Ryu ga Gotoku Online side contents: Mine’s story

Outside of the RyuOn main story, there’s a lot more story content in the game. There’s substories of various kinds, character stories, and event stories. Some of them are fairly throwaway, but some of them are comparable to the Majima scenario in Kiwami 2 in terms of scope.

This is one of those: the story of how Ryu ga Gotoku 3′s Mine joined Tojo Kai. Enjoy.

 

In the prologue, Mine looks at a picture of himself as a child, and remembers his lonely childhood. “The only relative I had was the man I called Uncle. When that man too died, I knew true solitude. Loved by no one, needed by no one, not a single adult would reach out to help me. I faced each and every day alone, and so I swore to myself, ‘I will make something of myself. I will get money, and I will get status.’ And I did it. I got all the money and status anyone could ever want. But at the same time, there was one thing I still didn’t have, and wanted more than anything … that’s what people call ‘bonds’. Subordinates who would admire me, trust me, and follow me. For me, still living a life of absolute solitude, that felt like the ultimate goal … even though I knew, deep down, it was impossible. I knew that, but even so …”

The story opens with Mine being dismissed from his position of R&D department manager of the venture capital company he founded. While they want him to stay on as president (in a figurehead role), the board of directors think he’s too high-handed: his constantly changing plans and increasing the budget means the team’s a huge investment for no profit. Mine says it will pay off in the end, and they accept it could make a big profit somewhere far in the future, but that’s not good enough. 

Mine’s furious that his underlings don’t see the value of investing in the future, and that all they care about is this year’s bonuses and profits. He goes off to wander around Kamurocho, feeling like he’s been betrayed and lost everything. “All those bastards care about is money. Friends? Family? Bonds? Why did I ever believe in them? It’s all lies!”

Then he hears a gunshot and witnesses a yakuza fight. A group of attackers are after Dojima Daigo, who Mine’s heard of and knows is the sixth chairman of Tojo Kai. Everyone in the fight except Daigo ends up getting killed, and Mine’s shocked and impressed that Daigo’s men would die to protect him. So he becomes intrigued by Daigo, wondering what it is about him that would lead his men to go so far as to give their lives for him. 

The next day, he still can’t stop thinking about it. So when he gets jumped by a couple of thugs who claim to be from Tojo Kai, he tells them he’ll give them money if they answer his questions. He finds out the men who died for Daigo weren’t any kind of special forces, just ordinary Tojo Kai members, and they weren’t earning huge money either. He asks what sort of man Daigo is, and the guy says he’s new to the role, a former common thug who became chairman due to the fourth chairman recommending him. He was the son of a patriarch, but had no gang of his own, no achievements … he actually has no idea why Daigo was made chairman. Mine says it sounds like such a man wouldn’t have the support of his subordinates, and the other thug says that’s true, he had a lot of opposition at first. Mine’s now even more intrigued, and decides the only way he’ll be able to find out what kind of a man Daigo is is if he can meet him personally. 

He goes to the Champion District, where they told him that Kanda, of the Nishikiyama Gumi, will be celebrating his release from prison that night. He’s heard that the patriarch of Nishikiyama Gumi died recently, so the leaders are fighting about who’s going to take over. He’s also learned they need to increase their earnings or they’ll lose their top level position in Tojo Kai. From what Mine’s heard about Kanda, he thinks he’ll be a good way into the gang for him. 

Kanda’s pissed off so few people came to his release party. And that the soaplands have put up their prices. He spots a young woman who’s lost her way, and tries to abduct her, but Mine stops him. Kanda isn’t listening to Mine though, because he’s thinking with his dick, so Mine chucks him some cash to get his attention. Half a million yen in cash, to be precise. That’s a lot of soap. But before Kanda can take off, Mine points out that he’ll burn through that cash pretty quickly, and asks if he’d like Mine to help him earn more. He says he’s been thinking of making something of himself in the yakuza world, as he’s heard it’s a really profitable business. He has loads of money to invest, but no connections, so he would like Kanda to introduce him to Nishikiyama Gumi. 

