Dragon Raja: Lu Mingfei finds a Freylian

Angers paid no attention to the bodyguards' reaction, not even glancing at them. He walked slowly to the gleaming black body of the Rolls-Royce, casually placed the heavy suitcase at his feet, and then leaned against the cold, hard car door.

He slowly and deeply exhaled, as if trying to expel all the gunpowder, blood, and exhaustion that had accumulated in his chest. Then, he raised his head and gazed at the Tokyo night sky, which was dyed a hazy purple-red by neon lights, and the silhouettes of skyscrapers that stood like black towers in the distance.

The air after the rain was cool and refreshing, completely out of place with the lingering battlefield scent on him.

“Tachibana Masamune?” Angers asked, without turning to look at the lowered car window.

As he finished speaking, the dark-tinted bulletproof rear window of the Rolls-Royce began to descend silently and steadily.

Behind the car window, an old man's face appeared. His hair was gray, but neatly combed, and his features were refined, even possessing a scholarly elegance and gentleness. He wore a fine black silk kimono, over which was a dark gray haori, and his hands were folded on his knees, his posture upright.

From any perspective, he is a highly respected and dignified elderly man.

Tachibana Masamune turned his head slightly, his gaze meeting that of Angers, who was leaning against the car door, gazing at the night sky. Then, he bowed slightly, a small but perfectly executed gesture, the kind of etiquette used in old Japan when addressing someone of high status or worthy of respect.

"Nice to meet you, Principal Hilbert Jean Angers. I am Tachibana Masamune. I look forward to your guidance in the future."

The tone was respectful, the wording humble, and it was impeccable.

However, Angers seemed oblivious to this politeness, too lazy to turn his gaze completely. He remained looking up at the sky, as if searching for a star obscured by neon lights.

“According to sporadic reports from the academy’s intelligence department over the past ten years, you inexplicably appeared about ten years ago and became the head of the Snake-Headed Eight Families.” Angers paused, turned his head, and glanced at Tachibana Masamune inside the car window out of the corner of his eye, his eyes devoid of any warmth. “You’re still alive?”

This statement is vicious, directly pointing to the other party's strange and suspicious identity, and is a blatant provocation.

Anger surged on the faces of the bodyguards standing around. Several hot-blooded young men took a half-step forward, their hands once again reaching for their weapons. Insulting the patriarch was an insult to the entire Snake Clan!

Chapter 608 Angers: Who said Inuyama He is dead?

However, inside the car, Tachibana Masamune showed no sign of anger. He didn't even raise an eyebrow, maintaining his slightly bowed posture, as if Angers had merely asked, "How's the weather today?"

He spoke again in a calm and even tone, this time in English, so the translator didn't need to repeat himself: "I am Tachibana Masamune. I was once the head of the Snake-Headed Eight Families."

He emphasized the word "once" and then continued, "As you can see, I am not dead yet."

He answered Angers' malicious question directly, but brushed the malice aside lightly, as if he were just giving a normal self-introduction.

Angers was a little surprised by his good temper, but that was all. He chuckled and finally turned around completely, facing the Rolls-Royce with its window rolled down, and Tachibana Masamune inside. He leaned lazily against the car door, his posture somewhat rude, but his light gray eyes were as sharp as a hawk's, firmly locked onto Tachibana Masamune.

“You sent my student, Inuyama He, to ‘receive’ me,” Angers said slowly, enunciating each word clearly, “to persuade me, to put pressure on me, while you yourself, like a rat that can’t be seen in the light, hide in the car waiting for the outcome?”

This time the accusation is more direct, defining Tachibana Masamune's behavior as cowardice and scheming.

Tachibana Masamune met his gaze, his face still revealing no emotion, but he shook his head slightly and explained sincerely, "I didn't mean anything by it, Principal Angers. It's just that I have no connection with you whatsoever."

He admitted this, "And you are one of the most awe-inspiring dragon slayers in the world. From what I know so little, you are not always a good-tempered person." He paused, carefully choosing his words.

"So I think that if I were to personally engage in such a sensitive conversation with you, it probably wouldn't yield any good results. Inuyama-kun was once your student, so having him step in might ease the tension and make the conversation go more smoothly."

