like him do. Arakawa leaves for the night, and as the New Year is rung in Ichiban goes to the store and enjoys a few beers at the park.
Ichiban is woken up the next morning by a police officer asking for his papers. Unfortunately someone nicked his wallet while he was asleep on a bench, and he has nothing to give the officer. The officer tells him to file a report at the station and be more careful next time, and as the cop walks off Ichiban gets a call from Arakawa asking him to come to the office, but to be discreet about it. Ichiban leaves the park, only to find Kamurocho is crawling with cops, recalling that the officer that woke him up mentioned something happened earlier that morning. He takes the back streets to get to the Arakawa office. Before he can go inside, he's jumped by men from the Sakaki family who tell him the Arakawa family is in deep shit. Ichiban fights off the yakuza and goes inside the office, finding Arakawa alone in the dark. Arakawa tells Ichiban to sit down and explains the problem: the Arakawa and Sakaki families have been feuding for years, ever since word got out the Sakaki were suspiciously close to the Tojo Clan's longtime rivals in Kansai, the Omi Alliance. Arakawa had been discreet about his opposition after an attempt to confront the Sakaki patriarch at a board meeting failed, but two hours prior he got a call from Sawashiro saying he had killed a Sakaki man after a one-on-one confrontation. The police already have the body and it's only a matter of time before they come knocking, and to make matters worse the Sakaki family outranks the Arakawa in the Tojo hierarchy and the Clan could consider it a mutiny- they'd be expelled and fall into ruin in short order.
Arakawa cannot afford to lose Sawashiro, so he asks if Ichiban would tale the fall. Ichiban counters that he should be the one asking, and gladly accepts Arakawa's request. Unfortunately, Arakawa explains that taking the fall comes with banishment as well, though Arakawa tells Ichiban he'll work with the main family to get him reinstated before he gets out of prison (and the courts will go easier on a civilian than a yakuza). As he heads out, Ichiban gets a call from Mitsuo wishing him a happy birthday and asking what his plans are for the day. Ichiban tells Mitsuo that something came up and he's going to be busy for a while, telling Mitsuo to enjoy his life and become a real man. He decides to go to his favorite ramen shop for beef bowl, and after he's eaten he heads out to the police station to turn himself in. Eventually, Ichiban is found guilty of murder and sentenced to fifteen years in prison.
Chapter 2: Bloody Reunion
Summer 2002
Ichiban is a year and a half into his prison sentence, stuffing chopsticks into their holders as part of his labor requirement. Another inmate tries to pawn his quota onto Ichiban, but he refuses and reports his work to the observing officer. The inmate and two of his goons later take Ichiban to a storage closet and beat the crap out of him, but when the leader starts talking ill of Arakawa Ichiban goes berserk and fights back. In solitary confinement after the incident, a sympathetic guard asks why Ichiban snapped now after a year of putting up with that kind of crap. Ichiban says he had to defend his boss' honor, and the guard tells him that his boss would probably be upset to know Ichiban's actions have earned him another three years in prison. As Ichiban contemplates this, the guard tells him to suck it up and try not to bring further shame on his patriarch.
Fifteen Years Later
Ichiban gets a letter from Arakawa, the Patriarch lamenting that he wishes Ichiban was out and back at his side. He'll still be waiting for Ichiban's return, even promising a Peking Duck dinner to celebrate when he's free
2019
Ichiban is released from prison, stepping out into the street where he thinks Arakawa will be waiting for him. He immediately apologizes for keeping Arakawa waiting, but when he looks up he sees... no one. No Arakawa, no Sawashiro, no Mitsuo, just an old lady on the other side of the street looking at him weird. The sympathetic guard tells Ichiban that times have changed, and with anti-yakuza laws growing stricter by the year it's unlikely a big shot patriarch would come driving down in his fancy car to pick up an underling from prison. Despondent, Ichiban prepares to head out, but he is called out by a scruffy looking man who had been waiting outside the prison. Ichiban asks how this guy knows him, and the man pulls out a badge identify him as Koichi Adachi of the Kanagawa police... well, he used to be; nowadays he's just a desk jockey at the DMV waiting for his pension to kick in. Ichiban asks why a DMV officer wants to speak with him, and Adachi says that he has business with Ichiban; Ichiban is dubious as to why Adachi cares, and he proceed to give Ichiban's entire biography to show he knows his stuff. Ichiban doesn't care and tells the stranger to buzz off as he has to meet with Arakawa, but Adachi says his business is with Ichiban and he can't let that pass up. Still, he won't interfere, following Ichiban while he goes to get a haircut.
Unfortunately for Ichiban, punch perms have been out of style for some time and the inexperienced hairdresser gives him a Funny Afro instead. While Ichiban whines that he looks like a moron, Adachi laughs his ass off at Ichiban's misery. Ichiban tells the guy to get lost again, but Adachi follows Ichiban to a nearby cemetery and the grave of Chikao Suzumori, the Sakaki family man Ichiban "killed". Adachi doesn't buy Ichiban's story that he killed Suzumori over his anger at being banished from the Tojo Clan, saying that everyone knew Ichiban didn't do it, so who did? Ichiban continues to insist he did it, turning around and asking once more why a DMV drone is harassing him about a murder. Their conversation is interrupted when Ichiban spots Arakawa and Sawashiro visiting the cemetery with a large squad of yakuza. Ichiban rushes over to speak with Arakawa, but is stopped by two of the men who tell Ichiban to get lost. Ichiban insists he's Arakawa family too, but the men don't recognize him and try to chase him off once more. The three fight, but Adachi pulls Ichiban away before the yakuza shoot him dead. As Ichiban struggles, he calls out to Arakawa, but Arakawa ignores Ichiban and continues on his way.
Adachi tells Ichiban that perhaps Arakawa just forgot about him. Ichiban refuses to believe that since receiving the letter from Arakawa; perhaps he's just getting old and his eyes/ears aren't as good as they used to be. Adachi counters that Arakawa obviously heard him and perhaps Ichiban should take the hint and move on, as best case scenario he doesn't remember him and worst case he does but doesn't want to talk. Ichiban refuses to give up hope, waiting by Suzumori's grave since obviously Arakawa is coming to pay the grave a visit. Adachi, though, points to a much larger and more elaborate grave that Arakawa is actually visiting- specifically, the grave of the late Chairman of the Omi Alliance. Ichiban asks why Arakawa would visit an Omi grave with a full crew, and Adachi says it's probably his duty as an Omi executive. Ichiban laughs this off, as the Arakawa family is with the Tojo Clan, not the Omi Alliance, but the laughing stops when Adachi informs him that the Arakawa family defected years ago and Arakawa is current acting Captain of the Omi.
On the drive out, Adachi explains that while Arakawa was a Tojo loyalist for years, two years prior a new governor of Tokyo was elected who cracked down heavily on the Clan's financing. Using his Kamurocho 3K Plan (Keep them hungry, Keep them poor, Keep them out), the governor and the police were able to surgically strike the Tojo Clan and arrest as many officers as they could, but the Arakawa family was spared as they had been leaking Tojo secrets to the police. With the Tojo Clan on it's last legs, the Omi stormed into Kamurocho while the police turned a blind eye (most likely due to Arakawa bribing them). The Omi Alliance took Kamurocho without a fight and rewarded Arakawa with the captain's chair for his work, though Tojo loyalists still target him on occasion.
Ichiban refuses to believe Arakawa would betray the Tojo Clan. The guy at the grave was just someone who looked like Arakawa, and the thugs he fought were actually from a different family that just happened to sound like "Arakawa". He demands to know where Adachi is taking him instead of Kamurocho, and he tells Ichiban they're going to Yokohama to help with an investigation he's conducting. Ichiban continues to refuse to cooperate, accusing Adachi of being a yakuza in disguise before tossing his badge out the window. They stop to recover the badge, and Ichiban prepares to make his escape to Kamurocho, saying their interaction will make for a great story when he gets back to Arakawa and the others. Ichiban leaves, once more ignoring Adachi's warning that Kamurocho has changed and there's no place for him there.
Ichiban arrives in a changed Kamurocho, complete with selfie sticks and vapes. He decides to go to the family office first to report in, but finds the place abandoned and the janitor doesn't recall there ever being a yakuza family that operated out of it. He does know the Arakawa family as a major player in Kamurocho these days, but can't say for certain where their office is as yakuza don't advertise their services like they used to. Ichiban thanks the man and heads to the cigarette shop, reasoning that the old lady that works there might have some info. Unfortunately, the new attendant tells Ichiban the old lady retired years ago and moved back to the countryside. He's interrupted when a yakuza comes up and demands his usual, with Ichiban calling out the man for not showing respect worthy of a Tojo Clan member... except this guy is from the Omi Alliance. The yakuza also says he's in the Arakawa family, telling Ichiban that he shouldn't be making rookie mistakes like forgetting the patriarch's name or that he's acting captain of the Omi. Ichiban fires back that the Arakawa family is Tojo Clan, not Omi, and the two get into a fight. Ichiban wins and demands the Omi man tell him if Arakawa really did betray the Tojo Clan, which he confirms before calling to his compatriots and setting them on Ichiban.
Ichiban escapes and finds himself in the Champion District. To his surprise, he runs into Michiyo, who has gone cold turkey and now runs a health food café out of her old bar. Michiyo doesn't have any information on the Arakawa family or the Tojo Clan, as she lost that clientele when she made her pivot to health food, but she does have an idea who might: Ushio, who has gone legit and now works as a reporter that covers the yakuza. He hangs out around Children's Park when not working, and Ichiban thanks Michiyo before making his exit while she tries to sell him some mineral water.
Ichiban arrives at Children's Park to see Ushio having been cornered by a pair of Omi thugs who don't take kindly to him taking pictures all the time. They attempt to smash his camera, but Ichiban steps in and drives off the Omi members. Ushio snaps some pictures of the fight, intending to use them for his next article, but as he runs off he bumps into a mascot named Kamulop and falls over, smashing the camera. Frustrated that he's lost his camera, Ushio asks Ichiban what he wants and Ichiban asks if he can tell him anything about Arakawa and the Tojo Clan. Ushio confirms Ichiban got locked up eighteen years ago, then tells what caused Arakawa's change in tune: Masato died three years after Ichiban went to prison. Ichiban is heartbroken to hear the news, but that doesn't explain why Arakawa turned traitor. Ushio counters that when you have a kid they become your whole life, and when you lose them you need to find a new purpose or fade away; Ushio doesn't know the specifics, but he guesses Arakawa probably snapped after Masato's death and only wishes to tear down the yakuza world to satisfy his grief. Ushio notes that Ichiban is most likely on the Omi's kill list, and should lay low somewhere else if he wants to keep on living. He definitely shouldn't go to Shangri-La... which Ichiban immediately does.
Ichiban arrives at Shangri-La to find the place wrecked and abandoned. Adachi greets him, guessing Ichiban would come here sooner or later, and tells Ichiban what happened: there was a yakuza war in 2005, and some moron drove a dump truck into Shangri-La during the conflict. Now it's a den of lowlifes and freaks, with most people going out of their way to avoid it. Ichiban finally comes to terms with how much Kamurocho has changed in eighteen years, with Adachi using the new police station on the main drag as a good example of how the city has changed under the Kamurocho 3K Plan. This also leads Ichiban to accept that the Omi runs Kamurocho now, and the Tojo clan are long gone.
Once more, Ichiban asks Adachi what he wants. Adachi wants Ichiban to help with his investigation: he wants to know how Arakawa got away with selling out the Tojo Clan to the Omi Alliance, and how much money he dumped into the police to get that result. He guesses that a good chunk when to Commissioner Horinouchi, whom Adachi wants fired for a previous grievance against him. The way he sees it both their goals align: Adachi wants to get close to Arakawa to learn how he got Horinouchi's compliance, and Ichiban wants to know why Arakawa betrayed the Tojo Clan. Ichiban wants to at least see Arakawa, and Adachi tells him he'll get his chance tonight- Arakawa is holding a dinner meeting between Omi leaders and some of the local patriarchs, a power play to cement his place in the Omi hierarchy.
Adachi takes Ichiban to Theater Square and points out Heian Tower, an up scale Chinese restaurant where Arakawa will be dining tonight. Ichiban recognizes it as the place Arakawa was going to take him for Peking Duck, and he concludes Arakawa must be trying to send him a message of some kind. Adachi finds this reasoning dubious, telling Ichiban to calm down and wait for a moment; the meeting isn't until later tonight, and he's a marked man by the Omi Alliance- if he tries barging in now he'll never get a chance to speak with Arakawa. Instead, Adachi has a plan to sneak into the meeting, and asks Ichiban to meet up with him that night (even giving Ichiban a smartphone he'll call to let him know when they're going). The two part ways while Ichiban fusses over how to use his new phone.
Ichiban arrives in Theater Square later that night, but Adachi isn't there; instead, he sees a dandy giving business advice to one of his colleagues. Ichiban asks the dandy if he's seen a burly guy around, but the dandy replies he only looks out for pretty ladies. He asks why Ichiban doesn't just call him, and Ichiban admits he doesn't know how to use the phone. The dandy offers to help, but before he can two Omi thugs spot them and approach. Ichiban prepares to fight, but they're not here for him- they're here for the dandy (identified as Nick Ogata by the thugs), pissed that he offloaded a crummy bar onto them. Nick counters that the bar was running perfectly when he owned it, guessing the thugs' poor business skills caused them to make bad decisions. Ichiban interrupts that they'll have to wait their turn because Nick was going to teach him how to use a phone, and the yakuza recognize him as the man the Arakawa family has been targeting. Ichiban prepares to fight, making sure to ask Nick to teach him how to use a phone once he's done saving his life, and he manages to defeat the yakuza.
After the fight, Ichiban asks Nick if he really did sell the yakuza a failing bar. Nick says no, he was making millions from the bar when he was running it. The two punks had been harassing him for 100,000 yen a month in protection money, so Nick said "Let's See YOU Do Better!" and sold them the bar, where it promptly tanked due to their bad management. Nick intended to use this as a teaching moment- he only got to be a millionaire because he knew how much hard work was needed to make even 100,000 yen, and the yakuza failed his little test. They want nothing more to do with Nick, so he buys the bar back at half price and sends them on their way. With that problem taken care of, Ichiban and Nick properly introduce themselves and Nick helps Ichiban with his smartphone (adding his contact info because he finds Ichiban to be a fascinating person).
Nick departs just as Adachi shows up, Ichiban asking where the heck he's been. Adachi says he stopped to get dinner, but they're on a schedule now and should begin their infiltration. Ichiban asks what the plan is, and Adachi leads him to a manhole which the two open up. Adachi asks to come along with Ichiban so he can talk to Arakawa too about his connections with Horinouchi. Ichiban asks why Adachi has a beef with the head of Tokyo PD, but Adachi says he'll only tell Ichiban if he comes clean about who killed Suzumori. Ichiban does not, and the two head into the sewers.
Down in the sewers, Adachi warns Ichiban that while they will get to the tower, the place is full of weirdos and thugs that can and will attack if they're not careful. The two make their way through the sewers and reach a ladder leading into an office building next to the restaurant, fighting past a trio of security guards and some Omi Alliance soldiers on their way to the roof. They jump to the restaurant's roof and battle more Omi Alliance members, but before they can enter the restaurant a police helicopter spots them and tells them to surrender. Adachi flashes his badge and tells Ichiban to go ahead, holding off the police while Ichiban goes to confront Arakawa.
Ichiban heads into the restaurant alone, ultimately confronting Sawashiro outside the dining room. Sawashiro smugly asks why Ichiban never called, which he counters he wouldn't accept a ride from an Omi man and asks if Sawashiro is cool with turning traitor. Sawashiro counters that he and Arakawa just did what the times called for, and even if they were still with the Tojo Clan no one would have come for Ichiban. Sawashiro tells Ichiban that tonight's a big night for Arakawa that he doesn't want to interrupt with violence, so Ichiban should leave before he really gets hurt. Given that both men want to see the other dead, Ichiban declines to back down and the two come to blows. Ichiban defeats Sawashiro and runs to the doors, throwing them open after declaring he's been waiting eighteen years for this. He sees Arakawa having dinner with a number of Omi officers, whom he reassures Ichiban will not cause any trouble. Ichiban asks Arakawa why he did it, while Arakawa commends Ichiban on his loyalty before pulling a gun and shooting him, apologizing just before he pulls the trigger.
Ichiban is a year and a half into his prison sentence, stuffing chopsticks into their holders as part of his labor requirement. Another inmate tries to pawn his quota onto Ichiban, but he refuses and reports his work to the observing officer. The inmate and two of his goons later take Ichiban to a storage closet and beat the crap out of him, but when the leader starts talking ill of Arakawa Ichiban goes berserk and fights back. In solitary confinement after the incident, a sympathetic guard asks why Ichiban snapped now after a year of putting up with that kind of crap. Ichiban says he had to defend his boss' honor, and the guard tells him that his boss would probably be upset to know Ichiban's actions have earned him another three years in prison. As Ichiban contemplates this, the guard tells him to suck it up and try not to bring further shame on his patriarch.
Fifteen Years Later
Ichiban gets a letter from Arakawa, the Patriarch lamenting that he wishes Ichiban was out and back at his side. He'll still be waiting for Ichiban's return, even promising a Peking Duck dinner to celebrate when he's free
2019
Ichiban is released from prison, stepping out into the street where he thinks Arakawa will be waiting for him. He immediately apologizes for keeping Arakawa waiting, but when he looks up he sees... no one. No Arakawa, no Sawashiro, no Mitsuo, just an old lady on the other side of the street looking at him weird. The sympathetic guard tells Ichiban that times have changed, and with anti-yakuza laws growing stricter by the year it's unlikely a big shot patriarch would come driving down in his fancy car to pick up an underling from prison. Despondent, Ichiban prepares to head out, but he is called out by a scruffy looking man who had been waiting outside the prison. Ichiban asks how this guy knows him, and the man pulls out a badge identify him as Koichi Adachi of the Kanagawa police... well, he used to be; nowadays he's just a desk jockey at the DMV waiting for his pension to kick in. Ichiban asks why a DMV officer wants to speak with him, and Adachi says that he has business with Ichiban; Ichiban is dubious as to why Adachi cares, and he proceed to give Ichiban's entire biography to show he knows his stuff. Ichiban doesn't care and tells the stranger to buzz off as he has to meet with Arakawa, but Adachi says his business is with Ichiban and he can't let that pass up. Still, he won't interfere, following Ichiban while he goes to get a haircut.
Unfortunately for Ichiban, punch perms have been out of style for some time and the inexperienced hairdresser gives him a Funny Afro instead. While Ichiban whines that he looks like a moron, Adachi laughs his ass off at Ichiban's misery. Ichiban tells the guy to get lost again, but Adachi follows Ichiban to a nearby cemetery and the grave of Chikao Suzumori, the Sakaki family man Ichiban "killed". Adachi doesn't buy Ichiban's story that he killed Suzumori over his anger at being banished from the Tojo Clan, saying that everyone knew Ichiban didn't do it, so who did? Ichiban continues to insist he did it, turning around and asking once more why a DMV drone is harassing him about a murder. Their conversation is interrupted when Ichiban spots Arakawa and Sawashiro visiting the cemetery with a large squad of yakuza. Ichiban rushes over to speak with Arakawa, but is stopped by two of the men who tell Ichiban to get lost. Ichiban insists he's Arakawa family too, but the men don't recognize him and try to chase him off once more. The three fight, but Adachi pulls Ichiban away before the yakuza shoot him dead. As Ichiban struggles, he calls out to Arakawa, but Arakawa ignores Ichiban and continues on his way.
Adachi tells Ichiban that perhaps Arakawa just forgot about him. Ichiban refuses to believe that since receiving the letter from Arakawa; perhaps he's just getting old and his eyes/ears aren't as good as they used to be. Adachi counters that Arakawa obviously heard him and perhaps Ichiban should take the hint and move on, as best case scenario he doesn't remember him and worst case he does but doesn't want to talk. Ichiban refuses to give up hope, waiting by Suzumori's grave since obviously Arakawa is coming to pay the grave a visit. Adachi, though, points to a much larger and more elaborate grave that Arakawa is actually visiting- specifically, the grave of the late Chairman of the Omi Alliance. Ichiban asks why Arakawa would visit an Omi grave with a full crew, and Adachi says it's probably his duty as an Omi executive. Ichiban laughs this off, as the Arakawa family is with the Tojo Clan, not the Omi Alliance, but the laughing stops when Adachi informs him that the Arakawa family defected years ago and Arakawa is current acting Captain of the Omi.
On the drive out, Adachi explains that while Arakawa was a Tojo loyalist for years, two years prior a new governor of Tokyo was elected who cracked down heavily on the Clan's financing. Using his Kamurocho 3K Plan (Keep them hungry, Keep them poor, Keep them out), the governor and the police were able to surgically strike the Tojo Clan and arrest as many officers as they could, but the Arakawa family was spared as they had been leaking Tojo secrets to the police. With the Tojo Clan on it's last legs, the Omi stormed into Kamurocho while the police turned a blind eye (most likely due to Arakawa bribing them). The Omi Alliance took Kamurocho without a fight and rewarded Arakawa with the captain's chair for his work, though Tojo loyalists still target him on occasion.
Ichiban refuses to believe Arakawa would betray the Tojo Clan. The guy at the grave was just someone who looked like Arakawa, and the thugs he fought were actually from a different family that just happened to sound like "Arakawa". He demands to know where Adachi is taking him instead of Kamurocho, and he tells Ichiban they're going to Yokohama to help with an investigation he's conducting. Ichiban continues to refuse to cooperate, accusing Adachi of being a yakuza in disguise before tossing his badge out the window. They stop to recover the badge, and Ichiban prepares to make his escape to Kamurocho, saying their interaction will make for a great story when he gets back to Arakawa and the others. Ichiban leaves, once more ignoring Adachi's warning that Kamurocho has changed and there's no place for him there.
Ichiban arrives in a changed Kamurocho, complete with selfie sticks and vapes. He decides to go to the family office first to report in, but finds the place abandoned and the janitor doesn't recall there ever being a yakuza family that operated out of it. He does know the Arakawa family as a major player in Kamurocho these days, but can't say for certain where their office is as yakuza don't advertise their services like they used to. Ichiban thanks the man and heads to the cigarette shop, reasoning that the old lady that works there might have some info. Unfortunately, the new attendant tells Ichiban the old lady retired years ago and moved back to the countryside. He's interrupted when a yakuza comes up and demands his usual, with Ichiban calling out the man for not showing respect worthy of a Tojo Clan member... except this guy is from the Omi Alliance. The yakuza also says he's in the Arakawa family, telling Ichiban that he shouldn't be making rookie mistakes like forgetting the patriarch's name or that he's acting captain of the Omi. Ichiban fires back that the Arakawa family is Tojo Clan, not Omi, and the two get into a fight. Ichiban wins and demands the Omi man tell him if Arakawa really did betray the Tojo Clan, which he confirms before calling to his compatriots and setting them on Ichiban.
Ichiban escapes and finds himself in the Champion District. To his surprise, he runs into Michiyo, who has gone cold turkey and now runs a health food café out of her old bar. Michiyo doesn't have any information on the Arakawa family or the Tojo Clan, as she lost that clientele when she made her pivot to health food, but she does have an idea who might: Ushio, who has gone legit and now works as a reporter that covers the yakuza. He hangs out around Children's Park when not working, and Ichiban thanks Michiyo before making his exit while she tries to sell him some mineral water.
Ichiban arrives at Children's Park to see Ushio having been cornered by a pair of Omi thugs who don't take kindly to him taking pictures all the time. They attempt to smash his camera, but Ichiban steps in and drives off the Omi members. Ushio snaps some pictures of the fight, intending to use them for his next article, but as he runs off he bumps into a mascot named Kamulop and falls over, smashing the camera. Frustrated that he's lost his camera, Ushio asks Ichiban what he wants and Ichiban asks if he can tell him anything about Arakawa and the Tojo Clan. Ushio confirms Ichiban got locked up eighteen years ago, then tells what caused Arakawa's change in tune: Masato died three years after Ichiban went to prison. Ichiban is heartbroken to hear the news, but that doesn't explain why Arakawa turned traitor. Ushio counters that when you have a kid they become your whole life, and when you lose them you need to find a new purpose or fade away; Ushio doesn't know the specifics, but he guesses Arakawa probably snapped after Masato's death and only wishes to tear down the yakuza world to satisfy his grief. Ushio notes that Ichiban is most likely on the Omi's kill list, and should lay low somewhere else if he wants to keep on living. He definitely shouldn't go to Shangri-La... which Ichiban immediately does.
Ichiban arrives at Shangri-La to find the place wrecked and abandoned. Adachi greets him, guessing Ichiban would come here sooner or later, and tells Ichiban what happened: there was a yakuza war in 2005, and some moron drove a dump truck into Shangri-La during the conflict. Now it's a den of lowlifes and freaks, with most people going out of their way to avoid it. Ichiban finally comes to terms with how much Kamurocho has changed in eighteen years, with Adachi using the new police station on the main drag as a good example of how the city has changed under the Kamurocho 3K Plan. This also leads Ichiban to accept that the Omi runs Kamurocho now, and the Tojo clan are long gone.
Once more, Ichiban asks Adachi what he wants. Adachi wants Ichiban to help with his investigation: he wants to know how Arakawa got away with selling out the Tojo Clan to the Omi Alliance, and how much money he dumped into the police to get that result. He guesses that a good chunk when to Commissioner Horinouchi, whom Adachi wants fired for a previous grievance against him. The way he sees it both their goals align: Adachi wants to get close to Arakawa to learn how he got Horinouchi's compliance, and Ichiban wants to know why Arakawa betrayed the Tojo Clan. Ichiban wants to at least see Arakawa, and Adachi tells him he'll get his chance tonight- Arakawa is holding a dinner meeting between Omi leaders and some of the local patriarchs, a power play to cement his place in the Omi hierarchy.
Adachi takes Ichiban to Theater Square and points out Heian Tower, an up scale Chinese restaurant where Arakawa will be dining tonight. Ichiban recognizes it as the place Arakawa was going to take him for Peking Duck, and he concludes Arakawa must be trying to send him a message of some kind. Adachi finds this reasoning dubious, telling Ichiban to calm down and wait for a moment; the meeting isn't until later tonight, and he's a marked man by the Omi Alliance- if he tries barging in now he'll never get a chance to speak with Arakawa. Instead, Adachi has a plan to sneak into the meeting, and asks Ichiban to meet up with him that night (even giving Ichiban a smartphone he'll call to let him know when they're going). The two part ways while Ichiban fusses over how to use his new phone.
Ichiban arrives in Theater Square later that night, but Adachi isn't there; instead, he sees a dandy giving business advice to one of his colleagues. Ichiban asks the dandy if he's seen a burly guy around, but the dandy replies he only looks out for pretty ladies. He asks why Ichiban doesn't just call him, and Ichiban admits he doesn't know how to use the phone. The dandy offers to help, but before he can two Omi thugs spot them and approach. Ichiban prepares to fight, but they're not here for him- they're here for the dandy (identified as Nick Ogata by the thugs), pissed that he offloaded a crummy bar onto them. Nick counters that the bar was running perfectly when he owned it, guessing the thugs' poor business skills caused them to make bad decisions. Ichiban interrupts that they'll have to wait their turn because Nick was going to teach him how to use a phone, and the yakuza recognize him as the man the Arakawa family has been targeting. Ichiban prepares to fight, making sure to ask Nick to teach him how to use a phone once he's done saving his life, and he manages to defeat the yakuza.
After the fight, Ichiban asks Nick if he really did sell the yakuza a failing bar. Nick says no, he was making millions from the bar when he was running it. The two punks had been harassing him for 100,000 yen a month in protection money, so Nick said "Let's See YOU Do Better!" and sold them the bar, where it promptly tanked due to their bad management. Nick intended to use this as a teaching moment- he only got to be a millionaire because he knew how much hard work was needed to make even 100,000 yen, and the yakuza failed his little test. They want nothing more to do with Nick, so he buys the bar back at half price and sends them on their way. With that problem taken care of, Ichiban and Nick properly introduce themselves and Nick helps Ichiban with his smartphone (adding his contact info because he finds Ichiban to be a fascinating person).
Nick departs just as Adachi shows up, Ichiban asking where the heck he's been. Adachi says he stopped to get dinner, but they're on a schedule now and should begin their infiltration. Ichiban asks what the plan is, and Adachi leads him to a manhole which the two open up. Adachi asks to come along with Ichiban so he can talk to Arakawa too about his connections with Horinouchi. Ichiban asks why Adachi has a beef with the head of Tokyo PD, but Adachi says he'll only tell Ichiban if he comes clean about who killed Suzumori. Ichiban does not, and the two head into the sewers.
Down in the sewers, Adachi warns Ichiban that while they will get to the tower, the place is full of weirdos and thugs that can and will attack if they're not careful. The two make their way through the sewers and reach a ladder leading into an office building next to the restaurant, fighting past a trio of security guards and some Omi Alliance soldiers on their way to the roof. They jump to the restaurant's roof and battle more Omi Alliance members, but before they can enter the restaurant a police helicopter spots them and tells them to surrender. Adachi flashes his badge and tells Ichiban to go ahead, holding off the police while Ichiban goes to confront Arakawa.
Ichiban heads into the restaurant alone, ultimately confronting Sawashiro outside the dining room. Sawashiro smugly asks why Ichiban never called, which he counters he wouldn't accept a ride from an Omi man and asks if Sawashiro is cool with turning traitor. Sawashiro counters that he and Arakawa just did what the times called for, and even if they were still with the Tojo Clan no one would have come for Ichiban. Sawashiro tells Ichiban that tonight's a big night for Arakawa that he doesn't want to interrupt with violence, so Ichiban should leave before he really gets hurt. Given that both men want to see the other dead, Ichiban declines to back down and the two come to blows. Ichiban defeats Sawashiro and runs to the doors, throwing them open after declaring he's been waiting eighteen years for this. He sees Arakawa having dinner with a number of Omi officers, whom he reassures Ichiban will not cause any trouble. Ichiban asks Arakawa why he did it, while Arakawa commends Ichiban on his loyalty before pulling a gun and shooting him, apologizing just before he pulls the trigger.
Chapter 3: The Town at Rock Bottom
Ichiban wakes up to find a creepy doll staring at him. He freaks out, pushing bags off of himself before tumbling out into the street, revealing he was in a trash heap next to a homeless camp in some unidentified town. As he tries to make sense of the change in circumstances, a hobo with a bucket of fish approaches Ichiban and tells him he's lucky it wasn't Wednesday, then he'd be on his way to the dump. The hobo notes Ichiban's wound is bad but healing, telling him to go home to whatever he has and don't make trouble. Ichiban follows the hobo to his shack to ask just what's going on when another bum pokes his head out and asks if Ichiban's dead yet. The first hobo says no, with the bum grumbling that he lost his bet but is still impressed with the first man's work (ex-nurse and all).
Ichiban finally gets a word in an asks the first hobo where he is. The hobo tells him he's in Ijincho, Yokohama; a couple of his hobo buddies found Ichiban in a dumpster three days ago, and he originally wrote him off as a lost cause before seeing Ichiban still had some fight left in him. He patched Ichiban up with what he had, though the hobo says Ichiban owes his survival to his own determination and dumb luck- the bullet went clean through Ichiban's chest and out the back without hitting anything important on the way through. Ichiban thanks the hobo for saving him, but the hobo says he shouldn't be thankful- if he'd died, that would have raised problems for them when the cops and media start poking their noses into their business. The hobo once more tells Ichiban to shove off and go home, but Ichiban realizes that between Shangri-La and the Arakawa family he is homeless as well. He asks the hobo if he could stay for a little longer, but the hobo says he'd just be competition and no one around here wants that.
Ichiban gets the message and tries to leave, but ends up collapsing from the pain in his wound. The hobo drags him back into camp and tells him he's still weak from losing so much blood, so Ichiban's here to stay for better or worse. Ichiban thanks the hobo, who says they've still got a ways to go before they're "even". He asks for Ichiban's name (and thinks he's using an alias when Ichiban tells him), and tells Ichiban his name is Nanba. Nanba guesses Ichiban has no money, so he'll take Ichiban out to show him how to scrounge up some cash so he can stay... if he can stay, as they have to clear it with the Elder Bum first. The Elder Bum doesn't tolerate freeloaders, so Ichiban will have to pay his keep however he can. Nanba shows him how, taking him to the vending machines around town and instructing him to look beneath them for loose change and other odds that may have been dropped.
Ichiban returns later in the day with some pocket change, and Nanba introduces him to the Elder Bum. Ichiban explains that he needs a place to rest for a little while and offers the change, but the Elder Bum refuses as they prefer people's safety over money. He thanks the Elder Bum and says he'll repay the debt someday, the Elder Bum asking if he's a yakuza or something. He was, anyway, and Ichiban tells them about his past and the circumstances of his arrival in Yokohama. The Elder Bum tells Ichiban he can stay as long as he likes, and Nanba offers him some fish and a drink for the night. Tomorrow, though, he'll have to come up with his own food, and they can make a little money turning in cans for recycling.
Ichiban ultimately doesn't get much for his can collecting, with Nanba saying that just this once he'll cover for him. He hands Ichiban a fish stuffed inside an old bread roll, and Ichiban is actually happy to get some bread- it reminds him of the better days when he was in prison, a special treat he always looked forward to. Nanba doesn't get it, but whatever helps Ichiban. Just then the second bum from before arrives and warns the others the "collectors" are here, with two flashy men coming in and telling the bums to wait by their beds with cash. Ichiban asks Nanba who the douchebag is, and Nanba tells him the man's name is Zheng, a local thug who fleeces the bums for the "privilege" of staying in this lot. No one cares for Zheng, but the Elder Bum says they have to pay to avoid trouble, so they pay. Zheng is rumored to be a member of the Yokohama Liumang, a Chinese triad that has been in Yokohama for decades. Ichiban sees this as a perfect chance to pay off his debt, but Nanba warns him against it as the Elder Bum doesn't want trouble. On the subject of trouble, Ichiban doesn't have 2,000 yen to pay off Zheng and Nanba doesn't have enough to cover them both, so he tells Ichiban to hide in a nearby box until the gangsters leave.
Zheng and his flunky approach Nanba, making small talk before asking for his "tribute". He then notices the box, asking Nanba what's inside before sending his flunky to peek inside. Of course Ichiban is in there, giving the triads a friendly "hello" before leaping out and beaning the flunky in the head. Zheng asks which tent is Ichiban's so he can start charging "rent", but Ichiban declares that even if he did have money he wouldn't shell out Zheng. The three get ready to fight, but surprisingly Nanba steps in to join Ichiban against Zheng, reasoning that if he's going to die he wants the satisfaction of slugging Zheng in his smug face before he does. Working together, the two manage to beat down Zheng and his lackey.
As he lies humiliated in the dirt, Zheng swears the Yokohama Liumang will have vengeance against Ichiban and the hobos. Ichiban is not impressed, asking if this means Zheng is going to get a whole triad against a couple of bums. Zheng continues to swear vengeance, but Ichiban has a counter: he's going to have to report this, and won't it be embarrassing for him to admit he got his ass kicked by a bunch of hobos? The top brass wouldn't just drop everything to cover a lackey that got beaten up over what amounts to pocket change. Even with his thunder fading Zheng threatens Nanba, but Nanba is no longer intimidated and shoots back that this isn't even Liumang territory. Ichiban latches on to this to deepen the hole Zheng is in: getting beaten up by hobos over pocket change in another gang's turf? At best he'd ruin the Liumang's reputation among the other gangs that control Ijincho. The other bums begin to laugh at Zheng's misfortune while he tries and fails to maintain his composure, and ultimately he and his lackey leave while Ichiban continues to taunt them.
After Zheng leaves, the Elder Bum goes to Ichiban and warns him to never do that again, as it could result in the dissolution of the homeless camp. Nanba, though, thinks Ichiban did the right thing and thanks him for stepping up. Ichiban asks Nanba if the Chinese are really that powerful in Yokohama, and Nanba explains the city is divided up between the Ijin Three. After drawing out a rough map, Nanba explains further: the Liumang are countered by two other syndicates, the Seiryu Clan yakuza and a Korean mafia. Together they form what is called the "Great Wall of Muscle", an uneasy alliance that nonetheless works together to keep Ijincho for themselves while keeping other syndicates out- not even the Tojo Clan or the Omi Alliance has managed to break into Ijincho. The Ijin Three have been in a cold war for decades regardless of outside interference, with Nanba saying all it would take was for one small incident to spark a three way gang war. Ichiban asks if that's the whole story, and maybe the leaders are actually putting up a strong face to scare off other rivals, but Nanba says that couldn't be the case as all three gangs are still taking more power for themselves. Still, Nanba says Ichiban couldn't be luckier, as not only did he survive a bullet to the chest but whoever dumped him chose the one spot in Kanto the Omi Alliance cannot touch.
Even with that luck, Ichiban doesn't feel safe just hanging around Yokohama. Nanba tells him he can leave at any time, but he's still weak from getting shot and won't get much further. However, a poke from Nanba catches Ichiban's attention to something in his pocket: a bloody 10,000 yen note. Nanba quickly tells Ichiban to hide the money, but it's too late and the other hobos come rushing over to claim the bill for themselves. As they squabble, Ichiban admits he has no idea how he got the bill, just before one of the hobos snatches it from his hand. Joy turns to confusion when closer inspection reveals one side of the note is completely blank. Most of the hobos wander off after getting excited over play money, but Nanba inspects the bill and sees it's too good to be play money- the font is legit and it even has a watermark, meaning that it's actually a forgery. The other bums turn on Ichiban for bringing a forged bill into the area, but Nanba defends Ichiban by saying it was in the pocket that got shot, and if Ichiban had originally had it on him when that happened there'd be a hole blown through the bill. The most likely explanation, Nanba says, is that whoever dumped Ichiban in Yokohama slipped it into his pocket after Ichiban got shot. Who and why is still a mystery, and the bums tell Ichiban to stop doing stuff like this before he gets the cops involved.
After all the excitement, Ichiban decides he needs to move on and find somewhere else to stay. Scrounging around for pocket change and being in constant danger from gangsters and cops is no way to live, and he guesses there are thousands of jobs out there that pay at least some money. Nanba asks if Ichiban has any leads, and Ichiban says he could just got to the local employment agency Hello Work and find a job. He tries to rally the other hobos to go and find jobs, but none of them join him before Nanba interrupts and tells him he's not helping. It's not like they're a bunch of ex-cons just scumming society- many of them have their own problems that go beyond just being unable to find a job, such as failing to make ends meet or getting suckered into predatory loans. Their spirits are broken and they only want a place of refuge, and waltzing over to Hello Work will only make more problems for themselves. Ichiban apologizes for his insensitivity, but Nanba says there is one guy hiding from a criminal record that fits Ichiban's view: himself. Ichiban asks Nanba how he lost his nursing job and ended up a bum, but Nanba says that's not important before they head over to Hello Work.
They arrive at Hello Work to find a bunch of young professionals in line. Nanba thinks that they as middle-aged homeless men won't have much of a chance, but Ichiban is undeterred and heads in. However, Hello Work has rules against hiring the homeless and Ichiban is rejected, Nanba joining him soon after. As they prepare to leave, a gentleman comes along and tells them he has a small gig for them- across the river is a bar called Harbor Light, and the mama there needs some extra hands for the night. He doesn't know specifics, but it's 5,000 yen for the job, so how bad can it be? Ichiban and Nanba thank the man and head out, and the man is chided by one of the staff for soliciting jobs via unofficial means. The man (revealed to be the Director of this branch of Hello Work) replies that not everyone sees laws and regulations in black and white, and sometimes it helps to bend the rules a little to give a person a chance.
The two arrive at Harbor Light, with a woman named Hamako saying she hired them to act as guards for the night. When Ichiban asks what exactly the job is, Hamako takes them to the window and points out other bars like hers crisscrossed by electrical cables; she tells them that the bars have been hit by thieves that run the cables to steal electricity, rerouting the power to another building down the way. Nanba recognizes that building as Geomijul, where the Korean Mafia operates out of- little is known about them (even Geomijul is just a nickname), but Hamako tells them they've been stealing electricity and driving up the bars' electrical bills for years now. Ichiban asks why they don't just call the police, but Nanba counters that the Geomijul are killers and approaching them is far too dangerous, even for cops. Ichiban moves on to say they can jump a Geomijul member or break in, but Nanba shoots both options down as 1) the Geomijul are highly secretive and don't advertise their presence, allowing them to blend into crowds easily and 2) breaking in is a one way ticket to the grave. Nanba suggests Hamako just cut her power and tells Ichiban they can go find work elsewhere, but Ichiban suggests Hamako just cut the cable and stop the Koreans' leeching. Good idea- that's why she did it yesterday; Hamako wants them around to fend off the possible Geomijul retaliation. They already pitched a cinderblock with the words "Restore Power Tonight" through the window, so it's only a matter of time before they get serious. Nanba is unhappy with the arrangement and tries to leave, but Ichiban refuses to back down and accepts the task, taking Nanba with him.
As they wait, Ichiban asks what the heck the Geomijul need all that electricity for. Nanba couldn't care less and is busy fuming over how they're getting paid only 5,000 yen to fight the Koreans, guessing that they don't even care if the power gets turned back on and the cinderblock was only an empty threat to spook the populace. This doesn't convince Ichiban, who thinks that the Geomijul could still send someone over when they're unprepared, but just then he thinks he spots movement over in the Korean's building. A man enters the bar, and Ichiban recognizes him as another homeless man that got rejected at Hello Work right before him. The man was a belligerent drunk, and he's got a sledgehammer with him. The man tries to smash the bar, but Ichiban tackles him out the door and demands he come clean about his affiliation with the Geomijul. The man flees to the bridge with Ichiban and Nanba in pursuit, telling them that someone approached him at the park and offered 1 million yen if he wrecked the bar. The three fight, with Ichiban and Nanba emerging victorious.
Ichiban asks for the man's name, Nanba identifying him as a man named Matsuo. Neither one of them believe the Geomijul would pay some bum like Matsuo 1 million just to wreck up a bar, but Matsuo doesn't care. If they want to know the real reason they should go ask "the bitch", but before Matsuo can say more they come under a rain of crossbow arrows. Matsuo flees, with Nanba holding Ichiban back to prevent him from getting killed. Ichiban notices Matsuo was smiling as he ran into the Geomijul, possibly meaning he is one of them, before asking Nanba if there's a woman within the Geomijul based on Matsuo's comments. Nanba doesn't want to go any deeper than they already are and tells Ichiban to let it rest, just before they come under fire again from the Geomijul. As they hide in cover, Ichiban decides enough is enough and runs out into the street, yelling at the Geomijul to leave the bars alone and get their electricity from somewhere else. One of the Geomijul takes a shot at Ichiban, but only grazes his cheek while Ichiban stands defiant. To Nanba's amazement, the Geomijul back down and Ichiban walks away alive, the two heading back to Harbor Light to regroup.
Upon their return, Hamako and the mama of the bar tell them that Matsuo called and told them to forget about hooking the cable back up. Ichiban says it was nothing, and the mama pays them the 5,000 yen... total, she doesn't have enough to pay them each 5,000. Nanba protests, but Ichiban tells him to relax as they did their job and got paid. Hamako says if they want more work, she has a restaurant down the block that needs cleaning, and she'll pay another 5,000 to call it even. She gets their names and tells them she'll see them tomorrow, and the two men return to the homeless camp to rest for the night.
The next day, Ichiban and Nanba head to Hamako's restaurant. Hamako tells the rest of her tenants to move out for the day, revealing the "restaurant" is actually a brothel. The two set to work dusting off damp mattresses and sweeping up dirty tissues (the latter of which Nanba whines about), but as they work they hear a commotion outside. Ichiban goes to check and sees a group of protesters dressed in white marching outside, demanding the end of prostitution in Ijincho. The leader introduces himself as Kume, leader of Bleach Japan's Ijincho branch. Ichiban asks who the heck these guys are, and Nanba explains that Bleach Japan is a nonprofit dedicated to "bleaching the gray zones white"- in other words, eliminating those parts of society that are technically illegal but ignored by the authorities, such as prostitution rings. Bleach Japan has spread all over the nation thanks in no small part to the work of Ryo Aoki, founder of the movement and governor of Tokyo (the one who took down the Tojo Clan with the Kamurocho 3K Plan). Aoki no longer runs Bleach Japan due to his career in politics, but he's popular enough and charismatic enough to keep the movement going without his direct involvement.
Down in the street, Kume calls Hamako's restaurant a front for sin and vice and demands they shut down. Hamako goes out and defends her business, saying her girls work hard and Kume wouldn't understand what drives a woman to prostitution. Kume accuses her of using the restaurant front to mask her guilt, while Hamako says a number of her girls are using that money to support their families as they have no other means of making money. Kume doesn't listen and continues to rally his supporters, demanding that Hamako show him one child that grew up happy to have a prostitute for a mother. Ichiban yells down that he didn't mind, threatening to dump a trashcan full of cum tissues on Kume and his followers if he doesn't get lost. As Bleach Japan scatters, Hamako thanks Ichiban for the save.
That evening after their work is done, Hamako explains to Ichiban that Bleach Japan has been in Ijincho for almost three years, but have started ramping up their activities in recent weeks. A lot of places have already shut down because of their constant protesting, but Hamako holds out because many of her girls are children and grandchildren of illegal immigrants and thus have nowhere else to go. Hamako is just leasing the building, though, so if the owner tells her to get out that would be the end of it. Their conversation is ended when Kume returns with some thugs, and when Ichiban asks what they want Kume says he's treating the men to a nice dinner at Hamako's "restaurant". He leaves them and the thugs start demanding food, while Ichiban and Nanba tell them to get lost. The two groups fight, and Ichiban and Nanba drive the thugs off.
It's getting late and Nanba says they should head back, the two saying their goodbyes to Hamako before leaving. Before they get too far, though, Hamako asks them if perhaps they'd like to stay with her- she'd let them live in a room upstairs. Ichiban asks if that would be alright with her girls, and Hamako says she has her own reasons; if they stay they get resident's rights, which would mean Bleach Japan couldn't just go to the owner of the building and pressure them into evicting Hamako and her girls. Hamako tells Ichiban to think of him as her live-in security guard until Bleach Japan leaves Ijincho, and Ichiban happily agrees to her demands.
The day they move in, Ichiban and Nanba celebrate having a real roof over their heads and beds to sleep on... at least until Nanba realizes what probably happened on that bed before they got to use it. Still, he's thankful to be off the streets for the first time in a while, thanking Ichiban for setting things in motion that lead to this. The two share a drink and Ichiban asks again why Nanba left his job as a nurse, with Nanba saying he got caught selling medicine and other drugs on the black market. Ichiban asks why he doesn't just start over in a new profession, and Nanba says it's not that simple before asking what Ichiban's end goal is. Ichiban admits he doesn't have much after the yakuza life slammed shut on him, Nanba tossing his words about starting fresh back at him. Nanba then asks what he wanted to do as a kid, and Ichiban admits he wanted to be a hero just like the Dragon Quest protagonists. Nanba finds this amusing, but still thinks that while it won't make for a good job it can still be a lifestyle worth living for. Ichiban agrees and the two share a toast for the future.
Meanwhile, Matsuo has been captured and interrogated by the Geomijul. He begs them to give him a second chance, offering to wreck the bar and kill Ichiban, but the Geomijul say (in Korean) he's already screwed things up beyond repair and put a crossbow bolt through his head.
Ichiban finally gets a word in an asks the first hobo where he is. The hobo tells him he's in Ijincho, Yokohama; a couple of his hobo buddies found Ichiban in a dumpster three days ago, and he originally wrote him off as a lost cause before seeing Ichiban still had some fight left in him. He patched Ichiban up with what he had, though the hobo says Ichiban owes his survival to his own determination and dumb luck- the bullet went clean through Ichiban's chest and out the back without hitting anything important on the way through. Ichiban thanks the hobo for saving him, but the hobo says he shouldn't be thankful- if he'd died, that would have raised problems for them when the cops and media start poking their noses into their business. The hobo once more tells Ichiban to shove off and go home, but Ichiban realizes that between Shangri-La and the Arakawa family he is homeless as well. He asks the hobo if he could stay for a little longer, but the hobo says he'd just be competition and no one around here wants that.
Ichiban gets the message and tries to leave, but ends up collapsing from the pain in his wound. The hobo drags him back into camp and tells him he's still weak from losing so much blood, so Ichiban's here to stay for better or worse. Ichiban thanks the hobo, who says they've still got a ways to go before they're "even". He asks for Ichiban's name (and thinks he's using an alias when Ichiban tells him), and tells Ichiban his name is Nanba. Nanba guesses Ichiban has no money, so he'll take Ichiban out to show him how to scrounge up some cash so he can stay... if he can stay, as they have to clear it with the Elder Bum first. The Elder Bum doesn't tolerate freeloaders, so Ichiban will have to pay his keep however he can. Nanba shows him how, taking him to the vending machines around town and instructing him to look beneath them for loose change and other odds that may have been dropped.
