Dragon Raja 3; Chapter 118: Subspecies (3)

Dragon Raja 3

Chisei was looking out at the sea from the Sumeru Throne, his long coat flapping loudly in the wind. His gaze crossed over the nearby water police boats towards the distant fishing boats, their lights illuminating the boundary between sky and sea, like a string of pearls floating on the surface.

“Sakura, have you heard of the ama?” Chisei asked.

“I’ve heard a bit, but not much. Ama are girls from ancient times who dove for pearls. They could dive hundreds of meters deep without equipment and would use knives to pry open giant clams to collect pearls,” Sakura explained. “Only girls could do this work because they have more subcutaneous fat than men, giving them better cold resistance. If men tried it, the low temperatures of the deep sea would cause their joints to deform and become diseased, leading to disabilities in just a few years.”

“I’ve heard that ama would tie a rope around their waist, with the other end given to a family member on the boat. If they encountered danger underwater, they would pull on the rope, and their family could pull them back, perhaps saving them or at least retrieving their bodies. The rope could only be held by family because ama only trusted their kin. But ama’s husbands say that if you grow tired of your wife, just take her to a distant sea to dive for pearls, then toss the rope in the water, and that’s it,” Chisei said indifferently. “So, trust is truly the most unreliable thing in the world, isn’t it?”

He took the headphones that Sakura handed him and put them on. “On-site commander Chisei is in position. Caesar team, are you ready?”

“You’re late, Gen-kun. I don’t like wasting time waiting for people. After this mission, if we finish early, we can grab a late-night snack in Tokyo. Hurry up!” Caesar’s voice came through the earpiece.

“The time is 10:15 PM; the coordinates are 122 degrees 56 minutes east, 35 degrees 33 minutes north. The Dragon Embryo Project is commencing. I am on-site commander Chisei, and I hereby order the release of the Trieste ship,” Chisei announced. “Good luck to you all.”

The diving dock at the bottom of the Sumeru Throne opened, and the heavily loaded Trieste ship plunged into the dark sea. White bubbles could be seen rising from the bottom of the Sumeru Throne, released air from the Trieste ship. The frogman team dove into the water, securing a safety line to the top of the Trieste ship, with the other end connected to the top of the Sumeru Throne. This enormous reel was wrapped with a safety line stretching 12 kilometers long, made of metal that was resistant to bending and abrasion, capable of lifting five Trieste ships. The specially designed recovery system could bring the submersible back to the surface from the bottom of the Abyss within 20 minutes.

The frogmen surfaced, giving a thumbs-up to Chisei at the top of the Sumeru Throne, indicating the successful completion of the safety line installation. The reel began to rotate, signaling that the Trieste ship was moving steadily toward the ocean floor.

Sakura understood why Chisei suddenly brought up the ama.

Chisei removed one side of his headphones and dialed a phone number. “The submersible has entered the water; have Erii prepare. They will arrive at the God’s Tomb in 80 minutes.”

“Thank you for your hard work. Kaguya has hacked into the military satellite systems of the United States and Russia, so no satellites will be able to capture photos of the nearby sea area tonight,” Tachibana Masamune’s voice came from the other end. “Show your skills! Chisei, the history of Yamata no Orochi will be rewritten by you and me.”

“How is Erii doing? Can her body handle it?”

“It doesn’t matter whether she’s doing well or not; wherever her sword points, everything must be cut down,” Tachibana Masamune paused for a moment. “She is our… Tsukuyomi!”

A little yellow duck floated in the foam-filled pool. It was a massive square bronze bathtub, luxuriously reminiscent of the facilities used by ancient Roman emperors. Soft light cascaded down from the ceiling of the bathroom, illuminating the girl’s fair skin. She poked the little yellow duck under the water with her finger, watching it float back up. Sometimes she blew on it to send it floating away, then stretched out her foot from the foam to reel it back in. The head of the Uesugi family had been bathing for an hour, most of which was spent playing with the yellow duck. From her foam-covered body, it was evident she had developed normally and was quite attractive. However, a girl of her age should not have an interest in a rubber duck; her psychological age seemed to linger at that of a young girl.

Footsteps were heard from outside, followed by Tachibana Masamune’s cough. “Erii, stop playing and get dressed; we need to leave.”

No response came. After half a minute, Tachibana Masamune saw the letters appear on the glass door: “Got it.”

The bathroom’s glass was frosted, and the head of the Uesugi family could write on it with water, leaving transparent traces. After finishing her bath, she turned and walked away. From those transparent letters, Tachibana Masamune could vaguely see an alluring silhouette.

“Wrap a towel around you when you get out of the water!” Tachibana Masamune sighed after finishing his sentence.

This wasn’t the first time he had reminded the head of the Uesugi family to be mindful in this regard. Due to her youthful psychological age, she seemed not to have learned the distinctions between genders and was unaware of the kind of attention she would attract by exposing herself in front of the opposite sex. One year, at a family gathering at a hot spring, in front of the elders, the head of the Uesugi family suddenly leaped up from behind a sliding door while wrapped in a kimono. All people saw was the kimono fall to the ground, and the next moment, the naked girl had jumped into the outdoor hot spring, twirling her long hair in the water. From the guards on duty to the family elders, everyone was struck by her naturally bright beauty, momentarily forgetting to avert their eyes. Tachibana Masamune could only poke the ground with the hilt of his sword to remind them of their decorum, while Chisei quickly ran out to grab the kimono and open it up to shield the crowd’s view.

“If one day I die, only Chisei will be able to protect you, right?” Tachibana Masamune shook his head.

The head of the Uesugi family took off her headphones and set them aside, walking to the bronze faucet under the shower to rinse the foam from her hair. Her hair was a rare dark red color. She opened her suitcase, put the little yellow duck inside, and took out a red-and-white shrine maiden outfit. This traditional attire consisted of a kimono, white clothing, and scarlet hakama, with red silk cords woven into the sleeves and the collar. After putting on the shrine maiden outfit, she plugged her headphones back in, thought for a moment, then took out the little yellow duck and secretly tucked it into her skirt. Her skirt was filled with pockets stuffed with various little things.

The white yacht rose and fell with the tide, with a silver “Tachibana” emblem on the bow. Tachibana Masamune and Fūma Kōtarō sat opposite each other, sipping tea, while black-clad bodyguards were stationed at the front and rear of the boat, with short knives sheathed at their waists.

The head of the Uesugi family stepped onto the deck, still radiating the pleasant scent of shampoo. Fūma Kōtarō immediately stood up and bowed. Although she was a girl, the heads of the three great clans held a higher status than those of the five smaller clans, and the Uesugi name had a higher standing in the family than the Fūma clan, which was known for raising ninjas.

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