Tachibana Masamune sighed softly, "I never expected it to turn out this way."

His gaze pierced through Angers, landing on the tightly closed, dilapidated bronze gate in front of Tamamo-no-Mae, his eyes deep. "Actually, after receiving the news, I rushed here as fast as I could. But I was still a step too late."

"Do you know what the final outcome will be?" Angers' tone suddenly turned cold, like the Siberian wind. "Someone used at least four large-caliber anti-aircraft machine guns to kill me. Right here on your turf, at the welcome party you arranged."

He leaned forward slightly, closer to the car window, his voice low but carrying immense weight as he asked, enunciating each word clearly, "How did you know beforehand? Or, to put it more bluntly, did you arrange this?"

Faced with this question, which was almost tantamount to accusing someone of murder, Tachibana Masamune's expression finally showed a subtle change, not panic, but a solemn and sorrowful one.

He did not avoid Angers' gaze and calmly replied, "Just now, shortly after the gunfire stopped, both the head of the Miyamoto family, Shigeo, and the head of the Ryoma family, Genichiro, called me one after the other."

He glanced at the young assistant with glasses beside him, who immediately added, "The two heads of the family gave a brief report on the sudden machine gun attack on Tamamo-no-Mae. Head of the Inuyama family was seriously injured while protecting Principal Angers, and his fate is unknown."

Tachibana Masamune nodded, indicating that this was the source of his knowledge.

Angers stared at him for a few seconds, trying to determine the truth of his words. Then, he suddenly pulled an unlit cigar from his inside suit pocket, put it in his mouth, and reached into his pocket for a lighter.

Upon seeing this, Tachibana Masamune made a quick hand gesture to one of his close subordinates standing outside the carriage, almost without hesitation.

The subordinate reacted quickly, immediately taking out an exquisite sterling silver lighter from his pocket, lighting it with a "snap," and stepping forward to respectfully and cautiously hand it to Angers, lighting his cigar.

Angers took a deep drag on the fire, a thick cloud of smoke rising from it. He didn't thank the subordinate who offered the light, nor did he look at him; he simply exhaled a blue smoke ring into the air. The smoke swirled in the headlights, blurring his expression.

“Tachibana Masamune,” Angers looked through the smoke at the old man in the car again, his tone full of undisguised inquiry and suspicion, “What exactly are you?”

The word “things” is filled with dehumanizing, derogatory connotations and scrutiny.

Tachibana Masamune was silent for a moment. He wasn't angered by the insulting address; instead, he was seriously considering the question. He slowly spoke, "Does the principal mean to question my past experiences? Question my origins?"

“You’re strange,” Angers said bluntly. “Twenty years ago, in the mixed-race society of Japan, and even in the intelligence network of the entire Far East, no one had ever heard of the name ‘Tachibana Masamune.’ It’s as if you fell from the sky or crawled out of the ground.”

"Nobody knows where you were born, who your parents are, who your teachers are, or what you did twenty years ago. You look old and dying, but only your resume for the last twenty years is barely clear; the years before that are a blank."

Angers pointed at Tachibana Masamune with the finger holding the cigar: "An old man with only twenty years of life has stirred up such a huge storm in the Japanese underworld in such a short time. He almost single-handedly reorganized the disloyal Snake Clan and even destroyed the structure of the Japanese branch of Kassel College that I established back then."

“You’re a big deal,” Angers said, scratching his head roughly, a gesture that didn’t suit his gentlemanly appearance. “In the past century, as far as I know, only two people have been able to forcibly unite the various factions of the Japanese underworld. One is me; I spent three years establishing the Japanese branch. The other is you. You destroyed my organization and revived the banner of the Snake Clan.”

He exhaled a puff of smoke and gave an assessment that was neither praise nor criticism: "Perhaps you are worthy to be my enemy."

Extremely arrogant!

This is a blatant and undisguised provocation and declaration of war! Elevating the other party to the level of one's enemy is less an acknowledgment and more the ultimate contempt and challenge!

The bodyguards around him could no longer contain their rage. Almost simultaneously, they let out a low growl, brandishing daggers or pistols, and charged forward. The human wall instantly tightened, their murderous aura boiling over, completely surrounding Angers. The cold glint of blades flashed in the car headlights; at a single command, they would tear this arrogant foreigner who had insulted his family head to shreds.

