Bab 23: Unbridled Connections
Even though Kazuichi may not look like it, he was actually one of the richest men in the entirety of Japan, hence the black card he whipped up in front of everyone. This caused quite a stir since the auctioneers didn't expect him to have the financial capabilities that could rival the other buyers.
While they were looking at Lev with disbelief, he got up and dusted himself, seemingly suppressing the urge to continue attacking the four. The auctioneer heaved a sigh of relief since it didn't look like Kazuichi was going to propel himself at them again.
"Let me talk to your manager. I'm sure this guy's not the owner of this auction, right?" Kazuichi spoke with a sharp tone in his voice as he jerked his thumb toward the auctioneer.
"Please wait a moment, kind sir," The auctioneer plastered a smile on his face while he rubbed his hands together. Now he was acting like a decent auctioneer trying to suck it up to everyone who could potentially buy a 'product'.
The auctioneer got out of the room before Kazuichi could add another word to his complaint. And before Kazuichi could turn around, the door behind him already slammed shut. This left Kazuichi in the presence of the three hybrids who were in the said room.
"So, what's your deal? It's the first time I've seen someone's arm regenerate. Is that your power? I've never seen anything like it." The bulky man named Kuzuya spoke up with a gruff voice as he approached Kazuichi. "I'm sorry about earlier, the name's Kazehara Kuzuya, I'm a foreign exchange student and I guess I'm stuck here in Japan for the time being."
"I'm Minegawara Akayuki, a Hound. We all came from the same school including the auctioneer. Once again, we're sorry for doing that, we were just doing as we were told. You know, we have to listen to commands in order to survive in this changing world." There was soul in Akayuki's words but her voice came out as monotonous. With a somewhat collected expression on her face, she eased herself onto one of the chairs by the corner of the room.
"I'm Aoi Aoi, and before you say anything, I know it's a pretty weird name," Aoi explained even though Kazuichi couldn't care less if his given name and family name were the same. "In any case, what are you really? You're unlike any other hybrids we've seen."
Quite frankly, Kazuichi had no idea what kind of hybrid he was. But before he could say anything in his defense, the door behind him opened, and in came the auctioneer with another man in tow. This man donned a white suit, paired with pristine white shoes that seemed to be newly made. He wore a bright grin on his face, enhancing the wrinkles he had. The man was approximately in his fifties, but his body could still rival those in their late twenties due to how robust he appeared.
"I'm the manager of the underground auction. I don't give anyone my name, but people call me Rocky. You're more than welcome to call me by that nickname." Rocky spoke, extending his hand for Kazuichi to shake. His voice had a noticeable Spanish accent despite being Japanese.
"Kazuichi." Obliging with the handshake, Kazuichi just introduced his name, nothing more nothing less.
"Auctioneer! Get this man a change of clothes! The auction's about to start!" Rocky gave the auctioneer a good whack on the head before he turned around. "I apologized for my subordinates, well, disrespect. We weren't aware that you were a VIP, and we were just doing business as best we can in order to survive."
"No hard feelings. But if this was to happen again, I won't hesitate to kill." There was a great conviction in Kazuichi's words. He meant everything he said when he let out the threat slip from his mouth.
"It won't happen again, you have my word for it." Rocky heaved a sigh. "In fact... We've got a couple of good products lined up... I'll let you get first pick before anyone else... how does that sound?"
Kazuichi had no idea what kind of products they were auctioning aside from the hybrids that the Hybrid Hunters hunted. But then again, an offer like this doesn't come by every day. He knew how strict auctions could get when it comes to their solidified rules and regulations, that's why this gesture just proved that the Manager actually wanted to have a good relationship with him. It would be rude of him to deny the offer, and he would just attract unnecessary ill-will if he were to antagonize someone who held great power in the Underground.
"Now we're talking business. I'll get back to you once I've changed these stinking clothes." Kazuichi smirked. His mind had completely transitioned to business mode. This is child's play for him, more or less.
"Great, Akayuki will accompany you to the changing room. Meanwhile, I'll reserve the front seat for you. Kazuichi, right? I hope you have a better experience in this Hybrid Auction... and in advance, it's a pleasure doing business with you." Rocky waved his hand before he exited the room. There were still a couple of things he needed to sort out before the auction commences. Had it not been for that, he'd have assisted Kazuichi with his clothes.
"Right this way, Kazuichi," Akayuki still had that unchanging monotonous tone in her voice as she gestured towards another door.
"Right," Kazuichi nodded.
.....
Meanwhile, back at Kazuichi's household,
Arisu had been pacing back and forth for hours in the living room while biting her fingers. She had only stayed with Kazuichi for a few days but his absence was already affecting her negatively. She knew that he was stronger than most, but he wasn't prone to dying... or getting bitten for that matter. She was beginning to worry, and her anxiousness kept on nudging her, not daring to leave her even though it had been almost twenty-four hours since she'd last seen Kazuichi.
Knock knock.
As soon as Arisu heard the knock, she already rushed towards the door to open it. However, she was snapped back to reality when she smelled the faint scent of a hybrid on the other side of the door.
"Who's there?" She incredulously asked as she peeked through the peephole.
And there it was— a huge body of a man, blocking the entire view.
PERTIMBANGAN PENCIPTA 
DaisukiDayoSenpai
DaisukiDayoSenpai Thank you so much for two hundred collections. I'll try to update more frequently.
Have a great read, everyone! ^o^ And as always, your support is always welcome. Your power stones, collections, comments and reviews are always greatly appreciated!
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