Dragon Raja: Reboot

Chapter 157 Dream (Part 1)

Atami is located at the end of the Izu Peninsula, and this coastal city is a famous hot spring resort.

Tokugawa Ieyasu, the founder of the Edo Shogunate, liked to bathe in Atami after major battles, which is why Atami became famous.

Atop the high cliff stands a black wall, from which cherry blossoms drift and float towards the sea.

Tonight, Sagami Bay was calm until a strong wind suddenly descended from the sky, scattering the cherry blossoms and making it look like a pink snowstorm was falling in the garden.

The helicopter hovered in mid-air, the cabin door opened, and a girl in a white dress jumped out, her white dress blooming like flowers in mid-air.

Akira Sakurai followed closely behind.

He was a little nervous. On the way here, he asked Mr. Mako what kind of person he was. Mako said that he was very similar to the adult, after all, they were brothers.

Akira Sakurai then realized that the editor, Mr. Sawa, who had been encouraging him all along, was actually the adult's younger brother.

They jumped into the villa courtyard built on a high cliff. The hot spring pool in the courtyard was a natural bluestone trough. The stonemasons used copper pipes to introduce hot spring water, forming this warm and jade-like soaking pool.

A tall, ancient cherry tree blooms above the hot spring pool.

"This cherry tree is called the Kanzakura. The Kanzakura blooms earlier than other cherry blossoms, and its blooming signifies that the 'cherry blossom season' is sweeping across Japan," Mako explained to Akira Sakurai as she walked ahead.

Akira Sakurai gazed at the falling cherry blossoms for a long time, almost greedily imprinting the scene into his mind.

Cherry blossoms are Japan's national flower. Every year in March and April, cherry blossoms bloom in succession from the warm south to the north, and the pink cherry blossom tide advances northward, forming a line known as the "cherry blossom front".

The cherry blossoms are beautiful.

But Akira Sakurai had only seen him on television.

Even though he saw cherry blossoms in many places during this trip, he still felt that he could never get enough of such a scene.

What a luxury it is to soak in a hot spring like this while watching cherry blossoms fall gently overhead.

"Oh, and remember to call him 'Boss' later," Mako instructed, turning around.

"The boss?" Sakurai Akira asked in surprise.

"Yeah, that's what everyone calls you. There's a saying, 'When in Rome, do as the Romans do.'" Mako bent down, picked up a wooden bucket, and handed it to Sakurai Akira. "The hot spring water is ready. Look at you, all disheveled. Go and rest up. The boss doesn't like reckless guys."

Akira Sakurai took the wooden tub and turned to walk towards the hot spring.

A moment later, he changed into the prepared men's kimono, put on wooden clogs, and, led by Mako, walked along the cherry blossom path towards the main house.

The wooden clogs made a clattering sound all the way, which Sakurai Akira found quite unsettling. Although he was Japanese, this was the first time in his life he had ever worn such things, including the men's kimono he was wearing.

The moment the sliding door was opened, sunlight rushed in, and dust particles in the air danced in the beams of light.

It was less like a grand mansion and more like the palace of a daimyo from the Warring States period. It was several tens of meters long and wide, but the dust reflected the sunlight so brightly that Sakurai Akira could not see the end of the house.

The floor was made of natural wood, with white silk and paintbrushes scattered all over it. The pillars were painted a beautiful red and decorated with golden irises.

A figure resembling a warrior from the Warring States period knelt with his back to the sunlight, while busy servants circled around him, dressing him in "Southern Barbarian Armor" with red lacquer and gold flowers. This iron armor, exuding a strong Warring States style, was so alluring that it was breathtaking, with a huge golden crescent moon standing on the helmet.

Although he sat motionless, the noble warrior exuded an awe-inspiring majesty, sitting there like a king.

The servant who was busy dressing him was wearing a burgundy leather trench coat and a silver cross necklace. Judging from his attire, he was not very classy and probably just looked like a cosplayer from an Akihabara street game.

Sakurai Akira stared at the figure, who resembled a Sengoku period samurai, as if facing a formidable enemy.

The body dressed in the southern barbarian tunic was a red skeleton, kneeling with its bony hands resting on its knees.

Upon closer inspection, Akira Sakurai discovered that this skeleton was significantly different from that of a normal person. Humans have only 206 bones, while he had over a thousand. His ribs were densely packed like a comb, and his back had a fan-shaped skeleton that contracted and unfolded into the shape of wings.

What made Sakurai Akira feel like he was facing a formidable enemy was the awe-inspiring majesty that still emanated from the dead skeleton!

