Comprehension against the sky, creating the Five Thunders in the real world

"Your specialty is swordsmanship, right? From now on, you'll stay by my side and serve me. I'll give you ten times the pay."

Hondakawa got straight to the point.

Upon hearing this, Baki Hatake immediately knelt on one knee and solemnly responded:
"It is my honor, and I am willing to serve."

What good is martial arts skill if you still have to make a living?

While Baki Hatake's family was undoubtedly powerful, that didn't mean they were good at business. Each profession has its own expertise, and the Hatake family, who dedicated their lives to swordsmanship, were not particularly outstanding in the business world.

However, it is, after all, a prestigious family that has lasted for many years.

As a member of this ancient family, one naturally doesn't have to worry about food and clothing.

Baki Hatake came to protect Hondakawa not just for money.

He hoped to forge an alliance between his family and the Honda family, even if they couldn't be on equal footing, he hoped the Honda family could support the Hatake family.

That's right, the Hatake family longs to return to the stage of history.

In addition, the price offered by Honda Kawakami was really tempting.

Such a generous reward was hard for Baki Hatake to resist.

Attracted by this huge sum of money, he wouldn't listen to his family even if they summoned him back. Putting everything else aside, he'd work for a few years first, earn enough to support himself for the rest of his life.

Baki Hatake then returned to his post.

All of this was pre-arranged to ensure the Honda family's protection was impenetrable. It was a truly impregnable fortress, an absolute safeguard.

Even if one wants to force a breakthrough,

Trying to fight their way out
It is by no means an easy task.

"Father, are we really going to stay here forever? What if the enemy uses heavy weapons to bombard this place?" Honda Yoshi's words stunned Honda Kawa.

Perhaps influenced by traditional customs,

Honda never built an air-raid shelter in his own yard.

He never imagined he would be forced into such a predicament.

Indeed, as Aiko said,

If the other side uses firearms, one's so-called absolute defense is tantamount to digging one's own grave.

"You're right, we have to leave immediately."

"No, we can't leave."

The father and son engaged in a heated discussion.

Before long, Hondakawa understood Honda Yoshi's intentions.

This is probably what they mean by "no one knows a son better than his father, and no one knows a father better than his son."

The two communicated very smoothly without any obstacles.

You absolutely must not leave now; going out would likely lead you into a trap.

The best course of action right now is to send these assassins out proactively to keep the danger at bay. The best defense is a good offense; striking first is always the wise move.

It must be said that Honda Kawa fully adopted the plan of the boy.

This is truly the legendary "filial son".

Lin Beichen and his men did not carry any firearms.

Since firearms are inconvenient to carry on their person, their mission is to carry out an assassination.

They're not here to be terrorists.

"Baki Hatake, take half the men and patrol the outer perimeter. If you find any suspicious persons, kill them without hesitation. No need to ask for permission. Better to kill a thousand innocent people than let one guilty person go free. Do you understand?"

Baki Hatake had no objection to Honda's orders.

Whatever the boss says goes. Since such a high salary is being paid, one shouldn't question the boss.

Baki Hatake was not worried about Honda's safety.

Even with half the manpower transferred, most of the guards remain here.

He never considered himself the strongest among this group.

These assassins were a mixed bag, and even he felt a chill run down his spine from some of them.

That exceptionally powerful internal energy,

And that terrifying murderous aura...
All of this demonstrates their formidable strength.

With such terrifying guards, who could possibly break in?
In fact, Baki Hatake had wanted to warn people for a long time that having too many people was actually not a good idea.

After all, it's impossible to employ so many assassins indefinitely; it would be a huge expense.

However, considering that he was just one of many bodyguards hired by Honda,

In the end, Baki Hatake kept those words buried in his heart.

"Does the boss suspect that the assassins sent by China are already in place?"

"That's right, it's better to take the initiative than to sit and wait for death."

"Damn it, he still hasn't shown up..."

Norasuke's face was gloomy.

The situation was beyond his expectations.

Honda was too cautious and refused to show himself no matter what.

This is clearly a cowardly act, and things will definitely get difficult if this continues.

This deviated from their original plan.

According to Lin Beichen's plan, they should wait until the assassins around Honda Kawa left before making their move.

However, these assassins and security personnel showed no intention of leaving, and further delay could lead to unforeseen circumstances. Having realized this,

Norasuke is ready to take action.

Even if he couldn't eliminate both father and son, he was confident he could take either one with him. He needed to get rid of Honda Kawa first; Honda Yoshi was no threat.