Kanda’s a bit suspicious at first, but Mine says he has 20 million yen to invest right now, so Kanda agrees to introduce him to the acting head of Nishikiyama Gumi. The acting head accepts Mine’s application, and asks Kanda to show him the ropes.

Mine asks about the gang’s finances and after checking the books discovers they’re a total mess. So he comes up with a turnaround plan, starting with buying a certain building. Kanda says none of the tenants there make any profit, but Mine points out that a well-known and popular club, Gold Panther, is planning to open a second venue in the area. He suggests buying the building, knocking it down, and selling the land to Gold Panther. Only one problem: the building’s in another gang’s territory, a bottom-rank organisation called Kongou Ikka. Kanda thinks yay, big fight, but no – Mine’s negotiating with their parent organisation, Ryokuou Kai, to take over Kongou Ikka and make it a subsidiary of Nishikiyama Gumi instead. 

It all sounds great from a business perspective, but Kanda points out there’s the small matter of the yakuza code, which frowns on changing lines like that. The Kongou Ikka patriarch tells Mine the same thing, that it would be like betraying a parent. The code is more important than money. But Mine knows he’s already breaking the code, as he’s been embezzling funds that should have been paid to Ryokuou Kai. Deal done. 

Mine then applies his turnaround strategies to the territories they’ve taken over, while planning to take over other low-rank gangs in the same way. And knowing that Tojo Kai is in need of funds following the conflict with Omi Rengo, he suggests to Kanda that it would be good if headquarters applied the strategy to the whole organisation. Mine thinks to himself that if he does well he should be able to catch Daigo’s attention. 

Some weeks later, things are going well and Kanda and his boys are celebrating. But Kanda’s taking the credit for Mine’s achievements, saying he studied business in prison. His aim is to become the new head of Nishikiyama Gumi, and then he promises he’ll make Mine his wakagashira. 

Mine’s not happy though, because his approaches to other gangs aren’t going as well as he hoped. Kanda points out that in the yakuza world, the bonds formed between parent and child (boss and underling) through the sakazuki ritual are stronger than blood. And it’s not just parent and child either, the bonds between kyoudai, such as Kanda and Mine, are just as strong. They would give their lives for each other. Mine’s a bit taken aback at the idea that he should give his life to save Kanda. When Kanda asks, he tells him of course he would do that, but thinks, “Me, give my life for Kanda? Don’t make me laugh.” 

Back to business, and Mine’s got his eye on another building he wants to buy, but it’s protected by Myougi Ikka, who are one of the gangs who specialise in fighting. They’re another subsidiary of Ryokuou Kai, and they’re pissed off at Mine for taking advantage of the moderates in the gang. So they jump him. He’s struggling, but then Kanda arrives in a car and saves him. Mine is surprised, and thinks maybe it’s true after all, yakuza will give their lives to save each other. But then he realises Kanda was probably just worried about the 50 million yen Mine happened to be carrying. Kanda then asks Mine to call him aniki, and Mine agrees. He thinks to himself that whether Kanda saved him for the money or not, he still owes him for saving him.

Then Kanda gets promoted to wakagashira of Nishikiyama Gumi, and makes Mine his deputy as wakagashira hosa. Kanda tells Mine he’s really grateful for his help, as without him he’d have stayed as just a common thug. He says he’s aiming higher, not just top of Nishikiyama Gumi, he wants to be seventh chairman of Tojo Kai! He says, “That kid Dojima Daigo isn’t up to being boss of Tojo Kai. I’d be a much better fit. Don’t you think, Mine?” He promises to make Mine wakagashira when he gets there. Mine starts wondering if he’s doing the right thing in following Kanda after all. 

Meanwhile, in the Nishikiyama Gumi office … the acting head and another member are talking about Kanda’s promotion, and they’re not happy about it. They decide they should do something.

