Academy SP 〜An Ex-Mercenary Reincarnated as a Mob in a Gal Game. I Ditched My Bodyguard Job to Enjoy High School Life, but When the Ultra-Rich Heroines Were About to Get Killed, I Stepped In… and Somehow Built a Harem Powerful Enough to Control Japan〜 - Chapter 69, 70 & 71

Chapter 69

“What are you doing here? Why are you here?”

Huh?

Strange.

For some reason, Ayaka didn’t seem as hostile toward me as she had earlier.

She had even switched from calling me “kisama” to “omae.”

It wasn’t just her hairstyle that was different—her entire aura felt softer.

Karuizawa magic? (What does that even mean.)

“I made plans to meet someone.”

“At this hour? That’s against school rules.”

“You’re one to talk. Even if you brought guards.”

“There are times when I simply wish to feel the night breeze.”

As she said that, she brushed her hair aside.

Maybe she had just come out of the bath, because I caught a faint scent of shampoo in the air.

“By the way, are the two friends who got harassed earlier okay?”

When I asked, her expression dimmed slightly.

“…It was more of a shock than they expected. They decided to return home early.”

“I see…”

“They were supposed to enjoy this forest camp. I feel terrible for not being able to protect them.”

“It’s not your fault. Don’t blame yourself so much.”

She blinked, her eyes widening.

What? Did I say something strange?

“…You can be kind too.”

And then—

For the first time, Ayaka showed me something that could truly be called a smile.

It was small, just the corner of her lips lifting.

But it was soft.

“—Even though you’re a man.”

“Oi.”

That’s discrimination, you know.

…Well, this gal game came out quite a while ago, so maybe that kind of line fits the era.

(Doesn’t make it okay, though.)

“By the way, the girls told me to thank you. They said, ‘Thank you,’ Takahashi—for helping them.”

“Oh. I see. Don’t worry about it. The ones who really saved you were your guards.”

I glanced toward Imamura, who stood a short distance away.

He responded with a polite bow.

“But you were the first to step in, Takahashi. …So I will thank you as well.”

She paused.

“—Thank you.”

Then she looked up at me.

“If I had kept you ‘Academy SP’ boys nearby from the start to keep men away… perhaps this wouldn’t have happened.”

Her expression tightened.

Almost as though she were blaming herself for being powerless.

“Talking about protecting others… and yet in the end, I couldn’t do anything alone. …How pathetic. It’s embarrassing.”

There was something I had been wondering.

So I asked.

“Do you hate men?”

Ayaka fell silent for a moment, as if carefully choosing her words.

Then she spoke slowly.

“No. I do not hate men. I simply dislike a society where people are valued merely because they are men.”

Her voice carried a bitter edge.

“My dream was—to become Minister of National Defense.”

“Minister of National Defense… That’s the position that’s always been held by someone from the Kirishima family or their close associates, right?”

“Yes. I know there are those who criticize that. …Some even claim that the reason we cling to that post is to increase the profits of Kirishima Heavy Industries.”

That must be the same rumor Wakita mentioned before—the one about the conglomerate quietly pushing for a larger weapons budget.

“But—that is absolutely not true.”

Ayaka spoke firmly.

She began explaining the Kirishima Conglomerate’s sense of justice.

“The Kirishima family has devoted itself to this country more than anyone else. During the turmoil at the end of the shogunate, we stood with the new government and helped guide Japan into a new era. In military affairs especially, we poured our strength into ensuring Japan would not fall behind the Western powers. —The reason we insist on holding the position of Minister of National Defense is because of that inherited pride. A pride passed down through generations. —The pride of wanting to protect Japan more than anyone. We believed we bore that responsibility.”

To be honest, some of it sounded idealistic.

After all, what they dealt with involved power and money.

But as she spoke—genuinely concerned for her country—

It didn’t feel false.

Maybe this was what people meant by noblesse oblige.

In that sense, I could feel it from her—

That pride.

That sense of responsibility as a member of a conglomerate family.

“However… it will likely be impossible for me to achieve that dream. Because I am… a woman.”

Ayaka clenched her fist tightly.

“The current Minister of National Defense is my uncle. But the next one will most likely be my older brother—the second son. That path has already been decided. Every previous head of the family, every major political role, has been held by a man from the Kirishima Conglomerate. It has become absolute tradition. And that frustrates me. I am better at martial arts. I excel in my studies as well. And yet… I am not even permitted to step onto the battlefield of competition…!”

