Dragon Raja 3; Chapter 199: Boy in the Thorns (2)

Dragon Raja 3

Chisei sat at the head of the table, while Tachibana sat at his side. Just a few days ago, their positions had been reversed. The day after the Dragon Source project concluded, Tachibana suddenly announced his resignation as the head of the Yamata no Orochi families, recommending Chisei to take his place.

In history, it was rare for a head of the Yamata no Orochi families to “resign.” The position was akin to being the emperor of the Japanese underworld, and those who held it were loath to relinquish such power. Thus, the title was typically for life, often passed down through generations. “Resignation” seemed too soft a word; perhaps “abdication” or “stepping down” was more fitting. Abdication usually only occurred when power-hungry ministers forced it. But no one had forced Tachibana’s hand. When Chisei was told he was being recommended for the role, he had been drinking alone. Crow stormed into the cellar, shouting, “Boss, over 70% of the people have already voted for you!” Sakura, as always, was expressionless, saying, “It seems inevitable that you’ll be the next family head. I’ll prepare your tuxedo for the inauguration.” Yasha excitedly chimed in, “And make one for me, too! I’m big, so standing behind you will look imposing!”

By the afternoon of the same day, once Chisei had sobered up, it was confirmed that he was the acting head. The official ceremony would formalize it.

“Anjou is already on the plane. He’ll be arriving in Tokyo in about thirteen hours,” Inuyama said, pushing his phone toward Chisei. “Not only did he update his Twitter status, but he also sent me a message.”

Gen glanced at the phone: “Katsu, I’m on United Airlines flight UA881 to Tokyo, expected arrival at 4:20 PM. Please inform the heads of the Yamata no Orochi families—I’m coming.”

“Katsu? He actually addressed you like a child,” Chisei frowned slightly.

“That’s his way of showing he doesn’t take us seriously,” Inuyama replied.

“Such a high-profile move. Does he expect us to pick him up at the airport?” Sakurai Nanami remarked.

“It’s a blatant show of force, but Japan is no longer a place where he can run rampant!” Fūma Kōtarō said coldly. “Trying to intimidate us like this is laughable!”

“It’s not necessarily an intentional show of force; it’s just how he is,” Inuyama explained.

“What kind of person is he?” Fūma Kōtarō raised an eyebrow.

“A proud man. With all due respect, Fūma-dono, you don’t truly understand Anjou. If you knew the depth of his pride, you’d understand why he doesn’t bother with stealth or secrecy. He’s one of the founders of the Lionheart Society. His companions were Manecke Cassell, Ryūzan Hikohiko, ‘Chieftain’ Brendan, and ‘Tiger’ Jamal. His mentors were ‘Gravedigger’ Gambit, ‘Silver Wing’ Charlotte, and ‘Iron Cross’ Mayek…” Inuyama recited the names with reverence, “From the founding of Cassell College, he has been the Principal. To this day, the School Board still hasn’t found anyone capable of replacing him. He is the last person alive who lived through the era of the Secret Party to the present day. With such monumental prestige, he has no reason to hide from anyone.”

Everyone in the room couldn’t help but be moved. Hearing such legendary names from Dragon-Slaying history was enough to shake anyone, much like how a physicist might feel upon hearing the names Isaac Newton, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, and Michael Faraday listed together.

“Yes, Hilbert Jean Anjou is someone the world must call a hero. He certainly doesn’t need to hide his face,” Tachibana sighed. “But does he expect to force us into submission? We’re already backed up to the edge of a cliff—there’s no retreat. Miyamoto-dono, please present your findings on the Divine Burial Grounds.”

Miyamoto Shio stood, bowed, and turned on the projector. “This report wasn’t fully confirmed yet, but with the impending crisis, I don’t have much time left for further research.”

Despite his youth, Miyamoto was widely recognized as an academic genius within the family. He had studied at Cassell College and turned down several faculty positions to return to oversee the Ganryū Research Institute in Japan. When he spoke, the room fell silent.

