Descent of the Demon Master-Chapter 1037: Going To Work (2)

The Iemoto calmly asked, “And the current situation is?”

“...It’s not looking good, sir.”

The Iemoto quietly stared at his prostrating subordinate.

The subordinate, kitted out in old-fashioned haori, kept his forehead buried in the floor as he resumed his report. “The backlash from all the gumis that lost their elite warriors is more severe than expected.”

“More than expected?”

“Yes, sir. Their issue being…” The subordinate nervously swallowed his saliva. “They ostensibly joined the grand conquest of the mainland through the peninsula, only to taste a complete annihilation even before stepping foot on the Korean soil…”

“Hmm?”

“...My apologies, sir.”

The Iemoto didn't need to hear the rest to know. Those who dare openly question his leadership must've reared their heads by now.

‘Hmph! A bunch of stinking dogs!’

This was what it meant to stand on top. No one complained while everything was plain sailing. However, when the crisis was afoot? Inevitably, those who stayed docile would erupt in dissatisfaction and criticize things they had no problem with until that moment.

Humans always looked to shift the blame to someone else. They always searched for an easy prey they could rip apart. That was human nature.

...And the Iemoto was also a slave to this nature.

“How futile.”

“…”

It took the Iemoto the better part of five decades to raise Shinichi-kai into Kansai’s greatest, strongest, most prosperous gumi.

Living in the martial world was the same as walking on a tightrope made of sharp blades. The greater the faction grew and gained fame, fortune, and favorable evaluation… The more dangerous it'd get for the martial artist leading it.

One's acclaim growing higher and higher meant the fall would be that much more dangerous. Precarious. Painful. The higher you rose, the more enemies wanting to bring you down would appear out of the woodwork.

Even so…

‘Over something so minor…!’

The Iemoto admitted that this failure hurt him deeply.

Although it was undeniable that Nakata Yuji had fanned the flames, the Iemoto was the one who went along with the fanning process in the first place.

The man standing at the top should not shift the blame to someone else. Saying he failed because of some other person’s suggestion was the same as admitting that he was a useless fool who couldn’t do anything by himself!

Something like that must never happen.

The mistakes of his subordinates meant he had failed to command them properly. If the opinions and advice from others had been faulty, the blame was still squarely on the Iemoto’s shoulders for failing to examine those opinions and making the right decisions.

Everything was the leader's fault. That was the belief the Iemoto adhered to throughout his life.

“...Sanosuke.”

“Yes, Iemoto!”

“Do you know from when things have started going wrong?”

“…!” The prostrating subordinate, Sanosuke, didn’t dare reply.

He had no idea what the answer was, but even if he knew, he wouldn’t dare blurt it out at this moment. Doing so would be insulting the Iemoto.

“This situation has unfolded in a rather bizarre fashion, don't you think?” The Iemoto chuckled slightly. “I never believed in Nakata Yuji's loyalty but still had faith in that man's capabilities. As long as he judged serving me would serve his interests… I believed I could entrust him with many delicate tasks.

“Yet the end result of my belief is this. He demonstrated his loyalty by proving how incompetent he was!”

Through death, Nakata Yuji fulfilled the Iemoto’s command. Through death, Nakata Yuji proved how useless he was!

How Nakata Yuji died seemed rather bizarre to the Iemoto. Especially considering what that man was like in life!

“I never thought of my eyes for people as lacking, but this loss… It is indeed painful.”

“Sir…!” Sanosuke somberly raised his voice. “Winds will always blow. Chasing after every single wind will prevent you from leaving behind a great legacy.”

“Winds, you say…” The Iemoto chuckled slightly.

That analogy seemed rather fitting, but it still depended on what type of winds they were talking about.

Gentle spring breezes could be ignored without any consequences, but what about the typhoon about to make landfall? Such a thing could not be ignored, now could it?

That was the situation facing the Iemoto. He was riding in a tiny boat and waiting for the storm to come. If Lady Luck was on his side, he’d get to live to see another day, but… Nine times out of ten, the boat would capsize.

He still hadn’t figured out what the correct response to this crisis was just yet. However, he knew praying to the heavens in the sinking boat wasn’t the answer. Now was the time to be more proactive.

