Dragon Raja 3; Chapter 446: The Sword of Damocles (6)

Dragon Raja 3

“I forgot. I thought I’d never tell anyone that story for the rest of my life.”

“It was the afternoon when you were invited to tea with me. I suggested we have some aged whiskey, and we ended up drinking three bottles. You asked me that question while drunk. Since you don’t remember telling me, I’m sure you’ve also forgotten my answer, right?”

“Could you tell me again?”

“Have you read Benedict’s books?”

“I’ve read his The Chrysanthemum and the Sword. I heard that’s how Americans learned about Japan.”

“Benedict said that ‘loyalty to a greater cause’ is the highest principle for the Japanese. For the sake of this greater cause, one can betray, kill, or deceive. If a person acts in the name of this greater cause, then no one in the world can deny him. I think what Benedict meant by ‘loyalty to a greater cause’ is what you call justice.”

“Yes, the so-called loyalty to a greater cause is justice that transcends the individual—absolute justice.”

“It’s unfortunate, but as your teacher, I don’t agree with your concept of justice. There is no justice in this world that can truly transcend the individual. For some people, vengeance is justice. For others, protection is justice. If, in your heart, your brother’s happiness is what matters most, then that is the justice you should protect. You can oppose the world for that,” Anjou said slowly. “You think you’ve paid a price for justice, and you feel pain because the justice you’ve followed isn’t what you truly want. You’ve followed the ‘loyalty to a greater cause’ that others taught you, not the desires of your own heart.”

“For you, Principal, is revenge your justice?”

“Yes. So if one day I die for revenge, I won’t feel pain—only regret that I didn’t get the chance to plunge my blade into the Black Emperor’s heart.”

“All these years of struggle, just for revenge? You are the Principal of Cassell College, one of the few people in the world with the power to carry out true justice. But you only seek revenge against the Dragon Clan. If you weren’t such a vengeful person, perhaps we could have sat down and talked long ago.”

“I’m sorry to disappoint you, but I never thought about justice. I am willing to use any means necessary to destroy the Dragon Clan, simply because they took away my dearest friend,” Anjou said calmly. “With the intelligence network of Yamata no Orochi, I’m sure you’ve already researched my past thoroughly, haven’t you?”

Chisei nodded slightly. “From Harrogate, a small town in Yorkshire, England, to your current position as Principal of Cassell College—I can recite your entire resume.”

“If an ordinary person’s life is divided into the four seasons, my life only had two: winter and summer. Before I met Manecke Cassell, I had no one in the world. There was nothing I cherished, and I hated everything. I only wanted to use my abilities to escape poverty and loneliness. I lived in an endless winter. After joining the Lionheart Society, summer came abruptly. My life was filled with sunshine for a few years—I had good friends, earned respect, had a goal to strive for, and I looked toward the future. But the Dragon Clan destroyed all of that. On that early summer night, I was the only survivor, losing all my friends, along with my honor and dreams. I stepped back into the winter and never came out again,” Anjou said softly. “I’m no great man. Like any young person, I needed friends and warmth. If I had friends and warmth, I could live a mediocre life. But the Dragon Clan took away my chance for mediocrity. Even after all these years, I can still remember the pain of losing my friends and falling back into solitude. The only way to ease that pain is through revenge. People easily speak of forgiveness, but only because they do not understand hatred.”

“Living only for hatred—don’t you think it makes your life pitiful?” Chisei asked softly.

“How long does a person have in life? How many things can one possess? I lost everything that mattered to me on that early summer night. This is my life. I cannot go quietly into the grave—I can only die screaming.” By the end, Anjou’s voice roared like the clash of metal.

Chisei gazed into the weathered eyes of the old man, silent for a long time. He had always known Anjou’s authoritarian side, but today he saw his terrifying side. If Osho was the ghost of Black Swan Bay, then Hilbert Ron Anjou was the ghost who had survived that early summer night. All ghosts live on because of their obsessions—Osho’s was power, and Anjou’s was revenge.

Chisei recalled Kazama Kotarō’s final words: “We’re all ordinary people. Over the years, we’ve loved chaotically, hated chaotically, but what else can we do?”

“We all live for ourselves,” Anjou said slowly. “Absolute justice is just a term people use to justify their hatred and desires. If you truly believe in something like that, then you’re far too naïve.”

