Chapter 149 Distribution of the Holy Light Jade

Traces of Kagura suddenly appeared all across the Kanto region. Faced with so much news regarding Le'er, Heijiro found it completely impossible to tell which reports were genuine.

Sitting in his residence, he savored a cup of tea while gazing at those assembled with a solemn expression. "I trust you have all heard the reports from various locations. Out of more than ten places across the Kanto region where she has been spotted, only one is their true location."

Hosokawa Motoharu fell into deep thought. Holding a tablet, he reviewed the distribution map of Tokyo. The geographical locations he had received included Mitaka, Atsugi, Yokosuka, Yachimata, Koga, Ota, Minakami, Maebashi, Minowa, and Hachioji. Notably absent were Saitou's Namegawa-cho, the Nakajima family's Kumagaya, and any locations within the spheres of influence belonging to clans like his own Hosokawa family, which struck him as rather peculiar.

"Grandfather, what is wrong? Have you discovered something?" Heijiro asked, noticing his solemn expression.

Hosokawa Motoharu nodded and said, "Although it remains unclear, you must not forget, Jiro, that the loli panther is a ninja. It is impossible for them to have left through the airports, and our informants are watching the ports as well. Unless they managed to leave the Tokyo area, we have blockaded all other airports. Since we cannot be certain whether they are deliberately leaking false information to disrupt our search, what could their objective possibly be?"

"This..." The others looked at each other in blank dismay. After a brief pause, Motoharu continued, "The only thing I can think of is that they are plotting something. Given Nakajima Le'er's personality, once she recovered her supernatural abilities, she should have seized the position of head of the family. Yet these past few days, they have made not a single move. That makes one ponder."

"Could she be nearby, keeping us under surveillance?" Isshiki Shida suddenly realized, pointing toward the door with a grave expression.

Matsui Yoshikata slapped his thigh excitedly. "All the better! If she dares to show her face, I will capture her once more."

Seeing the others nodding in agreement, Heijiro crossed his arms and said, "If that is the case, she might come to assassinate me. Why bother going out to look for her?"

"Actually," Matsui Yoshikata said, his eyes rolling as he hatched a plan, "since she thinks she can lure us away, we might as well play along. As long as she dares to step foot into the Nakajima estate, she will walk right into our encirclement." Upon hearing this, everyone burst into laughter. "Hahaha, an excellent strategy, Matsui-kun! I am thoroughly impressed."

"Wait a moment. How will she be distributed after she is caught?" Saitou Masahara, however, could not manage a smile. If they captured Le'er, wouldn't he lose all his leverage? The question of who would ultimately possess the Sacred Light Jade remained unresolved, and he knew very well that everyone present was after the jade. When that time came, a bitter scramble would be inevitable, ultimately benefiting only other covetous clans lurking in the shadows.

"Saitou-sama need not be anxious. In truth, the Sacred Light Jade can be shared," Heijiro said, fully aware of the man's thoughts. This was a critical juncture, so he had to dangle some benefits. "Once we extract the Sacred Light Jade from Le'er's body, I will simply transfer a portion of its power into you."

Saitou Masahara was not cheered by these words. He had heard that inheriting the Sacred Light Jade required certain unknown and complex procedures. If he remained in the dark about how it would be divided, what good would it do? "You are the son of the Nakajima family head; you should know very well what steps are required to inherit the Sacred Light Jade. Though I am dull-witted, logic dictates it cannot be simply that easy! Hahaha..."

"Hahaha..." Heijiro understood his concerns. Even if a fragment of the Sacred Light Jade were given to him, he would be unable to integrate it. "Indeed, it is not as simple as it sounds. Wanting to merge with the Sacred Light Jade relies on more than just bloodline; it also requires passing trials. As for the nature of those trials, I have never witnessed them, so I remain unaware. Rumors say that those who attempt to inherit the Sacred Light Jade have only a twenty percent chance of success. For the sake of safety and survival, I have another, much more convenient method—utilizing modern technology. That way, the bloodline inheritance law can be bypassed, and the risks avoided."

"So that is how it is." The others stroked their beards thoughtfully.

"The traditional method of inheritance involves one person inheriting all the power. Through scientific means, however, the power can be divided into several portions and inherited by multiple people. Although the power is dispersed, no one knows how immense the power of the Sacred Light Jade truly is. Multiple inheritances would offset the burden on a single individual's tolerance."

"Very well! Since our objectives are aligned, our Saitou family will unconditionally support you in becoming the new head of the Nakajima family." Completely captivated by his words, Saitou Masahara cast aside his haughty dignity and bowed to him respectfully.

Hosokawa Motoharu was greatly astonished by this sudden shift, finding the contrast too jarring. "Saitou-sama is truly magnanimous. Yet, after all, Le'er is your own niece."

Saitou Masahara flicked his sleeve in displeasure. His respect for Nakajima Le'er had stemmed solely from her status within the family. Now that she had lost everything, she was no longer worthy of his humility. He had previously intended for her to become his daughter-in-law precisely because he considered her one of their own, but she had failed to appreciate his kindness, leaving him utterly disappointed. "Hmph! Has she ever treated me as an uncle? Siding with outsiders to deal with her own flesh and blood—allowing the Sacred Light Jade to fall into her hands was a grave mistake. What if she falls in love with the wrong person? Then the jade would truly fall into the hands of other families who covet it."

"Indeed, Saitou-sama speaks a great deal of sense. To put righteousness before family—I, Matsui Yoshikata, admire you."

"Then it is settled. As long as the four great families support my succession as the head of the Nakajima family, I certainly will not forget to reward you all in due time." Feeling exceptionally pleased, Heijiro raised his teacup in a toast. The others politely raised their cups in response. Looking at these families gathered purely for their own interests, he thought to himself that as long as he possessed the Sacred Light Jade, he would call all the shots. As for the division of spoils, he would simply toss them some scraps to dismiss them.

Draining their cups in unison, the various family heads departed the Nakajima residence one after another with their subordinates, heading toward those marked locations. At that exact moment, a swirling red vortex appeared within the forbidden grounds at the back mountain of the Nakajima estate. Kagura stepped out from it, closely followed by Dubin. A glance revealed that many bamboo leaves were planted here, with numerous cherry blossom trees standing in the center of the bamboo grove, though it was not the season for them to bloom.

"And here I thought I'd get to see cherry blossoms. Sigh, they're just covered in unbloomed buds."

Watching him act like a country bumpkin on his first trip to the big city, Kagura was left speechless. It was just cherry blossoms, after all—it wasn't as if he had never seen them before.

Passing beneath the cherry blossom trees, they arrived at a cavern. The entrance was sealed by a transparent barrier that was completely invisible to the naked eye, and several oddly shaped divine statues stood guard beside the cave mouth. Kagura approached the entrance, pressed her hand against the barrier, and a surge of energy connected with it.

The barrier rapidly parted to open a gap. Ignoring Dubin, she walked straight inside. Dubin looked around and followed her in; the moment he crossed the threshold, the gap closed and seamlessly restored itself.

"Whoa, it repairs itself automatically! Does that mean I won't be able to leave without you?"

"Naturally. Aside from me, no one can open this barrier."

Kagura snapped her fingers, and the oil lamps lining the cave walls instantly flickered to life one by one. Though somewhat dim, it provided enough light to see clearly. Following the path as it wound inward for several hundred meters, they finally reached the end, where a mountain shrine stood quietly.