"Taken as a whole, I personally lean toward the idea that the commissioners from Headquarters are here for the Tide-Sunken Relics. The so-called King of Bronze and Fire is most likely a false report."
Tachibana's voice was steady.
"A noble Dragon King's first act after resurrection should be to release their most powerful Word of Power and let the horn of the apocalypse echo across the world-not vanish quietly. Moreover, Kaguya has detected no corresponding anomalies. Do Dragon Kings who've slept for two thousand years really wake up knowing how to avoid surveillance systems and satellites?"
The surrounding family heads nodded.
Such a scenario made little sense.
Technology had long surpassed the understanding of an ancient Dragon King. Beings as arrogant as dragons would never believe that tiny humans had mastered power so terrifying. To them, man-made creations were fragile toys, easily destroyed. If they entered human society, chaos would be inevitable.
Yet under Kaguya's all-encompassing surveillance, all of Japan remained calm.
No different from usual.
Thus, in the eyes of the family heads, this was likely a flimsy excuse from Headquarters-one that could be exposed easily. A Dragon King's resurrection was real, but it probably hadn't happened in Japan. At least, not yet.
"For decades, Headquarters hasn't intervened here. When they finally do, it's lightning-fast," Tachibana continued. "A team of four elite commissioners-two S-ranks and two A-ranks-led by Executive Director Schneider and monitored by NORM."
"Whether the Bronze and Fire King is a cover story or not, we must stay sharp. If their true objective is the Relics, then a great battle is unavoidable. Accidents could happen at any time."
"So domineering..." Kotaro Fuma sighed. "They send only four people, yet we're expected to cooperate fully and obey them."
"This decision was made by Angré. It suits him perfectly," Tachibana said calmly. "Unless we have the strength to resist Headquarters, this is normal."
Silence fell over the conference room.
No one dared say that Angré-or Headquarters-was nothing to fear. In terms of economic power or combat strength, the Japan Branch couldn't compare. Headquarters answered directly to the Secret Party, and Japan's position was closer to a son than an equal.
"These are the resumes sent by Headquarters," Tachibana said, handing the files to Inuyama and Genjiro, who passed them around. "The dossiers of the four commissioners."
"They're all children," Genjiro frowned after reading. "Is Principal Angré joking?"
"The Principal would never joke about this," Inuyama replied. "The fact that he didn't come himself proves his confidence in them. Though young and not yet graduated, their bloodlines are exceptional."
"They've faced Dragon Kings twice and withdrawn safely after direct engagement. That record is nearly unbelievable."
"Speaking of which," Tachibana said, "Angré recently fought two First-Generation Kings without being defeated. Terrifying. He's over two hundred years old, yet still brimming with vitality."
"Pops, you're still healthy. Don't say things like that," Genjiro said softly.
"Haha... I know my own body," Tachibana waved it off. "Back to business. Headquarters hasn't managed us for decades. You all know how much 'embellishment' exists in our reports."
"This time, we must ensure reality doesn't diverge too much. Above all, they must not come into contact with anything related to the Oni. From the moment they step onto Japanese soil, everything they see must be under our control."
"Understood. We'll lock them in a dungeon," Genjiro nodded.
"These commissioners are different," Tachibana said with a wry smile. "They're either of noble background or possess extraordinary strength, personally assigned by Angré. Mistreating them would be like slapping Angré's face. None of us want him coming here again."
"My intention is simple. You will host them. Set aside your duties for now. You're all young-there should be common ground. Consider it a vacation. Show them our friendliness and hospitality."
He turned to Inuyama.
"Patriarch Inuyama, your family's resources are well suited for this."
"I understand," Inuyama nodded upright. "Young people are easily led astray by decadence. I'll ensure full cooperation."
"Then this meeting is adjourned," Tachibana smiled. "It's late. Please rest."
He assigned no specifics. As High Patriarch, his role was to set direction. The details would be handled by the family heads. A leader who micromanaged everything only exhausted himself and created errors.
...
"Why is this plane so loud?!" Luminous shouted.
