Naora was showing promise.

 

 

 

The Terauchi family teetered on the brink of collapse when an attempt was made on Shizuya's life. Having long retired, she had emphatically declared her departure from the family's affairs. She had washed her hands of everything and handed control over to her less-than-capable daughter. Shizuya had vehemently opposed this decision during discussions with other family elders. While she believed her daughter required more time, her son had just died and she was at the end of her emotional rope.

 

She said she didn't care and moved on.

 

The final blow struck when her daughter was killed. Despite the family's collapse, Shizuya remained resolute in her decision to stay detached. What happened, happened. The events had left her emotionally numb. She had resigned herself to the impending demise of her family, and she just didn't care anymore. However, a shift occurred when a faction from Hong Kong, hoping to prevent her return, attempted to take her life. This provocation ignited a newfound determination within Shizuya.

 

She finally found some motivation.

 

She was going to murder those fools.

 

Personally.

 

It made no sense. Why would they do something so stupid? So, she retaliated by infiltrating their estate, leaving a trail of death in her wake. Intrigued by the irrationality of the assault, she sifted through their possessions, more out of idle curiosity than anything else. She discovered why they were worried. They had stumbled upon Naora, her granddaughter. If anything would get Shizuya out of retirement, it would be finding out she had a still-living granddaughter.

 

And they were right.

 

Poemu was a bloody idiot. A short-sighted con artist was a charitable description of Naora's mother. When that woman had found out about the potential cash cow that her daughter was, she blabbed all about it to everyone and their mother. What Shizuya could find out about Naora was that she had absolutely no support or allies to call upon. Alas, it was too late to keep her hidden. Word was getting around that there was an heir to the Terauchi family empire. As it stood, there was no way Naora would survive a month, much less the years it would take for her to take control of the family.

 

At least, not if Shizuya remained in her self-imposed retirement.

 

Shizuya swiftly reclaimed control of the family, eliminating any adversaries, and reestablishing the family's influence in the criminal underworld. It was all a concerted effort to secure a future for her granddaughter, Naora. The motivation to protect her became the driving force behind Shizuya's actions. She had no choice if she was going to give her granddaughter a fighting chance.

 

Shizuya faced a difficult reality. Naora did not possess the qualities necessary to lead the family. Shizuya knew she could just install Naora with enough bullets and blood, but putting an incompetent in charge was what destroyed the family last time.

 

Understanding the risks of placing an incapable leader at the helm, she knew that Naora needed to prove herself, and so the contest was arranged. Frankly, Shizuya was putting her money on her niece Gen. But hey, she gave her granddaughter a fighting chance, and that's what mattered. When Naora lost, Shizuya would retire again with a clean conscience, knowing she had fulfilled her duty to her family. That would be that.

 

Then Naora pulled off the con of the century by tricking Toshi.

 

Shizuya realized that Naora had not planned it, but simply stumbled into good fortune. Shizuya understood that being lucky was as important a trait to have as any other when you were leading a criminal enterprise. Despite initial reservations, the fact that Naora had managed a tie instead of the all-but-guaranteed loss, intrigued Shizuya. She started to watch Naora with interest. Maybe there was something there Shizuya had not seen. What hidden qualities or potential had she yet to discern?

 

She was watching via a hidden camera when Naora bisected the punching bag with her fist.

 

In that poignant moment, Shizuya discerned that Naora had inherited a trait her daughter lacked — the formidable skills of an assassin, a legacy that had long defined Shizuya herself. Observing Naora's strength and prowess, Shizuya recognized that, despite not fitting the conventional Terauchi mold, her granddaughter possessed unparalleled potential. In Naora, Shizuya saw a reflection of her own indomitable spirit.

 

Shizuya had been going about this all wrong.

 

It took time to establish contact with Togakure, an ancient school founded in the eleventh century. Shizuya knew of its existence because she had attended many, many, MANY years ago. Ostensibly, it presented itself as a rural village owned by the government and was officially categorized as a retirement community. However, beneath this facade, Togakure functioned as a covert training camp where they taught skills of a rather peculiar nature.