The screen displayed a grainy black-and-white photograph taken by the Trieste in the deep trenches of the sea. It showed the Lenin, now transformed into a massive cocoon of flesh. Bloody mucus streamed down from its folds, and millions of gastropods writhed in its creases.

“This is what the Trieste discovered in the deep trench—the dragon embryo that the Lenin was transporting. It sank with Takamagahara into the magma,” Miyamoto Shio said. “However, this is not our true target. Our target is the ‘god’—or more appropriately, the ‘demon’—buried in Takamagahara for over 10,000 years. I believe you can all easily guess that this was a bloody ritual. The embryo’s blood flowed into the ruins of Takamagahara, awakening the corpses buried beneath it and, of course, also the ‘god.’”

“According to records in the Kōki Chronicles, the ‘god’ is incomplete. It requires the genetic material of other high-level dragons to fully recover. The Lenin brought a living embryo, and as we all know, the cells of an embryo are in rapid division. This is one of the greatest chemical reactions in nature—each cell is brimming with vitality, and the embryonic fluid is rich in hormones. Dragon embryos are no exception. Dragon fetal blood is known as the ‘Holy Grail.’ In ancient alchemical texts, it is referred to as ‘liquid gold’ and ‘the elixir of life,’ possessing even the power to raise the dead.”

Miyamoto Shio displayed an image from an ancient text—a muscular man holding a massive dragon corpse above his head, bathing in its blood. “This book is called The Song of the Nibelungs, an epic poem written in Middle High German in the 8th century. This illustration by a scribe depicts the legendary hero Siegfried slaying a dragon and bathing in its blood to make himself invulnerable. This may not just be myth. In ancient times, dragon-slayers would often wash themselves in dragon blood to evolve. Dragon fetal blood, in particular, is the most potent and least toxic form. The historical Siegfried may not have slain an adult dragon but rather an unhatched embryo, using the fetal blood to enhance himself into a high-level Hybrid.”

“With this information, we can infer the following: someone stole a precious embryo from an unnamed port in northern Siberia, used an unknown method to halt its normal development, resulting in a deformed creature. However, the valuable fetal blood still flowed in its veins. That person sank the embryo and the Lenin into the abyss, performing a grand and bloody ritual to restore the ‘god.’”

“Are you saying that someone carefully planned all of this and successfully awakened the ‘god’?” Sakurai Nanami asked.

“Yes, this was no accident. After the ‘god’ awakened, it left Takamagahara. What we destroyed was merely an empty tomb,” Miyamoto Shio said as he opened an email. “This morning, we received an email from the Chief Cabinet Secretary asking the Iwa Ryū Institute to collaborate with the Japan Earthquake Research Institute. According to their findings, Japan’s geological structure has been changing gradually over the past 20 years. Dormant volcanoes have become active, and earthquakes are occurring frequently. The 1995 Great Hanshin earthquake was a magnitude 7.2, killing around 6,500 people. In 2004, Mount Aso erupted after lying dormant for hundreds of years. Just a few days ago, Mount Fuji also showed signs of activity. Its magma chamber reaches five kilometers deep into the earth.”

The expressions of the family heads grew increasingly grim.

“I think you understand what I’m implying. The previous shrine priest left a description in the Kōki Chronicles. The last time the ‘god’ awoke, 10,000 years ago, Japan’s four islands were rocked by violent tsunamis and volcanic eruptions. The land shook, and the sky trembled as Takamagahara sank beneath the ocean. That was the ‘gift’ the ‘god’ bestowed upon its people. When the ‘god’ awakens, it brings a gift, and that gift is calamity. What seems like a far-fetched legend is becoming reality. Over 20 years ago, the Lenin sank into Takamagahara, and the ‘god’ began to awaken. The interrupted cycle of disaster is turning again. Now that the ‘god’ has left Takamagahara, I ask you all—where will it go?”