The Iemoto glanced at Sanosuke. “So? What do they want?”

“Sir, I dare not say what…”

“No need to waste our time that way. Their demands won’t go away just because you’ve kept your mouth shut, after all.”

Sanosuke pressed his forehead even harder against the floor. “Please forgive this servant for saying something deeply offensive, but… The others demand you to step down immediately, sir.”

“My resignation, is it…? In other words, they wish to void Shinichi-kai’s authority over them?”

“…”

When Sanosuke didn’t reply, the Iemoto silently looked up at the ceiling.

‘How wicked, indeed…!’

Although it was human nature to grovel submissively when the opponent was stronger and viciously go on an offensive when the opponent showed any signs of weakness… Wasn't this too petty?

“These bastards act as if we've lost the war even though all they lost was a few young elite warriors. Even Hideyoshi's defeat in the war did not lead to his resignation, so how dare they…!” The Iemoto grimaced slightly and muttered to no one in particular. But then…

“That's because you haven't done anything.”

The Iemoto's head slowly turned in the direction of that unknown voice. No one would dare speak so insolently in his presence, so who could that be?

“Who are you?”

“Why don’t you tell your guard dogs to back off first? They keep insisting that they won’t let me through. If this keeps up… I might have to kill them all.”

The Iemoto narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips. “...Open the doors.”

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“But, sir…”

The Iemoto silently glared at Sanosuke. The latter was pressured by that sharp glare of rebuke and hurriedly gestured with his hand.

Du-ru-ru-ruk…

The sliding door smoothly slid open to reveal the situation outside the room. Dozens of katanas were pointing at the throat of one man. However, that man remained unfazed and relaxedly stared back at the Iemoto.

The Iemoto cocked an eyebrow. “And who you might be?”

“I'm Cai Kechang. I'm sure you've heard about me.”

“Cai… Kechang?” The Iemoto chewed that name. Only then did he realize his uninvited guest’s Japanese sounded a little awkward. He scowled slightly. “The Crimson King’s faction?”

“That’s right.”

“What a rude man you are. Surely, you must know that intruding into my residence without contacting my side first is discourteous. Or did the Crimson King fail to teach you basic manners?”

“Actually, I learned from my liege that lowly Japs don’t deserve any courtesy.”

The Iemoto narrowed his eyes. Although this Cai Kechang was arrogant, his guts were worthy of some respect. The rumors stated this man was the brains of the Crimson King’s operation. It seemed his fame had not been exaggerated.

“Very well. Let him through.”

All the katanas pointing at Cai Kechang were instantly withdrawn. He still remained unfazed and waltzed right in as if he owned the place. He glanced around and casually muttered, “Don't you have any chairs?”

“...There are cushions to sit on.”

“Hmm? The common courtesy is to humor the guest's requests, is it not? Or you islanders don't even know basic etiquette like that?”

“You bastard! Watch your tongue!” Sanosuke shot up to his feet and roared.

However, the Iemoto smirked as if this exchange amused him. “Go and get this man a chair.”

“But, sir!”

“Sanosuke…!”

“...Sir.”

The Iemoto coldly glared at Sanosuke. “Question me one more time, and I shall gut you open myself!”

“...My apologies.”

“Get the chair.”

“Sir!” Sanosuke hurriedly walked backward and left the room.

Cai Kechang smirked slightly. “It seems the situation here isn't looking so good, then?”

“Hmm…!”

One's authority didn't crumble from the outside first. No, the signs of impending trouble would always pop up in the immediate surroundings first.

Sanosuke himself was most likely unaware of it, but… His actions of questioning the Iemoto's commands would've never happened not too long ago. The Iemoto's authority had begun crumbling, and sure enough, signs were appearing right before his eyes.

The Iemoto shifted his attention over to Cai Kechang. “Why are you here?”

Cai Kechang smirked. “I hope you aren’t asking me that because you really don’t know.”

“I already know you Chinese are a bunch of arrogant bastards. However, you seem especially more arrogant than your peers, Cai Kechang.”

“Guilty as charged. However, that’s not important, now is it? No, what matters is… I’m here to help you out.”

“Help?” The Iemoto scowled subtly. “The situation on our side wouldn’t have reached this point were it not for your so-called encouragement. Or are you going to deny that to my face?”