As long as Hondakawa dies
Honda Yoshihiro will be finished sooner or later.

Even if they don't take action against Honda Yoshi,

This guy will most likely die in the family feud.

Just as Norasuke thought he had no other options and was preparing to launch a full-scale attack, he overheard Honda Yoshi's conversation with his father. After confirming that Honda Yoshi's words had shaken Honda Kawa's resolve, Norasuke was overjoyed—he had never seen such a "filial" son.

That's incredibly filial!

If it weren't for Yoshihiro Honda's suggestion, Norasuke really wouldn't have been able to find a breakthrough for a while.

It should be noted that his mission this time was aimed at establishing his position in China.

It was also a way for him to prepare a pledge of allegiance.

Only by truly assassinating more high-ranking officials in Japan can we achieve this.
The more he kills, the more attention he gains from China, and the more trust he earns from Lin Beichen and Yu Feng. Since successfully assassinating the entire Tieban Dahe family...
Since the last operation concluded successfully,

He could clearly sense the change in Lin Beichen's attitude towards him.

Not only did Lin Beichen treat him much more kindly, but Yu Feng's attitude also became much gentler.

Zhang San maintained a cold expression throughout.

Noransuke understood that this wasn't directed at him.

This person was born with facial paralysis, so his smile was even more frightening.

"Who dares to target Honda? China shouldn't have such skilled assassins. Why are they so familiar with our country's situation?" This question lingered in everyone's minds.

They simply couldn't understand how the situation had developed to this point.

The Tieban Dahe family died under mysterious circumstances; no one even knew who the murderer was.

To be able to operate with such secrecy, appearing and disappearing without a trace, such top-tier assassins should be world-renowned. Could it be that China also secretly trains such assassins?
"I hope everyone stays vigilant. You all heard the boss's instructions just now."

Baki Hatake gave a brief explanation to everyone.

He didn't give a long speech, and he knew that the people wouldn't completely follow his orders.

Ultimately, it's all about getting paid to do things, so why should we take your orders?

"Understood, kill on sight."

Someone gave a brief response.

Many others silently disappeared into the night.

Assassins naturally operate in the shadows; though they work for high pay, they won't risk their lives for a job. News of the entire Tieban Dahe family's murder has already spread, and no one knows for sure who the enemy is this time.

Precisely because it is unknown,
That's why we feel fear. Humans often feel awe towards the unknown.

Even a tiny country like Japan can produce someone like Noryusuke.
Even if assassins weren't a prevalent profession in China, there are probably some terrifyingly skilled individuals hidden among them. To truly challenge China's top assassins? Frankly, none of them would dare.

But if we make this clear,
It's like slapping yourself in the face.

It was this tacit understanding that allowed everyone to keep their minds in sync.

Aside from Baki Hatake, that hothead foolishly trying to catch the culprit,
The others chose to lie low and observe.

They couldn't even be bothered with formalities; they just wanted to get through the night peacefully.

Honda had already prepaid the fees to gather so many experts in such a short time. In other words, they could have taken the money and done nothing.

Wouldn't that be inappropriate?
There's something wrong with it.

In the world of martial arts, one must certainly value integrity.

But tonight is destined to be chaotic.

Hondakawa didn't know much about them either.
Wouldn't it be easy to slip away in the chaos?

Almost everyone acted with the mindset that "one more or one less of me makes no difference."

"No one came for half a day. Couldn't they see such a big fire?"

Seeing that no one had come to attack for a long time, Yu Feng couldn't help but become anxious.

Little did Yu Feng know that those so-called assassins and bodyguards had only just begun their operation...

When the fire first started spreading, their orders were to remain still.

No matter what happens outside, there is no need to interfere.

Not long after Yu Feng finished speaking, people finally began to take action.

However, very few people came, which made Yu Feng feel a little strange.

He was unaware that most assassins did not choose to participate in this matter.

These people are the epitome of taking money and doing nothing.

"All suspicious persons must be eliminated; it is better to kill a thousand innocent people than to let one guilty person go free."

"You all know the boss's orders: kill them!"

At Baki Hatake's command, everyone immediately dispersed.

Then came a series of shrill screams and pleas for help.

Many guards, under the guise of orders from their boss, began a large-scale massacre.

For them, the ability to kill so openly and recklessly was a rare form of entertainment. Compared to assassins who roamed the shadows year-round, these people were clearly lacking in refinement. Assassins have no interest in killing itself; they kill only to achieve their goals. Therefore, these people not only failed to pose any obstacle to Lin Beichen, but also...