Ichiban returns later in the day with some pocket change, and Nanba introduces him to the Elder Bum. Ichiban explains that he needs a place to rest for a little while and offers the change, but the Elder Bum refuses as they prefer people's safety over money. He thanks the Elder Bum and says he'll repay the debt someday, the Elder Bum asking if he's a yakuza or something. He was, anyway, and Ichiban tells them about his past and the circumstances of his arrival in Yokohama. The Elder Bum tells Ichiban he can stay as long as he likes, and Nanba offers him some fish and a drink for the night. Tomorrow, though, he'll have to come up with his own food, and they can make a little money turning in cans for recycling.
Ichiban ultimately doesn't get much for his can collecting, with Nanba saying that just this once he'll cover for him. He hands Ichiban a fish stuffed inside an old bread roll, and Ichiban is actually happy to get some bread- it reminds him of the better days when he was in prison, a special treat he always looked forward to. Nanba doesn't get it, but whatever helps Ichiban. Just then the second bum from before arrives and warns the others the "collectors" are here, with two flashy men coming in and telling the bums to wait by their beds with cash. Ichiban asks Nanba who the douchebag is, and Nanba tells him the man's name is Zheng, a local thug who fleeces the bums for the "privilege" of staying in this lot. No one cares for Zheng, but the Elder Bum says they have to pay to avoid trouble, so they pay. Zheng is rumored to be a member of the Yokohama Liumang, a Chinese triad that has been in Yokohama for decades. Ichiban sees this as a perfect chance to pay off his debt, but Nanba warns him against it as the Elder Bum doesn't want trouble. On the subject of trouble, Ichiban doesn't have 2,000 yen to pay off Zheng and Nanba doesn't have enough to cover them both, so he tells Ichiban to hide in a nearby box until the gangsters leave.
Zheng and his flunky approach Nanba, making small talk before asking for his "tribute". He then notices the box, asking Nanba what's inside before sending his flunky to peek inside. Of course Ichiban is in there, giving the triads a friendly "hello" before leaping out and beaning the flunky in the head. Zheng asks which tent is Ichiban's so he can start charging "rent", but Ichiban declares that even if he did have money he wouldn't shell out Zheng. The three get ready to fight, but surprisingly Nanba steps in to join Ichiban against Zheng, reasoning that if he's going to die he wants the satisfaction of slugging Zheng in his smug face before he does. Working together, the two manage to beat down Zheng and his lackey.
As he lies humiliated in the dirt, Zheng swears the Yokohama Liumang will have vengeance against Ichiban and the hobos. Ichiban is not impressed, asking if this means Zheng is going to get a whole triad against a couple of bums. Zheng continues to swear vengeance, but Ichiban has a counter: he's going to have to report this, and won't it be embarrassing for him to admit he got his ass kicked by a bunch of hobos? The top brass wouldn't just drop everything to cover a lackey that got beaten up over what amounts to pocket change. Even with his thunder fading Zheng threatens Nanba, but Nanba is no longer intimidated and shoots back that this isn't even Liumang territory. Ichiban latches on to this to deepen the hole Zheng is in: getting beaten up by hobos over pocket change in another gang's turf? At best he'd ruin the Liumang's reputation among the other gangs that control Ijincho. The other bums begin to laugh at Zheng's misfortune while he tries and fails to maintain his composure, and ultimately he and his lackey leave while Ichiban continues to taunt them.
After Zheng leaves, the Elder Bum goes to Ichiban and warns him to never do that again, as it could result in the dissolution of the homeless camp. Nanba, though, thinks Ichiban did the right thing and thanks him for stepping up. Ichiban asks Nanba if the Chinese are really that powerful in Yokohama, and Nanba explains the city is divided up between the Ijin Three. After drawing out a rough map, Nanba explains further: the Liumang are countered by two other syndicates, the Seiryu Clan yakuza and a Korean mafia. Together they form what is called the "Great Wall of Muscle", an uneasy alliance that nonetheless works together to keep Ijincho for themselves while keeping other syndicates out- not even the Tojo Clan or the Omi Alliance has managed to break into Ijincho. The Ijin Three have been in a cold war for decades regardless of outside interference, with Nanba saying all it would take was for one small incident to spark a three way gang war. Ichiban asks if that's the whole story, and maybe the leaders are actually putting up a strong face to scare off other rivals, but Nanba says that couldn't be the case as all three gangs are still taking more power for themselves. Still, Nanba says Ichiban couldn't be luckier, as not only did he survive a bullet to the chest but whoever dumped him chose the one spot in Kanto the Omi Alliance cannot touch.
Even with that luck, Ichiban doesn't feel safe just hanging around Yokohama. Nanba tells him he can leave at any time, but he's still weak from getting shot and won't get much further. However, a poke from Nanba catches Ichiban's attention to something in his pocket: a bloody 10,000 yen note. Nanba quickly tells Ichiban to hide the money, but it's too late and the other hobos come rushing over to claim the bill for themselves. As they squabble, Ichiban admits he has no idea how he got the bill, just before one of the hobos snatches it from his hand. Joy turns to confusion when closer inspection reveals one side of the note is completely blank. Most of the hobos wander off after getting excited over play money, but Nanba inspects the bill and sees it's too good to be play money- the font is legit and it even has a watermark, meaning that it's actually a forgery. The other bums turn on Ichiban for bringing a forged bill into the area, but Nanba defends Ichiban by saying it was in the pocket that got shot, and if Ichiban had originally had it on him when that happened there'd be a hole blown through the bill. The most likely explanation, Nanba says, is that whoever dumped Ichiban in Yokohama slipped it into his pocket after Ichiban got shot. Who and why is still a mystery, and the bums tell Ichiban to stop doing stuff like this before he gets the cops involved.
After all the excitement, Ichiban decides he needs to move on and find somewhere else to stay. Scrounging around for pocket change and being in constant danger from gangsters and cops is no way to live, and he guesses there are thousands of jobs out there that pay at least some money. Nanba asks if Ichiban has any leads, and Ichiban says he could just got to the local employment agency Hello Work and find a job. He tries to rally the other hobos to go and find jobs, but none of them join him before Nanba interrupts and tells him he's not helping. It's not like they're a bunch of ex-cons just scumming society- many of them have their own problems that go beyond just being unable to find a job, such as failing to make ends meet or getting suckered into predatory loans. Their spirits are broken and they only want a place of refuge, and waltzing over to Hello Work will only make more problems for themselves. Ichiban apologizes for his insensitivity, but Nanba says there is one guy hiding from a criminal record that fits Ichiban's view: himself. Ichiban asks Nanba how he lost his nursing job and ended up a bum, but Nanba says that's not important before they head over to Hello Work.
They arrive at Hello Work to find a bunch of young professionals in line. Nanba thinks that they as middle-aged homeless men won't have much of a chance, but Ichiban is undeterred and heads in. However, Hello Work has rules against hiring the homeless and Ichiban is rejected, Nanba joining him soon after. As they prepare to leave, a gentleman comes along and tells them he has a small gig for them- across the river is a bar called Harbor Light, and the mama there needs some extra hands for the night. He doesn't know specifics, but it's 5,000 yen for the job, so how bad can it be? Ichiban and Nanba thank the man and head out, and the man is chided by one of the staff for soliciting jobs via unofficial means. The man (revealed to be the Director of this branch of Hello Work) replies that not everyone sees laws and regulations in black and white, and sometimes it helps to bend the rules a little to give a person a chance.
The two arrive at Harbor Light, with a woman named Hamako saying she hired them to act as guards for the night. When Ichiban asks what exactly the job is, Hamako takes them to the window and points out other bars like hers crisscrossed by electrical cables; she tells them that the bars have been hit by thieves that run the cables to steal electricity, rerouting the power to another building down the way. Nanba recognizes that building as Geomijul, where the Korean Mafia operates out of- little is known about them (even Geomijul is just a nickname), but Hamako tells them they've been stealing electricity and driving up the bars' electrical bills for years now. Ichiban asks why they don't just call the police, but Nanba counters that the Geomijul are killers and approaching them is far too dangerous, even for cops. Ichiban moves on to say they can jump a Geomijul member or break in, but Nanba shoots both options down as 1) the Geomijul are highly secretive and don't advertise their presence, allowing them to blend into crowds easily and 2) breaking in is a one way ticket to the grave. Nanba suggests Hamako just cut her power and tells Ichiban they can go find work elsewhere, but Ichiban suggests Hamako just cut the cable and stop the Koreans' leeching. Good idea- that's why she did it yesterday; Hamako wants them around to fend off the possible Geomijul retaliation. They already pitched a cinderblock with the words "Restore Power Tonight" through the window, so it's only a matter of time before they get serious. Nanba is unhappy with the arrangement and tries to leave, but Ichiban refuses to back down and accepts the task, taking Nanba with him.
As they wait, Ichiban asks what the heck the Geomijul need all that electricity for. Nanba couldn't care less and is busy fuming over how they're getting paid only 5,000 yen to fight the Koreans, guessing that they don't even care if the power gets turned back on and the cinderblock was only an empty threat to spook the populace. This doesn't convince Ichiban, who thinks that the Geomijul could still send someone over when they're unprepared, but just then he thinks he spots movement over in the Korean's building. A man enters the bar, and Ichiban recognizes him as another homeless man that got rejected at Hello Work right before him. The man was a belligerent drunk, and he's got a sledgehammer with him. The man tries to smash the bar, but Ichiban tackles him out the door and demands he come clean about his affiliation with the Geomijul. The man flees to the bridge with Ichiban and Nanba in pursuit, telling them that someone approached him at the park and offered 1 million yen if he wrecked the bar. The three fight, with Ichiban and Nanba emerging victorious.
Ichiban asks for the man's name, Nanba identifying him as a man named Matsuo. Neither one of them believe the Geomijul would pay some bum like Matsuo 1 million just to wreck up a bar, but Matsuo doesn't care. If they want to know the real reason they should go ask "the bitch", but before Matsuo can say more they come under a rain of crossbow arrows. Matsuo flees, with Nanba holding Ichiban back to prevent him from getting killed. Ichiban notices Matsuo was smiling as he ran into the Geomijul, possibly meaning he is one of them, before asking Nanba if there's a woman within the Geomijul based on Matsuo's comments. Nanba doesn't want to go any deeper than they already are and tells Ichiban to let it rest, just before they come under fire again from the Geomijul. As they hide in cover, Ichiban decides enough is enough and runs out into the street, yelling at the Geomijul to leave the bars alone and get their electricity from somewhere else. One of the Geomijul takes a shot at Ichiban, but only grazes his cheek while Ichiban stands defiant. To Nanba's amazement, the Geomijul back down and Ichiban walks away alive, the two heading back to Harbor Light to regroup.
Upon their return, Hamako and the mama of the bar tell them that Matsuo called and told them to forget about hooking the cable back up. Ichiban says it was nothing, and the mama pays them the 5,000 yen... total, she doesn't have enough to pay them each 5,000. Nanba protests, but Ichiban tells him to relax as they did their job and got paid. Hamako says if they want more work, she has a restaurant down the block that needs cleaning, and she'll pay another 5,000 to call it even. She gets their names and tells them she'll see them tomorrow, and the two men return to the homeless camp to rest for the night.
The next day, Ichiban and Nanba head to Hamako's restaurant. Hamako tells the rest of her tenants to move out for the day, revealing the "restaurant" is actually a brothel. The two set to work dusting off damp mattresses and sweeping up dirty tissues (the latter of which Nanba whines about), but as they work they hear a commotion outside. Ichiban goes to check and sees a group of protesters dressed in white marching outside, demanding the end of prostitution in Ijincho. The leader introduces himself as Kume, leader of Bleach Japan's Ijincho branch. Ichiban asks who the heck these guys are, and Nanba explains that Bleach Japan is a nonprofit dedicated to "bleaching the gray zones white"- in other words, eliminating those parts of society that are technically illegal but ignored by the authorities, such as prostitution rings. Bleach Japan has spread all over the nation thanks in no small part to the work of Ryo Aoki, founder of the movement and governor of Tokyo (the one who took down the Tojo Clan with the Kamurocho 3K Plan). Aoki no longer runs Bleach Japan due to his career in politics, but he's popular enough and charismatic enough to keep the movement going without his direct involvement.
Down in the street, Kume calls Hamako's restaurant a front for sin and vice and demands they shut down. Hamako goes out and defends her business, saying her girls work hard and Kume wouldn't understand what drives a woman to prostitution. Kume accuses her of using the restaurant front to mask her guilt, while Hamako says a number of her girls are using that money to support their families as they have no other means of making money. Kume doesn't listen and continues to rally his supporters, demanding that Hamako show him one child that grew up happy to have a prostitute for a mother. Ichiban yells down that he didn't mind, threatening to dump a trashcan full of cum tissues on Kume and his followers if he doesn't get lost. As Bleach Japan scatters, Hamako thanks Ichiban for the save.
That evening after their work is done, Hamako explains to Ichiban that Bleach Japan has been in Ijincho for almost three years, but have started ramping up their activities in recent weeks. A lot of places have already shut down because of their constant protesting, but Hamako holds out because many of her girls are children and grandchildren of illegal immigrants and thus have nowhere else to go. Hamako is just leasing the building, though, so if the owner tells her to get out that would be the end of it. Their conversation is ended when Kume returns with some thugs, and when Ichiban asks what they want Kume says he's treating the men to a nice dinner at Hamako's "restaurant". He leaves them and the thugs start demanding food, while Ichiban and Nanba tell them to get lost. The two groups fight, and Ichiban and Nanba drive the thugs off.
It's getting late and Nanba says they should head back, the two saying their goodbyes to Hamako before leaving. Before they get too far, though, Hamako asks them if perhaps they'd like to stay with her- she'd let them live in a room upstairs. Ichiban asks if that would be alright with her girls, and Hamako says she has her own reasons; if they stay they get resident's rights, which would mean Bleach Japan couldn't just go to the owner of the building and pressure them into evicting Hamako and her girls. Hamako tells Ichiban to think of him as her live-in security guard until Bleach Japan leaves Ijincho, and Ichiban happily agrees to her demands.
The day they move in, Ichiban and Nanba celebrate having a real roof over their heads and beds to sleep on... at least until Nanba realizes what probably happened on that bed before they got to use it. Still, he's thankful to be off the streets for the first time in a while, thanking Ichiban for setting things in motion that lead to this. The two share a drink and Ichiban asks again why Nanba left his job as a nurse, with Nanba saying he got caught selling medicine and other drugs on the black market. Ichiban asks why he doesn't just start over in a new profession, and Nanba says it's not that simple before asking what Ichiban's end goal is. Ichiban admits he doesn't have much after the yakuza life slammed shut on him, Nanba tossing his words about starting fresh back at him. Nanba then asks what he wanted to do as a kid, and Ichiban admits he wanted to be a hero just like the Dragon Quest protagonists. Nanba finds this amusing, but still thinks that while it won't make for a good job it can still be a lifestyle worth living for. Ichiban agrees and the two share a toast for the future.
Meanwhile, Matsuo has been captured and interrogated by the Geomijul. He begs them to give him a second chance, offering to wreck the bar and kill Ichiban, but the Geomijul say (in Korean) he's already screwed things up beyond repair and put a crossbow bolt through his head.
Chapter 4: The Dragon of Yokohama
Adachi helps himself to a drink before sneaking into Hamako's brothel while she's sending her girls home for the night. He startles Ichiban awake and the two have a short scuffle before Adachi is able to identify himself. The next morning Ichiban properly introduces Adachi to Nanba, expressing surprise that he made it out of the yakuza meeting in one piece. Well, not entirely- Adachi tells Ichiban that he got fired from his DMV job because of what happened, and right before he was going to get his pension too. Nanba is impressed to see that Adachi managed to track Ichiban all the way to Yokohama, and Ichiban suggests that maybe next time he should call. Adachi says he did, but then Ichiban probably hasn't had a chance to charge his phone, what with getting shot and living as a homeless bum for a few days. Ichiban apologizes for getting Adachi fired, and Adachi tells him if he wants to apologize he'll help him investigate Commissioner Horinouchi.
Nanba asks the driving question: why does Adachi want to take down Horinouchi. Adachi says it's a simple matter of revenge. Twenty years prior, Adachi was assigned a case where an elderly couple was murdered by a robber. The prime suspect was a man named Kusumi, whom Adachi had arrested in the past for other infractions, but just before the trial a witness came forward saying Kusumi was somewhere else when the crime was committed. Adachi reported this to headquarters as per procedure, and had things gone right Kusumi should have walked free. But Horinouchi and the top brass weren't satisfied and called the witness in for questioning, badgering him until he cracked and changed his story to condemn Kusumi. Nanba asks why he would do that, and Adachi explains that Horinouchi was being promoted to Tokyo PD- a wrongful conviction would cause a scandal that would tank that promotion, so he doctored the evidence to ensure a guilty verdict. Ultimately Kusumi got seventeen years, hanging himself in prison and leaving a wife and children behind while Horinouchi got his cushy promotion. This didn't sit well with Adachi and he leaked the alibi to the press, but Horinouchi used his vast web of connections to snuff the story before it got released and busted Adachi to the DMV. If he had any sense he'd just give up, but Adachi doesn't want to back down now and be unable to face Kusumi in the afterlife with that guilt.
Hamako comes in and tells the guys that it's half-past ten, and if they don't hurry they won't be able to get to Hello Work for new jobs. Ichiban and Nanba hurry out, with Adachi coming along since he's recently unemployed as well (and also broke- booze and women are expensive hobbies, after all). On their way they find a baseball bat stuck in the ground, which Nanba tries to pull out as they could pawn it for some cash. Unfortunately it's stuck deep in the ground, and not even Adachi can get it to budge. Ichiban, though, lets his imagination run wild and he yanks the bat out of the ground, claiming it as his holy weapon as he goes out to be the hero that saves the world. A trio of thugs come over to see what the commotion is, and the heroes beat them down when Ichiban begins to see them as more than just thugs (just Ichiban- Adachi and Nanba think he's nuts but decide to humor him). Still, beating up thugs in the street isn't going to get them much money, so they continue their trek to Hello Work to find some real jobs.
At Hello Work, Ichiban is called up and meets the Director again, now identified as Kanbe. Kanbe is happy to see Ichiban has made some progress, but now they have to go through official channels so he can't just give an ex-con, a bum, and a fired cop any job. He has an assignment at a soapland called Otohime Land that they can start with, just a little something to get them experience before they go for bigger jobs. Kanbe warns the three that the owner of the soapland is a little eccentric, so it'll be up to him to decide whether they get the job or not. Ichiban is undeterred and the three head out to Otohime Land.
The three arrive and wait for the soapland manager, Nonomiya, to finish up business before he gives them an interview. They overhear Nonomiya being a mite harsh towards one of his workers, Nanoha Mukoda, who is calling out of work again because of an irregular period, and both Nanba and Adachi prepare to leave based on Nonomiya's actions. Ichiban, though, stalks over to Nonomiya with a threatening look, with the soapland manager threatening to call the Seiryu Clan on them if they cause trouble (which sours Nanba on the job even further). When it looks like Ichiban is about to hit Nonomiya, he tells the man that he'll take the job, offering to rustle up some new talent for Nonomiya since it's clear he's understaffed. Before they can discuss details, Kume and his Bleach Japan posse show up demanding an end to prostitution.
Nonomiya explains that Bleach Japan has been picketing his establishment for several days now- Otohime Land is the only property in this area of Ijincho that still advertises itself as a soapland, making it an easier target that, if shut down, Bleach Japan hopes will cause a domino effect clearing the others out. Nonomiya tried asking the Seiryu Clan for assistance, but they were of no help. Nonomiya is bleeding workers because of the harassment, and when Nanba says that given his Bad Boss tendencies Bleach Japan might be the least of his problems Nonomiya counters that most of his workers have nowhere else to go. Nanba is sickened by Nonomiya's reasoning, but Ichiban still wants to work. Offering to run Kume off if it'll get them the job. Nonomiya agrees to Ichiban's terms.
As Kume rants about the evils of prostitution, Ichiban and company step out to see what's up. Kume demands to know what they're doing here, and Ichiban tells them that they're here as workers now. Kume spins this factoid into a message on the soapland dodging anti-prostitution laws by being registered as a "bathhouse", and this is a grey zone that cannot stand. Ichiban then asks if Kume's being good with the law, since the point of a march is to march, not stand in the street and give lectures. Kume reveals his permit and tells Ichiban that he has the police's blessing to be here, and marches stop all the time to give speeches. However, Ichiban and Adachi latch onto that point to pick further holes in Kume's argument- the permit says they're only supposed to have ten people, not the fifteen they currently have, Kume trying to brag to Ichiban caused him to cross Otohime Land's property line and therefore break the rule about staying in the street, and not marching is a violation of traffic laws by blocking the street. All that being said, would that make what Kume's doing one of those "grey zones" he loves to rant about? The wind taken out of his sails, Kume decides to move on while Ichiban tells him not to trip in the streets.
Afterwards, the three have their interview with Nonomiya (and it turns out that Nanba's name really is Nanba, not an alias like he spoke of back when he and Ichi first met). Nonomiya is more than willing to hire them despite them being a bum, an ex-yakuza, and a fired cop- if he was too picky he'd never get any workers. In fact, he has the perfect job for them, pulling out a picture of Nanoha before explaining- Nanoha has been Otohime Land's top earner for the last five years, having quit her white-collar job and taken up work here to support her invalid father. But recently she has been taking more and more time off, and combined with Bleach Japan's antics sales have been taking a hit. Nonomiya wants to know why Nanoha's been skipping out, with Ichiban hypothesizing that maybe she's seeing a client off hours to undercut Otohime Land's profits for her own gain. If that's the case, Nonomiya wants them to scare the guy off. Adachi asks why he doesn't go to the yakuza for this, but Nonomiya doesn't want to raise his protection money payout to the Seiryu and wants to solve this his way. Ichiban accepts the mission and asks if Nonomiya can point him to where Nanoha lives, but Nonomiya tells them Nanoha's been couch surfing and doesn't go to her permanent address that often. However, she usually hangs out at the Pocket Café to charge her electronic devices, so that could be a good place to start.
The three heroes go to the café, where they spot Nanoha sitting alone at one of the tables. Nanba is all for going to talk to her, but Adachi tells him to back off or she won't give them anything- better to approach her when they have some evidence that she's seeing someone on the side. Sure enough, a man in a suit shows up and begins talking with her. There's no way to hear them outside, though, so Adachi has Ichiban call his phone before stepping inside. After asking to use the bathroom, Adachi drops his phone in the potted plant behind Nanoha as he passes by, allowing them to listen in to the conversation. Nanoha gives the man two million yen, with him saying she only has three million more to scrounge up in the next ten days. The rest of the conversation is garbled, but Nanoha expresses interest in seeing her father, which the man tells her is impossible right now. He sends her on her way while the three heroes mull over this- no way she's getting a side hustle if she's the one paying. Ichiban goes out to confront Nanoha and ask what's up, but stumbles over a trio of thugs on his way there, causing a brawl.
After defeating the thugs, Ichiban realizes they've lost Nanoha. Nanba, though, suggests they follow the man who was speaking with her, who has just departed the café. The three follow the man to a fancy building in town named Sunlight Castle, with a plaque out front declaring it a "social welfare corporation". Nanba guesses it's a retirement home, a pretty upscale one at that, with Adachi positing that perhaps this is where Nanoha's father is being treated. Nanba says that if the guy was a worker here then perhaps she was just paying her bill, but something seems fishy to Ichiban: why pay two million in cash, why would they make the exchange in a public café, and why would they refuse Nanoha's request to visit? Ichiban rings the intercom for the front desk, claiming to be a coworker of Nanoha hoping to check the place out for his own father. The secretary tells him he can only come in if he's finalize his contract with them, and they can learn about the facility on their website instead, which trips more red flags for the party before they depart.
They look up Sunlight Castle back at Otohime Land, with Ichiban and Nanba staring in shock at the 5 million entry fee and 500K monthly bill- no way Nanoha could afford that on a soapland hostess' salary. But that's nothing compared to the "Excellent Course" which has a 20 million yen entry fee and runs 1 million a month, the two of them asking of Nanoha really would go that far. Nonomiya says she would- her father is all she has left of her family, and she would go above and beyond to make sure he lived in comfort before passing. Ichiban takes this to mean the real reason Nonomiya hired them was because he was genuinely worried for Nanoha, and Nonomiya says that while he can protect his girls at the shop he's powerless out in the streets and would die if he knew something bad happened to them. If she's doing a side gig to help her father, then who's he to stop her? Ichiban, though, doesn't believe that's the case- Nanoha really did look sick when she met with the Sunlight Castle representative, Adachi saying she's probably drowning under the stress to meet Sunlight Castle's ridiculously high prices.
The four sit down and talk further, with Nonomiya expressing concern about why Sunlight Castle wouldn't let Nanoha visit her father even after paying two million yen (Nanba adding they probably won't let her in until she's paid her bill in full). Adachi says that's not surprising- with the ever increasing elderly population in Japan, there's bound to be shady practices working to scam them and their loved ones. Nanba poses a hypothesis of how it went down- Sunlight Castle agreed to take in Nanoha's father, promising to take payment in installments so he could stay there, then cut her off once she started so they could get her to pay up faster. The stress would cause Nanoha to cut out work, thus cutting her income and making it harder for her to pay Sunlight Castle, creating a vicious cycle of stress and debt. The worst case scenario, according to Adachi, is that they kick the old man to the curb if/when Nanoha misses a payment, pocketing the rest for themselves. Nonomiya begs them to rescue Nanoha's father, but Nanba expresses pessimism: they wouldn't let Nanoha much less them go in to see the old man, and security is too tight for a break-in. Ichiban, though, has an idea: they speak with Kanbe to get them hired as workers at Sunlight Castle, scope the place out and find a way to get Nanoha's father away.
At Hello Work, Kanbe tells them he can't just give them jobs at Sunlight Castle: the place is a top end care facility and wouldn't go to a temp agency for most workers. Contract staff that do menial jobs are fair game, and the community hires them through different staffing agencies. Nanba's experience as an ex-nurse makes him a shoe-in for a caretaker role, and Adachi could leverage his time as a cop to become a security guard. That just leaves Ichiban, but Kanbe does have a post he could follow.
A few days later, the three are busy at work in Sunlight Castle, Nanba pushing some of the elderly around as needed while Adachi watches over everything as security. The two meet up and note the place looks legit- the medical devices are top notch and security is well trained and staffed, no signs of shady dealings here. As for Ichiban? He's the new janitor, getting pushed around by the other cleaning staff while he whines about being the guy on toilet duty. All three of them have seen no sign of Nanoha's father, leading Ichiban and Nanba to conclude he must be in the Excellent Room. Adachi expresses doubts: the Excellent Room has strict requirements and a difficult interview course before anyone is let inside, making it a place for big shots and the wealthy rather than fathers of poor prostitutes. Ichiban asks if anyone has actually gone in, but Nanba says only full timers get access to the Excellent Room (and they can only get in with the keycards that full timers are given).
Later that day, Ichiban spots a nurse taking an old woman up to the Excellent Room. Faking that he lost some cleaning supplies, Ichiban runs off and takes the fire escape route to the top floor, hiding down a hallway when the nurse and old woman enter. As he watches, Ichiban sees the woman react in fear at being brought to the Excellent Room, the nurse telling her to "Say goodnight" as he leaves. The doors close behind the woman, and all Ichiban can hear is her scream of terror as he hurries back downstairs.
Ichiban returns to Otohime Land to find Adachi waiting for him and Nanba (who's extra duties mean he has to work late). Nanba stumbles in afterwards, telling the two there was some big hubbub about a woman dying that day. Ichiban asks if this woman had purple hair and when Nanba says yes Ichiban says that was the woman he saw go into the Excellent Room. Nanba asks why they would kill their patients and thus deprive them of income, but Adachi says there are ways- Sunlight Castle could refuse to write a death report, continuing to take in the person's health insurance and pension payments long after they've bit the dust. He shows the others a picture of a safe that has all the residents' financial information locked inside, making it really easy for the facility to keep stealing money from the recently deceased.
Nonomiya recognizes two of the men Adachi got in the picture as Seiryu yakuza, from the Ryuto Clan that used to come around and harass his girls until about four years ago when they got a new hustle. Adachi has heard of yakuza fronting themselves as security, but never having men on-staff at places they worked, but Ichiban has a darker theory: maybe Sunlight Castle is the Ryuto's new business, with the pension scamming being their main income source. Nanba asks if that means Nanoha's father is already dead, but Adachi doesn't think so- the guy Nanoha paid off said she had three million left and ten days, guessing he was telling her she had ten days to pay before her father got killed. Nanoha can't go to the police because the yakuza most likely paid them off, and even if the old man did die there's not much to prevent them from looking the other way. Nonomiya asks them how long ago that conversation was, and the three realize that the ten days are up and Nanoha's father will die tomorrow. Ichiban says they'll go save the old man, asking that Nonomiya pay them the "house bonus" if they succeed (which, to Nanba's dismay, only comes up to about 3,000 yen). Nonomiya agrees and sends them on their way.
Adachi decides to take them to his favorite bar in town to rest before the next day. They arrive at the Survive Bar, where the bartender (who looks suspiciously like the late Osamu Kashiwagi) welcomes them and gets them drinks. While Nanba rests, Adachi and Ichiban chat and Adachi expresses confidence that they will be successful in their mission. As they leave, the bartender says it's rare that Adachi brings anyone around, so he must really like Ichiban and Nanba.
The next day, Ichiban fakes losing control of his cart to knock over a nurse so Adachi and Nanba can steal his key card. They break into the Excellent Room, just in time to stop a doctor from injecting Nanoha's father with something. A squad of security guards follows them, and Ichiban identifies them as Seiryu men and calls them out on their scam. The three defeat the yakuza, and Nanba interrogates the doctor about what he was about to give the old man. The Doctor says potassium chloride, the same chemicals used overseas for executions. While they got to Nanoha's father just in time, Ichiban says they're not out of the woods yet: the man whom Nanoha had been speaking with is on a security camera, along with a few other yakuza. The three step out and ask who he is, and the man identifies himself as Yamato Totsuka, Patriarch of the Ryuto Family and Chief of HQ for the Seiryu Clan. Ichiban says Totsuka and the Seiryu have no honor if they spend their time murdering pensioners, threatening to spill the beans to the world if he doesn't release the retirees. Totsuka tells Ichiban he's welcome to try, and the two parties fight until Ichiban's emerges victorious.
Ichiban again demands Totsuka release the pensioners, but Totsuka says he can't do that: he placed the Excellent Room on emergency lockdown, shutting everyone out until the next day (which Nanba and Adachi confirm when they try to open the doors manually). Totsuka threatens to call the cops on them, and Ichiban says he can play dirty too- he'll just go to Seiryu HQ and ask the Chairman to release the pensioners. Totsuka freaks out and tells Ichiban he can't do that, as the Chairman knows nothing of Sunlight Castle's operations. Ichiban guesses Totsuka is scared of the Chairman and encourages him to come along, otherwise he'll tell him that Totsuka was up to a lot more than he really was, and he doesn't want that now does he? That being said, the four head to Seiryu headquarters.
Once there, Totsuka lets them inside and Ichiban notes there's no guards on duty. Totsuka says that's because no one in their right mind would attack the Seiryu, but the truth becomes apparent when a gate blocks the main staircase: it's a trap, and Totsuka sets his men on Ichiban and company while he tries to make his escape. With the main route cut off, the three make their way through the side hallways to get to the Chairman, using windows and storage rooms to avoid as many of the Seiryu men as possible (and fighting when that's no longer an option). They finally reach the Chairman's office, fighting off the most elite of Totsuka's men before they enter. Totsuka tries once more to stop them, Ichiban explaining just who they are and why they are here before calling Totsuka a coward.
Just then, the Chairman steps out of his office and introduces himself as Ryuhei Hoshino. Hoshino asks if Ichiban's a hitman here to kill him, which Ichiban denies saying they only want a minute of the Chairman's time to discuss Sunlight Castle. He even says Hoshino can search him for weapons to put his mind at ease, and when the Chairman's lieutenant does so he finds the fake bill Ichiban has been carrying. Hoshino recognizes the bill, but passes it off as toy money not worth mentioning.
Later, Hoshino's lieutenant (identified as Captain Takabe by Totsuka) is preparing to oversee Totsuka as he commits yubitsume for the Sunlight Castle racket. While they work on that, Hoshino talks to Ichiban about how much he's sacrificed to maintain the balance between the yakuza, the Liumang, and the Geomijul, but now that balance is on the verge of collapse. He knew that in any outfit the underlings have their own businesses the boss is unaware of, but he never would have guessed Totsuka would go behind his back for something like this. He explains to Adachi that the Seiryu had bought and restored that building thirty years ago, and it was his idea to give it to Totsuka to administer. But Totsuka never told him about his side job, and when Totsuka tries to explain that he was planning to do so once it was up and running Ichiban furiously tells him it's no business at all before asking Hoshino to shut it down. Hoshino tells Ichiban to mind his place before asking Totsuka to explain himself.
Totsuka tries to pass the scam off as a peaceful euthanasia setup, often requested by those wanting to see their loved ones freed from suffering. Ichiban calls bullshit, but Totsuka swears they do it at the request of their families. He even says Nanoha agreed to the procedure before preparing to chop his pinky off. Hoshino, though, stops him and tells Totsuka he can keep the finger. But just when Totsuka thinks he's off the hook, Hoshino adds he does not approve of the business and turns him over to Takabe, who orders his men to drag Totsuka out and effectively banish him from the Chairman's presence. Hoshino collects the dagger and tells Ichiban that they do not see things in terms of right and wrong: honor trumps all, and civilian Ichiban dishonored and shamed the Seiryu clan by breaking in. Hoshino warns Ichiban that dishonor will follow him, but Ichiban is thrilled; he thought the yakuza of old that he admired were long gone, but Hoshino proves that such men are still out there and worth following. Hoshino guesses this means Ichiban was a yakuza before, asking what kind of man his patriarch was. Ichiban tells Hoshino of how Arakawa saved his life back in the day before leaving, with Hoshino asking who that man was. Ichiban identifies Arakawa, and while he did shoot Ichi and probably doesn't like him anymore he's still the kind of man Ichiban aspires to be.
Outside the Seiryu offices, the three discuss what happened and Adachi says it's quite a shock that Nanoha would agree to euthanizing her father. Before they leave, Takabe steps out and tells Ichiban that he asked to speak with Nanoha outside Sunlight Castle, and he would like the three of them to be there. They arrive and Takabe greets Nanoha, telling her that Sunlight Castle is to be shut down and she will have to seek a new place for her father's care. Nanoha freaks out, saying if her father didn’t get his operation he would die. Ichiban asks if that's what Totsuka told her, and she says the man said the operation would be difficult but, if successful, her father would be fine. Takabe tells Nanoha that there was a misdiagnosis and the operation is no longer necessary, returning the two million yen as an apology. Furthermore, her father may stay at Sunlight Castle free of charge until a new place is found (which he tells Ichiban was an order from the Chairman).
As Takabe leaves, Ichiban turns to the others and says they should be happy they saved a girl's dad. He then goes to Nanoha and suggests she quit the soapland and go back to her old job, now that her father can find good care at a lower price- they work for Nonomiya and can clear things up with him. Nanoha thanks them and goes to take care of her father, and the three head back to Otohime Land to report a job well done. When they arrive, though, they find the place empty, and a quick search reveals Nonomiya hanging from a noose in the soapland lobby.
Nanba asks the driving question: why does Adachi want to take down Horinouchi. Adachi says it's a simple matter of revenge. Twenty years prior, Adachi was assigned a case where an elderly couple was murdered by a robber. The prime suspect was a man named Kusumi, whom Adachi had arrested in the past for other infractions, but just before the trial a witness came forward saying Kusumi was somewhere else when the crime was committed. Adachi reported this to headquarters as per procedure, and had things gone right Kusumi should have walked free. But Horinouchi and the top brass weren't satisfied and called the witness in for questioning, badgering him until he cracked and changed his story to condemn Kusumi. Nanba asks why he would do that, and Adachi explains that Horinouchi was being promoted to Tokyo PD- a wrongful conviction would cause a scandal that would tank that promotion, so he doctored the evidence to ensure a guilty verdict. Ultimately Kusumi got seventeen years, hanging himself in prison and leaving a wife and children behind while Horinouchi got his cushy promotion. This didn't sit well with Adachi and he leaked the alibi to the press, but Horinouchi used his vast web of connections to snuff the story before it got released and busted Adachi to the DMV. If he had any sense he'd just give up, but Adachi doesn't want to back down now and be unable to face Kusumi in the afterlife with that guilt.
Hamako comes in and tells the guys that it's half-past ten, and if they don't hurry they won't be able to get to Hello Work for new jobs. Ichiban and Nanba hurry out, with Adachi coming along since he's recently unemployed as well (and also broke- booze and women are expensive hobbies, after all). On their way they find a baseball bat stuck in the ground, which Nanba tries to pull out as they could pawn it for some cash. Unfortunately it's stuck deep in the ground, and not even Adachi can get it to budge. Ichiban, though, lets his imagination run wild and he yanks the bat out of the ground, claiming it as his holy weapon as he goes out to be the hero that saves the world. A trio of thugs come over to see what the commotion is, and the heroes beat them down when Ichiban begins to see them as more than just thugs (just Ichiban- Adachi and Nanba think he's nuts but decide to humor him). Still, beating up thugs in the street isn't going to get them much money, so they continue their trek to Hello Work to find some real jobs.
At Hello Work, Ichiban is called up and meets the Director again, now identified as Kanbe. Kanbe is happy to see Ichiban has made some progress, but now they have to go through official channels so he can't just give an ex-con, a bum, and a fired cop any job. He has an assignment at a soapland called Otohime Land that they can start with, just a little something to get them experience before they go for bigger jobs. Kanbe warns the three that the owner of the soapland is a little eccentric, so it'll be up to him to decide whether they get the job or not. Ichiban is undeterred and the three head out to Otohime Land.
The three arrive and wait for the soapland manager, Nonomiya, to finish up business before he gives them an interview. They overhear Nonomiya being a mite harsh towards one of his workers, Nanoha Mukoda, who is calling out of work again because of an irregular period, and both Nanba and Adachi prepare to leave based on Nonomiya's actions. Ichiban, though, stalks over to Nonomiya with a threatening look, with the soapland manager threatening to call the Seiryu Clan on them if they cause trouble (which sours Nanba on the job even further). When it looks like Ichiban is about to hit Nonomiya, he tells the man that he'll take the job, offering to rustle up some new talent for Nonomiya since it's clear he's understaffed. Before they can discuss details, Kume and his Bleach Japan posse show up demanding an end to prostitution.
Nonomiya explains that Bleach Japan has been picketing his establishment for several days now- Otohime Land is the only property in this area of Ijincho that still advertises itself as a soapland, making it an easier target that, if shut down, Bleach Japan hopes will cause a domino effect clearing the others out. Nonomiya tried asking the Seiryu Clan for assistance, but they were of no help. Nonomiya is bleeding workers because of the harassment, and when Nanba says that given his Bad Boss tendencies Bleach Japan might be the least of his problems Nonomiya counters that most of his workers have nowhere else to go. Nanba is sickened by Nonomiya's reasoning, but Ichiban still wants to work. Offering to run Kume off if it'll get them the job. Nonomiya agrees to Ichiban's terms.
As Kume rants about the evils of prostitution, Ichiban and company step out to see what's up. Kume demands to know what they're doing here, and Ichiban tells them that they're here as workers now. Kume spins this factoid into a message on the soapland dodging anti-prostitution laws by being registered as a "bathhouse", and this is a grey zone that cannot stand. Ichiban then asks if Kume's being good with the law, since the point of a march is to march, not stand in the street and give lectures. Kume reveals his permit and tells Ichiban that he has the police's blessing to be here, and marches stop all the time to give speeches. However, Ichiban and Adachi latch onto that point to pick further holes in Kume's argument- the permit says they're only supposed to have ten people, not the fifteen they currently have, Kume trying to brag to Ichiban caused him to cross Otohime Land's property line and therefore break the rule about staying in the street, and not marching is a violation of traffic laws by blocking the street. All that being said, would that make what Kume's doing one of those "grey zones" he loves to rant about? The wind taken out of his sails, Kume decides to move on while Ichiban tells him not to trip in the streets.
Afterwards, the three have their interview with Nonomiya (and it turns out that Nanba's name really is Nanba, not an alias like he spoke of back when he and Ichi first met). Nonomiya is more than willing to hire them despite them being a bum, an ex-yakuza, and a fired cop- if he was too picky he'd never get any workers. In fact, he has the perfect job for them, pulling out a picture of Nanoha before explaining- Nanoha has been Otohime Land's top earner for the last five years, having quit her white-collar job and taken up work here to support her invalid father. But recently she has been taking more and more time off, and combined with Bleach Japan's antics sales have been taking a hit. Nonomiya wants to know why Nanoha's been skipping out, with Ichiban hypothesizing that maybe she's seeing a client off hours to undercut Otohime Land's profits for her own gain. If that's the case, Nonomiya wants them to scare the guy off. Adachi asks why he doesn't go to the yakuza for this, but Nonomiya doesn't want to raise his protection money payout to the Seiryu and wants to solve this his way. Ichiban accepts the mission and asks if Nonomiya can point him to where Nanoha lives, but Nonomiya tells them Nanoha's been couch surfing and doesn't go to her permanent address that often. However, she usually hangs out at the Pocket Café to charge her electronic devices, so that could be a good place to start.
The three heroes go to the café, where they spot Nanoha sitting alone at one of the tables. Nanba is all for going to talk to her, but Adachi tells him to back off or she won't give them anything- better to approach her when they have some evidence that she's seeing someone on the side. Sure enough, a man in a suit shows up and begins talking with her. There's no way to hear them outside, though, so Adachi has Ichiban call his phone before stepping inside. After asking to use the bathroom, Adachi drops his phone in the potted plant behind Nanoha as he passes by, allowing them to listen in to the conversation. Nanoha gives the man two million yen, with him saying she only has three million more to scrounge up in the next ten days. The rest of the conversation is garbled, but Nanoha expresses interest in seeing her father, which the man tells her is impossible right now. He sends her on her way while the three heroes mull over this- no way she's getting a side hustle if she's the one paying. Ichiban goes out to confront Nanoha and ask what's up, but stumbles over a trio of thugs on his way there, causing a brawl.
After defeating the thugs, Ichiban realizes they've lost Nanoha. Nanba, though, suggests they follow the man who was speaking with her, who has just departed the café. The three follow the man to a fancy building in town named Sunlight Castle, with a plaque out front declaring it a "social welfare corporation". Nanba guesses it's a retirement home, a pretty upscale one at that, with Adachi positing that perhaps this is where Nanoha's father is being treated. Nanba says that if the guy was a worker here then perhaps she was just paying her bill, but something seems fishy to Ichiban: why pay two million in cash, why would they make the exchange in a public café, and why would they refuse Nanoha's request to visit? Ichiban rings the intercom for the front desk, claiming to be a coworker of Nanoha hoping to check the place out for his own father. The secretary tells him he can only come in if he's finalize his contract with them, and they can learn about the facility on their website instead, which trips more red flags for the party before they depart.
They look up Sunlight Castle back at Otohime Land, with Ichiban and Nanba staring in shock at the 5 million entry fee and 500K monthly bill- no way Nanoha could afford that on a soapland hostess' salary. But that's nothing compared to the "Excellent Course" which has a 20 million yen entry fee and runs 1 million a month, the two of them asking of Nanoha really would go that far. Nonomiya says she would- her father is all she has left of her family, and she would go above and beyond to make sure he lived in comfort before passing. Ichiban takes this to mean the real reason Nonomiya hired them was because he was genuinely worried for Nanoha, and Nonomiya says that while he can protect his girls at the shop he's powerless out in the streets and would die if he knew something bad happened to them. If she's doing a side gig to help her father, then who's he to stop her? Ichiban, though, doesn't believe that's the case- Nanoha really did look sick when she met with the Sunlight Castle representative, Adachi saying she's probably drowning under the stress to meet Sunlight Castle's ridiculously high prices.
The four sit down and talk further, with Nonomiya expressing concern about why Sunlight Castle wouldn't let Nanoha visit her father even after paying two million yen (Nanba adding they probably won't let her in until she's paid her bill in full). Adachi says that's not surprising- with the ever increasing elderly population in Japan, there's bound to be shady practices working to scam them and their loved ones. Nanba poses a hypothesis of how it went down- Sunlight Castle agreed to take in Nanoha's father, promising to take payment in installments so he could stay there, then cut her off once she started so they could get her to pay up faster. The stress would cause Nanoha to cut out work, thus cutting her income and making it harder for her to pay Sunlight Castle, creating a vicious cycle of stress and debt. The worst case scenario, according to Adachi, is that they kick the old man to the curb if/when Nanoha misses a payment, pocketing the rest for themselves. Nonomiya begs them to rescue Nanoha's father, but Nanba expresses pessimism: they wouldn't let Nanoha much less them go in to see the old man, and security is too tight for a break-in. Ichiban, though, has an idea: they speak with Kanbe to get them hired as workers at Sunlight Castle, scope the place out and find a way to get Nanoha's father away.
At Hello Work, Kanbe tells them he can't just give them jobs at Sunlight Castle: the place is a top end care facility and wouldn't go to a temp agency for most workers. Contract staff that do menial jobs are fair game, and the community hires them through different staffing agencies. Nanba's experience as an ex-nurse makes him a shoe-in for a caretaker role, and Adachi could leverage his time as a cop to become a security guard. That just leaves Ichiban, but Kanbe does have a post he could follow.
A few days later, the three are busy at work in Sunlight Castle, Nanba pushing some of the elderly around as needed while Adachi watches over everything as security. The two meet up and note the place looks legit- the medical devices are top notch and security is well trained and staffed, no signs of shady dealings here. As for Ichiban? He's the new janitor, getting pushed around by the other cleaning staff while he whines about being the guy on toilet duty. All three of them have seen no sign of Nanoha's father, leading Ichiban and Nanba to conclude he must be in the Excellent Room. Adachi expresses doubts: the Excellent Room has strict requirements and a difficult interview course before anyone is let inside, making it a place for big shots and the wealthy rather than fathers of poor prostitutes. Ichiban asks if anyone has actually gone in, but Nanba says only full timers get access to the Excellent Room (and they can only get in with the keycards that full timers are given).
Later that day, Ichiban spots a nurse taking an old woman up to the Excellent Room. Faking that he lost some cleaning supplies, Ichiban runs off and takes the fire escape route to the top floor, hiding down a hallway when the nurse and old woman enter. As he watches, Ichiban sees the woman react in fear at being brought to the Excellent Room, the nurse telling her to "Say goodnight" as he leaves. The doors close behind the woman, and all Ichiban can hear is her scream of terror as he hurries back downstairs.
Ichiban returns to Otohime Land to find Adachi waiting for him and Nanba (who's extra duties mean he has to work late). Nanba stumbles in afterwards, telling the two there was some big hubbub about a woman dying that day. Ichiban asks if this woman had purple hair and when Nanba says yes Ichiban says that was the woman he saw go into the Excellent Room. Nanba asks why they would kill their patients and thus deprive them of income, but Adachi says there are ways- Sunlight Castle could refuse to write a death report, continuing to take in the person's health insurance and pension payments long after they've bit the dust. He shows the others a picture of a safe that has all the residents' financial information locked inside, making it really easy for the facility to keep stealing money from the recently deceased.
Nonomiya recognizes two of the men Adachi got in the picture as Seiryu yakuza, from the Ryuto Clan that used to come around and harass his girls until about four years ago when they got a new hustle. Adachi has heard of yakuza fronting themselves as security, but never having men on-staff at places they worked, but Ichiban has a darker theory: maybe Sunlight Castle is the Ryuto's new business, with the pension scamming being their main income source. Nanba asks if that means Nanoha's father is already dead, but Adachi doesn't think so- the guy Nanoha paid off said she had three million left and ten days, guessing he was telling her she had ten days to pay before her father got killed. Nanoha can't go to the police because the yakuza most likely paid them off, and even if the old man did die there's not much to prevent them from looking the other way. Nonomiya asks them how long ago that conversation was, and the three realize that the ten days are up and Nanoha's father will die tomorrow. Ichiban says they'll go save the old man, asking that Nonomiya pay them the "house bonus" if they succeed (which, to Nanba's dismay, only comes up to about 3,000 yen). Nonomiya agrees and sends them on their way.
Adachi decides to take them to his favorite bar in town to rest before the next day. They arrive at the Survive Bar, where the bartender (who looks suspiciously like the late Osamu Kashiwagi) welcomes them and gets them drinks. While Nanba rests, Adachi and Ichiban chat and Adachi expresses confidence that they will be successful in their mission. As they leave, the bartender says it's rare that Adachi brings anyone around, so he must really like Ichiban and Nanba.
