We agreed to be in a band for life, what the heck is Dragon Raja?

However, the most important thing right now is that Toyokawa Shoko is about to return to the old Furukawa Garden.

"Fortunately... I had prepared a backup plan long ago."

…………

At the entrance of Tsukimori School, Nagasaki Motoyo waved goodbye to the three of them.

After boarding the tram, Nanon Ugetsu pretended to get off at the original stop first, and then boarded a new tram, heading towards the old Furukawa Garden.

At the station near the former Koga Garden, Nangumo Ugetsu saw Toyokawa Shoko waiting for her.

"Ugetsu!"

Toyokawa Shoko waved her hand, indicating that she was here.

“I thought your grandfather would set up a trap near the tram station, like sending a few plainclothes butlers to take you away when he saw you come back.”

"Nan Yun Yu Yue joked."

In fact, he had already activated the 'Discipline' domain before getting out of the car, and only walked to Toyokawa Shoko's side after confirming that there were no other mixed-race people around.

If Toyokawa Sadaharu really had a plan to abduct Toyokawa Shoko as soon as she returned, he certainly wouldn't have gotten off the bus so casually.

"This is not."

Toyokawa Shoko said.

“I had already confirmed it before I got off the bus, and if he really wanted to take me back, he could have done it long ago, there was no need to wait until now.”

The two walked slowly toward the old Koga Garden.

The scenery around this area is indeed very beautiful, and Asukayama Park is not far away.

The road was lined with lush trees, and the sunlight slanted through the layers of branches and leaves, giving the roadside plants a warm, golden edge.

Beneath the trees, there were clusters of hydrangeas, their purple, blue, pink, and white petals glistening with a faint mist.

In summer, these plants, which had remained hidden throughout the spring, suddenly sprouted. Even at the end of spring, they remained concealed, only now spreading throughout nature.

"This area is indeed very well maintained."

Nan Yun Yu Yue thought to herself.

Step—step—step

We're getting closer and closer to the old Koga Garden.

suddenly,

Toyokawa Shoko grabbed Nagumo Ugetsu's hand.

Unexpectedly, her hands were trembling.

"I said I wasn't nervous about going home, but when I was almost home, I was still nervous."

Nan Yun Yuyue felt the warmth of her soft hand and gently comforted her.

did not expect,

A flicker of fear flashed in Toyokawa Shoko's eyes.

She said softly:

“Rainy Moon… I suddenly feel… that the old Furukawa Garden is resonating with me.”

…………

…………

the other side,

Uesugi Koshimasaru stood in front of the tram stop where the two had gotten off, looking at the signpost indicating the location ahead:

"This is the place."

"The former Furukawa Garden... This place was originally under the control of the Toyokawa family?"

He arrived here on the next tram after the rainy month of Nagumo.

The reason Uesugi Kotsuki came to this place was naturally because Nagumo Ugetsu had mentioned this matter to him.

"Now that we've taken on two apprentices, we can't just sit idly by..."

Chapter 172 Facing Toyokawa Sadaharu (Part 1)

After Toyokawa Shoko discussed returning to the old Furukawa Garden with him, Nagumo Ugetsu silently made a mental note of it.

However, the Toyokawa Group was a powerful force, and after its leader, Toyokawa Sadaharu, joined forces with the Snake-Headed Eight Families, its hybrid combat strength was greatly enhanced.

The fact that the Kanto branch leader who came to besiege and kill Toyokawa Kiyoko last time is proof of this.

Although the Kanto branch only obeys the patriarch and Toyokawa Sadaharu has no authority to order them around... their willingness to intervene in Toyokawa family affairs also proves the point.

"We still need to prepare a backup plan..."

Nangumo Ugetsu had considered the various situations that Toyokawa Shoko might encounter upon returning to the old Furukawa Garden.

Although his Word of Power is 'Discipline', in terms of direct destructive power, this Word of Power is clearly less effective than offensive Words of Power like 'Black Sun'.

Moreover... the Toyokawa family has lived in the old Furukawa Garden for a long time, and what they hide there remains unknown to this day.

Nanon Ugetsu still remembered the shadow she detected when she first went to the old Koga Garden. Even within the realm of 'Discipline', she couldn't discern what it was.

"The darkness of the Toyokawa family?"

The more he thought about it, the more he felt that this was the only explanation, but he still couldn't understand why Toyokawa Sadaharu was so secretive about it.

Moreover, it remains to be seen whether there are any other high-ranking hybrids besides Toyokawa Sadaharu in the old Furukawa Garden.

If the Snake Clan sends more high-level hybrids to guard the area, the enemy will be in the dark while we are in the light, greatly increasing the uncertainty.

Fortunately... besides him, there was another high-ranking hybrid who could be asked for support.

—Uesugi Kotsugi.

"If we can get Uesugi Kotsugi as backup... then we won't have to worry about safety at all."

Nan Yun Yu Yue thought to herself.

