Picking up on Kazeโs intent to kill, Casius grimaced. In the end, Casius made an amused look. โI guess youโre out for my life today.โBut I love life too much. I still have a lot to live for. โSo I donโt want to die. โBesides, I donโt know what makes you think that Iโd die at your handsโโ โSwoosh!โ Kaze got right in Casiusโ face before the latter could finish his sentence. He got Casius by the throat right away. Hank and the other suited men could not react to the change in time. They raised their weapons and aimed at Kaze with grimaces. โLet Mr. Weather go.โ Hank hissed through clenched teeth. Hannah clenched her sword and said to Hank, her eyes fixating on him, โYou better not point that thing at the branch leader.โ Hank had a flashback of Hannah hurling her sword just moments ago. Still, he pointed at Kaze firmly. โWhat do you think now, Mr. Weather?โ Without looking at Hank and his party, Kaze fixed on Casiusโ purple lips. He smiled pretentiously. โMy han
โThud!โ Rio went for a downward blow, slicing down on Hannah. The sheer force of the attack enveloped Hannah. Faced with the magnitude of the impact, Hannah grimaced. Without time to think, she flinched back and thrust her sword forward. They were both trained in great swordsmanship. The blades met with a burst of intensity. โClang!โSparks exploded in the air, and the grating of metal could make anybodyโs skin crawl. Hannah dropped back, nearly slamming her weight on the floor. She made a face, unable to shake the lingering impact from the slash of Rioโs blade. The sheer force hung heavily over Hannah, even bending her sword. While descending from mid-air, Rio sank his weight down. Hannah hunkered down, her back nearly touching the floor. Still, she stayed rooted to her feet. Rio remained indifferent. He pressed on, coming on with stronger force. Rio pinned Hannah to the ground with his sword. Hannah had been to hell and back many times before. She re
โDamn it!โWith Hannah surviving the attack, Casius grimaced. Hannah was strong, but Casius could see that Rio had her cornered. Hannah was just one step away from death. Yet, she managed to turn things around. It was true that Hannah was most likely to succeed within the Viperโs Den West State Branch, but Rio was one of the elites of the Refined Blades. They ranked high in their field. Rioโs strong attack did not kill Hannah, making her a powerful opponent. That was not the point, though. Hannahโs death was beneficial to Casiusโ situation and his upcoming plan. That was the problem. Hannah was not dead. Since the ambush did not work, Rio would find it harder to kill a potent fighter like Hannah. Nevertheless, Hannah seemed incapacitated, at least for now. She would not be able to go on with the fight tonight. Though disappointed, Casius felt lighter in mood. He turned to Kaze with a smile. โHow about it, Kaze? What do you think of my backup? Good enough fo
Kaze released his grip and smiled faintly. โAre you that confident that the Ryokanian can save you? โHave you ever wondered why I didnโt kill you on the spot? Instead, I waited until he showed up.โ Casiusโ gaze became shifty. โAre you trying to tell me that you delayed killing me to lure Mr. Sho out?โ โI see that you have redeeming qualities.โ Kaze said callously, โJude lost everything, and I trashed your Bronze Sparrow. Neely and Granny Snake died at the hands of South. Iโd say the odds arenโt in Judeโs favor too. โYet, you are confident that Jude will make branch chief, so you must be turning to external forces. โWith your connections, your only choice is to grovel at the feet of Ryokanians. โIn that case, why wait tonight for the Ryokanian? Iโm better off luring him out and killing him all at once.โ Kaze spoke emotionlessly as if he was talking about the weather. Stunned at first, Casius quickly sneered. โYou can talk a big game, Kaze. โBut can you back it up?
