Dragon Raja: Starting with Summoning Erii

He had never been able to fully understand Xia Mu's thoughts, nor did he understand what he was painstakingly planning. Just like the current situation in Tokyo, it was shrouded in a fog, like the weather today, making it impossible for people in the middle to see each other clearly.

“I want to give the hybrids of the Snake Clan and the Demon Clan another option,” Xia Mu said calmly.

"Another option...?"

Genji murmured softly, "If they aren't demons, then what exactly is the justice I've upheld all these years..."

"You were told about justice by someone else. You didn't do anything wrong; you were just being misled."

Xia Mu crossed his arms. "There are many things we can only see with our own eyes. Just like what I'm telling you now, you don't have to believe me completely. You can only distinguish right from wrong yourself. If you're wrong, you have to accept the consequences yourself."

“If I’m wrong…” Genji said in a low voice, “I’ll want to die.”

"Then you might as well keep your body useful and try your best to make amends. After all, there are very few people in this world who really want to be friends with justice. Everyone acts according to their own position. You are really good," Xia Mu said sincerely.

Yuan Zhisheng fell silent.

"Actually, there's something I've never understood. If your speculations are true, why did he use the sound of a clapper to switch Erii's state at such an important moment?"

He gritted his teeth, "If it were the Fierce Ghosts trying to sabotage our plans, I could understand, but why would they do it?"

"Because you wanted to test whether I was truly willing to help you, wasn't that what you planned?"

Xia Mu smiled faintly, "And also, it's to test my strength. Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated!"

"Isn't he worried that something might really happen to Erii?"

"Don't worry, because Erii's state can be switched back at any time."

"so…"

Two crows cawed outside the door, and a crow poked its head out: "Everyone at the shrine is waiting for you."

"Let's go."

Natsuki turned around and reached out his hand to Erii.

Erii turned around, her bright makeup lighting up the entire room.

She gently placed her small hand in Xia Mu's and smiled sweetly at him.

Xia Mu gripped her hand tightly, leading her step by step out of the room. They walked along the corridor, through the rain curtain, as if they could walk together forever.

"Head of the Uesugi family! Mr. Xia!"

The sound from the doorway reached inside the shrine, drawing countless gazes.

The heads of the three major clans and five minor clans were all present. In the shrine where the ancestral tablets were enshrined, the atmosphere was extremely solemn and dignified. Everyone showed a sense of ritual appropriate to the occasion, sitting with their knees bent on their heels, their hands on their knees, and their backs straight.

This was not a simple engagement ceremony, but a meeting about the future of the underworld. Genji stood outside the door, watching Natsuki and Erii walk forward step by step, and suddenly understood this.

He took a deep breath.

He couldn't let himself continue to let his mind wander.

A samurai cannot think too much. If he thinks too much, he will hesitate when he draws his sword. A samurai's mission is simply to cut down anything that goes against the "way".

"This is the fiancé of the head of the Uesugi family, the one who will take over the family name Uesugi in the future."

Tachibana Masamune sat at the head of the table, with silver hair and a solemn and dignified expression.

"During the bombing of the burial site, it was thanks to him that the tide was turned and all the awakened descendants of the gods were buried. He is the benefactor of the Snake-Headed Eight Families."

Everyone looked at Xia Mu.

Tachibana Masamune straightened his kimono, stood up, took a few steps back, and bowed deeply.

"As the patriarch, I express my gratitude on behalf of the family."

"This is a war we cannot afford to lose. It was Mr. Xia who saved our family's future!"

This action surprised everyone. Elders of high standing in the family immediately bowed down, and the younger generations followed suit.

"Welcome to the family, to become a member of the Snake Clan!" Tachibana Masamune straightened up, his voice carrying throughout the shrine.

"Welcome, Mr. Xia!"

A round of enthusiastic applause rang out inside the shrine. People from the three major clans and five minor clans all focused their attention on Xia Mu, many of their gazes appearing very sincere.

They were truly grateful to Xia Mu for his divinely bestowed power and for his heroic actions that saved the lives of many of their people.

No one wants to face loss, so be grateful.

Chapter 287 Xia Mu's Voice

Thank you all.

"From now on, Erii and I will represent the Uesugi family, uphold the family's principles, and refrain from doing anything that would harm the family."

Xia Mu stood up and made his statement, his expression gentle yet firm.

This was not a traditional engagement ceremony; it was more like a power transition, the succession of the new head of the Uesugi family.

Everyone knows that Erii doesn't get involved in anything; their respect for her stems solely from reverence for her prestigious family name.

But Xia Mu was different. Even without the God Burial Office's efforts to turn the tide, his unification of Tokyo's underground forces alone was enough to impress everyone.

Given time, will he unify the entire country's underworld and become the true underworld supreme?

What role will our family play then?

Therefore, he must express his support for the family and declare that he represents the family's interests; otherwise, the Snake Clan will be at odds with him and a war will eventually break out.

Natsuki sat down again, next to Erii in the Uesugi family head's seat, gazing at Tachibana Masamune in the distance.