A few days later, Kanda tells Mine that Dojima Daigo has asked to meet him. Mine asks why, and Kanda says he’s going to reprimand him, for going against the code. Mine asks why he wants to speak to him personally rather than having Kanda pass the message on, and Kanda says Daigo’s heard about his career and is interested in him. Mine’s excited to see with his own eyes just what it is that makes Dojima Daigo so special.

When they meet, Daigo says he’s impressed with Mine’s career as a venture capitalist, and says he has high hopes of him bringing a fresh outlook to Tojo Kai. Mine’s surprised, because he thought he was just going to get chewed out for his actions in Kamurocho, but it seems Daigo really is interested in him. Daigo asks why a man like Mine would choose to join the yakuza. Mine says to find out if it offered what he wanted, and that makes Daigo curious to hear more. He asks if Mine’s found what he’s looking for, and Mine says he’s found some things, but he’s still trying to figure out whether it’s what he wanted. Daigo says he hopes he can find it eventually. 

Then Mine asks Daigo about his life before becoming chairman, and why he would leave the civilian world to take that position. Daigo says at first he just wanted to live up to the expectations of the person who recommended him. But now … it’s because he wants to protect the members of the organisation, who he thinks of as his family. He describes them as people who can’t get by in normal society, and says he was the same in the beginning. “We give people like that a place to belong. So I want to protect that place for them. That’s why I do this job.” 

Mine seems impressed. But Daigo says that’s why he has to stop conducting business the way he has been. Doing things that create conflict within the organisation or lead to bloodshed is against the code. Mine concedes it might be against the code, but if it results in low-rank gangs doing better business and earning more money, that makes the organisation more profitable. And don’t we have to make sacrifices for the sake of profit sometimes? Daigo doesn’t buy it, he says he can’t permit even small sacrifices. And he wants Mine to stop it. 

Mine says he understands, and he’ll take it on board. He thinks to himself he’s a bit disappointed. Daigo’s like he used to be, clinging to those illusory concepts of bonds and family. He can’t see beyond them to what’s actually good for the organisation. Is this really what makes men want to give their lives to protect him?

Back in Kamurocho, he’s going to meet Kanda when he hears gunshots. A yakuza is attacking Kanda, and it turns out he was sent by the acting head of Nishikiyama Gumi. Kanda’s outraged, but Mine points out that the acting head doesn’t have enough earnings to take over the role permanently, despite wanting to, so he’s worried he’ll lose his job to Kanda. Mine muses that these yakuza organisations go on about the code all the time, but for the sake of self-preservation they’re still willing to kill someone who’s supposed to be their ally. He’s worried for his own safety now. 

Mine meets with the acting head of Nishikiyama Gumi, and tells him he knows he wants rid of Kanda because he wants the patriarch’s seat. But he says he doesn’t really like Kanda himself, he thinks he’s just using him for money, and so asks the acting head to not involve him in any trouble. Then he suggests working together to get rid of Kanda. Not kill him, just take him down, by helping the acting head earn enough money that his position will be made permanent. He tells him he and Kanda have been working on a big deal, to smuggle 100 guns in from China. It would be worth billions, and with that kind of money behind him, he could kick Kanda out of the gang if he wanted. 

Of course the acting head’s all for it, and the next day at the wharf the deal goes down. Mine says Kanda knows nothing, because he told him the goods were arriving next week. Everything goes smoothly … until the police turn up. Of course Mine set it all up with Kanda. So the 100 guns get confiscated, but the police are grateful for Mine’s tipoff, and the acting head is out of the way, even though he escaped arrest by shooting a police officer and running off. Mine muses that Kanda might be a stupid, violent thug, but thanks to him he might have found a new purpose in life.

Kanda is then promoted to patriarch of Nishikiyama Gumi. He gets even more violent, instigating a regime of slapping all his underlings every morning to “wake them up”. (He and Mine have a little squabble because Mine keeps dodging.) And they’re in trouble with Daigo again for their underhand business dealings.

