Dragon Clan: Force me to be reborn and slay dragons

Chapter 285 Chu Tianjiao, the New Head of the Family

The next morning, the humpback whale led a group of male escorts back to Takamagahara, only to be met with despair upon seeing the nightclub in complete disarray.

Although he no longer owned Takamagahara, he truly regarded it as his home and a haven for all lonely women.

Seeing it suffer such a calamity, how could he not feel a pang of heartache? He was so heartbroken that he could hardly breathe.

The other male prostitutes also looked sorrowful.

Akira Sakurai mingled in the crowd, surveying the damage to Takamagahara. He could tell at a glance that it was definitely not caused by an earthquake; after all, the elevator door that had been torn open and the bullet holes in the walls, floorboards, and ceiling did not lie.

Last night, Takamagahara definitely experienced a major battle.

No wonder the manager took everyone to the host club yesterday, saying that no matter how big the problem was, they should keep it to themselves and deal with it the next day.

Everyone here is smart enough to see through things but not say anything. Sakurai Akira greeted them and went upstairs to find his sister and brother-in-law to see if they were injured.

The first and second floors were in a terrible state, almost unrecognizable. If you looked closely, you could even smell a faint stench of blood in the air.

It must be said that the Sheqi family's cleanup crew was indeed professional. They cleaned up most of the battle traces in one night. Last night, the blood flowed like a river, and the first and second floors were soaked in the smell. Even now, you can't smell the remaining odor unless you look closely.

Sakurai Akira saw his sister and brother-in-law on the third floor. They were still together all day long, just like always, and they only nodded when they saw him.

After exchanging greetings, Sakurai Akira quietly left the private room and went to find the seniors Old Tang and Finger who had taken good care of him.

However, only Old Tang was there today. Fingel went to find the main group of Kassel College early in the morning. Before leaving, he went to find Chu Zihang and asked him if he wanted to come along. After thinking for a moment, the latter left together.

Although he had decided to follow Lu Mingfei to the bitter end, Kassel College was always a crucible for him to hone his skills.

Professor Schneider's rigorous guidance, the Lionheart's legacy of responsibility, and the resources the Academy poured into him—these bonds should not end in a complete break.

Lu Mingfei did not stop him after he found out. He knew that Angers would definitely come to Takamagahara before he left, but it was a matter of attitude.

He could mock the Secret Party without restraint because they were even and he didn't want anything in return.

But Chu Zihang was different; Kassel College witnessed his growth from a vengeful boy into a true warrior.

Some farewells need to be made in a dignified manner.

As for the rule that leaving Kassel College requires brainwashing and the removal of all knowledge related to dragons, hybrids, and the Secret Society, anyone who dares to mention this rule to Lu Mingfei will have their head ripped off, washed with concentrated sulfuric acid, and then thrown into a septic tank with Herzog.

Angers was well aware of this, so when Fingel and Chu Zihang came to him, he did not hold their failure to respond to the deep-sea diving plan and their failure to report what they knew about it.

Fingel copied the previously filmed battle footage and gave it to Angers. Although the key kill scenes were missing, the spectacular scene of Lu Mingfei charging forward and slaying the god was not missed.

As for how the remains of the Yamata no Orochi were disposed of, Fingel told the truth: the Yamata no Orochi was burned to a crisp, leaving only a skeleton which was taken away by "Susan". The sacred remains were also scattered on the spot by Lu Mingfei, and no ashes were left behind.

Angers nodded slightly without saying anything, as long as they were all killed.

Next up was Chu Zihang, but before he could even say what he was planning, Angers had already promised to grant him a long leave, and he could return to school once he finished his business.

As for the final exams, he can make them up when he has time. The school won't hold him back a year, but it's unlikely that he'll be given the position of Lionheart Club president.

"Why?" Chu Zihang didn't understand. Kassel College had been established for over a hundred years, and no one had ever received such special treatment.

Is it all because of Lu Mingfei?

Angers didn't answer immediately, but glanced at Fingel, who was trying to conceal his presence and eavesdrop on some gossip. Seeing that he couldn't use his talent to simulate the Word of Power Ghost, he could only leave dejectedly.