Angers, however, seemed oblivious. He leaned against the car door, puffing on his cigar, even squinting contentedly, savoring the momentary peace amidst the tense atmosphere. The red glow of the cigarette butt flickered uncertainly in the night.

"Step back," Tachibana Masamune's voice rang out again, as steady as ever.

The bodyguards' movements came to an abrupt halt. Their faces were filled with resentment and humiliation, their teeth grinding together, but under Tachibana Masamune's calm gaze, they had no choice but to retreat step by step. At the same time, they forced themselves to lower their heads, put away their weapons, and adopt a humble posture, even though beneath that humility lay a surging rage.

“Principal, it’s unbecoming of you to speak in such a tone,” Masamune Tachibana turned to Angers, his tone calm but with a hint of admonition, “that’s not in line with your identity as an educator. Your students would be very surprised if they knew.”

“In front of students, I naturally present a different image,” Angers said, flicking his cigarette ash nonchalantly. “But I’m talking to you now. You’re an old thug in the underworld, and I used to be one too. We can speak frankly with each other without pretense.”

He directly dragged both sides into the realm of "old gangsters," tearing away all the pretense of politeness.

Tachibana Masamune accepted Angers' explanation, ceasing to dwell on the tone, and instead got to the point: "The family will thoroughly investigate what happened inside Tamamo-no-Mae today, ascertaining the identity and motive of the attackers, and will report back to you, Headmaster, in detail. However,"

His tone was slightly somber. "Regarding the bottom line for negotiations between the family and the Secret Party, and between the family and Kassel College, I believe Inuyama-kun already made it clear to you before the incident. That is the family's final stance, which cannot be changed."

Ang nodded, having expected him to say that. He took a puff of his cigar, then suddenly changed the subject, his tone even carrying a hint of amusement.

"By the way, how about your Snake Clan throws a party or something tonight to celebrate?"

Tachibana Masamune was slightly taken aback, not understanding what he meant.

Angers looked at him, a half-smile tugging at the corners of his mouth: "That guy you all hate is gone. Isn't that something to celebrate?"

"You mean Inuyama-kun?" Tachibana Masamune's brows finally furrowed slightly, his voice filled with genuine sorrow and confusion.

“Yes,” Angers said calmly. “Don’t you all keep saying that he’s a dog I raised? A traitor who betrayed the Snake Clan, the one among the eight clan heads who was closest to Kassel College, a stain on the family.”

He listed the infamy that Inuyama He had borne, "Isn't it good that he's gone? Eliminating dissidents and unifying thoughts, there should be much less noise within your Snake Clan, right? Isn't it worth popping champagne to celebrate?"

These words were extremely sharp and cold, as if Inuyama He's life and death were merely a political tool to be used.

The grief on Tachibana Masamune's face deepened. He slowly shook his head, his voice firm and clear: "At least, I, Tachibana Masamune, have never doubted Inuyama-kun's loyalty to the family. No matter what others say, he is still the head of the Inuyama family of the Snake-Headed Eight Families, our compatriot, and a brother who once protected this land together. We will avenge him."

“Who said Inuyama He is dead?” Angers raised an eyebrow.

The broken bronze door in front of Tamamo-no-Mae was pushed open from the inside once again.

Chapter 609 The Inuyama family joins the Secret Party, now they are the Snake-Headed Seven Families.

This time, it was one person who stepped out.

This person struck everyone present, including Tachibana Masamune sitting in the car, as well as the black-clad bodyguards around him, as if they had been struck by lightning. Their pupils suddenly contracted, and their faces showed a look of horror and disbelief as if they had seen a ghost!

The man was wearing a tattered black elastic vest and trousers that barely covered his body. The vest was riddled with charred bullet holes and tears, and his exposed skin was covered in dust, abrasions, and bruises, making him look extremely disheveled.

His gray hair was disheveled, his face was stained with blood and dirt, and his left cheek was swollen high, a mark left by Angers whipping him with the back of a knife.

However, these are not the main points.

The key point is that this person is still alive! And, he got out of there on his own!