Daigo knows that Mine is the power behind Kanda, and tells him if they don’t stop he’ll have to deal with them. Mine says he’ll take it on board, thinking this is bad, maybe we went too far. But Daigo says he isn’t just concerned about the internal conflict, he’s worried about Mine and Kanda’s safety too. The members of the gangs they’ve taken over aren’t necessarily going to feel any loyalty to Nishikiyama Gumi and that could lead to violence. He warns Mine he could end up getting killed. Mine says he understands the danger, and he knew when he joined the yakuza that he wouldn’t always be able to avoid violence. Daigo says he’s got a lot of guts for someone who was so recently a civilian, but Mine assures him there’s no need to worry, he’s extremely careful. 

Nishikiyama Gumi’s contribution to headquarters this month is 7 hundred million yen, which Kanda thinks will buy him the headquarters wakagashira hosa position in Tojo Kai. He isn’t worried about Daigo’s warning either, he thinks he’ll change his mind when he sees all this money. Mine thinks to himself that while people might say they value family and the code, money changes that, and Daigo is probably no different. 

They’re on the way to HQ to deliver the money when their car is ambushed by the former acting head of Nishikiyama Gumi. He’s after the money, since he’s on the run from the police, and he’s brought a bunch of other guys who resent Mine and Kanda with him. Mine tells Kanda that they’re outnumbered and can’t win, so he thinks they should hand over the money. Kanda doesn’t want to, but Mine points out the wakagashira hosa position will be no use to him if he’s dead, and they can always earn more money. Kanda says earning that kind of money won’t be easy now Daigo’s told them to change their ways, so he’s not going to give it up. He tells Mine it’s his responsibility to protect his aniki. “Thanks to you, we have a stable income now. So even without you, things will carry on just fine.” He outright tells Mine to sacrifice himself, then grabs the money off him and takes off in the car, leaving Mine to face the attackers alone. 

Mine thinks he’s a fool for letting himself be betrayed again. The yakuza world is no different from the business world after all … full of lies.

But then Daigo turns up. He says he was suspicious about Kanda being late for the board meeting so he made him tell him what was going on. He offers the former acting head a billion yen to let Mine go. It’s all this month’s takings. The board was strongly opposed, thinking Mine’s life wasn’t worth that much, so it’s probably going to cause more conflict … but never mind. 

The acting head is happy about the money, but still wants to kill Mine. He shoots at him, but Daigo protects him, taking a bullet in his side. The acting head freaks out, because he’s shot the Tojo Kai chairman, and runs off. Mine wonders why Daigo would do that for him …

Daigo’s discharged from hospital the next day, and Mine asks him why he protected him, and gave away such a huge amount of money for him. Daigo says obviously it’s because he’s one of his people. Mine apologises for not believing Daigo when he said that before. But he’d been betrayed so many times by people he trusted … Daigo reiterates that he sees the members of Tojo Kai as his family, so he has a responsibility to protect them. And that includes Mine. 

Then Kanda turns up. Mine thanks Kanda for helping him, by alerting Daigo to what was going on. That’s why he took the car and ran away, right? Kanda says … Uh … of course it was!

Mine muses that Kanda is still useful to him … for now. Then he tells them both he’d like to talk to them about how he wants to proceed in future. 

Some time later, Kanda has agreed to let Mine go independent, and he’s starting up Hakuhou Kai. Mine says Kanda still sees him as an underling though, and people might say he’s too new to be made a top-level boss already. But Daigo says considering Mine’s achievements, it’s not that strange. He’s going to keep his eye on Mine, though, to make sure he doesn’t get up to anything too shady. Mine apologises for his previous conduct and promises to change his ways. 

Daigo asks if Mine’s sure about this, though. He can still go back if he wants. But Mine says his decision is made, because he’s finally found what he was looking for. Daigo agrees to do a parent-child sakazuki with Mine. Mine thinks to himself that he’s found a new purpose in life. And a true bond … with Dojima Daigo. From now on, he’s going to dedicate his life to Daigo. 

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Bonus: Here’s a screenshot of chibi Mine in the Sugoroku event where this story appears.

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