Ch.102Even a Worm Will Turn

In the secret arena beneath the Kitsune mansion.

All the family elders gathered there, including the current head Hosen, were in a state of confusion.

Understandably so, as thirty minutes had already passed since the succession ceremony was supposed to begin.

BANG!

“Why isn’t anyone showing up?!”

The home ground of the arena remained empty.

Looking at the barren sumo ring, Head Hosen considered this situation a disgrace to the family.

But that didn’t last long.

“Head! Young Master Katsuo is just entering!”

“Katsuo…?”

Katsuo, the eldest son, who should have appeared in this underground arena tomorrow due to his bye in the tournament.

Hosen and the surrounding elders were visibly confused as the eldest walked to the center of the arena.

As if the real event was just beginning.

Thump, thump, thump, thump.

“What…”

“What is that?!”

Figures began walking onto the sand-covered arena one by one, following behind Katsuo.

“Y-Young Master Rokyu?!”

“Even Princess Asuna is there…”

Asuna entered gracefully while Rokyu appeared somewhat tense.

And behind them came four more people.

The family elders tilted their heads at the appearance of unfamiliar figures in black coats.

THUMP!

“Head?”

“Why, why are those things here…?”

As one of the heads of the World’s 10 Great Families.

Kitsune Hosen couldn’t possibly fail to recognize those eccentrics also known as the underworld’s 10 great families.

“The Villain’s Troupe…!”

“…Pardon?”

“V-Villain’s Troupe, you say?!”

Leader Katarina and three members.

Dorothy, Ookami, and the newly joined Riverine—with the appearance of the world’s worst criminals, the underground arena instantly descended into chaos.

“The main character hasn’t even appeared yet, and you’re already trying to leave~”

“…?! Y-You are…!”

Sensing something unusual about the situation, Hosen immediately tried to stand up.

But a man forcibly pushed him down, making him sit.

“Surely that’s the Immortal of the Soviet Union…!”

“Haha. It’s Russia now. By the way, old man, were we acquaintances before?”

“How is a monster like you here…?”

“Well, I’m here because your granddaughter hired me~”

“…What?”

During the most intense period of the Kuril Islands dispute between Russia and Japan.

Lorensky had somehow ended up killing the previous head of the Kitsune family.

Now, learning that his own blood relative had hired the Soviet Immortal, sweat began to run down Hosen’s face.

“You… joined ‘under’ whose command?”

“Yes. So let’s just watch together for now, old man.”

Head Hosen and all the Kitsune family elders looked back at the center of the arena, following Lorensky’s pointing finger.

Past the many Rokyu household servants who entered afterward.

Han Jaewon and Sophia.

And finally, escorted by Shinwoo, the protagonist of this incident revealed herself.

“That’s…!”

“Surely that illegitimate child…”

“…Kurumi?”

When Kurumi stood in the middle of the arena, everyone there knelt on one knee before her, as if for show.

Whether direct descendants, the Villain’s Troupe, or even those with National Authority-Level power, they all showed their loyalty, much to Hosen’s confusion as Kurumi looked up at him.

“Head Hosen.”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing…!”

“As of this moment, I’ve come to strip you of your position as family head.”

“What?”

At this clear declaration spoken in such a definitive voice, the elders in the arena stands were all left speechless.

“An illegitimate child dares to claim the head’s position…?”

“I am not just some illegitimate child. I am Kitsune Kurumi, the new head of the soon-to-be reformed Kitsune family.”

Even as she emitted an aura strong enough to shake the entire underground, Kurumi continued to speak confidently to Head Hosen.

“And to all the family leadership present here, thank you for your hard work until now.”

“W-What?!”

“You’re going to bring us down too?!”

She must be crazy.

The elders supporting Hosen all intended to strike down the family’s illegitimate child, judging her to be arrogant merely from unifying some direct descendants.

But this development had been anticipated from the beginning.

“Everyone, you’ve all said what you wanted to say, so will you help me now?”

“Yes, Head…”

“Leave it to me, sis!”

“If I can atone for my past sins even a little… I will fight!”

The direct descendants pledged their support to Kurumi as she turned around with a bright smile.

And then.

“Come on, let’s put in some effort for our new sponsor!”

“Oh, ohh…!”

“I’ve been wanting to make dolls from the corpses of the 10 Great Families, so this works out perfectly.”

“…I also had a grudge against these bastards, so this is convenient.”

The fact that there was a cooperative relationship between the Villain’s Troupe and the daughter of one of the 10 Great Families should never get out.

