NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 8: King Haru! A Tale of Vengeance!
"An unprecedented situation!" Matsuwa collapsed into his chair at the main seat, sighing deeply.
Below, the heads of the four families who had just barely managed to calm their emotions remained silent.
"Bring up the information on that man... no, that king," Masaya Sayanomiya ordered, clapping his hands to instruct his subordinates.
With a whoosh, five ninjas appeared in front of the Imperial Palace, carrying thick stacks of documents.
The documents began to glow, transforming into small paper figures that jumped onto the tatami mats and bounced their way to the five people inside the palace, reverting back into stacks of papers in their hands.
'Kasugano Haru's personal information, family situation, and life experiences were detailed in a comprehensive summary.'
"Oh my, he's a sister complex, isn't he?" Ran Seishuuin looked at the speculation in the documents with an amused expression, speaking in a frivolous tone.
"It seems we can't use beautiful women to restrain this new king for now," Masaya Sayanomiya concluded after carefully examining the documents.
"Perhaps we can use the matter of his parents to gain the new king's favor," Eikichi Renjou mused, rubbing his chin.
"At least our mortal crisis has been averted, hasn't it?" Tokuhiko Kuhouzuka said with a bitter smile.
"Issue the order to bestow the title of Imperial Prince on Kasugano Haru, with hereditary status and treatment as a direct member of the imperial family. Also, have the History Compilation Committee prepare to dispatch a battalion of the Self-Defense Forces to be stationed in Oukuzome, following his commands. Arrange for Oukuzome resource needs to be given top priority," Matsuwa instructed the ninjas outside, conveying his orders.
"Well then, gentlemen, our current task is to ascertain the king's exact personality and do our utmost to control his actions, or at least be able to exert some restraint. Meeting adjourned!" The figure on the main seat stood up and slowly left.
The heads of the four families exchanged glances.
"Troubled times indeed."
1:00 AM
On a deserted beach by Tokyo Bay.
Bang! A sack was thrown from a Hummer parked on the beach, surrounded by dozens of black Toyota cars.
Groans could be heard from the sack as a hundred burly men emerged from the Toyota vehicles, their movements coordinated and well-trained.
The sack was opened, revealing the upper body of a middle-aged bald man.
"What are you doing? Why did you kidnap me from my home?" The middle-aged man trembled as he looked at the muscular men wearing black sunglasses and suits, many bearing tattoos.
The cold sea breeze constantly swept across the beach, making the bald middle-aged man shiver.
"You should know, I have close ties with Sakura from the Yamaguchi-gumi. If you dare to touch me, you'll end up at the bottom of Tokyo Bay. How much money do you want? I'm the president of Hayaichi Corporation. Name your price, anything under 1 billion yen."
At this moment, a woman dressed as a man stepped out from the crowd. It was Kaoru Sayanomiya, the third-generation direct descendant of the Sayanomiya family.
"I don't know if they'll end up at the bottom of Tokyo Bay today, but you certainly will," Kaoru Sayanomiya said with tears in the corners of her eyes, yawning.
"Mm!" Kaoru Sayanomiya gestured to her subordinates with her eyes.
An empty oil drum, one meter tall, was unloaded from the Hummer.
The bald middle-aged man's pupils contracted sharply, his eyes filled with fear as he seemed to realize something.
"No!! Please, spare me!! I'll give you 2 billion! 3 billion! I... I'll give you all my money!!"
The middle-aged man was lifted by two suited strongmen and thrown into the oil drum with a clang. One by one, the men poured cement into the drum from plastic buckets.
Splash! The oil drum was thrown into Tokyo Bay.
"That's what happens when you hit someone you shouldn't have. Even if the main responsibility doesn't lie with you, in the world of sorcery, being weak is a crime!" Kaoru Sayanomiya opened the door of the Hummer and drove away from the beach.
The waves tirelessly washed the beach, erasing all traces of the evil deed.
.....
3:00 AM
Tokyo - Chiyoda Ward - Third Avenue - Sayanomiya Residence
Sayanomiya Masaya sat upright in the kendo hall, gently caressing the katana placed before him.
A middle-aged man, dressed in traditional Shinto priest attire, knelt before Sayanomiya Masaya.
"Father, all the sorcerers have been mobilized, and the Shinto priests proficient in weaponry have also been secretly deployed," the middle-aged priest said solemnly.
"Soon, I will take the Fortune-Telling Strategy and the Futsunomitama sword and head to Oukuzome," Sayanomiya Masaya said calmly, his eyes closed.
"Father, isn't the risk too great? Even with the secret arts of Seimei-sama and the divine weapon Futsunomitama, after all, he is the Demon King. As a mortal, he fought and defeated gods, and now he possesses the body of a Godslayer and that divine authority that shakes the world," the middle-aged priest said hesitantly, trying to dissuade him.
"I understand. You witnessed that marquis's hunting operation in Western Europe and clearly saw the terror of the demon lord! But, did I not also survive the demonic winds of that Cult Leader and live to this day to command the Official History Compilation Committee and lead the Japanese sorcery world?" Sayanomiya Masaya suddenly opened his eyes, looking at the middle-aged priest with a kind gaze.
"Then why?"
"For revenge!!"
"!!!!"
"Sixty years ago, your grandparents were killed by that cult leader. Your great-grandfather chose seppuku to appease that cult leader's anger. I, as your great-grandfather's second, severed his head and, on my knees, carried it thirty miles to present it to the cult leader."
Sayanomiya Masaya recounted the events of his youth in a calm voice, continuously stroking the blade of his katana. The sharp blade sliced his fingers, causing blood to drip onto the tatami mats.
The middle-aged priest remained silent.
"Why hasn't the Elder intervened? Have our thousand years of devotion from the four families not been enough to earn a single intervention?"
"Because he's afraid of death, that crybaby!" Sayanomiya Masaya's face darkened, becoming as terrifying as a demon from hell.
The middle-aged priest fell silent once again.
"Rest assured, I've already made preparations. Little Kaoru has already dealt with that unlucky guy, so at least we'll gain some favor with the new king. If I fail, offer all the secret treasures. If that's not enough, send Kaoru to serve him. From now on, the Sayanomiya family will follow the new king without question."
Sayanomiya Masaya looked at the middle-aged priest, his eyes filled with an inexplicable mix of emotions, including love, reluctance, hatred, disappointment, and many others.
That night, word spread from the Sayanomiya family that the family head had stolen the Futsunomitama sword and the Fortune-Telling Strategy. He was discovered by the shadow guards, fought his way out of the Sayanomiya residence, and disappeared without a trace.