The Tyrant Billionaire

Now that the Straw Hat Society had unified Tokyo, its power was undoubtedly formidable. If the Morita Group gained their support, they might join forces to oppose him.

Taoka called in his subordinates and ordered, "Find out everything you can about the Straw Hat Society—who's leading them and where they're staying."

His men set out to investigate.

As local insiders, it wasn't hard for them to gather information. Soon, they learned that the person leading the group was Eikichi Onizuka, who was staying at a hot spring inn in the city.

Osaka was famous for having some of the best hot springs in Japan, and several hot spring hotels were located within the city itself.

It was already November, and though the weather was cold, soaking in a hot spring was incredibly soothing.

The man removed his wooden sandals and stepped into the hot spring, sitting about ten meters away from Eikichi Onizuka. He glanced deeply at Onizuka several times.

For a while, neither of them spoke as they soaked in the hot spring for about ten minutes. Then, Onizuka opened his eyes and looked directly at the tattooed man. At that moment, their gazes met.

Onizuka calmly said, "Taoka Kazuo."

The mention of his name made Taoka's heart skip a beat. He hadn't expected the man to recognize him immediately.
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"It seems, Mr. Onizuka, that you did thorough research before coming to Osaka," Taoka replied.

"Heh, of course. I came to Osaka specifically for the gangs, so it was necessary to gather all the information. After all, your Yamaguchi-gumi is one of the top three groups in Osaka right now," Onizuka said.

"And what exactly is your purpose in coming to Osaka?" Taoka asked.

"It's simple—I'm looking for like-minded people to make money together. I'm inviting you to join the 'Straw Hat Society.' By uniting our forces, we'll become even stronger," Onizuka explained.

"Heh, that sounds nice, but in reality, you just want to absorb us into your group, turning us into your lackeys to make money for you," Taoka coldly replied.

Onizuka didn't deny this, instead asking, "What do you think a gang is supposed to be?"

Taoka was taken aback.

He had never truly thought about this.

"And what do you think, Mr. Onizuka? What is a gang supposed to be?" Taoka countered.

"A gang's fundamental purpose is to make money. The methods may be unconventional, but at the core, it's still about business," Onizuka replied.

"That's what my boss told me, and he said it was something his boss had taught him."

Taoka frowned slightly.

Onizuka's boss was likely the leader of the Straw Hat Society, but who could be above even him?

Onizuka continued, "Gangs fight and kill over territory, but the ultimate goal is to make money—whether through protection rackets, running casinos, organizing prostitution, smuggling arms and drugs, or loan-sharking. In the end, it's all about money."

"Now, you have a chance to make even more money and grow your influence. It's up to you whether you want to seize that opportunity."

Taoka's face darkened.

He was a proud man who liked to be in control and didn't want to have another boss above him.

"And if I refuse?" he asked.

Onizuka didn't respond verbally. Instead, he raised his hand slightly, and from the wooden house behind the hot spring, several men emerged, each armed with guns.

Taoka was startled. "You were prepared for this from the start. How did you know I'd be here?"

Onizuka didn't hide the truth.

"I'll let you in on a little secret—we've been tapping the phones of all the gang leaders in Osaka. When you called your subordinates to check on me and found out I was at the hot spring, you drove over here to meet me. Naturally, I prepared accordingly."

Taoka felt a sinking feeling in his chest.

He suddenly realized that he and Onizuka were not on the same level. While Taoka was using traditional gang methods to handle things, Onizuka was employing far more sophisticated tactics.

"It seems you don't plan on letting me leave this hot spring," Taoka said.

"That depends on your decision. I've killed many people on this journey. My orders from above are to unite all of Japan's gangs—naturally, that includes you," Onizuka replied.

A few days later, a 10,000-ton ship docked at Osaka's port.

A large quantity of goods was unloaded from the ship and quickly transported to a warehouse.

Inside the warehouse, the heads of seven or eight Osaka gangs had gathered. After exchanging glances with each other, they all turned their attention to Onizuka, who stood in the center.

Smiling, Onizuka said, "This is the first shipment—rice, potatoes, wheat, corn, sugar, coffee, powdered milk, candy, canned luncheon meat, along with cigarettes and alcohol."

"The prices remain the same. How much you make depends on your skills. The Straw Hat Society isn't here to exploit anyone. We're here to collaborate and make money together. Soon, you'll realize that without unnecessary conflicts, everyone can focus on making more money than ever before."

The gathered leaders all nodded in agreement.

Several gangs in Osaka had been completely wiped out—those who had refused to cooperate. First, they were given the opportunity to negotiate, and if they didn't listen, they were eliminated.

"I also want to mention that if you find certain products hard to sell or others that are in high demand, conduct a survey. We can adjust the supply accordingly. Additionally, if there's something you need, just let us know, and if the quantity justifies it, you'll see those goods in the next shipment."

How considerate of them.

This was the black market, and here was their attentive supplier.

In just two months, the Straw Hat Society had absorbed over two hundred gangs across Japan, covering every major city and even some smaller towns. Some groups had even voluntarily requested to join.

Even in small towns, black market goods were in demand, and if handled well, they could still generate substantial profits.

At the end of the first month, Duncan reported to Hardy, "Boss, the net profit for the first month is $6.8 million. Next month, it's expected to be even higher."