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

…………

…………

the other side,

at the same time,

Faced with Toyokawa Shoko's question, the head of the Toyokawa Group remained silent for a moment.

"What exactly caused my mother to pass away?"

Toyokawa Shoko repeated the question, her eyes fixed on the old man in front of her.

This question had been troubling her for a long time. On that rainy night, she asked her father about it, but he did not answer her question.

She had asked this question in the Maybach, but they soon strayed into the Nibelungen, so she still hasn't gotten a definite answer.

But judging from her father's and grandfather's reactions, Toyokawa Shoko realized that there was probably more to her mother's death than met the eye.

Toyokawa Sadaharu quickly snapped out of his silence and then, as usual, said calmly:

“Now that you have ignited your bloodline… then I can tell you about your family’s bloodline.”

"Of course... I originally planned to tell you about the secrets of your family's bloodline rank after you activated your bloodline. Now that you have not ignited your bloodline through the family's guidance, it's fine for me to tell you."

He paused for a moment, then said:

"After you hear it, you'll naturally understand my predicament,"

"I will also understand... the burden of the family."

Unexpectedly, a sigh appeared on Toyokawa Sadaharu's face.

"The Toyokawa family... is a branch that separated from the Hebi-hachi family during the Meiji Restoration. If we trace it back further... we should be able to trace it back to the 'Tachibana' family among the three inner families."

"However, that was a long time ago. The Toyokawa family has long since lost all connection with the Tachibana family."

"After World War II, the family took advantage of the situation to transform, and one of the family heads founded the Toyokawa Group. Since then, the Toyokawa family has mainly focused on the business field, and the conflicts between mixed-race societies have gradually been placed in a secondary position."

"Then why are you dragging the group back into the conflict between mixed-race societies?"

Toyokawa Shoko asked.

"You're still too young and your thinking is too simplistic," Toyokawa Sadaharu shook his head.

"First of all... the birth of the Toyokawa Group after World War II was a product of chance."

"At that time, the Snake-Headed Eight Families were experiencing an unprecedented period of decline, the likes of which hadn't been seen in a thousand years. The head of the Toyokawa family was one of the few high-ranking hybrids who had escaped the ravages of war."

"Their combat strength ranks among the top ten in the already declining Snake Clan."

"Therefore, with such a high-level hybrid combatant as support, the Fengchuan Group has been able to develop so rapidly."

"Otherwise... why do you think the Sheqi Hachike, whose business is in dire need of rebuilding, wouldn't interfere in the areas that the Toyokawa Group is currently involved in?"

"How many people are there in the entire Toyokawa family? And how many hybrids does the entire Snake Clan need to support? The reason they gave the Toyokawa Group face was naturally because they considered the strength of the family head at the time."

He said slowly:

"At this point, you should have a general idea of ​​what's going on."

"Is it because the power of the Snake-Headed Eight Families has been restored that the Toyokawa Group has no choice but to rely on them again?"

Toyokawa Shoko pondered.

"Sigh...that's right."

Toyokawa Sadaharu sighed.

“The family bloodline has been dwindling, and by your generation, you are the only direct descendant.”

"Your father and mother don't care about the family at all, and they still let you study at a school like Moon Forest."

"How can a family head be trained by studying in a school like this?"

"Although my bloodline rank is A-level, and your mother and father are also A-level hybrids, do you think three A-level hybrids are qualified to negotiate with the Snake Clan?"

"If we don't want to be crushed by this behemoth that covers all of Japan, surrendering to it in time is undoubtedly the best choice."

His voice grew louder and louder:

"I was already very unhappy about Mizuho marrying Toyokawa Kiyoyuki."

This son-in-law comes from Kassel College; although he is capable, he is completely unwilling to contribute to the family.

"If he were willing to join the Sheqi Hachike Executive Bureau under the name of the Toyokawa family and seek a higher position, the entire group would not be in such a passive position."

"But he only wants to be a minor manager in the group. The question is, does the group even need an investment manager?"

"If the group really needs people, why not recruit from the University of Tokyo or Waseda University?"

"With the current economic situation so severe, any high-paying position in the group is highly sought after by countless top students. Do we really need a business novice from Kassel College to fill that position?"

He asked three questions in a row, and as his voice grew louder, his momentum gradually increased.

Toyokawa Shoko wanted to say that there were other reasons behind her father's decision, but she was interrupted by Toyokawa Sadaharu:

"Hehe... Since he is unwilling to contribute to the family, he should not expect to have the power to make decisions for the family's development. That's why I don't let him know about any of the group's decisions."

"But what I never expected was that he would act on his own initiative and cause losses to the family. That's why I couldn't tolerate it any longer and took this opportunity to expel him from the family."

He looked at Toyokawa Shoko, his anger rising:

"What angers me even more is that he dared to take away the direct bloodline of the family without authorization."

"And you, too, don't realize how important you are to the family."

“Since Mizuho’s passing, you are the only one who has truly been able to unlock the bloodline advancement,”

"This is a crucial step on the road to the family's revitalization... Originally, I wanted to wait until you had undergone the special training of the Snake Clan before telling you about all of this."