'What's that old man thinking? He let me get engaged to Erii so easily. Does he really think that after I join the Snake-Headed Hachike, I'll obey his orders as the patriarch?'

“I know many of my people are very grateful to you in private.”

Tachibana Masamune slowly spoke: "Because you saved the shadow of the family, and saved those family members who might have gone out of control. They are all our family."

A commotion broke out inside the shrine.

This event broke with the practices of the Snake Clan over the past decade, but it also garnered considerable attention and approval.

After all, who would want their family and friends to be judged as a threat one day, thus living a life of seclusion, or being absorbed into the ranks of the Fierce Ghosts and becoming their enemy?

Now that Natsuki, using the Uesugi family's name, has brought them together and arranged jobs, it's a pretty good ending.

As long as no one loses control.

“I am not as powerful as you. I had no choice but to do this back then, and in the end, the shadow of the family... the Demon Clan became more and more rampant. It is my fault.” Tachibana Masamune closed his eyes slightly, as if he were confessing.

“It has nothing to do with the patriarch; it is the cursed bloodline that brought us all this,” the Sakurai family head said softly.

Tachibana Masamune opened his eyes: "Although the burial site of the gods was destroyed, according to the footage transmitted back by the Kassel College specialist when he went down, 'God'... left Takamagahara."

Countless people held their breath, their hearts trembling.

"If the members of the Fierce Ghost Clan find 'God' first..."

Tachibana Masamune left his words unfinished, leaving everyone to ponder the consequences of his actions.

"If the destruction of the God Burial Grounds failed to quell their ambition to evolve into pure-blooded dragons, then there is only one path left to take."

The equally white-haired head of the Fengmo family spoke up for him.

His words were calm, yet tinged with passion.

All eyes were on the patriarch's face, waiting for him to make a decision.

Tachibana Masamune looked around at everyone, pausing especially at Natsuki's face, before finally speaking slowly: "Completely purge the forces of the Demon Clan, purge those who are affiliated with them, the gangs affiliated with them, the companies affiliated with them, leave no one untouched! Use this war to end everything!"

The room was completely silent, with only the sound of the wind howling like ghosts. Cherry blossoms fell outside the window, making one feel the impermanence of life.

“Once the war begins…it will likely result in rivers of blood,” the head of the Fengmo family echoed him.

"There will always be righteous blood that must be shed in this world."

Tachibana Masamune said, “However, as the head of the family, I cannot push you all to the battlefield on my own. I know the road ahead is difficult and I am prepared to die, but I do not know how many people will agree with me or how many people will follow me. The future of the family should be decided by each member of the family, so I have gathered you all here and ask each of you to tell me what you think.”

He clapped his hands, and the side door opened. The priests dressed in white carried in two white screens and set them up behind Mr. Masamune. Under the screens, they placed pen holders and ink-soaked brushes.

Tachibana Masamune rose and wrote the character "战" (war) in bold strokes on the left screen, and the character "忍" (endurance) in delicate strokes on the right screen.

"Those who believe the family should fight the Fierce Ghosts to the death, please write the character '正' on the left screen. Those who believe the family should continue to endure and remain silent, please write the character '正' on the right screen."

He pulled a white cloth from his bosom and blindfolded himself, then sat upright between two screens: "Gentlemen, please grant me your judgment, dispel my evil intention to kill, or aid my fighting spirit!"

No one got up; even the heads of the family hesitated. It was difficult to put pen to paper on any of the screens, as if the pen was stained with the blood of young people.

The silence lasted for a full five minutes before Xia Mu suddenly spoke softly: "Isn't there a third way to go?"

No one spoke, but all eyes were on him. Everyone wanted to know what unexpected opinions this soon-to-be head of the Uesugi family, the newly appointed representative of the Uesugi family, would have.

Whether it was dealing with underground forces or the actions of the Divine Burial Grounds, he proved his strength.

The three major surnames today may be different from those of the past; at least the Uesugi family is no longer the Minamoto family's lackey.

I think not.

Tachibana Masamune didn't even give Natsuki a chance to express his opinion.

Many people's eyes darted around, seeing it as a signal that the patriarchs allowed them to get engaged, but not to have the same power as the head of the family.

"Tell me, what are your thoughts?"

To everyone's surprise, Genji suddenly spoke up.

Tachibana Masamune abruptly ripped off the blindfold, nearly losing his composure.

He had considered that Natsuki might cause trouble, but he never expected that Genji would suddenly support Natsuki.

“I did overlook that just now, and I’d like to hear your opinion,” said Tachibana Masamune.

Xia Mu seemed oblivious to the warning in his eyes, and showed no nervousness as he spoke in front of the entire family for the first time. His strong voice rang in everyone's ears.

“I think there is another option, ‘and’.”

“‘Reconciliation’ is impossible; there are irreconcilable differences between the two sides,” Tachibana Masamune immediately denied.

“No, the ‘peace’ I’m talking about isn’t peace, but leaving them an option to surrender to me,” Xia Mu said calmly.

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Many people looked on with surprise.