Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei finds a Freylian

Inuyama He thought he had made perfect preparations and that Angers would be moved by this display of strength, or at least feel some pressure.

But he forgot, or rather, deliberately ignored, that he was not facing an ordinary person, nor an ordinary person in power. He was facing Hilbert Jean Angers.

A vengeful man who has lived for over 130 years, experienced the darkest betrayals and destruction, and crawled out alone from mountains of corpses and seas of blood. An old fox with an eerily long time to observe human nature and understand the ways of the world.

To Angers, his carefully crafted air of authority was as laughable as a child dressed in an ill-fitting, ornate robe, trying to appear serious as a king. Angers saw right through him; beneath the glamorous robe lay a heart still filled with trepidation, still yearning for recognition, and still harboring a trace of timidity.

Why would a truly strong and confident person need to make such a grand show of it, piling up external things to embolden themselves? Only those who still harbor cowardice and uncertainty in their hearts need to put on the most magnificent armor, surrounded by followers, before they dare to speak loudly to the shadows of the past.

A long silence filled the Japanese-style room. Ryoma Genichiro and Miyamoto Shio exchanged bewildered glances. They could sense the dramatic change in Inuyama He's aura, but they couldn't fully comprehend the heavy, unresolved grudges and power struggles between the two old men that had spanned more than half a century behind their conversation.

Finally, Inuyama He slowly, very slowly, sat down again. His back was no longer straight, and his voice had lost its vigorous edge, becoming low and hoarse, even carrying a hint of undisguised fatigue.

“Principal, we, the Snake Clan, have been subservient to the Secret Party and to you for sixty years.” He raised his eyes and looked at Angers, his gaze complex.

"Sixty years isn't enough? Many of your students are still alive. We've shed blood and contributed our efforts for the Secret Party and the Academy. We owe the Secret Party nothing. We just don't want the Secret Party interfering in our affairs anymore. Is that not even acceptable?"

These words could almost be described as a humble plea, or rather, a desperate showdown.

The mockery on Angers' face faded somewhat, but he was still smiling, a smile that was hard to decipher.

"Your own affairs?" he repeated, his tone playful. "What things count as your own affairs?"

"No comment," Inuyama He replied immediately, decisively. "Family secrets are not to be revealed to outsiders!"

“An outsider?” Angers exhaled a puff of smoke, the bluish haze blurring his face. “Very well. Since you’re unwilling to talk about it, let me tell you about the secrets of your Snake Clan. Perhaps I know more than you, the head of the clan.”

Upon hearing this, the expressions of Inuyama He, Ryoma Genichiro, and Miyamoto Shio all changed simultaneously!

Angers ignored their reactions and continued speaking to himself.

"The mixed-race population in Japan has always been a huge mystery in the history of our secret society. Because Japan is an island nation, it was isolated from the mainstream civilization of Eurasia for a long period of time, and remained closed off from the world. From ancient times to the present, the land has been ruled by a single Yamato people. Therefore, in the traditional understanding of mixed-race societies dominated by European and Chinese mixed-race people, the concept of Japanese mixed-race people did not exist for a long time. It was not until after the Meiji Restoration that the name of the Hebi Hachike gradually came into our view."

Angers' gaze swept over the three: "How could such a closed and isolated island nation suddenly have such a powerful and self-contained hybrid family? Could it be that there are remnants of dragon blood in mainland Japan? Or even undiscovered dragon civilization relics?"

This question, like an invisible hand, choked the three of them.

“Modern genetic technology has given us the answer,” Angers continued. “The Secret Party spent decades and invested enormous resources in secretly studying the genetic samples of your Snake Clan members. Of course, the methods were not exactly honorable. But the results were shocking.”

He paused, making sure every word was clearly heard: "Your dragon genes are fundamentally and irreducibly different from the genes of the European and Chinese hybrids we know, which originated from the four monarchs. They do not belong to any of the four elements: earth, water, wind, and fire."

Angers leaned forward slightly, his gaze sharp and fixed on Inuyama He's eyes. "Your dragon genes come from an unknown dragon king."

"Om-"

It was as if a dull bell tolled in their minds! Miyamoto Shio and Ryoma Genichiro's faces turned deathly pale instantly, and they almost stood up uncontrollably! Inuyama He also trembled violently, but he forcibly restrained himself, stretched out his hands, and pressed hard on the shoulders of the two people next to him, signaling them to calm down.