On the day he confessed to Uesugi Koshi, Uesugi Koshi already had a general idea of ​​Toyokawa Shoko's situation.

Because the two encountered 'Odin' in Nibelungen, during their subsequent kendo practice, Nangumo Ugetsu had already explained the whole story of that rainy night to him.

This naturally includes the situation of the Toyokawa family.

After Toyokawa Shoko made up her mind to return to the old Furukawa Garden, Nagumo Ugetsu immediately told him about it and asked for his help.

Uesugi Koshi readily agreed.

After leaving the Snake Clan, he had been a ramen chef for decades and had never come into contact with the world of hybrids again. He only hoped that the curse of royal blood would be broken in his generation.

But unexpectedly, at this stage of his life... he took on Nanon Ugetsu and Toyokawa Shoko as his apprentices.

After learning that the 'Royal Blood' had reappeared, Uesugi Kotsuki felt relieved.

Now that his apprentice has encountered difficulties, he, as the master, naturally cannot sit idly by.

After Nan Yun Yuyue sent him the exact time, he took the tram and sat all the way to the spot where the two of them got off.

now,

Looking at the surrounding scenery, Uesugi Echizen let out a long sigh.

"It's been a long time since I've been to this place."

"Old Koga Garden..."

He recalled the era when he served as the head of the Snake Clan.

"Whose villa was the old Furukawa Garden back then? Ah... I can't quite remember anymore."

He seemed to have been to this place before, but so many years had passed, and Japan today was no longer the Japan he had initially imagined. Countless buildings had been demolished and rebuilt after the war, and although the area still retained a lot of natural scenery, it was no longer the same as before.

Uesugi walked quickly along the road to the old Furukawa Garden until the villa came into view.

"So this is it."

Uesugi touched the scabbard beside him.

He has long since changed out of his usual ramen chef attire and into the trench coat he often wears when going to izakayas.

The trench coat had a long hem, and the scabbard was hidden on one side of the hem, making it look more like a decoration.

"Bringing a knife...that's enough."

Uesugi thought to himself.

At that moment, a ripple gently touched him.

"Oh, this is Amatsuki's Word of Power."

“His ‘precepts’ cover this area just enough, there’s no danger right now, but it looks like we’ll have to wait a while.”

His gaze swept across the old Furukawa Garden not far away.

"These days... it's really not common to see people living in villas like this."

"Why does it feel like... something is hidden inside?"

…………

…………

the other side,

"resonance?"

Nan Yun Yu Yue was startled.

The domain of 'Discipline' immediately unfolded, and with the blessing of the three great authorities of [Forbidden Domain], [Heart Abyss], and [Illumination], it enveloped the entire villa in 'Discipline'.

"This is the first time Xiao Xiang has returned home since he activated his spiritual vision. Could it be because of his bloodline?"

Toyokawa Shoko held his hand tightly, and they haven't let go since.

"I feel... something inside the house is calling to me."

"This feeling is familiar, but I can't figure out what it is."

she said softly.

At first, she thought it was a call similar to 'vision', but when she began to perceive it carefully, she found that it was not.

This feeling is like a whirlpool in deep water; by the time you realize it, you're already swirling in the suction...swirling, until you fall into the abyss.

But beneath the 'Discipline,' the old Furukawa Garden remains just as it was when Nagumo Uzuki first arrived: the shadows in the basement, the maids all half-bloods...

If there were any abnormalities, wouldn't they have been noticed long ago?

"Oh right, that mixed-race person with a stronger aura should be Xiao Xiang's grandfather—Toyokawa Sadaharu."

Nangumo Ugetsu recognized the person in charge of the Toyokawa Group.

Judging from his aura alone, he was just a high-level hybrid, and it was impossible for him to resonate with Toyokawa Shoko, who had not yet stepped into the villa.

The realm of 'Discipline' continues to expand, and he has already activated the blessing of the 'Philosopher's Stone'.

On that rainy night, in order to deal with the crisis in Odin's Nibelungenli, Nagumo Ugetsu used every means at his disposal.

Most of the Philosopher's Stones given by Takamatsu were used up at that time, and now only about three minutes remain.

"Three minutes... I need to use them sparingly."

"I really need to go ask Gao Songdeng for a few more stones... We used up too many last time, and I haven't had time to stock up recently."

Nanon Ugetsu and Toyokawa Shoko temporarily stopped.

After the 'precepts' had covered the area once more, Nan Yun Yuyue asked in confusion:

"Why does this feeling...somewhat resemble touching the Nibelungen?"

It was a very strange feeling. In the shadows of the basement, "Discipline" remained as undetectable as ever.

However, with the blessing of the Philosopher's Stone, this feeling became clearer and more tangible.

Moreover... compared to the first time I came to the Old Furukawa Garden, when even with the Philosopher's Stone activated, my domain would be repelled by the shadows, this time, 'Discipline' seems to be slowly seeping into the shadows.