A few days later.
Dock Street, Bar.
"Boss, mission accomplished! We've taken down the Jack Gang!"
In a bar under the Hogg Union, Aman slapped a bloodstained box onto the table in front of Hardy.
Hardy opened the box.
Inside was a human head.
After comparing the face with the photo of Jack beside him, Hardy waved at Aman.
"Well done. Split the Jack Gang's cash among yourselves, the rest is confiscated. Then go to the accountant and get $300,000 to divide according to the rules. For the next few days, enjoy yourselves as you like."
Hardy looked at the rapidly rising progress bar on his panel and smiled.
"Thank you, boss!"
"Thanks, boss!"
"Woohoo! Brothers, I'm booking ten hotties tonight! Ten!"
After some banter with his men, Hardy tossed the box with Jack's head to a subordinate in charge of such matters and headed to the third-floor office.
Hogg Union's territory was now one of the largest among Gotham's second-tier gangs.
The accountant had managed to bribe a detective inspector at the Gotham Police Department. Rumor had it that Gordon had already taken notice of the Hogg Union, this gang that had risen rapidly in a short time.
"We need to keep a low profile for a while. There are many ways to deal with the police's attention, but if Batman and his little bats notice us, it could hinder our future development."
Hardy tapped his fingers on the desk, waiting and thinking with his eyes closed.
"And just having ties with a mid-level police inspector isn't enough. We need to build relationships with higher-ups like commissioners and deputy chiefs, as well as political figures in Gotham."
Many of these people are protectors or collaborators of Gotham's underworld, receiving generous tributes every year.
They need wealth not only to maintain their lavish lifestyles but also to uphold their own status and power.
The line between black and white is blurred and tangled.
Hogg Union had reached the point where it had to deal with these people.
Without connections in the "white" world, you can't dominate both sides and become a true top crime boss.
Unfortunately, I'm not Harvey Dent, a former district attorney, nor like Falcone or the Penguin, who have cultivated their networks for years.
In terms of background, Hogg Union is still lacking.
The Union's current status was gained through my superhuman combat abilities, and there are only a handful of truly strong subordinates.
Now, Hogg Union needs to lay low, consolidate its power, recruit new members, train the old ones, and quietly develop affiliated gangs.
Just as the Sons of the Scepter were to Falcone, or the former Cole Gang to the Two-Face Gang.
This allows us to expand our influence more discreetly and to recruit outstanding members from these affiliates into our own gang whenever needed.
...
Time's up!
Hardy's eyes snapped open.
His main body in the Naruto world also paused his warehouse accounting work.
After Hogg Union had annexed so much territory and basically digested it, the progress bar was finally full!
"Phew…"
Hardy let out a long breath and rubbed his hands.
"What's wrong? Tired?" Ye Cang asked with concern.
"A bit. I'll go get some rest. Hold the fort for now. Next time, you can take a break and I'll handle things."
Hardy massaged his temples and stretched.
Last time I projected my avatar, I felt drained for a while. It'll probably be the same this time.
"This work isn't easy, but compared to our comrades fighting on the front lines, we're already very lucky."
Ye Cang sighed and stretched too.
"Yeah, that's why we have to get stronger as soon as possible. If we had Granny Chiyo's strength, the village would lose fewer people, and the war could end sooner."
Hardy patted Ye Cang on the shoulder.
Then, an awkward moment occurred.
Perhaps because of the stretching earlier, Ye Cang's shoulder strap had shifted, and with Hardy's pat, it slipped down.
As everyone knows, Ye Cang likes to wear light purple backless outfits, so something inadvertently got exposed.
"Ahem, sorry, I didn't mean to."
Hardy turned away, embarrassed, and coughed twice.
Ye Cang blushed and fixed her strap.
Luckily, baki had gone to the warehouse to move things, or it would have been even more awkward.
"Um… you go rest. I'll watch things here." Ye Cang tried to act nonchalant.
He spoke with a certain expression.
"Alright!"
Hardy dashed back to his own tent as if fleeing, flopping onto the small bed he had fashioned using Earth Release and felled trees.
[Current Progress: 0.58%]
[Worlds Unlocked: 2]
The second world had indeed been unlocked!
Hardy didn't dare to waste any time and mentally tapped the button.
A black vortex appeared, once again engulfing a wisp of Hardy's consciousness.
...
...
Majestic green mountains, a gentle breeze.
Soft sunlight spilled into the elegantly antique room, waking the young man.
"My name... is still Hardy, Uesugi Hardy."
Hardy rubbed his brow, sorting through fragments of this incarnation's memories. He glanced around, looked down at his body, and finally caught his reflection in the glass window.
He appeared older than his original self, but younger than his DC world incarnation—about sixteen or seventeen years old, and rather handsome.
Feeling the smooth, comfortable fabric of his clothes and looking out at the meticulously decorated courtyard, Hardy could at least be certain that this body came from a well-off family.
"Uesugi Hardy, Koka City, Konan Town... My father is the town mayor?"
This body's background was indeed quite impressive.
The Uesugi clan was an old, established family in the Koka region, with ancestors who had been daimyo during the Warring States period. The branch Hardy belonged to was still quite prominent.
His father, Uesugi Shin, was the mayor of Konan Town and also served as a regional councilor for Koka. His eldest uncle seemed to hold a high position in the police system, and his third uncle was a renowned businessman in the area.
As for him, Hardy, he was Uesugi Shin's second son, just sixteen years old. He had an older brother, Uesugi Shirakawa, aged twenty-three, still unmarried and engaged in business, doing quite well with the family's support.
Below him was an eleven-year-old younger brother, Uesugi Itai, who was excelling in school and always ranked first in his grade. Their mother had died in childbirth when Itai was born.
Ironically, Hardy seemed to be the least accomplished among Uesugi Shin's three sons—not only had he dropped out of school early, but he also spent his days carousing with a gang of disreputable friends, getting into trouble and causing chaos in Konan Town.