Chime... No, perhaps it would be more accurate to call him Kazama Ruri.
Staring at the figure before him, someone who bore the same face yet felt utterly unfamiliar, Gen Chisei's heart twinged with pain.
"The person you once knew is long dead." Deep within Kazama Ruri's indifferent gaze, a storm of boundless rage seemed to churn. However, his expression remained calm, as if he were recounting something mundane and inconsequential.
"I came here for one purpose only."
Dressed in an elaborate theatrical costume, his appearance almost feminine in its elegance, and his blazing golden eyes exuding an intense brilliance, Kazama Ruri's gaze swept past the people in front of him.
Finally, it landed on someone standing at the very back—so quiet and unnoticeable that he seemed like a ghost, almost nonexistent.
"I am Kazama Ruri, 'Dragon Lord' of the Oni Clan. I am here on behalf of the 'Osho' to extend an invitation for a conversation," he declared, his words sharp and deliberate.
The moment he spoke, Chu Zihang and Caesar frowned.
'Extend an invitation for a conversation'?
The phrase carried an odd familiarity, almost as though he were addressing an old acquaintance.
Exchanging a glance, Chu Zihang and Caesar quickly realized Kazama Ruri was not addressing them. Following his gaze, they turned and saw the person he had been staring at.
Adam Angelwid.
The two were puzzled. Why would this man specifically call out Adam by name?
On the side, Gen Chisei's expression mirrored their confusion. He turned a suspicious gaze toward the man called "Adam."
"Sorry, but I think you've got the wrong person…"
Adam, seemingly unaffected by the tension, adjusted his glasses and replied with calm indifference, "I don't know anything about this 'Osho,' nor do I know anything about the 'Oni Clan.'"
"That's irrelevant."
Kazama Ruri's eyes narrowed slightly as he spoke in an icy tone. "I'm only here to execute my orders. If you want an explanation, you can ask the 'Osho' yourself."
"Who is this 'Osho'?" Caesar asked, his voice sharp.
"The leader of the Oni Clan," Gen Chisei answered, frowning. The situation was becoming increasingly unclear to him.
Among the three representatives sent by the Cassell College headquarters, he had only considered Chu Zihang and Caesar worth paying attention to.
The other man, Adam Angelwid, had seemed insignificant—a mere bystander with low bloodline purity and an unimpressive résumé.
Yet now, Kazama Ruri's sharp focus on Adam hinted that there might be more to this seemingly ordinary man than anyone had anticipated.
But now, it seems… things aren't so simple.
Far away in Japan, the Oni Clan not only knew the exact time and place of the Cassell headquarters personnel's visit, but their leader, "Osho," even sent someone specifically to capture this "Adam Angelwid." What is going on here?
Two people who had no connection at all were now somehow linked in a strange, almost coincidental way.
Clang.
The sound of a sharp blade being drawn echoed.
Then, Chu Zihang stepped forward, positioning himself between Kazama Ruri and Adam. His gaze lowered slightly as he said softly, "I promised to protect him, so I won't let you take him."
"If I were a woman, I'd definitely fall in love with you," Adam said, pushing his glasses up, offering a gentle smile.
"There's no need," Chu Zihang replied, his hand slightly trembling around the hilt of his sword.
"Sorry, but I'm the leader here."
In the next moment, Caesar moved, stretching his muscles and stepping forward. He glanced at Adam, then turned to Kazama Ruri with a grin. "However many people came, that's how many should go back. Or... maybe you should think about taking us all along to meet your 'what's his name'... your boss?"
"It's Osho," Sakura reminded him.
"Oh, right, Osho," Caesar nodded, cracking his knuckles, his broad, muscular body blocking Adam's path. He ripped open his shirt and motioned with his fingers. "The name doesn't matter. I was just worried there'd be no show tonight. You're dressed so fancy, why don't you perform for us?"
"That's called a costume," Chu Zihang said, glancing at him from the side.
"That's not important," Caesar waved it off, acting as though he understood everything.
Despite the tense atmosphere, Caesar's antics made Gen Chisei chuckle and shake his head, realizing it had turned into something unexpectedly silly.
Kazama Ruri's gaze turned cold. "Fine. I wasn't planning to resolve this peacefully anyway."
As they spoke, the people who had been thrown off earlier quickly caught up and surrounded the group.
"Young master, should we request support from the family?"
Sakura frowned. As the saying goes, "Too many ants can kill an elephant." In this situation, even if they were made of iron, they wouldn't be able to withstand so many attacks.
"Please forgive me for this."
Gen Chisei let out a light breath, his sharp eyes scanning the area. A trace of anger appeared on his delicate face. "For this matter, I represent the eight families of the Yamata no Orochi, and I will make sure to give everyone a proper explanation."
"Attack!"
Kazama Ruri's gaze was cold, his voice like ice. "Except for the glasses-wearing blonde man, the rest... can be killed."
The people with ghastly, golden eyes that flashed with cruelty and violence let out howls as they charged at the group.
"Preposterous!"
Gen Chisei shouted angrily, veins bulging on his forehead, and the violent dragon blood surged through his body. His eyes gleamed with dazzling golden light. He stomped hard, causing the solid asphalt road to crack.
Boom!
Stone shards flew, and the wind howled.
"Sakura, Yasha, Crow, protect them."
With those words, Gen Chisei's figure shot forward like a cannonball, surrounded by a violent gust of wind, heading straight for the leader of the monstrous group—Kazama Ruri!
The alchemical sword, "Spider Cutter," at his waist gleamed like a streak of light.
Clang!
Gen Chisei gripped the hilt of his sword tightly, swinging it downwards.
The sharp blade dragged visible waves of air, as if it were about to split the very atmosphere, its violent momentum crashing down like a waterfall, aimed directly at Kazama Ruri.
Ruri Kazama's movements were incredibly fast, as if he had already predicted his actions. He spun halfway around and, using the momentum, drew his sword and swung it fiercely.
The crimson blade cut through the air, creating a sharp, whistling sound as it sliced through the atmosphere.
Clang!!!
The blades collided like a raging tide, producing dazzling sparks that lit up their faces in the dark night. The two pairs of blazing golden eyes locked onto each other, as if a storm of lightning were striking.
The fierce sword energy scattered like a violent downpour.
Centered on the two, a shockwave spread out in a circle, reaching a radius of several meters. The smooth asphalt road was left with deep scars from the impact.
On the other side, the members of the Oni Clan charged forward.
Chu Zihang exhaled slowly, and then, like a tyrant king ruling the world, his overwhelming presence filled the space. A scorching, dry heat surged like a wave, causing the very air to twist visibly.
Word Soul: King's Blaze!
In an instant, a blazing, white-hot fire erupted, shooting into the sky as a towering pillar of flames. The terrifying heat, wrapped in an inferno, swallowed the charging Oni Clan members whole.
Watching the intense battle between the two sides, Adam adjusted his glasses and smiled enigmatically.
In his line of sight, almost transparent subtitles floated by.
[Main Mission: Ascend to Sequence 3 - Dreamweaver]
[Completion Ceremony: During an upgrade ceremony involving high-level lifeforms, implant a carefully woven false dream, and make them completely lost in the dream you created. At the last moment, wake them up while their dream collapses and their emotions go out of control, then use a magic potion to complete the ritual.]
[Reward: 0-08 Quill of Alzuhod]
********
Support me on my patreon and read upto 15 early chapters.
https://www.patreon.com/Unique_Writer