Lightning split the clouds, casting a pale light on their faces. A few seconds later, thunder rumbled like the war drums of doomsday. Anjou fell silent, as did Chisei, their gazes locking like dueling weapons.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve heard your teachings. It’s good,” Chisei said softly after a long pause.

“From this moment on, control has been handed over to Cassell College. Rest well. I hope we all live to see the sun rise tomorrow,” Anjou said coolly, signaling the end of their conversation.

“Divine Punishment, right? Do you truly believe that weapon can completely destroy the god?” Chisei asked. At this moment, the Tokyo Meteorological Bureau was bustling not only with Gear Department specialists but also with members of Yamata no Orochi. Pompeii revealing the existence of Divine Punishment to Anjou meant that it was also revealed to Yamata no Orochi.

“No one knows. That weapon may have never been used before. I can’t predict its effects, but it’s the only effective weapon we currently have,” Anjou said slowly. “In any case, this is no longer your concern. I know you didn’t want the god to resurrect—you fought with everything you had to stop it—but you failed.”

“You’ve never shaken off the shadow of the past. Your bloodline may be strong, but your heart is weak,” Anjou added after a pause.

Chisei’s expression remained wooden. The sharp criticism seemed to have no effect on him, or perhaps he had already accepted his failure. He stood up slowly, bowed to Anjou, and walked down the long hallway. Sakurai Hideichi bowed as he passed. His steps were unsteady, and his gaze was vacant, as if he might collapse at any moment.

The Rolls-Royce was stuck in a long line of traffic, unable to move. Everyone was fleeing the city—people from the east were heading to higher ground in the west, while those from the west were escaping outside the city. They were driving all kinds of vehicles, with some carrying bicycles or rubber boats on their roofs.

But regardless of whether they were in family cars, luxury cars, or even a Rolls-Royce, they were all trapped on the road. The traffic had far exceeded the design capacity of the roads, and several key elevated highways had collapsed. Tokyo had one of the world’s most advanced disaster relief plans, but this wasn’t a natural disaster. This was the wrath of a being far beyond human comprehension—a great life form intent on destroying the city. Upon its awakening, it had already demonstrated the same power Jehovah wielded when he destroyed Sodom. It truly deserved to be called a “god.”

Everyone was honking their horns desperately. The sound of panic spread with the horns, until the entire street was filled with honking, yet the traffic remained unmoved.

Chisei sat in the Rolls-Royce, his authority now fully transferred to Cassell College. All the remaining operable divisions of Yamata no Orochi were now under Anjou’s command. At this moment, Chisei had become an ordinary person, joining the masses in trying to escape.

Ahead, the road was completely blocked—perhaps there had been a crash. The driver was anxiously trying to reverse, but he hit the truck behind him. In this situation, even a Rolls-Royce was useless. No matter how powerful its engine was, it was just a trapped beast.

Chisei silently gazed out the window. Ever since leaving the meteorological bureau, he hadn’t spoken a word. He didn’t seem the least bit anxious, though he should have been, as bad news kept pouring in. The Oni Clan had long anticipated the tsunami and had prepared speedboats and various watercraft. With minimal casualties, they crushed the remaining forces of Yamata no Orochi. The elite hybrids hidden within various gangs were caught off guard and wiped out by a hail of bullets before they could even gather. One by one, the important strongholds within the city were destroyed. After the betrayal of the Kanto branch, Yamata no Orochi still had its elite Kansai branch, but C4 explosives were planted on their cars. On their way to Tokyo, those sports cars exploded in quick succession, turning into a dazzling display of fireworks.

Genji Heavy Industries had also fallen. Eighty-four senior officers from the Execution Bureau had been stationed there, but a cement truck poured 20 tons of cement slurry at the entrance, turning the building into a sealed killing ground. Yasha died in that battle. According to survivors, he detonated a bomb in Kaguya’s control room, blowing himself and a dozen Oni Clan gunmen to pieces. Yasha had always been somewhat of an idiot, but this time he at least did something smart. The Oni Clan had clearly aimed to seize control of Kaguya, as controlling Kaguya would allow them to limit Eva’s operations. So, while the battle for Genji Heavy Industries was a pyrrhic victory, the Oni Clan didn’t manage to gain control.

At this point, Yamata no Orochi had lost its ability to retaliate. They declared war on the Oni Clan but never expected that the Oni Clan had already prepared their funeral.

“Clan Leader, it’s no longer feasible to drive out of here. I’ve called for a helicopter, and it will arrive soon. Please, just wait a little longer!” the driver said.