The arrogance that Draig brought back to Arcadia had finally been blunted. He nodded and said, “I’m Draig Tenby, the heir of the Tenby Eight Extreme Fists from Uleania. You are?” The Tenby family was the creator of the well-known Tenby Eight Extreme Fists technique. His father practiced the set of fists since he was young and his grandfather was publicly known as the grandmaster of the Tenby Eight Extreme Fists. Whenever a Tenby had to reveal his or her background, they would naturally reveal that they practiced the Tenby Eight Extreme Fists. In addition, the family and the technique were famous in Uleania and Arcadia. Once they revealed their background, even the fiercest enemy would be deterred. “The heir of the Tenby Eight Extreme Fists? Pardon me for not recognizing you earlier.” Jiro stood straight up and put on a strict face. He bowed and said, “Jiro Sakamoto, Refined Blade Clan.” “Jiro Sakamoto?!” Many others recognized the name and were shocked when they heard
“Go, open another bottle of wine.” Jiro tapped Cyan’s face, causing her cheeks to turn pale. She turned to Draig with begging eyes. Draig said, “Brother Jiro, Cyan is my friend…” “Is she your woman?” Jiro interrupted him once more. Draig was taken aback by the question. He had an instinctive glance at Snow and shook his head. “No.” Jiro did not even look at him. He pointed at Cyan and said, “Go. Open a bottle of wine and wait for me. I like an obedient woman. I don’t like to be rough on a woman.” Cyan was horrified. She teared up as she reluctantly went off to get the bottle of wine. Jiro and the men behind him then hopped onto the couch, taking up the places that belonged to Wesley and his friends. They were ungentlemanly. The moment they sat down, they grabbed the pretty girls into their arms and molested them, treating them like mere playthings for pleasure. The ladies lost their smiles and looked horrified. They tried to break free but no matter how hard the
Kaze was quiet during the entire confrontation, so no one noticed him until now. Wesley and the others finally thought of him. Kaze did not kneel! Wesley and the others were aggrieved. Kaze remained seated as he said, “Why should I kneel?” “You think you don’t need to kneel because you knocked out one of my men?” Jiro narrowed his eyes and said, “Only Brother Draig doesn’t need to kneel here. All the other men have no right to speak to me on their feet! It’s decided by strength!” He spoke in a deep and intimidating voice, expressing his displeasure. Everyone sensed the anger in his tone. With his intimidating presence, he would not allow an unruly person to disrupt the situation he had under control. He deliberately held back from the first strike because he wanted the overwhelming presence that he had created to force Kaze down on his knees. Such a way that targeted one’s mentality was smarter and more effective. “Kaze, you idiot! Why aren’t you down on your kn
“Huh?” Jiro frowned but then quickly smiled. He took the glass of whiskey from Cyan and said, “I’m always happy to give a beautiful woman some space.” Cyan breathed a sigh of relief. She turned around to face Kaze with a different look and said, “Kaze, what have you done? “Can you stop causing trouble? Stop bragging and stop with your nonsense! This is no time for that! Kneel before Mr. Sakamoto and ask for forgiveness! If he’s happy, your punishment might be lighter!” The look on her face screamed resentment for Kaze. “Now! If you waste this chance, I won’t care about your life and death anymore!” She did not want to get involved in his nonsense. Yet she was the one who organized the gathering and if something happened to Kaze, injured or dead, her father would scold her to death. It explained why she steeled herself up and tried to save Kaze, or so she assumed she was saving him.Kaze said, “Cyan, you should worry about yourself first. And, if you don’t want to be thei
“Nonsense!” Infuriated, Jiro shouted, “Woman, Bronze Sparrow thrives because of us Ryokanians! How dare you say that to us? “Who the hell are you? Not even Zoro, the previous manager, spoke to me like that!” “That’s why Zoro is dead.” Miru pursed her lips and raised her hand at the men behind her. “Let’s show Mr. Sakamoto what Bronze Sparrow is capable of.” “Alright, Boss!” Wolf, with an ever-smiley face, stepped up and walked toward Jiro and his men. Aside from the three Ryokanians Kaze had already taken down, eighteen remained. Seeing Wolf's bloated figure and cheerful smile as he approached them by himself, the Ryokanians burst into mocking laughter. “What is this fat guy trying to do? Is he trying to take us all at once?” “Look at his size. Was he a sumo wrestler before?” “Go get him. Teach him a lesson! Remind him that sumo wrestlers are no match for us!” One of them went up to Wolf with a ferocious smile. Bang! Wolf punched the man in the face, sending
Everyone looked at where Jiro was pointing and saw Kaze. Wesley and the others immediately curled their lips into a gloating grin. Kaze’s words must have infuriated Jiro. He allowed others to leave except for Kaze, which he wanted to take away. One could only imagine what would happen to Kaze if Jiro took him back. However, before Wesley and the others could savor the moment, their smirks froze. Miru shook her head and said sternly, “Bronze Sparrow is open for business and we will not interfere with our customer’s private affairs, except this time. “I am making an exception for Kaze. I don’t care what you do to the others after you walk out of my place but with Kaze, it’s not happening.” “What the…” Miru’s words put everyone in shock, even Cyan and her friends widened their eyes in disbelief. Miru was defending Kaze?! Kaze knew Miru personally as well? Draig started to feel jealous about Kaze’s luck with women. Snow listened to him while the owner of Bronze Sp