The next day, Ichiban fakes losing control of his cart to knock over a nurse so Adachi and Nanba can steal his key card. They break into the Excellent Room, just in time to stop a doctor from injecting Nanoha's father with something. A squad of security guards follows them, and Ichiban identifies them as Seiryu men and calls them out on their scam. The three defeat the yakuza, and Nanba interrogates the doctor about what he was about to give the old man. The Doctor says potassium chloride, the same chemicals used overseas for executions. While they got to Nanoha's father just in time, Ichiban says they're not out of the woods yet: the man whom Nanoha had been speaking with is on a security camera, along with a few other yakuza. The three step out and ask who he is, and the man identifies himself as Yamato Totsuka, Patriarch of the Ryuto Family and Chief of HQ for the Seiryu Clan. Ichiban says Totsuka and the Seiryu have no honor if they spend their time murdering pensioners, threatening to spill the beans to the world if he doesn't release the retirees. Totsuka tells Ichiban he's welcome to try, and the two parties fight until Ichiban's emerges victorious.
Ichiban again demands Totsuka release the pensioners, but Totsuka says he can't do that: he placed the Excellent Room on emergency lockdown, shutting everyone out until the next day (which Nanba and Adachi confirm when they try to open the doors manually). Totsuka threatens to call the cops on them, and Ichiban says he can play dirty too- he'll just go to Seiryu HQ and ask the Chairman to release the pensioners. Totsuka freaks out and tells Ichiban he can't do that, as the Chairman knows nothing of Sunlight Castle's operations. Ichiban guesses Totsuka is scared of the Chairman and encourages him to come along, otherwise he'll tell him that Totsuka was up to a lot more than he really was, and he doesn't want that now does he? That being said, the four head to Seiryu headquarters.
Once there, Totsuka lets them inside and Ichiban notes there's no guards on duty. Totsuka says that's because no one in their right mind would attack the Seiryu, but the truth becomes apparent when a gate blocks the main staircase: it's a trap, and Totsuka sets his men on Ichiban and company while he tries to make his escape. With the main route cut off, the three make their way through the side hallways to get to the Chairman, using windows and storage rooms to avoid as many of the Seiryu men as possible (and fighting when that's no longer an option). They finally reach the Chairman's office, fighting off the most elite of Totsuka's men before they enter. Totsuka tries once more to stop them, Ichiban explaining just who they are and why they are here before calling Totsuka a coward.
Just then, the Chairman steps out of his office and introduces himself as Ryuhei Hoshino. Hoshino asks if Ichiban's a hitman here to kill him, which Ichiban denies saying they only want a minute of the Chairman's time to discuss Sunlight Castle. He even says Hoshino can search him for weapons to put his mind at ease, and when the Chairman's lieutenant does so he finds the fake bill Ichiban has been carrying. Hoshino recognizes the bill, but passes it off as toy money not worth mentioning.
Later, Hoshino's lieutenant (identified as Captain Takabe by Totsuka) is preparing to oversee Totsuka as he commits yubitsume for the Sunlight Castle racket. While they work on that, Hoshino talks to Ichiban about how much he's sacrificed to maintain the balance between the yakuza, the Liumang, and the Geomijul, but now that balance is on the verge of collapse. He knew that in any outfit the underlings have their own businesses the boss is unaware of, but he never would have guessed Totsuka would go behind his back for something like this. He explains to Adachi that the Seiryu had bought and restored that building thirty years ago, and it was his idea to give it to Totsuka to administer. But Totsuka never told him about his side job, and when Totsuka tries to explain that he was planning to do so once it was up and running Ichiban furiously tells him it's no business at all before asking Hoshino to shut it down. Hoshino tells Ichiban to mind his place before asking Totsuka to explain himself.
Totsuka tries to pass the scam off as a peaceful euthanasia setup, often requested by those wanting to see their loved ones freed from suffering. Ichiban calls bullshit, but Totsuka swears they do it at the request of their families. He even says Nanoha agreed to the procedure before preparing to chop his pinky off. Hoshino, though, stops him and tells Totsuka he can keep the finger. But just when Totsuka thinks he's off the hook, Hoshino adds he does not approve of the business and turns him over to Takabe, who orders his men to drag Totsuka out and effectively banish him from the Chairman's presence. Hoshino collects the dagger and tells Ichiban that they do not see things in terms of right and wrong: honor trumps all, and civilian Ichiban dishonored and shamed the Seiryu clan by breaking in. Hoshino warns Ichiban that dishonor will follow him, but Ichiban is thrilled; he thought the yakuza of old that he admired were long gone, but Hoshino proves that such men are still out there and worth following. Hoshino guesses this means Ichiban was a yakuza before, asking what kind of man his patriarch was. Ichiban tells Hoshino of how Arakawa saved his life back in the day before leaving, with Hoshino asking who that man was. Ichiban identifies Arakawa, and while he did shoot Ichi and probably doesn't like him anymore he's still the kind of man Ichiban aspires to be.
Outside the Seiryu offices, the three discuss what happened and Adachi says it's quite a shock that Nanoha would agree to euthanizing her father. Before they leave, Takabe steps out and tells Ichiban that he asked to speak with Nanoha outside Sunlight Castle, and he would like the three of them to be there. They arrive and Takabe greets Nanoha, telling her that Sunlight Castle is to be shut down and she will have to seek a new place for her father's care. Nanoha freaks out, saying if her father didn’t get his operation he would die. Ichiban asks if that's what Totsuka told her, and she says the man said the operation would be difficult but, if successful, her father would be fine. Takabe tells Nanoha that there was a misdiagnosis and the operation is no longer necessary, returning the two million yen as an apology. Furthermore, her father may stay at Sunlight Castle free of charge until a new place is found (which he tells Ichiban was an order from the Chairman).
As Takabe leaves, Ichiban turns to the others and says they should be happy they saved a girl's dad. He then goes to Nanoha and suggests she quit the soapland and go back to her old job, now that her father can find good care at a lower price- they work for Nonomiya and can clear things up with him. Nanoha thanks them and goes to take care of her father, and the three head back to Otohime Land to report a job well done. When they arrive, though, they find the place empty, and a quick search reveals Nonomiya hanging from a noose in the soapland lobby.
Chapter 5: The Liumang Man
After Nonomiya's funeral, the three heroes hear a couple of guys expressing disbelief that he would just hang himself like that, with all the money he was raking in. Nanba laments that the funeral seems more focused on money than the man, and Ichiban and Adachi aren't surprised: soaplands sell for big bucks, and with advances in zoning laws setting one up from scratch is incredibly difficult. Nonomiya was sitting on prime real estate but now he's dead one more soapland will fall to ruins. Still, Adachi has to wonder why he did it, with Nanba and Ichiban guessing he must have stressed out about what was going on with Nanoha, and he really was more sincere than he let on.
Just then, a woman steps out to challenge that description of Nonomiya. Nanba sees it's Nanoha, but she appears far more confident and sexy than before. While Ichiban berates Nanba for his lack of tact, Adachi approaches Nanoha and asks how she's doing with Nonomiya's death. Nanoha says that Nonomiya was trash, and asks if they seriously believe he was the kind of man to kill himself. Ichiban tells Nanoha she shouldn't talk about her boss that way, but as Nanoha lights up a cigarette she explains she's not "Nanoha"- her real name is Saeko, and Ichiban guesses (correctly) she is actually Nanoha's twin sister. Ichiban asks if she's a prostitute as well, but Saeko explains she is the bartender at a cabaret that Nonomiya owned alongside Otohime Land. Nanba asks if it's just coincidence that the two worked for the same man, but Saeko tells him she only just learned Nanoha was working for Nonomiya and needed money for their father. She explains that she left home at a young age and cut ties with her family, and Nanoha asked Nonomiya not to tell Saeko she was working for him when she was hired at Otohime Land. Then a few days ago Nonomiya called her and explained what was going on with the yakuza and Sunlight Castle, which Ichiban tells her has been resolved. Saeko is grateful and thanks the heroes, but Adachi has a question: if the two spoke over the phone (which Saeko confirms), then they must have been talking shortly before Nonomiya died. Saeko says yes, which is why she knows Nonomiya couldn't have killed himself.
Saeko takes them back to Otohime Land and explains her side of the story: five days prior she got the call from Nonomiya, with him explaining what he'd learned about Sunlight Castle and how much money Nanoha owed. Saeko offered to scrape together some cash, but Nonomiya told her there was no time and his new guys would take care of it. Nonomiya explained who Ichiban, Adachi, and Nanba were, and expressed full confidence that they'd pull off a miracle. Just then someone entered the soapland, and all Saeko could hear was someone shouting "Lao Ma! Lao Ma! Zai zheli! Lao Ma!" Nanba asks if that was all, and Saeko says yes. She doesn't know much, but that last bit was unmistakably Chinese, which is why she believes Nonomiya was murdered rather than suicidal. Nanba suggest going to the police, but Saeko says they've already spoke to her; they asked her a number of questions about the call, but as soon as she repeated the Chinese she heard they packed up and wrote it off as a suicide. She repeats the Chinese again, and while neither Ichiban or Nanba see any meaning in this Adachi knows what's up: "Lao Ma" is the codename of a high ranking boss in the Yokohama Liumang, a man by the name of Akira Mabuchi. Adachi guesses Mabuchi's men killed Nonomiya, then used the code name to alert Mabuchi of their success. Nanba says this is Seiryu turf, though; why would an officer in the Liumang risk sparking a war by murdering someone on a rival gang's territory? Adachi isn't sure, as info like that getting out would send major shockwaves through the underworld. Ichiban asks why the police would ignore testimony like that, and Adachi shoots down Nanba's theory that the detective didn't know what Lao Ma meant by saying that every cop in Organized Crime is in Mabuchi's pocket- if he wants to kill some soapland owner, they won't bat an eye.Nanba asks why Mabuchi would kill Nonomiya, of all people. There's no sign of struggle so it wasn't a failed robbery, and their bonuses were prepared for them when they returned. The answer for that remains a mystery.
As they talk, Saeko expresses frustration at only now learning there was someone worried about her. She takes a seat and explains that she never got along with her father and sister, leaving home soon after her mother died. Nonomiya took her in and gave her a new home, however dysfunctional, and she never once thanked him for it before his death. Now she sees that her relationships with those she was close with were just suffocating and annoying, but Adachi guesses that means the two were rather close at the end. Now Saeko allows her stern demeanor to break and she begins crying, saying she's so frustrated that despite how much of a Jerkass Nonomiya was, he didn't deserve to get his death brushed off as a suicide. Before he died, though, Nonomiya said that the three men could be trusted, and Ichiban guesses that's why Saeko came and sought them out- to learn the truth of Nonomiya's murder. Ichiban agrees to help, Nanba and Adachi joining in as they reassure Saeko she won't have to face Mabuchi alone.
That night the heroes gather, with Ichiban asking Adachi if he knows where Mabuchi's headquarters are. Adachi says the Liumang don't advertise their service, and Mabuchi is extra cautious in his dealings. However, Liumang men like to hang out along Restaurant Row, so it's likely Mabuchi has his headquarters somewhere there. The four head out and find a run down series of shops and restaurants, with the locals regarding them with suspicion. Ichiban says he kind of imagined it'd be all glitzy like Chinatown, but Adachi and Nanba tell Ichiban to can it- there's a longstanding grudge between the people of Restaurant Row and Chinatown going back to the end of the turf wars, and talking about Chinatown is likely to get the locals and the Liumang pissed off. Adachi says they'll take it easy, make small talk with the locals before asking about Mabuchi and the Liumang. Ichiban approaches a few of the locals, but none of them are willing to talk and leave after he mentions the Liumang. He's frustrated, but Adachi says they did get some results.
Getting attacked by thugs is always a result, after all.
The lead thug asks what they want, and Ichiban drops all pretenses and tells them they're looking for Mabuchi. The thug calls in some more of his buddies to deal with Ichiban and company, and the two groups fight it out (Saeko joining in when Nanba tries to get her to leave). When the thugs are defeated, Nanba tries interrogating one of the Liumang, but he won't break. After Nanba knocks that guy out, the four lament that they can't find the Liumang and even if they do they won't talk- if only there was a bottom feeding Liumang who wasn't into the gangster life and would fold easily under pressure. Ichiban thinks for a moment, realizing there is someone that fits that description: Zheng, the thug from the homeless camp. And speaking of the "shiny scalped loser", he happens to be passing by right then, going into a restaurant before the four can confront him. Ichiban goes and asks to come in, but the host tells him only members are allowed inside- if they want in they'll need a referral from a member or hostess first. When bargaining with the man doesn't work, Saeko tries a new route: a hostess can refer someone, so she'll work as a hostess and refer the other three. The man tries to dissuade her as they only hire Chinese workers, but Saeko claims Chinese ancestry and asks to speak with a manager about the job. Ichiban asks if she's sure she wants to do this, but Saeko reassure Ichiban she'll be fine before stepping inside, promising to call once she gets a chance.
They get the call later that evening and go inside the restaurant. While Adachi fawns over the hot babes around him, Ichiban can't seem to find Zheng or Saeko. The hostesses say Saeko's in the VIP room in the back, the place where the owner's friends like to hang out. They do all sorts of weird stuff, so no one ever wants to go back here. Nanba asks if they're Liumang, which one of the hostesses affirms- the bald guy that leads the group is the sworn brother of the owner, even, and as he's the worst of the lot none of the regular girls want to deal with him. Just then Saeko bursts out of the VIP room with Zheng in pursuit, and when the others rush to her aid she tells them he tried licking her armpit (which everyone agrees is just gross). Zheng recognizes Ichiban and asks how he got in, and Ichiban says he's here to ask Zheng some questions about the Liumang. Zheng refuses to talk, so Ichiban threatens to find Zheng's boss and tell him about the homeless shakedowns. Zheng still refuses, calling in his men to fight Ichiban and the others.
Ichiban and his friends defeat Zheng's posse, with Ichiban once more threatening to tell Zheng's boss about the homeless raids. Zheng finally agrees to come clean, sitting down and hearing their side of the story. He asks if they're sure Mabuchi is responsible, and when Saeko tells him about "Lao Ma" Zheng explains that only a few Liumang actually call him that. Most of its members are guys like him, second- or third-generation Chinese who were born in Japan and don't know a lick of the language. Mabuchi was much like him, a kid born in poverty in Yokohama, but pushed himself to excel in all he did: Mabuchi graduated college, speaks four different languages, and surrounds himself with equally smart and cunning men. Zheng has never personally met Mabuchi and wouldn't know the first place to look for him, meaning this was just a dead end. Ichiban and company prepare to leave and promise they won't rat Zheng out, but Zheng does come up with one possible lead: Mabuchi invests in a number of businesses around town, most prominently an import company called the Yokohama Trading Company. They deal in ingredients and utensils for Chinese restaurants, and it's big enough that a number of top-rated Chinatown restaurants buy from Mabuchi. The main warehouse and office is past Hamakita Park, and Ichiban declares they can all get jobs there- even if Mabuchi himself rarely stops by, it could lead to some other information coming up that might get them on the right track. Adachi declares they'll speak with Kanbe for some warehouse jobs the following day, and Ichiban once more assures Zheng he won't squeal about the homeless raids... provide he cut it out with the freaky armpit fetish.
The group sneak out of Restaurant Row, with Adachi and Nanba ready to turn in for the night. Ichiban, though, invites Saeko to join them since she is technically their friend and ally now. Hamako greets them outside, and Saeko says she's more than willing to stick with the other three to see their mission through to the end. The next day (with the men whining that Saeko drank them under the table the night before), the three head to Hello Work to speak with Kanbe about getting jobs at Yokohama Trading. Fortunately it looks like they are hiring part-time dockworkers, but Kanbe is leery- he's heard some not so great rumors about Yokohama Trading, like that some of the stuff they sell is not as "first rate" as they claim it is. Ichiban says that's just what they need and explains their interest in Yokohama Trading, though Kanbe is not convinced about the risks they're taking with their underground investigations. Nevertheless, he knows Ichiban isn't going to back down, so he agrees to make the calls while also encouraging Ichiban and friends to take on a few smaller jobs while they wait.
They eventually get the call and head to the warehouse. Once there, the men are put to work moving freight while Saeko is placed in charge of the front desk. While they think the guards aren't paying attention, they start breaking into crates to find anything suspicious. While the dried abalone and shark fins look legit, Nanba breaks open one box to find small stack of blank paper. The guards spot them before they can think about what the paper could be used for, and they are forced to return to work and hide their snooping. Meanwhile, the foreman tells Saeko that after every unload a sales rep from the ship will bring an invoice to the front desk. She is to pay the rep the full amount in cash from the safe, the rep that comes up for this shipment getting the equivalent of eight million yen in Chinese yuan. The foreman also tells Saeko not to try and steal anything: they have guards watching every corner of the warehouse, and the punishment for stealing is quite severe.
The four meet up outside that evening, with Saeko coming out late as the warehouse performed a full body search on her to ensure she wasn't stealing anything (a female worker even searched her underwear). They go to Otohime Land to wash up and rest, with Saeko doing some research on the ingredients Yokohama Trading has been selling while the boys take baths. She explains to Ichiban that the products are all top line and sold at a premium, and there's nothing real fishy about the exchange of cash. The one thing that did catch her attention is the prices- shark fins, for example, are bought at 10,000 yen for 100 grams, but instead of marking them up at 20,000 to turn a profit they sell them at 10,000 yen, meaning they should bring in no profit whatsoever. Ichiban says that makes no sense as they should have collapsed under overhead expenses, but Yokohama Trading turns a profit year after year. Saeko can't say for certain what they're doing to stay in the black, but if she got a look at the actual ledger instead of the invoices she might be able to pin them for something like tax evasion. Ichiban warns Saeko to be careful, because they're friends and he doesn't want anything bad to happen to her. Saeko is touched- she's never had anyone call her "bud" or "friend" before. Nanba and Adachi come down, and Adachi encourages them to go out and buy drinks with them.
The next day, the four are woken up by Bleach Japan protesting outside Otohime Land. They go out to see why they're back, hearing Kume boasting about how their efforts got the soapland shut down. Ichiban tells Kume to piss off as they're in mourning, with Kume asking why they're sticking around when the soapland is closed. One guy tells Ichiban to get lost and tries throwing a punch at him, but Ichiban intercepts the attempt and warns him against starting something he won't be able to finish. The Blach Japan members continue to tell Ichiban and friends to leave, with Kume even mocking the recently departed Nonomiya and saying he's happy the guy is dead. Saeko steps up and slaps Kume, and while the jackass screams about assault Ichiban pulls Saeko back and says that won't do any good. For Kume, you need something with a little more force, which Ichiban demonstrates by decking Kume with a punch. A number of the protesters pull out bats, with Nanba and Adachi guessing they wanted to provoke a fight like this. now riled up, the two sides tear into one another, but Ichiban and friends defeat the protestors and send Kume packing. Kume tries to get someone to come to his aid, but the locals cheer on Ichiban while Kume weakly swears vengeance. Saeko apologizes for losing her temper like that, but Ichiban tells her not to worry, and if the police come for her they'll have to take on all of them as well.
After a day at work, the four head back home to rest. Saeko seems to be more friendly than usual with Nanba, with Nanba asking if this means she's in to him. Adachi tells him not to look into it that much, while Saeko offers to cook dinner for all of them tonight. While Nanba goes to help Saeko, Ichiban tells Adachi he's happy to have Saeko and see she's making real friends, but can't help but fear that they're leading her into something dangerous. Adachi says Ichiban's got a point, but Saeko's happy and pulling her weight and they can't discount that.
The next day at the warehouse, Saeko is asked to make a payment but notices the safe is low on cash. The foreman speaks with the sales reps and tells them to come back in half an hour when he gets money from the bank (in Chinese), and when they leave he tells Saeko to stay at the desk until he returns. Ichiban watches as the man takes one of the crates with the paper inside onto a lift, and when the sales reps return the foreman brings a briefcase full of yuan for them. That night, Ichiban tells the others what he saw and claims those bills are counterfeits- the foreman never went to the bank, and if there was a second safe upstairs it wouldn't take thirty minutes to collect and sort. And then there's the business with the crate of blank paper he took upstairs, leading Ichiban to believe there's a printing press of some kind on sight where they can make fake bills. Adachi thinks its ballsy that they're buying all their products with fake cash, but to Saeko it makes sense. All invoices are paid upfront with cash, so they can actually use the fake money instead of working through a bank transfer, and when they take the product to market they profit mightily off what the restaurants pay them. Finally, the bills go along to China, making it impossible for them to be traced back to Japan, with Adachi saying Mabuchi's a genius for getting this set up. Ichiban believes that all this is part of a money laundering scheme, Mabuchi using the fake bills and Yokohama Trading to filter his ill-gotten gains without drawing suspicion from banks or the police.
While they have a lead, they need solid evidence they can use to blackmail Mabuchi into the open. Saeko suggests going upstairs and photographing the forging operation, but Ichiban shoots that down as security would be even tighter up there. Nanba suggests they just steal one of the bills, but Saeko says that's impossible with how thorough they are in searching her for stolen goods. But, Ichiban points out, they don't search the men, so Saeko could try to slip one of them a bill while they're working. Their plan agreed upon, Saeko offers to make dinner again, Ichiban joining her to go pick up supplies. Outside, Saeko asks if Ichiban is really ex-yakuza. When he confirms this is true, Saeko asks if his former life was hard on him or anything. Ichiban guesses so, but what's hard for one might not be for another, and it changes from time to time. Saeko says that her old self would never have been able to handle some of the things they're facing now, and when Ichiban warns her to be careful she assures him she will, especially now that she has him and the others to back her up.
The next day, Saeko swipes a bill from the register and hands it off to Ichiban. A guard comes over to her... and asks of she's settling in. That doesn't go much further and Ichiban is prepared to leave, but Nanba (who is overloaded with boxes, stumbles into him and knocks him flat. Ichiban is unhurt, but in the commotion he drops the bill and the foreman spots it before he can recover it. The foreman outs all four of them as thieves and sends the other workers to attack them for "stealing their wages". The heroes fight off the workers, and Ichiban demands the foreman hand over the bill. Rather than do so, the foreman yells something in Chinese, and the driver of the delivery truck tries to run Ichiban over. He misses and crashes, though, spilling gasoline all over the warehouse floor and forcing all inside to flee before the place blows, with Ichiban and friends only barely able to clear the blast. Across the harbor, a mysterious white-haired man watches the explosion before finishing off his cigarette.
Just then, a woman steps out to challenge that description of Nonomiya. Nanba sees it's Nanoha, but she appears far more confident and sexy than before. While Ichiban berates Nanba for his lack of tact, Adachi approaches Nanoha and asks how she's doing with Nonomiya's death. Nanoha says that Nonomiya was trash, and asks if they seriously believe he was the kind of man to kill himself. Ichiban tells Nanoha she shouldn't talk about her boss that way, but as Nanoha lights up a cigarette she explains she's not "Nanoha"- her real name is Saeko, and Ichiban guesses (correctly) she is actually Nanoha's twin sister. Ichiban asks if she's a prostitute as well, but Saeko explains she is the bartender at a cabaret that Nonomiya owned alongside Otohime Land. Nanba asks if it's just coincidence that the two worked for the same man, but Saeko tells him she only just learned Nanoha was working for Nonomiya and needed money for their father. She explains that she left home at a young age and cut ties with her family, and Nanoha asked Nonomiya not to tell Saeko she was working for him when she was hired at Otohime Land. Then a few days ago Nonomiya called her and explained what was going on with the yakuza and Sunlight Castle, which Ichiban tells her has been resolved. Saeko is grateful and thanks the heroes, but Adachi has a question: if the two spoke over the phone (which Saeko confirms), then they must have been talking shortly before Nonomiya died. Saeko says yes, which is why she knows Nonomiya couldn't have killed himself.
Saeko takes them back to Otohime Land and explains her side of the story: five days prior she got the call from Nonomiya, with him explaining what he'd learned about Sunlight Castle and how much money Nanoha owed. Saeko offered to scrape together some cash, but Nonomiya told her there was no time and his new guys would take care of it. Nonomiya explained who Ichiban, Adachi, and Nanba were, and expressed full confidence that they'd pull off a miracle. Just then someone entered the soapland, and all Saeko could hear was someone shouting "Lao Ma! Lao Ma! Zai zheli! Lao Ma!" Nanba asks if that was all, and Saeko says yes. She doesn't know much, but that last bit was unmistakably Chinese, which is why she believes Nonomiya was murdered rather than suicidal. Nanba suggest going to the police, but Saeko says they've already spoke to her; they asked her a number of questions about the call, but as soon as she repeated the Chinese she heard they packed up and wrote it off as a suicide. She repeats the Chinese again, and while neither Ichiban or Nanba see any meaning in this Adachi knows what's up: "Lao Ma" is the codename of a high ranking boss in the Yokohama Liumang, a man by the name of Akira Mabuchi. Adachi guesses Mabuchi's men killed Nonomiya, then used the code name to alert Mabuchi of their success. Nanba says this is Seiryu turf, though; why would an officer in the Liumang risk sparking a war by murdering someone on a rival gang's territory? Adachi isn't sure, as info like that getting out would send major shockwaves through the underworld. Ichiban asks why the police would ignore testimony like that, and Adachi shoots down Nanba's theory that the detective didn't know what Lao Ma meant by saying that every cop in Organized Crime is in Mabuchi's pocket- if he wants to kill some soapland owner, they won't bat an eye.Nanba asks why Mabuchi would kill Nonomiya, of all people. There's no sign of struggle so it wasn't a failed robbery, and their bonuses were prepared for them when they returned. The answer for that remains a mystery.
As they talk, Saeko expresses frustration at only now learning there was someone worried about her. She takes a seat and explains that she never got along with her father and sister, leaving home soon after her mother died. Nonomiya took her in and gave her a new home, however dysfunctional, and she never once thanked him for it before his death. Now she sees that her relationships with those she was close with were just suffocating and annoying, but Adachi guesses that means the two were rather close at the end. Now Saeko allows her stern demeanor to break and she begins crying, saying she's so frustrated that despite how much of a Jerkass Nonomiya was, he didn't deserve to get his death brushed off as a suicide. Before he died, though, Nonomiya said that the three men could be trusted, and Ichiban guesses that's why Saeko came and sought them out- to learn the truth of Nonomiya's murder. Ichiban agrees to help, Nanba and Adachi joining in as they reassure Saeko she won't have to face Mabuchi alone.
That night the heroes gather, with Ichiban asking Adachi if he knows where Mabuchi's headquarters are. Adachi says the Liumang don't advertise their service, and Mabuchi is extra cautious in his dealings. However, Liumang men like to hang out along Restaurant Row, so it's likely Mabuchi has his headquarters somewhere there. The four head out and find a run down series of shops and restaurants, with the locals regarding them with suspicion. Ichiban says he kind of imagined it'd be all glitzy like Chinatown, but Adachi and Nanba tell Ichiban to can it- there's a longstanding grudge between the people of Restaurant Row and Chinatown going back to the end of the turf wars, and talking about Chinatown is likely to get the locals and the Liumang pissed off. Adachi says they'll take it easy, make small talk with the locals before asking about Mabuchi and the Liumang. Ichiban approaches a few of the locals, but none of them are willing to talk and leave after he mentions the Liumang. He's frustrated, but Adachi says they did get some results.
Getting attacked by thugs is always a result, after all.
The lead thug asks what they want, and Ichiban drops all pretenses and tells them they're looking for Mabuchi. The thug calls in some more of his buddies to deal with Ichiban and company, and the two groups fight it out (Saeko joining in when Nanba tries to get her to leave). When the thugs are defeated, Nanba tries interrogating one of the Liumang, but he won't break. After Nanba knocks that guy out, the four lament that they can't find the Liumang and even if they do they won't talk- if only there was a bottom feeding Liumang who wasn't into the gangster life and would fold easily under pressure. Ichiban thinks for a moment, realizing there is someone that fits that description: Zheng, the thug from the homeless camp. And speaking of the "shiny scalped loser", he happens to be passing by right then, going into a restaurant before the four can confront him. Ichiban goes and asks to come in, but the host tells him only members are allowed inside- if they want in they'll need a referral from a member or hostess first. When bargaining with the man doesn't work, Saeko tries a new route: a hostess can refer someone, so she'll work as a hostess and refer the other three. The man tries to dissuade her as they only hire Chinese workers, but Saeko claims Chinese ancestry and asks to speak with a manager about the job. Ichiban asks if she's sure she wants to do this, but Saeko reassure Ichiban she'll be fine before stepping inside, promising to call once she gets a chance.
They get the call later that evening and go inside the restaurant. While Adachi fawns over the hot babes around him, Ichiban can't seem to find Zheng or Saeko. The hostesses say Saeko's in the VIP room in the back, the place where the owner's friends like to hang out. They do all sorts of weird stuff, so no one ever wants to go back here. Nanba asks if they're Liumang, which one of the hostesses affirms- the bald guy that leads the group is the sworn brother of the owner, even, and as he's the worst of the lot none of the regular girls want to deal with him. Just then Saeko bursts out of the VIP room with Zheng in pursuit, and when the others rush to her aid she tells them he tried licking her armpit (which everyone agrees is just gross). Zheng recognizes Ichiban and asks how he got in, and Ichiban says he's here to ask Zheng some questions about the Liumang. Zheng refuses to talk, so Ichiban threatens to find Zheng's boss and tell him about the homeless shakedowns. Zheng still refuses, calling in his men to fight Ichiban and the others.
Ichiban and his friends defeat Zheng's posse, with Ichiban once more threatening to tell Zheng's boss about the homeless raids. Zheng finally agrees to come clean, sitting down and hearing their side of the story. He asks if they're sure Mabuchi is responsible, and when Saeko tells him about "Lao Ma" Zheng explains that only a few Liumang actually call him that. Most of its members are guys like him, second- or third-generation Chinese who were born in Japan and don't know a lick of the language. Mabuchi was much like him, a kid born in poverty in Yokohama, but pushed himself to excel in all he did: Mabuchi graduated college, speaks four different languages, and surrounds himself with equally smart and cunning men. Zheng has never personally met Mabuchi and wouldn't know the first place to look for him, meaning this was just a dead end. Ichiban and company prepare to leave and promise they won't rat Zheng out, but Zheng does come up with one possible lead: Mabuchi invests in a number of businesses around town, most prominently an import company called the Yokohama Trading Company. They deal in ingredients and utensils for Chinese restaurants, and it's big enough that a number of top-rated Chinatown restaurants buy from Mabuchi. The main warehouse and office is past Hamakita Park, and Ichiban declares they can all get jobs there- even if Mabuchi himself rarely stops by, it could lead to some other information coming up that might get them on the right track. Adachi declares they'll speak with Kanbe for some warehouse jobs the following day, and Ichiban once more assures Zheng he won't squeal about the homeless raids... provide he cut it out with the freaky armpit fetish.
The group sneak out of Restaurant Row, with Adachi and Nanba ready to turn in for the night. Ichiban, though, invites Saeko to join them since she is technically their friend and ally now. Hamako greets them outside, and Saeko says she's more than willing to stick with the other three to see their mission through to the end. The next day (with the men whining that Saeko drank them under the table the night before), the three head to Hello Work to speak with Kanbe about getting jobs at Yokohama Trading. Fortunately it looks like they are hiring part-time dockworkers, but Kanbe is leery- he's heard some not so great rumors about Yokohama Trading, like that some of the stuff they sell is not as "first rate" as they claim it is. Ichiban says that's just what they need and explains their interest in Yokohama Trading, though Kanbe is not convinced about the risks they're taking with their underground investigations. Nevertheless, he knows Ichiban isn't going to back down, so he agrees to make the calls while also encouraging Ichiban and friends to take on a few smaller jobs while they wait.
They eventually get the call and head to the warehouse. Once there, the men are put to work moving freight while Saeko is placed in charge of the front desk. While they think the guards aren't paying attention, they start breaking into crates to find anything suspicious. While the dried abalone and shark fins look legit, Nanba breaks open one box to find small stack of blank paper. The guards spot them before they can think about what the paper could be used for, and they are forced to return to work and hide their snooping. Meanwhile, the foreman tells Saeko that after every unload a sales rep from the ship will bring an invoice to the front desk. She is to pay the rep the full amount in cash from the safe, the rep that comes up for this shipment getting the equivalent of eight million yen in Chinese yuan. The foreman also tells Saeko not to try and steal anything: they have guards watching every corner of the warehouse, and the punishment for stealing is quite severe.
The four meet up outside that evening, with Saeko coming out late as the warehouse performed a full body search on her to ensure she wasn't stealing anything (a female worker even searched her underwear). They go to Otohime Land to wash up and rest, with Saeko doing some research on the ingredients Yokohama Trading has been selling while the boys take baths. She explains to Ichiban that the products are all top line and sold at a premium, and there's nothing real fishy about the exchange of cash. The one thing that did catch her attention is the prices- shark fins, for example, are bought at 10,000 yen for 100 grams, but instead of marking them up at 20,000 to turn a profit they sell them at 10,000 yen, meaning they should bring in no profit whatsoever. Ichiban says that makes no sense as they should have collapsed under overhead expenses, but Yokohama Trading turns a profit year after year. Saeko can't say for certain what they're doing to stay in the black, but if she got a look at the actual ledger instead of the invoices she might be able to pin them for something like tax evasion. Ichiban warns Saeko to be careful, because they're friends and he doesn't want anything bad to happen to her. Saeko is touched- she's never had anyone call her "bud" or "friend" before. Nanba and Adachi come down, and Adachi encourages them to go out and buy drinks with them.
The next day, the four are woken up by Bleach Japan protesting outside Otohime Land. They go out to see why they're back, hearing Kume boasting about how their efforts got the soapland shut down. Ichiban tells Kume to piss off as they're in mourning, with Kume asking why they're sticking around when the soapland is closed. One guy tells Ichiban to get lost and tries throwing a punch at him, but Ichiban intercepts the attempt and warns him against starting something he won't be able to finish. The Blach Japan members continue to tell Ichiban and friends to leave, with Kume even mocking the recently departed Nonomiya and saying he's happy the guy is dead. Saeko steps up and slaps Kume, and while the jackass screams about assault Ichiban pulls Saeko back and says that won't do any good. For Kume, you need something with a little more force, which Ichiban demonstrates by decking Kume with a punch. A number of the protesters pull out bats, with Nanba and Adachi guessing they wanted to provoke a fight like this. now riled up, the two sides tear into one another, but Ichiban and friends defeat the protestors and send Kume packing. Kume tries to get someone to come to his aid, but the locals cheer on Ichiban while Kume weakly swears vengeance. Saeko apologizes for losing her temper like that, but Ichiban tells her not to worry, and if the police come for her they'll have to take on all of them as well.
After a day at work, the four head back home to rest. Saeko seems to be more friendly than usual with Nanba, with Nanba asking if this means she's in to him. Adachi tells him not to look into it that much, while Saeko offers to cook dinner for all of them tonight. While Nanba goes to help Saeko, Ichiban tells Adachi he's happy to have Saeko and see she's making real friends, but can't help but fear that they're leading her into something dangerous. Adachi says Ichiban's got a point, but Saeko's happy and pulling her weight and they can't discount that.
The next day at the warehouse, Saeko is asked to make a payment but notices the safe is low on cash. The foreman speaks with the sales reps and tells them to come back in half an hour when he gets money from the bank (in Chinese), and when they leave he tells Saeko to stay at the desk until he returns. Ichiban watches as the man takes one of the crates with the paper inside onto a lift, and when the sales reps return the foreman brings a briefcase full of yuan for them. That night, Ichiban tells the others what he saw and claims those bills are counterfeits- the foreman never went to the bank, and if there was a second safe upstairs it wouldn't take thirty minutes to collect and sort. And then there's the business with the crate of blank paper he took upstairs, leading Ichiban to believe there's a printing press of some kind on sight where they can make fake bills. Adachi thinks its ballsy that they're buying all their products with fake cash, but to Saeko it makes sense. All invoices are paid upfront with cash, so they can actually use the fake money instead of working through a bank transfer, and when they take the product to market they profit mightily off what the restaurants pay them. Finally, the bills go along to China, making it impossible for them to be traced back to Japan, with Adachi saying Mabuchi's a genius for getting this set up. Ichiban believes that all this is part of a money laundering scheme, Mabuchi using the fake bills and Yokohama Trading to filter his ill-gotten gains without drawing suspicion from banks or the police.
While they have a lead, they need solid evidence they can use to blackmail Mabuchi into the open. Saeko suggests going upstairs and photographing the forging operation, but Ichiban shoots that down as security would be even tighter up there. Nanba suggests they just steal one of the bills, but Saeko says that's impossible with how thorough they are in searching her for stolen goods. But, Ichiban points out, they don't search the men, so Saeko could try to slip one of them a bill while they're working. Their plan agreed upon, Saeko offers to make dinner again, Ichiban joining her to go pick up supplies. Outside, Saeko asks if Ichiban is really ex-yakuza. When he confirms this is true, Saeko asks if his former life was hard on him or anything. Ichiban guesses so, but what's hard for one might not be for another, and it changes from time to time. Saeko says that her old self would never have been able to handle some of the things they're facing now, and when Ichiban warns her to be careful she assures him she will, especially now that she has him and the others to back her up.
The next day, Saeko swipes a bill from the register and hands it off to Ichiban. A guard comes over to her... and asks of she's settling in. That doesn't go much further and Ichiban is prepared to leave, but Nanba (who is overloaded with boxes, stumbles into him and knocks him flat. Ichiban is unhurt, but in the commotion he drops the bill and the foreman spots it before he can recover it. The foreman outs all four of them as thieves and sends the other workers to attack them for "stealing their wages". The heroes fight off the workers, and Ichiban demands the foreman hand over the bill. Rather than do so, the foreman yells something in Chinese, and the driver of the delivery truck tries to run Ichiban over. He misses and crashes, though, spilling gasoline all over the warehouse floor and forcing all inside to flee before the place blows, with Ichiban and friends only barely able to clear the blast. Across the harbor, a mysterious white-haired man watches the explosion before finishing off his cigarette.
Chapter 6: Ignition
Ichiban awakens to find himself shirtless, chained in a basement with his friends and an unhealthy number of torture devices, with a strange man leering down at him. He asks what's going on, with Nanba and Adachi glumly informing him they'd been waiting for him to wake up. The stranger is non other than Mabuchi, and he's quite happy to see Ichiban is awake. Ichiban demands to know what's going on, only for Mabuchi to tell him he'll be the one asking questions before ordering one of his men to start a recording. Mabuchi asks if Ichiban is part of the Seiryu, which Ichiban denies before saying he knows all about Mabuchi's forgery business at Yokohama Trading, explaining he was planning to expose it as revenge for Nonomiya's death. Mabuchi confirms that no one else knows about Ichiban's information and that he blames Mabuchi for Nonomiya's death, after which he thanks Ichiban for his cooperation and says this will be all the evidence he needs to convince the other Liumang that the Seiryu is breaking the truce. He tells his man to stop recording and pack up while Ichiban demands answers, but before he leaves Mabuchi decides to give Ichiban one answer- he was the man who killed Nonomiya. Ichiban demands more answers, but Adachi tells him to cool it- all Mabuchi was after was evidence that the Seiryu were looking for war, and now that he's got it there's not much the four of them can do.
Nanba asks that they table that discussion until they can get free. Ichiban asks if they've tried, but to no avail. He things about going for his phone and calling for help, but Saeko informs him that the Liumang took their equipment (and Ichiban's shirt) and tossed them into a collection of boxes on the other side of the room... which they can't reach because they're still chained up. Just then the foreman from the warehouse enters with two of his men, telling Ichiban that Mabuchi gave him orders to carve the four of them up and send their pieces to the Seiryu as a warning. After slashing Ichiban across the chest he decides to start with Adachi, but before he can stab the ex-cop a new person makes his appearance: the white haired man from the end of the last chapter, his face hidden behind a black surgical mask. The man says orders have changes before moving to free Ichiban, whispering that this is the best he can do before making his escape. Now freed, Ichiban attacks the foreman and his goons, defeating them before going to free his friends.
As the heroes recover their stuff, Nanba asks just who the heck the white-haired guy was. He's obviously not Liumang and he doesn't have the appearance or motive of a Seiryu man, leading Adachi to conclude their mysterious rescuer was a Geomijul agent. Why the Koreans would get involved is beyond him, but first they need to make their escape and warn the Seiryu. The party moves through Mabuchi's base and into the sewers, fighting off attacks from the Liumang and other weirdos in the sewers (including a battle against one yakuza in an excavator). eventually they emerge along the river bank in Yokohama, the four hurrying to Hamako's place so Ichiban can call Chairman Hoshino about Mabuchi's plans.
However, when Ichiban calls it's already too late: Mabuchi and his men gunned down two young Seiryu men earlier that day, and a furious Takabe is already on his way to Liumang territory with a small army to seek vengeance (against Chairman Hoshino's orders). Adachi notes that the overall head of the Liumang, Zhao, has his headquarters in Restaurant Row, and if Takabe attacks it will mean all out war between the yakuza and the triads. Adachi begins to see the bigger picture of why Nonomiya was killed and why they got involved: Mabuchi could have started a war whenever he wanted, but if he did it on his lonesome then all three gangs would come crashing down on his head- killing the soapland owner and provoking Ichiban was the way to give himself an alibi for his actions. It could have been anyone, but it just happened to be Nonomiya and Ichiban that gave him that excuse.
Ichiban is furious that they were played by Mabuchi, resolving to explain to Takabe what's going on before he starts a war with the Liumang. The four agree to this plan and start off, making it to Restaurant Row to see that the violence has already started. They fight off a number of Liumang and Seiryu groups on their way to the main headquarters. They find Takabe and his men laying siege to the building, the four stepping up to explain to the captain what really happened and how they have all been played by Mabuchi. Takabe is well aware of the fabrication, but he's so consumed by vengeance that he won't stop until the Liumang are wiped out. He takes aim at Ichiban, but Ichiban calls his bluff- he needs a reason to start a fight, and shooting an unarmed civilian would permanently tarnish the Seiryu's reputation. That being said, if Takabe is going to take a shot he better not miss, with Ichiban casting off his coat and threatening to use violence if it means Takabe backs down. Takabe casts his gun aside and charges in with his men, but Ichiban's persistence carries the day and the Seiryu captain is defeated.
Ichiban tells the defeated Takabe to leave, but Adachi warns Ichiban they have other problems: Zhao himself has arrived. The Liumang boss shows Ichiban the (heavily doctored) video Mabuchi recorded and asks for an explanation. Ichiban denies being in the Seiryu clan, but Zhao puts a gun to Takabe's head and asks for some clear answers. Nanba and Ichiban both swear Mabuchi is responsible, but Zhao is unwilling to take the word of two strangers over his right-hand man. Ichiban and Adachi try switching tactics, asking Zhao if he thinks it's odd that Mabuchi has dropped off the radar since sending in the video- doesn't that seem a might suspicious? Zhao remains unconvinced and seems prepared to execute Takabe and Ichiban's party, with Ichiban trying once more to plead his case (now reframing it as a formal complaint). Zhao eventually listens and challenges Ichiban- if Mabuchi is responsible, what's the end goal? Why would he want to start a war, and did he really kill Nonomiya like Ichiban says? Ichiban doesn't have an answer for that, but continues to plead Mabuchi's guilt as Zhao prepares to execute Takabe. Ichiban's earnestness wins over Zhao, but he says he needs hard proof that Mabuchi is responsible, and Saeko's testimony is not good enough. As much as he hates it, he'll have to go to the one place in Ijincho where he can get reliable information- the Geomijul.
Nanba asks that they table that discussion until they can get free. Ichiban asks if they've tried, but to no avail. He things about going for his phone and calling for help, but Saeko informs him that the Liumang took their equipment (and Ichiban's shirt) and tossed them into a collection of boxes on the other side of the room... which they can't reach because they're still chained up. Just then the foreman from the warehouse enters with two of his men, telling Ichiban that Mabuchi gave him orders to carve the four of them up and send their pieces to the Seiryu as a warning. After slashing Ichiban across the chest he decides to start with Adachi, but before he can stab the ex-cop a new person makes his appearance: the white haired man from the end of the last chapter, his face hidden behind a black surgical mask. The man says orders have changes before moving to free Ichiban, whispering that this is the best he can do before making his escape. Now freed, Ichiban attacks the foreman and his goons, defeating them before going to free his friends.
As the heroes recover their stuff, Nanba asks just who the heck the white-haired guy was. He's obviously not Liumang and he doesn't have the appearance or motive of a Seiryu man, leading Adachi to conclude their mysterious rescuer was a Geomijul agent. Why the Koreans would get involved is beyond him, but first they need to make their escape and warn the Seiryu. The party moves through Mabuchi's base and into the sewers, fighting off attacks from the Liumang and other weirdos in the sewers (including a battle against one yakuza in an excavator). eventually they emerge along the river bank in Yokohama, the four hurrying to Hamako's place so Ichiban can call Chairman Hoshino about Mabuchi's plans.
However, when Ichiban calls it's already too late: Mabuchi and his men gunned down two young Seiryu men earlier that day, and a furious Takabe is already on his way to Liumang territory with a small army to seek vengeance (against Chairman Hoshino's orders). Adachi notes that the overall head of the Liumang, Zhao, has his headquarters in Restaurant Row, and if Takabe attacks it will mean all out war between the yakuza and the triads. Adachi begins to see the bigger picture of why Nonomiya was killed and why they got involved: Mabuchi could have started a war whenever he wanted, but if he did it on his lonesome then all three gangs would come crashing down on his head- killing the soapland owner and provoking Ichiban was the way to give himself an alibi for his actions. It could have been anyone, but it just happened to be Nonomiya and Ichiban that gave him that excuse.
Ichiban is furious that they were played by Mabuchi, resolving to explain to Takabe what's going on before he starts a war with the Liumang. The four agree to this plan and start off, making it to Restaurant Row to see that the violence has already started. They fight off a number of Liumang and Seiryu groups on their way to the main headquarters. They find Takabe and his men laying siege to the building, the four stepping up to explain to the captain what really happened and how they have all been played by Mabuchi. Takabe is well aware of the fabrication, but he's so consumed by vengeance that he won't stop until the Liumang are wiped out. He takes aim at Ichiban, but Ichiban calls his bluff- he needs a reason to start a fight, and shooting an unarmed civilian would permanently tarnish the Seiryu's reputation. That being said, if Takabe is going to take a shot he better not miss, with Ichiban casting off his coat and threatening to use violence if it means Takabe backs down. Takabe casts his gun aside and charges in with his men, but Ichiban's persistence carries the day and the Seiryu captain is defeated.
Ichiban tells the defeated Takabe to leave, but Adachi warns Ichiban they have other problems: Zhao himself has arrived. The Liumang boss shows Ichiban the (heavily doctored) video Mabuchi recorded and asks for an explanation. Ichiban denies being in the Seiryu clan, but Zhao puts a gun to Takabe's head and asks for some clear answers. Nanba and Ichiban both swear Mabuchi is responsible, but Zhao is unwilling to take the word of two strangers over his right-hand man. Ichiban and Adachi try switching tactics, asking Zhao if he thinks it's odd that Mabuchi has dropped off the radar since sending in the video- doesn't that seem a might suspicious? Zhao remains unconvinced and seems prepared to execute Takabe and Ichiban's party, with Ichiban trying once more to plead his case (now reframing it as a formal complaint). Zhao eventually listens and challenges Ichiban- if Mabuchi is responsible, what's the end goal? Why would he want to start a war, and did he really kill Nonomiya like Ichiban says? Ichiban doesn't have an answer for that, but continues to plead Mabuchi's guilt as Zhao prepares to execute Takabe. Ichiban's earnestness wins over Zhao, but he says he needs hard proof that Mabuchi is responsible, and Saeko's testimony is not good enough. As much as he hates it, he'll have to go to the one place in Ijincho where he can get reliable information- the Geomijul.
Chapter 7: The Spider’s Web
Zhao tells Ichiban there's no way the Koreans haven’t already known what really happened, being the largest info brokers in the city. He wants to know the truth as well, because if he sits idle and Mabuchi is a traitor then he's stuck with a compromising civil war on his hands. He sends Ichiban on his way, but gives him a few warnings: if he leaves Ijincho Zhao will kill everyone he cares about, and the Geomijul aren't likely to play nice with them. Zhao takes Takabe as a hostage just to hedge his bets while Ichiban and friends head out.