His steps were unsteady, and his breathing was erratic, clearly indicating that he had expended a great deal of energy and suffered some injuries. However, his eyes were exceptionally bright, filled with a resolute determination and clarity, as if he had decided to burn his bridges.

Inuyama He.

The head of the Inuyama family, who should have "heroically died" in the devastating machine gun fire to protect Angers and whose body had been carried out, was now standing alive and well outside Tamamo-no-Mae's gate, under the bright headlights of the car, in front of everyone!

The air seemed to freeze at that moment, and even the faint sound of sirens in the distance vanished.

The bodyguards gaped, their weapons gripping the floor, their minds blank. They had imagined Inuyama He torn to shreds by bullets, carried on a stretcher, and covered with a white sheet. How could this be?!

Inside the car, Tachibana Masamune's face, which had always been as calm and undisturbed as a still well, finally showed an extremely obvious change. His pupils contracted sharply, his body leaned forward, and his usually half-closed eyes, full of wisdom and vicissitudes, opened wide for the first time, staring intently at Inuyama He!

Surprise, doubt, disbelief, and a barely concealed, quickly suppressed gloom flashed across his eyes. But his ability to control his emotions was truly astonishing; just a second later, that astonishment transformed into a perfectly timed expression of immense joy and relief.

"Inuyama, sir?" Tachibana Masamune's voice rose slightly, trembling just right, as if he couldn't believe his eyes. "You, you're still alive?! This is wonderful! God bless the Snake-Headed Eight Clan!"

His reaction was perfect; anyone who saw it would think it was a patriarch's sincere relief that another patriarch had survived a calamity.

Inuyama He did not immediately respond to Tachibana Masamune's words. He stopped beside Angers, first glancing at the dumbfounded bodyguards around him, who looked as if they had seen a ghost, then at the Rolls-Royce, and finally, his gaze fell on Tachibana Masamune's face inside the car.

His eyes were complex, showing the weariness of surviving a disaster, the coldness of the attack, the recollection of the past, and a calm and firmness as if he had made a major decision and had finally been relieved of a heavy burden.

He took a deep breath, straightening his spine, which, though disheveled, still refused to bend. Then, in a clear and steady voice, he spoke—not loud, but loud enough for everyone present to hear clearly:

"Mr. Tachibana Masamune".

He did not use "patriarch" or any other honorific title, but simply addressed him as "Mr."

"Thank you for your 'concern'," Inuyama He said in a flat tone, revealing neither joy nor anger. "However, from this moment on, there are some things that I need to explain to you in person, and to everyone else."

Tachibana Masamune's "surprise" froze slightly. He sensed something, and a sharp glint flashed in the depths of his eyes, but he maintained a gentle and attentive demeanor on the surface: "Inuyama-kun, you have just gone through a great ordeal. We can talk about it later."

“No,” Inuyama He interrupted him, his tone resolute, “right now, here.”

He paused, his gaze sweeping over all the members of the Snake-Headed Eight Families around him, and then, word by word, as if making a declaration: "I, Inuyama He, as the nineteenth head of the Inuyama family, hereby formally announce—"

"The Inuyama family, effective immediately, is completely severing ties with the Snake-Headed Eight Families alliance!"

boom!

These words were like a bombshell dropped into the crowd! The initial shock on the faces of all the bodyguards was instantly replaced by even stronger astonishment, bewilderment, and even anger! Breaking away from the Snake Clan?! This was almost unprecedented in the family's hundreds of years of history! Especially at this crucial juncture, when the situation was so delicate, as they were fighting against the Demon Clan!

Tachibana Masamune's expression finally changed completely. The layer of gentle pretense receded like the tide, revealing the cold and serious underlying tone. He no longer concealed his emotions, his gaze sharp as a knife, piercing directly at Inuyama He.

"Inuyama-kun! Do you know what you're saying?! Leave the clan? At a time like this?! Do you know what this means?!"

“Of course I know,” Inuyama He met his gaze without backing down. “This means that from now on, the Inuyama family will no longer be bound by the joint resolution of the Snake-Headed Eight Families, will no longer participate in internal family affairs, and will no longer enjoy any of the rights and obligations of the Eight Families.”