This was to numb him, to make him secretly believe he still held the upper hand.
It was also to mislead him, leading him to focus on family internal strife and seeking allies.
Then, once he found his allies, targeted incidents began to erge.
Hanakaiin Haru could guarantee that regardless of whether Jason was found or not, today’s scene would still unfold.
And it would be even more unrestrained.
After all, ’Master Tongshou Temple’ has considerable renown in the ’Inside World’.
Had it been soone else?
By this ti, they would already be wavering.
You see, it was the Hanakaiin Family!
Well aware of his own family’s prestige, Hanakaiin Haru now felt a touch of relief.
He was thankful that his chosen collaborator was Jason.
Seeing the expressionless Jason, Hanakaiin Haru sighed in relief once again.
As long as Jason remained unwavering, he still had ans to turn the tide at this mont.
"Slander ?"
"You think..."
Hanakaiin Haru began to speak.
He didn’t just want to refute Hanakaiin Itsuki; he wanted to bite back at him.
However, just as he opened his mouth, Hanakaiin Haru stopped.
Because Jason was striding directly towards Hanakaiin Itsuki.
What was Jason up to?
Hanakaiin Haru was stunned.
Master Tongshou Temple Monk, Miss Sagaraso, Ryosuke, and Urashima were all stunned as well.
They were all guessing what Jason was about to do.
Hanakaiin Itsuki, on the other hand, was smirking.
"What? You want to discard the gift Hanakaiin Haru gave you?"
"Let tell you, even if you give up, you will still be punished!"
Hanakaiin Itsuki, heeding his instructions, exerted an air of superiority to its fullest.
He wanted to enrage Hanakaiin Haru.
As for Jason?
He was an even better choice.
If Jason were enraged and attacked him, all he needed was to capture Jason and, in front of Hanakaiin Haru, humiliate him.
Then, Hanakaiin Haru would surely intervene.
Moreover, Jason was so cooperative in approaching.
It couldn’t be any better!
Thinking this, Hanakaiin Itsuki began to utter his most humiliating words.
"Want to let you go?"
"Fine."
"Co, kneel—"
Bang!
Hanakaiin Itsuki’s words were not yet complete when they were interrupted by Jason’s fist.
This punch landed heavily on Hanakaiin Itsuki’s face.
The self-satisfied Hanakaiin Itsuki had no ti to react.
It wasn’t until the pain set in that Hanakaiin Itsuki realized what had happened.
I’ve been hit?!
It hurts!
Then, everything went black.
Thump!
Hanakaiin Itsuki fell to the ground and passed out.
anwhile—
"Kill!"
A low roar, the ’ally’ who had been hiding in the shadows for a long ti made their move.
The person, like an arrow released from a bow yet completely silent, appeared behind Jason, and with the dagger in hand, aid for Jason’s back.
Swish!
Following the sound of the dagger cutting through the air—
Clang!
A clash of tal.
Sparks flying everywhere.
Then, brilliant light.
"Ah!"
The ’ally’ let out a frantic cry.
The voice stopped abruptly.
Accompanied by the sound of flesh being sliced.
Master Tongshou Temple Monk swiftly covered Miss Sagaraso’s eyes with his hands and retreated backward with her.
Ryosuke, reacting a bit slower, grabbed Urashima and blocked Miss Sagaraso’s view with their bodies as soon as he realized what was happening.
So scenes were indeed not suitable for Miss Sagaraso to witness.
But Hanakaiin Haru saw it.
Even the groggily awakened Hanakaiin Itsuki saw it.
The blade dripping with blood.
A head dripping with blood.
Jason, with a calm expression, holding a knife in one hand and the ’ally’s’ head in the other.
Under the evening’s fading glow, Jason’s entire figure was stained red, but the shadows’ darkness beca even more profound, making Jason’s presence flicker ominously and ominously intense.
Especially when Jason lifted his head, revealing those utterly unfluctuating eyes.
Cold, rciless.
Filling the field of view.
A sensation of being preyed upon by a superior predator arose.
Instantly, the ominous intensity turned to terror.
"Aaaaaaah!"
Just awakened, Hanakaiin Itsuki was startled.
The once arrogant young man scrambled and ran backwards.
Jason did not pursue.
He casually tossed aside the head, his gaze shifting towards Hanakaiin Haru.
