The Snake Qida Eight Families owed their quick discovery of the Fierce Ghost Clan's headquarters to Tachibana Masamune.
Sure, the guy was technically "Bondarev" in disguise, but after years as the family patriarch, he'd quietly gathered a ton of intel on the Fierce Ghost Clan.
Originally, this info was supposed to stay under wraps until two years later, when the two sides would clash in an all-out war. But thanks to Uchiha Hikari's arrival, it ended up in the hands of Uesugi Koshi, who'd just returned to the family.
"We only meant to head to Osaka to confirm some details about the Fierce Ghost Clan, but then we found this…"
Genji Chisei pulled a photo from his pocket and placed it on the table.
It was a candid shot.
Taken at dusk, the photo showed the front of a secluded mountain mansion—the "Paradise Hall," a secret hub the Fierce Ghost Clan had set up for shady deals and fundraising.
A black-gray car was parked at the estate's entrance. The driver held the door open as the backseat passenger stepped out.
It was just a silhouette, but you could make out his face.
Or rather, his mask. A traditional Noh mask, painted with the face of an ancient Japanese noble. Vermilion lips, iron-black teeth, and a faint, dignified smile curling at the corners.
"So that's what the King General's Noh mask looks like…"
Uchiha Hikari narrowed her eyes, a faint sense of unease creeping in.
The Snake Qida Eight Families had the element of surprise, no doubt.
But…
Would someone like the King General really let his whereabouts slip so easily?
"We suspected it might be a trap," Chisei continued. "The Snake Qida's been making big moves lately—new patriarch and all. No way that goes unnoticed by the King General's spies. The agent who snapped this photo went silent right after sending it. Even if it's just to confirm whether he's alive or dead, we've gotta check it out in Osaka. So, Miss Hikari, you in?"
"…Sure, why not."
Hikari nodded.
After spending a few days holed up playing games with Eriyi, it was time to stretch her legs and get some action.
Just then, Eriyi tugged at her sleeve, holding up her little notebook: "Can Eriyi come too?"
"No way," Hikari said, turning to pat Eriyi's head gently. "This mission might get dangerous. Your brother and I will handle it. Stay home, munch on some oranges, and don't wander off. If things go smoothly, we might even bring back another brother for you."
"Brother?"
"Yup."
She meant Genji Chika.
The Paradise Hall was a place Chika frequented. And if the King General had indeed set a trap in Osaka, then Chika—the Fierce Ghost Clan's strongest fighter, the "Ultimate Evil Ghost" to Chisei's "Emperor"—was likely to show up.
Hikari was curious to see what kind of power Chika's Dream Tapir ability held. It sounded like some kind of forbidden jutsu straight out of the Naruto world.
That afternoon, Hikari hopped into a car headed for Osaka.
The Snake Qida Eight Families sent a team led by Chisei, with about twenty field agents and some yakuza types under their command. A dozen cars rolled out in a "器"-shaped formation, with Hikari's car in the center, where only Chisei rode with her.
Halfway there, Chisei kept sneaking glances at her. Finally, he spoke up. "Miss Hikari, if I may… what do you think of Eriyi?"
"What do I think?" Hikari was sprawled by the window, watching the scenery zip by. She didn't even turn around.
"I mean…" Chisei paused, choosing his words carefully. "Eriyi's bloodline is exceptional, but her mind's like a child's. She doesn't understand a lot of things, doesn't have a clear sense of right or wrong… If you're just looking for someone to pass the time with, I'm not sure Eriyi's the right choice. There's gotta be someone better suited."
"A toy, huh?"
Hikari raised an eyebrow, catching his drift.
If she really was a Dragon King, like they suspected, then her hanging around Eriyi might just be for kicks. In the Dragon Clan world, hybrids generally saw dragons and humans as two separate species—friendship wasn't really a thing.
But…
"A toy's better than a tool, don't you think?" Hikari said lightly. "Instead of worrying about what I think of Eriyi, maybe focus on how you're gonna face your brother. You did kill him yourself, after all. He's probably itching to tear you apart. I don't care either way, but Eriyi might not be thrilled."
"…"
Chisei went quiet.
Sure, Herzog had manipulated things, but it was Chisei's hand that killed Chika. And before that, Chika had murdered girls in Rokutori Town and turned them into puppets. As a "Ghost Slayer," Chisei didn't know how to face that past.
Soon enough, the cars rolled into Osaka, heading toward the Paradise Hall in the suburbs.
As they drove, the surrounding civilian cars thinned out, replaced by a line of bulky cargo vans and a gang of biker punks tailing them on motorcycles.
"Boss, I think we're being watched…" Crow's voice crackled over the radio.
Before he could finish, the vans swerved hard, charging toward the Snake Qida's convoy like stampeding tailed beasts! Two lanes separated them, but the massive vans—three or four meters tall—smashed through a couple of civilian cars, crushing them like paper before barreling toward Hikari's group!
Screeeech—!
Brakes squealed. Sparks flew as tires skidded against the pavement.
Then, the cargo vans' doors slid open, revealing pre-loaded heavy machine guns. A storm of bullets erupted!
Rat-tat-tat—
The gunfire was deafening.
The Snake Qida's cars had basic bulletproofing, but under the relentless barrage, they were falling apart fast. Windows shattered, glass shards flying everywhere. Some agents tried to return fire, but the overwhelming firepower pinned them down.
The bikers caught up, pulling shotguns and submachine guns from their bikes and unloading wildly.
"…Well, damn, they're going all out, huh?" Hikari muttered, peering out the window at the bullet storm, which looked like a steel waterfall. She let out an impressed whistle.
This kind of machine-gun chaos was something you wouldn't see in the Naruto world—maybe only the Red Ribbon Army from Dragon Ball could pull off something like this. She'd faced a smaller attack back at Genji Heavy Industries a few days ago, but that was a chunin-level skirmish compared to this.
Her car, parked in the middle of the convoy, was fitted with extra bulletproof plating. The barrage had only cracked one window so far, so no need to panic.
Next to her, Chisei's face was grim.
In Japan, nobody dared to challenge the Snake Qida Eight Families like this!
"Crow, Yasha, cover me!"
As the gunfire paused briefly, Chisei kicked the door open and leaped out, instantly activating his Dragonbone State. The other cars' doors flew open too, and Crow and the others, some already wounded but holding on thanks to their dragon blood, followed him out.
On the other side, the attackers hauled out rocket launchers.
Boom! Boom! Boom—!
Several rockets, trailing long tails of smoke, screamed toward the Snake Qida convoy!
"Get out of the way!" Chisei shouted.
In his Dragonbone State, his royal blood surged, giving him reflexes and speed far beyond a normal human's—dodging the rockets was as easy as a ninja dodging a kunai. But the others weren't so lucky. One car took a direct hit to the backseat, erupting in a blinding explosion. Seconds later, the fuel tank ruptured, triggering a second, even bigger blast!
BOOM!!!
Hikari had been enjoying the show, but the second wave of rockets came straight for her car, exploding less than a meter away with a deafening roar!
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