She drew in a slow breath and lifted her gaze toward the night sky.

“If I were judged purely on ability, I would accept the result. But to have someone chosen over me simply because he is a man—even if he is less capable—and to have my dream destroyed for that reason… I cannot accept it!”

I see.

Now I understand.

It wasn’t that she hated men personally.

She didn’t want special treatment because she was a woman.

She simply wanted a fair match.

An equal fight.

But this society still carried deep-rooted bias against women.

In this world’s Japan, women’s participation in politics lagged far behind what I remembered from my previous life. The number of female politicians was said to be comparable to mid-Showa era levels.

Back in my previous life…

We even had a female Prime Minister.

Different worlds, I suppose.

“Right now, our relationship with America is worsening, and the political climate is tense. —Regardless of background, the person with true ability should be in charge of national defense. And yet… and yet…”

Ah, right.

In this world, Japan and the United States had never become allies. Their relationship had remained strained since World War II—where, apparently, Japan hadn’t even participated. It seemed that no version of Japan, in any alternate world, ever got a perfectly peaceful timeline.

Ayaka’s frustration deepened.

“My brother, who is meant to become the next Minister of National Defense, is currently a university student. But he is nowhere near capable of carrying such responsibility. He wastes his time fooling around! At this rate, Japan will never stand against the threat of America. This country has grown complacent in peace. We must become a nation that can fight!”

It sounded almost like a campaign speech.

Her words carried passion.

Conviction.

But for some reason—

Every time a fifteen-year-old girl spoke like that, a strange emptiness spread through me.

It felt as though the more she spoke of preparing for war, the further peace drifted away.

“What’s with that look?”

Ayaka’s eyes sharpened, as if she had caught something in my expression.

“Are you mocking me as well? Going to sneer and say, ‘A woman shouldn’t talk about running a country’? Do you doubt my patriotism?”

“No, it’s not that. It’s just… I don’t think I can casually praise your passion as something admirable.”

“What?”

“Your love for your country is admirable. But… I just think it’s tragic that it can only be proven through fighting.”

“Huh?”

“There’s no such thing as love on the battlefield.”

I had stood on battlefields for a long time.

Those horrific scenes still flashed through my mind.

And somewhere deep inside, I knew they were still eating away at me.

—〇〇!

There it was again.

That girl’s voice calling my name.

She was fifteen too.

The same age as Sara.

As Ririko.

As Ayaka.

As Suiran Kousaki.

But she had fought for her country—

And died.

Because she was braver than anyone else…

She died in a way no one should.

—“Something happened in your past that made you act like this. …You couldn’t save someone. That trauma…”

Azusa Tatekawa had said that to me once.

Yeah.

Maybe it was trauma.

I couldn’t save that girl.

No…

That wasn’t right.

It was worse than that.

I was the one who—

Sent her to her death.

Chapter 70

“Hmph… You speak as if you know something. Almost like you’ve stood on a battlefield yourself.”

Ayaka gave a small scoff.

It seemed she took my words as self-righteous and hollow.

I could only shrug.

She wasn’t wrong.

Yuuji Takahashi had never stood on a battlefield.

There was no point in taking that any further.

“Still… if you truly want to become Minister of National Defense, then you’ll have to prove it.”

“What?”

She frowned at me.

“Prove your ability.”

“……………………”

“You know… a long time ago—really long ago—I saw a woman who was braver and tougher than any man around her. So I don’t think gender matters.”

“—!”

That was the truth.

In the time I lived in, there were plenty of female soldiers. I’d even seen housewives in the Middle East holding rifles.

Some skinny woman would fire a machine gun without hesitation—while the bearded guys nearby froze up.

In the end, what mattered on a battlefield wasn’t gender.

It was the heart.

The ones who ran would run, whether they were men or women.

And the ones who fought to the end—

They did so, regardless of gender.

So it really had nothing to do with being male or female.

“Besides, being part of the Kirishima Conglomerate already gives you an advantage. If your carefree brother isn’t up to the role, then surpass him through sheer ability. Work harder than anyone else. If you keep pushing forward, you can beat him. I’m sure you can.”

Well… I guess you couldn’t exactly call that a fair competition.