That is the majesty of a monarch, the pinnacle of the dragon bloodline, an existence that all hybrids must look up to!

"Finished!" The servant jumped up, clapping his hands with a smile, then turned to look at Mako and Sakurai Akira. "Oh, Akira-kun, you're here too? How was it? What were your thoughts after meeting our Amaterasu-sensei?"

He looked very young, and his attire suggested he was a teenager who was hopelessly addicted to games. Yet, Sakurai Akira dared not show the slightest disrespect, whether it was because of the other party's identity as "Editor Sawa" or his status as the younger brother of the adult, which made him genuinely respect him.

And Mako wasn't wrong... he really did sense an aura similar to that of an adult from this person!

Sakurai Akira respectfully replied, "It's beyond my current capabilities."

"You're quite self-aware!" The boss smiled at Sakurai Akira. "How's your familiarity with the Bloodline Mark's abilities coming along?"

"We're still in the exploratory stage," Sakurai Akira answered honestly.

He is indeed still exploring the Bloodline Mark ability, and this ability, which can temporarily enhance him to the level of a pure-blooded dragon, is difficult to control.

Orochi possesses the ability to manipulate its own bloodline, forcibly refining it to achieve a physical body that reaches the level of a pure-blooded dragon.

Even among pure-blooded dragons, there are differences.

All pure-blooded dragons can be classified as "Ancient Species".

In the era when dragons ruled the world, only the first, second, and third generations of dragons could be called "ancient species." These dragons all had the title of king and ruled their own territories. For example, any third-generation king could rule the entire Balkan Peninsula. When he was enraged, he could kill tens of thousands of people in one night.

"Among the Eight Snake Clan, Genjiro is considered to possess imperial blood. Imperial blood can also be seen as a bloodline mark, and also a key—a key to a world lost for far too long. You should be familiar with that world, since you go there every night," the boss said with a smile, then suddenly asked, "Do you know how many bones Genjiro has?"

Sakurai Akira was taken aback, his gaze falling on the figure resembling a Sengoku period samurai, and then becoming serious.

"You guessed right." The boss chuckled. "The Emperor's skeleton is completely different from that of humans, and it is also very different from that of ordinary hybrids. Genjiro has thousands of bones like a dragon, and these bones can be tightly integrated into one when necessary, entering the dragon bone state. In the dragon bone state, Genjiro's body alone is almost at the level of a pure-blooded dragon."

"You need to rely on Orochi to reach this level, but the Emperor only needs to integrate his own power to reach the pure blood level."

"Those who possess royal blood are born this way, and although you have received your brother's bloodline mark, your body has already been fixed. Unless you can endure the excruciating pain of rebirth and complete an 'evolution,' you will never be able to catch up with the emperor's footsteps. The incomplete version of Orochi is your limit."

Sakurai Akira listened quietly to the master's teachings, and only after the boss finished speaking did he bow his head and say, "Please guide me on the path ahead, sir."

"Sure, sure. Since I'm planning to launch your career, I don't mind giving you a hand," the boss said with a smile. "By the way, Xiao Ming, I've heard some interesting rumors lately. I heard you saw another path in your destiny. Would you mind sharing your dream with me?"

"Of course, it's my honor."

……

……

It was 11 p.m.

Caesar wasn't at the Academy, but in a penthouse suite at a hotel in Chicago.

The room was pitch black; he didn't turn on the light, but the glow of his laptop illuminated his cold, stern face in the darkness.

"Fenrir is dead, but he is not dead." — Freya

Caesar frowned and typed, "What does that mean?"

This is the Hunter website's private messaging channel. To avoid Norma's surveillance of the entire academy, he deliberately left the academy and came here.

The death of the King of Earth and Mountains has been confirmed by the Academy.

Although the key details could not be confirmed, based on the circumstances at the time, everyone had to believe that the Dragon King had indeed been killed.

At that time, all the hybrids in BJ felt the power of the Word of Power called "Shiva's Dance of Karma" affecting the entire city. The Kamaitachi erupted, the Nibelungen Cave opened, and everything was a sign of the end times. Without killing the Dragon King, the outcome could not be changed.

The young man who was the only one to emerge alive from the Nibelungen was naturally regarded by everyone as the hero who slew the dragon.

His name is Lu Mingfei.

Afterwards, the parties found the Nibelungen in the Beijing subway, which was the cave where the Dragon King had hidden. It was an abandoned military train warehouse. They found some traces, but no one could open the door to that world anymore.