“Hold on!” Just as Jiro turned around, a voice came from the back, saying, “Jiro Sakamoto, was it? Did I say you could leave?” Jiro was stunned. He slowly turned around to Kaze and raised his brow. “What do you mean?” Cyan and the others were also in shock. ‘Did I say you could leave?!’ Kaze was practically saying that without his permission, Jiro could not leave. The audacity!? Was it because Miru defended him and he thought he could step on the pride of the face of the Refined Blade Dojo? Miru frowned but quickly eased up. She stepped aside without saying anything. Kaze stood firm and still, saying, “I’m like you. I don’t like serving revenge cold. If you want to take revenge, come at me now. I’ll give you a chance to strike.” He gestured at Jiro, indicating that he was ready for a fight. Jiro looked at Miru and then switched his attention back to Kaze. He scoffed, but it felt icy. “I’ve already spared your life once because of Ms. Scarlet, and you are still c
Cyan simply watched from the side without a hint of guilt. She believed she had done everything that she could for Kaze. Even if Kaze were to be beaten to death, he deserved it and he could not blame it on anyone else. Jiro was stunned for a moment. When he was learning from his master, he was slapped many times and it was part of the training. It had been many years since his last slap. Kaze’s slap rendered his mind blank for a while. He finally regained his composure after some time. He stroked his burning cheek as he stared at Kaze with eyes burning with anger, almost materializing into an erupting, raging volcano. “It has been a long time since anyone slapped me. Arcadian, you are dead!” Jiro’s freezing words gave everyone chills. It was obvious that he was infuriated. Kaze was not deterred at all. He smiled and said, “Slap is nothing. I will make you kneel in front of me. “A coward like Wesley cannot represent us Arcadians, but your claim of making us kneel p
Dwight gave some suggestions. “But I’m worried about being a nuisance to your family.” Kaze remained hesitant, torn between decisions. “No, you won’t. I usually live alone. They stay somewhere else. They barely visit. I’ll just let them know not to visit for now,” Dwight replied. Dwight figured out what was in it for him. He could not let Kaze leave. “I don’t want to put your family in an awkward position.”Kaze was still considering the matter. “Relax. They don’t live with me anyway. The room I have for you is tidy. No one has stayed there before.“I’ll hire some help to freshen up the place. I can guarantee you an experience no less than at the hotel.” Dwight spoke with great confidence. “We should finish our food and doggie-bag the rest. I’ll take you to my place.” Dwight was ready to get things going. Kaze took the offer and nodded. “I’ll be in your care then.” Kaze was glad that his plan went through. Dwight had no idea that he got played. Nevertheless,
“I’m new to the place, so I don’t know much. Can you show me around when you’re available?” “No problem, but I usually have some stuff to take care of. I can’t be there 24/7. “Why don’t you propose to the branch that you want me to be your guide and attendant?” Dwight suggested. There was no telling whether Kaze would accept his proposal, but it was an opportunity to prove himself. He was never involved in the core operation. Often enough, he was the branch members’ punching bag. Though Dwight was aware that he was not good enough for the big stuff, he still wanted to succeed. Kaze was the trusted aide of the Butterworth Branch chief. He was in Westeros for a reason. By joining Kaze, Dwight would come across the major players. Kaze saw through Dwight’s plans. “Sure. I’ll do that.” Kaze did not mind the request. “Great. I’ll let them know on your behalf. I’ll be responsible for your needs while in the city.” Dwight was overjoyed at the opportunity. “So you live
“You must be rich. I often see rich people picking tabs for everybody. Talk about extravagance.” The tension in the air was lifted when Kaze offered to pay for everything. “I’m not. Consider it an apology,” Kaze explained, not wanting to cause unnecessary misunderstandings. He did not see the point of continuing the conversation. Dwight’s angry screams came from outside. “What the hell is this? I only ordered a bunch of stuff. Why am I being charged an exorbitant amount?“What do you mean my friend is paying for everybody? That’s throwing money away,” Dwight said while storming his way over. “I know you have money, but you shouldn’t do this, Mr. Lee.” Dwight did not approve of this type of generosity. “You rubbed them the wrong way. It was only right to apologize. Besides, it’s not a lot of money.” Kaze looked at the bill and handed a bank card to Dwight. “It’s my treat.” The consumption was barely a dent in Kaze’s savings. The meal did not cost more than his us