After he left, Angers said, "I could tell from the first time we met that you and I are both avengers, with the flames of revenge burning in your eyes."

Chu Zihang is one of the few people who have taken the initiative to approach Kassel College over the years. Although it was Professor Schneider who contacted him and took him on as a student, Angers has been quietly watching him from a place out of sight.

While others didn't know the origin of Chu Zihang's dragon blood, he knew it perfectly well.

“Some hatreds must be washed away with blood.” Angers looked at him, his tone not serious, as if chatting casually, yet his words carried the majesty of a lion:

“I know that you have been following in your father’s footsteps all these years, searching for his killer, and even using the Blood Explosion Secret Technique to forcibly enhance your bloodline in order to seek revenge.”

Chu Zihang remained silent. He knew that his actions violated school rules and the Party's regulations, but he couldn't stop.

After a long silence, he looked up at Angers: "Do you know my father?"

He had only told Schneider about his father, but the latter could not find Chu Tianjiao's name on the executive department's list, as if such a person had never existed.

But Chu Zihang remembered very clearly that when the man charged toward God, he took out a weapon case from Kassel College and told him never to apply to this college full of madmen.

This only shows that Professor Schneider's authority was insufficient. After all, he was only promoted to executive director a few years ago, and he was not authorized to access some gray lists and top-secret files.

To find out, perhaps only the principal or school board member with the authority to grant access can see it.

"Chu Tianjiao graduated from Kassel College in 1987. He is an S-class hybrid and is one of the top ten super executives since the college was established."

Angers looked at Chu Zihang, his gaze sliding from Chu Zihang's handsome face to the demon sword Murasame hanging at his waist. His silver-gray eyes held an indescribable, complex emotion.

"He was the most capable soldier in the Executive Department at the time. I sent him to China on a top-secret mission... You should know what happened next."

Chu Zihang knew what happened next, of course. The super hybrid with zero time fell in love with a woman who danced beautifully, and they had a child together.

He could have provided a comfortable life for his wife and children with his extraordinary skills, but instead, he disguised himself as a good-for-nothing, ultimately losing not only his wife and children but also his own life.

Chu Zihang's current feelings are hard to describe; he even doesn't know how to face this absurd fact.

He was no longer the boy who knew nothing about dragons and the world of hybrids. He knew what an S-class hybrid meant and how powerful Time Zero was.

Even a B-rank Fujiwara Shinnosuke could beat him to a pulp; that man, being an S-rank hybrid, would only be stronger.

But ironically, they all died on the same rainy night.

“He…” Chu Zihang began, only to find his voice was somewhat hoarse.

He had many questions he wanted to ask: Had the man completed his mission? Was abandoning his wife and children due to the regulations of the academy and the executive department? Was his unwillingness to improve himself and his willingness to be a good-for-nothing also part of the mission requirements?

But the thought that person is no longer there makes it all seem less important.

Moreover, if he really had to ask, he wanted to ask that man himself; what did it matter if he got an answer from someone else?

Lu Mingfei said that the man might not be dead, so there must still be a glimmer of hope. He wanted to save the question for himself to ask.

What kind of person was he before?

After a moment's thought, Angers gave a simple and clear answer: "He is an excellent soldier."

Kassel College only recently reformed its educational policy. Previously, they did not train leaders who could slay dragons; they simply mass-produced soldiers. Upon graduation, students were only rated as qualified, average, or excellent warriors in the college's evaluation.

Chu Tianjiao was the most outstanding warrior.

Even Caesar, Chu Zihang, and even Fingel are not as good as him.

But the more outstanding a person is, the more likely they are to make a mistake. Perhaps Chu Tianjiao is as proud and confident as his name suggests, which is why he resolutely climbed onto that overpass even when things were clearly not going well.

"Thank you." Chu Zihang bowed slightly.

Angers sighed slightly: "I shouldn't be telling you these things now, but since you've decided to leave with Lu Mingfei, I can't pretend to be ignorant and let you figure things out on your own. Otherwise, I'm afraid Mingfei will point his finger at me and scold me."