Upon getting close to Kaze, Rio pulled out his sword. โClang!โAs the sword was drawn, a powerful energy came from within the shining blade. A wave of dread washed over the crowd. Channeling his rage, Rio unleashed his full power. He launched his most devastating blow to slice Kaze in half. Only a good revenge could quell his rage and prove his dominance over the Arcadian. Hannah, having faced Rio head-on, blurted, โWatch out, Mr. Lee. Thereโs something weird about this Ryokanianโs techniqueโฆโ โSwoosh!โ Kaze raised his arm and struck with his broken sword. The blinding flicker of the blade carried a low humming sound. The crowd wondered if their ears were deceiving them. Kaze retrieved his blade while Rio stopped advancing. As no one made a sound, a shadow of dread loomed over. โWhatโs the matter, Mr. Sho? Why arenโt you moving?โ Casius, Hank, and the others were taken aback, oblivious to what was going on. The strangest thing then happened. A stark, whit
Casius would kill one of the best fighters if he could draw his sword quickly enough.The words sounded like sarcasm to Casius, and he froze. It was like a Harvard grad telling a community college dropout. โGetting into Harvard is easy, anyone can do it.โCasius was lost for words. The gap between him and Kaze just struck him, at least when it came to combat prowess.With Casius turning pale, Kaze said indifferently, โNow do you finally know why I let you go, Mr. Weather?โI donโt need to hold you hostage. โYou and your people are no threat. โIโd suggest that you donโt fight back because itโs pointless.โNow kneel and tell me everything about you and the Ryokanians that is important and not privy to me. โI might spare your life for now if you come to use for me,โ Kaze said with a smile while throwing the broken sword back to Hannah. It appeared Kazeโs streak of violence ended after Rio was dead. โKneel and explain my ties with Sanwell Finances?โ Snapping back to re
โGo on, Mr. Weather. Iโll hold them off.โ With Kaze dodging the shrapnel, Hankโs head sank. Ready to die, Hank blocked Kazeโs path with his body and shouted angrily before raising his double-barreled rifle. โBang!โ As Hank took the shot, Kaze came close and pulled a kick. Knocked back, Hank fired upward. The sound exploded in the air, smashing the chandelier to the ground. Hank rammed into the wall with a thud, and his bones snapped from impact. He crashed to the ground as Kaze went after Casius without looking back. Despite the will to fight on, the life within him was gone. Kazeโs kick was fatal. Out of the living room, Casius cocked his head back and found Kaze right on his tail after finishing Hank off. Casius was scared out of his mind. Casius shouted angrily, โForget the woman. Just kill Kaze!โHannah did not just hang around while Kaze launched an attack. She dragged her injured flesh to help. The last twelve suited men were scared off their wits. Now that
With Kazeโs experience, he should be able to recognize the weapon. Yet, he still had the mood for ridicule. Even with Casius pointing a gun at him, Kaze looked relaxed. Kazeโs composed demeanor showed Casius that he did not take Casius as a threat. โMr. Weather, I killed your little foreign friend and your people back there.โ Kaze took a step in the face of the pointed gun and said with a chuckle, โYou lost. You lost big time.โ โDonโt get too excited. Iโm not dead yet!โ Casius shouted with a sneer. However, his hand holding the gun shook violently. Casius was a sitting duck. โI told you. You might not have to die.โ Kaze patted Casiusโ face and said callously, โTell me why the Ryokanians have been aggressive in activity lately. What are they after? โIf you have information of value, or if you come to use to me, I can consider sparing your life for the time being.โKaze was curious about the Ryokaniansโ motivations. Before, Sanwell Finances controlled Riverbankโs
Morris was in his study, wiping a plaque of commandments that was covered in dust. Due to his commitment to the Viperโs Den, he had neglected his family for years and left his son in his wifeโs care. Morris regretted doing so. Unaware of the impending danger, Clemont enjoyed drinks with his friends. They were having fun, playing drinking games. Losing the game, Clemont downed a glass of liquor. Things could get far and exciting in a game. It was then that the door swung open. Clemontโs driver entered the room. โYoung Master Siegfried, the master is waiting for you at home,โ the driver said, noting the complexity of the situation. The only thing on his mind was to take Clemont away. Tipsy from the drinks, Clemont waved his arm. โLet him wait. Whatโs the rush to get home?โ Clemontโs friends were shocked. Nothing scared Clemont like his father. However, Clemont toughened up for once. โYoung Master Siegfried, why donโt you call it a night?โ โYeah. Iโm sur
โWhatโs that supposed to mean? When have I ever made a mistake?โ Morris heard nothing of that sort. It could only mean that his people had done nothing wrong. However, Edmund could not possibly get aggressive on the phone. Something must have happened, and he simply had no idea. Morris felt unsettled like something big was about to happen. โYou seem to be lax when managing your people. You donโt seem to know what goes on around your house.โIs your age getting to you? Is that why you canโt handle most of the work? If you canโt get your own house in order, how will you ever manage the Viperโs Den Westeros Branch?โ Edmund called to say his piece. It was his way to make Morris step down. Though it was likely that Morris would resign, Edmund could at least make things unpleasant for him. โWhatโs that supposed to mean?โ Morris was completely in the dark, but Edmund must hold some secret to act so cocky. Despite his troubled feelings, Morris kept his cool and calmly aske
Since it was a rare opportunity, Edmund had to settle the score with them properly. He knew opportunities like this were hard to come by so he had to seize them well. โI understand. I will take care of the guest,โ Rosie said. She was glad that her information was useful to her boss. After Edmund hung up the phone, Rosie then looked at the unconscious Kaze. โYou are indeed more useful than I thought. Hardly anyone has ever managed to impress Edmund.โ She did not feel sorry for Kaze, believing that everything happened as it was meant to. She knew that to climb higher, she had to please her superior. With the Wittersons on the rise, now was the perfect time for her to pledge her loyalty to Edmund. When the Wittersons truly took over the Westeros Branch, she would become one of the most powerful people in the city, second only to them. She was looking forward to that day. Since Kaze was fast asleep and no arrangements could be made, Rosie went out to call her men and
โIf you are not here to have fun, then why did you come to Westeros?โ Rosie asked. Kaze looked like he had one glass too many and could barely keep himself awake. When he looked up at Rosie, he felt lightheaded and could not keep his balance. โI am here to c-complete my mission.โ Kaze could not even speak clearly, seemingly already drunk. Rosie let out a breath of relief. She then took his glass away. Kaze fell onto the couch lazily and adjusted himself into a comfortable position. He even had a hiccup. Rosie did not mind Kaze passing out in front of her. She got up and then squatted in front of him. โWhat is your mission here in Westeros?โ She did not expect to fish out useful information from Kaze, but now she could bring this information to Edmund and exchange it for a reward. โI am here to solve the problem. Something happened here in the Viperโs Den and I am here to find out more. After that, someone else will take over,โ Kaze muttered as he closed his eyes.