If Lu Mingfei hadn't killed the King of Earth and Mountains, then the [Shiva Karma Dance] would have destroyed the entire city.

Freya: "The King of the Earth and Mountains is indeed dead, but Fenrir is not. I can sense that guy is still alive and well, having a great time!"

Caesar: "?"

Freya: "Tsk, little Caesar is so stupid, he can't even understand this."

Caesar's temple throbbed: "Is all you can do? A riddle?"

Since Freya revealed her identity to him in a nearly public manner last time, he has tried to communicate with her several times, but whenever it comes to key issues, she always gives vague answers or says things that no normal person can understand.

Freya: "Hehe, being a riddle solver is really fun!"

Caesar took a deep breath: "Tell me, what is your relationship with my mother?"

Freya: "We're such good sisters! Little Kai Kai, call her Auntie! [Laughs loudly with hands on hips]"

"She's dead."

A pale fluorescent light illuminated Caesar's expressionless face as he mechanically typed on the keyboard.

"If you really were her sister, why didn't I see you at the funeral?"

Then came a long silence.

If the other person's avatar hadn't remained lit up, he would have suspected that Freya had run away again.

Freya: "What difference does it make whether you know or not? Sometimes not knowing is a blessing. Enjoy your last moments of happiness. Your mother will be watching over you as a bright star in the sky. All I can tell you is to be careful of those around you; the stab in the back from your closest loved ones is often the most painful."

Her profile picture went gray.

Caesar silently put down his notebook, lay down on the soft bed, and glanced at the dark sky outside the window.

Just like that night, there were no stars in the sky tonight, and the sky was covered with dark, swirling clouds.

He felt a little cold, pulled the blanket up, closed his eyes, and fell asleep.

……

……

"Lord, let the departed rest in peace, and let eternal light shine upon their spirits!"

"Lord, your children sing your name in Zion, and your supreme voice in Jerusalem!"

"Lord, hear our prayers! All will eventually come before you to be judged!"

"Lord, please have mercy on us."

The Requiem Mass is music used by the Catholic Church to mourn the dead.

The choral piece, intended as a memorial, played repeatedly through the loudspeaker, its ethereal quality echoing through the vast space like a bird separated from its flock.

This is the Milan Cathedral in Italy.

A grand and solemn funeral slowly came to an end, and the mourners dispersed one after another. The Gothic cathedral seemed particularly empty at this moment, with violet curtains hanging from the dome and bunches of white roses illuminated by candlelight.

The central altar was filled with silver candlesticks, and in the center sat an exquisite hexagonal coffin.

The coffin lid was made of crystal glass so that mourners could clearly see the face of the deceased.

Through the crystal glass, sleeping among the white roses is a woman in a long white dress. She is so beautiful and so peaceful that one might mistake her for taking a nap, and dare not make a sound for fear of disturbing her tranquil and beautiful dream.

at this time.

Only one boy, about eleven or twelve years old, remained in the entire church.

He was dressed in a well-fitting black suit, with an exquisite white bow tie, and a crucifix on his chest. He had sea-blue eyes and dazzling golden hair.

The boy lay on the lid of the hexagonal coffin, examining the woman inside, and then looked up at the dome tens of meters high.

Through the glass dome window, he could see the night sky outside the church.

There were no stars that night; the sky was filled with dark, swirling clouds, and crows cawed monotonously and listlessly outside the church.

Where did the star that the woman transformed into go? Was it obscured by dark clouds?

The world is so quiet...

It was so quiet it seemed like he was the only one left.

But many others were whispering and laughing, crystal glasses clinking together, silver forks tapping on plates, and drunken men inviting women to dance, while women's slender heels slapped the floor...

It was as if a devil's feast was being held in the shadows.

A banquet was being held not far away.

According to church custom, after the funeral and the departure of the mourning guests, the family members gather for a Mass presided over by the pastor, followed by communion.

The banquet was in accordance with etiquette, but it was too lively, noisy and jubilant, like a grand celebration, which sounded so jarring to the boy's ears.

Are they celebrating the death of the woman in the coffin?

Clearly, these guys didn't want the boy to know how happy they were, so they deliberately held the party in the basement and carefully closed the heavy wooden door.

They believed that in places where the boys didn't know, they could have unrestrained and unbridled revelry.

But a tiny black shadow, invisible to ordinary people, "slipped" out through the crack in the door.

It is so light and thin, like a paper bat, there is no place in the world it cannot reach.

(End of this chapter)