The reason he confessed today was because he had witnessed Lu Mingfei's power to freeze the sea with a single sword strike, and he believed that the other party could cover up the truth and prevent the tragedy that had happened to him in the past from happening again.

Watching Chu Zihang turn and leave, Angers thought of his past a hundred years ago, when he and Menek, the first leader of the Lionheart Society, fought together for the cause of slaying dragons. Back then, they were like Lu Mingfei and Chu Zihang now, regarding each other as family, companions, and brothers, but because they provoked an invincible enemy, only he survived.

With a long sigh, he called out to Uesugi Yue, who was still getting ready in his bedroom, and together with Fingel and Chu Zihang, they headed to Takamagahara.

Lu Mingfei is preparing to return to China today; time waits for no one.

Meanwhile, in the mountains of Kobe, at the Hebihachi Shrine.

The surviving senior officials and heads of various families gathered together, and the heavy wooden door slowly closed behind them, making a long creaking sound.

Inside this hall, the air is filled with the fragrance of sandalwood.

The white-haired elders of the Strategic Department sat upright, the elites of the Liaison Department looked solemn, the clansmen of the five outer families looked sad, the cadres of the Kansai branch remained silent, and the scholars of the Ganryu Research Institute and the technicians of the Maruyama Construction Company stood with their heads bowed...

A total of 288 people attended the meeting, and all of them were present.

Yuan Zhisheng's gaze swept across the somewhat empty hall.

At the last family meeting, all 432 seats were filled.

Of the 144 people who are currently absent, fewer than ten will be able to return.

The battle to slay the gods resulted in the loss of most of the clan's fighting strength, with the front-line combat troops suffering the most severe losses. In fact, the entire Kanto branch was wiped out, with no one surviving.

The six heads of the family took their seats in turn.

The empty seat on the left, belonging to the Ju family, is covered with plain white brocade, symbolizing that the patriarch has passed away.

The Uesugi family's spot on the right was also empty; Erii's absence was something everyone had long been accustomed to.

However, the vacancy of the position of patriarch still brought a sense of sorrow to the eyes of everyone present.

Kotaro Fuuma sat next to Genjiro Minamoto, the nearly 100-year-old ninja king, his expression calm as his gaze slowly swept over everyone present.

With the patriarch absent and the emperor not yet on the throne, as the young head of the family, he should rightfully preside over this meeting that will shake the entire Japanese underworld.

"Gentlemen," Fuuma Kotaro's voice wasn't loud, but it instantly silenced the entire council hall, "In yesterday's battle, we accomplished the great feat our ancestors had dreamed of—slaying a god!"

"With the fall of the White King, the curse that has shrouded our bloodline has vanished."

“We paid a heavy price for this, losing many of our compatriots, and we couldn’t even find their remains to bury them properly so we could hold funerals for them.”

"But their sacrifice was worthwhile; they gave their lives to ensure that future generations would no longer have to live in the shadow of God..."

Kotaro Fuuma's words touched everyone, but their emotion quickly turned into shock and anger.

After commemorating and expressing gratitude for the sacrifices made for the family, he turned his attention to the deceased Tachibana Masamune, saying that the revival of the gods, the rise of the Oni Clan, and the rampant activity of the Dead Servants in recent years were all due to that respected and beloved patriarch!
"Tachibana Masamune deceived us. He simultaneously served as the leader of both the Oni Clan and the Snake-Headed Eight Families, causing the White King's bloodline to fall into serious internal strife and continuously dividing our clan."

The crowd was furious, but they were speechless in the face of the facts presented by Fuma Kotaro. They felt it was absurd and unacceptable that the patriarch who always thought of the clan could be so despicable. They had all been manipulated by this hypocritical guy and were willing to give their lives for him.

Their hearts were in turmoil, and they even began to whisper among themselves, disregarding the sacred atmosphere of the temple, and pondering the consequences if the news were to spread.

But clearly, Kotaro Fuma didn't intend to give them much time to think. After stopping their almost emotional outpouring, he announced that they were getting to the main topic of the day—the election of the 74th head of the family.

