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

The woodland still had water from last night's torrential rain, and the streams that had gathered from the rainwater were still flowing, rippling in circles under the light drizzle.

When he was a child, he and his brother had run away from the town and come here many times, so he still has some memories of the place.

If an ordinary person were to walk on such a muddy mountain path, they would probably be soaked to the bone and their legs would be covered in mud long ago.

But he was holding a bamboo umbrella in his right hand, wearing leather shoes of some unknown brand, and his clothes were not muddy at all, nor even a drop of rain.

"Oh, there are two more people hiding in the woods ahead. Could they be agents under my brother's command?"

suddenly,

Ruri Kazama stopped in her tracks, a look of amusement on her face.

Chapter 194 Kobe Tourism, Nagumo Ugetsu, the Minamoto Brothers

"Sigh... Brother, are you still scared after all? You don't even dare to come see me alone."

Ruri Kazama sighed.

His reaction to the post about Shikato Town was far more intense than that of Genjiro.

Even now... when he recalls the words inside, a hint of ferocity still inevitably appears on his face.

"That's really good... They even knew to specifically seal off the area around Shikatori Town. This is probably to be wary of members of the Oni Clan who might come with me."

"But today... only I came."

A twisted smile appeared on Kazama Ruri's face.

"This should be a ninja from the Fuma clan, hehe... They should also be part of the Executive Bureau."

"Sigh, the method of concealing one's presence is too crude; it can only fool ordinary hybrids..."

"But in my eyes... there are no secrets whatsoever."

He spoke softly, calmly as if casually remarking on the intensity of the rain, but his eyes revealed a coldness.

suddenly,

Kazama Ruri extended her right arm, and the bamboo umbrella suddenly slipped from her hand.

call out--!

In the rain, bamboo umbrellas shot out of the air, tearing through the air and creating a sharp, whistling sound.

The ninja hiding in the tree trunk didn't even have time to react before the bamboo umbrella pierced his chest. Blood mist sprayed down with the rain, and his stiff body fell from the branch, crashing into the puddles and splashing water.

The other ninja's pupils suddenly contracted.

"Well--!"

He hurriedly tried to press the enemy attack button while shouting for help, but the sound stopped abruptly as soon as he managed to squeeze out a syllable.

Kazama Ruri's figure suddenly vanished from the spot, like a ghost emerging from the rain and mist.

No one knows how he managed to maintain such a fast movement speed while leaping the height of an entire tree.

The next instant, he appeared in front of the remaining ninja.

Kazama Ruri raised her hand, her fingers like iron clamps, and precisely gripped the man's throat.

"Click."

A clear cracking sound came from his throat.

The ninja from the Fuuma clan widened his eyes, his pupils rapidly dilating.

pat pat pat.

Rain streamed down his cheeks. Kazama Ruri released his grip, and the corpse fell into the muddy water, lying down next to his companion.

He looked down at his palm and gently shook his head.

The forest fell silent, with only the sound of rain pattering on the ground.

Ruri Kazama slowly walked towards the corpse lying on the ground and half-squatted down.

He reached out and lifted the corpse's sleeve, revealing a dark pattern sewn into the clothing.

"As expected, they are from the 'Fūma' family."

He chuckled softly, a hint of emotion in his voice.

"It seems that my brother is still worried and has sent these small fry to guard this place to test me."

At this point, Kazama Ruri slowly raised her head.

Raindrops slid down his hair, but his eyes sharpened, as if he could see through the layers of rain to the depths of the forest.

"However, do you think this group of people can stop me? Aren't they underestimating me a bit?"

"Do you really think... I'm some kind of 'ghost' who's terrified of the mere mention of the Enforcement Bureau's name?"

Kazama Ruri shook her bamboo umbrella, and the bloodstains slid down the tip of the umbrella and were washed away by the rain.

He looked away, his expression as calm as if nothing had happened.

"Brother, what exactly do you want me to see?"

"You don't really think... these people can find me, do you?"

Kazama Ruri murmured softly.

Holding his bamboo umbrella, he continued walking towards the town of Shikari.

…………

…………

the other side,

Kobe,

"Why is it still raining outside?"

Nan Yun Yuyue looked out the window, somewhat surprised.

"Luckily it's just a light rain... I should still be able to wander around the neighborhood."

He, Toyokawa Shoko, and Wakaba Mutsu had already brought all their suitcases into the room.

The three of them rented a suite. Because the hotel was located a bit far from the classic landmark, they got a discount.

The suite has exactly three bedrooms and a living room, and they will stay here for the rest of their trip.