"I never expected you to come and question me today, which is why I'm revealing these secrets to you."

At this point, Toyokawa Sadaharu stopped talking.

Bloodline advancement?

Toyokawa Shoko was startled.

Bloodline rank... isn't it something you're born with?

She had always believed that the bloodline of a mixed-race person was determined from the moment of birth, but her grandfather's words were like a thunderbolt, shattering her preconceived notions.

Moreover... it seems that this bloodline advancement is related to the Toyokawa family's bloodline.

“That mother…”

"It's a hoarse voice," said Toyokawa Shoko.

Toyokawa Sadaharu spoke again:

"Yes."

“Back then… after you grew up, Mizuho wanted to use ‘this path’ to improve her bloodline so that the family could stand firm in such a turbulent situation.”

"But she failed."

"The backlash was too strong. She had held on for a long enough, but even the best medical equipment couldn't save her life. This is a curse of her bloodline."

"So... I could only hold a painful funeral for her."

boom! ! !

"It turns out...that's it."

Toyokawa Shoko murmured.

She never dreamed she would get this answer. When she finally got the truth she had been longing for, she was shocked and couldn't believe it.

She opened her mouth slightly as if to say something, but couldn't utter a single word. The scene she saw when she first activated her 'spiritual vision' involuntarily surfaced in her mind.

The hospital, the hospital bed, the mother—they were all so sorrowful…

All of this... was actually due to bloodline.

What could possibly be the reason that she would see this scene in her 'spiritual vision'?

Could it be due to the inheritance of bloodlines?

Toyokawa Sadaharu continued:

"In reality, he died because his bloodline declined due to a failed bloodline advancement, which is considered a relatively lucky way to die."

"If someone were to fall into the form of a Death Servant due to a sudden increase in bloodline concentration, then they probably wouldn't even be able to hold a funeral."

“Not everyone can walk this path… Your grandmother also tried to walk this path, but she failed.”

“If the family records hadn’t clearly stated what the success of ‘this path’ would bring, your grandmother and mother… probably wouldn’t have paid with their lives for it.”

Toyokawa Sadaharu sighed.

"Alright, I've made myself clear enough. Your doubts should be answered, and your dissatisfaction should have subsided."

"Everything I do is for the family, and I am willing to clear away any obstacles in my path for that purpose."

"I have a clear conscience about all of this."

"Now, I'm telling you, go back to your room and reflect on yourself."

"Now that you have activated your bloodline, it saves me a lot of trouble."

"Don't go to a school like Moon Forest for high school anymore. I'll arrange for you to attend a school that trains hybrids from the Snake Clan. You can go there from now on."

He turned his back again and looked out the window.

The standoff between the two lasted so long that the setting sun had already descended upon the city, casting a golden glow.

Toyokawa Shoko was silent.

After about a minute of silence, she spoke:

"I want to try bloodline advancement now..."

"Confused!"

Toyokawa Sadaharu rebuked angrily.

"After all that I've said, don't you realize the danger of 'this path'? With your current strength, you simply can't withstand the pain of bloodline advancement. You're just indulging in wishful thinking."

"If you want to try, you have to wait until you get married and have a child with Toyokawa family blood."

"If we succeed, all the better, but what if we fail? What will happen to a family without an heir? Do I really need to repeat that to you?"

He suddenly ignited his golden eyes, unleashing the full power of his A-grade hybrid aura. Although it wasn't specifically aimed at Toyokawa Shoko, the oppressive aura still enveloped the entire room.

This was the first time Toyokawa Shoko had witnessed her grandfather display the imposing aura of his bloodline, and she immediately felt a tightness in her chest.

She quickly took several deep breaths before she finally recovered.

Toyokawa Sadaharu sneered:

"Don't think that just because you've ignited your bloodline, you have superhuman strength. In reality, your level is still far from it."

"You don't need to go out during this period. Without my permission, you'd better stay obediently in the old Furukawa Garden!"

His patience had run out. He moved swiftly, preparing to subdue Toyokawa Shoko before making any further plans.

He believed he had explained enough, mixing seven parts truth with three parts falsehood. In any case, all the people in the know besides himself were dead and could not possibly come back to life to argue with him about where the problem lay.

Moreover, the Fengchuan Group's strategy has entered a critical stage, and he absolutely cannot allow any detail to slip out of his control.

Toyokawa Shoko is a key figure in this process, so he cannot afford to be careless.

"Heh... You really know how to time things. If you had waited another day or two, and the Moon Forest started its summer vacation, you probably wouldn't even have the right to return to the old Furukawa Garden on your own."

While Toyokawa Sadaharu's mind was racing, his hands moved with lightning speed.

He thought he could subdue Toyokawa Shoko with a single grappling move.

did not expect,

Swah——

Toyokawa Shoko dodged the attack with a swift movement, and Professor Uesugi Kotsu's swordsmanship footwork was naturally applied in that instant.

"Oh? You've learned something?"

Toyokawa Sadaharu narrowed his eyes, somewhat surprised.