The odds of some random citizen becoming Minister of National Defense were far lower than someone born into a powerful conglomerate family.

Still, if there was even a chance, she at least had the right to reach for it.

When I finished speaking, Ayaka let out another small scoff.

“Even if you hadn’t said it, I already know that. Men really do say things so easily, without understanding what it means to stand in a woman’s position. Honestly…”

With that, her hair swayed lightly as she turned and walked back toward the hotel.

Her guards followed closely behind.

Sheesh.

If this were a game, that would probably be the dialogue option that lowers her affection points.

Girls are complicated.

Alright then.

That wraps up my talk with Ayaka, so now I’ll just—

That was when I turned around.

And saw—

Sara.

And Ririko.

…Wait.

Since when were you two standing there?

Why are you staring at me with your eyes wide open like that?

“Yuuji? You said you had something important to tell us, so we came… but what exactly was that just now?”

“S-Sara-san…”

“…Ahh, so this means you were declaring that you’re going to leave us behind and choose Kirishima-san instead… is that it?”

“R-Ririko-san…”

The two of them trembled—

And opened their eyes even wider.

“…I even wore cute night clothes for the forest camp—for you, Yuuji…!!”

“O-Oh. That explains it! It really suits you! Um… it’s just… showing a lot of skin…!”

“…And yet you betray us like this… I’ll never forgive you…!!”

“H-Hey, wait, you two—ah, ahhh—!”

And then—

“Gyaaaaaaaaaaa!!” My scream echoed through the peaceful Karuizawa night. ☆

(Yeah, that kind of narration does feel a bit old-school.)

“What the hell is he doing…” ← Isoyama

“Fufufu… So you are choosing the southern conglomerate, huh! Yuujiii!!” ← Wakita

Apparently, Wakita and the others had secretly followed me after all.

And just like that, the first day in Karuizawa came to an end.

However—

While we were busy with this nonsense, events were already unfolding behind the scenes.

Soon enough, we of “Academy SP”—

And Ayaka Kirishima as well—

Would be dragged into a blood-soaked battle.

〇

Tosa Family Residence

In a small rural town in Kochi Prefecture, there stood a house impossible to ignore.

If you had to describe it in a single phrase—

It was an iron fortress.

No one seeing it for the first time would guess it was a yakuza residence.

It looked more like a small warehouse wrapped in thick iron plates, layered over one another.

As if it had been built to withstand a missile strike.

This was the main residence of the Tosa Family—

The hidden blade of the Satsuroukai.

Right now, a man stood in front of it.

“It’s me.”

He spoke toward the security camera mounted beside what appeared to be the front door.

A moment later—

Clank.

With a heavy metallic sound, the door unlocked.

Creeeak…

The rusted iron door slowly opened.

Even that door was solid steel—more than three times thicker than an ordinary one.

Inside stood a second reinforced door.

Only after passing through both could someone finally enter.

“I’m back, Old man.”

“Yeah, Wakou. Good work.”

Inside stood Urabe, head of the Tosa Family, along with several young members.

The man called Wakou bowed his head.

Dreadlocks hung down to his shoulders, and he wore sunglasses.

He was even taller than Urabe.

“So? How’d the job go?”

Urabe asked, cigarette in hand.

“Yes. We took on a request from a directly affiliated Satsuroukai boss and went to the home of a port construction company owner. They said they were cutting all ties with the Satsuroukai, so—”

“So?”

“—Me and one of the juniors assaulted the company president’s daughter in her own house.”

The moment he heard that, Urabe burst into laughter.

“Pfft…! Gyahahahaha!! Ahh, poor thing. She was still young, wasn’t she? Getting assaulted by giants like you? That’s trauma for life.”

Wakou twisted his mouth into a crooked grin.

“She was pretty cute too. But yeah… she’s not exactly usable anymore.”

“Hahaha! Serves them right. That’s what they get for trying to cut ties with the Satsuroukai and push ahead with a hundred-billion-yen land development project on their own.”

“After this little warning, I’m sure the president will think twice. He’ll understand what happens when you make enemies of the Satsuroukai.”

“Well, if he still insists on cutting us off, fine. In that case—kill him. Make him an example for the other companies.”

“Understood.”

This—

Was the hidden blade of the Satsuroukai.

They showed no mercy.