Rosieโs charm and beauty were reasons why she was able to run the club smoothly. No matter what happened, she possessed the capabilities to solve it without exacerbating it. All those aspects made Edmund choose her. A qualified employee trusted to run a business did not need to be a genius. One only needed to carefully operate the business and not cause trouble for the employer. That alone would be enough. โThereโs indeed someone powerful who gave me a chance but I want to use my own strength to win their recognition.โ Rosie was well aware that due to her beauty, many often looked down and underestimated her. She had to stay sharp and clear-headed to avoid unnecessary trouble. โThat might be a little difficult but I believe you got what it takes,โ Kaze said with a serious tone as if he knew Rosie well. โThank you for your kind words. I hope everything turns out as expected.โ She did not have to worry about that because Edmund fully trusted her and put her in charge of m
Clemont let out a breath of relief when he saw that his friends were not saying anything more. He brought them somewhere else to party. He spent a lot in a single night but he finally gained the respect that he longed for. Back at the club, after Clemont and his friends left, the corridor to the VIP section finally quieted down. The waiters cleaned up the place and then returned to their work. Kaze stayed back and looked at Rosie, waiting for her response. โThank you for today. I would be hurt if not for you,โ she said, expressing her gratitude. She was surprised that Kaze intervened but she was truly grateful for his help. โItโs nothing.โ Kaze waved his hand nonchalantly and then wanted to return to his own room. โWhy donโt I take care of the bill for you tonight? Consider it as a token of gratitude since you saved me from getting hurt,โ Rosie said. Her interest in Kaze was piqued, wondering who he really was. She knew he was from Butterworth and had heard that
Clemont was born with a silver spoon and raised like a prince as he was the youngest in the family. He knew his fatherโs current situation, which explained why he behaved arrogantly. He thought his actions could help his father but little did he know, they were causing a huge trouble. Kaze made it verbal but the spoiled brat did not appreciate the warning and simply felt annoyed. โWhat do I mean? I guess you have to ask your father about it.โ Kaze looked at Clemont coldly. There was no way a useless trust-fund baby could achieve anything great under the protection of his family. Every action that Clemont took was causing damage to his family. Kaze initially intended to use the Siegfrieds to his advantage, which explained why he did not act immediately. Now that Clemont had come under his radar, Kaze ought to use the chance. He managed to showcase his strength to Rosie earlier and what he said to Clemont would surely raise more suspicion in her. Kaze must come up wit
Rosie was shocked. She almost got kicked by some spoiled brat. She was not happy about it. She revered Clemontโs background and had been tolerant with the brat but he stepped over the line when he decided to be physical. Rosie looked up to Kaze who was hugging her. He was just outside the crowd and decided to step in when he heard the commotion. She did not expect him to save her. It was a surprise but it allowed her to see his capabilities. The man from Butterworth had been hiding his abilities from everyone all along. Rosie smiled at him before getting back up on her feet. โThank you for your help,โ she said softly. โItโs nothing. Itโs the right thing to do,โ Kaze said. Kaze was the type of person who could never stand seeing the weak being bullied. โWho the hell are you? What do you think you are doing?โ Clemont bellowed. He was outraged and needed to vent his emotions. Since Kaze had intervened, it gave Clemont a chance to lash out at him. โStop causing a
โI told you this is my club! They have to listen to me! Now open the damn door!โ Clemont was furious after being questioned. He started to kick the door like a madman. The waiters were worried but they dared not do anything. โYoung Master Siegfried, there are guests inside! VIP guests!โ the waiter added. He dared not reveal the identity of the guest inside. Zidane informed all employees earlier that no one shall reveal the VIP guestโs identity or even mention that the suite was booked by Edmund. It was to keep things low. Therefore, the waiter dared not speak any of it even to Clemont. Unfortunately, Clemont stubbornly believed the waiter was lying to him. โWhat guests?! Youโre lying to me! You said there were guests inside but even after I kicked the door, there was no answer! Open it up. Donโt be stupid!โ he shouted. He cared not about the others when he shouted. He was impulsive at nature. โYoung Master Siegfried, there are guests inside. You canโt do this,โ the