Angers' words continued, like the tolling of a final judgment bell, striking their hearts again and again: "As everyone knows, dragon genes can be roughly divided into four categories based on their origin: earth, water, wind, and fire, corresponding to the monarchs who wield the power of the four elements. Your genes, however, belong to a fifth category that has never been recorded or discovered."

He stared intently at Inuyama He, asking each word slowly and deliberately, "He, tell me. Besides the four known rulers, which other Dragon King have I overlooked?"

A deathly silence, a suffocating silence, enveloped the entire Japanese-style room.

Chapter 589 White King Bloodline

After an unknown amount of time, Inuyama He slowly and with great difficulty released his hands from Ryoma Genichiro and Miyamoto Shio's shoulders.

The color drained from his face, and after a few twitches of his lips, he finally uttered a voice that seemed to come from the depths of the underworld: "So you knew all along."

This is not a question, but a desperate confirmation.

“Bloodline of the White King,” Angers uttered softly, as if unveiling a spell that sealed away a world-destroying demon.

“You really exist,” he sighed, a long sigh that seemed to have spanned a thousand years. “We have been searching for you for thousands of years.”

A deathly silence, a deeper, more profound silence, like cold ink, seeping into every corner. The secret was laid bare, the disguise utterly torn away, as if the sharpest swords had been drawn, their cold light illuminating everyone's pale, terrified faces.

Within the Snake Clan, the term "White King" is a top taboo, a closely guarded secret that can only be mentioned among the most core members in the most private settings, using euphemisms or code words. They use terms like "God," "that one," or "the first emperor" to refer to it, proceeding with extreme caution, as if walking on thin ice, lest the mixed-race outsiders, especially the Secret Society, discover even the slightest clue.

Because the White King holds a very special, very high, and very dangerous position in the history and legends of the dragon race.

Among the dragon kings, aside from the supreme and all-creating Black King Nidhogg, the White King is considered to hold the highest position. Ancient and obscure dragon texts describe him as the Black King's "greatest creation," a being "on par with himself" created by the Black King with the most effort and power.

It was this "greatest creation" who later sparked the largest and most devastating rebellion in dragon history—the "White King Rebellion." In this war that nearly led to the extinction of dragon civilization, the Black King faced the true threat of annihilation.

Although the Black King was the ultimate victor, the White King was still regarded by all the hybrids who knew that secret as the only Dragon King in history who had truly challenged the Black King's authority and almost succeeded.

Its bloodline surpasses that of all other dragon kings—it is the legendary royal blood!

The Eight Serpent Clan inherited the extremely precious and dangerous blood of the White King! If this secret were to be revealed, it would ignite the insane greed and covetousness of all hybrids worldwide, especially ambitious individuals, research fanatics, and power seekers! That would be a catastrophe!

Inuyama He's chest heaved violently. He closed his eyes, took several deep breaths as if using all his strength, and then slowly exhaled. When he opened his eyes again, all that remained was a resolute and cold determination, as if he had already committed to a desperate gamble.

He regulated his breathing, his voice becoming unusually steady, even somewhat hollow, as he slowly asked:

"So, Principal, what do you want from us?"

Angers met his gaze without flinching and uttered two words clearly and calmly: "Everything."

"Everything?" Inuyama He repeated, as if he didn't understand this simple word.

“Everything,” Angers affirmed. “Takamagahara, the legendary abode of the gods, the place where the White King may have slept or perished, is a treasure trove left behind by the dragons, possibly containing endless knowledge and power. The blood of the White King, the genes flowing in your veins that originated from that special dragon king, is also an immeasurable treasure.”

His tone turned serious. "Given your current state and capabilities, the Snake Clan is simply incapable of controlling or safely managing these things. To claim them for yourself is like a child playing with a fully loaded revolver. It could go off at any moment, injuring yourself and potentially harming countless innocent people!"

"So," Inuyama He's voice was icy cold, devoid of any warmth, "the principal thinks he's the adult suitable to wield this pistol?"

“At least we are aware of its dangers and have made the necessary preparations and restraints,” Angers said in a deep voice. “But you have made a complete mess of things, haven’t you?”

Inuyama He's pupils suddenly contracted.