“Hold on now. That’s an unfair charge leveled against me. I never expected your people to be so bloody incompetent, after all!”

The Iemoto subtly gritted his teeth. He usually tried his hardest to hide his roiling emotions, but Cai Kechang’s provocation did its intended job this time.

The accusation of incompetence accurately hit the Iemoto where it hurt the most. He, too, did not expect the expedition to fail out of sheer incompetence, after all!

The Iemoto silently glared at Cai Kechang. He didn’t mind having a verbal tit-for-tat with this rude Chinese guest. However, he didn’t feel like doing that right now.

Cai Kechang noticed the Iemoto’s flushed face instantly regain its serenity and ruefully smacked his lips.

‘As expected of Shinichi-kai’s leader…’

Cai Kechang’s opponent today would not be a pushover, it seemed.

Even if the Iemoto only controlled half of a small island nation, his position was still equivalent to a head of a state. People like that always possessed a certain level of class. A certain unshakeable confidence.

Cai Kechang decided to tone down his approach from this moment on. Blindly agitating the other party wasn't the only tactic he could resort to, after all.

The Iemoto broke the silence first. “Speak.”

“Hmm?”

“You came personally all this way. Meaning, you have an offer to make. Listening to the secret envoy dispatched by the Crimson King's faction should be the least I can do out of courtesy.”

“I will have to correct you on two things,” said Cai Kechang while raising two fingers. “One. I'm no mere envoy. My duty is to speak on behalf of my noble liege. Calling me something as lowly as a secret envoy is disrespecting my position.”

“Mm…?”

“And two.” Cai Kechang smirked ferociously. “Do not ever arrogantly say you will ‘at least’ listen to my offer. After all, I am here as the representative of the Crimson King’s faction!”

The Iemoto sucked in a deep breath. Since the other party wasn't here to shoot breezes but to discuss official matters, the correct etiquette was to offer the maximum courtesy available.

Even if Shinichi-kai exercised full control of the Kansai region in Japan, it'd dare not compare in scale and scope to the Crimson King and his faction.

The Iemoto was “merely” a head representing the union of Kansai’s gumis, but the Crimson King’s faction was clearly a ruler lording over a much larger territory. The statuses of the two sides were not even on the same level.

“You will have to excuse me, then,” the Iemoto spoke in a calmer, more friendly manner.

Cai Kechang also changed his attitude and bowed slightly. “Likewise.”

“Then… Would you like to tell us your purpose for visiting us?”

“I’m here to discuss certain matters with you if you don’t mind.”

“When you say certain matters…?”

The two men began conversing affably as if their war of nerves a few seconds ago had never happened. Sanosuke, who had hurriedly brought a chair to the room, was caught off-guard by this unexpected cozy atmosphere and didn't know what to do.

“Of course, the matters I have in mind involve South Korea,” said Cai Kechang.

The Iemoto's gaze grew sharper. “I see… Yes, we need to discuss that topic, indeed. However, I'm sure you are already aware that our situation is… rather unstable at the moment.”

Cai Kechang grinned. “Actually... I’d posit that now is the perfect time for you.”

“...May I ask what you mean by that?”

“History has already taught us the best way to quell internal unrest. And that is to create a common enemy. A foreign enemy, no less.”

The Iemoto’s withdrawn eyes scanned Cai Kechang’s face.

Indeed, that was the best way. An obvious way, too. An obvious way meant it was cliched… And something others already knew was coming.

Invading South Korea… That would be the best card available to the Iemoto if other gumis could be convinced to join in. Unfortunately, the road leading up to that destination didn't seem open at the moment.

The Iemoto narrowed his eyes. “Do you have something in mind?”

“If I say yes, what will you do?”

“Isn't it obvious? The conquest of the Korean peninsula must happen sooner or later, after all!”

“Indeed, sir. Thankfully, it seems you and I are on the same page,” Cai Kechang grinned deeply like a snake. “I don't need to resort to lengthy speeches to convince you since you've already made up your mind. Then, I'd like to ask you to gather those who need a little more persuasion. I will deal with them. I promise you, the Crimson King's faction will not spare any expenses to support Shinichi-kai's cause.”

The Iemoto silently nodded away.