The 288 people in the hall remained silent, watching the six family heads, pondering who would ascend to the throne and claim supremacy.

The head of the Fengmo family is the most senior and also the head of the family, so he has the highest probability.

The Inuyama family head is incredibly powerful and was the first head of the Japanese branch, so it's understandable that he would take on the role of patriarch.

It's also possible that it's the head of the Ryoma family.

The head of the Sakurai family isn't out of the question either.

Could it be the head of the Miyamoto family?

Holy crap, how come all five family heads have nominated the head of the Yuan family to be the patriarch?!

The hall was silent. Everyone looked at each other, unable to hide their shock.

Who would have thought that the young family head, who was usually the subject of much criticism, would win the unanimous support of the five outer families?
Although the family assembly usually requires everyone to vote, the five family heads have already stated their position, and their family members and those who depend on them will inevitably follow their wishes and vote.

Within the palace, only a few departments, such as the Kansai branch and the Maruyama construction site, are relatively independent, but together they account for no more than one-fifth of the total.

Why even bother with a vote? Just pass it unanimously.

Kotaro Fuma's aged fingers tapped lightly on the table, the crisp sound breaking the silence: "Gentlemen, please vote."

Crow and Yaksha immediately raised their hands, their faces showing both surprise and joy, not understanding how their young master had suddenly been put in the position of patriarch.

Didn't he just say he wanted to retire in France? How did he manage to take over the position of Supreme Leader overnight?
If it weren't for the inappropriate occasion, they would have loved to slap themselves twice to see if they were still in a drunken dream.

The voting result was a foregone conclusion. Genjiro became the 74th head of the Snake-Headed Eight Families with an overwhelming majority of votes.

The young emperor slowly walked towards the main seat, the subtle patterns on his black kimono faintly visible in the candlelight. When he sat down, the air in the entire hall seemed to freeze.

"I've come here today to accomplish only one thing," Yuan Zhisheng's voice was eerily calm. "Once it's done, I will resign immediately."

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire audience erupted in uproar once again.

Everyone was stunned, wondering what Genji was up to. Even the five family heads showed strange expressions. Only Sakura, who was also in a corner of the hall, remained calm, as if she already knew his plan.

Yuan Zhisheng, however, did not intend to explain too much, and disregarded everyone's doubts, getting straight to the point:

"As you all know, the bloodline we are so proud of is actually a curse left to us by our ancestors."

It is this so-called White King bloodline that created all of you present here today, yet also destroyed countless of our compatriots.

The hall gradually quieted down, and everyone understood what he was going to say.

"The Fierce Ghosts share the same bloodline as us, and are born from the same root. The purer the dragon blood, the greater the possibility of transforming into a demon. Every newborn member of the clan may become one of them."

They are an inescapable shadow of the Snake-Headed Eight Families; as long as their bloodline continues, evil spirits will continue to be born and gather.

This destiny, intertwined for millennia, is already etched into our very bones.

"Now that God is dead, it is time to sever our destiny!"

Inuyama He asked in a deep voice, "What does the patriarch intend to do? Are you going to declare war on the Demon Clan?"

"Quite the opposite."

Genjiro shook his head slightly, his gaze falling on the empty Tachibana family seats: "Although Tachibana Masamune's death was not a pity, he did something beneficial for the family before he died, taking away all the most radical, crazy, and dangerous Oni members, and they all perished at the hands of the gods."

Nowadays, most of the remaining members of the Fierce Ghost Clan are just pitiful people who want to find a safe place to live.

They were forced to flee due to the instability of their bloodline; they had no intention of evolving into dragons, nor did they intend to fight the Snake-Headed Eight Families to the death. They simply wanted to find a place where they wouldn't be imprisoned and live a peaceful life.

Genjiro's sinister eyes swept over the crowd, carrying a faint chill:
"These compatriots who share the same blood deserve the protection of their family."

If we treat them well, they will stay with us.

"If we abandon them in the wilderness, they will take revenge on us..."

(End of this chapter)