“Takamagahara, though destroyed and sunk into the deep sea for unknown reasons,” Angers stared intently at him, pressing him further, “but the god buried there has already left, hasn’t he? It has awakened, or is awakening. And you are powerless to stop it.”

"Your annihilation is imminent! Tell me the truth, Aga! Tell me everything you know—about Takamagahara, about the White King, about that thing that is awakening or has already awakened! Now, while it's not too late!"

"Heh." Inuyama He let out a short, sarcastic laugh. "And now that you know the truth, are you going to take pity on us, the pitiful Snake-Headed Eight Families, and lend a helping hand to us who are about to face annihilation?"

“Listen, Aga! You have no idea what you’re fighting against! It far exceeds your wildest imagination! Its awakening will not trigger a family feud or a gang war, but a catastrophe that will sweep across all of Japan and may even have a wider impact! It’s a demon that will destroy a country! It’s a walking natural disaster! It’s something that you Snake-Headed Eight Families can’t deal with with your mere bloodlust and gangster methods!”

“Principal!” Inuyama He interrupted Angers, his face revealing for the first time an expression of undisguised anger and sorrow. “So many years have passed! Sixty years! Yet, you haven’t changed your mind at all!”

He shook his head, his voice trembling slightly with excitement: "In your eyes, we, the Snake Clan, will always be nothing more than a bunch of self-righteous gangsters, a group of reckless fools guarding a treasure but overestimating our abilities! The Dragon King that we cannot kill, your Secret Party can; the crisis that we cannot solve, your Kassel College can. Therefore, you will always be high above, mentors, saviors; while we should always be subservient, grateful, and offer up everything we have protected for generations!"

Inuyama He looked directly at Angers, each word spoken with force and conviction.

"I'm sorry, Principal, it can't be done as you wish."

"This is Japan. It is our country and our home."

"This is none of the business of outsiders!"

"What you want is what we, the Eight Heroes of the Serpent's Clan, have protected with our blood, our lives, and thousands of years, generation after generation! It is the foundation and meaning of our existence!"

"We will not hand it over!"

He practically roared out the last four words, his voice shaking the building, carrying an undeniable resolve.

“Oh.” Angers listened quietly to him finish speaking, without any anger at being refuted. Instead, he clapped his hands lightly. “It has risen to the level of national and ethnic righteousness. It is truly inspiring and moving. I thought that the person sitting across from me was Mr. Yukio Mishima, who wrote ‘The Sea of ​​Fertility’ and committed seppuku to express his determination.”

This ironic "praise" was like a bucket of cold water poured on Inuyama He's burning anger, only making the flames burn colder and more distorted.

“Principal,” Inuyama He’s voice was squeezed out through clenched teeth, each word like shards of ice, “are you really going to force us to the point of mutual destruction?”

"A fight to the death?" Angers shook his head, a look of almost pity on his face. "Ah He, all these years, you've always felt that you're living in a net I set for you, haven't you? So, you, this unwilling old fish, have struggled desperately, trying to break through this net, escape, and gain freedom?"

He sighed softly: "But have you ever considered that perhaps this net, from the very beginning, was a knot in your own heart, a self-imposed prison?"

"Principal!!" Inuyama He's hair and beard bristled, his eyes blazing with golden light, like a volcano about to erupt, exuding an aura of authority and ferocity. "Our patience is limited! Don't even think about pressing forward! We have no way out!!"

This is the final, blatant threat.

Faced with this thunderous roar, Angers did something that surprised everyone. He raised his hand, scratched his temple, and a look of confusion—or perhaps, an expression of thinking of something amusing—appeared on his face.

“Ah, do you know a student in my academy named Cesare Gattuso?” Angers asked a completely unrelated question.

Taken aback by his sudden turn of events, Inuyama He paused in his anger for a moment before replying, "The heir to the Gattuso family, the next head of the family, a rising A-rank elite. Of course I know."

“Hmm,” Ang nodded, speaking casually, “Sometimes I see students discussing it on the campus forum, saying that Caesar seems to have a condition called chuunibyou (middle school syndrome).

"Chuunibyou?" Inuyama He was completely dumbfounded, his brows furrowing deeply into a deep frown. He didn't understand why Angers would suddenly bring up a student's illness at such a tense moment. Ryoma Genichiro and Miyamoto Shio also exchanged bewildered glances.