Outside restaurant Row, the four discuss their options and both Adachi and Nanba are dismayed at their chances of getting close to the Geomijul. Ichiban says they do have one possible ally: their mysterious rescuer, whoever or wherever he may be. They head to the Geomijul building, but when they arrive they find few people around. The only person that stands out is an attractive woman wearing sunglasses, and when Ichiban approaches her she tells him that she already knows everything about why he's here, pegging her as a Geomijul member. The woman asks the party to follow her, with Ichiban trying to make small talk while noticing they really haven't seen anyone around lately. Adachi tells him to stay calm because they are deep within Geomijul territory, but all of them refuse the woman's offer to turn back.
The woman leads them to the main Geomijul building, Saeko marveling at the vast tangles of power cables going in and out of the building (Adachi commenting that's what gives the Geomijul its name- the "Spider Web"). The woman tells them that what they're seeing is at the very top of the building, but slips away while Ichiban and friends are distracted by a large cockroach. They continue on alone, fighting off attacks from Geomijul agents as they wander the ruined halls of the building. They eventually reach the heart of the Geomijul, where the man in black is waiting for them and congratulates them on their journey. He apologizes for having his men attack them and takes off his mask, introducing himself as Joon-gi Han. Ichiban asks Joon-gi why he had his men attack them, with Joon-gi saying he wanted to test Ichiban and his friends to gauge their true strength. Joon-gi was impressed, though he boasts he could have soloed the group with little difficulty, but that doesn't matter right now as they have business to discuss. Joon-gi invites them inside while Nanba notes he seems to be toying with them.
Inside the next room, Ichiban sees a massive wall of computer and television screens. Joon-gi explains that this is the business of the Geomijul- thousands of cameras and agents picking up information around the city and then funneled back here, hence why they have to steal so much electricity from around town. Joon-gi goes on to say that of the Ijin Three, the Geomijul are the newest and numerically weakest of the gangs, so they use their information to both make money and to balance the other clans (Joon-gi uses the example of a Liumang killing a Seiryu man- the Geomijul would investigate the situation and leak everything about the culprit to the yakuza, thus providing a single target for their vengeance). Adachi asks if they deal with guys who try to break the status quo, and when Joon-gi says that is part of their business Ichiban asks if that means they've already disposed of Mabuchi. Joon-gi says no, directing Ichiban to a monitor that displays Mabuchi and his fellows breaking into Otohime Land, definitive proof that Mabuchi killed Nonomiya. But before Joon-gi can turn that tape over, there's something else he'd like to show Ichiban.
Joon-gi leads them to another room, where technicians are monitoring a strange machine. The machine uses lasers and energy fields, and to the group's shock they see it carry a sheet of paper from the bottom until they print out as 10,000 yen notes at the top. Ichiban asks if this is similar to Mabuchi's operation at Yokohama Trading, but the woman from earlier returns and says no- Mabuchi's bills are basically toy money compared to these machines, which can copy a bill down to the molecular level. Joon-gi introduces her as Seonhee, the leader of the Geomijul, a fact that shocks Adachi and Ichiban. Seonhee says that the paper they discovered at Mabuchi's warehouse is very special, treated with a rare element shipped over from the mainland by the Liumang. Rather than steal it like Ichiban asks, the Geomijul have an arrangement to get the paper directly from the Liumang, with Zhao himself being privy to the arrangement. Ichiban then asks if Mabuchi's operation is part of the Geomijul's or the Liumang's operations, which Seonhee says neither; one of Mabuchi's men was a former money launderer, and when he discovered the paper he went to Mabuchi with an offer to make counterfeit yuan on their own. Zhao is also well aware of that as well, but he's keeping quiet on it to avoid having all their secrets exposed (Mabuchi doesn't know about the yen-making operation).
Seonhee goes on to say that the exact recipe to make paper for yen is a closely guarded secret, but a mole on the inside leaked that secret to the Geomijul and partners decades ago. Adachi doesn't believe it as there would be no way the police wouldn't notice something going on for that long, with Seonhee implying it's been going on even longer than he's been alive. The point is, no one should know about these bills... and as she jabs a pistol into Ichiban's chin, Seonhee asks how he came across one. She pulls the bloody yen out of Ichiban's pocket and identifies it as a misprint that should have been destroyed, with Joon-gi adding the Geomijul has been tracking Ichiban since he arrived in Ijincho before pulling his own weapons and asking for an explanation. Ichiban swears he has no idea where the bill came from, and after a tense moment Seonhee lowers her pistol and walks off. She explains they figured Ichiban was clueless enough to be of no threat, and wouldn't have come here for any real reason. But she does not have the same view on Nanba, turning her pistol on him while the others stare in shock.
Nanba plays innocent and asks why he's being accused. Seonhee shows a surveillance photo of him and explains what they know: Nanba showed up in Ijincho six months prior, but rather than integrate with the other homeless he seemed oddly focused on the Geomijul building. When Ichiban showed up with the fake bill, Nanba was very quick to join forces with him, and she would like to hear why. Ichiban says that's because the Elder Bum told Nanba to look after him, but Seonhee doesn't buy the Nightingale story before pistol whipping Nanba. Ichiban asks Nanba what he really wants, and Nanba comes clean: he's looking for his younger brother Shoichi Akiba. Seonhee explains that Shoichi is a freelance journalist who disappeared in Ijincho while investigating a money laundering scheme, with Nanba claiming the Geomijul made him disappear based on a note Shoichi sent him about the Koreans watching him. Nanba knew an outsider could never infiltrate the Great Wall of Muscle, so he disguised himself as a hobo to hide among the homeless and find a way into the Geomijul. He never found any warm leads into the Geomijul, though, until that day he met Ichiban.
When Nanba saw the fake bill, he thought he could follow Ichiban and learn where he got it, and maybe get one step closer to finding Shoichi. But when it became apparent that Ichiban knew even less than he did, Nanba considered cutting his losses and leaving, apologizing to the others for leading them on. He looks to Seonhee and asks her if his brother is alive or dead, and he doesn't care what happens to him if he knows that. Rather than shoot him, Seonhee tasers Nanba and turns him over to her guards, telling Ichiban he's in the clear while the Geomijul drag Nanba off. Before they leave, though, Ichiban calls out and asks they release Nanba, with Seonhee asking if he can consider Nanba his friend after all the lies he told. Ichiban says "friend" doesn't even begin to describe it: if it weren't for Nanba, Ichiban would have died all those days ago, and for that he owes him his life. Nanba only wants to look for his family, and that is something Ichiban cannot fault. Joon-gi draws his guns, but Ichiban lunges forward and grapples with the Korean. Seonhee tries to shoot Ichiban in the back, but Adachi steps forward and disarms her. Seonhee and her guards flee to call for backup while Joon-gi steps up to fight Ichiban, Adachi, and Saeko, the four brawling while Nanba does his best to recover.
After defeating Joon-gi, Ichiban and Saeko help Nanba back to his feet and the four make a run for it, fighting against several groups of Geomijul men in their race for the outside. As the Geomijul close in, Ichiban tells Nanba to go ahead while he and the others hold the Koreans off. Nanba is hesitant to do so as he got them all mixed up in this in the first place, but Ichiban tells him to think nothing of it and that they would have tried to help him regardless. Nanba thanks Ichiban and disappears, and after they defeat the last of the Geomijul Ichiban asks Seonhee if they can leave. Seonhee says that depends on Joon-gi's report, with the latter getting off the phone to inform Seonhee that Nanba escaped the Geomijul. Seonhee asks if Ichiban realizes what he's done- if word gets out about the Geomijul's operations, the tenuous peace in Ijincho will collapse. As such, the Geomijul are going to keep looking for Nanba and make sure he does not leave Ijincho alive. Ichiban says he'll keep fighting the Geomijul to guard his friend from them. He asks why they don't just call off the fight as Nanba isn't likely to leak all their secrets, and Seonhee says that's not her call before asking Ichiban to meet her at the Heian Tower in Chinatown that night at 2 AM- there, he'll meet the person who really controls Nanba's fate. With that she and Joon-gi depart, with Ichiban asking his remaining friends to accompany him to the homeless camp to see if Nanba left behind anything that might clue them in to his whereabouts.
At the camp, Ichiban asks the Elder bum for permission to go through Nanba's things. The Elder Bum grants their permission, and Saeko spots an out of place box in Nanba's shack. Inside is a laptop, and a quick search of the hard drive reveals a draft of Shoichi's article. Reading through it reveals the rumors go back fifty years, all pointing to the chair of the Citizens' Liberal Party Yutaka Ogikubo, who represents Yokohama in the National Diet. Ichiban asks who Ogikubo is, with Adachi saying the man is the oldest member of the CLP with vast political power; even the Prime Minister is said to be nothing more than a yes-man to him. There's nothing in the article that directly fingers Ogikubo, though, so even if word got out it'd be nothing more than malicious slander... except the fake money exists, so there has to be some truth to the article. Ichiban has a small revelation: Nanba seeing the fake bill in Ichiban's pocket was probably his first indication that the story was true, and it might have made him jumpy as well as given him his first real sign of hope for finding Shoichi. Ichiban laments that he wished he'd spotted this sooner, with Saeko assuring him he did nothing wrong before they pack up to meet with Seonhee. They head to Heian Tower, Adachi noticing the place seems empty when they go inside. They find Joon-gi waiting for them, the Korean telling Ichiban that everyone is waiting for him. And by everyone, he means all three heads of the Ijin Three: Seonhee, Zhao, and Chairman Hoshino.
Outside restaurant Row, the four discuss their options and both Adachi and Nanba are dismayed at their chances of getting close to the Geomijul. Ichiban says they do have one possible ally: their mysterious rescuer, whoever or wherever he may be. They head to the Geomijul building, but when they arrive they find few people around. The only person that stands out is an attractive woman wearing sunglasses, and when Ichiban approaches her she tells him that she already knows everything about why he's here, pegging her as a Geomijul member. The woman asks the party to follow her, with Ichiban trying to make small talk while noticing they really haven't seen anyone around lately. Adachi tells him to stay calm because they are deep within Geomijul territory, but all of them refuse the woman's offer to turn back.
The woman leads them to the main Geomijul building, Saeko marveling at the vast tangles of power cables going in and out of the building (Adachi commenting that's what gives the Geomijul its name- the "Spider Web"). The woman tells them that what they're seeing is at the very top of the building, but slips away while Ichiban and friends are distracted by a large cockroach. They continue on alone, fighting off attacks from Geomijul agents as they wander the ruined halls of the building. They eventually reach the heart of the Geomijul, where the man in black is waiting for them and congratulates them on their journey. He apologizes for having his men attack them and takes off his mask, introducing himself as Joon-gi Han. Ichiban asks Joon-gi why he had his men attack them, with Joon-gi saying he wanted to test Ichiban and his friends to gauge their true strength. Joon-gi was impressed, though he boasts he could have soloed the group with little difficulty, but that doesn't matter right now as they have business to discuss. Joon-gi invites them inside while Nanba notes he seems to be toying with them.
Inside the next room, Ichiban sees a massive wall of computer and television screens. Joon-gi explains that this is the business of the Geomijul- thousands of cameras and agents picking up information around the city and then funneled back here, hence why they have to steal so much electricity from around town. Joon-gi goes on to say that of the Ijin Three, the Geomijul are the newest and numerically weakest of the gangs, so they use their information to both make money and to balance the other clans (Joon-gi uses the example of a Liumang killing a Seiryu man- the Geomijul would investigate the situation and leak everything about the culprit to the yakuza, thus providing a single target for their vengeance). Adachi asks if they deal with guys who try to break the status quo, and when Joon-gi says that is part of their business Ichiban asks if that means they've already disposed of Mabuchi. Joon-gi says no, directing Ichiban to a monitor that displays Mabuchi and his fellows breaking into Otohime Land, definitive proof that Mabuchi killed Nonomiya. But before Joon-gi can turn that tape over, there's something else he'd like to show Ichiban.
Joon-gi leads them to another room, where technicians are monitoring a strange machine. The machine uses lasers and energy fields, and to the group's shock they see it carry a sheet of paper from the bottom until they print out as 10,000 yen notes at the top. Ichiban asks if this is similar to Mabuchi's operation at Yokohama Trading, but the woman from earlier returns and says no- Mabuchi's bills are basically toy money compared to these machines, which can copy a bill down to the molecular level. Joon-gi introduces her as Seonhee, the leader of the Geomijul, a fact that shocks Adachi and Ichiban. Seonhee says that the paper they discovered at Mabuchi's warehouse is very special, treated with a rare element shipped over from the mainland by the Liumang. Rather than steal it like Ichiban asks, the Geomijul have an arrangement to get the paper directly from the Liumang, with Zhao himself being privy to the arrangement. Ichiban then asks if Mabuchi's operation is part of the Geomijul's or the Liumang's operations, which Seonhee says neither; one of Mabuchi's men was a former money launderer, and when he discovered the paper he went to Mabuchi with an offer to make counterfeit yuan on their own. Zhao is also well aware of that as well, but he's keeping quiet on it to avoid having all their secrets exposed (Mabuchi doesn't know about the yen-making operation).
Seonhee goes on to say that the exact recipe to make paper for yen is a closely guarded secret, but a mole on the inside leaked that secret to the Geomijul and partners decades ago. Adachi doesn't believe it as there would be no way the police wouldn't notice something going on for that long, with Seonhee implying it's been going on even longer than he's been alive. The point is, no one should know about these bills... and as she jabs a pistol into Ichiban's chin, Seonhee asks how he came across one. She pulls the bloody yen out of Ichiban's pocket and identifies it as a misprint that should have been destroyed, with Joon-gi adding the Geomijul has been tracking Ichiban since he arrived in Ijincho before pulling his own weapons and asking for an explanation. Ichiban swears he has no idea where the bill came from, and after a tense moment Seonhee lowers her pistol and walks off. She explains they figured Ichiban was clueless enough to be of no threat, and wouldn't have come here for any real reason. But she does not have the same view on Nanba, turning her pistol on him while the others stare in shock.
Nanba plays innocent and asks why he's being accused. Seonhee shows a surveillance photo of him and explains what they know: Nanba showed up in Ijincho six months prior, but rather than integrate with the other homeless he seemed oddly focused on the Geomijul building. When Ichiban showed up with the fake bill, Nanba was very quick to join forces with him, and she would like to hear why. Ichiban says that's because the Elder Bum told Nanba to look after him, but Seonhee doesn't buy the Nightingale story before pistol whipping Nanba. Ichiban asks Nanba what he really wants, and Nanba comes clean: he's looking for his younger brother Shoichi Akiba. Seonhee explains that Shoichi is a freelance journalist who disappeared in Ijincho while investigating a money laundering scheme, with Nanba claiming the Geomijul made him disappear based on a note Shoichi sent him about the Koreans watching him. Nanba knew an outsider could never infiltrate the Great Wall of Muscle, so he disguised himself as a hobo to hide among the homeless and find a way into the Geomijul. He never found any warm leads into the Geomijul, though, until that day he met Ichiban.
When Nanba saw the fake bill, he thought he could follow Ichiban and learn where he got it, and maybe get one step closer to finding Shoichi. But when it became apparent that Ichiban knew even less than he did, Nanba considered cutting his losses and leaving, apologizing to the others for leading them on. He looks to Seonhee and asks her if his brother is alive or dead, and he doesn't care what happens to him if he knows that. Rather than shoot him, Seonhee tasers Nanba and turns him over to her guards, telling Ichiban he's in the clear while the Geomijul drag Nanba off. Before they leave, though, Ichiban calls out and asks they release Nanba, with Seonhee asking if he can consider Nanba his friend after all the lies he told. Ichiban says "friend" doesn't even begin to describe it: if it weren't for Nanba, Ichiban would have died all those days ago, and for that he owes him his life. Nanba only wants to look for his family, and that is something Ichiban cannot fault. Joon-gi draws his guns, but Ichiban lunges forward and grapples with the Korean. Seonhee tries to shoot Ichiban in the back, but Adachi steps forward and disarms her. Seonhee and her guards flee to call for backup while Joon-gi steps up to fight Ichiban, Adachi, and Saeko, the four brawling while Nanba does his best to recover.
After defeating Joon-gi, Ichiban and Saeko help Nanba back to his feet and the four make a run for it, fighting against several groups of Geomijul men in their race for the outside. As the Geomijul close in, Ichiban tells Nanba to go ahead while he and the others hold the Koreans off. Nanba is hesitant to do so as he got them all mixed up in this in the first place, but Ichiban tells him to think nothing of it and that they would have tried to help him regardless. Nanba thanks Ichiban and disappears, and after they defeat the last of the Geomijul Ichiban asks Seonhee if they can leave. Seonhee says that depends on Joon-gi's report, with the latter getting off the phone to inform Seonhee that Nanba escaped the Geomijul. Seonhee asks if Ichiban realizes what he's done- if word gets out about the Geomijul's operations, the tenuous peace in Ijincho will collapse. As such, the Geomijul are going to keep looking for Nanba and make sure he does not leave Ijincho alive. Ichiban says he'll keep fighting the Geomijul to guard his friend from them. He asks why they don't just call off the fight as Nanba isn't likely to leak all their secrets, and Seonhee says that's not her call before asking Ichiban to meet her at the Heian Tower in Chinatown that night at 2 AM- there, he'll meet the person who really controls Nanba's fate. With that she and Joon-gi depart, with Ichiban asking his remaining friends to accompany him to the homeless camp to see if Nanba left behind anything that might clue them in to his whereabouts.
At the camp, Ichiban asks the Elder bum for permission to go through Nanba's things. The Elder Bum grants their permission, and Saeko spots an out of place box in Nanba's shack. Inside is a laptop, and a quick search of the hard drive reveals a draft of Shoichi's article. Reading through it reveals the rumors go back fifty years, all pointing to the chair of the Citizens' Liberal Party Yutaka Ogikubo, who represents Yokohama in the National Diet. Ichiban asks who Ogikubo is, with Adachi saying the man is the oldest member of the CLP with vast political power; even the Prime Minister is said to be nothing more than a yes-man to him. There's nothing in the article that directly fingers Ogikubo, though, so even if word got out it'd be nothing more than malicious slander... except the fake money exists, so there has to be some truth to the article. Ichiban has a small revelation: Nanba seeing the fake bill in Ichiban's pocket was probably his first indication that the story was true, and it might have made him jumpy as well as given him his first real sign of hope for finding Shoichi. Ichiban laments that he wished he'd spotted this sooner, with Saeko assuring him he did nothing wrong before they pack up to meet with Seonhee. They head to Heian Tower, Adachi noticing the place seems empty when they go inside. They find Joon-gi waiting for them, the Korean telling Ichiban that everyone is waiting for him. And by everyone, he means all three heads of the Ijin Three: Seonhee, Zhao, and Chairman Hoshino.
Chapter 8: Bleached Black
Ichiban greets Chairman Hoshino and asks if he's stepped into some alternate dimension where the Ijin Three aren't at war. Hoshino says the three only ever get together once a year, but it's in the best interest of the Great Wall of Muscle that they do. Ichiban asks if he should be doing this while his men are on the rampage, but Hoshino counters that with two of his men dead and with the Liumang territory breached all the way to their headquarters, whoever backs down now would stand to lose a great deal (a sentiment Zhao shares). Ichiban doesn't buy it and goes into an angry rant about how they seem to be doing nothing while people are dying, but Hoshino tells him to calm down and not try to fit everything into his rather black and while worldview. While Ichiban continues to protest, noting how Takabe is still a prisoner of the Liumang, Hoshino and Zhao say that's how it has to be to maintain the stalemate, comparing it to the transition from dictatorship to democracy during the postwar era.
Hoshino goes further and says that the postwar era is an apt comparison, as that's when the balance was first formed. After the war, black markets sprung up everywhere for the reeling nation, and that was where the Seiryu Clan found its footing in the underworld and led to the rise of Ijincho. Meanwhile, two Chinese factions were at war in nearby Chinatown, with the losing side departing to form the Liumang in Ijincho. Naturally the Seiryu took issue with the upstarts invading their territory, spilling much blood in the ensuing conflicts. Ichiban asks if there's a point to the history lesson, which Hoshino counters by saying he needs to know the past if he's to understand the present before he presents the blood-stained forgery.
Ichiban asks if the Seiryu is in on the forging operation, and Hoshino says that the Geomijul delivers the finished product to him for distribution. Ichiban guesses that means the Seiryu is the mastermind of the operation, and why they were sent after Mabuchi: the Liumang imports the paper, the Geomijul prints the bills, and the Seiryu keeps the profits, and Mabuchi was disrupting that process. Zhao tells Ichiban to calm down, but Ichiban is not having it- after getting shot, accused of being a spy, nearly killed because of the thing with Namba, now he's expected to just sit back and accept the Ijin Three are all friends? Hoshino says that he's not the final destination for the forged bills- that would be the pockets of Yukata Ogikubo. Adachi asks what Ogikubo has to do with any of this, and Hoshino tells him that it was Ogikubo who first masterminded the operation and presented it to the first chairman of the Seiryu and the leader of the Liumang sixty years prior. Then he was just a city councilman looking for a way to end the war between the yakuza and the triads, and the fake money scheme was his ticket forward. He split duties among the two to give them all a common interest (the Liumang would get the paper, the Seiryu would print and distribute the money), and to ensure the plans success Ogikubo pulled every strong he had to steal the recipe for printing yen and give it to the yakuza.
But, as Hoshino continues, neither organization got a penny of the fake money from Ogikubo- all of it went to the man himself, which he would distribute to the Yokohama PD. Ichiban asks why, and Hoshino says Ogikubo wanted to gain control of the police, and once he succeeded he ordered a crackdown on a certain area of Ijincho- the Liumang's current turf, denying the Seiryu a place to attack without law enforcement coming down on both of them. This became the Ijincho "gray zone", a place where the Liumang could establish themselves without much trouble while keeping the peace in the rest of town. The Seiryu could still profit from other business in town (and now no longer had to deal with attacks from the Liumang), and Ogikubo could use his influence to silence any trouble they couldn't deal with otherwise.
Seonhee adds the Geomijul were also saved by the gray zone- back in the 80s, they were just a subset of a different organization called the Jingweon Mafia (Seonhee digressing to state that Joon-gi is actually the body double of one of their leaders), and every time the Jingweon was crushed some of the survivors would wind up in Ijincho. As their numbmers grew so did their conflicts with the Liumang, but Ogikubo stepped in before the violence could escalate and gave them control of the printing aspect of the operation. They also took over surveillance, to ensure that no one outside of the Three learned of the counterfeiting operation. With peace in Ijincho and money in his pockets, Ogikubo rose to become the dominant figure of the Citizens' Liberal Party. Adachi doesn't buy it, saying that peace won on forgeries is no peace at all, but Hoshino counters that it's no different from the unspoken alliance between the yakuza and the police since the end of World War II. This quiets Adachi, but Ichiban is still not placated and asks why they called him and his friends here in the first place.
Zhao lays it out for Ichiban: Nanba, a man who has a stated grudge against the Ijin Three, now has evidence of their crimes and their connections to the government, and for that he must be silenced. Hoshino adds that under normal circumstances they all would be silenced, but since he has a good idea of where Ichiban got the fake bill he'll let it slide. The Chairman gives Ichiban the bill back and says that in exchange for Nanba, he'll tell Ichiban who gave him the bill. Ichiban declines, as he doesn't want to sell out a friend for a piece of information that badly. Zhao tells ichiban that if any info gets outside Ijincho, the Great Wall will come crashing down; Ichiban isn't too bothered by this at first, but Seonhee and Zhao remind him that if the Wall does come down, the Omi Alliance will come sweeping into Ijincho and take vengeance on any of their enemies that might be hiding there, i.e. Ichiban himself. Ichiban admits they have a point but still refuses to sell out Nanba, at which point Hoshino and Zhao tell Ichiban that Liumang assassins are already hunting Nanba. Ichiban demands they call the assassins off, but Zhao says he's more than willing to sacrifice one guy for the safety of their operation, with Hoshino adding that if Ichiban does nothing Nanba will die. Saeko counters that Nanba is dead either way, but Hoshino says they'll deal with that later and they just have to focus on finding Nanba first. Joon-gi has a lead they can follow to find Nanba, which Ichiban accepts before he and his friends depart.
Out in the hallway, Joon-gi says that his information is just a lead, but it's better than nothing. There's no indication Nanba has left Ijincho just yet, so it's likely he's hiding with someone that's not tied with the Ijin Three. Saeko asks if he means the police, but Joon-gi says that would be too risky given what they've just talked about. Rather, the Geomijul believes Nanba has sought refuge with Bleach Japan, which Adachi says makes sense in the grand scheme of things. Ichiban asks what the Ijin Three plan on doing to Nanba once they bring him in, which Joon-gi says is not his call to make but if he does nothing the Liumang assassins will eventually get Nanba first. Ichiban asks where Bleach Japan's office is, with Joon-gi directing him to the Hakuryo Building on Carriage Highway- Bleach Japan's Yokohama branch has their headquarters on the second floor. With that information, the heroes head off to the Hakuryo Building.
Outside, they find a Geomijul officer waiting for them. The officer announces he plans to kill them just as he did Matsuo, with Ichiban asking why he did that. The officer says he took initiative after Seonhee spoke against killing the man, which is part of the reason why he left the Geomijul for greener pastures. Ichiban asks who his new employer would be, but the officer doesn't answer before attacking. Ichiban and friends defeat the officer and hurry in to Bleach Japan's headquarters. They find Kume inside talking with another man, and Ichiban asks if Nanba is there. Nanba reveals himself, and Ichiban warns him that Liumang assassins are on their way to kill him. The other man asks if Ichiban and friends came alone, and while Ichiban doesn't recognize him Saeko and Adachi both identify him as the director of Bleach Japan. The man introduces himself as Hajime Ogasawara, and he's in town to assist Bleach Japan not only in their fight against the gray zones, but in their efforts to dismantle the counterfeiting operation in Yokohama, indicating that Nanba told them everything about what he had seen. Ichiban tells the three they need to get out of Ijincho fast, as the Ijin Three will continue to hunt them because of the information. Kume assumes they're bluffing, but Ogasawara guesses they're telling the truth and says he initially guessed they were the assassins. As Kume panics about assassins, Ogasawara tells him not to worry, as his associates will step in to protect them before summoning Mabuchi and his men.
Mabuchi tells Ogasawara that he'll take care of Ichiban, and with that Ogasawara and Nanba make their exit. Ichiban calls for Nanba and asks what he's up to, with Nanba saying all he wants is to find his brother whether he's alive or dead. After Kume flees still panicking, Mabuchi and his men turn and attack Ichiban. The heroes defeat Mabuchi's men before turning on the man himself, and after a protracted fight the rogue triad leader is defeated. Mabuchi seems impressed by the heroes' strength, even laughing after Ichiban kicks him in the face. Ichiban demands to know if he killed Nonomiya, and Mabuchi says he did on orders from Ogasawara. Ogasawara wants Ijinchou and the secret to Ogikubo's great wealth, and for that he needed a crack in the Great Wall to expose everything, with that crack being Nonomiya's death. Adachi asks why Mabuchi would kill Nonomiya and thus betray the Ijin Three for Bleach Japan, and after Mabuchi shakes off Ichiban he says it won't matter: the invasion of Ijincho begins tomorrow. When Ichiban asks who's invading, Mabuchi tells him it's Bleach Japan's true backers: the Omi Alliance. Mabuchi plans to repeat what Arakawa did in Kamurocho, selling Ijincho to the Omi in exchange for an officer's position. Ichiban punches Mabuchi out cold for this while Adachi and Saeko suggest checking the back room where the other three went.
Just then, Nanba and Kume step out of the room. Nanba informs Ichiban that Ogasawara has already made his escape, and tomorrow Bleach Japan will destroy the Geomijul and perhaps find his brother in the process. He asks that Ichiban not interfere, snapping at Ichiban when he continues to insist to speak to Ogasawara. As Nanba collects Mabuchi, both Adachi and Saeko try to appeal to Nanba's better nature, but he refuses to accept any option that gets him further away from finding his brother. With that he leaves with Kume and Mabuchi's men, refusing Ichiban when he tries to appeal to their friendship. With Nanba gone, Saeko and Adachi suggest they leave before they get attacked again- first, though, they should check out the main office for any further information, which Ichiban agrees to. They go inside and look around, and Ichiban is stunned into silence by a picture on the wall: a newspaper cutout of Ogasawara shaking hands with another young man. Adachi identifies the other man as Ryo Aoki, now governor of Tokyo, but Ichiban expresses disbelief as he should be dead- "Ryo Aoki" is actually Masato Arakawa.
Meanwhile in Tokyo, Aoki is discussing an upcoming budget meeting with his secretary that conflicts with a planned public appearance. Just then, he gets a call and dismisses his secretary before answering- it's Ogasawara, calling in to report his success in finding out Ogikubo's source of funds. Ogasawara asks if Aoki could dispatch some of his "friends" from Kansai to assist in the operation, and Aoki tells him he'll send whoever he can spare before hanging up.
Hoshino goes further and says that the postwar era is an apt comparison, as that's when the balance was first formed. After the war, black markets sprung up everywhere for the reeling nation, and that was where the Seiryu Clan found its footing in the underworld and led to the rise of Ijincho. Meanwhile, two Chinese factions were at war in nearby Chinatown, with the losing side departing to form the Liumang in Ijincho. Naturally the Seiryu took issue with the upstarts invading their territory, spilling much blood in the ensuing conflicts. Ichiban asks if there's a point to the history lesson, which Hoshino counters by saying he needs to know the past if he's to understand the present before he presents the blood-stained forgery.
Ichiban asks if the Seiryu is in on the forging operation, and Hoshino says that the Geomijul delivers the finished product to him for distribution. Ichiban guesses that means the Seiryu is the mastermind of the operation, and why they were sent after Mabuchi: the Liumang imports the paper, the Geomijul prints the bills, and the Seiryu keeps the profits, and Mabuchi was disrupting that process. Zhao tells Ichiban to calm down, but Ichiban is not having it- after getting shot, accused of being a spy, nearly killed because of the thing with Namba, now he's expected to just sit back and accept the Ijin Three are all friends? Hoshino says that he's not the final destination for the forged bills- that would be the pockets of Yukata Ogikubo. Adachi asks what Ogikubo has to do with any of this, and Hoshino tells him that it was Ogikubo who first masterminded the operation and presented it to the first chairman of the Seiryu and the leader of the Liumang sixty years prior. Then he was just a city councilman looking for a way to end the war between the yakuza and the triads, and the fake money scheme was his ticket forward. He split duties among the two to give them all a common interest (the Liumang would get the paper, the Seiryu would print and distribute the money), and to ensure the plans success Ogikubo pulled every strong he had to steal the recipe for printing yen and give it to the yakuza.
But, as Hoshino continues, neither organization got a penny of the fake money from Ogikubo- all of it went to the man himself, which he would distribute to the Yokohama PD. Ichiban asks why, and Hoshino says Ogikubo wanted to gain control of the police, and once he succeeded he ordered a crackdown on a certain area of Ijincho- the Liumang's current turf, denying the Seiryu a place to attack without law enforcement coming down on both of them. This became the Ijincho "gray zone", a place where the Liumang could establish themselves without much trouble while keeping the peace in the rest of town. The Seiryu could still profit from other business in town (and now no longer had to deal with attacks from the Liumang), and Ogikubo could use his influence to silence any trouble they couldn't deal with otherwise.
Seonhee adds the Geomijul were also saved by the gray zone- back in the 80s, they were just a subset of a different organization called the Jingweon Mafia (Seonhee digressing to state that Joon-gi is actually the body double of one of their leaders), and every time the Jingweon was crushed some of the survivors would wind up in Ijincho. As their numbmers grew so did their conflicts with the Liumang, but Ogikubo stepped in before the violence could escalate and gave them control of the printing aspect of the operation. They also took over surveillance, to ensure that no one outside of the Three learned of the counterfeiting operation. With peace in Ijincho and money in his pockets, Ogikubo rose to become the dominant figure of the Citizens' Liberal Party. Adachi doesn't buy it, saying that peace won on forgeries is no peace at all, but Hoshino counters that it's no different from the unspoken alliance between the yakuza and the police since the end of World War II. This quiets Adachi, but Ichiban is still not placated and asks why they called him and his friends here in the first place.
Zhao lays it out for Ichiban: Nanba, a man who has a stated grudge against the Ijin Three, now has evidence of their crimes and their connections to the government, and for that he must be silenced. Hoshino adds that under normal circumstances they all would be silenced, but since he has a good idea of where Ichiban got the fake bill he'll let it slide. The Chairman gives Ichiban the bill back and says that in exchange for Nanba, he'll tell Ichiban who gave him the bill. Ichiban declines, as he doesn't want to sell out a friend for a piece of information that badly. Zhao tells ichiban that if any info gets outside Ijincho, the Great Wall will come crashing down; Ichiban isn't too bothered by this at first, but Seonhee and Zhao remind him that if the Wall does come down, the Omi Alliance will come sweeping into Ijincho and take vengeance on any of their enemies that might be hiding there, i.e. Ichiban himself. Ichiban admits they have a point but still refuses to sell out Nanba, at which point Hoshino and Zhao tell Ichiban that Liumang assassins are already hunting Nanba. Ichiban demands they call the assassins off, but Zhao says he's more than willing to sacrifice one guy for the safety of their operation, with Hoshino adding that if Ichiban does nothing Nanba will die. Saeko counters that Nanba is dead either way, but Hoshino says they'll deal with that later and they just have to focus on finding Nanba first. Joon-gi has a lead they can follow to find Nanba, which Ichiban accepts before he and his friends depart.
Out in the hallway, Joon-gi says that his information is just a lead, but it's better than nothing. There's no indication Nanba has left Ijincho just yet, so it's likely he's hiding with someone that's not tied with the Ijin Three. Saeko asks if he means the police, but Joon-gi says that would be too risky given what they've just talked about. Rather, the Geomijul believes Nanba has sought refuge with Bleach Japan, which Adachi says makes sense in the grand scheme of things. Ichiban asks what the Ijin Three plan on doing to Nanba once they bring him in, which Joon-gi says is not his call to make but if he does nothing the Liumang assassins will eventually get Nanba first. Ichiban asks where Bleach Japan's office is, with Joon-gi directing him to the Hakuryo Building on Carriage Highway- Bleach Japan's Yokohama branch has their headquarters on the second floor. With that information, the heroes head off to the Hakuryo Building.
Outside, they find a Geomijul officer waiting for them. The officer announces he plans to kill them just as he did Matsuo, with Ichiban asking why he did that. The officer says he took initiative after Seonhee spoke against killing the man, which is part of the reason why he left the Geomijul for greener pastures. Ichiban asks who his new employer would be, but the officer doesn't answer before attacking. Ichiban and friends defeat the officer and hurry in to Bleach Japan's headquarters. They find Kume inside talking with another man, and Ichiban asks if Nanba is there. Nanba reveals himself, and Ichiban warns him that Liumang assassins are on their way to kill him. The other man asks if Ichiban and friends came alone, and while Ichiban doesn't recognize him Saeko and Adachi both identify him as the director of Bleach Japan. The man introduces himself as Hajime Ogasawara, and he's in town to assist Bleach Japan not only in their fight against the gray zones, but in their efforts to dismantle the counterfeiting operation in Yokohama, indicating that Nanba told them everything about what he had seen. Ichiban tells the three they need to get out of Ijincho fast, as the Ijin Three will continue to hunt them because of the information. Kume assumes they're bluffing, but Ogasawara guesses they're telling the truth and says he initially guessed they were the assassins. As Kume panics about assassins, Ogasawara tells him not to worry, as his associates will step in to protect them before summoning Mabuchi and his men.
Mabuchi tells Ogasawara that he'll take care of Ichiban, and with that Ogasawara and Nanba make their exit. Ichiban calls for Nanba and asks what he's up to, with Nanba saying all he wants is to find his brother whether he's alive or dead. After Kume flees still panicking, Mabuchi and his men turn and attack Ichiban. The heroes defeat Mabuchi's men before turning on the man himself, and after a protracted fight the rogue triad leader is defeated. Mabuchi seems impressed by the heroes' strength, even laughing after Ichiban kicks him in the face. Ichiban demands to know if he killed Nonomiya, and Mabuchi says he did on orders from Ogasawara. Ogasawara wants Ijinchou and the secret to Ogikubo's great wealth, and for that he needed a crack in the Great Wall to expose everything, with that crack being Nonomiya's death. Adachi asks why Mabuchi would kill Nonomiya and thus betray the Ijin Three for Bleach Japan, and after Mabuchi shakes off Ichiban he says it won't matter: the invasion of Ijincho begins tomorrow. When Ichiban asks who's invading, Mabuchi tells him it's Bleach Japan's true backers: the Omi Alliance. Mabuchi plans to repeat what Arakawa did in Kamurocho, selling Ijincho to the Omi in exchange for an officer's position. Ichiban punches Mabuchi out cold for this while Adachi and Saeko suggest checking the back room where the other three went.
Just then, Nanba and Kume step out of the room. Nanba informs Ichiban that Ogasawara has already made his escape, and tomorrow Bleach Japan will destroy the Geomijul and perhaps find his brother in the process. He asks that Ichiban not interfere, snapping at Ichiban when he continues to insist to speak to Ogasawara. As Nanba collects Mabuchi, both Adachi and Saeko try to appeal to Nanba's better nature, but he refuses to accept any option that gets him further away from finding his brother. With that he leaves with Kume and Mabuchi's men, refusing Ichiban when he tries to appeal to their friendship. With Nanba gone, Saeko and Adachi suggest they leave before they get attacked again- first, though, they should check out the main office for any further information, which Ichiban agrees to. They go inside and look around, and Ichiban is stunned into silence by a picture on the wall: a newspaper cutout of Ogasawara shaking hands with another young man. Adachi identifies the other man as Ryo Aoki, now governor of Tokyo, but Ichiban expresses disbelief as he should be dead- "Ryo Aoki" is actually Masato Arakawa.
Meanwhile in Tokyo, Aoki is discussing an upcoming budget meeting with his secretary that conflicts with a planned public appearance. Just then, he gets a call and dismisses his secretary before answering- it's Ogasawara, calling in to report his success in finding out Ogikubo's source of funds. Ogasawara asks if Aoki could dispatch some of his "friends" from Kansai to assist in the operation, and Aoki tells him he'll send whoever he can spare before hanging up.
Chapter 9: A House of Cards
Ichiban and his friends regroup at Survive, Saeko pulling up an article on Aoki for Ichiban to compare and see if he really is Masato. Their ages match, but Saeko says it might just be a passing resemblance. The article says that Aoki was a shut in until he turned 20, after which he travelled to America to study political economics at Harvard. There he met Ogasawara and the two returned upon graduation to found Bleach Japan. Their efforts won over the hearts of the public, and Aoki started making TV and magazine appearances to gain even more political capital. After that he left Bleach Japan to directly participate in politics, and while he had a narrow win for the position of governor he now carries an impressive 80% approval rating among his constituents. There's no mention of Arakawa anywhere, though, leading Saeko to believe that maybe it really is just a coincidence.
Adachi is not convinced, though, and believes there may be some truth to the theory Aoki is Masato; Aoki didn't get his massive popularity until two years ago, when he launched the Kamurocho 3K Plan and crushed the Tojo Clan. Once the 3K Plan made its debut, all the Tojo's ranking officers disappeared before the police could pin them with anything, but even the 3K Plan couldn't have taken them all down without inside help. That insider would be Arakawa, Masato's father, and it would also explain Arakawa's sudden betrayal of the Tojo Clan to the Omi Alliance- Arakawa had transferred his loyalty to his son instead of the yakuza. Ichiban doesn't buy that angle as that's not Arakawa's style, but Adachi says it's a rough but credible theory.
Ichiban has another question- how could Aoki have covered up his past as Masato? Adachi guesses that Masato could have bought a fake family registry, or stolen one from a real Ryo Aoki somewhere in Japan. Saeko asks if that's even remotely feasible, with Adachi saying that if he had criminal ties or lots of cash he could pull it off (something Ichiban agrees with). Then Ichiban asks why he would go to such lengths, with Adachi guessing he wanted to bury his yakuza connections, connections that would have made his recent achievements all but impossible. Saeko asks Ichiban where he first learned Masato was dead, with Ichiban saying he got it from a friend of his back in Kamurocho. Adachi guesses that was a faked explanation leaked by the Arakawa Family to cover up Masato's identification theft.
As they continue their research, Ichiban stops Saeko when she comes across a picture of Aoki and another man walking down Kamurocho's main drag- Masato was crippled since birth, so how the heck is Aoki moving about without a wheelchair? Adachi guesses that maybe Aoki got corrective surgery in the U.S. while he was studying there. When Ichiban counters that the doctors had given up on curing Masato in the past, Adachi fires back that Japanese doctors had done so; America has access to technology and procedures that are nowhere near close to being authorized in Japan, so perhaps he got some special treatment. Looking back to the picture, Ichiban asks who the asshole next to Aoki is, with Adachi identifying him as Commissioner Horinouchi. It takes Ichiban a moment, but he soon recognizes the Commissioner as the man at the cabaret club the night he last saw Masato. As Ichiban stews on this, Adachi suggests they get some rest in preparation for the Omi attack the next day, with Kashiwagi lending the upstairs bedroom to them for the night.
The next morning as Ichiban goes out for the day, he gets a call from Hamako warning him that a guy named Totsuka from the Seiryu Clan has been roaming the streets with his men in search of Ichiban. Surprised that Totsuka wasn't completely broken from the failure of his Sunlight Castle scam, the group heads over to Hamako's place. There they find Totsuka and his men threatening bodily harm on Hamako if she doesn't cough up Ichiban's location. He intervenes and allows Hamako to get to safety while he questions Totsuka on his sudden betrayal of the Seiryu, with Totsuka countering that word's gotten out about the money forging and many in the Seiryu are up in arms about their struggles being a farce. Ichiban asks where Totsuka first learned that, with Totsuka replying that Bleach Japan has been spreading info like that across the city. His personal plan, after killing Ichiban, is to seize control of the racket himself and take over Ijincho from there. With that he and his men attack, but Ichiban's party defeats Totsuka and the other yakuza. After defeating him, Ichiban tells Totsuka he hasn't the nerve to run the Seiryu, and if he catches him poking around Hamako's again he'll throw Totsuka into the river.
Just then, Ichiban gets a phone call from Zhao, who informs him about the relationship between Bleach Japan and the Omi Alliance. Ichiban says he already knew that part, so Zhao tells him about the newest development: a massive protest of Bleach Japan members is heading to the Geomijul. They number at over a thousand, but Zhao's sources have told him most of them are actually disguised Omi soldiers with orders to destroy the Geomijul's counterfeiting machines. Ichiban asks why the Omi are looking to take down the operation, but Zhao replies all he knows is that the order came from Bleach Japan directly. Zhao asks if Ichiban might like to go to the Geomijul and lend a hand to the defense, which Ichiban counters by asking why they don't just do it themselves. Zhao replies that Mabuchi has launched a coup attempt against him, whipping up the rest of the Liumang with information about the counterfeiting and framing it as the top brass cheating the lower ranks out of more money. With the Seiryu probably dealing with similar problems, the Ijin Three have no one to counter the Omi, so Zhao asks Ichiban to take care of things. He even offers to forget about the whole thing with Nanba if Ichiban does this for him, but he's only able to tell Ichiban that Ogasawara is the mastermind behind the attack before he's forced to hang up. Ichiban tells his friends of the development, deciding that it's time they hit up Kume again for some answers.
At the Geomijul, a large crowd of Bleach Japan members try to force their way through the barricades leading into the facility. Ichiban and his friends run into Kume outside the protest, who informs them that Ogasawara is directly leading the protest to destroy the counterfeiting operation. Kume's followers surround Ichiban, but Ichiban is able to quickly identify them as Omi soldiers and begins mocking their accents. This gets the yakuza riled up while Kume asks for them to apologize. Ichiban is of course defiant, and the group gets into a brawl before they beat down Kume. While Kume cries out about assault, Ichiban and Adachi asks if he didn't realize the guys with him were yakuza. Kume insists that he thought they were just from other Bleach Japan offices around the country, but does admit they looked kind of rough. Ichiban taunts Kume by pointing out that using yakuza for his goals is yet another one of those "gray zones" that triggers Kume, and with that the three head on to the Geomijul- if Bleach Japan's got this kind of numbers and muscle on their side, the Koreans won't be able to mount an effective defense. First, they steal the signs Kume and his followers were carrying, to better blend in with the protesters as they close in.
By now, the protesters have brought in a wrecking ball (driven by a man who is clearly a yakuza) and have begun to assault the Geomijul's defenses in earnest. Ichiban's team cannot spot Ogasawara among the crowd, and even if they could there's no way they could get through the numbers they face. Unfortunately, the yakuza that accompanied Kume recovered quicker than they anticipated, and they attack Ichiban and friends while they're planning their next move. As they fight, though, the yakuza in the wrecking ball takes a swing at them, Ichiban tackling Saeko out of the way before she's hit (a number of other protesters aren't so lucky). Ichiban asks why the guy's attacking them with a wrecking ball, and Adachi identifies the driver as Reiji Ishioda, an Omi Alliance lieutenant that might have been at the dinner meeting where Arakawa shot Ichiban. Ishioda does recognize Ichiban from that night, asking what he's doing in Ijincho; Ichiban offers to tell him, but Ishioda would rather squish him with a wrecking ball. They fight and manage to overtax the wrecking ball, Ishioda trying one last time to squash them with a swing that smashes through a nearby building. Unfortunately for him the wrecking ball quits, and as he tries to get it going again Ichiban and his party sneak away using Bleach Japan signs as cover.
Once they reach safety, Ichiban comments that Arakawa's got a weird taste in lieutenants if he's got a guy like Ishioda in his ranks. Adachi says that Arakawa has three lieutenants of note: Ishioda, the wild and unpredictable one, Jo Sawashiro, who needs no introduction, and a former heavyweight boxer by the name of Yosuke Tendo. Ichiban asks why a boxer would give up his career to join the yakuza, and while he doesn't have an answer for Ichiban Adachi does say Tendo has become one of Arakawa's favorites during his time as captain. Just then Ichiban gets a call from Joon-gi, who is impressed by Ichiban's fight with the wrecking ball. Ichiban tells Joon-gi that he was on his way to help, but there's too many Omi soldiers blocking the path. Joon-gi understands, and says he and the others have a gift for Ichiban; he asks Ichiban to head to the restaurant Eomeoni's Vow for further details, hanging up before Ichiban can get further information. They arrive at the restaurant, where the old woman manning the front leads Ichiban and friends to the back. Through the door there, she says, is an underground passage leading to the Geomijul, which Ichiban whines that Joon-gi let them fight a crane before showing them the easy way forward. The woman tells Ichiban that the secret passage is one of the Geomijul's most heavily guarded secrets, and telling an outsider like him about it must mean Joon-gi truly trusts Ichiban.
Inside, Joon-gi greets Ichiban and tells him to hurry along to the Geomijul- the Omi Alliance has just breached the outer barricade and are storming in. Along the way, Ichiban asks what Seonhee is doing, with Joon-gi telling Ichiban that she is trying to reach Ogikubo for instructions. What happens after that remains to be seen. Ichiban thanks Joon-gi for allowing them to use the secret passage, with Joon-gi warning him that if he and his friends try to cut and run, he'll have to kill them. Inside the Geomijul, Seonhee gets off the phone with Ogikubo and tells the party he has ordered the destruction of the counterfeiting operation. They have about two minutes to do so before the Omi break in, and Seonhee orders Joon-gi to take point in the operation. Joon-gi replies that if they do this, they'll lose their surveillance network and their home as well, but Seonhee says that it's worth the risk. As Joon-gi goes about his duties, Ichiban asks if it really is worth the effort to cover Ogikubo. Seonhee says Ogikubo gave them a place to grow in safety, and this would pay their debt to him in full. All she asks of Ichiban and his group is to hold off the Omi Alliance long enough for the Geomijul to destroy the evidence. Saeko sees that Seonhee is being earnest in her pleas, and convinces Ichiban and Adachi to set aside their reservations and fight. Seonhee thanks Saeko for the vote of confidence and leaves with Joon-gi to oversee the destruction while the heroes go to fight the Omi.
The Omi arrive soon after, with Ogasawara, Ishioda, and Nanba leading the group. Ishioda is surprised to see Ichiban survived the wrecking ball, and has another question to go with it: why is Ichiban even alive in the first place after Arakawa shot him. He guesses he'll just have to ask later, while Nanba tries to direct Ogasawara to the printer before the Koreans can destroy it. Nanba pleads with Ichiban to step aside, but Ichiban refuses as he promised Seonhee he would act as a rearguard for them. The two groups fight, and Ichiban's group is able to hold of the yakuza long enough for the Geomijul to succeed in their task. The yakuza sans Ishioda flee, and he seems willing to continue before Seonhee and the other Koreans return, Seonhee putting Ishioda down with a kick to the crotch. Ogasawara tries to flee, but he is cut off and captured by Joon-gi.