Nan Yun Yuyue glanced at her phone:

"In the morning, you can go to Xiangle Garden first, and then take a taxi. It should be there in a little while."

Shoko Toyokawa and Mutsuki Wakaba both nodded in agreement.

The group hailed another taxi, each carrying an umbrella, and headed towards the location of Xiangle Garden.

Sagaren Garden, located in Chuo Ward, Kobe City, is the closest tourist attraction to them now.

Sitting in the car, Nan Yunyuyue looked at the crowds hurrying by outside the window and felt a strange sense of melancholy.

Shortly after, the taxi arrived at its destination.

The group got out of the car and looked towards the gate of Xiangle Garden.

"This is it."

Nan Yun Yu Yue Xin Dao.

Sōrakuen is actually a Japanese garden, originally a private residence garden built in 1885 by Kodera Taijirō and others, samurai of the Mita Domain.

Now that I'm here in person... it feels like a slightly more refined park.

Normally, he would probably compare its appearance to Zhongshan Park, which he had visited in various parts of Dongda University in his previous life. However, the light drizzle now added a touch of charm to the entire park.

Several people, holding umbrellas, slowly stepped into Xiang Le Garden.

The path is lined with pine and maple trees, and raindrops drip from the branches and leaves, splashing onto the stone path and creating ripples. In the distance, the artificial hill is shrouded in rain and mist, appearing and disappearing like a painting.

"It's so quiet."

Toyokawa Shoko spoke, her voice carrying a hint of lightness.

“This place is usually packed with tourists, but now that it’s raining, it’s actually much quieter.”

Nanon Ugetsu walked behind, holding an umbrella, and nodded when she heard Toyokawa Shoko's words.

A thought suddenly struck him, and he looked up at the sky.

The rhythm of the raindrops hitting the umbrella... seemed to have quickened.

The moment the thought crossed his mind, the celestial phenomena confirmed his guess.

The sky seemed to have been torn open, and the rain intensified instantly, pattering against the stone slabs and the lake surface like thousands of drumsticks striking.

The three quickened their pace, bypassed a rockery, and arrived at a pond.

The koi in the pond were startled and dived to the bottom. The surface of the water was noisy from the raindrops, and even the shadows of the fish were hard to see.

"If the rain gets any heavier, we'll probably have to find a pavilion to take shelter in for a while."

"But it's alright now, we can still see the scenery here clearly."

Nan Yun Yu Yue glanced at the wooden pavilion in front of her.

The group walked around the pavilion and strolled around Xiangle Garden again.

The rain intensified, making it difficult to even hold an umbrella.

"How about... we go back first?"

Ruoye Mu said softly.

The three of them had no choice but to quickly leave Xiangleyuan.

Fortunately, just as they were about to enter, they saw a taxi with several passengers getting out. Nan Yun Yuyue quickly waved to stop them, and the group sat together in the back seat. As soon as the door closed, the sound of rain was shut out, and the whole world seemed to quiet down.

"call--"

Toyokawa Shoko breathed a sigh of relief.

The raindrops outside the car window pounded against the glass like countless silver threads being pulled, and the entire city of Kobe began to blur in the rain.

Nan Yunyuyue leaned against the window, looking at the blurry streets and pedestrians.

"The weather forecast didn't predict such heavy rain, did it?"

Toyokawa Shoko was puzzled.

"Japan's weather forecasts... are almost never accurate."

Nanon Ugetsu complained.

Because Japan is an island nation with mostly mountainous and hilly terrain, the weather can change very quickly, so weather forecasts often differ greatly from the actual weather.

The taxi slowly drove across the slippery street, its headlights reflecting on the water, creating shimmering shadows.

About half an hour later, the taxi stopped in front of the hotel.

When the three got out of the car, the rain was so heavy that they could barely see ahead.

The wind, carrying raindrops, lashed at my face, stinging and cold. The umbrella I had just opened was instantly blown up at the corners, and my trouser legs were soaked through in no time.

"Come on!"

Nan Yun Yuyue pulled the two of them and rushed into the hotel.

The automatic door slowly opens when it senses someone approaching, accompanied by a soft closing sound, immediately shutting out the sounds of wind and rain outside.

The air in the lobby was warm, a stark contrast to the outside.

"Thank goodness I came back early."

Nan Yun Yu Yue sighed.

If we wait any longer... and the rain gets even heavier, it might be difficult to even hail a taxi.

They happened to see someone getting off the bus, so they rushed back almost without getting wet.

"Let's go back to the room first."