Whether rival yakuza or ordinary civilians.

For the sake of pride, they would unleash violence on anyone—women, children, it didn’t matter.

They had long since strayed from any so-called code of honor.

Yet it was also true that their brutal strength—their ability to turn violence into results—had supported the Satsuroukai’s growth.

Whenever massive profits were at stake, the Satsuroukai would unsheathe this blade.

Threats.

Assassinations.

They carried them out without hesitation.

They shed more blood than anyone.

They risked their bodies more than anyone.

And that was precisely why—

The recent public movement to drive yakuza out of society filled them with deeper resentment than anyone else.

“Tch. Every last one of them thinks they can look down on us. Don’t they understand? It was the yakuza who supported this country from the shadows. The Satsuroukai—our Tosa Family too—we fought in the Boshin War during the Meiji Restoration, in the Satsuma Rebellion, in the Sino-Japanese and Russo-Japanese wars. We bled for this nation. —And now they turn their backs on us like this?”

Urabe lit a second cigarette.

But the irritation burning in his chest only intensified.

“Still, the ones that piss me off the most are the Kirishima Conglomerate. They used us for years. And the moment public opinion shifted, they tried to cut us off completely. —Unforgivable. Those bastards were born rich, looking down on poor guys like us from their ivory towers…”

Chapter 71

Wakou nodded in agreement.

“Yeah. That whole ‘we’re above everyone’ attitude really pisses me off. And they clearly look down on the Satsuroukai—no, on yakuza in general. You can practically see it on their faces. ‘They wouldn’t dare touch a conglomerate anyway.’ That’s what they’re thinking.”

He bared his teeth in frustration.

They were unnaturally white—almost like he’d had cosmetic work done.

“Yeah… right, Wakou. That’s a serious problem. Don’t you boys think so too?”

Urabe glanced around at the younger members of the Tosa Family gathered in the room.

“Yeah!” they answered in unison.

And then—

One of the young men suddenly called out.

“Kojima-aniki has returned!”

At that, the younger members immediately lowered their heads.

“Thank you for your hard work in prison!!”

Standing at the entrance was a man with a shaved head.

He was thin—almost frail-looking—and his eyes were sunken.

At first glance, he seemed weak.

But the younger members swallowed nervously.

There was something unsettling about him.

An aura that didn’t match his thin frame.

“Yo, Kojima. Good work.”

“Heh, I appreciate it.”

Kojima dropped heavily onto the sofa in front of Urabe and had one of the younger members light his cigarette.

It might have seemed disrespectful in front of the boss—

But Kojima had the track record to get away with it.

“So you killed three members of a rival gang and still only got charged with assault? Not bad.”

“Heh. Well, we had a lawyer on our side. He made sure the key evidence vanished. I wanted to get out sooner, but I still had to eat prison food for three years.”

“Three years? That’s nothing.”

“Heh, guess so. …Still, it was kind of lonely. When I got out, not a single person came to pick me up.”

“Yeah. That was an order from headquarters.”

Kojima tilted his head slightly.

“Headquarters?”

“They said to keep things low-key because of public scrutiny. No flashy welcome party.”

“You mean that new Satsuroukai chairman? The one who just took office?”

“Yeah. That ‘coward.’”

Urabe frowned deeply.

“That bastard Ashioka… He probably wants to turn the Satsuroukai into some clean, publicly listed company. He’s trying to erase the word ‘violence’ from our name entirely.”

He crushed his cigarette into the ashtray with open hostility.

“Fucking joke. Violence is what makes us yakuza.”

“…I’d heard rumors, but it sounds like the Satsuroukai is in worse shape than I thought.”

“Yeah. Every last one of them. Even the directly affiliated bosses don’t seem to care about face anymore. At this rate, people will keep looking down on us. —Especially on us.”

At Urabe’s words, Wakou, Kojima, and the younger members all lifted their heads.

“Headquarters has started treating us like disposable tools. Just to polish their public image a little, they’re pushing aside the ones who’ve risked their lives for them.”

“Ahh, so that’s why they told us not to throw a welcome-back party for me. I see. That pretty boy’s got some nerve, heh.”

Kojima smiled faintly, but his eyes rolled sharply in their sockets.

The anger was obvious.