As the Geomijul burns, Nanba mourns the loss of the evidence that might help him find his brother. He accuses Ichiban of backstabbing him, and while Ichiban is sympathetic he insists they were doing this to save Nanba. Nanba refuses to accept that, so Seonhee decides to clear up a few things: yes, his brother did come close to finding out the truth about the operation, and yes they did want to silence him, but killing a man of that talent seemed like a waste. He's actually alive and well in the residential district, and they couldn't tell them this earlier because it could have risked a further breach in their secrecy. The only reason Nanba is learning this now is because Seonhee was impressed by the lengths Ichiban and company went to to protect Nanba. With that Ichiban helps Nanba back to his feet, and the group flees the burning wreckage of the Geomijul.
Ichiban's group and the Koreans bring Ogasawara to the homeless camp. The Elder Bum is not happy that they brought a kidnapping victim to his camp, to which Ichiban apologizes before explaining why they need to talk to Ogasawara. The Elder Bum tells them to finish up and be out by morning, which Ichiban is grateful for before moving on to Ogasawara.
Adachi is not convinced, though, and believes there may be some truth to the theory Aoki is Masato; Aoki didn't get his massive popularity until two years ago, when he launched the Kamurocho 3K Plan and crushed the Tojo Clan. Once the 3K Plan made its debut, all the Tojo's ranking officers disappeared before the police could pin them with anything, but even the 3K Plan couldn't have taken them all down without inside help. That insider would be Arakawa, Masato's father, and it would also explain Arakawa's sudden betrayal of the Tojo Clan to the Omi Alliance- Arakawa had transferred his loyalty to his son instead of the yakuza. Ichiban doesn't buy that angle as that's not Arakawa's style, but Adachi says it's a rough but credible theory.
Ichiban has another question- how could Aoki have covered up his past as Masato? Adachi guesses that Masato could have bought a fake family registry, or stolen one from a real Ryo Aoki somewhere in Japan. Saeko asks if that's even remotely feasible, with Adachi saying that if he had criminal ties or lots of cash he could pull it off (something Ichiban agrees with). Then Ichiban asks why he would go to such lengths, with Adachi guessing he wanted to bury his yakuza connections, connections that would have made his recent achievements all but impossible. Saeko asks Ichiban where he first learned Masato was dead, with Ichiban saying he got it from a friend of his back in Kamurocho. Adachi guesses that was a faked explanation leaked by the Arakawa Family to cover up Masato's identification theft.
As they continue their research, Ichiban stops Saeko when she comes across a picture of Aoki and another man walking down Kamurocho's main drag- Masato was crippled since birth, so how the heck is Aoki moving about without a wheelchair? Adachi guesses that maybe Aoki got corrective surgery in the U.S. while he was studying there. When Ichiban counters that the doctors had given up on curing Masato in the past, Adachi fires back that Japanese doctors had done so; America has access to technology and procedures that are nowhere near close to being authorized in Japan, so perhaps he got some special treatment. Looking back to the picture, Ichiban asks who the asshole next to Aoki is, with Adachi identifying him as Commissioner Horinouchi. It takes Ichiban a moment, but he soon recognizes the Commissioner as the man at the cabaret club the night he last saw Masato. As Ichiban stews on this, Adachi suggests they get some rest in preparation for the Omi attack the next day, with Kashiwagi lending the upstairs bedroom to them for the night.
The next morning as Ichiban goes out for the day, he gets a call from Hamako warning him that a guy named Totsuka from the Seiryu Clan has been roaming the streets with his men in search of Ichiban. Surprised that Totsuka wasn't completely broken from the failure of his Sunlight Castle scam, the group heads over to Hamako's place. There they find Totsuka and his men threatening bodily harm on Hamako if she doesn't cough up Ichiban's location. He intervenes and allows Hamako to get to safety while he questions Totsuka on his sudden betrayal of the Seiryu, with Totsuka countering that word's gotten out about the money forging and many in the Seiryu are up in arms about their struggles being a farce. Ichiban asks where Totsuka first learned that, with Totsuka replying that Bleach Japan has been spreading info like that across the city. His personal plan, after killing Ichiban, is to seize control of the racket himself and take over Ijincho from there. With that he and his men attack, but Ichiban's party defeats Totsuka and the other yakuza. After defeating him, Ichiban tells Totsuka he hasn't the nerve to run the Seiryu, and if he catches him poking around Hamako's again he'll throw Totsuka into the river.
Just then, Ichiban gets a phone call from Zhao, who informs him about the relationship between Bleach Japan and the Omi Alliance. Ichiban says he already knew that part, so Zhao tells him about the newest development: a massive protest of Bleach Japan members is heading to the Geomijul. They number at over a thousand, but Zhao's sources have told him most of them are actually disguised Omi soldiers with orders to destroy the Geomijul's counterfeiting machines. Ichiban asks why the Omi are looking to take down the operation, but Zhao replies all he knows is that the order came from Bleach Japan directly. Zhao asks if Ichiban might like to go to the Geomijul and lend a hand to the defense, which Ichiban counters by asking why they don't just do it themselves. Zhao replies that Mabuchi has launched a coup attempt against him, whipping up the rest of the Liumang with information about the counterfeiting and framing it as the top brass cheating the lower ranks out of more money. With the Seiryu probably dealing with similar problems, the Ijin Three have no one to counter the Omi, so Zhao asks Ichiban to take care of things. He even offers to forget about the whole thing with Nanba if Ichiban does this for him, but he's only able to tell Ichiban that Ogasawara is the mastermind behind the attack before he's forced to hang up. Ichiban tells his friends of the development, deciding that it's time they hit up Kume again for some answers.
At the Geomijul, a large crowd of Bleach Japan members try to force their way through the barricades leading into the facility. Ichiban and his friends run into Kume outside the protest, who informs them that Ogasawara is directly leading the protest to destroy the counterfeiting operation. Kume's followers surround Ichiban, but Ichiban is able to quickly identify them as Omi soldiers and begins mocking their accents. This gets the yakuza riled up while Kume asks for them to apologize. Ichiban is of course defiant, and the group gets into a brawl before they beat down Kume. While Kume cries out about assault, Ichiban and Adachi asks if he didn't realize the guys with him were yakuza. Kume insists that he thought they were just from other Bleach Japan offices around the country, but does admit they looked kind of rough. Ichiban taunts Kume by pointing out that using yakuza for his goals is yet another one of those "gray zones" that triggers Kume, and with that the three head on to the Geomijul- if Bleach Japan's got this kind of numbers and muscle on their side, the Koreans won't be able to mount an effective defense. First, they steal the signs Kume and his followers were carrying, to better blend in with the protesters as they close in.
By now, the protesters have brought in a wrecking ball (driven by a man who is clearly a yakuza) and have begun to assault the Geomijul's defenses in earnest. Ichiban's team cannot spot Ogasawara among the crowd, and even if they could there's no way they could get through the numbers they face. Unfortunately, the yakuza that accompanied Kume recovered quicker than they anticipated, and they attack Ichiban and friends while they're planning their next move. As they fight, though, the yakuza in the wrecking ball takes a swing at them, Ichiban tackling Saeko out of the way before she's hit (a number of other protesters aren't so lucky). Ichiban asks why the guy's attacking them with a wrecking ball, and Adachi identifies the driver as Reiji Ishioda, an Omi Alliance lieutenant that might have been at the dinner meeting where Arakawa shot Ichiban. Ishioda does recognize Ichiban from that night, asking what he's doing in Ijincho; Ichiban offers to tell him, but Ishioda would rather squish him with a wrecking ball. They fight and manage to overtax the wrecking ball, Ishioda trying one last time to squash them with a swing that smashes through a nearby building. Unfortunately for him the wrecking ball quits, and as he tries to get it going again Ichiban and his party sneak away using Bleach Japan signs as cover.
Once they reach safety, Ichiban comments that Arakawa's got a weird taste in lieutenants if he's got a guy like Ishioda in his ranks. Adachi says that Arakawa has three lieutenants of note: Ishioda, the wild and unpredictable one, Jo Sawashiro, who needs no introduction, and a former heavyweight boxer by the name of Yosuke Tendo. Ichiban asks why a boxer would give up his career to join the yakuza, and while he doesn't have an answer for Ichiban Adachi does say Tendo has become one of Arakawa's favorites during his time as captain. Just then Ichiban gets a call from Joon-gi, who is impressed by Ichiban's fight with the wrecking ball. Ichiban tells Joon-gi that he was on his way to help, but there's too many Omi soldiers blocking the path. Joon-gi understands, and says he and the others have a gift for Ichiban; he asks Ichiban to head to the restaurant Eomeoni's Vow for further details, hanging up before Ichiban can get further information. They arrive at the restaurant, where the old woman manning the front leads Ichiban and friends to the back. Through the door there, she says, is an underground passage leading to the Geomijul, which Ichiban whines that Joon-gi let them fight a crane before showing them the easy way forward. The woman tells Ichiban that the secret passage is one of the Geomijul's most heavily guarded secrets, and telling an outsider like him about it must mean Joon-gi truly trusts Ichiban.
Inside, Joon-gi greets Ichiban and tells him to hurry along to the Geomijul- the Omi Alliance has just breached the outer barricade and are storming in. Along the way, Ichiban asks what Seonhee is doing, with Joon-gi telling Ichiban that she is trying to reach Ogikubo for instructions. What happens after that remains to be seen. Ichiban thanks Joon-gi for allowing them to use the secret passage, with Joon-gi warning him that if he and his friends try to cut and run, he'll have to kill them. Inside the Geomijul, Seonhee gets off the phone with Ogikubo and tells the party he has ordered the destruction of the counterfeiting operation. They have about two minutes to do so before the Omi break in, and Seonhee orders Joon-gi to take point in the operation. Joon-gi replies that if they do this, they'll lose their surveillance network and their home as well, but Seonhee says that it's worth the risk. As Joon-gi goes about his duties, Ichiban asks if it really is worth the effort to cover Ogikubo. Seonhee says Ogikubo gave them a place to grow in safety, and this would pay their debt to him in full. All she asks of Ichiban and his group is to hold off the Omi Alliance long enough for the Geomijul to destroy the evidence. Saeko sees that Seonhee is being earnest in her pleas, and convinces Ichiban and Adachi to set aside their reservations and fight. Seonhee thanks Saeko for the vote of confidence and leaves with Joon-gi to oversee the destruction while the heroes go to fight the Omi.
The Omi arrive soon after, with Ogasawara, Ishioda, and Nanba leading the group. Ishioda is surprised to see Ichiban survived the wrecking ball, and has another question to go with it: why is Ichiban even alive in the first place after Arakawa shot him. He guesses he'll just have to ask later, while Nanba tries to direct Ogasawara to the printer before the Koreans can destroy it. Nanba pleads with Ichiban to step aside, but Ichiban refuses as he promised Seonhee he would act as a rearguard for them. The two groups fight, and Ichiban's group is able to hold of the yakuza long enough for the Geomijul to succeed in their task. The yakuza sans Ishioda flee, and he seems willing to continue before Seonhee and the other Koreans return, Seonhee putting Ishioda down with a kick to the crotch. Ogasawara tries to flee, but he is cut off and captured by Joon-gi.
As the Geomijul burns, Nanba mourns the loss of the evidence that might help him find his brother. He accuses Ichiban of backstabbing him, and while Ichiban is sympathetic he insists they were doing this to save Nanba. Nanba refuses to accept that, so Seonhee decides to clear up a few things: yes, his brother did come close to finding out the truth about the operation, and yes they did want to silence him, but killing a man of that talent seemed like a waste. He's actually alive and well in the residential district, and they couldn't tell them this earlier because it could have risked a further breach in their secrecy. The only reason Nanba is learning this now is because Seonhee was impressed by the lengths Ichiban and company went to to protect Nanba. With that Ichiban helps Nanba back to his feet, and the group flees the burning wreckage of the Geomijul.
Ichiban's group and the Koreans bring Ogasawara to the homeless camp. The Elder Bum is not happy that they brought a kidnapping victim to his camp, to which Ichiban apologizes before explaining why they need to talk to Ogasawara. The Elder Bum tells them to finish up and be out by morning, which Ichiban is grateful for before moving on to Ogasawara.
Chapter 10: Justice Tempered by Mercy
Before they get to interrogating Ogasawara, Ichiban asks Saeko if she knows how Nanba is doing. Saeko tells Ichiban that Nanba left soon after to go find his brother and make sure he's doing alright, though she asks if this means Nanba will be leaving for good soon. Ichiban can't blame him if he does, as he's completed his goal of finding his brother, but that's a discussion that can wait as they have Ogasawara to deal with. They go to Ogasawara and tell him that he better not try anything funny or he'll get punched.
First things first, Ichiban wants to know how Ogasawara fell in with the Omi Alliance. When Ogasawara doesn't answer right away, Joon-gi and Seonhee chide Ichiban for being too soft and threaten far worse punishment on Ogasawara for losing their home. Ogasawara says he has no control over the Omi- that power belongs to Aoki. He does not answer Adachi when he asks if Ogasawara knew Aoki by any other name, but he reacts with shock when Ichiban brings up Masato Arakawa. When Ichiban gives his relationship to Masato, he takes Ogasawara's silence as answer enough. Ogasawara then details his history with Aoki/Masato; they met twenty years ago in school, long after Masato had already adopted his Aoki personality (Ogasawara didn't learn the truth until years later). He was not wheelchair bound either, Ogasawara guessing he had some special treatment done to cure his ailment before he went to Harvard. He certainly had the money for it, which became one of the reasons why Ogasawara was drawn to Aoki in the first place. Ogasawara didn't realize just how rich Aoki was until they got back to Japan, or how deep his connections with the underworld were as well; any other man would have killed for that kind of power and wealth, but Aoki wanted more. He wanted the power to bend those the yakuza couldn't touch to his will, and for that he needed popularity, front-facing power.
Ichiban finds this dubious, but Ogasawara lays it out; in a democracy, the only way to gain power is to be more popular than the guy you're replacing. Criminal ties and vast wealth are more back-facing power, good to an extent but not absolute, and Aoki craved a seat where he could have all the front-facing power he wanted: the governorship of Tokyo. Ichiban wonders why since the Prime Minister is above the governor of Tokyo, but Ogasawara counters that the Prime Minister is ultimately a figurehead chosen by the Citizens' Liberal Party- to be governor of Tokyo is to personally win the hearts and minds of tens of millions of voters, and with that vote gain personal control of Tokyo's 14 trillion yen budget to do with as he pleases. Aoki wanted that power, and chose Ogasawara as his partner and Bleach Japan as his starting point on his path to the governorship.
Ichiban asks if Bleach Japan was Ogasawara's idea or Aoki's. Ogasawara explains that it was Aoki's- when he first heard it he thought it was a naive idea, but he went along with it anyway because (thanks to his connections with the yakuza) Aoki got good results at first, and good results wins political power. Ichiban compliments Masato on his ability to manipulate guys like Ogasawara to do his bidding before asking the captive to continue. Ogasawara says that in the early days they got written off as another student advocacy group, something that would last for a short time and then fade into nothing. But Aoki knew that preaching about eliminating corruption and "making things fair" were winning slogans, so he stuck it out for the long run. Bleach Japan specially catered to the easily impressed who could jump onto the fad, even hiring women to balance their gender ratios and bring in more easy converts (Kume being an example of that). In time Bleach Japan began to spread across the nation, and their expansion came with an added bonus- it helped draw out corrupt politicians of all stripes, and a little cash and blackmail to get them to change their tunes was always helpful for the cause. When Saeko asks, Ogasawara states the Bleach Japan has about 500 permanent staff spread across the nation, and nearly 100,000 demonstrators that take part in their marches.
Ogasawara decides to ask Ichiban a question: he's ex-Arakawa, so what's he doing in Ijincho? With a word Ogasawara could get Aoki to welcome him back into the clan, so why is he throwing his lot in with the Ijin Three? Ichiban corrects Ogasawara that he doesn't want back in the Arakawa Clan and he's not working with the Ijin Three- all he wants is to find the man who killed Nonomiya, and doesn't have any knowledge or interest in the larger politics at play. The way he sees it, someone wanted to start a fight and he answered, and Ichiban believes that someone is Ogasawara (which shuts the politician up for the moment).
Ichiban continues the interrogation, asking what the next step is after Bleach Japan. Ogasawara says that Phase Two was courting the media, with Aoki inviting reporters from across Japan to come and see what he was doing. His popularity skyrocketed with the attention, and he even made it on a few talk shows here and there. Ichiban asks if Aoki's "winning smile" was really that important, which Ogasawara counters by saying image is everything- not just saying good things, but looking good while doing it helps to win over more people. In 2010 he ran for the House of Councillors, publicly proclaiming his intention to leave Bleach Japan and become actively involved in politics. With the Citizens' Liberal Party's endorsement Aoki won a landslide election. He followed that up two years ago with his run for governor, where he was so far ahead in the polls he didn't need to worry about funding or even campaigning much. All the while the Arakawa Family dug up every dirty secret on his opponents they could find, all but fixing the elections to turn out a win for Aoki. Six months later, Aoki launched the Kamurocho 3K plan and wiped out the Tojo Clan, to much rejoicing from the people of Tokyo. Adachi asks if that happened around the same time the picture of him an Horinouchi was taken, which Ogasawara confirms. Adachi goes on to say Aoki merely replaced the Tojo with the Omi, which Ogasawara does not deny before saying that in the end society didn't care if it was one group of thugs patrolling the streets or another, allowing the Omi to quietly take the Tojo throne.
Adachi counters that while society might not care, the police certainly would- Did they really just sit around and let the Omi take Kamurocho? Ogasawara says they had a reason to do so; the power vacuum the Tojo Clan left behind allowed dozens of smaller gangs and criminals to swoop in and start causing trouble, and with their lack of central organization the police struggled to keep things under control. With the Omi stepping in, the police had a back channel to Arakawa and Aoki to help maintain order. Adachi presses on and asks Ogasawara if that means Horinouchi has been taking bribes from the Omi and Aoki, but Ogasawara maintains that he's just a puppet and Aoki doesn't tell him everything. After Ichiban gets Adachi to calm down, he asks Ogasawara what Aoki's next step is and why is he pushing into Ijincho. Ogasawara says it's not Ijincho Aoki is after- it's Ogikubo. Right now, he has the people and the media on his side, and the Cabinet has not ignored such power. Ogikubo, though, is the only one who has not bowed to Aoki, with Ichiban asking if maybe he's just out of Aoki's league. Ogasawara says under normal circumstances that would be true, but Aoki recognized that Ogikubo also had underworld connections as he had risen to power in much the same way, and he figured those connections were in Ijincho. Ichiban guesses Ogasawara was sent to Ijincho for that expressed purpose, baiting Mabuchi with a promise of Omi Alliance backing if he betrayed the Ijin Three (which Seonhee confirms). Ichiban asks if he was the one who ordered Mabuchi to kill Nonomiya, but Ogasawara says Mabuchi came up with that idea on his own and he never signed off on any murders. When Ichiban presses further, Ogasawara admits Aoki was the one who made the call- Ogasawara told the governor of the plan and prepared a backup because of the high risk, but Aoki signed off on the plan without any reservations. From there, Seonhee says, all they needed was for someone to start chiseling away at the Great Wall; in this case it was Ichiban, but anyone could have played the role and given Mabuchi the excuse he needed to attack the Seiryu. In the ensuing chaos, Ogasawara says, they would step in and find the secret to Ogikubo's power, eventually uncovering the counterfeiting operation with the help of Nanba.
Ichiban asks Seonhee what happens now. Seonhee says that with the counterfeiting operation destroyed, Ogikubo has lost his primary source of power and handed Ijincho to Aoki on a platter. Ogasawara tells them that Ijincho will suffer Kamurocho's fate and come under the influence of the Omi, and with no Great Wall of Muscle to stop them it will be a swift takeover. Just then another hobo comes running in yelling that the Omi are on their way; he only spotted five, but they were making calls for backup and will be at the camp at any moment. The Omi yakuza arrive soon after, the leader tossing a beaten Elder Bum to the ground while boasting about his ability to find information. Ogasawara calls for help, with the yakuza telling him to pass along to Sawashiro that they were the ones that rescued him. Ichiban and the others fight off the yakuza, but in the confusion they grab Ogasawara and help him escape. Ichiban apologizes to the Elder Bum for causing trouble, with the Elder Bum saying next time Ichiban kidnaps someone he better take them further away.
Seonhee gets a call from Chairman Hoshino, where she informs him that their surveillance system is down and will remain so until they can get a full assessment of the damage. She gets off the phone and tells Ichiban that the Seiryu has crushed their internal rebellion thanks to Captain Takabe, but Zhao has disappeared and the yakuza cannot reach him. Ichiban brings up that Zhao was the one who sent them to protect the Geomijul, and if the Ijin Three are to survive the Omi attack they need a guy like him on their side. Neither Adachi or Saeko are thrilled with the idea of going into a coup to rescue people, but they agree to join Ichiban as it all aligns with their own goals. Ichiban even convinces Seonhee to lend her aid. Nanba, though, returns and says that they should just forget about Zhao and Ijincho; Ichiban keeps playing the role of nice guy hero, and those kind of guys get played by cons like Nanba all the time. Ichiban, though, doesn't see himself being played, but Nanba says that if he keeps working with the likes of the Ijin Three Ichiban will end up just like him, forever tainted by association. Ichiban counters by saying it's not just him- all of Ijincho has been caught up in Aoki and Ogikubo's power struggle, and as he still considers Aoki his brother it's become somewhat personal for him. Ichiban throws the good guy label back at Nanba, pointing out how he's trying to talk Ichiban out of something dangerous, and while Nanba protests that they are not friends Ichiban persists in the label. Ichiban goes on to say that all four of them are alike, just people wanting to cut through the lies and find out the truth. Nanba, though, decides to cut his losses and leave, but Ichiban feels they'll meet again soon and sends him on his way.
With that settled, Ichiban says they should head out to save Zhao. Joon-gi, though, steps in and asks Seonhee to stay out of it; with the Geomijul on the backfoot, they need her leadership to help stabilize the organization. Seonhee reluctantly agrees, though she orders Joon-gi to join Ichiban and assist him in his adventures. Seonhee tells Ichiban that if it weren't for him, they wouldn't have been able to fulfil their orders from Ogikubo, and for that she's grateful and promises her support for Ichiban's path. With that she leaves, Joon-gi telling Ichiban that Zhao was last spotted at his restaurant before they head out as well.
The party arrives in Restaurant Row and finds a welcoming committee of thugs waiting for them. Ichiban asks if they could pass and go help Zhao, but Zheng steps out of the crowd and tells him things have changed. After filling Joon-gi in on Zheng and his armpit fetish, Ichiban asks what Zheng means by Zhao no longer being in control. Zheng says Mabuchi has taken over and placed a one hundred million yen bounty on each of Ichiban's friends, and he and his men are here to collect on that bounty. Zheng and his men attack, but Ichiban and company are able to defeat the Chinese. Zheng tries to flee, but Saeko cuts off his escape and allows the others time to surround Zheng. Ichiban asks Zheng where Zhao is, with Zheng saying Mabuchi is holding him prisoner in Qing Jin, Zhao's restaurant. Mabuchi is trying to get Zhao to give up all his hidden assets, and who knows what exactly he's doing to the Liumang leader to try and force his cooperation. With that information the heroes continue onward, fighting off a few attacks from the Liumang before they reach Qing Jin.
Inside, the manager of Qing Jin refuses their request to speak with Zhao before setting more Liumang soldiers on them. Ichiban and his friends fight their way through the Chinese in search of Zhao. They eventually find their way to the VIP room, where they find a live tiger watching over them in a nearby cage. The manager says that's part of the VIP experience, watching a tiger feast while the guests eat their own meals. Ichiban calls the guy sick before they attack the manager, beating him down with their combined efforts. However, with his last bit of strength the manager unleashes the tiger, and Ichiban and his friends have to pull out all stops to defeat the beast.
After defeating the tiger, Ichiban and company push further into Qing Jin. Inside they find Mabuchi and his men, watched over by Ishioda, Tendo, and a collection of Omi associates. Ichiban greets Mabuchi and asks where Zhao is, with Mabuchi saying Zhao is still in the building for now, though his time on this Earth will be short. Ishioda asks if Mabuchi needs a hand, with Mabuchi replying that he can take care of Ichiban on his own. As they talk, Joon-gi warns Ichiban that the men with Mabuchi are among the Liumang elite, and if they have the Omi backing them up they're in for a tough fight. Tendo asks who Ichiban is, and when Ichiban fires the same question back Tendo replies he's a man frustrated that Arakawa took the seat he felt was rightfully his. Adachi identifies Tendo for Ichiban while Mabuchi tells his guests to sit back and watch the show, promising Ichiban that he'll take his sweet time in killing him once they're done here.
The two groups fight, but Ichiban defeats Mabuchi and his assassins. He then turns to the Omi and declares they're next, but Tendo is unimpressed. The former boxer gets up and says a champion has no business fighting an exhausted dog, though as he and his men depart he does say things are starting to get interesting and he's looking forward to getting his hands dirty again. Ishioda has no such reservations, and as he and his men get ready to attack Ichiban and Saeko ask if Joon-gi has any last trick up his sleeve. He does, sort of- Nanba arrives to lend his aid to Ichiban, much to the latter's joy. Ishioda asks if this is another betrayal, but Nanba says now he's picking Ichiban's side for good. Ishioda and his men attack, but with Nanba providing some extra muscle Ichiban is able to triumph over the yakuza once again.
With Ishioda down for the count, Ichiban goes to Nanba and formally welcomes him back to the team. Nanba asks if they're still friends, which Ichiban happily confirms and gives Nanba a good handshake. Nanba goes to Joon-gi and says his brother mentioned the Geomijul treated him well- so well, in fact, that when Ichiban asks of the Koreans should be apologizing Nanba says his brother intends to marry the girl who was made his caretaker while he was there. Ichiban then remembers they've got to go save Zhao, but fortunately the man himself stumbles into the room. When Ichiban asks if he broke out on his own, Zhao says he had help before asking Ichiban (and only Ichiban) to follow him. On their way, Ichiban asks who rescued Zhao, but Zhao says his rescuer was not one for talking; all he knows is that he's Omi Alliance. The figure steps out of the shadows, revealing himself to be Ichiban's old friend Mitsuo. Ichiban is happy to see Mitsuo and says they have a lot to catch up on, with Mitsuo saying he's been through a lot in the years since Ichiban went to prison. He himself can't be seen here, as he'll be executed by the Omi if someone finds out- all he can say for now is that Arakawa is getting close to his endgame, and he'll need all the help he can get. With that Mitsuo departs, and Zhao escorts Ichiban and his friends out of Qing Jin.
Outside, Ichiban asks what will happen to the Liumang now. Zhao says Mabuchi wrecked the organization but good with his coup, and with the Great Wall of Muscle weakened there's little they can do to stop the Omi Alliance. Zhao himself is in a rough way, so he tells Ichiban he plans to step down from his leadership role for now. When Ichiban asks who he pans to give the Liumang to, Zhao says he plans to ask Seonhee to take over. The Ijin three need to support each other however they can, and while some will probably grumble about it such a restructuring will be for the best of Ijincho. Ichiban is impressed that Zhao seems to be thinking of the Koreans along with the Liumang, and while Zhao tries to downplay it he does say the Ijin Three owe Ichiban a great debt. Ichiban is thankful and makes plans to speak with Chairman Hoshino (so he can find out how he knew of the fake bill's origins), with Zhao telling him to send the Chairman his regards.
Ichiban goes to Chairman Hoshino's office, the old yakuza inviting him in and thanking him for the great service he performed that day. Hoshino tells Ichiban that about 20-30% of his men have defected to the Omi, and most of the remainder are still angry about the revelations (which he honestly can't blame them for). Ichiban tells him about Zhao's plan to turn the Liumang over to Seonhee, and Hoshino says that sooner or later the Seiryu will fall to the Omi; without the Great Wall, the people of the gray zones have no one else to turn to, and will likely choose the path to security over their independence. Furthermore, Aoki has already started circulating rumors that Ogikubo has lost the source of his power, and Hoshino has to compliment the governor on his manipulation skill. If word got out that Ogikubo was forging money for decades, the entire Citizens' Liberal Party would go down with him- most likely Aoki will take his place and use the threat to blackmail Ogikubo into silence, thus making himself head of the party. Ichiban asks if that's really a big position, and Hoshino says that if he's chairman Aoki would be able to nominate any candidate of his choosing to a seat in government, and with control of the majority party comes control of the entire country. When Ichiban asks what exactly the plan is, Hoshino guesses Aoki will dissolve Parliament.
Meanwhile, Aoki is shown presenting that same plan to the Prime Minister. With his power and resources, Aoki promises a two thirds majority, at minimum, and Bleach Japan's wide popularity means they can shore up areas where the Citizens' Liberal Party is weakest. The Prime Minister is skeptical, and Aoki threatens to have Ogikubo's crimes broadcast to the public if they don't go through with his plan- will the Prime Minister be able to maintain control over the party with that kind of scandal? The Prime Minister tries to argue that there's no precedent for having the governor of Tokyo also be the party chair and that Aoki's too young, but he cannot come up with a rebuttal when Aoki challenges him to name someone who could oppose him.
Hoshino tells Ichiban that its really coincidence that Ichiban ended up mixed into everything, but he doesn't think it was chance that Ichiban ended up in Ijincho in the first place. He asks if Ichiban still has the fake bill, and when Ichiban pulls it out Hoshino says there's only one person on Earth that should have that bill: Masumi Arakawa. Ichiban is confused as Arakawa was the man who shot him, but Hoshino posits the question of what if Arakawa shot Ichiban with the intention of him ending up in Ijincho? The fake bill was intended as his letter of introduction to Hoshino, to let the Chairman know that Ichiban was one of Arakawa's men. Ichiban thinks that's a bit over the top, but Hoshino guesses that Arakawa's goals might not align with Aoki's ambition. He doesn't know what that is, but if he used the fake bill then it must be something serious. Ichiban asks how Hoshino knows Arakawa, and Hoshino tells him that is a long story that needs a change of scenery: Heian Tower. Hoshino says he'll meet Ichiban there for lunch the next day, and then he will explain everything.
The next day, Ichiban heads downstairs from his room at Survive and runs into Nanba. Nanba has a question for Ichiban; they first met when Ichiban was bleeding out from being shot, but it was the Elder Bum and a few others who roused Nanba to treat Ichiban. Why would they care for some random yakuza who was left for dead in a dumpster? Ichiban says you don't need a motive to rescue a dying man, but Nanba says if he was another hobo he wouldn't have raised any concerns. A yakuza, though? Why didn't the Elder Bum or one of the others take him to a hospital or call an ambulance and thus avoid getting caught up in gang politics? Nanba guesses the Elder Bum had some deeper reason for helping Ichiban, which might relate to what Hoshino said about Ichiban not being here by chance. Nanba suggests that, if he has time before meeting with Hoshino, he should speak with the Elder Bum about the matter.
They approach the Elder Bum, and Nanba asks why he didn't abandon Ichiban. The Elder Bum says that it's a responsibility that other chiefs of the homeless have been entrusted to in the past: they dispose of corpses dropped off by the Arakawa family in exchange for money. Ichiban guesses the system was in place back when the Arakawa Family was still in the Tojo Clan, with the Elder Bum saying it was in place even before he was around. They've disposed of all kinds of corpses, burying them in the landfills and trash heaps around Ijincho. He has no idea how many they've buried (back in the 80s they were up to one corpse a month), but he's personally overseen three since he became chief. But if they got a live one, they had an even more secret rule: they were to save them, pretend they bit the dust, and let them go free. Nanba asks why, and the Elder Bum says there's a lot of reasons why someone would want to fake their death: crushing debt, targeted by criminals, that sort of thing. They get sent here by the Arakawa family (presumably for a nice profit), and the hobos do what is needed to send them on their way. Ichiban asks if that rule was why he was saved, and the Elder Bum says yes. He doesn't know the exact nature of the men that brought him here; they just unloaded Ichiban, paid their fee, and departed without a word. Ichiban reflects on that night Arakawa shot him, and remembers that Arakawa said something else: "I'm counting on you, Ichi". He's not sure what that means, but he's sure he didn't dream it while he was injured. Nanba tells Ichiban that he can believe what he wants, but he personally can't trust Arakawa seeing as Ichiban was a hair's breath away from dying when he arrived in Ijincho. Ichiban thinks more, thinking that maybe Arakawa had to shoot Ichiban to save face at that meeting.
After talking with the Elder Bum, Ichiban goes to Heian Tower to meet with Chairman Hoshino. He sits down and asks Hoshino again how he knows Arakawa. Hoshino says the counterfeiting operation started up shortly after World War II, and was so secret only the top brass and a select few others of the Seiryu and the Liumang knew of its existence. Outside of that group, though, they hired smugglers to get the bills to their final destinations, one of whom was a travelling actor named Toshio Arakawa, Masumi's father. Then one day he reported he lost a suitcase with a hundred million fake yen inside, and the Seiryu had to make an example of him for the other smugglers. But since the counterfeiting operation was so secret they couldn't just delegate it to some low-ranked grunt, Hoshino (the heir apparent of the Clan) was sent out to complete the hit. Hoshino had no idea Toshio's son was with him until he struck, so he had to commit to killing the man and forcing Masumi to find the aftermath. It was only later that Hoshino learned that Arakawa's mother and her boyfriend were the true culprits behind the lost money, and they got a one way trip to the bottom of the ocean.
With their leader dead the theater troupe disbanded, and Arakawa became a drifter until he reached Kamurocho and joined the yakuza. He joined the Hikawa family, a low-level group that was eager to carry out hits and thus had a high need of body disposal. Arakawa was placed on disposal duty, which is how he built his relationship with the homeless of Ijincho, but Hoshino tells Ichiban that Arakawa used that as an excuse to come to Ijincho and hunt for the man who killed his father. While in Ijincho Arakawa would look up yakuza and other lowlifes for information, with the only clue he had being the face of the waiter that he passed the night his father died. Then, seven years later, Hoshino received an invitation to Heian Tower from Arakawa; Hoshino didn't bother running and went to meet the younger man alone, fully prepared to be killed. Ichiban asks why, and Hoshino says in the yakuza there are no good ways to die, but letting a kid get justice for his father's murder seemed like the lesser of many evils.
Arakawa was seated in the exact same chair Ichiban is currently sitting in, twenty years old and already a hardened killer. Figuring he was a dead man, Hoshino told him everything surrounding Toshio's death, even information about the counterfeiting operation. Arakawa could have shot Hoshino dead at any time, but he patiently listened to the Chairman as he explained everything before getting up and making to leave. Hoshino asked Arakawa if he was going to kill him, but all Arakawa said was that it was a shame Hoshino took the invitation as he could have shot him in the back that way, and with that he was gone. Years later in 1984, when Arakawa was a patriarch and the 10,000 yen bill having replaced Prince Shotoku with Yukichi Fukuzawa, Hoshino sent Arakawa a present: a fresh batch of fake bills of the new make, a defective batch missing their backs. Ichiban asks why he would do that, with Hoshino saying it was out of debt and gratitude to Arakawa; Hoshino should have died the day the two met, but not only did Arakawa let him live he helped lift the weight of guilt resting on Hoshino's shoulders. In a way, the Ijin Three owe their stability to Arakawa, and if he ever felt that Hoshino did not deserve to live he could use those bills to destroy Ijincho without a second thought. Hoshino even wrote a message conveying that sentiment, "neither justice nor mercy should tip the scale", and as Ichiban looks closer he can see the faded message still etched into the yen.
So Ichiban shows up with one of these bills, and Hoshino accepts that it is a message from Arakawa to him. He also believes it means Arakawa still considers Ichiban part of his family. Hoshino asks Ichiban if he understands the gravity of Arakawa giving Ichiban one of those bills, which leads him to believe Arakawa did not want to shoot Ichiban dead back in Kamurocho, but shot him so he would live and seek out Hoshino in Ijincho. Ichiban is touched and thanks Hoshino, saying that's what his friends have been telling him and he believes he can trust Hoshino fully, and now his faith in Arakawa has increased dramatically. Hoshino asks if Ichiban is Arakawa's son by blood, and when Ichiban says no Hoshino comments that he must be proud to have such loyal men in his ranks.
First things first, Ichiban wants to know how Ogasawara fell in with the Omi Alliance. When Ogasawara doesn't answer right away, Joon-gi and Seonhee chide Ichiban for being too soft and threaten far worse punishment on Ogasawara for losing their home. Ogasawara says he has no control over the Omi- that power belongs to Aoki. He does not answer Adachi when he asks if Ogasawara knew Aoki by any other name, but he reacts with shock when Ichiban brings up Masato Arakawa. When Ichiban gives his relationship to Masato, he takes Ogasawara's silence as answer enough. Ogasawara then details his history with Aoki/Masato; they met twenty years ago in school, long after Masato had already adopted his Aoki personality (Ogasawara didn't learn the truth until years later). He was not wheelchair bound either, Ogasawara guessing he had some special treatment done to cure his ailment before he went to Harvard. He certainly had the money for it, which became one of the reasons why Ogasawara was drawn to Aoki in the first place. Ogasawara didn't realize just how rich Aoki was until they got back to Japan, or how deep his connections with the underworld were as well; any other man would have killed for that kind of power and wealth, but Aoki wanted more. He wanted the power to bend those the yakuza couldn't touch to his will, and for that he needed popularity, front-facing power.
Ichiban finds this dubious, but Ogasawara lays it out; in a democracy, the only way to gain power is to be more popular than the guy you're replacing. Criminal ties and vast wealth are more back-facing power, good to an extent but not absolute, and Aoki craved a seat where he could have all the front-facing power he wanted: the governorship of Tokyo. Ichiban wonders why since the Prime Minister is above the governor of Tokyo, but Ogasawara counters that the Prime Minister is ultimately a figurehead chosen by the Citizens' Liberal Party- to be governor of Tokyo is to personally win the hearts and minds of tens of millions of voters, and with that vote gain personal control of Tokyo's 14 trillion yen budget to do with as he pleases. Aoki wanted that power, and chose Ogasawara as his partner and Bleach Japan as his starting point on his path to the governorship.
Ichiban asks if Bleach Japan was Ogasawara's idea or Aoki's. Ogasawara explains that it was Aoki's- when he first heard it he thought it was a naive idea, but he went along with it anyway because (thanks to his connections with the yakuza) Aoki got good results at first, and good results wins political power. Ichiban compliments Masato on his ability to manipulate guys like Ogasawara to do his bidding before asking the captive to continue. Ogasawara says that in the early days they got written off as another student advocacy group, something that would last for a short time and then fade into nothing. But Aoki knew that preaching about eliminating corruption and "making things fair" were winning slogans, so he stuck it out for the long run. Bleach Japan specially catered to the easily impressed who could jump onto the fad, even hiring women to balance their gender ratios and bring in more easy converts (Kume being an example of that). In time Bleach Japan began to spread across the nation, and their expansion came with an added bonus- it helped draw out corrupt politicians of all stripes, and a little cash and blackmail to get them to change their tunes was always helpful for the cause. When Saeko asks, Ogasawara states the Bleach Japan has about 500 permanent staff spread across the nation, and nearly 100,000 demonstrators that take part in their marches.
Ogasawara decides to ask Ichiban a question: he's ex-Arakawa, so what's he doing in Ijincho? With a word Ogasawara could get Aoki to welcome him back into the clan, so why is he throwing his lot in with the Ijin Three? Ichiban corrects Ogasawara that he doesn't want back in the Arakawa Clan and he's not working with the Ijin Three- all he wants is to find the man who killed Nonomiya, and doesn't have any knowledge or interest in the larger politics at play. The way he sees it, someone wanted to start a fight and he answered, and Ichiban believes that someone is Ogasawara (which shuts the politician up for the moment).
Ichiban continues the interrogation, asking what the next step is after Bleach Japan. Ogasawara says that Phase Two was courting the media, with Aoki inviting reporters from across Japan to come and see what he was doing. His popularity skyrocketed with the attention, and he even made it on a few talk shows here and there. Ichiban asks if Aoki's "winning smile" was really that important, which Ogasawara counters by saying image is everything- not just saying good things, but looking good while doing it helps to win over more people. In 2010 he ran for the House of Councillors, publicly proclaiming his intention to leave Bleach Japan and become actively involved in politics. With the Citizens' Liberal Party's endorsement Aoki won a landslide election. He followed that up two years ago with his run for governor, where he was so far ahead in the polls he didn't need to worry about funding or even campaigning much. All the while the Arakawa Family dug up every dirty secret on his opponents they could find, all but fixing the elections to turn out a win for Aoki. Six months later, Aoki launched the Kamurocho 3K plan and wiped out the Tojo Clan, to much rejoicing from the people of Tokyo. Adachi asks if that happened around the same time the picture of him an Horinouchi was taken, which Ogasawara confirms. Adachi goes on to say Aoki merely replaced the Tojo with the Omi, which Ogasawara does not deny before saying that in the end society didn't care if it was one group of thugs patrolling the streets or another, allowing the Omi to quietly take the Tojo throne.
Adachi counters that while society might not care, the police certainly would- Did they really just sit around and let the Omi take Kamurocho? Ogasawara says they had a reason to do so; the power vacuum the Tojo Clan left behind allowed dozens of smaller gangs and criminals to swoop in and start causing trouble, and with their lack of central organization the police struggled to keep things under control. With the Omi stepping in, the police had a back channel to Arakawa and Aoki to help maintain order. Adachi presses on and asks Ogasawara if that means Horinouchi has been taking bribes from the Omi and Aoki, but Ogasawara maintains that he's just a puppet and Aoki doesn't tell him everything. After Ichiban gets Adachi to calm down, he asks Ogasawara what Aoki's next step is and why is he pushing into Ijincho. Ogasawara says it's not Ijincho Aoki is after- it's Ogikubo. Right now, he has the people and the media on his side, and the Cabinet has not ignored such power. Ogikubo, though, is the only one who has not bowed to Aoki, with Ichiban asking if maybe he's just out of Aoki's league. Ogasawara says under normal circumstances that would be true, but Aoki recognized that Ogikubo also had underworld connections as he had risen to power in much the same way, and he figured those connections were in Ijincho. Ichiban guesses Ogasawara was sent to Ijincho for that expressed purpose, baiting Mabuchi with a promise of Omi Alliance backing if he betrayed the Ijin Three (which Seonhee confirms). Ichiban asks if he was the one who ordered Mabuchi to kill Nonomiya, but Ogasawara says Mabuchi came up with that idea on his own and he never signed off on any murders. When Ichiban presses further, Ogasawara admits Aoki was the one who made the call- Ogasawara told the governor of the plan and prepared a backup because of the high risk, but Aoki signed off on the plan without any reservations. From there, Seonhee says, all they needed was for someone to start chiseling away at the Great Wall; in this case it was Ichiban, but anyone could have played the role and given Mabuchi the excuse he needed to attack the Seiryu. In the ensuing chaos, Ogasawara says, they would step in and find the secret to Ogikubo's power, eventually uncovering the counterfeiting operation with the help of Nanba.
Ichiban asks Seonhee what happens now. Seonhee says that with the counterfeiting operation destroyed, Ogikubo has lost his primary source of power and handed Ijincho to Aoki on a platter. Ogasawara tells them that Ijincho will suffer Kamurocho's fate and come under the influence of the Omi, and with no Great Wall of Muscle to stop them it will be a swift takeover. Just then another hobo comes running in yelling that the Omi are on their way; he only spotted five, but they were making calls for backup and will be at the camp at any moment. The Omi yakuza arrive soon after, the leader tossing a beaten Elder Bum to the ground while boasting about his ability to find information. Ogasawara calls for help, with the yakuza telling him to pass along to Sawashiro that they were the ones that rescued him. Ichiban and the others fight off the yakuza, but in the confusion they grab Ogasawara and help him escape. Ichiban apologizes to the Elder Bum for causing trouble, with the Elder Bum saying next time Ichiban kidnaps someone he better take them further away.
Seonhee gets a call from Chairman Hoshino, where she informs him that their surveillance system is down and will remain so until they can get a full assessment of the damage. She gets off the phone and tells Ichiban that the Seiryu has crushed their internal rebellion thanks to Captain Takabe, but Zhao has disappeared and the yakuza cannot reach him. Ichiban brings up that Zhao was the one who sent them to protect the Geomijul, and if the Ijin Three are to survive the Omi attack they need a guy like him on their side. Neither Adachi or Saeko are thrilled with the idea of going into a coup to rescue people, but they agree to join Ichiban as it all aligns with their own goals. Ichiban even convinces Seonhee to lend her aid. Nanba, though, returns and says that they should just forget about Zhao and Ijincho; Ichiban keeps playing the role of nice guy hero, and those kind of guys get played by cons like Nanba all the time. Ichiban, though, doesn't see himself being played, but Nanba says that if he keeps working with the likes of the Ijin Three Ichiban will end up just like him, forever tainted by association. Ichiban counters by saying it's not just him- all of Ijincho has been caught up in Aoki and Ogikubo's power struggle, and as he still considers Aoki his brother it's become somewhat personal for him. Ichiban throws the good guy label back at Nanba, pointing out how he's trying to talk Ichiban out of something dangerous, and while Nanba protests that they are not friends Ichiban persists in the label. Ichiban goes on to say that all four of them are alike, just people wanting to cut through the lies and find out the truth. Nanba, though, decides to cut his losses and leave, but Ichiban feels they'll meet again soon and sends him on his way.
With that settled, Ichiban says they should head out to save Zhao. Joon-gi, though, steps in and asks Seonhee to stay out of it; with the Geomijul on the backfoot, they need her leadership to help stabilize the organization. Seonhee reluctantly agrees, though she orders Joon-gi to join Ichiban and assist him in his adventures. Seonhee tells Ichiban that if it weren't for him, they wouldn't have been able to fulfil their orders from Ogikubo, and for that she's grateful and promises her support for Ichiban's path. With that she leaves, Joon-gi telling Ichiban that Zhao was last spotted at his restaurant before they head out as well.
The party arrives in Restaurant Row and finds a welcoming committee of thugs waiting for them. Ichiban asks if they could pass and go help Zhao, but Zheng steps out of the crowd and tells him things have changed. After filling Joon-gi in on Zheng and his armpit fetish, Ichiban asks what Zheng means by Zhao no longer being in control. Zheng says Mabuchi has taken over and placed a one hundred million yen bounty on each of Ichiban's friends, and he and his men are here to collect on that bounty. Zheng and his men attack, but Ichiban and company are able to defeat the Chinese. Zheng tries to flee, but Saeko cuts off his escape and allows the others time to surround Zheng. Ichiban asks Zheng where Zhao is, with Zheng saying Mabuchi is holding him prisoner in Qing Jin, Zhao's restaurant. Mabuchi is trying to get Zhao to give up all his hidden assets, and who knows what exactly he's doing to the Liumang leader to try and force his cooperation. With that information the heroes continue onward, fighting off a few attacks from the Liumang before they reach Qing Jin.
Inside, the manager of Qing Jin refuses their request to speak with Zhao before setting more Liumang soldiers on them. Ichiban and his friends fight their way through the Chinese in search of Zhao. They eventually find their way to the VIP room, where they find a live tiger watching over them in a nearby cage. The manager says that's part of the VIP experience, watching a tiger feast while the guests eat their own meals. Ichiban calls the guy sick before they attack the manager, beating him down with their combined efforts. However, with his last bit of strength the manager unleashes the tiger, and Ichiban and his friends have to pull out all stops to defeat the beast.
After defeating the tiger, Ichiban and company push further into Qing Jin. Inside they find Mabuchi and his men, watched over by Ishioda, Tendo, and a collection of Omi associates. Ichiban greets Mabuchi and asks where Zhao is, with Mabuchi saying Zhao is still in the building for now, though his time on this Earth will be short. Ishioda asks if Mabuchi needs a hand, with Mabuchi replying that he can take care of Ichiban on his own. As they talk, Joon-gi warns Ichiban that the men with Mabuchi are among the Liumang elite, and if they have the Omi backing them up they're in for a tough fight. Tendo asks who Ichiban is, and when Ichiban fires the same question back Tendo replies he's a man frustrated that Arakawa took the seat he felt was rightfully his. Adachi identifies Tendo for Ichiban while Mabuchi tells his guests to sit back and watch the show, promising Ichiban that he'll take his sweet time in killing him once they're done here.
The two groups fight, but Ichiban defeats Mabuchi and his assassins. He then turns to the Omi and declares they're next, but Tendo is unimpressed. The former boxer gets up and says a champion has no business fighting an exhausted dog, though as he and his men depart he does say things are starting to get interesting and he's looking forward to getting his hands dirty again. Ishioda has no such reservations, and as he and his men get ready to attack Ichiban and Saeko ask if Joon-gi has any last trick up his sleeve. He does, sort of- Nanba arrives to lend his aid to Ichiban, much to the latter's joy. Ishioda asks if this is another betrayal, but Nanba says now he's picking Ichiban's side for good. Ishioda and his men attack, but with Nanba providing some extra muscle Ichiban is able to triumph over the yakuza once again.