“Yeah, chuunibyou,” Angers explained with great interest. “Good heavens, I really thought it was a physical or mental illness that needed treatment at first, and I even searched it up online. Turns out, it’s a Japanese word, and ‘chuunibyou’ is short for ‘second year of middle school’.”

He glanced at the beautiful goddaughters kneeling by the wall, a meaningful smile playing on his lips: "It is said that some children, when they reach the second year of middle school, will suddenly undergo a drastic personality change, taking themselves very seriously. They constantly say things like 'I've grown up now' and 'I am completely different from the person I was in the past.'"

"They imitated adults by smoking, listening to deafening heavy metal music, and began to seriously evaluate which ramen broth was richer and which char siu was more flavorful. In short, they were eager to prove that they were adults, and even felt that they were more worldly-wise and more insightful than real adults."

As Angers recounted the story, Inuyama He's face gradually turned ashen, his fists clenched under the table, his knuckles making a soft cracking sound.

“They’ll think the world is dirty, that all the pretty girls in the class have been slept with by bad men in society,” Angers continued, ignoring his unpleasant expression, his tone as light as if he were telling a joke.

“They would have inexplicable confidence, thinking that ‘if I want to do it, I can definitely do it,’ and fantasize about stealing a cool motorcycle one day, carrying the prettiest girl in the class, and speeding all the way to the beach to watch the sunrise. Although they only ever dared to think about it, they had never even touched the keyhole of a motorcycle.”

Angers chuckled: "Oh, right, they also fantasize about being the male protagonist in a harem anime, surrounded and admired by countless beautiful girls."

Chapter 590 Chuunibyou (Middle School Syndrome)

Inuyama He's breathing became heavy, veins throbbed on his forehead, and the golden light in his eyes grew stronger, as if molten lava was churning deep within his pupils. He finally understood. Angers wasn't talking about Cesare Gattuso at all.

Every word he uttered was a veiled attack on Inuyama He! He was using the most cutting and humiliating method to denigrate all of Inuyama He's performance tonight, and everything he had desperately tried to prove over the decades, as a childish and laughable episode of adolescent delusions!

“But I don’t think Caesar is a typical case of chuunibyou (middle school syndrome). He’s just a bit arrogant,” Angers said, changing the subject and turning his gaze back to Inuyama He’s face, contorted with extreme anger. “A truly typical chuunibyou, on the other hand, imagines himself as very isolated and tragic. He especially likes to say things like…”

He paused, then mimicked an exaggerated, deliberately profound tone: "'I have no way out!'"

"Bang!" Inuyama He slammed his hand on the table again, and the entire heavy cypress table groaned under the weight! He almost couldn't help but pounce on it!

But Angers completely ignored his rage, continuing his analysis of the illness in a calm yet sharper tone: "He's never really thought about what the so-called 'way out' really means. Maybe it's just because he hasn't been spanked by his father in a long time, so he's internally vowing: 'If that man dares to hit me again, I'll hit him back hard!'"

"Even though I've never been truly betrayed by a friend, I keep saying that 'friends are all fake, only interests are eternal.'"

"Even though they have never truly experienced the harsh pressures of adult society, they always look down on their parents and elders with disdain, thinking they are vulgar and compromising."

"Despite having only a superficial understanding of religious philosophy, or even being completely ignorant of it, they like to pretend to be profound and say things like, 'God is hypocritical, darkness is the eternal truth...'"

"Enough!!" Inuyama He finally couldn't bear it any longer and let out a beast-like roar! He stood up abruptly, his face contorted in extreme anger, furious lines pulsating beneath his skin, and the gold in his pupils burning like a blazing sun, radiating a terrifying bloodline pressure!

At this moment, he was no longer the elegant underworld patriarch, but a ferocious beast that had been thoroughly enraged and was ready to devour anyone it could!

Angers, this gentleman who always exuded elegance and composure, even when drawing his sword to kill, treated it like an artistic performance, had now completely torn off that gentle mask. Looking down at him, he used every sharp and sarcastic remark he could muster, employing the most vicious and precise language to slowly tear apart Inuyama He's most sensitive and untouchable wounds and pride.

"Ah He!"

Angers suddenly let out a sharp shout! The voice wasn't particularly loud, but it overpowered Inuyama He's roar, carrying a lion-like majesty and penetrating power that reverberated throughout the small Japanese-style room.