Myojo Shigen felt the situation was getting complicated.
The first time she met Seitenshi, an assassin targeted the Holy Emperor, wiping out her entire guard detail. Fortunately, Myojo's own bodyguards were competent enough to drive the killer away. Though it was a close call, Myojo was left puzzled. She could understand someone wanting to kill Seitenshi, but why did it happen when she was present?
This time, she witnessed an even more brutal scene. The meeting room in Tokyo's command center was filled with the city's top military brass, a place so critical that a single grenade could throw Tokyo's leadership into chaos. But what got thrown in wasn't a grenade; it was a walking nuclear bomb!
Almost everyone in Tokyo knew how Scorpio died. Altair had dragged the massive Gastrea to a spot less than five kilometers from Tokyo's Monoliths. With its enormous body and the official announcements, every resident was aware of Scorpio's arrival, and then everyone saw the Black Dragon obliterate it with a single blast.
Few knew, however, that the Black Dragon could transform into a human. Myojo was one of those in the know, thanks to the Soma Corporation's private intelligence network and satellite surveillance. She was also aware that Kikunojo Tendo had invited her to discuss whether the Soma Corporation had any weapons capable of countering the Black Dragon. So, she was well-informed about the situation.
Yet, she never expected this human-formed Black Dragon to storm into Tokyo and cut down Kikunojo Tendo.
Seriously, killing others is one thing, but taking out Kikunojo Tendo? He was the mastermind steering Tokyo! His death would plunge the city into chaos!
What baffled Myojo the most was that this Black Dragon struck again while she was present. Even more absurdly, this walking nuclear bomb, after killing Kikunojo Tendo, was supposedly on his way to assassinate Seitenshi but was driven off by her bodyguards' handguns.
What a joke! Those handguns couldn't possibly pierce the Black Dragon's hide, yet they managed to scare him off? Since when were her bodyguards that formidable?
Could there be some hidden powerhouse among her bodyguards, someone so fearsome that even the Black Dragon didn't dare face them and fled on sight?
It wasn't Myojo's fault for overthinking. This had happened twice now, and it was just too strange.
This was a guy who could wipe out Tokyo with a single blast, yet he was driven off twice by ordinary people with handguns. No matter how you looked at it, it seemed fake.
"You lot, do any of you know that guy?" Myojo demanded, gathering her bodyguards and questioning them directly.
The bodyguards looked utterly confused, exchanging glances before shaking their heads. They genuinely didn't know Altair. This was only their second encounter with him, assuming he was just some assassin. They had no idea he was the one who took down Scorpio.
Seeing her bodyguards deny any connection, Myojo wasn't ready to give up. She pressed further.
"Don't worry about the Soma Corporation doing anything to you. Someone like that would be invaluable to us. If you're willing to come forward, you'll be treated as an honored guest of the Soma family. I swear it on our name."
Myojo spoke earnestly, and the bodyguards listened just as seriously. But the problem was, none of them actually knew Altair. Lying to Myojo was out of the question, getting caught would mean death.
So, one by one, the bodyguards kept shaking their heads. "No, no, really, we don't know him!"
Seeing not a single one of them admit to anything, Myojo felt a pang of disappointment.
"Miss, we were all recruited by the president back in the day. We don't know that guy." The head bodyguard finally spoke up.
"Really?"
"Really. We were all brought in at the same time. We don't know him."
"Fine." Myojo relented, giving up.
But this only deepened her confusion. If none of her bodyguards knew him, why did this Black Dragon flee twice because of them?
It didn't add up, unless the Black Dragon was putting on an act, trying to pin something on her.
But that made no sense either. The Soma Corporation held a lofty position, deeply intertwined with the Tokyo government. The Tokyo Self-Defense Force and the city's Civil Security agencies relied entirely on Soma Corporation's weapons, which held a 90% market share. The remaining 10% were industries Soma didn't bother with. Their interests were tightly bound to the government, so there was no reason to assassinate Seitenshi or Kikunojo Tendo.
Unless… there was another possibility. Her bodyguards didn't know the Black Dragon, but he knew them. He was working for the Soma family, for her father!
Though Myojo managed the Soma Corporation's operations in Tokyo, the true head of the family was her father, who wasn't currently in the city.
In that moment, Myojo's mind spun a massive conspiracy. Her father had put her in charge of Tokyo's affairs while he operated from abroad, secretly hiring extraordinary assassins to control the city!
No, if he had access to such immense power, it wouldn't stop at Tokyo. He could be making moves in other cities too. With that kind of strength, no one could stand in his way.
Her father must have uncovered some hidden knowledge or joined a secret organization overseas, fueling ambitions beyond being a mere businessman. He wanted to become a national leader!
Myojo's mind pieced together an elaborate plot, complete with intricate details and motivations. Satisfied with her deductions, she nodded to herself.
As for evidence, she could verify it.
Eagerly, Myojo dialed her father's number.
"Father."
"Myojo, what's the matter?"
"Father, I have a question."
"Go ahead."
"Is there a secret international organization with access to advanced technology?"
Myojo lowered her voice, stepping away from her bodyguards, who she assumed were unaware of the truth. If they didn't know, she'd keep them in the dark.
After her question, there was a long silence on the other end of the line. Finally, a response came.
"Myojo, you've figured it out too, haven't you?"
She was right! The Black Dragon was working for the Soma family!
***
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