With Ishioda down for the count, Ichiban goes to Nanba and formally welcomes him back to the team. Nanba asks if they're still friends, which Ichiban happily confirms and gives Nanba a good handshake. Nanba goes to Joon-gi and says his brother mentioned the Geomijul treated him well- so well, in fact, that when Ichiban asks of the Koreans should be apologizing Nanba says his brother intends to marry the girl who was made his caretaker while he was there. Ichiban then remembers they've got to go save Zhao, but fortunately the man himself stumbles into the room. When Ichiban asks if he broke out on his own, Zhao says he had help before asking Ichiban (and only Ichiban) to follow him. On their way, Ichiban asks who rescued Zhao, but Zhao says his rescuer was not one for talking; all he knows is that he's Omi Alliance. The figure steps out of the shadows, revealing himself to be Ichiban's old friend Mitsuo. Ichiban is happy to see Mitsuo and says they have a lot to catch up on, with Mitsuo saying he's been through a lot in the years since Ichiban went to prison. He himself can't be seen here, as he'll be executed by the Omi if someone finds out- all he can say for now is that Arakawa is getting close to his endgame, and he'll need all the help he can get. With that Mitsuo departs, and Zhao escorts Ichiban and his friends out of Qing Jin.
Outside, Ichiban asks what will happen to the Liumang now. Zhao says Mabuchi wrecked the organization but good with his coup, and with the Great Wall of Muscle weakened there's little they can do to stop the Omi Alliance. Zhao himself is in a rough way, so he tells Ichiban he plans to step down from his leadership role for now. When Ichiban asks who he pans to give the Liumang to, Zhao says he plans to ask Seonhee to take over. The Ijin three need to support each other however they can, and while some will probably grumble about it such a restructuring will be for the best of Ijincho. Ichiban is impressed that Zhao seems to be thinking of the Koreans along with the Liumang, and while Zhao tries to downplay it he does say the Ijin Three owe Ichiban a great debt. Ichiban is thankful and makes plans to speak with Chairman Hoshino (so he can find out how he knew of the fake bill's origins), with Zhao telling him to send the Chairman his regards.
Ichiban goes to Chairman Hoshino's office, the old yakuza inviting him in and thanking him for the great service he performed that day. Hoshino tells Ichiban that about 20-30% of his men have defected to the Omi, and most of the remainder are still angry about the revelations (which he honestly can't blame them for). Ichiban tells him about Zhao's plan to turn the Liumang over to Seonhee, and Hoshino says that sooner or later the Seiryu will fall to the Omi; without the Great Wall, the people of the gray zones have no one else to turn to, and will likely choose the path to security over their independence. Furthermore, Aoki has already started circulating rumors that Ogikubo has lost the source of his power, and Hoshino has to compliment the governor on his manipulation skill. If word got out that Ogikubo was forging money for decades, the entire Citizens' Liberal Party would go down with him- most likely Aoki will take his place and use the threat to blackmail Ogikubo into silence, thus making himself head of the party. Ichiban asks if that's really a big position, and Hoshino says that if he's chairman Aoki would be able to nominate any candidate of his choosing to a seat in government, and with control of the majority party comes control of the entire country. When Ichiban asks what exactly the plan is, Hoshino guesses Aoki will dissolve Parliament.
Meanwhile, Aoki is shown presenting that same plan to the Prime Minister. With his power and resources, Aoki promises a two thirds majority, at minimum, and Bleach Japan's wide popularity means they can shore up areas where the Citizens' Liberal Party is weakest. The Prime Minister is skeptical, and Aoki threatens to have Ogikubo's crimes broadcast to the public if they don't go through with his plan- will the Prime Minister be able to maintain control over the party with that kind of scandal? The Prime Minister tries to argue that there's no precedent for having the governor of Tokyo also be the party chair and that Aoki's too young, but he cannot come up with a rebuttal when Aoki challenges him to name someone who could oppose him.
Hoshino tells Ichiban that its really coincidence that Ichiban ended up mixed into everything, but he doesn't think it was chance that Ichiban ended up in Ijincho in the first place. He asks if Ichiban still has the fake bill, and when Ichiban pulls it out Hoshino says there's only one person on Earth that should have that bill: Masumi Arakawa. Ichiban is confused as Arakawa was the man who shot him, but Hoshino posits the question of what if Arakawa shot Ichiban with the intention of him ending up in Ijincho? The fake bill was intended as his letter of introduction to Hoshino, to let the Chairman know that Ichiban was one of Arakawa's men. Ichiban thinks that's a bit over the top, but Hoshino guesses that Arakawa's goals might not align with Aoki's ambition. He doesn't know what that is, but if he used the fake bill then it must be something serious. Ichiban asks how Hoshino knows Arakawa, and Hoshino tells him that is a long story that needs a change of scenery: Heian Tower. Hoshino says he'll meet Ichiban there for lunch the next day, and then he will explain everything.
The next day, Ichiban heads downstairs from his room at Survive and runs into Nanba. Nanba has a question for Ichiban; they first met when Ichiban was bleeding out from being shot, but it was the Elder Bum and a few others who roused Nanba to treat Ichiban. Why would they care for some random yakuza who was left for dead in a dumpster? Ichiban says you don't need a motive to rescue a dying man, but Nanba says if he was another hobo he wouldn't have raised any concerns. A yakuza, though? Why didn't the Elder Bum or one of the others take him to a hospital or call an ambulance and thus avoid getting caught up in gang politics? Nanba guesses the Elder Bum had some deeper reason for helping Ichiban, which might relate to what Hoshino said about Ichiban not being here by chance. Nanba suggests that, if he has time before meeting with Hoshino, he should speak with the Elder Bum about the matter.
They approach the Elder Bum, and Nanba asks why he didn't abandon Ichiban. The Elder Bum says that it's a responsibility that other chiefs of the homeless have been entrusted to in the past: they dispose of corpses dropped off by the Arakawa family in exchange for money. Ichiban guesses the system was in place back when the Arakawa Family was still in the Tojo Clan, with the Elder Bum saying it was in place even before he was around. They've disposed of all kinds of corpses, burying them in the landfills and trash heaps around Ijincho. He has no idea how many they've buried (back in the 80s they were up to one corpse a month), but he's personally overseen three since he became chief. But if they got a live one, they had an even more secret rule: they were to save them, pretend they bit the dust, and let them go free. Nanba asks why, and the Elder Bum says there's a lot of reasons why someone would want to fake their death: crushing debt, targeted by criminals, that sort of thing. They get sent here by the Arakawa family (presumably for a nice profit), and the hobos do what is needed to send them on their way. Ichiban asks if that rule was why he was saved, and the Elder Bum says yes. He doesn't know the exact nature of the men that brought him here; they just unloaded Ichiban, paid their fee, and departed without a word. Ichiban reflects on that night Arakawa shot him, and remembers that Arakawa said something else: "I'm counting on you, Ichi". He's not sure what that means, but he's sure he didn't dream it while he was injured. Nanba tells Ichiban that he can believe what he wants, but he personally can't trust Arakawa seeing as Ichiban was a hair's breath away from dying when he arrived in Ijincho. Ichiban thinks more, thinking that maybe Arakawa had to shoot Ichiban to save face at that meeting.
After talking with the Elder Bum, Ichiban goes to Heian Tower to meet with Chairman Hoshino. He sits down and asks Hoshino again how he knows Arakawa. Hoshino says the counterfeiting operation started up shortly after World War II, and was so secret only the top brass and a select few others of the Seiryu and the Liumang knew of its existence. Outside of that group, though, they hired smugglers to get the bills to their final destinations, one of whom was a travelling actor named Toshio Arakawa, Masumi's father. Then one day he reported he lost a suitcase with a hundred million fake yen inside, and the Seiryu had to make an example of him for the other smugglers. But since the counterfeiting operation was so secret they couldn't just delegate it to some low-ranked grunt, Hoshino (the heir apparent of the Clan) was sent out to complete the hit. Hoshino had no idea Toshio's son was with him until he struck, so he had to commit to killing the man and forcing Masumi to find the aftermath. It was only later that Hoshino learned that Arakawa's mother and her boyfriend were the true culprits behind the lost money, and they got a one way trip to the bottom of the ocean.
With their leader dead the theater troupe disbanded, and Arakawa became a drifter until he reached Kamurocho and joined the yakuza. He joined the Hikawa family, a low-level group that was eager to carry out hits and thus had a high need of body disposal. Arakawa was placed on disposal duty, which is how he built his relationship with the homeless of Ijincho, but Hoshino tells Ichiban that Arakawa used that as an excuse to come to Ijincho and hunt for the man who killed his father. While in Ijincho Arakawa would look up yakuza and other lowlifes for information, with the only clue he had being the face of the waiter that he passed the night his father died. Then, seven years later, Hoshino received an invitation to Heian Tower from Arakawa; Hoshino didn't bother running and went to meet the younger man alone, fully prepared to be killed. Ichiban asks why, and Hoshino says in the yakuza there are no good ways to die, but letting a kid get justice for his father's murder seemed like the lesser of many evils.
Arakawa was seated in the exact same chair Ichiban is currently sitting in, twenty years old and already a hardened killer. Figuring he was a dead man, Hoshino told him everything surrounding Toshio's death, even information about the counterfeiting operation. Arakawa could have shot Hoshino dead at any time, but he patiently listened to the Chairman as he explained everything before getting up and making to leave. Hoshino asked Arakawa if he was going to kill him, but all Arakawa said was that it was a shame Hoshino took the invitation as he could have shot him in the back that way, and with that he was gone. Years later in 1984, when Arakawa was a patriarch and the 10,000 yen bill having replaced Prince Shotoku with Yukichi Fukuzawa, Hoshino sent Arakawa a present: a fresh batch of fake bills of the new make, a defective batch missing their backs. Ichiban asks why he would do that, with Hoshino saying it was out of debt and gratitude to Arakawa; Hoshino should have died the day the two met, but not only did Arakawa let him live he helped lift the weight of guilt resting on Hoshino's shoulders. In a way, the Ijin Three owe their stability to Arakawa, and if he ever felt that Hoshino did not deserve to live he could use those bills to destroy Ijincho without a second thought. Hoshino even wrote a message conveying that sentiment, "neither justice nor mercy should tip the scale", and as Ichiban looks closer he can see the faded message still etched into the yen.
So Ichiban shows up with one of these bills, and Hoshino accepts that it is a message from Arakawa to him. He also believes it means Arakawa still considers Ichiban part of his family. Hoshino asks Ichiban if he understands the gravity of Arakawa giving Ichiban one of those bills, which leads him to believe Arakawa did not want to shoot Ichiban dead back in Kamurocho, but shot him so he would live and seek out Hoshino in Ijincho. Ichiban is touched and thanks Hoshino, saying that's what his friends have been telling him and he believes he can trust Hoshino fully, and now his faith in Arakawa has increased dramatically. Hoshino asks if Ichiban is Arakawa's son by blood, and when Ichiban says no Hoshino comments that he must be proud to have such loyal men in his ranks.
Chapter 11: The Odds
The news reports that Ogikubo has stepped down due to illness, and without his support the Prime Minister has dissolved Parliament and called for new elections. Aoki is formally named the new chair of the Citizens' Liberal Party, a bold move that is sure to make waves in the political sphere. After the press conference Aoki goes to visit Ogikubo in the hospital, flaunting his victory to the older man. Ogikubo is not impressed, but Aoki is undeterred and continues to gloat about how a Bleach Japan candidate will be taking his place, mocking Ogikubo for how he dismissed Aoki as idealistic in the past and now he's losing power to that same idealist. He goes on to say he intends to destroy everything Ogikubo has built over the course of his career, once more taunting the older man to come and see what he has achieved when he gets out of the hospital.
Down in Ijincho, Zhao comes to check out the hideout at Survive. While they bicker over the size of the place, Saeko asks Joon-gi what the rest of his people will be doing for shelter. Joon-gi says that they will be working to restore the surveillance network in the Geomijul, but that will take some time. As for Zhao, he essentially forfeited his right to Qing Jin when he stepped down, so he figured he'd crash with Ichiban until he sorted things out. Ichiban asks if the police intervened to rein in Bleach Japan, but Zhao says quite the opposite has happened- Bleach Japan's popularity is through the roof thanks to the Geomijul raid. Moreover, the news is claiming that Ogasawara died in the fire started by the Geomijul, Joon-gi guessing the Omi killed him after they freed him from Ichiban so they could set Ogasawara up as a martyr for the cause. They can't go to the police and confess the truth in fear of the police silencing them, and Joon-gi suggests they start looking for other living arrangements before Bleach Japan comes for them. Ichiban, though, says he can't move on without hearing what Mitsuo and Arakawa have planned, and Adachi suggests they stock up on cash and supplies if they are going to be in for the long haul.
As Ichiban wanders around town, he gets a call from Hamako asking for help taking out some trash. He and his friends go to Hamako's "restaurant" and find that she's removed all the old futons and mattresses, and Ichiban notes the place looks deserted. Hamako says there's a good reason for that: she's closing up shop and all her girls have quit. Hamako hands Ichiban a pamphlet for the Ijincho Revitalization Shelter, a camp Bleach Japan set up in Hamakita Park to help girls from the nightlife industry get proper housing, training and visas. Ichiban asks if Bleach Japan is really going out of their way to do things like that, with Hamako saying they're going to be opening up facilities like this all over Japan soon, and are even planning on buying out Hamako to build another shelter. When Ichiban asks if that's bad for her, Hamako says she'll be fine as Bleach Japan wants her to oversee one of the shelters when it's finished. Nanba counters that she said she hated Bleach Japan, but Hamako replies her tune changed when Bleach Japan stopped protesting and started putting action behind their words. Hamako goes on to say that the shelters were actually Governor Aoki's idea, which has caused her to warm up to the man; Adachi and Nanba are convinced he's just fishing for votes and will drop the shelter idea when it's no longer convenient to him, but Hamako doesn't want to hear it. After all, Aoki was attentive enough to come and attend Ogasawara's funeral in town, so how bad can he be?
As Hamako goes to have a smoke, both Ichiban and Adachi express interest in speaking with Aoki. Nanba says they're nuts if they think they can get close to someone as popular as Aoki, but Saeko says that the funeral would be a perfect spot. Ichiban tells Hamako they'll come back later for the trash, and Saeko directs them to the funeral home where Nonomiya's service was held before they start off. They try to get through the crowd, but a man outside says the funeral is for family and Bleach Japan members only, so they'll have to wait until Aoki's finished with the eulogy and comes back outside. During the eulogy, Aoki all but names Kume as Ogasawara's successor in carrying out their work in Ijincho, and even sheds a few tears for the man he essentially ordered killed. After the funeral Aoki leaves with the press surrounding him, and Ichiban and friends can't break through the crowds. Ichiban suggests cutting Aoki off since he probably came by car instead of by train, with Saeko saying they should look for an underground parking lot (since celebrities often use those to keep away from the media). They go to the one that Saeko knows of, but all the elevators have been shut down on account of Aoki's arrival. However, Adachi does know of a secret elevator that leads to the garage... unfortunately, he was drunk when he found it and can't recall where the entrance was. But if he was drunk then he must have been near a bar, and with a little searching they find an elevator in such a building and head down to the lot.
Down in the lot, Ichiban and friends spot a group of security guards prepping for Aoki's return. When the governor shows up, Ichiban breaks cover and runs to him, but is stopped by the guards who tell him to leave. Ichiban continues to ask to see the governor, and during the confrontation the leading guard's accent slips, revealing him to be an Omi Alliance associate in disguise. When the man denies it, Adachi tricks the man into drawing a gun, which he notes is heavier hardware than most security guards would be carrying. The guard and his fellows decide to attack Ichiban's group to silence them, but Ichiban's team triumphs. However, during the fight Aoki's vehicle begins to pull away, and when Ichiban tries to follow one of the guards clobbers him with a baton before he can get too far. All is not lost, of Aoki's van circles back and the governor steps out, berating his guards for mistaking Ichiban's group for attacking thugs. Aoki helps Ichiban back to his feet, then pulls him in close and asks him to go to Otohime Land alone that night. He lets Ichiban go and apologizes once more for the inconvenience, and with that he leaves with his security detail. Once they're gone, Ichiban tells his friends about what Aoki said to him, and he intends to keep the promise and approach the governor alone. None of his party thinks that's a good idea, but since Ichiban's mind's been made up there's nothing they can do to stop him.
Ichiban goes to Otohime Land, with his friends giving him one last warning before he heads inside. Ichiban goes to the side room where Nonomiya was killed, with Aoki arriving soon after and taking a seat. Aoki guesses that Ichiban wants to know why he changed his name, got into politics, destroyed the Tojo Clan, and got out of his wheelchair. Ichiban affirms this, and Aoki begins his story. To answer the last question, he got a lung transplant in the U.S., literally buying himself a place in line with his father's money. But even with money there's only so much you can do with a yakuza father, and so "Masato Arakawa" had to be discarded so Aoki could erase his entire life until that point. He notes Ichiban doesn't seem impressed and asks why he doesn't want to congratulate him on becoming governor and Citizens' Liberal Party chair, but Ichiban says he can't say what he doesn't mean and asks if Aoki is even happy with all his power. Aoki counters that politics is a good life for him, and he doesn't need to use violence like the yakuza to get what he wants (and on top of that, the people love him for it). Ichiban asks if Aoki ordered Ogasawara killed, which Aoki dismisses as "risk management" as Ogasawara had probably told Ichiban every dirty secret Bleach Japan had. Ichiban protests that Ogasawara was his friend, but Aoki dismisses such concerns as when one has power, you have to decide when to sacrifice your so-called "friends", just like what Arakawa did to Ichiban twenty years ago. Ichiban swears that what he did was to protect the Arakawa Family from the fallout of Sawashiro killing Suzumori, but Aoki laughs it off and says that even if Ichiban did nothing, Sawashiro would never have been arrested.
Aoki takes Ichiban back to that night. After he abandoned Ichiban, the drugs Masato had taken started to wear off quicker than he had anticipated, leaving him stumbling about the streets trying to find his wheelchair. By the time he found it, he was literally crawling across the ground and passed out from exhaustion, which is where Suzumori found him. Mistaking him for a drunk, Suzumori began to harass Masato, but Masato acted defiant towards Suzumori and spit in the man's face. Suzumori dragged Masato over to the stairwell for a beating, but in desperation Masato pulled a gun on the yakuza. However, Suzumori called Masato's bluff and began taunting him, even putting the barrel to his head and goading Masato to take the shot. Masato initially couldn't, but as Suzumori's taunting grew worse he panicked and pulled the trigger just as the New Year's countdown hit zero, splattering Suzumori's brains across the wall while everyone else celebrated. Once the realization of what he did hit him, Masato called Sawashiro and explained what happened, and the rest is history.
Ichiban is shocked to learn that he was covering for Masato instead of Sawashiro. Aoki asks if Ichiban's faith in Arakawa has been shaken by the fact that he went to prison under false pretenses and then got abandoned when he was released, but Ichiban affirms he still trusts Arakawa. Aoki asks Ichiban to answer him this: why is he in Ijincho? Ichiban doesn't know, but says that no matter what he's going to pull himself up from Rock Bottom. Aoki notes Ichiban hasn't changed, and Ichiban himself is rather happy to see Aoki kept his word and didn't set him up for death. Aoki replies that killing Ichiban would be easy, but he won't do that on one condition: never come near him or Arakawa again. Ichiban has a counter offer for Aoki: pull his operation out of Ijincho and drop Kume as a candidate, as Kume has no business being in politics. Surprisingly, Aoki agrees; Kume is an idiot that couldn't win an election to save his life, but if he wins with Aoki's backing then it would make Aoki the greatest kingmaker in Japanese politics. Kume is just a tool to Aoki, and Ichiban guesses the Ijincho Revitalization Shelter and others like it are also tools to him. Aoki says yes, but for a much more useful purpose: they gather up all the undesirables he doesn't want in Japan in one place, and Aoki reveals they are actually processing camps with a one-way ticket to deportation. Ichiban is outraged by the deception, but Aoki points out that Ijincho is being revitalized by the deportations, so he technically didn't lie.
Ichiban takes this as negotiations having failed, but Aoki says they were never negotiating in the first place. He only spared Ichiban out of pity, but if he wants to play hardball that's fine by him. Aoki leaves, but when Ichiban runs after him he sees Sawashiro and a squad of Omi soldiers waiting for him. Sawashiro mocks Ichiban for being stupid enough to think Aoki was leveling with him, and when Ichiban tries to run upstairs he finds another group of Omi waiting for him. Cornered and outnumbered, it seems Ichiban has met his match, but then Nanba pulls Ichiban into a side room and they make their escape. Ichiban links up with his friends while Adachi blocks their escape route, and the four flee Otohime Land through a nearby alley. They are spotted by other yakuza, and have to fight their way through in order to escape back into Ijincho. Unfortunately, the delay allows Sawashiro and his men to catch up, and when Ichiban says it seems like a little much to kill one guy Sawashiro counters that he wants to make sure Ichiban stays dead before ordering his men to make it quick. One of his men, wielding a big tuna knife, expresses a great desire to dice up Ichiban, and Sawashiro tells him to make it quick before he departs.
Ichiban and his friends defeat the Omi, finishing with Ichiban causing the tuna knife wielder to faint when he pretends to chop his head off with the blade. Nanba and Saeko express disgust at the guy, with Ichiban warning them the Omi most likely has far worse guys in its ranks. Just then Hamako rushes up to Ichiban: one of her girls had left something at the brothel, but when Hamako went to return it she learned the girls were gone and the workers refused to help her. She begs Ichiban for his help, but he sadly informs her that they were most likely deported and reveals the truth about the Ijincho Revitalization Shelter. Hamako breaks down sobbing while Saeko goes to comfort her, with Ichiban telling her it's not her fault this happened. Saeko takes Hamako back to her restaurant to rest while the men brood over the new development, Adachi commenting that it seems like Ijincho is falling apart at the seams. Nanba says that maybe they should heed Joon-gi's advice and make a run for it, but Ichiban asks if any of them have a place for all of them to go. When none has an answer for that, Ichiban says then they have no choice but to stand and fight against Bleach Japan and the Omi- with their backs against the wall, they may have no chance but they have to try and pull it off. The others reaffirm their loyalty to Ichiban, even Nanba agreeing to fight alongside him, and with that they prepare for whatever is to come.
Down in Ijincho, Zhao comes to check out the hideout at Survive. While they bicker over the size of the place, Saeko asks Joon-gi what the rest of his people will be doing for shelter. Joon-gi says that they will be working to restore the surveillance network in the Geomijul, but that will take some time. As for Zhao, he essentially forfeited his right to Qing Jin when he stepped down, so he figured he'd crash with Ichiban until he sorted things out. Ichiban asks if the police intervened to rein in Bleach Japan, but Zhao says quite the opposite has happened- Bleach Japan's popularity is through the roof thanks to the Geomijul raid. Moreover, the news is claiming that Ogasawara died in the fire started by the Geomijul, Joon-gi guessing the Omi killed him after they freed him from Ichiban so they could set Ogasawara up as a martyr for the cause. They can't go to the police and confess the truth in fear of the police silencing them, and Joon-gi suggests they start looking for other living arrangements before Bleach Japan comes for them. Ichiban, though, says he can't move on without hearing what Mitsuo and Arakawa have planned, and Adachi suggests they stock up on cash and supplies if they are going to be in for the long haul.
As Ichiban wanders around town, he gets a call from Hamako asking for help taking out some trash. He and his friends go to Hamako's "restaurant" and find that she's removed all the old futons and mattresses, and Ichiban notes the place looks deserted. Hamako says there's a good reason for that: she's closing up shop and all her girls have quit. Hamako hands Ichiban a pamphlet for the Ijincho Revitalization Shelter, a camp Bleach Japan set up in Hamakita Park to help girls from the nightlife industry get proper housing, training and visas. Ichiban asks if Bleach Japan is really going out of their way to do things like that, with Hamako saying they're going to be opening up facilities like this all over Japan soon, and are even planning on buying out Hamako to build another shelter. When Ichiban asks if that's bad for her, Hamako says she'll be fine as Bleach Japan wants her to oversee one of the shelters when it's finished. Nanba counters that she said she hated Bleach Japan, but Hamako replies her tune changed when Bleach Japan stopped protesting and started putting action behind their words. Hamako goes on to say that the shelters were actually Governor Aoki's idea, which has caused her to warm up to the man; Adachi and Nanba are convinced he's just fishing for votes and will drop the shelter idea when it's no longer convenient to him, but Hamako doesn't want to hear it. After all, Aoki was attentive enough to come and attend Ogasawara's funeral in town, so how bad can he be?
As Hamako goes to have a smoke, both Ichiban and Adachi express interest in speaking with Aoki. Nanba says they're nuts if they think they can get close to someone as popular as Aoki, but Saeko says that the funeral would be a perfect spot. Ichiban tells Hamako they'll come back later for the trash, and Saeko directs them to the funeral home where Nonomiya's service was held before they start off. They try to get through the crowd, but a man outside says the funeral is for family and Bleach Japan members only, so they'll have to wait until Aoki's finished with the eulogy and comes back outside. During the eulogy, Aoki all but names Kume as Ogasawara's successor in carrying out their work in Ijincho, and even sheds a few tears for the man he essentially ordered killed. After the funeral Aoki leaves with the press surrounding him, and Ichiban and friends can't break through the crowds. Ichiban suggests cutting Aoki off since he probably came by car instead of by train, with Saeko saying they should look for an underground parking lot (since celebrities often use those to keep away from the media). They go to the one that Saeko knows of, but all the elevators have been shut down on account of Aoki's arrival. However, Adachi does know of a secret elevator that leads to the garage... unfortunately, he was drunk when he found it and can't recall where the entrance was. But if he was drunk then he must have been near a bar, and with a little searching they find an elevator in such a building and head down to the lot.
Down in the lot, Ichiban and friends spot a group of security guards prepping for Aoki's return. When the governor shows up, Ichiban breaks cover and runs to him, but is stopped by the guards who tell him to leave. Ichiban continues to ask to see the governor, and during the confrontation the leading guard's accent slips, revealing him to be an Omi Alliance associate in disguise. When the man denies it, Adachi tricks the man into drawing a gun, which he notes is heavier hardware than most security guards would be carrying. The guard and his fellows decide to attack Ichiban's group to silence them, but Ichiban's team triumphs. However, during the fight Aoki's vehicle begins to pull away, and when Ichiban tries to follow one of the guards clobbers him with a baton before he can get too far. All is not lost, of Aoki's van circles back and the governor steps out, berating his guards for mistaking Ichiban's group for attacking thugs. Aoki helps Ichiban back to his feet, then pulls him in close and asks him to go to Otohime Land alone that night. He lets Ichiban go and apologizes once more for the inconvenience, and with that he leaves with his security detail. Once they're gone, Ichiban tells his friends about what Aoki said to him, and he intends to keep the promise and approach the governor alone. None of his party thinks that's a good idea, but since Ichiban's mind's been made up there's nothing they can do to stop him.
Ichiban goes to Otohime Land, with his friends giving him one last warning before he heads inside. Ichiban goes to the side room where Nonomiya was killed, with Aoki arriving soon after and taking a seat. Aoki guesses that Ichiban wants to know why he changed his name, got into politics, destroyed the Tojo Clan, and got out of his wheelchair. Ichiban affirms this, and Aoki begins his story. To answer the last question, he got a lung transplant in the U.S., literally buying himself a place in line with his father's money. But even with money there's only so much you can do with a yakuza father, and so "Masato Arakawa" had to be discarded so Aoki could erase his entire life until that point. He notes Ichiban doesn't seem impressed and asks why he doesn't want to congratulate him on becoming governor and Citizens' Liberal Party chair, but Ichiban says he can't say what he doesn't mean and asks if Aoki is even happy with all his power. Aoki counters that politics is a good life for him, and he doesn't need to use violence like the yakuza to get what he wants (and on top of that, the people love him for it). Ichiban asks if Aoki ordered Ogasawara killed, which Aoki dismisses as "risk management" as Ogasawara had probably told Ichiban every dirty secret Bleach Japan had. Ichiban protests that Ogasawara was his friend, but Aoki dismisses such concerns as when one has power, you have to decide when to sacrifice your so-called "friends", just like what Arakawa did to Ichiban twenty years ago. Ichiban swears that what he did was to protect the Arakawa Family from the fallout of Sawashiro killing Suzumori, but Aoki laughs it off and says that even if Ichiban did nothing, Sawashiro would never have been arrested.
Aoki takes Ichiban back to that night. After he abandoned Ichiban, the drugs Masato had taken started to wear off quicker than he had anticipated, leaving him stumbling about the streets trying to find his wheelchair. By the time he found it, he was literally crawling across the ground and passed out from exhaustion, which is where Suzumori found him. Mistaking him for a drunk, Suzumori began to harass Masato, but Masato acted defiant towards Suzumori and spit in the man's face. Suzumori dragged Masato over to the stairwell for a beating, but in desperation Masato pulled a gun on the yakuza. However, Suzumori called Masato's bluff and began taunting him, even putting the barrel to his head and goading Masato to take the shot. Masato initially couldn't, but as Suzumori's taunting grew worse he panicked and pulled the trigger just as the New Year's countdown hit zero, splattering Suzumori's brains across the wall while everyone else celebrated. Once the realization of what he did hit him, Masato called Sawashiro and explained what happened, and the rest is history.
Ichiban is shocked to learn that he was covering for Masato instead of Sawashiro. Aoki asks if Ichiban's faith in Arakawa has been shaken by the fact that he went to prison under false pretenses and then got abandoned when he was released, but Ichiban affirms he still trusts Arakawa. Aoki asks Ichiban to answer him this: why is he in Ijincho? Ichiban doesn't know, but says that no matter what he's going to pull himself up from Rock Bottom. Aoki notes Ichiban hasn't changed, and Ichiban himself is rather happy to see Aoki kept his word and didn't set him up for death. Aoki replies that killing Ichiban would be easy, but he won't do that on one condition: never come near him or Arakawa again. Ichiban has a counter offer for Aoki: pull his operation out of Ijincho and drop Kume as a candidate, as Kume has no business being in politics. Surprisingly, Aoki agrees; Kume is an idiot that couldn't win an election to save his life, but if he wins with Aoki's backing then it would make Aoki the greatest kingmaker in Japanese politics. Kume is just a tool to Aoki, and Ichiban guesses the Ijincho Revitalization Shelter and others like it are also tools to him. Aoki says yes, but for a much more useful purpose: they gather up all the undesirables he doesn't want in Japan in one place, and Aoki reveals they are actually processing camps with a one-way ticket to deportation. Ichiban is outraged by the deception, but Aoki points out that Ijincho is being revitalized by the deportations, so he technically didn't lie.
Ichiban takes this as negotiations having failed, but Aoki says they were never negotiating in the first place. He only spared Ichiban out of pity, but if he wants to play hardball that's fine by him. Aoki leaves, but when Ichiban runs after him he sees Sawashiro and a squad of Omi soldiers waiting for him. Sawashiro mocks Ichiban for being stupid enough to think Aoki was leveling with him, and when Ichiban tries to run upstairs he finds another group of Omi waiting for him. Cornered and outnumbered, it seems Ichiban has met his match, but then Nanba pulls Ichiban into a side room and they make their escape. Ichiban links up with his friends while Adachi blocks their escape route, and the four flee Otohime Land through a nearby alley. They are spotted by other yakuza, and have to fight their way through in order to escape back into Ijincho. Unfortunately, the delay allows Sawashiro and his men to catch up, and when Ichiban says it seems like a little much to kill one guy Sawashiro counters that he wants to make sure Ichiban stays dead before ordering his men to make it quick. One of his men, wielding a big tuna knife, expresses a great desire to dice up Ichiban, and Sawashiro tells him to make it quick before he departs.
Ichiban and his friends defeat the Omi, finishing with Ichiban causing the tuna knife wielder to faint when he pretends to chop his head off with the blade. Nanba and Saeko express disgust at the guy, with Ichiban warning them the Omi most likely has far worse guys in its ranks. Just then Hamako rushes up to Ichiban: one of her girls had left something at the brothel, but when Hamako went to return it she learned the girls were gone and the workers refused to help her. She begs Ichiban for his help, but he sadly informs her that they were most likely deported and reveals the truth about the Ijincho Revitalization Shelter. Hamako breaks down sobbing while Saeko goes to comfort her, with Ichiban telling her it's not her fault this happened. Saeko takes Hamako back to her restaurant to rest while the men brood over the new development, Adachi commenting that it seems like Ijincho is falling apart at the seams. Nanba says that maybe they should heed Joon-gi's advice and make a run for it, but Ichiban asks if any of them have a place for all of them to go. When none has an answer for that, Ichiban says then they have no choice but to stand and fight against Bleach Japan and the Omi- with their backs against the wall, they may have no chance but they have to try and pull it off. The others reaffirm their loyalty to Ichiban, even Nanba agreeing to fight alongside him, and with that they prepare for whatever is to come.
Chapter 12: The End of the Yakuza
In a small restaurant on Restaurant Row, Zhao prepares a meal for Ichiban, Chairman Hoshino, and Seonhee. Once they've dug in, it's off to business: Kume has announced he is running for Parliament with Aoki's blessing, with Hoshino guessing there's any number of Bleach Japan leaders around the country doing much the same. Hoshino believes that the way things are going it won't be too long before Japan is under Aoki's thumb, with Zhao asking if he's already certain of Kume's win. Hoshino says it seems likely, given that Kume has Aoki's popularity at his back there's little to shake him now. Ijincho is the cornerstone in Aoki's plan to take over the Citizens' Liberal Party and thus Japan, and it all boils down to getting Kume to win. Ichiban is not going to take this lying down, though, and tries to rally the others to take on Aoki and prevent his takeover of Japan. Both Hoshino and Seonhee tell Ichiban to calm down, but Zhao thinks Ichiban has a point; they all live in the gray zones, and throwing in the towel now would be a betrayal for all those people they've helped in the past.
Ichiban and Zhao manage to win over Hoshino and Seonhee, but the question remains on what their first counter play should be. Ichiban thinks of a solution: ruin Aoki's reputation and make Kume lose the election. Hoshino asks how Ichiban is going to do that, and Ichiban admits he hadn't thought that far ahead. Seonhee suggests just capping Kume and calling it a day, but Zhao shoots that down as Aoki could just keep putting in lackeys to replace him until someone wins the election. That gives Ichiban an idea: they'll run their own candidate in the election and beat Kume at the ballot box, and with that loss Aoki's plans will be ruined. He asks Hoshino if he knows anyone who could run against Kume and by proxy against Aoki's reputation, but the Chairman doesn't have any ideas as Ogikubo was so dominant in local politics no serious candidate ever challenged him. He shoots down Ichiban's suggestion that he run as a yakuza couldn't win even in Ijincho, but he promises he'll keep an eye out for a proper candidate. Another problem is money, as they need a three million yen deposit to even enter the race. As the Ijin Three are strapped for cash, they entrust Ichiban to gather up the money.
Ichiban leaves the restaurant and roams the streets of Ijincho in search of the money needed for the election. While he's out and about, he gets a call from Mitsuo saying that Arakawa is heading to Sotenbori and needs his help. Ichiban tells his friends that night, saying they have to go to Osaka to help Arakawa. Saeko asks why, and when Ichiban admits he doesn't know why Adachi warns him he could be handing himself to the Omi on a silver platter (as that's their main base of operations). Ichiban knows that, but he has to help Arakawa and can't just sit idly. His friends resign themselves to following Ichiban, but Nanba asks what's going to happen to Ijincho in the meantime. Ichiban says he'll bring the money he collected to the Seiryu Clan, and though that doesn't solve their problem of having no candidate Ichiban trusts Hoshino will come through for him. He's initially reluctant to bring the others along, though, but Saeko and the others insist on following Ichiban into trouble so he doesn't have to stand alone.
Ichiban delivers the cash to Hoshino and asks how the hunt for a candidate is going. Hoshino admits he's had no luck, but he'll keep trying until he finds someone. Ichiban informs Hoshino that he will be leaving for Sotenbori as Arakawa needs him there, and Hoshino says he'd heard rumors of Arakawa's movements; apparently, Captain Masaru Watase is being released from prison soon, and as acting captain Arakawa needs to be there for his return. Apparently Watase and Arakawa have never met, and as a Kanto outsider Arakawa must tread carefully lest he doom himself in the eyes of the Omi captain. Ichiban asks if maybe that's what Arakawa needs his help with, and while Hoshino can't say for certain he does give Ichiban a warning- he needs to be careful too unless he wants to get shot again. Ichiban believes that he can trust Arakawa, and Hoshino admires Ichiban's loyalty and tenacity.
In Tokyo, Aoki asks Sawashiro if it's really necessary for Arakawa to personally go to Sotenbori. Sawashiro says that Arakawa needs to be there as a sign of good faith towards Watase, and Aoki asks why he was only now being informed of this development. Sawashiro says he himself only learned about the move recently and apologizes, and Aoki says they'll have to wait and see how the interaction between Watase and Arakawa will play out, as he's convinced his father is plotting something. Sawashiro isn't so sure about that, but Aoki reminds Sawashiro that the Omi Chairman is on his deathbed and they may be using Watase's release to formalize a transfer of power. If Watase is present for the transfer than he could have a long reign as Chairman of the Omi, but Aoki believes Arakawa might try to assassinate Watase and thus cement his own claim to power. Sawashiro doesn't believe Arakawa would do that, but Aoki reminds Sawashiro that it was Arakawa's idea to draw in the Omi after selling out the Tojo Clan, not his, and his power play netted him a comfy seat in the Omi hierarchy. If he decides to kill Watase it plays into Aoki's hand and gives him direct control of the Omi, but he can't help but feel something is off with the move- if he did plan on killing Watase, why didn't he let Aoki know beforehand? If he does, Aoki considers that a betrayal that must be dealt with, even if the perpetrator is family- he's come too far for his plans to fail because of one overly ambitious underling. He asks Sawashiro who he's truly loyal to, him or Arakawa, and Sawashiro says Arakawa instructed him to place Aoki above all others. With that settled, Aoki orders Sawashiro to keep tabs on Arakawa, and Sawashiro says he'll dispatch Tendo to Sotenbori as Arakawa seems to trust him.
As Tendo arrives in Sotenbori, Ichiban and company are hanging out in the Cabaret Grand while Ichiban waits for Mitsuo's call. While the others tell Ichiban to take a load off and relax, Ichiban tells them that this was why he wanted to come alone and decides to take a short walk. Nanba chases him down and asks what his problem is, and Ichiban says he's anxious to hear from Mitsuo about Arakawa's plans; there's got to be more to this than just prepping for Watase's release, but not knowing has got him on edge. Nanba says Ichiban is just being a pain in the ass before telling him what he's been hearing; apparently tensions have been rising since Arakawa showed up, with rumors he might start a war against Watase when the man is released from prison. Just then Ichiban gets a text... from Nick, who wants to show off the selfie he took with Kamulop. Angry at the interruption Ichiban calls Nick and tells him to not call him for a day or two as he's very busy, which earns a bit of taunting from Nanba. Adachi comes over and asks Ichiban why he doesn't just go to Omi HQ now and get it over with, as that might be the best way to protect Arakawa if a war does break out. Ichiban decides that's a good idea, and they go to make preparations for the coming struggle.
Ichiban and friends go to Omi HQ, where he calls Mitsuo and asks why he's late in reaching out to him. Mitsuo says the officers have had him organizing catering around the headquarters, but he is shocked when he learns Ichiban is already at HQ. Ichiban asks where Arakawa is, and Mitsuo tells Ichiban to wait a little longer so he can arrange a secret meeting between the two. Ichiban is tired of waiting, though, and he tells Mitsuo that he and his friends will disguise themselves as caterers so they can sneak in and meet with Arakawa. He ignores Mitsuo's protests and demands to know where in the building Arakawa is, with Mitsuo finally caving and telling him Arakawa is in a secret area called the Dragon Chamber with three guests. Ichiban thanks Mitsuo and hangs up, trying once more to dissuade his friends from following. The party refuses to let Ichiban go it alone, and after Zhao grabs some catering boxes they head inside. They almost make it all the way through until a small group of Omi soldiers stops them, asking where their escort is if they're trying to get into the Dragon Chamber. Ichiban tries playing dumb, but this just tips off the Omi soldiers and they are forced to fight. They defeat the Omi soldiers and do their best to hide the bodies, stashing them behind a stairwell before heading to the Dragon Chamber.
That is, until the hall is filled with cackling.
Down the stairs come two newcomers: a one-eyed man dressed in a snakeskin jacket and leather pants, and a giant brawler wearing a parka and camo. Both seem eager for a fight, and Ichiban is ready and able to give them one. Given their confidence and attire Zhao guesses they must be high ranking officers, but Ichiban has other questions- he's heard stories of a one-eyed madman in employ of the Tojo Clan, and if that's the same guy they're facing now what's he doing here in Omi HQ? The one-eyed man says that's a fascinating story, but he'll only get to hear it if Ichiban beats him in a fight. While his kyodai throws some shade on his fighting abilities, the one-eyed man is more than eager and leaps into the fray.
The two yakuza prove to be a far greater challenge than anything Ichiban has faced before, their skill and teamwork giving Ichiban and his friends a run for their money. After a protracted fight both officers are having a blast and trading banter with one another while Ichiban and his group are out of breath. Now, though, it's time for them to get serious, but before they can commit to Round 2 Arakawa steps out and tells both sides to stand down. He then introduces Ichiban to someone else of great importance: Daigo Dojima, Sixth Chairman of the Tojo Clan. Daigo greets Ichiban and introduces his two lieutenants, Taiga Saejima and Goro Majima, and while Majima whines about once again attacking an ally and ruining his fun Arakawa tells him he'll get all the fighting he needs tomorrow. Adachi and Nanba step between Ichiban and Arakawa and say they won't let him shoot Ichiban again, but Arakawa says there's no need to worry as he has no intention of shooting Ichiban. Adachi asks for proof of Arakawa's sincerity, and Arakawa invites them all into the Dragon Chamber to discuss the matter in private.
As they settle down in the Dragon Chamber, Arawaka explains that Daigo and his lieutenants have been laying low since the implementation of the Kamurocho 3K Plan- currently, they are the only one who know Daigo, Majima, and Saejima are in Omi HQ. Arakawa goes on to review what we know about the 3K plan, that it succeeded because Arakawa leaked info to Aoki and the police, but Ichiban notes Daigo's silence and guesses there's more to the story. Daigo says yes: he ordered Arakawa to leak the information, and Arakawa playing the traitor on Daigo's orders is what resulted in Ichiban getting shot. Ichiban asks what else Daigo is hiding, and Daigo and Awakawa decide to tell Ichiban and friends the whole story.
Shortly after he was elected governor, Aoki approached Arakawa and asked him to betray the Tojo Clan. When Arakawa refused, Aoki threatened to hit the family with every anti-yakuza law in the book until they collapsed. As he mulled on this, Sawashiro proposed cooperating with Aoki as it might lead the governor to overlook their operations and prosper while other yakuza were rounded up. Arakawa didn't agree immediately, and brought the issue to Daigo for his counsel as he believed that if he said no, Aoki would keep threatening yakuza families until someone cracked and turned traitor. Daigo says that if Arakawa didn't give up some info on the Tojo Clan, Aoki would have him arrested under false pretenses, saying that anti-yakuza laws are so broad nowadays that such a move would essentially render the gangs obsolete and turn the yakuza into nothing more than government attack dogs. That's what landed Watase in prison in the first place: one of his subordinates was fighting back against police harassment, and the captain was found guilty by association.
Which brings them to tomorrow: Watase will be released from prison and return to Omi HQ, and Daigo and his allies will be waiting. Ichiban asks if they're going to attack, but Daigo says they have something more productive in mind: him and Watase will disband the Tojo Clan and the Omi Alliance respectively, with Watase giving an official announcement upon his return. Unless he's had a change of heart during his prison stint Watase is of the same mind as Daigo on this, but Ichiban says that if they disband the clans then there's sure to be trouble. Arakawa agrees, which is where Ichiban and his friends come in; even if it comes from the top brass there will be members of both organizations that will disagree, so Daigo and Watase planned out their dissolution in great detail. Just breaking the news to the officers could start a mutiny, and with Watase in prison due to the 3K Plan the possibility of a coup rose dramatically. So they launched a two step plan to overcome this obstacle: first, make sure the 3K Plan succeeded by having Arakawa betray the Tojo and drive them out of Kamurocho, then have Arakawa invite the Omi to take Kamurocho and essentially split the largest yakuza organization in Japan in half. With the Omi stretched so thin, they won't be able to effectively counter Watase when he disbands them. Still, Watase and Daigo will be vulnerable, and they will need Ichiban and his friends to defend them long enough for the Omi resistance to die down so they can make the disbanding official. With their plan set in motion, the party returns to Sotenbori to rest for the coming day.
The next day they meet with Mitsuo outside the Grand, Mitsuo chiding Ichiban for his recklessness and getting into a fight with Majima and Saejima. Ichiban is unapologetic, and reaffirms that he'll stand by Arakawa no matter what happens. With the matter settled, he and his friends take a taxi over to Omi HQ to get ready before Watase arrives. Inside they find a small army of Omi officers waiting, and Tendo approaches Ichiban when he enters the main hall. It takes Ichiban a moment to recognize the Omi lieutenant, and Nanba says he's sure he's seen him from somewhere else before. Tendo asks what Ichiban is doing here, but Arakawa steps in and says Ichiban is a guest of his who has shown extreme loyalty to him in the past. Tendo is placated by Arakawa's vouching, but warns the acting captain that if Ichiban causes trouble Arakawa will be held responsible. As Ichiban goes to join Arakawa, Tendo tells him he's looking forward to seeing what happens today, with Ichiban saying it'll certainly turn the Omi on its head. As Tendo walks off, Nanba finally recalls where he's seen Tendo before: he followed Tendo's boxing career, and the man was blacklisted from the sport when he was caught fixing one of his matches and beat his conspirators to death when they failed to pay up.
Soon after, Watase's limo arrives, and the man is greeted to much applause when he enters the main hall. Cheer is soon replaced by confusion and anger when Watase gives his speech, apologizing for the Omi's crimes over the course of its existence and announcing the dissolution. As Ichiban and his friends join Majima, Saejima, and Arakawa in blocking the stage from the angry Omi officers, Daigo steps up and announces the Tojo Clan will disband alongside the Omi. Some officers try to storm the stage, but Saejima and Majima scare them off. The others remain defiant though, and Tendo approaches Ichiban and asks if this was the big event he was teasing. When Ichiban confirms it, Tendo turns around and joins Ichiban's group to fight against the Omi; as he puts it, a scrap like this only comes around once in a lifetime, and he wants to be on the side where he's likely to have the most fun. The two sides set, a brawl ensues.
Despite the skill arranged against them, the Omi officers have the weight in numbers and keep the heroes on their toes. One officer manages to slip past Ichiban, charging at Watase with a knife. The former Omi Alliance head is in no danger, though, for Kazuma Kiryu himself breaks cover and decks the Omi officer. While Majima and Saejima welcome the Dragon of Dojima back (and Watase feigns ignorance as to who he is), Kiryu looks to Ichiban and tells him he'll anchor the back while Ichiban takes care of the front. Pumped up by this newcomer that everyone seems to know and respect, Ichiban tears his shirt off and dives right back into the fray, and eventually the heroes triumph over the Omi officers. As Watase, Daigo, and their bodyguards depart (with Kiryu giving a nod of respect to Ichiban), Ichiban collapses in exhaustion and is greeted by Arakawa, who thanks Ichiban for his hard work that day.
While Daigo and Watase go to the police to finalize the disbanding of their respective clans, Ichiban returns to Ijincho. As it turns out, Nick was the man who had been sheltering Daigo and his lieutenants all this time, as when you're rich and bored you tend to meet so many interesting people. Ichiban is happy to hear it, telling Nick he intends to meet with Arakawa that night to catch up and he'll tell Nick about all the details. That night Ichiban and Arakawa meet at the docks, though Arakawa apologizes as he can't stay long; he's meeting with Chairman Hoshino later, and he's not going to let that Peking duck wait. Ichiban understands completely and says it was improper for him to invite Arakawa out in the first place, but Arakawa chide Ichiban by reminding him they're both civilians now so they can cut it out with the formalities. Ichiban asks if Sotenbori has calmed down since the fight, and Arakawa says there's still some lingering confusion from both the yakuza and the civilian population (only natural when a 100 year old institution ceases to exist overnight). Some of the Omi would naturally try to protest, but they failed to stop Watase and Daigo from submitting official paperwork and thus destroyed their reputation- starting a fight would only dig themselves deeper. Ichiban asks if Arakawa saw all this coming, but Arakawa says they just got lucky things turned out as they did and he's not a man who can predict the future. He goes on to say Masato is probably furious that Arakawa just undercut his most reliable source of muscle, yet another tantrum that Arakawa would normally be soft to. But now he can't afford to do that: Masato has tasted what it's like to gain more and more power, and if Arakawa doesn't stop him soon he'll destroy himself and lose everything he's worked to build over the years, and that's something Arakawa cannot allow to happen.