There must be no witnesses.

For this reason, Katarina’s Villain’s Troupe was also stepping forward to ensure a clean business.

Meanwhile.

“You knew I was following you…?”

“Yeah. Weren’t you working under someone called Kitsune Rokyu?”

“Wow. I was trying to surprise you!”

Sophia, who had been sneaking up behind Shinwoo to surprise him with a “Boo!”, seemed somewhat disappointed by his calm demeanor.

Then, as if she had a good idea, she showed him the ring on her index finger with a grin.

“Han Shinwoo, you know what? I received a ring. From a man, no less.”

“Really?”

What would Shinwoo’s reaction be if I told him I received a ring from a man?

Sophia chuckled as she imagined Shinwoo secretly becoming jealous.

“Well, Sophia, you’re pretty and popular.”

“Hehehe. Right? So what do you think? I received a ring! And it was given by Young Master Rokyu over there.”

“You received a ring from an heir of the World’s 10 Great Families…?”

“Yes! That’s what I’m saying~”

Sophia’s lips curved upward like ascending to heaven as she watched Shinwoo’s surprised reaction.

Is this the fun of “push and pull” that she’d only heard about?

She had always felt like she was following Shinwoo, but now it felt like he was chasing after her, giving her an indescribable thrill that made her body tremble.

And just when she thought it was time for a bite after pushing like this…

“Congratulations!”

“…?”

“Rokyu is from the Kitsune family, right? That means he’s a Beast Hunter, and Beast Hunters can’t overcome their hatred of humans without sincere love.”

“Huh…?”

The conversation was taking an unexpected direction.

“It seems you were the one and only destined partner in Kitsune Rokyu’s life, Sophia.”

“R-Really?”

“Yes. And you quietly accepted the ring. That means Rokyu is also your destined partner.”

Finally, my sister who had fallen into misanthropy is finding her path to happiness!

Shinwoo smiled broadly at that thought.

“Congratulations, Sophia. You’ve found a good person.”

However, as Shinwoo continued with a smile.

Crackle.

“?!”

He immediately closed his mouth when he saw Sophia behind him, her face turning red and tears welling up in her eyes, regardless of the internal family war going on.

“That’s too much…”

“Uh, what?”

“Destined partner… I already have someone I like.”

“No, wait, I was just…”

“While knowing full well it’s you… are you making fun of me…?”

Sophia sat down on the spot, bursting into tears with loud sobs, ignoring the explosions or flying blades behind her.

Shinwoo, not knowing what to do, tried to calm her down by apologizing first.

“You fucking asshole!!”

THWACK!

“Gack?!”

“J-Jaewon?!”

“Han Shinwoo! You’re truly the worst human being! How can you treat someone who sincerely loves you like that!!”

Since victory was already guaranteed for Kurumi’s side from the moment the Villain’s Troupe and Lorensky were present.

Han Jaewon, who had been more interested in his mother’s side than the other side from the beginning, immediately kicked his father and stepped between the two upon witnessing this terrible marital dispute(?).

“Han Shinwoo! If there’s one greatest stain on my life, it’s that trash like you is my father!”

“W-What? Father? What are you talking about…”

Shinwoo, still not fully grasping the situation, tried to say something in response to this news.

“Argh! In that case, I’ll summon my servant monster, regardless of what happens to the Japanese mainland!”

At that moment, just like a cornered rat that bites a cat when its tail is stepped on.

Head Hosen, who was being one-sidedly beaten by the joint attack of Katsuo and Lorensky, declared to all humans here as if he couldn’t take it anymore.

RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE-!

“W-What’s happening?”

“The ground…?”

Simultaneously, the ground began to shake so violently, as if an earthquake of magnitude 6 or higher had occurred, making it impossible to even stand up.

“Head Hosen’s servant monster?”

“We’ve never seen such a thing…?”

Head Hosen’s servant monster, which had never been shown in public even once until now.

Even Han Shinwoo, a veteran of the original work, had never seen the abilities of the heads of the 10 Great Families until the moment he cleared the game.

“What’s about to appear?”

While even he was confused, Han Jaewon, who had already felt this familiar ground tremor in the future, clicked his tongue and shouted to those around him.

“Everyone get out of here right now!”

“…What?”

“What’s going on, Jaewon?”

“Mother! It’s Gojillia!”

“Go-jil…”

“lia?”

“Yes! An ultra-massive monster over 1,000 meters long is about to reveal itself above our heads!”