“Most likely, that bastard Ashioka is planning to cut off the Tosa Family entirely. He’s probably decided there’s no benefit in protecting dangerous yakuza like us—the kind who don’t hesitate to target civilians. After everything we’ve done for them in the shadows.”

Urabe could sense it clearly.

The direction headquarters was heading.

And that only made his anger burn hotter.

His body trembled with frustration.

“Satsuroukai… Maybe it’s no longer an organization worth swearing loyalty to.”

“Don’t jump to conclusions yet, Wakou.”

Urabe’s lips curled into a grin.

“Luckily, plenty of bosses are unhappy about Ashioka taking the top seat. Sooner or later, that opposition faction will break away from the Satsuroukai. When things rot this badly, there’s only one way to fix them.”

It was true.

Within the Satsuroukai, roughly ten percent were already saying they had no choice but to leave.

In other words—

Clear signs of internal division were emerging, with resistance against Chairman Ashioka steadily growing.

“—All we have to do is win over the bosses who oppose Ashioka.”

That was Urabe’s strategy for ensuring the Tosa Family’s survival.

“In other words, if we want those bosses to take us in… we need a gift. Now, what do you think that gift is? Here’s a hint. That faction keeps shouting about ‘retaliating against the Kirishima Conglomerate.’”

At that point, the others finally understood.

That was why Urabe had called this emergency gathering.

It was for a specific plan.

And that plan was—

“We, the Tosa Family, will carry out retaliation against the Kirishima Conglomerate ourselves. That will be our gift.”

The moment Urabe said it, the battle-hungry men grinned with anticipation.

“Once we do that, the bosses dissatisfied with Ashioka’s leadership will favor us. We’ll secure better positions and join their side. And with that, we can ensure this family survives.”

In other words—

This was a fight for the survival of the Tosa Family.

Retaliating against the conglomerate was no longer merely about pride.

It was about their future.

And yet—

Neither Ashioka, nor the police, nor even the Kirishima Conglomerate realized how far the Tosa Family had already gone.

“We’ll make the Satsuroukai pay for how they treated us too. —And on top of that, we’ll retaliate against the Kirishima Conglomerate.”

“Hehehe… I like it, Old man. So, who are we targeting?”

“Isn’t it obvious? We hit the weakest point of the Kirishima Conglomerate.”

Urabe raised his smartphone and tapped the screen.

Displayed there was a photo—clearly taken without permission—of a girl in the Yushu Girls’ Academy uniform.

It was—

Ayaka Kirishima.

“She’s currently enjoying her forest camp in Karuizawa. According to the scouts I sent ahead, her security is light. They’ve completely assumed the Satsuroukai won’t make a move. Or maybe… to a male-dominated family like the Kirishimas, a daughter’s life just isn’t worth much. Either way, this is our chance.”

A chilling smile spread across Urabe’s face.

“We’ll abduct her.”

Wakou’s lips twisted into a vulgar grin.

He stared at the photo, his gaze crawling over Ayaka’s legs and chest like a snake.

“She’s quite a cute young lady. So… what kind of retaliation are you planning?”

“Isn’t it obvious? —We’ll violate her again and again and record every second of it.”

At that, Wakou’s grin stretched even wider, as if the scene had already taken shape in his mind.

“If they don’t want that precious heiress’s video spread everywhere, they’ll have to listen to us. It’ll be the perfect blackmail tool. And hey… it’ll be a nice way to vent our frustrations too.”

“Ghehehe… I like it. I’ve been living like a monk in prison, so this’ll be a good way to let it all out.”

Kojima laughed as well.

There wasn’t a trace of restraint left in his expression.

“Alright, it’s decided. Get ready. We’re heading to Karuizawa now. The operation happens—tomorrow.”

Everyone present from the Tosa Family responded loudly.

“““Yes sir!”””

“…Just you wait, Kirishima Conglomerate. And Satsuroukai. And you too, Ashioka. Once the ‘Tosa Dog’ sets its sights on you… you’ll learn exactly what that means.”

Urabe jerked his chin and gave an order.

“Hey. Got the gun?”

“Yes!”

One of the younger members brought over a handgun.

“Good. This is our declaration of war. Take that and go pay the Satsuroukai a visit.”

“Yes, sir!”

—And so, with Urabe’s declaration, a reckless act of revenge—driven not by logic or profit, but by twisted pride and delusion—was set into motion.