As Arakawa goes to meet with Hoshino, Ichiban stops him and asks what his plan is now. Arakawa says that Watase and Daigo are looking into a means to corral the former yakuza into legitimate work, and when the time comes he wants to be there to help. Ichiban asks if maybe they could go back to being a family again, as that was some of the happiest time of his life. Arakawa asks if he really means it after all he's put Ichiban through, but Ichiban says his loyalty to Arakawa helped carry him through. Arakawa counters that he's been nothing but trouble for Ichiban, but Ichiban says that if he feels guilty about anything he should let Ichiban serve him again. Moved to tears, Arakawa brings up the story of how Ichiban was born, saying he has had dreams about that night where Akane is in Shangri-La and Masato is born there. He tells Ichiban it's nothing to be ashamed of as he ended up with a good head on his shoulders, then asks if Ichiban would like to meet his parents someday. Ichiban admits he's gotten kind of used to not knowing who they were, and Arakawa dismisses his own concerns as just a dream before wishing Ichiban a good night. Ichiban bows to Arakawa and goes back to survive to rest.
That night, as Ichiban is sleeping, he gets a call from Chairman Hoshino: Arakawa was pulled from the harbor that morning, dead from a gunshot wound to the chest.
Ichiban and Zhao manage to win over Hoshino and Seonhee, but the question remains on what their first counter play should be. Ichiban thinks of a solution: ruin Aoki's reputation and make Kume lose the election. Hoshino asks how Ichiban is going to do that, and Ichiban admits he hadn't thought that far ahead. Seonhee suggests just capping Kume and calling it a day, but Zhao shoots that down as Aoki could just keep putting in lackeys to replace him until someone wins the election. That gives Ichiban an idea: they'll run their own candidate in the election and beat Kume at the ballot box, and with that loss Aoki's plans will be ruined. He asks Hoshino if he knows anyone who could run against Kume and by proxy against Aoki's reputation, but the Chairman doesn't have any ideas as Ogikubo was so dominant in local politics no serious candidate ever challenged him. He shoots down Ichiban's suggestion that he run as a yakuza couldn't win even in Ijincho, but he promises he'll keep an eye out for a proper candidate. Another problem is money, as they need a three million yen deposit to even enter the race. As the Ijin Three are strapped for cash, they entrust Ichiban to gather up the money.
Ichiban leaves the restaurant and roams the streets of Ijincho in search of the money needed for the election. While he's out and about, he gets a call from Mitsuo saying that Arakawa is heading to Sotenbori and needs his help. Ichiban tells his friends that night, saying they have to go to Osaka to help Arakawa. Saeko asks why, and when Ichiban admits he doesn't know why Adachi warns him he could be handing himself to the Omi on a silver platter (as that's their main base of operations). Ichiban knows that, but he has to help Arakawa and can't just sit idly. His friends resign themselves to following Ichiban, but Nanba asks what's going to happen to Ijincho in the meantime. Ichiban says he'll bring the money he collected to the Seiryu Clan, and though that doesn't solve their problem of having no candidate Ichiban trusts Hoshino will come through for him. He's initially reluctant to bring the others along, though, but Saeko and the others insist on following Ichiban into trouble so he doesn't have to stand alone.
Ichiban delivers the cash to Hoshino and asks how the hunt for a candidate is going. Hoshino admits he's had no luck, but he'll keep trying until he finds someone. Ichiban informs Hoshino that he will be leaving for Sotenbori as Arakawa needs him there, and Hoshino says he'd heard rumors of Arakawa's movements; apparently, Captain Masaru Watase is being released from prison soon, and as acting captain Arakawa needs to be there for his return. Apparently Watase and Arakawa have never met, and as a Kanto outsider Arakawa must tread carefully lest he doom himself in the eyes of the Omi captain. Ichiban asks if maybe that's what Arakawa needs his help with, and while Hoshino can't say for certain he does give Ichiban a warning- he needs to be careful too unless he wants to get shot again. Ichiban believes that he can trust Arakawa, and Hoshino admires Ichiban's loyalty and tenacity.
In Tokyo, Aoki asks Sawashiro if it's really necessary for Arakawa to personally go to Sotenbori. Sawashiro says that Arakawa needs to be there as a sign of good faith towards Watase, and Aoki asks why he was only now being informed of this development. Sawashiro says he himself only learned about the move recently and apologizes, and Aoki says they'll have to wait and see how the interaction between Watase and Arakawa will play out, as he's convinced his father is plotting something. Sawashiro isn't so sure about that, but Aoki reminds Sawashiro that the Omi Chairman is on his deathbed and they may be using Watase's release to formalize a transfer of power. If Watase is present for the transfer than he could have a long reign as Chairman of the Omi, but Aoki believes Arakawa might try to assassinate Watase and thus cement his own claim to power. Sawashiro doesn't believe Arakawa would do that, but Aoki reminds Sawashiro that it was Arakawa's idea to draw in the Omi after selling out the Tojo Clan, not his, and his power play netted him a comfy seat in the Omi hierarchy. If he decides to kill Watase it plays into Aoki's hand and gives him direct control of the Omi, but he can't help but feel something is off with the move- if he did plan on killing Watase, why didn't he let Aoki know beforehand? If he does, Aoki considers that a betrayal that must be dealt with, even if the perpetrator is family- he's come too far for his plans to fail because of one overly ambitious underling. He asks Sawashiro who he's truly loyal to, him or Arakawa, and Sawashiro says Arakawa instructed him to place Aoki above all others. With that settled, Aoki orders Sawashiro to keep tabs on Arakawa, and Sawashiro says he'll dispatch Tendo to Sotenbori as Arakawa seems to trust him.
As Tendo arrives in Sotenbori, Ichiban and company are hanging out in the Cabaret Grand while Ichiban waits for Mitsuo's call. While the others tell Ichiban to take a load off and relax, Ichiban tells them that this was why he wanted to come alone and decides to take a short walk. Nanba chases him down and asks what his problem is, and Ichiban says he's anxious to hear from Mitsuo about Arakawa's plans; there's got to be more to this than just prepping for Watase's release, but not knowing has got him on edge. Nanba says Ichiban is just being a pain in the ass before telling him what he's been hearing; apparently tensions have been rising since Arakawa showed up, with rumors he might start a war against Watase when the man is released from prison. Just then Ichiban gets a text... from Nick, who wants to show off the selfie he took with Kamulop. Angry at the interruption Ichiban calls Nick and tells him to not call him for a day or two as he's very busy, which earns a bit of taunting from Nanba. Adachi comes over and asks Ichiban why he doesn't just go to Omi HQ now and get it over with, as that might be the best way to protect Arakawa if a war does break out. Ichiban decides that's a good idea, and they go to make preparations for the coming struggle.
Ichiban and friends go to Omi HQ, where he calls Mitsuo and asks why he's late in reaching out to him. Mitsuo says the officers have had him organizing catering around the headquarters, but he is shocked when he learns Ichiban is already at HQ. Ichiban asks where Arakawa is, and Mitsuo tells Ichiban to wait a little longer so he can arrange a secret meeting between the two. Ichiban is tired of waiting, though, and he tells Mitsuo that he and his friends will disguise themselves as caterers so they can sneak in and meet with Arakawa. He ignores Mitsuo's protests and demands to know where in the building Arakawa is, with Mitsuo finally caving and telling him Arakawa is in a secret area called the Dragon Chamber with three guests. Ichiban thanks Mitsuo and hangs up, trying once more to dissuade his friends from following. The party refuses to let Ichiban go it alone, and after Zhao grabs some catering boxes they head inside. They almost make it all the way through until a small group of Omi soldiers stops them, asking where their escort is if they're trying to get into the Dragon Chamber. Ichiban tries playing dumb, but this just tips off the Omi soldiers and they are forced to fight. They defeat the Omi soldiers and do their best to hide the bodies, stashing them behind a stairwell before heading to the Dragon Chamber.
That is, until the hall is filled with cackling.
Down the stairs come two newcomers: a one-eyed man dressed in a snakeskin jacket and leather pants, and a giant brawler wearing a parka and camo. Both seem eager for a fight, and Ichiban is ready and able to give them one. Given their confidence and attire Zhao guesses they must be high ranking officers, but Ichiban has other questions- he's heard stories of a one-eyed madman in employ of the Tojo Clan, and if that's the same guy they're facing now what's he doing here in Omi HQ? The one-eyed man says that's a fascinating story, but he'll only get to hear it if Ichiban beats him in a fight. While his kyodai throws some shade on his fighting abilities, the one-eyed man is more than eager and leaps into the fray.
The two yakuza prove to be a far greater challenge than anything Ichiban has faced before, their skill and teamwork giving Ichiban and his friends a run for their money. After a protracted fight both officers are having a blast and trading banter with one another while Ichiban and his group are out of breath. Now, though, it's time for them to get serious, but before they can commit to Round 2 Arakawa steps out and tells both sides to stand down. He then introduces Ichiban to someone else of great importance: Daigo Dojima, Sixth Chairman of the Tojo Clan. Daigo greets Ichiban and introduces his two lieutenants, Taiga Saejima and Goro Majima, and while Majima whines about once again attacking an ally and ruining his fun Arakawa tells him he'll get all the fighting he needs tomorrow. Adachi and Nanba step between Ichiban and Arakawa and say they won't let him shoot Ichiban again, but Arakawa says there's no need to worry as he has no intention of shooting Ichiban. Adachi asks for proof of Arakawa's sincerity, and Arakawa invites them all into the Dragon Chamber to discuss the matter in private.
As they settle down in the Dragon Chamber, Arawaka explains that Daigo and his lieutenants have been laying low since the implementation of the Kamurocho 3K Plan- currently, they are the only one who know Daigo, Majima, and Saejima are in Omi HQ. Arakawa goes on to review what we know about the 3K plan, that it succeeded because Arakawa leaked info to Aoki and the police, but Ichiban notes Daigo's silence and guesses there's more to the story. Daigo says yes: he ordered Arakawa to leak the information, and Arakawa playing the traitor on Daigo's orders is what resulted in Ichiban getting shot. Ichiban asks what else Daigo is hiding, and Daigo and Awakawa decide to tell Ichiban and friends the whole story.
Shortly after he was elected governor, Aoki approached Arakawa and asked him to betray the Tojo Clan. When Arakawa refused, Aoki threatened to hit the family with every anti-yakuza law in the book until they collapsed. As he mulled on this, Sawashiro proposed cooperating with Aoki as it might lead the governor to overlook their operations and prosper while other yakuza were rounded up. Arakawa didn't agree immediately, and brought the issue to Daigo for his counsel as he believed that if he said no, Aoki would keep threatening yakuza families until someone cracked and turned traitor. Daigo says that if Arakawa didn't give up some info on the Tojo Clan, Aoki would have him arrested under false pretenses, saying that anti-yakuza laws are so broad nowadays that such a move would essentially render the gangs obsolete and turn the yakuza into nothing more than government attack dogs. That's what landed Watase in prison in the first place: one of his subordinates was fighting back against police harassment, and the captain was found guilty by association.
Which brings them to tomorrow: Watase will be released from prison and return to Omi HQ, and Daigo and his allies will be waiting. Ichiban asks if they're going to attack, but Daigo says they have something more productive in mind: him and Watase will disband the Tojo Clan and the Omi Alliance respectively, with Watase giving an official announcement upon his return. Unless he's had a change of heart during his prison stint Watase is of the same mind as Daigo on this, but Ichiban says that if they disband the clans then there's sure to be trouble. Arakawa agrees, which is where Ichiban and his friends come in; even if it comes from the top brass there will be members of both organizations that will disagree, so Daigo and Watase planned out their dissolution in great detail. Just breaking the news to the officers could start a mutiny, and with Watase in prison due to the 3K Plan the possibility of a coup rose dramatically. So they launched a two step plan to overcome this obstacle: first, make sure the 3K Plan succeeded by having Arakawa betray the Tojo and drive them out of Kamurocho, then have Arakawa invite the Omi to take Kamurocho and essentially split the largest yakuza organization in Japan in half. With the Omi stretched so thin, they won't be able to effectively counter Watase when he disbands them. Still, Watase and Daigo will be vulnerable, and they will need Ichiban and his friends to defend them long enough for the Omi resistance to die down so they can make the disbanding official. With their plan set in motion, the party returns to Sotenbori to rest for the coming day.
The next day they meet with Mitsuo outside the Grand, Mitsuo chiding Ichiban for his recklessness and getting into a fight with Majima and Saejima. Ichiban is unapologetic, and reaffirms that he'll stand by Arakawa no matter what happens. With the matter settled, he and his friends take a taxi over to Omi HQ to get ready before Watase arrives. Inside they find a small army of Omi officers waiting, and Tendo approaches Ichiban when he enters the main hall. It takes Ichiban a moment to recognize the Omi lieutenant, and Nanba says he's sure he's seen him from somewhere else before. Tendo asks what Ichiban is doing here, but Arakawa steps in and says Ichiban is a guest of his who has shown extreme loyalty to him in the past. Tendo is placated by Arakawa's vouching, but warns the acting captain that if Ichiban causes trouble Arakawa will be held responsible. As Ichiban goes to join Arakawa, Tendo tells him he's looking forward to seeing what happens today, with Ichiban saying it'll certainly turn the Omi on its head. As Tendo walks off, Nanba finally recalls where he's seen Tendo before: he followed Tendo's boxing career, and the man was blacklisted from the sport when he was caught fixing one of his matches and beat his conspirators to death when they failed to pay up.
Soon after, Watase's limo arrives, and the man is greeted to much applause when he enters the main hall. Cheer is soon replaced by confusion and anger when Watase gives his speech, apologizing for the Omi's crimes over the course of its existence and announcing the dissolution. As Ichiban and his friends join Majima, Saejima, and Arakawa in blocking the stage from the angry Omi officers, Daigo steps up and announces the Tojo Clan will disband alongside the Omi. Some officers try to storm the stage, but Saejima and Majima scare them off. The others remain defiant though, and Tendo approaches Ichiban and asks if this was the big event he was teasing. When Ichiban confirms it, Tendo turns around and joins Ichiban's group to fight against the Omi; as he puts it, a scrap like this only comes around once in a lifetime, and he wants to be on the side where he's likely to have the most fun. The two sides set, a brawl ensues.
Despite the skill arranged against them, the Omi officers have the weight in numbers and keep the heroes on their toes. One officer manages to slip past Ichiban, charging at Watase with a knife. The former Omi Alliance head is in no danger, though, for Kazuma Kiryu himself breaks cover and decks the Omi officer. While Majima and Saejima welcome the Dragon of Dojima back (and Watase feigns ignorance as to who he is), Kiryu looks to Ichiban and tells him he'll anchor the back while Ichiban takes care of the front. Pumped up by this newcomer that everyone seems to know and respect, Ichiban tears his shirt off and dives right back into the fray, and eventually the heroes triumph over the Omi officers. As Watase, Daigo, and their bodyguards depart (with Kiryu giving a nod of respect to Ichiban), Ichiban collapses in exhaustion and is greeted by Arakawa, who thanks Ichiban for his hard work that day.
While Daigo and Watase go to the police to finalize the disbanding of their respective clans, Ichiban returns to Ijincho. As it turns out, Nick was the man who had been sheltering Daigo and his lieutenants all this time, as when you're rich and bored you tend to meet so many interesting people. Ichiban is happy to hear it, telling Nick he intends to meet with Arakawa that night to catch up and he'll tell Nick about all the details. That night Ichiban and Arakawa meet at the docks, though Arakawa apologizes as he can't stay long; he's meeting with Chairman Hoshino later, and he's not going to let that Peking duck wait. Ichiban understands completely and says it was improper for him to invite Arakawa out in the first place, but Arakawa chide Ichiban by reminding him they're both civilians now so they can cut it out with the formalities. Ichiban asks if Sotenbori has calmed down since the fight, and Arakawa says there's still some lingering confusion from both the yakuza and the civilian population (only natural when a 100 year old institution ceases to exist overnight). Some of the Omi would naturally try to protest, but they failed to stop Watase and Daigo from submitting official paperwork and thus destroyed their reputation- starting a fight would only dig themselves deeper. Ichiban asks if Arakawa saw all this coming, but Arakawa says they just got lucky things turned out as they did and he's not a man who can predict the future. He goes on to say Masato is probably furious that Arakawa just undercut his most reliable source of muscle, yet another tantrum that Arakawa would normally be soft to. But now he can't afford to do that: Masato has tasted what it's like to gain more and more power, and if Arakawa doesn't stop him soon he'll destroy himself and lose everything he's worked to build over the years, and that's something Arakawa cannot allow to happen.
As Arakawa goes to meet with Hoshino, Ichiban stops him and asks what his plan is now. Arakawa says that Watase and Daigo are looking into a means to corral the former yakuza into legitimate work, and when the time comes he wants to be there to help. Ichiban asks if maybe they could go back to being a family again, as that was some of the happiest time of his life. Arakawa asks if he really means it after all he's put Ichiban through, but Ichiban says his loyalty to Arakawa helped carry him through. Arakawa counters that he's been nothing but trouble for Ichiban, but Ichiban says that if he feels guilty about anything he should let Ichiban serve him again. Moved to tears, Arakawa brings up the story of how Ichiban was born, saying he has had dreams about that night where Akane is in Shangri-La and Masato is born there. He tells Ichiban it's nothing to be ashamed of as he ended up with a good head on his shoulders, then asks if Ichiban would like to meet his parents someday. Ichiban admits he's gotten kind of used to not knowing who they were, and Arakawa dismisses his own concerns as just a dream before wishing Ichiban a good night. Ichiban bows to Arakawa and goes back to survive to rest.
That night, as Ichiban is sleeping, he gets a call from Chairman Hoshino: Arakawa was pulled from the harbor that morning, dead from a gunshot wound to the chest.
Chapter 13: Coin Locker Baby
Ichiban rushes down the the harbor, where paramedics are loading up Arakawa's body. He tries breaking through the crowd, but the police hold him back while Arakawa is taken away. Later, Takabe talks with Adachi and lets him know everything the Seiryu knows: Arakawa left his dinner meeting with Hoshino alone, leading the to believe he was attacked and shot on his way home. The Seiryu believe Omi loyalists were behind the attack, as others had attempted to kill Watase and Daigo in Sotenbori that same night (fortunately they had Majima, Saejima, and Kiryu on hand). Takabe warns Adachi that they might be next on the Omi's hit list, and Adachi thanks Takabe before looking over to where Ichiban is mourning with Nanba and Saeko.
In Kamurocho, a group of Omi bigwigs is having dinner and berating Sawashiro for Arakawa's dissolution of the Alliance. They too were once Tojo associates who joined with Arakawa on the promise of being free of the Tojo's leadership and a seat within the main family, and now what will happen? Ishioda arrives and tells them he will reorganize the Omi loyalists under a new name, apologizing for the inconvenience before giving the leaders a few briefcases full of money. The bigwigs change their tune and say that if the Arakawa needs their help, they'd be more than gracious since the scores been settled and Arakawa is dead. Sawashiro breaks his silence and laughs; they think the score is settled? He doesn't need their help getting the Arakawa family back on track. When one of the men cries foul, Sawashiro grabs the guy by the face and berates him for his cowardice, siding with Arakawa when he turned and then dropping him the moment it became inconvenience. Sawashiro gouges the guy's eye out for this before turning to the others, saying he hopes they'll support his new Tokyo Omi Alliance in the future. As Sawashiro leaves, Ishioda stops him and asks by what right he's doing this, with Sawashiro saying he's not the kind of yakuza to sit idle while his boss gets killed, intending to kill whoever it was that killed Arakawa. Ishioda says that any punk will say that Sawashiro killed Arakawa on Aoki's orders, but Sawashiro is undeterred and says Ishioda has until he's finished uniting the yakuza to prove him wrong.
Meanwhile, Ichiban reminisces about the day he and Arakawa first met when he's interrupted by a phone call. It's Chairman Hoshino, and he would like to know how Ichiban is doing. When he senses Ichiban is in a bad way, he invites Ichiban to Heian Tower for a talk and some lunch. Ichiban initially refuses, but Hoshino won't take no for an answer. He hangs up and Ichiban tells his friends about what's happening, saying he wants to know what happened during Arakawa's last few hours alive. At Heian Tower, Hoshino says that Arakawa seemed at peace with himself during their dinner, enjoying his Peking duck. Hoshino had asked him how it compared, and to his surprise Arakawa admitted he'd never tried it before; the last time would have been fifty years prior when Hoshino killed his father, and he never got around to trying again since. After dinner, Hoshino offered to walk Arakawa back to his hotel, but he refused and went off alone; Hoshino blames himself for what happened, as if he had put his foot down and insisted on walking him back Arakawa might still be alive. Ichiban says he can't blame himself for what happened before asking if he believes it was Omi loyalists who killed Arakawa, and Hoshino believes there's no other answer.
Hoshino informs Ichiban that the Omi is already reforming in Tokyo, and he believes that Aoki is pulling the strings behind the reformation and Arakawa's death. A waiter enters with a tray, and when he reveals a pistol Hoshino gives Ichiban an order: take vengeance for Arakawa's murder, even offering some of his men to do the deed. Ichiban refuses, as he believes Arakawa wouldn't want him to kill Aoki. Arakawa spoke at length on how the yakuza had become pawns of the government, which was why he launched the plan to disband the Omi and take the yakuza back to their roots as protectors of the people. Killing one man, no matter how wicked, would never make up for his sacrifice, and Ichiban could never face Arakawa in the afterlife if he did that. So he's going to try something different and get Aoki to see the error of his ways, even if he has to beat him senseless to do so. Hoshino is impressed and wishes Ichiban the best, but asks him how he plans on doing this- it's not like he can just waltz into the governor's office and demand an audience. Ichiban has a plan, declining Hoshino's offer of Seiryu men as he's got all the help he needs from his friends.
Ichiban leaves Heian Tower and finds his friends waiting outside. Adachi notes his mood has improved, and Ichiban says he owes it to Arakawa not to mope too much before saying he plans to show Aoki the error of his ways. First, they need to find Kume: as the replacement for Ogasawara, Kume most likely has a direct line to Aoki, so if they can get to him they can force Kume to take them to Aoki. Joon-gi informs Ichiban that they won't have to look very far as today is Announcement Day, the last day a candidate can declare they're running for office before the election season truly begins. Kume will be on stage by Isezaki Road to give his first official speech, so the group heads there and sees Kume giving a speech from the top of his touring bus. They move to try and approach Kume, but are cut off by security. It's then that Ichiban realizes the guy is the same bodyguard they fought back when Aoki came to visit, with Nanba saying there are other Omi grunts all around them. A fight breaks out, and while Ichiban wins it gives Kume enough time to pack up and move to his next location. The guard says Ichiban can just track Kume on his campaigns website, but they won't get any closer to the man no matter what they try as Aoki has ordered the Omi to defend Kume in force, Ichiban spotting a number of grunts watching him from the shadows. As if to emphasize the point, a news broadcast plays where Aoki justifies his involvement with the Ijincho race, even leveraging Arakawa's death as justification for expanding the 3K plan across Japan and supporting Bleach Japan's election efforts.
Adachi and Nanba express disgusts at Aoki using his father's death, and Saeko asks what they're going to do about Kume. Ichiban admits that there's no way they'll get close to him this way, and Chairman Hoshino arrives and admits as much. Ichiban greets the Chairman and asks what he's doing here, and the Chairman tells him he forgot to give Ichiban something before taking them to a café to talk. Once there, Hoshino returns the three million yen he borrowed to try and find a candidate to oppose Kume and offers his idea: why doesn't Ichiban run for the seat? Ichiban protests that he won't be able to win, and while Hoshino says that's probably true it does give them a chance to get close to Kume- as an official candidate, all Ichiban would have to do would be to walk up to Kume and shake his hand, and no one could rightly stop him. Kume can't ignore Ichiban without coming across as arrogant, and when Ichiban challenges Kume he'll get that much closer to Aoki. Nanba points out that Ichiban has a criminal record, but Hoshino counters that the law protects his right to run for office after he's done his time. He urges Ichiban to make his decision as they don't have a lot of time before the candidate applications close, so Ichiban accepts and rushes over to enter the race.
After they're done filling out the paperwork, Ichiban and his friends leave the government building to plan their next moves. Ichiban asks if he really has to campaign, and both Saeko and Adachi say yes; if he does nothing then he'll be written off as a phony candidate and never get a chance to speak with Kume. Ichiban points out that he has no equipment, not even a megaphone, but Nanba says they'll figure that out after a good night's sleep. Unbeknownst to all of them, the bodyguard from earlier has overheard their entire conversation.
The group wakes up the next day to find Survive plastered with posters protesting Ichiban's candidacy and criminal record, though Ichiban says he wasn't intending on hiding that aspect anyway. Just then Takabe pulls up with a gift from Hoshino: an old van the Seiryu used to use to sell contraband that Ichiban can now use as a campaign van, modified with a speaker system and microphone taken from one of the Seiryu's strip clubs. Takabe tells Ichiban that Kume is scheduled to speak at Hamakita Park that afternoon, so Ichiban and his friends pack up and move out to meet him there. Once there they find Kume giving a speech against Ichiban's candidacy, saying that it is an affront to democracy and should not be allowed to stand. Joon-gi says it seems Kume is doing his part to paint Ichiban as the villain, but Ichiban is undeterred and rolls up to Kume. He thanks Kume for the free advertising, and when Kume tries to get the topic to Ichiban's criminal record Ichiban counters that it's the very law Kume loves that allowed him to run, so is he saying the law should be ignored? This trips Kume up and allows Ichiban to gain momentum, needling Kume about how the law isn't perfect and yet Bleach Japan goes about trying to enforce those same laws- isn't that paradox a "gray zone"? As Kume loses his steam, Ichiban gives an impassioned speech about how everyone wants to obey the law, but people are people and can slip up. He ended up in Ijincho because of these slip ups, but it wasn't the law that saved him but the people living within the gray zones that did, and each one of them is doing their best to be upstanding citizens however they can. In the end, people aren't made to serve laws, but laws are made to serve people, and it's vital to keep that in mind as they move forward. The crowd (spurred on by Hamako and the Elder Bum) cheers on Ichiban before he asks Kume to let him come over and shake on it, but Kume runs off before Ichiban can do so.
When news of Ichiban's surprise turnout reaches Aoki, he berates Sawashiro for letting things get out of hand before noting the yakuza has been acting strange lately. When Sawashiro doesn't answer, he asks for a report on his side of things, but he interrupts when Sawashiro says he intends to start appointing officers for his Tokyo Omi Alliance. Aoki calls Sawashiro incompetent, saying that the Tokyo Omi will be run differently than the Arakawa Family was. He wants a strong leader who's not against taking risks, and to prove himself Aoki hands Sawashiro a picture and tells him to kill the subject in 24 hours or face the consequences.
The next day, Saeko informs Ichiban that Kume is giving a speech at Jinnai Station. They decide to go on foot so as to not alert Kume to their presence. They arrive at the station and find Kume, and Ichiban goes over his plan: he'll get in front of the media and ask Kume to shake his hand, then he'll suggest they go into the van to make amends for the other day, and then he can get to Aoki. Adachi warns Ichiban that Kume has some friends with him, just as a gang of Omi men step out of the shadows. Nanba tries to dissuade the yakuza from attacking as it'll look bad on Kume's campaign, but the leader says that they're not Kanagawa natives nor part of the campaign, so they have complete deniability. Saeko urges them to hurry or Kume will escape again, and Ichiban's group fights and defeats the yakuza. Luckily enough, Kume did not notice the fight, so Ichiban is able to slip into the crowd when Kume comes down for a meet and greet. Ichiban takes Kume's hand and tries to escort him away from the cameras, but just then Joon-gi runs up to him with an alert; Seonhee got information that Chairman Hoshino is being targeted for assassination, with the attack expected at any time.
Ichiban drops his plans to speak with Kume and rushes to Seiryu Headquarters. He finds the place littered with unconscious yakuza and Takabe injured in the corner, the captain telling him that ten Omi men busted in and made for the chairman's office. Ichiban runs to the office and is stopped by the Omi soldiers, fighting his way past them to reach Hoshino. But it's too late, and Ichiban finds Sawashiro having a smoke while Hoshino lies dead at his desk. Sawashiro taunts Ichiban about he's late, again, saying that without Hoshino the gray zones have lost a great pillar of leadership and will collapse without his assistance. Ichiban demands to know why Aoki and Sawashiro had to kill Hoshino, as they already have enough power to last a lifetime. Sawashiro aims his gun at Ichiban and pulls the trigger, but it's on empty. As he tosses the gun away, Sawashiro reminds Ichiban about how important winning this district is to Aoki, but when Ichiban asks if they're that scared he'll beat Kume Sawashiro says of course not- Aoki just doesn't want to have obstacles in his way, no matter how miniscule their chances of winning are. Sawashiro would have preferred to have killed Ichiban, but with his campaign drawing lots of attention doing so would have caused problems, so Hoshino was selected instead as destroying the Ijin Three would pull the rug out from under Ichiban. Ichiban asks why it seems like Masato sinks lower and lower at every turn, and why they are going so far out of their way to crush Ichiban if he's just garbage to them. He tries punching Sawashiro, but Sawashiro catches the punch before it can connect. Ichiban asks if Sawashiro was the one who killed Arakawa, but Sawshiro says that doesn't matter anymore before he breaks off. Sawashiro breaks off and grabs one of Hoshino's swords, and he battles against Ichiban and his friends.
Sawashiro puts up a good fight, trading the sword partway for a cane to continue the battle, but Ichiban is able to triumph eventually. With Sawashiro down, Ichiban rushes to him and says that the Sawashiro he knew would never follow orders blindly, much less an order to kill his patriarch. Sawashiro counters by saying Masato's orders are absolute, and protecting the young master is his life's purpose. Ichiban yells that protecting Arakawa was his own, but Sawashiro is well aware of this and replies that he wasn't the man who killed Arakawa. Ichiban points out that Masato ordered him to eliminate all obstacles, but Sawashiro replies that while that was true he refused to kill Arakawa, the first time he has ever rejected an order from the young master. Ichiban takes this to mean Sawashiro still had enough respect for Arakawa to not do such a thing, but Sawashiro says the truth is a greater secret he's kept from everyone, even Masato.
Sawashiro first met Arakawa many years before he swore up. Back then, he was just a 15 year old punk with an alcoholic father and no prospects in life, so he ran off to Kamurocho to try and make his way. He ended up sharing space with a young woman who was in the same boat as he was, and they managed for a while until Sawashiro got her pregnant. Too late for an abortion, they decided to just ignore the baby in hopes that it would miscarry, but luck was not on their side and Sawashiro's girlfriend gave birth to their son in a department store bathroom while he was on a construction job. Unable or unwilling to take responsibility, the two decided to abandon the child, placing him in a coin locker at Shinjuku Station and leaving him to his fate. Sawashiro was ready to call it good then, but his girlfriend had a change of heart and ran back to the coin lockers. By the time they got there, they found Arakawa bashing the locker open with his fists, and they could only stare in shock as Arakawa ran off with their child.
Ichiban drops Sawashiro when the realization hits him: Masato is not Arakawa's son, but Sawashiro's. Sawashiro asks if Arakawa told him about that night, when his own girlfriend Akane hid their child in a coin locker- how could they have known that there was a second child in those same lockers? Sawashiro goes on to say five years later, long after Sawashiro and Masato's mother had gone their separate ways, Sawashiro happened to spot Arakawa and Masato out and about town. Overhearing Masato cursing his illness, Sawashiro decided he needed to atone for his mistake and thus chose to swear up with Arakawa. Ichiban asks if Masato knows about the true reason Sawashiro joined Arakawa, but Sawashiro reminds Ichiban that this is the first time he's told anyone about this.
Ichiban asks why Sawashiro's telling him of all people, and Sawashiro has a question for Ichiban: if Arakawa took Sawashiro's baby, what happened to his own? Sawashiro says that before she met Arakawa, Akane worked at Shangri-La (where Ichiban says he was born); she learned she was being hunted and fled the maternity ward, only to go into labor. Its possible she went back to the place she felt safest, Shangri-La, and delivered the child there, and who else do we know was born on that New Years' Eve in a soapland in Kamurocho? As the realization of what Sawashiro is saying hits Ichiban, Sawashiro says that after Arakawa left he saw the other child; he and his girlfriend hung around long after everyone else had left, perplexed by what they had just saw. When they were about to leave, Sawashiro spotted a pair of soapland attendants arrive and start searching the lockers, eventually opening the one next to the one Arakawa had punched open and withdrawing the second child. Downtrodden that their plan had failed, the attendants took the child back to the soapland, and if Sawashiro's hunch is correct and one of them was Jiro Kasuga, that would make Ichiban Arakawa's biological son.
Ichiban can't believe that he might be Arakawa's son. Sawashiro says only a DNA test would prove it, but Ichiban's free to do whatever he wants with the information. He goes to leave but is cut off by Zhao and Joon-gi, who are not willing to let him walk free after killing Hoshino. Sawashiro says they're free to do whatever they'd like; after he refused the order to kill Arakawa, Aoki essentially declared him a dead man and sent him to kill Hoshino, not as a lieutenant but as a third-rate hitman. Ichiban recovers from his shock and asks Sawashiro that if he didn't kill Arakawa then who did, and Sawashiro guesses Ishioda did it as he was made Aoki's new favorite after Arakawa died. Adachi tells Sawashiro that he can't walk free and must atone for his crimes, though Sawashiro doesn't really think of it as atonement.
Sawashiro surrenders to the police and is led away while Ichiban and his friends watch. Joon-gi gets off the phone with Seonhee and tells Ichiban they learned who gave the anonymous tip to the Geomijul about the attack on Hoshino: Sawashiro himself. Nanba asks why he would do that, and Joon-gi guesses he probably didn't want to kill the Chairman and dropped the tip to get someone to come and stop him, and doing it publicly would be seen as a betrayal to Aoki. They still didn't make it in time, with Ichiban saying the captain always did make impossible demands of him before cursing as Sawashiro is driven off to prison.
In Kamurocho, a group of Omi bigwigs is having dinner and berating Sawashiro for Arakawa's dissolution of the Alliance. They too were once Tojo associates who joined with Arakawa on the promise of being free of the Tojo's leadership and a seat within the main family, and now what will happen? Ishioda arrives and tells them he will reorganize the Omi loyalists under a new name, apologizing for the inconvenience before giving the leaders a few briefcases full of money. The bigwigs change their tune and say that if the Arakawa needs their help, they'd be more than gracious since the scores been settled and Arakawa is dead. Sawashiro breaks his silence and laughs; they think the score is settled? He doesn't need their help getting the Arakawa family back on track. When one of the men cries foul, Sawashiro grabs the guy by the face and berates him for his cowardice, siding with Arakawa when he turned and then dropping him the moment it became inconvenience. Sawashiro gouges the guy's eye out for this before turning to the others, saying he hopes they'll support his new Tokyo Omi Alliance in the future. As Sawashiro leaves, Ishioda stops him and asks by what right he's doing this, with Sawashiro saying he's not the kind of yakuza to sit idle while his boss gets killed, intending to kill whoever it was that killed Arakawa. Ishioda says that any punk will say that Sawashiro killed Arakawa on Aoki's orders, but Sawashiro is undeterred and says Ishioda has until he's finished uniting the yakuza to prove him wrong.
Meanwhile, Ichiban reminisces about the day he and Arakawa first met when he's interrupted by a phone call. It's Chairman Hoshino, and he would like to know how Ichiban is doing. When he senses Ichiban is in a bad way, he invites Ichiban to Heian Tower for a talk and some lunch. Ichiban initially refuses, but Hoshino won't take no for an answer. He hangs up and Ichiban tells his friends about what's happening, saying he wants to know what happened during Arakawa's last few hours alive. At Heian Tower, Hoshino says that Arakawa seemed at peace with himself during their dinner, enjoying his Peking duck. Hoshino had asked him how it compared, and to his surprise Arakawa admitted he'd never tried it before; the last time would have been fifty years prior when Hoshino killed his father, and he never got around to trying again since. After dinner, Hoshino offered to walk Arakawa back to his hotel, but he refused and went off alone; Hoshino blames himself for what happened, as if he had put his foot down and insisted on walking him back Arakawa might still be alive. Ichiban says he can't blame himself for what happened before asking if he believes it was Omi loyalists who killed Arakawa, and Hoshino believes there's no other answer.
Hoshino informs Ichiban that the Omi is already reforming in Tokyo, and he believes that Aoki is pulling the strings behind the reformation and Arakawa's death. A waiter enters with a tray, and when he reveals a pistol Hoshino gives Ichiban an order: take vengeance for Arakawa's murder, even offering some of his men to do the deed. Ichiban refuses, as he believes Arakawa wouldn't want him to kill Aoki. Arakawa spoke at length on how the yakuza had become pawns of the government, which was why he launched the plan to disband the Omi and take the yakuza back to their roots as protectors of the people. Killing one man, no matter how wicked, would never make up for his sacrifice, and Ichiban could never face Arakawa in the afterlife if he did that. So he's going to try something different and get Aoki to see the error of his ways, even if he has to beat him senseless to do so. Hoshino is impressed and wishes Ichiban the best, but asks him how he plans on doing this- it's not like he can just waltz into the governor's office and demand an audience. Ichiban has a plan, declining Hoshino's offer of Seiryu men as he's got all the help he needs from his friends.
Ichiban leaves Heian Tower and finds his friends waiting outside. Adachi notes his mood has improved, and Ichiban says he owes it to Arakawa not to mope too much before saying he plans to show Aoki the error of his ways. First, they need to find Kume: as the replacement for Ogasawara, Kume most likely has a direct line to Aoki, so if they can get to him they can force Kume to take them to Aoki. Joon-gi informs Ichiban that they won't have to look very far as today is Announcement Day, the last day a candidate can declare they're running for office before the election season truly begins. Kume will be on stage by Isezaki Road to give his first official speech, so the group heads there and sees Kume giving a speech from the top of his touring bus. They move to try and approach Kume, but are cut off by security. It's then that Ichiban realizes the guy is the same bodyguard they fought back when Aoki came to visit, with Nanba saying there are other Omi grunts all around them. A fight breaks out, and while Ichiban wins it gives Kume enough time to pack up and move to his next location. The guard says Ichiban can just track Kume on his campaigns website, but they won't get any closer to the man no matter what they try as Aoki has ordered the Omi to defend Kume in force, Ichiban spotting a number of grunts watching him from the shadows. As if to emphasize the point, a news broadcast plays where Aoki justifies his involvement with the Ijincho race, even leveraging Arakawa's death as justification for expanding the 3K plan across Japan and supporting Bleach Japan's election efforts.
Adachi and Nanba express disgusts at Aoki using his father's death, and Saeko asks what they're going to do about Kume. Ichiban admits that there's no way they'll get close to him this way, and Chairman Hoshino arrives and admits as much. Ichiban greets the Chairman and asks what he's doing here, and the Chairman tells him he forgot to give Ichiban something before taking them to a café to talk. Once there, Hoshino returns the three million yen he borrowed to try and find a candidate to oppose Kume and offers his idea: why doesn't Ichiban run for the seat? Ichiban protests that he won't be able to win, and while Hoshino says that's probably true it does give them a chance to get close to Kume- as an official candidate, all Ichiban would have to do would be to walk up to Kume and shake his hand, and no one could rightly stop him. Kume can't ignore Ichiban without coming across as arrogant, and when Ichiban challenges Kume he'll get that much closer to Aoki. Nanba points out that Ichiban has a criminal record, but Hoshino counters that the law protects his right to run for office after he's done his time. He urges Ichiban to make his decision as they don't have a lot of time before the candidate applications close, so Ichiban accepts and rushes over to enter the race.
After they're done filling out the paperwork, Ichiban and his friends leave the government building to plan their next moves. Ichiban asks if he really has to campaign, and both Saeko and Adachi say yes; if he does nothing then he'll be written off as a phony candidate and never get a chance to speak with Kume. Ichiban points out that he has no equipment, not even a megaphone, but Nanba says they'll figure that out after a good night's sleep. Unbeknownst to all of them, the bodyguard from earlier has overheard their entire conversation.
The group wakes up the next day to find Survive plastered with posters protesting Ichiban's candidacy and criminal record, though Ichiban says he wasn't intending on hiding that aspect anyway. Just then Takabe pulls up with a gift from Hoshino: an old van the Seiryu used to use to sell contraband that Ichiban can now use as a campaign van, modified with a speaker system and microphone taken from one of the Seiryu's strip clubs. Takabe tells Ichiban that Kume is scheduled to speak at Hamakita Park that afternoon, so Ichiban and his friends pack up and move out to meet him there. Once there they find Kume giving a speech against Ichiban's candidacy, saying that it is an affront to democracy and should not be allowed to stand. Joon-gi says it seems Kume is doing his part to paint Ichiban as the villain, but Ichiban is undeterred and rolls up to Kume. He thanks Kume for the free advertising, and when Kume tries to get the topic to Ichiban's criminal record Ichiban counters that it's the very law Kume loves that allowed him to run, so is he saying the law should be ignored? This trips Kume up and allows Ichiban to gain momentum, needling Kume about how the law isn't perfect and yet Bleach Japan goes about trying to enforce those same laws- isn't that paradox a "gray zone"? As Kume loses his steam, Ichiban gives an impassioned speech about how everyone wants to obey the law, but people are people and can slip up. He ended up in Ijincho because of these slip ups, but it wasn't the law that saved him but the people living within the gray zones that did, and each one of them is doing their best to be upstanding citizens however they can. In the end, people aren't made to serve laws, but laws are made to serve people, and it's vital to keep that in mind as they move forward. The crowd (spurred on by Hamako and the Elder Bum) cheers on Ichiban before he asks Kume to let him come over and shake on it, but Kume runs off before Ichiban can do so.
When news of Ichiban's surprise turnout reaches Aoki, he berates Sawashiro for letting things get out of hand before noting the yakuza has been acting strange lately. When Sawashiro doesn't answer, he asks for a report on his side of things, but he interrupts when Sawashiro says he intends to start appointing officers for his Tokyo Omi Alliance. Aoki calls Sawashiro incompetent, saying that the Tokyo Omi will be run differently than the Arakawa Family was. He wants a strong leader who's not against taking risks, and to prove himself Aoki hands Sawashiro a picture and tells him to kill the subject in 24 hours or face the consequences.
The next day, Saeko informs Ichiban that Kume is giving a speech at Jinnai Station. They decide to go on foot so as to not alert Kume to their presence. They arrive at the station and find Kume, and Ichiban goes over his plan: he'll get in front of the media and ask Kume to shake his hand, then he'll suggest they go into the van to make amends for the other day, and then he can get to Aoki. Adachi warns Ichiban that Kume has some friends with him, just as a gang of Omi men step out of the shadows. Nanba tries to dissuade the yakuza from attacking as it'll look bad on Kume's campaign, but the leader says that they're not Kanagawa natives nor part of the campaign, so they have complete deniability. Saeko urges them to hurry or Kume will escape again, and Ichiban's group fights and defeats the yakuza. Luckily enough, Kume did not notice the fight, so Ichiban is able to slip into the crowd when Kume comes down for a meet and greet. Ichiban takes Kume's hand and tries to escort him away from the cameras, but just then Joon-gi runs up to him with an alert; Seonhee got information that Chairman Hoshino is being targeted for assassination, with the attack expected at any time.
Ichiban drops his plans to speak with Kume and rushes to Seiryu Headquarters. He finds the place littered with unconscious yakuza and Takabe injured in the corner, the captain telling him that ten Omi men busted in and made for the chairman's office. Ichiban runs to the office and is stopped by the Omi soldiers, fighting his way past them to reach Hoshino. But it's too late, and Ichiban finds Sawashiro having a smoke while Hoshino lies dead at his desk. Sawashiro taunts Ichiban about he's late, again, saying that without Hoshino the gray zones have lost a great pillar of leadership and will collapse without his assistance. Ichiban demands to know why Aoki and Sawashiro had to kill Hoshino, as they already have enough power to last a lifetime. Sawashiro aims his gun at Ichiban and pulls the trigger, but it's on empty. As he tosses the gun away, Sawashiro reminds Ichiban about how important winning this district is to Aoki, but when Ichiban asks if they're that scared he'll beat Kume Sawashiro says of course not- Aoki just doesn't want to have obstacles in his way, no matter how miniscule their chances of winning are. Sawashiro would have preferred to have killed Ichiban, but with his campaign drawing lots of attention doing so would have caused problems, so Hoshino was selected instead as destroying the Ijin Three would pull the rug out from under Ichiban. Ichiban asks why it seems like Masato sinks lower and lower at every turn, and why they are going so far out of their way to crush Ichiban if he's just garbage to them. He tries punching Sawashiro, but Sawashiro catches the punch before it can connect. Ichiban asks if Sawashiro was the one who killed Arakawa, but Sawshiro says that doesn't matter anymore before he breaks off. Sawashiro breaks off and grabs one of Hoshino's swords, and he battles against Ichiban and his friends.
Sawashiro puts up a good fight, trading the sword partway for a cane to continue the battle, but Ichiban is able to triumph eventually. With Sawashiro down, Ichiban rushes to him and says that the Sawashiro he knew would never follow orders blindly, much less an order to kill his patriarch. Sawashiro counters by saying Masato's orders are absolute, and protecting the young master is his life's purpose. Ichiban yells that protecting Arakawa was his own, but Sawashiro is well aware of this and replies that he wasn't the man who killed Arakawa. Ichiban points out that Masato ordered him to eliminate all obstacles, but Sawashiro replies that while that was true he refused to kill Arakawa, the first time he has ever rejected an order from the young master. Ichiban takes this to mean Sawashiro still had enough respect for Arakawa to not do such a thing, but Sawashiro says the truth is a greater secret he's kept from everyone, even Masato.
Sawashiro first met Arakawa many years before he swore up. Back then, he was just a 15 year old punk with an alcoholic father and no prospects in life, so he ran off to Kamurocho to try and make his way. He ended up sharing space with a young woman who was in the same boat as he was, and they managed for a while until Sawashiro got her pregnant. Too late for an abortion, they decided to just ignore the baby in hopes that it would miscarry, but luck was not on their side and Sawashiro's girlfriend gave birth to their son in a department store bathroom while he was on a construction job. Unable or unwilling to take responsibility, the two decided to abandon the child, placing him in a coin locker at Shinjuku Station and leaving him to his fate. Sawashiro was ready to call it good then, but his girlfriend had a change of heart and ran back to the coin lockers. By the time they got there, they found Arakawa bashing the locker open with his fists, and they could only stare in shock as Arakawa ran off with their child.
Ichiban drops Sawashiro when the realization hits him: Masato is not Arakawa's son, but Sawashiro's. Sawashiro asks if Arakawa told him about that night, when his own girlfriend Akane hid their child in a coin locker- how could they have known that there was a second child in those same lockers? Sawashiro goes on to say five years later, long after Sawashiro and Masato's mother had gone their separate ways, Sawashiro happened to spot Arakawa and Masato out and about town. Overhearing Masato cursing his illness, Sawashiro decided he needed to atone for his mistake and thus chose to swear up with Arakawa. Ichiban asks if Masato knows about the true reason Sawashiro joined Arakawa, but Sawashiro reminds Ichiban that this is the first time he's told anyone about this.
Ichiban asks why Sawashiro's telling him of all people, and Sawashiro has a question for Ichiban: if Arakawa took Sawashiro's baby, what happened to his own? Sawashiro says that before she met Arakawa, Akane worked at Shangri-La (where Ichiban says he was born); she learned she was being hunted and fled the maternity ward, only to go into labor. Its possible she went back to the place she felt safest, Shangri-La, and delivered the child there, and who else do we know was born on that New Years' Eve in a soapland in Kamurocho? As the realization of what Sawashiro is saying hits Ichiban, Sawashiro says that after Arakawa left he saw the other child; he and his girlfriend hung around long after everyone else had left, perplexed by what they had just saw. When they were about to leave, Sawashiro spotted a pair of soapland attendants arrive and start searching the lockers, eventually opening the one next to the one Arakawa had punched open and withdrawing the second child. Downtrodden that their plan had failed, the attendants took the child back to the soapland, and if Sawashiro's hunch is correct and one of them was Jiro Kasuga, that would make Ichiban Arakawa's biological son.