Kaze observed as the jeep took off further off course, past the towering buildings to a run-down neighborhood. “This is where I usually reside. My home is not too far away, but I think you might have trouble adapting to this place.” Dwight did not forget to book Kaze a hotel. Kaze could not possibly stay with him. The hotel was around the area anyway. “Didn’t you say that you haven’t tried the local cuisine? I’ll take you out for a bite. “The barbecue ribs here are to die for. We’ve got the dry-rubbed and saucy kind.” Dwight parked the car and hopped out right away. Opposite the parking lot was not the cleanest food joint. Looking in from the outside, Kaze realized that the place was packed. Kaze understood that the restaurant must be known for some kind of dish. The customers were from all walks of life, so the food must be great. “There’s not much to see here, but the food is tasty. If you don’t mind, we can order something inside.” Kaze was not particularly con
Dwight was surprised and curious as to who Kaze really was. From what he gathered, Kaze was a confidante of the Butterworth Branch chief. The purpose of Kaze’s visit was to learn and share. Dwight worked on the fringes, so his access to information was limited. Nevertheless, he got the feeling that Kaze was just an ordinary guy just like him. The only difference was that Kaze was lucky to rub shoulders with important people. Dwight did not get chances like that. “Who are the most influential people in the Viper’s Den Westeros Branch?” Kaze asked in the car. Dwight was taken aback by the question. Still, he had an answer to that. “So you don’t know much about the situation?” Dwight suddenly felt important. “Well, I’m new to the city. I will be running into them soon, so I need to make sure I get my facts right,” Kaze said humbly. This was Dwight’s shot, and he needed to present his best. “Relax, Kaze. I’ll tell you everything I know.” Dwight would reveal some info
Kaze glanced at the flowers. There was a card for well-wishes too.Curious, Kaze reached out to read the card. It was written, “To my eternal lover and sweetheart.” Dwight grabbed Kaze’s bag. Since the sign in his hand was getting in the way, Dwight tossed the placard in the trash can. As Dwight turned his head back, he saw Kaze reading the card that came with the flowers. He tried to stop Kaze, but it was too late. Dwight had not attended to a guest of high importance before. The task was assigned to him at the last minute. In the past, Dwight was usually on the sidelines, never getting close to major matters. He would always get the small, insignificant jobs. Dwight often bought drinks for his superiors to build connections. However, he had always been kept out of the loop. Now that an opportunity had fallen onto his lap, Dwight was not about to let it slip. He wanted to show what he could do. When Dwight arrived at the airport for the pick-up, most people car
The incident did not sit well with Kaze, so he left them out to dry. After much searching, Kaze came across a café. Kaze bought a cup of coffee. Cupping the drink between his hands, Kaze sipped slowly. Many passengers swarmed the arrival hall in the airport, dragging along their luggage or pulling out their phones to get a pick-up. They all had a destination, a place they had to be in a rush. Intrigued, Kaze followed the crowd out. Kaze turned on his phone, and a text message from his airport pick-up came in. He glanced at the message, curious about who the person was. Nevertheless, Kaze trusted that the Westeros Branch members would not set him up out in the open. At most, they would pull little stunts to mess with him. Kaze was not the type to sweat the small stuff. However, he would not tolerate any extreme behavior. He had been keeping a low profile back in Butterworth, keeping the limelight off him. The purpose was to handle Jet without unnecessary complicati
“Alright. I will work hard to be the manager of the Northborn Group. You need to show me the ropes and teach me about management.” Leah looked at Katie with a smile. She believed Katie had not lost her mind. Katie simply had her memory mixed up. “You need to keep your people in line and reward those who deserve it. It all boils down to profits. “You need to work toward managing your people and working with rivals. You’ve got to keep the balance, and nobody loses out. “You need to build your own system when it comes to working together. Don’t be led around by the nose.” Hearing that Leah would start work soon, Katie imparted her knowledge. “Don’t worry too much about things. Joey is nice. You can go to her for help,” Katie said earnestly. Katie seemed to be herself at the moment. Leah wondered if Katie faked her insanity to escape the punishment. “What have become of you? Did they do something to you? “Did you really betray Kaze?” Leah whispered while leaning close
Leah kept working on her knowledge until late into the night. Just as she was about to hit the sack, she got a message from Snow. Learning was a hard enough process. The text message came out of the blue. Leah did not expect Snow to contact her at night. The message was strange as well. Leah could not understand why Snow would give her the address of a nursing home. Leah was determined to turn things around. She strived to become stronger instead of being a burden. She was grateful for Kaze’s help. At least, she had a job now. However, her gratitude was not extended to Snow. She believed Snow had gone too far. Snow left her feeling powerless. Leah did not think much about the message. She assumed that the text was not meant for her. Since Leah did not respond to the text, Snow put the matter aside and went to bed. Leah called Snow the next day. “Why did you send me an address?” Leah went straight to the question. She had been equipping herself with knowledge before