This has only exacerbated the current chaotic situation.

It's easier to fish in troubled waters, and these people have ironically become Lin Beichen's helpers.

"Sir, I've worked for the master for three years, I'm absolutely innocent, please don't do this, I really am innocent, you can't do this, this is an abuse of power."

"Heh, I can tell you're problematic at a glance. Go to hell!"

"Hehehe, let you taste the power of your wild father before you die."

Some of the guards were lusting after the beauty of the maids in the mansion.

What followed was an appalling scene.

The old butler witnessed all of this and couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

He always felt that Hondakawa's approach was inappropriate, and that hiring these people seemed pointless.

This is just a bunch of rude and uncouth brutes.

As expected, the hastily assembled team was ultimately unreliable.

They are simply attracted by the generous rewards; whether they are reliable is entirely unknown.

"Pack your bags and leave. This time, things are likely to turn out badly."

The old butler's face was gloomy as he muttered to himself.

The saying goes, "A cunning rabbit has three burrows."

One should always leave oneself a few ways out.

Seeing the situation rapidly deteriorate, the old steward began to consider packing his valuables and fleeing. He was well aware of the downfall of the Tieban family, and the old steward of the Tieban family had frequent dealings with him. With the old steward's tragic death, the old steward couldn't help but feel a sense of shared sorrow.

Ultimately, this prompted the old butler to make the decision to leave.

He heard the screams of the guards.

The current situation clearly indicates one thing: the Chinese assassin has infiltrated the mansion, and his previous conclusion that the fire was an accident was completely wrong.

"Truly extraordinary, worthy of being a master from China."

"Luckily, we didn't act rashly, otherwise we might have really been defeated here."

This thought crossed the minds of many assassins.

Their choice was indeed correct.

However, after this battle, it will probably be difficult to cooperate with Honda again.

However, they didn't care.

After all, Honda Kawakawa might not survive tonight.

At the same time, Norasuke also launched an assassination operation.

As expected, Honda and his son were killed on the spot when he made his move.

At the moment Honda stopped breathing.

A voice he knew all too well rang in his ears.

He knew exactly who the visitor was—the top assassin from Japan, who had been executed in China on a global live broadcast! He never expected that the man was still alive and had already begun serving China.

What a great irony.

He ultimately died at the hands of the assassin he had once hired.

No wonder the Tieban Dahe family died so mysteriously.

He originally thought that it was impossible for Chinese people to know so much about the internal situation of Japan.

So it turns out the ones who did it were assassins from their country of Japan. That makes sense now.

Yoshihiro Honda died with resentment.

She was about to marry Baki Hatake, but tragically, she died before the wedding date arrived.

"Baki Hatake, I'm leaving. You must be happy."

"From now on, you will no longer have me in your world. Take good care of yourself. I will find you again in the next life if I have the chance."

These were Yoshihiro Honda's last thoughts before he died.

Even on his deathbed, he couldn't forget Baki Hatake's face. It must be said that Yoshihiro Honda was unusually obsessed with Baki Hatake, but of course, this was only his wishful thinking; Baki Hatake didn't have any affection for him.

Hondakawa and Honda Yoshiichi died.

The assassins and guards immediately turned red with rage.

To kill one's employer in front of them.

This is an absolute disgrace to them, a stain on their professional careers.

Not everyone is only interested in money.
Some killers still care about their reputation.

After all, they are all well-known figures in the industry, and reputation is of utmost importance if they want to establish themselves in the assassin world.

If we lose credibility, who would dare to entrust us with a task?
Unfortunately, reputation can never compare to life. The assassins who initially fought Norasuke were all easily dealt with, and seeing this, the others chose to retreat.

The chances of surviving a confrontation with such a top expert are extremely slim.

Moreover, they sensed a familiar scent on Norasuke.

Norasuke must also be a fellow assassin, and a more formidable one at that.

"I never expected that China could hire such a terrifying assassin. Although I don't know who you are, you must be a person of some renown. Why hide your identity and not dare to show your true face?" someone shouted, trying to force Noryusuke to reveal his identity.

Unfortunately, Norōsuke wasn't buying it at all.

How could he be provoked by such a low-level tactic?

Moreover, what he absolutely cannot reveal right now is his true identity.

Outsiders might not recognize him, but his colleagues knew him very well. (End of Chapter)