"Let’s go, it’s ti to eat."
Jason said in such a manner.
"Okay."
Hanakaiin Haru nodded dumbly.
Up to this mont, this young man from the Hanakaiin Family hadn’t grasped what had happened.
Everything occurred too swiftly.
From Jason’s intervention to the slaying of the ’assistant,’ it all happened in the blink of an eye.
Everyone felt as though they were trapped in a dream.
That’s why nobody noticed Jason’s imperceptible glance.
The watcher has left!
The mont he killed the ’assistant,’ the watcher had departed.
It’s clear that the other party was wary of ’Tongshou Temple.’
The Hanakaiin Family is one of the four major Onmyoji clans.
Tongshou Temple also has a long and storied heritage.
The reputation established by successive generations of Masters of Tongshou Temple isn’t unwarranted.
Especially given the scarcity of the Tongshou Temple’s mbers.
Though ’scarcity’ often carries a negative connotation, that’s not the case before a battle where all is laid aside.
Because with fewer concerns, there are fewer restraints.
If one chooses to act, they simply do so.
But it’s different for the Hanakaiin Family.
Despite having the main house in place, there are nurous branch families as well.
With the multitude of constraints, one would definitely hesitate before taking action.
They might even fail to co to an agreent at all.
Therefore, Jason wasn’t at all worried about the Hanakaiin Family’s stance.
They might be unfriendly, but they definitely wouldn’t make a move so quickly.
They would likely wait until—
’The King of Fighters - The KOF Tournant’!
That is also what Jason was focused on.
He didn’t know whether his recent performance could be ’perfectly’ conveyed.
A body hard and powerful.
But slow to react.
Exemplary in weapon use, but weaker in hand-to-hand combat.
These were the pieces of information he wanted others to know, and they had to be conveyed correctly!
Jason thought to himself quietly.
...
Clack, clack!
Amidst the crisp sound of Go pieces being placed, a smile gradually ford on Hanakaiin Tōru’s face.
Hanakaiin Ra, on the other hand, wore a look of resignation.
"Tōru bro, you’re too strong, aren’t you?"
"Even though you gave a three-piece handicap, why did I still lose?"
Hanakaiin Ra complained.
"You’re too impatient."
"Under such favorable conditions, you still pressed step by step."
"That’s how I seized the opportunity to kill the big dragon."
Hanakaiin Tōru said with a smile.
"But when the situation is already so favorable, shouldn’t I push harder?"
Hanakaiin Ra furrowed his brow, his face filled with confusion.
"Are you asking about how to play Go?"
"Or are you talking about Hanakaiin Ue and Hanakaiin Itsuki?"
Hanakaiin Tōru asked back with a smile.
"Both, both."
Hanakaiin Ra said with an embarrassed smile.
"Them... they are too impatient."
"Just like you."
"Outsiders are, after all, outsiders."
Hanakaiin Tōru spoke with an implied aning.
"I understand, Tōru bro."
Hanakaiin Ra nodded his head, then he sorted the black and white Go stones and put them into their respective bowls, before continuing, "Shall we have another ga?"
However, Hanakaiin Tōru waved his hand dismissively.
"No more gas."
"Your mind is disturbed."
"Continuing to play would also end in a loss."
Hanakaiin Tōru sighed listlessly.
"Tōru bro, you’re looking for an opponent of equal strength, huh?"
"What do you think about that new guy? His debut was astonishing, instantly taking Haru’s place."
Hanakaiin Ra didn’t insist, but instead sat cross-legged in front of Hanakaiin Tōru, eagerly inquiring about that ’newly risen guy.’
"Do you believe in coincidences?"
Hanakaiin Tōru asked in return.
"No."
Hanakaiin Ra shook his head.
"So, what do you think about a guy who appears so coincidentally?"
Hanakaiin Tōru asked again.
"It’s..."
Hanakaiin Ra instinctively wanted to say sothing, but was stopped by a gesture from Hanakaiin Tōru.
Hanakaiin Ra’s pupils contracted.
Instantly, he realized sothing.
Right away, this young mber of the Hanakaiin Family stood up to take his leave.
As soon as he left the courtyard and made sure no one was around, the young man imdiately made a phone call—
"Hello, Yamashita."
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