 

It's basically Ninja School.

 

By pure coincidence, the day following Naora's altercation with Hinako, Shizuya orchestrated Naora's abduction and shipped her off to Togakure. At this peculiar 'school' Naora found herself enrolled in what could only be described as assassin boot camp. Shizuya awaited Naora upon her arrival and explained what was going on.

 

Graduate and you shall have my full support.

 

Abiding by the stringent rules, Naora found herself in a challenging six-week regimen at Togakure, where survival was as essential as mastering the basics of becoming a killer. A designated go-between, Midori, served as Naora's link to the outside. Midori became a motivational incentive during training, promising interaction with the external world as a reward for surpassing requirements.

 

Naora ALWAYS got first place.

 

Naora also talked about little else other than Toshi.

 

Shizuya made sure that Midori relayed those conversations to her. Observing Naora's fixation on Toshi and her consistent discussion of him, Shizuya grew concerned about the intensity of their relationship. Sensing the potential impact on Naora's priorities, she squeezed Midori for every detail about Toshi and Naora's connection. It only confirmed what Shizuya already knew, and she wasn't happy about it; Naora was committed to sustaining the relationship for as long as possible.

 

Shizuya thought of Toshi as a corrupting influence.

 

Strength was a prerequisite for being a Terauchi, especially for their leader. While Naora possessed the necessary strength, she worried she might become weak if she started to think like the foolish boy. Toshi seemed elusive to Shizuya. He was too nice, too sweet, and just too... good? Was that the right word? Did such a thing even exist? Shizuya couldn't pinpoint what bothered her so much. For example, The common assumption was that Naora had seduced Toshi. Shizuya had become convinced it was the other way around.

 

Shizuya's usual method of dealing with an annoying boy like Toshi would be to kill him, but he had saved Naora's life, rendering that option most dishonorable. With no straightforward solution, Shizuya devised a two-pronged approach to fixing things. First, keep Naora away from Toshi. Later, subject her to the allure of a brothel filled with skilled courtesans, all instructed to do their best to make Naora forget about Toshi. Bringing Naora to Togakure was step one, isolation.

 

However, there was just one snag.

 

Isolating Naora from Toshi turned out to be an incredible motivator. She excelled in her training, completing the course in just two weeks instead of the expected six. The instructors sought Shizuya's approval to continue Naora's training into the advanced courses. While there was risk involved, the potential Naora showed was too great to ignore. They were eager to see if she could meet the challenge. No, more than that, they NEEDED to see if she could survive. A student like her comes around once in a century. The last one would have been...

 

Shizuya.

 

The leadership of Togakure thought it was a pity that Naora would be languishing in the role of a mere criminal overlord. The leadership suggested sending her to work for various governments globally. Establishing connections with their clientele would not only ensure diplomatic immunity in many countries but also provide lucrative opportunities. While Shizuya consented to the advanced training, she gave a non-committal response regarding the job proposition. The idea didn't sit well with her, but she chose not to outright reject it. Best to keep such potential options open.

 

If everything went well, the ridiculous competition wouldn't matter. If Naora survived the training, she could simply claim her one assassination attempt and do it herself. She would just need to personally infiltrate Gen's security and strike her down in the heart of the fortress in Hong Kong where all of Gen's support and power was concentrated. This would not only resolve the issue of succession but by accomplishing the task personally, Naora would earn the respect of the entire Terauchi family. At least, far more respect than if she hired an incompetent hitman whose laughable idea of an assassination was a drive-by.

 

Once that was done, with Naora firmly established in her position, Shizuya planned to retreat into retirement once more. From the shadows, she would discreetly offer guidance to her granddaughter, extending her support for as long as she could, at least until her health finally ran out. Perhaps, when the end finally came, she would find peace, content that her legacy was at last secured.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

At least, this was more or less what Sebas reported to his Master, Oh Ichiro, about the unfolding situation.