Ichiban can't believe that he might be Arakawa's son. Sawashiro says only a DNA test would prove it, but Ichiban's free to do whatever he wants with the information. He goes to leave but is cut off by Zhao and Joon-gi, who are not willing to let him walk free after killing Hoshino. Sawashiro says they're free to do whatever they'd like; after he refused the order to kill Arakawa, Aoki essentially declared him a dead man and sent him to kill Hoshino, not as a lieutenant but as a third-rate hitman. Ichiban recovers from his shock and asks Sawashiro that if he didn't kill Arakawa then who did, and Sawashiro guesses Ishioda did it as he was made Aoki's new favorite after Arakawa died. Adachi tells Sawashiro that he can't walk free and must atone for his crimes, though Sawashiro doesn't really think of it as atonement.
Sawashiro surrenders to the police and is led away while Ichiban and his friends watch. Joon-gi gets off the phone with Seonhee and tells Ichiban they learned who gave the anonymous tip to the Geomijul about the attack on Hoshino: Sawashiro himself. Nanba asks why he would do that, and Joon-gi guesses he probably didn't want to kill the Chairman and dropped the tip to get someone to come and stop him, and doing it publicly would be seen as a betrayal to Aoki. They still didn't make it in time, with Ichiban saying the captain always did make impossible demands of him before cursing as Sawashiro is driven off to prison.
Chapter 14: Passing the Torch
The following day, Ichiban broods in survive bar over the events of the previous night and beyond: the chairman's death, his true parentage, the depths Masato is sinking to. Nanba comes down to check on Ichiban, and he says he intends to settle things with Aoki, once and for all. Nanba tries to calm him down and remind him they don't know where Aoki is, and Ichiban says he'll just make Kume tell him before storming out to find the man. Outside he finds Zhao, Joon-gi, Saeko, and Adachi having a standoff with a collection of Omi thugs, Zhao saying he was just about to come get Ichiban for help. Ichiban is not in the mood and tries to force his way through, but more Omi thugs stop him, leading to another fight. Ichiban and friends defeat the thugs, and then make their way to Bleach Japan headquarters.
When they reach Bleach Japan headquarters, they find no one there to greet them. Ichiban and Saeko go to poke around inside, but the place is deserted. When Saeko looks back outside, though, she spots a big group of Omi Alliance approaching. Ichiban goes down and demands to speak with Kume, but the Omi aren't one to talk and prepare for battle. Ichiban wins again, but his patience has run out and he begins to savagely beat one of the yakuza, demanding where Kume is. The yakuza says he's left Ijincho to go to Kamurocho and ask Aoki for more security, so Ichiban decides to skip that part and asks to be taken to Aoki. The yakuza doesn't know where Aoki is, so Ichiban begins to pummel the guy relentlessly. Even the pleas of his friends fall on deaf ears as Ichiban continues to beat the yakuza.
Someone does step in and throw Ichiban off the man, though. It's Kiryu, and he's not happy.
Ichiban gets up and demands to know what Kiryu thinks he's doing. Kiryu says he was passing through, and Ichiban wants to know who he is and how he knew Arakawa. Kiryu says that's not important, and being in his position he's able to learn of information others might not- mainly, Aoki's next move, which will be taking place right here in Ijincho. Ichiban demands to know what that is, but Kiryu declines to tell him after what he just saw. Ichiban is too blinded by his rage and demands Kiryu tell him what's going to happen, but Kiryu says that in this state Ichiban wouldn't be able to make anything useful out of the information. But there's still time, and if Ichiban really wants to know he can meet Kiryu in the Geomijul. When Ichiban asks why there, Joon-gi tells Ichiban that Seonhee has been working to get their surveillance system back online, though they don't have an estimated ETA yet. Kiryu regards Joon-gi for a moment and asks how he's not dead, with Joon-gi saying he's merely a shadow of the original and that someday a new shadow will take his place. Kiryu accepts this and reminds Ichiban he'll be waiting, walking off while Ichiban looks on.
Meanwhile, Horinouchi approaches Aoki and asks if he had anything to do with Hoshino's death. Aoki denies everything, and if people start doubting him he can just dismiss it as rumors and nothing more. Horinouchi takes this to mean he'll be removing any evidence and making sure Sawashiro doesn't talk. Aoki tries to reassure Horinouchi, but he admits he's been getting nervous with how things have played out with the events in Sotenbori and Ijincho. Aoki tells Horinouchi not to worry as he has the situation under control, and will have someone to reign in the Omi remnant soon enough. Horinouchi casts some doubts on Aoki's leadership skills before leaving, with Ishioda coming in and saying someone should teach the commissioner a lesson. Aoki tells him not to do anything drastic, as he's enjoying having Horinouchi under his thumb and watching him squirm. Ishioda informs Aoki that Kume is here asking for more help, and after saying he'll take care of that he asks how Ishioda's other mission is going. Ishioda says all arrangements have been made, but once he executes the plan he'll be going dark. Aoki is impressed and tells Ishioda he may have a future as the next Chairman of the Omi Alliance, saying he'll make an announcement at the next officer's meeting.
Back in Ijincho, Ichiban leaves Survive and heads to the Geomijul. He finds Kiryu waiting for him outside the computer room, and Ichiban asks if Kiryu might just tell him a little bit about who he is. Kiryu says he can either have the information about Aoki or information about himself, not both, which Ichiban replies he's only after what matters. Kiryu is glad to hear it, but he has a condition before he will tell Ichiban anything: Ichiban must prove himself worthy of the information he has. Unfortunately for Ichiban, Kiryu tears off his jacket and says he gets to know people best with his fists than with words, which Ichiban would normally be on board with but they're in a rush. Ichiban demands Kiryu just tell him what he wants, but Kiryu is unpersuaded. Ichiban takes off his own jacket to prove how serious he is, so Kiryu puts it in terms Ichiban can understand: the information is the treasure he's seeking, and Kiryu is the guardian beast testing Ichiban to see if he's worthy. With that, Ichiban charges at Kiryu while Kiryu braces for battle.
Kiryu wallops Ichiban with a single punch. Even in Ichiban's imagination, the Dragon of Rock Bottom proves no match for the Dragon of Dojima, and the fight is so one-sided Ichiban begins hallucinating that Kiryu is a literal dragon, and he a knight going to slay the beast and save his friends. When he comes to, he sees his friends all sitting around wondering what he's talking about concerning dragons. Kiryu (who has cleaned himself up after the "fight") comes to Ichiban and asks how he's feeling. Ichiban says he's feeling a lot better before asking if the fight was really necessary, with Kiryu saying Ichiban was so blinded by rage he needed a beating to get him back to his senses. Kiryu encourages Ichiban to think like his enemies and outmaneuver them, as that's going to be his best bet going forward. Ichiban accepts this and allows Kiryu to help him up, and Kiryu says he'll show him what Aoki's plan is now.
Ichiban's party follows Kiryu into the monitor room, where Seonhee is waiting for them with a few monitors up and running. She tells Ichiban that Kiryu had her looking for someone close to Aoki, and when Ichiban asks who exactly that is she says they're searching for an assassin coming in from outside Ijincho. Ichiban asks why they're looking for an assassin, with Kiryu saying that Aoki ordered Sawashiro to kill Hoshino, and now that's he's been captured by the police he's made himself a liability. Seonhee implies she knows about Kiryu's sources and who he is, but Kiryu doesn't want to talk about that right now (though he's impressed by Seonhee's resourcefulness). They pull up a picture of some yakuza walking around the Bar District around five, with Seonhee saying Zhao might recognize the guest of honor in the center of the group. He does, calling the man "Mirror Face"; according to him and Seonhee, Mirror Face is a master of his trade that can make any assassination look like an accident or suicide, a master of disguise that can get anywhere and everywhere to complete his work. Adachi asks how he plans to kill Sawashiro, with Kiryu and Zhao believing he'll disguise himself as a cop to get close to Sawashiro. Ichiban declares that he has to tell Aoki that Sawashiro is his real father, but Seonhee says Aoki isn't one to get sentimental over such details. Ichiban then asks if they're sure that's Aoki's next move, and Kiryu says Ichiban doesn't look like the kind of guy who would back down even if he said he wasn't sure. Ichiban then asks if Kiryu will be helping them, but Kiryu declines; he's spent too much time out in the sun, and he has to get back to the shadows if he's going to protect those he care about. Still, he sensed greatness in Ichiban when they fought, and encourages him to keep close to his friends before he leaves. Zhao asks Seonhee if she knows more about him, but she says that it'd be best if they just forget they ever saw him and move on from there. Ichiban agrees, but before they can say more one of the Koreans steps out and tells Seonhee that they spotted Ishioda going into the building where Mirror Face is supposedly hiding. Reasoning that the two intend to carry out the hit that night, Ichiban and his friends hurry to the building to confront Ishioda.
When they reach the hideout, Seonhee calls Ichiban to tell him neither Ishioda nor Mirror Face has left the building. The two are on the fourth floor, and there's about ten other yakuza in the building with them; Ichiban tells Seonhee to keep an eye on Ishioda while he and the others go to confront him. As they prepare to head inside, they are jumped by a group of Ishioda's men; they fight off the yakuza and head inside, spreading out through the building to try and find Ishioda. They clear out a few rooms of Ishioda's grunts before they find the man himself in one of the upper rooms. Ichiban asks Ishioda if he killed Arakawa, but Ishioda denies it; according to him, Arakawa died because of the yakuza code, killed as a traitor for what he did against the Omi. Ichiban doesn't buy that excuse, but doesn't get a chance to say more before a second Adachi jumps out of the shadows and tackles the first. Zhao guesses this must be Mirror Face; the assassin is skilled enough to mimic a person down to the roots of their hair, and even a disgraced cop would stand a good chance at getting close to Sawashiro to kill him. Saeko asks how they're going to tell the real one from the fake, and Ichiban has an idea; he approaches the two Adachis and begins quizzing them on traffic laws and regulations. One Adachi sputters in confusion at what Ichiban is doing, while the other gives Ichiban perfect answers on the traffic code. Ichiban punches the latter, freeing Adachi while Mirror Face grumbles about how a moron like Adachi got to become a cop. With Mirror Face identified, Ichiban turns on Ishioda, and the two sides fight until Ichiban defeats the yakuza and the assassin.
As Ishioda lays defeated, Ichiban tells him it's his fault Sawashiro will talk; once he learns Aoki ordered him killed, he'll have no choice but to tell the police everything. Either way, Ishioda failed Aoki, and he's obviously not going to take that well. First things first, though, Ichiban wants to know if Ishioda was the man who killed Arakawa, pinning the yakuza to a table to get him to talk. Ishioda says that's not entirely true; yes, he did go to kill Arakawa on Aoki's orders, but someone got in his way. That night, Ishioda and another yakuza had set up a sniper's nest in Ijincho, but just as they were about to kill Arakawa Tendo stepped out in front of the captain. The two chatted for a moment before Tendo gave a signal, and a squad of his men jumped out and captured Ishioda and his man. When Tendo and Arakawa joined them, Tendo chided Ishioda on his impulsiveness and predictability, questioning how he even got to the rank of lieutenant in the first place. Arakawa told Ishioda that it was time to give up and move on, but Tendo added that times like this might present opportunities for men to rise to the top, at which point he drew his own gun and shot Arakawa.
Ichiban and his friends take a moment to process that Tendo was the man who killed Arakawa. They demand to know where he is, but the camera pans to show that the entire floor has been rigged with explosives. Outside, a yakuza informs Tendo that Ishioda failed in his task, with Tendo getting the okay from Aoki to detonate the bombs. The yakuza hangs up and walks off, an explosion tearing through the floor Ichiban, Ishioda, and the others were on.
When they reach Bleach Japan headquarters, they find no one there to greet them. Ichiban and Saeko go to poke around inside, but the place is deserted. When Saeko looks back outside, though, she spots a big group of Omi Alliance approaching. Ichiban goes down and demands to speak with Kume, but the Omi aren't one to talk and prepare for battle. Ichiban wins again, but his patience has run out and he begins to savagely beat one of the yakuza, demanding where Kume is. The yakuza says he's left Ijincho to go to Kamurocho and ask Aoki for more security, so Ichiban decides to skip that part and asks to be taken to Aoki. The yakuza doesn't know where Aoki is, so Ichiban begins to pummel the guy relentlessly. Even the pleas of his friends fall on deaf ears as Ichiban continues to beat the yakuza.
Someone does step in and throw Ichiban off the man, though. It's Kiryu, and he's not happy.
Ichiban gets up and demands to know what Kiryu thinks he's doing. Kiryu says he was passing through, and Ichiban wants to know who he is and how he knew Arakawa. Kiryu says that's not important, and being in his position he's able to learn of information others might not- mainly, Aoki's next move, which will be taking place right here in Ijincho. Ichiban demands to know what that is, but Kiryu declines to tell him after what he just saw. Ichiban is too blinded by his rage and demands Kiryu tell him what's going to happen, but Kiryu says that in this state Ichiban wouldn't be able to make anything useful out of the information. But there's still time, and if Ichiban really wants to know he can meet Kiryu in the Geomijul. When Ichiban asks why there, Joon-gi tells Ichiban that Seonhee has been working to get their surveillance system back online, though they don't have an estimated ETA yet. Kiryu regards Joon-gi for a moment and asks how he's not dead, with Joon-gi saying he's merely a shadow of the original and that someday a new shadow will take his place. Kiryu accepts this and reminds Ichiban he'll be waiting, walking off while Ichiban looks on.
Meanwhile, Horinouchi approaches Aoki and asks if he had anything to do with Hoshino's death. Aoki denies everything, and if people start doubting him he can just dismiss it as rumors and nothing more. Horinouchi takes this to mean he'll be removing any evidence and making sure Sawashiro doesn't talk. Aoki tries to reassure Horinouchi, but he admits he's been getting nervous with how things have played out with the events in Sotenbori and Ijincho. Aoki tells Horinouchi not to worry as he has the situation under control, and will have someone to reign in the Omi remnant soon enough. Horinouchi casts some doubts on Aoki's leadership skills before leaving, with Ishioda coming in and saying someone should teach the commissioner a lesson. Aoki tells him not to do anything drastic, as he's enjoying having Horinouchi under his thumb and watching him squirm. Ishioda informs Aoki that Kume is here asking for more help, and after saying he'll take care of that he asks how Ishioda's other mission is going. Ishioda says all arrangements have been made, but once he executes the plan he'll be going dark. Aoki is impressed and tells Ishioda he may have a future as the next Chairman of the Omi Alliance, saying he'll make an announcement at the next officer's meeting.
Back in Ijincho, Ichiban leaves Survive and heads to the Geomijul. He finds Kiryu waiting for him outside the computer room, and Ichiban asks if Kiryu might just tell him a little bit about who he is. Kiryu says he can either have the information about Aoki or information about himself, not both, which Ichiban replies he's only after what matters. Kiryu is glad to hear it, but he has a condition before he will tell Ichiban anything: Ichiban must prove himself worthy of the information he has. Unfortunately for Ichiban, Kiryu tears off his jacket and says he gets to know people best with his fists than with words, which Ichiban would normally be on board with but they're in a rush. Ichiban demands Kiryu just tell him what he wants, but Kiryu is unpersuaded. Ichiban takes off his own jacket to prove how serious he is, so Kiryu puts it in terms Ichiban can understand: the information is the treasure he's seeking, and Kiryu is the guardian beast testing Ichiban to see if he's worthy. With that, Ichiban charges at Kiryu while Kiryu braces for battle.
Kiryu wallops Ichiban with a single punch. Even in Ichiban's imagination, the Dragon of Rock Bottom proves no match for the Dragon of Dojima, and the fight is so one-sided Ichiban begins hallucinating that Kiryu is a literal dragon, and he a knight going to slay the beast and save his friends. When he comes to, he sees his friends all sitting around wondering what he's talking about concerning dragons. Kiryu (who has cleaned himself up after the "fight") comes to Ichiban and asks how he's feeling. Ichiban says he's feeling a lot better before asking if the fight was really necessary, with Kiryu saying Ichiban was so blinded by rage he needed a beating to get him back to his senses. Kiryu encourages Ichiban to think like his enemies and outmaneuver them, as that's going to be his best bet going forward. Ichiban accepts this and allows Kiryu to help him up, and Kiryu says he'll show him what Aoki's plan is now.
Ichiban's party follows Kiryu into the monitor room, where Seonhee is waiting for them with a few monitors up and running. She tells Ichiban that Kiryu had her looking for someone close to Aoki, and when Ichiban asks who exactly that is she says they're searching for an assassin coming in from outside Ijincho. Ichiban asks why they're looking for an assassin, with Kiryu saying that Aoki ordered Sawashiro to kill Hoshino, and now that's he's been captured by the police he's made himself a liability. Seonhee implies she knows about Kiryu's sources and who he is, but Kiryu doesn't want to talk about that right now (though he's impressed by Seonhee's resourcefulness). They pull up a picture of some yakuza walking around the Bar District around five, with Seonhee saying Zhao might recognize the guest of honor in the center of the group. He does, calling the man "Mirror Face"; according to him and Seonhee, Mirror Face is a master of his trade that can make any assassination look like an accident or suicide, a master of disguise that can get anywhere and everywhere to complete his work. Adachi asks how he plans to kill Sawashiro, with Kiryu and Zhao believing he'll disguise himself as a cop to get close to Sawashiro. Ichiban declares that he has to tell Aoki that Sawashiro is his real father, but Seonhee says Aoki isn't one to get sentimental over such details. Ichiban then asks if they're sure that's Aoki's next move, and Kiryu says Ichiban doesn't look like the kind of guy who would back down even if he said he wasn't sure. Ichiban then asks if Kiryu will be helping them, but Kiryu declines; he's spent too much time out in the sun, and he has to get back to the shadows if he's going to protect those he care about. Still, he sensed greatness in Ichiban when they fought, and encourages him to keep close to his friends before he leaves. Zhao asks Seonhee if she knows more about him, but she says that it'd be best if they just forget they ever saw him and move on from there. Ichiban agrees, but before they can say more one of the Koreans steps out and tells Seonhee that they spotted Ishioda going into the building where Mirror Face is supposedly hiding. Reasoning that the two intend to carry out the hit that night, Ichiban and his friends hurry to the building to confront Ishioda.
When they reach the hideout, Seonhee calls Ichiban to tell him neither Ishioda nor Mirror Face has left the building. The two are on the fourth floor, and there's about ten other yakuza in the building with them; Ichiban tells Seonhee to keep an eye on Ishioda while he and the others go to confront him. As they prepare to head inside, they are jumped by a group of Ishioda's men; they fight off the yakuza and head inside, spreading out through the building to try and find Ishioda. They clear out a few rooms of Ishioda's grunts before they find the man himself in one of the upper rooms. Ichiban asks Ishioda if he killed Arakawa, but Ishioda denies it; according to him, Arakawa died because of the yakuza code, killed as a traitor for what he did against the Omi. Ichiban doesn't buy that excuse, but doesn't get a chance to say more before a second Adachi jumps out of the shadows and tackles the first. Zhao guesses this must be Mirror Face; the assassin is skilled enough to mimic a person down to the roots of their hair, and even a disgraced cop would stand a good chance at getting close to Sawashiro to kill him. Saeko asks how they're going to tell the real one from the fake, and Ichiban has an idea; he approaches the two Adachis and begins quizzing them on traffic laws and regulations. One Adachi sputters in confusion at what Ichiban is doing, while the other gives Ichiban perfect answers on the traffic code. Ichiban punches the latter, freeing Adachi while Mirror Face grumbles about how a moron like Adachi got to become a cop. With Mirror Face identified, Ichiban turns on Ishioda, and the two sides fight until Ichiban defeats the yakuza and the assassin.
As Ishioda lays defeated, Ichiban tells him it's his fault Sawashiro will talk; once he learns Aoki ordered him killed, he'll have no choice but to tell the police everything. Either way, Ishioda failed Aoki, and he's obviously not going to take that well. First things first, though, Ichiban wants to know if Ishioda was the man who killed Arakawa, pinning the yakuza to a table to get him to talk. Ishioda says that's not entirely true; yes, he did go to kill Arakawa on Aoki's orders, but someone got in his way. That night, Ishioda and another yakuza had set up a sniper's nest in Ijincho, but just as they were about to kill Arakawa Tendo stepped out in front of the captain. The two chatted for a moment before Tendo gave a signal, and a squad of his men jumped out and captured Ishioda and his man. When Tendo and Arakawa joined them, Tendo chided Ishioda on his impulsiveness and predictability, questioning how he even got to the rank of lieutenant in the first place. Arakawa told Ishioda that it was time to give up and move on, but Tendo added that times like this might present opportunities for men to rise to the top, at which point he drew his own gun and shot Arakawa.
Ichiban and his friends take a moment to process that Tendo was the man who killed Arakawa. They demand to know where he is, but the camera pans to show that the entire floor has been rigged with explosives. Outside, a yakuza informs Tendo that Ishioda failed in his task, with Tendo getting the okay from Aoki to detonate the bombs. The yakuza hangs up and walks off, an explosion tearing through the floor Ichiban, Ishioda, and the others were on.
Chapter 15: To the Pinnacle
The day before the election, Kume is making his final push to turn out votes in his favor. That night he joins with Aoki for a final campaign rally, unaware of a figure in a raincoat approaching with a megaphone in hand. Before the speech, Aoki boasts to his secretary about all he has achieved, as unlike those that have come before him he has actually kept his promises and produced results. His secretary warns him that everyone has a slip up, even him, and he must not let his pride cloud his vision. Just as Aoki's speech gets under way, the figure rips off his disguise to reveal Ichiban, alive and well despite rumors he'd gotten blown up. With Adachi and Nanba's help Ichiban jumps up to the top of the tour bus, saying he has great respect for Aoki and intends to shake hands with him that night and wish him the best in the election. Aoki hesitates but does go to shake Ichiban's hand, at which Ichiban pulls Aoki in close and tells him what he knows: he knows Aoki ordered Arakawa killed thanks to Sawashiro, and furthermore there's a record of the order somewhere in Arakawa's office in the Millennium Tower. Ichiban plans to collect the recording before the polls close, where he'll then leak it to the public and tear down all Aoki has worked to build. Aoki thinks Ichiban is bluffing, but Ichiban tells Aoki that's no problem for him before breaking off, saying he sees now why Arakawa and Sawashiro were so worried for Aoki; he's let his power get to his head and thinks himself invincible, when the truth couldn't be more different. With that Ichiban departs, Aoki saving face and praising Ichiban for the great twist.
As he walks off, Ichiban gets a call from Nick and asks how he looked on TV. Nick says he's trending now, but the public isn't exactly supporting Ichiban either; Ichiban isn't surprised as he'd always look like the villain to Aoki, but seeing his reaction made it all worth it. Nick is happy to see Ichiban is happy, asking him and his friends to meet up at a bar called Earth Angel so they can plan their next steps. Ichiban and company go there and find Nick chatting with the okama bartender, Nick turning and asking if all that was just to get Aoki to shake his hand. Ichiban says that was just step one: he told Aoki about there being a recording of Aoki ordering Arakawa's death, but no such recording exists. Aoki can't risk the possibility that Ichiban isn't bluffing, so he'll send men to tear the Arakawa offices apart searching for that recording before Ichiban gets it. The Omi of course won't find anything, so Aoki will have to send Tendo to find the recording (and all of the party has a grudge against the ex-boxer now, with Saeko revealing that Adachi spotted the bomb and got them to safety before it blew). Nanba asks what then, and Ichiban says that as virtual leader of the Tokyo Omi, Aoki will have to go to the Millennium Tower to find the recording should Tendo fail, and Ichiban will be waiting for him then. Nick warns Ichiban that he's on Aoki's turf now- if he even steps outside he's liable to be jumped by the governor's men, but Ichiban says he's looking forward to the warm-up.
Meanwhile, Aoki broods in his office while Tendo complains about cleaning up the governor's messes. Aoki asks if he needs to break it down further, but Tendo apologizes for the impropriety and says he'll get the job done and make sure Ichiban stays dead this time. Aoki doesn't answer right away, with Tendo asking if he's keeping quiet to avoid being recorded again. Aoki warns Tendo that if Aoki goes down, the Tokyo Omi goes down with him, but the same cannot be said for Tendo. Tendo understands that and promises to prove the Omi's worth, with Aoki saying Tendo's number one priority should be protecting him at all costs. Tendo says he'll get the job done, but warns Aoki that one day it will be him who can't live without the Omi rather than the other way around.
Ichiban and friends leave Earth Angel, with Saeko asking what they're going to do until the next day. Adachi has that all figured out: an old buddy of his from his police days runs a bar called New Serena in town, and he'll let them rest up there until they are prepared to face Tendo and Aoki. They go to New Serena, where Detective Makoto Date greets them and says that Ichiban kind of reminds him of an old friend of his from back in the day. Date understands Ichiban is in a bit of a bind, so he tells them they can use New Serena as a base of operations in preparation for their confrontation the following day. With that Date departs and wishes them the best of luck, and Ichiban rests in preparation for the coming day.
The next day, Ichiban awakes and Saeko tells him the polls have opened for voting. Nanba says that they're all ready to go whenever he is, but warns Ichiban that the minute he sets foot inside the Millennium Tower he's essentially declaring war against Aoki and the Omi Alliance. Ichiban is prepared, and as the results of the election start rolling in and and his party march on the Millennium Tower. Just before they go in Nick calls and asks if he's launching his attack now, telling Ichiban that Tendo arrived at the tower about two hours ago just like Ichiban said he would. He wishes Ichiban the best of luck storming the Tower, and with that Ichiban and his friends enter and attack the Omi Alliance.
Floor by floor Ichiban and his party fights the Omi, working their way up the tower to reach the Arakawa offices. Upon arriving they find the place trashed and Tendo waiting for them, the lieutenant helping himself to a glass of brandy. Tendo tells Ichiban he figured there was no recording of Aoki ordering Arakawa's death, and Ichiban confirms this but notes Aoki sent him out anyway. Tendo realizes that he is what Ichiban is after, with Ichiban saying that he and Arakawa genuinely thought Tendo was on their side. Tendo laughs, saying that Arakawa gave him the chance to finally get to the top and take what he felt was his, taunting Ichiban about how he shot Arakawa so he would painfully bleed out and get to see Tendo's smug face leering down at him as he died. This riles Ichiban up enough to tear off his shirt and challenge Tendo, and Tendo responds by taking his jacket off (revealing he has a dragon tattoo) and preparing to fight. Tendo proves to be just as tough as Ichiban has heard, No Selling Ichiban's initial attacks before knocking Ichiban back. Tendo thrashes Ichiban, knocking him about even before he pulls out the brass knuckles, but Ichiban's tenacity wins out and he eventually forces Tendo into a final cross counter.
Meanwhile, Aoki's party has won a supermajority in Parliament. As he gives his victory speech, though, Aoki is stopped when a breaking news alert informs the public that a warrant has been placed for his arrest in connection with a murder. As Aoki tries to get the press under control, Nick steps out and begins asking if he really is Masato Arakawa, and thus related to the yakuza who was murdered in Ijincho days prior. Aoki is escorted off stage, but sensing that something has gone seriously wrong he grabs some of his bodyguards and rushes to the Millennium Tower. On the way he calls Horinouchi and asks what's going on, and despite Horinouchi saying the report only played out on the screens at his party's rally Aoki believes the media picked up on it and will be spreading the news soon. He tells Horinouchi to find out what happened and shut it down while he goes to the Millennium Tower to sort things out.
Upon arriving in the Arakawa offices, he finds Tendo sitting on Arakawa's desk, the broken bodies of Ichiban and his friends scattered about. Aoki asks why Tendo didn't call him, with Tendo saying he had a little trouble, obviously, and that Ichiban's story about a recording was all a bluff. Aoki is relieved, but there's still work to do: Ichiban obviously had allies, whoever hacked the broadcast and hid him in Ijincho, and he wants Tendo to hunt them down and kill them, and make sure to dispose of the bodies so they never trouble him again.
At which point Ichiban hops up and asks how his performance was.
Aoki sputters when he sees Ichiban and his allies are perfectly fine. He asks Tendo what the meaning of this is, but as it turns out "Tendo" is actually Mirror Face, who wasn't too happy that Aoki tried to kill him back in Ijincho and teamed up with Ichiban. Just then, Saeko and Joon-gi step out of the shadows with a camera, telling Aoki that they're going to be sending that little clip of Aoki ordering Ichiban disposed of to the internet for all to see. Aoki tries to stop them, but Ichiban tells Aoki it's over; Aoki has lost his way in trying to get back at the people that embarrassed him in the past, and this was the only way for Ichiban to get Aoki back on track. Aoki says that Ichiban doesn't know him, but Ichiban swears he'll do whatever he needs to to defeat Aoki before preparing for a fight. Aoki orders his men to kill Ichiban and his party, and the two sides clash.
During the fight, Aoki tries to slip away to the second level of the office, with Ichiban giving chase. Finally cornered, the two drop all pretenses: no goofy transitions, no super moves, just Ichiban and Masato having a fist fight over their shared fate. Ichiban proves to be the better fighter of the two, knocking Masato down to the bottom level and ensuring his defeat.
Ichiban jumps down and asks Masato to surrender, but Masato remains defiant and believes he can still change Japan. Ichiban shoots this down by saying all Masato was doing was whatever he pleased and leaving others to clean up the mess, using his ideals as a shield as he killed people like Arakawa for nothing. Masato says that they were people who could be used, while he is a man who is meant to use others, but Ichiban furiously rejects that outlook. He goes on to say that he always admired Masato, and envied how Masato grew up with everything Ichiban always wanted as a child, so how could he turn out to be such a scumbag? The police arrive to demand answers, and Ichiban gives Masato a choice: he can start over, rebuild his life from rock bottom and be the man Ichiban always admired. He even offers to help, as that's what Arakawa would have wanted for both of them. Ichiban goes to the police and tells them that Aoki arranged for the bombing that almost killed Ichiban, having Joon-gi show them the video of Aoki ordering Tendo to dispose of their bodies. The leader says they'll have to consult with the commissioner on this first before sending one of his men to help Masato. While they were distracted by the video, though, Masato palmed a piece of broken glass and uses it to take the police officer hostage and steal his pistol. As he works his way over to the exit, Masato tells Ichiban that he always hated the yakuza and their emphasis on oaths and brotherhood. Ichiban, though, puts himself between the police and Masato, pleading for Masato to drop the gun as he doesn't want to see another family member of his die. He wasn't able to stop Masato before, but now he has the chance to talk him down before he's lost to Ichiban just like Arakawa. Masato, though, rejects Ichiban's pleas and makes his way to the elevator, knocking his hostage out once he's made his escape.
Down in the streets, Masato stumbles limply through the crowds while his Engineered Public Confession plays for all the world to see. By some twist of fate he ends up where this all began: the coin lockers at Shinjuku Station where he and Ichiban were placed. Ichiban arrives soon after, saying he knew exactly what kind of person Masato was and that he thought Masato would want to restart everything, which is why he thought to look for Masato at the lockers. Masato says Ichiban doesn't know him and aims his gun at Ichiban, shooting near his feet to keep him from coming closer and taking it. As the crowds scatter, Masato turns to the lockers and asks Ichiban if he remembers Yumeno, the woman who ruined his life. Turns out she married Horinouchi, and the two met up at a party to celebrate his promotion to commissioner just before Masato was elected; there, she did not recognize Masato and said that he was a fine young man, Masato bitterly laughing at the irony that she would compliment the man she once said was creepy and threatening. Ichiban tries to approach Masato, but Masato puts the gun to his temple and threatens to shoot himself. Masato says that moment with Yumeno was when he realized just how fragile his newfound power was, and after all that no one could appreciate who he truly was after all the effort he put in to change his weak old self.
Ichiban says that isn't true; Arakawa, Sawashiro, himself, they all cared about Masato and how he lived his life. When he first saw Masato as Aoki after he got out of prison, Ichiban knew it was Masato right away because he cared about him. Masato chuckles as Ichiban seems to be going back to that "bullshit" about family love, but Ichiban swears that's not it. Despite every time Masato screwed up, he and the others still cared for him because there was a greater connection between them, not some black-and-white emotion. Never once did they regret being with him, and Masato needs to get it through his thick skull that they all loved him and only ever wanted the best for him. Ichiban sobs that he sees Masato as his brother, and the last thing he wants is to see Masato die. As Ichiban begs Masato to come to his senses, Masato lowers the pistol and places it in an empty locker, locking it away for good. That task complete, he calls his secretary and tells her he intends to turn himself over to the police, and from there he will face the charges brought against him...
And then Kume comes out of nowhere and stabs him, weeping about Masato's "betrayal" and swearing that he will carry on his ideals. As Kume stumbles away, Ichiban rushes to Masato and picks him up, Masato passing out as Ichiban charges through the crowd in search of a doctor.
Some time later, Horinouchi is waiting on the roof of Tokyo PD when Adachi approaches him. Adachi asks if Horinouchi remembers him, but Horinouchi does not and asks him to get to the point. Adachi says he found some evidence in the Millennium Tower concerning the Tokyo Omi's crimes, telling Horinouchi about the rumor that there was evidence tying the governor to the Arakawa Family. Horinouchi rightly dismisses that as a bluff to lure Tendo out, after which a group of officers exit the elevator behind Adachi. Adachi pulls out a USB stick and tells Horinouchi that when Tendo ransacked the office, he did find something of interest to the police: a list of nearly 300 million yen worth in bribes, with a catalogue of who was paid off and how much. Adachi guesses Horinouchi didn't expect this to turn up, as the records show that a good portion of the money ended up in the pockets of Horinouchi and a few other prominent officials in exchange for looking the other way as the Omi took over Kamurocho. Horinouchi tries to get the other policemen to arrest Adachi, but Adachi says he already sent the evidence to the inspector general and the media, so there's nothing Horinouchi can do to save his skin. Horinouchi asks why Adachi would do this if he stands to gain nothing, with Adachi saying it all comes down to revenge, more or less. The police step forward and arrest Horinouchi, and as he's led away Adachi asks if he remembers a rude yakuza he encountered at a cabaret club eighteen years ago. When Horinouchi says no, Adachi dismisses it as nothing important and lets the police take the Commissioner away while he goes to have a smoke.
Down in Ijincho, Ichiban is praying over a shrine to the Arakawas with Nanba. Nanba informs Ichiban that Sawashiro got life in prison for the murder of Chairman Hoshino, adding that Masato died not knowing he wasn't Arakawa's son, and Arakawa died not knowing Masato wasn't his either. He suggests Ichiban get a DNA test to confirm whether he's Arakawa's real son or not and put his mind at ease, but Ichiban declines as he sees Jiro Kasuga and Masumi Arakawa as his fathers, equally- no DNA test is going to change that. Nanba accepts that, and Saeko enters the room saying they're going to be late for the main funeral. There, Ichiban is greeted by Daigo, Watase, Saejima, Majima, and Mitsuo, Ichiban asking if Daigo is really setting up a security firm in Sotenbori. Watase confirm this, saying that it was their idea to create a place where the loose yakuza could come and put their skills to legitimate uses. Saejima and Majima ask if Ichiban will take Arakawa's place in the organization, but Ichiban declines for now; he has unfinished business in Ijincho that he can't let sit, friends he needs to support in uncertain times. Daigo accepts this, and Ichiban goes to pay his final respects to Masumi and Masato.
After the funeral, Ichiban is greeted by the rest of his party, Hamako, Seonhee, and the Elder Bum, with Zhao and Hamako asking if he intends to skip town. Ichiban asks Saeko to explain what's going on for him while he takes a break near the river, mulling over the last thing Masato said to him before he died: "Keep Living, Ichi. Starting over from Rock Bottom? I like those odds". Ichiban tells himself that the bottom doesn't have to be all gloomy and dark, and as long as he keeps looking up and moving forward he can see the light at the end. That, at least, was something Masato got absolutely right.
The End
As he walks off, Ichiban gets a call from Nick and asks how he looked on TV. Nick says he's trending now, but the public isn't exactly supporting Ichiban either; Ichiban isn't surprised as he'd always look like the villain to Aoki, but seeing his reaction made it all worth it. Nick is happy to see Ichiban is happy, asking him and his friends to meet up at a bar called Earth Angel so they can plan their next steps. Ichiban and company go there and find Nick chatting with the okama bartender, Nick turning and asking if all that was just to get Aoki to shake his hand. Ichiban says that was just step one: he told Aoki about there being a recording of Aoki ordering Arakawa's death, but no such recording exists. Aoki can't risk the possibility that Ichiban isn't bluffing, so he'll send men to tear the Arakawa offices apart searching for that recording before Ichiban gets it. The Omi of course won't find anything, so Aoki will have to send Tendo to find the recording (and all of the party has a grudge against the ex-boxer now, with Saeko revealing that Adachi spotted the bomb and got them to safety before it blew). Nanba asks what then, and Ichiban says that as virtual leader of the Tokyo Omi, Aoki will have to go to the Millennium Tower to find the recording should Tendo fail, and Ichiban will be waiting for him then. Nick warns Ichiban that he's on Aoki's turf now- if he even steps outside he's liable to be jumped by the governor's men, but Ichiban says he's looking forward to the warm-up.
Meanwhile, Aoki broods in his office while Tendo complains about cleaning up the governor's messes. Aoki asks if he needs to break it down further, but Tendo apologizes for the impropriety and says he'll get the job done and make sure Ichiban stays dead this time. Aoki doesn't answer right away, with Tendo asking if he's keeping quiet to avoid being recorded again. Aoki warns Tendo that if Aoki goes down, the Tokyo Omi goes down with him, but the same cannot be said for Tendo. Tendo understands that and promises to prove the Omi's worth, with Aoki saying Tendo's number one priority should be protecting him at all costs. Tendo says he'll get the job done, but warns Aoki that one day it will be him who can't live without the Omi rather than the other way around.
Ichiban and friends leave Earth Angel, with Saeko asking what they're going to do until the next day. Adachi has that all figured out: an old buddy of his from his police days runs a bar called New Serena in town, and he'll let them rest up there until they are prepared to face Tendo and Aoki. They go to New Serena, where Detective Makoto Date greets them and says that Ichiban kind of reminds him of an old friend of his from back in the day. Date understands Ichiban is in a bit of a bind, so he tells them they can use New Serena as a base of operations in preparation for their confrontation the following day. With that Date departs and wishes them the best of luck, and Ichiban rests in preparation for the coming day.
The next day, Ichiban awakes and Saeko tells him the polls have opened for voting. Nanba says that they're all ready to go whenever he is, but warns Ichiban that the minute he sets foot inside the Millennium Tower he's essentially declaring war against Aoki and the Omi Alliance. Ichiban is prepared, and as the results of the election start rolling in and and his party march on the Millennium Tower. Just before they go in Nick calls and asks if he's launching his attack now, telling Ichiban that Tendo arrived at the tower about two hours ago just like Ichiban said he would. He wishes Ichiban the best of luck storming the Tower, and with that Ichiban and his friends enter and attack the Omi Alliance.
Floor by floor Ichiban and his party fights the Omi, working their way up the tower to reach the Arakawa offices. Upon arriving they find the place trashed and Tendo waiting for them, the lieutenant helping himself to a glass of brandy. Tendo tells Ichiban he figured there was no recording of Aoki ordering Arakawa's death, and Ichiban confirms this but notes Aoki sent him out anyway. Tendo realizes that he is what Ichiban is after, with Ichiban saying that he and Arakawa genuinely thought Tendo was on their side. Tendo laughs, saying that Arakawa gave him the chance to finally get to the top and take what he felt was his, taunting Ichiban about how he shot Arakawa so he would painfully bleed out and get to see Tendo's smug face leering down at him as he died. This riles Ichiban up enough to tear off his shirt and challenge Tendo, and Tendo responds by taking his jacket off (revealing he has a dragon tattoo) and preparing to fight. Tendo proves to be just as tough as Ichiban has heard, No Selling Ichiban's initial attacks before knocking Ichiban back. Tendo thrashes Ichiban, knocking him about even before he pulls out the brass knuckles, but Ichiban's tenacity wins out and he eventually forces Tendo into a final cross counter.
Meanwhile, Aoki's party has won a supermajority in Parliament. As he gives his victory speech, though, Aoki is stopped when a breaking news alert informs the public that a warrant has been placed for his arrest in connection with a murder. As Aoki tries to get the press under control, Nick steps out and begins asking if he really is Masato Arakawa, and thus related to the yakuza who was murdered in Ijincho days prior. Aoki is escorted off stage, but sensing that something has gone seriously wrong he grabs some of his bodyguards and rushes to the Millennium Tower. On the way he calls Horinouchi and asks what's going on, and despite Horinouchi saying the report only played out on the screens at his party's rally Aoki believes the media picked up on it and will be spreading the news soon. He tells Horinouchi to find out what happened and shut it down while he goes to the Millennium Tower to sort things out.
Upon arriving in the Arakawa offices, he finds Tendo sitting on Arakawa's desk, the broken bodies of Ichiban and his friends scattered about. Aoki asks why Tendo didn't call him, with Tendo saying he had a little trouble, obviously, and that Ichiban's story about a recording was all a bluff. Aoki is relieved, but there's still work to do: Ichiban obviously had allies, whoever hacked the broadcast and hid him in Ijincho, and he wants Tendo to hunt them down and kill them, and make sure to dispose of the bodies so they never trouble him again.
At which point Ichiban hops up and asks how his performance was.
Aoki sputters when he sees Ichiban and his allies are perfectly fine. He asks Tendo what the meaning of this is, but as it turns out "Tendo" is actually Mirror Face, who wasn't too happy that Aoki tried to kill him back in Ijincho and teamed up with Ichiban. Just then, Saeko and Joon-gi step out of the shadows with a camera, telling Aoki that they're going to be sending that little clip of Aoki ordering Ichiban disposed of to the internet for all to see. Aoki tries to stop them, but Ichiban tells Aoki it's over; Aoki has lost his way in trying to get back at the people that embarrassed him in the past, and this was the only way for Ichiban to get Aoki back on track. Aoki says that Ichiban doesn't know him, but Ichiban swears he'll do whatever he needs to to defeat Aoki before preparing for a fight. Aoki orders his men to kill Ichiban and his party, and the two sides clash.
During the fight, Aoki tries to slip away to the second level of the office, with Ichiban giving chase. Finally cornered, the two drop all pretenses: no goofy transitions, no super moves, just Ichiban and Masato having a fist fight over their shared fate. Ichiban proves to be the better fighter of the two, knocking Masato down to the bottom level and ensuring his defeat.
Ichiban jumps down and asks Masato to surrender, but Masato remains defiant and believes he can still change Japan. Ichiban shoots this down by saying all Masato was doing was whatever he pleased and leaving others to clean up the mess, using his ideals as a shield as he killed people like Arakawa for nothing. Masato says that they were people who could be used, while he is a man who is meant to use others, but Ichiban furiously rejects that outlook. He goes on to say that he always admired Masato, and envied how Masato grew up with everything Ichiban always wanted as a child, so how could he turn out to be such a scumbag? The police arrive to demand answers, and Ichiban gives Masato a choice: he can start over, rebuild his life from rock bottom and be the man Ichiban always admired. He even offers to help, as that's what Arakawa would have wanted for both of them. Ichiban goes to the police and tells them that Aoki arranged for the bombing that almost killed Ichiban, having Joon-gi show them the video of Aoki ordering Tendo to dispose of their bodies. The leader says they'll have to consult with the commissioner on this first before sending one of his men to help Masato. While they were distracted by the video, though, Masato palmed a piece of broken glass and uses it to take the police officer hostage and steal his pistol. As he works his way over to the exit, Masato tells Ichiban that he always hated the yakuza and their emphasis on oaths and brotherhood. Ichiban, though, puts himself between the police and Masato, pleading for Masato to drop the gun as he doesn't want to see another family member of his die. He wasn't able to stop Masato before, but now he has the chance to talk him down before he's lost to Ichiban just like Arakawa. Masato, though, rejects Ichiban's pleas and makes his way to the elevator, knocking his hostage out once he's made his escape.
Down in the streets, Masato stumbles limply through the crowds while his Engineered Public Confession plays for all the world to see. By some twist of fate he ends up where this all began: the coin lockers at Shinjuku Station where he and Ichiban were placed. Ichiban arrives soon after, saying he knew exactly what kind of person Masato was and that he thought Masato would want to restart everything, which is why he thought to look for Masato at the lockers. Masato says Ichiban doesn't know him and aims his gun at Ichiban, shooting near his feet to keep him from coming closer and taking it. As the crowds scatter, Masato turns to the lockers and asks Ichiban if he remembers Yumeno, the woman who ruined his life. Turns out she married Horinouchi, and the two met up at a party to celebrate his promotion to commissioner just before Masato was elected; there, she did not recognize Masato and said that he was a fine young man, Masato bitterly laughing at the irony that she would compliment the man she once said was creepy and threatening. Ichiban tries to approach Masato, but Masato puts the gun to his temple and threatens to shoot himself. Masato says that moment with Yumeno was when he realized just how fragile his newfound power was, and after all that no one could appreciate who he truly was after all the effort he put in to change his weak old self.
Ichiban says that isn't true; Arakawa, Sawashiro, himself, they all cared about Masato and how he lived his life. When he first saw Masato as Aoki after he got out of prison, Ichiban knew it was Masato right away because he cared about him. Masato chuckles as Ichiban seems to be going back to that "bullshit" about family love, but Ichiban swears that's not it. Despite every time Masato screwed up, he and the others still cared for him because there was a greater connection between them, not some black-and-white emotion. Never once did they regret being with him, and Masato needs to get it through his thick skull that they all loved him and only ever wanted the best for him. Ichiban sobs that he sees Masato as his brother, and the last thing he wants is to see Masato die. As Ichiban begs Masato to come to his senses, Masato lowers the pistol and places it in an empty locker, locking it away for good. That task complete, he calls his secretary and tells her he intends to turn himself over to the police, and from there he will face the charges brought against him...
And then Kume comes out of nowhere and stabs him, weeping about Masato's "betrayal" and swearing that he will carry on his ideals. As Kume stumbles away, Ichiban rushes to Masato and picks him up, Masato passing out as Ichiban charges through the crowd in search of a doctor.
Some time later, Horinouchi is waiting on the roof of Tokyo PD when Adachi approaches him. Adachi asks if Horinouchi remembers him, but Horinouchi does not and asks him to get to the point. Adachi says he found some evidence in the Millennium Tower concerning the Tokyo Omi's crimes, telling Horinouchi about the rumor that there was evidence tying the governor to the Arakawa Family. Horinouchi rightly dismisses that as a bluff to lure Tendo out, after which a group of officers exit the elevator behind Adachi. Adachi pulls out a USB stick and tells Horinouchi that when Tendo ransacked the office, he did find something of interest to the police: a list of nearly 300 million yen worth in bribes, with a catalogue of who was paid off and how much. Adachi guesses Horinouchi didn't expect this to turn up, as the records show that a good portion of the money ended up in the pockets of Horinouchi and a few other prominent officials in exchange for looking the other way as the Omi took over Kamurocho. Horinouchi tries to get the other policemen to arrest Adachi, but Adachi says he already sent the evidence to the inspector general and the media, so there's nothing Horinouchi can do to save his skin. Horinouchi asks why Adachi would do this if he stands to gain nothing, with Adachi saying it all comes down to revenge, more or less. The police step forward and arrest Horinouchi, and as he's led away Adachi asks if he remembers a rude yakuza he encountered at a cabaret club eighteen years ago. When Horinouchi says no, Adachi dismisses it as nothing important and lets the police take the Commissioner away while he goes to have a smoke.
Down in Ijincho, Ichiban is praying over a shrine to the Arakawas with Nanba. Nanba informs Ichiban that Sawashiro got life in prison for the murder of Chairman Hoshino, adding that Masato died not knowing he wasn't Arakawa's son, and Arakawa died not knowing Masato wasn't his either. He suggests Ichiban get a DNA test to confirm whether he's Arakawa's real son or not and put his mind at ease, but Ichiban declines as he sees Jiro Kasuga and Masumi Arakawa as his fathers, equally- no DNA test is going to change that. Nanba accepts that, and Saeko enters the room saying they're going to be late for the main funeral. There, Ichiban is greeted by Daigo, Watase, Saejima, Majima, and Mitsuo, Ichiban asking if Daigo is really setting up a security firm in Sotenbori. Watase confirm this, saying that it was their idea to create a place where the loose yakuza could come and put their skills to legitimate uses. Saejima and Majima ask if Ichiban will take Arakawa's place in the organization, but Ichiban declines for now; he has unfinished business in Ijincho that he can't let sit, friends he needs to support in uncertain times. Daigo accepts this, and Ichiban goes to pay his final respects to Masumi and Masato.
After the funeral, Ichiban is greeted by the rest of his party, Hamako, Seonhee, and the Elder Bum, with Zhao and Hamako asking if he intends to skip town. Ichiban asks Saeko to explain what's going on for him while he takes a break near the river, mulling over the last thing Masato said to him before he died: "Keep Living, Ichi. Starting over from Rock Bottom? I like those odds". Ichiban tells himself that the bottom doesn't have to be all gloomy and dark, and as long as he keeps looking up and moving forward he can see the light at the end. That, at least, was something Masato got absolutely right.
The End