"This is a Gulfstream G550," Finger yelled back. "Modified by the Equipment Department."
"The Equipment Department again!" Luminous looked close to breaking down. "They didn't put a bomb on this plane too, did they?!"
As a freshman of barely a month, Luminous already had a deep understanding of the Equipment Department-thanks to the last operation's training.
Strictly speaking, they didn't just make weapons. They handled gear, clothing, communications.
But in every student's eyes, they only made weapons.
Because everything they made could explode.
Without exception.
Their philosophy could be summarized in one phrase.
Explosion is art.
When Luminous learned that even the headset in his ear could self-destruct, he went numb. Eventually, he convinced himself it had benefits. At least no commissioner would ever lack a weapon-they were armed head to toe.
With explosives.
"There definitely is a bomb," Morin said calmly, flipping through a thick manual. "But activating it requires a very complex procedure."
"I see. I'm relieved." Luminous sighed, then looked over. "Boss, what are you reading?"
"The Equipment Department's instruction manual," Morin replied. The booklet was three to four centimeters thick.
"They actually wrote a manual?" Caesar was skeptical. "I've only ever been told how to trigger self-destruct."
"Technically, this is a self-destruct manual," Morin said. "The first line reads: 'We assume all commissioners already know how to use this equipment. The following will detail explosion functions and precautions.'"
"Classic," Luminous sighed. "Boss, I'm counting on you. I'm afraid I'll press the wrong button and die heroically."
"Minor problem," Morin said. "I'll make sure your body gets sent back."
"That's not comforting!" Luminous collapsed.
"If it's too much to remember, just check the manual before using anything," Finger added.
"Senior really is an experienced ace!" Luminous immediately flattered him.
"Get some rest," Caesar said. "Even modified, it's a six-hour flight. As commissioners, the Japan Branch might test us on arrival."
"What? Isn't the Japan Branch just a branch?" Luminous was stunned.
"It wasn't founded by the college," Caesar explained. "It's a partnership. Japanese hybrids already controlled most Yakuza forces. Forcing control would've been costly."
"So the 'branch' is just a name. Exchange students come every year. After graduating and returning, they form the Japan Branch."
"Yakuza?!" Luminous was shocked again. "I thought this was a legitimate school!"
"The college avoids involvement. The branch is run by the Big Eight Families. Headquarters hasn't managed them for decades. You can imagine how much fluff is in their reports."
"Where did you get all this?" Luminous finally noticed the documents in Caesar's hand.
Out of the four, he alone knew nothing.
So what was his role?
The useless card in a Big Two game?
No-wrong focus.
A worse realization hit.
"You mean the country we're going to is run by the Yakuza, and they're our branch that hasn't been in contact for decades... and we're going there to inspect them?"
"That's accurate," Caesar nodded.
"We're going to get eliminated, aren't we?!" Luminous panicked. "I've seen this plot! Imperial envoys uncover secrets and get silenced!"
"You should have confidence in Principal Angré," a familiar voice said.
Luminous froze.
The world went quiet.
Morin and the others vanished.
Outside the window, clouds still rushed past. The plane continued flying, yet the silence was oppressive.
"It's you again," Luminous glared. "Little Devil!"
The Little Devil smiled, eyes squinting. He hadn't appeared for over a month.
"Brother, no need to be so hostile. You look like you want to eat me."
"I just want to beat you up!" Luminous rolled up his sleeves, showing off his newly trained arms.
"No need for that," the Little Devil sighed. "Everything I do is for your own good."
"Zero approached me because of you, didn't she?" Luminous demanded. "What's your relationship with her? Don't lie-I'm very smart!"
"Yes, Brother. You've always been smart," the Little Devil said softly. "You just wore a mask for so long that you started believing you were stupid and useless."
"I'm happy to see you change this much."
"...Hmph." Something soft was poked inside Luminous's chest. His anger stalled. In the end, he could only mess up the Little Devil's hair roughly.
"Don't do it again."
The Little Devil smiled.