Chapter 376: They Get to See What I’m Like (2/2)

“She wouldn’t hesitate to try and solve you out of the equation, given the chance.”

He dialled and handed Jason the phone.

“You shouldn’t be calling me,” Noriko’s voice came through by way of a greeting.

“I shouldn’t be blowing up cars on the streets of Kobe, either, yet here we are.”

“Jason Asano,” she hissed. “You aren’t one of us. You don’t deserve that name.”

“I have zero interest in joining your clan, Noriko. The question is whether you are going to destroy that clan.”

“I’m doing this for the clan. My son is weak, which is how you managed to turn him against me.”

“Shiro didn’t turn against you, Noriko. He wants to save the soul of your clan. If you attack the Tiwari, even if you win, the Asano clan will never be what they were.”

“I’m a century older than you, boy, and you seek to lecture me on the soul of my clan?”

“You do have a wealth of experience over me,” Jason acknowledged. “If I can see that your clan teeters on a precipice, then surely you can too. If you attack the Tiwari, then you create a schism in your clan at the same moment you create a dangerous enemy, and for what? A magic door you can’t use.”

“So you say.”

“The Tiwari have had this object for centuries,” Jason said. “You think they haven’t tried to access its power? If they had succeeded, they would be ruling the world with their gold-rankers, not calling in favours to have your clan bring me to Japan.”

“Even if the Tiwari do not lie and the item is locked,” Noriko said, “we will find a way.”

“Will you?” Jason asked. “After the infighting and the retaliation from the Tiwari clan? After I tell the world about the door and the fact that you have it? How many category-five dimensional magic experts do you have, Noriko?”

“We will do what we must.”

“And is what you must do push forward, past every sign you should stop? Your plan was already sketchy. Now your scouts are gone, your clan's support has evaporated and the Tiwari know you're coming.”

“My clan must seize this opportunity, whatever the cost.”

“This isn’t the opportunity, Noriko. The opportunity is in stepping back and keeping your clan whole. You already know more about what’s coming that almost any faction on earth. Take the time to prepare and get a head start when the time comes to start racing after resources, with the full strength of your clan. Shiro might be against attacking and stealing from the Tiwari, but he won’t stand by while everyone else grabs for power. You aren’t choosing between having the door or not, Noriko. You’re choosing between facing what’s to come with a full and ready clan, and scrabbling after leftovers with your handful of silver-rankers while dodging Tiwari vengeance.”

“I thought you didn’t want people going after these objects of power.”

“I don’t,” Jason said. “I’m not stupid enough to think I can stop them, though. Your clan included. I have also secured the assurance that the Tiwari will not seek retribution so long as you do not attack them.”

“I have only your word on these things.”

“You have little more than my word on almost any of it,” Jason said. “The power you seek, my word on it. The danger it poses, my word again. You chose boldness because you didn’t have time to verify and now you’re mired in a bog of my design. Will you be sucked under and drown if you move ahead or am I lying and solid ground awaits you?”

“You like to hear yourself talk.”

“Yes. Especially when I’m right. Go home and take all the advantages or fight and give them up. I’ll be waiting for your decision with the Tiwari clan.”

Jason hung up the phone and handed it back to Shiro, before turning to Akari.

“I never wanted to back your grandmother into a corner. All I wanted to do was show her that backing off isn’t the weak, short-sighted move but the smart, forward-thinking one.”

He then turned to Shiro.

“This is where we part. Go home. I hope this is the last time I have to deal with your clan, Shiro, because next time there will likely be blood. I’m sorry it ended like this, Akari.” A Shade body emerged from Jason’s shadow and Jason vanished into it.

Jason rode in a Shade car toward the Tiwari clan seat, which was the palatial Arima Grand Resort.

“How did I do?” Jason asked.

“You were somewhat unfocused,” Shade critiqued. “Your strengths are playing to emotion and controlling pace, which lends itself to a more rambling style of argumentation. Presenting the facts to demonstrate one choice is objectively better is not your strength. That being said, it was an adequate performance.”

“We’ll only know how adequate it was once the decision is made,” Jason said. “Is she taking precautions in case you’re watching?”

“None that I have noticed.”

“I might take a peek, then.”

Jason closed his eyes and saw through Shade’s eyes.

Noriko was standing beside a parked van, arguing with the silver-rank clan elders, their strongest combatants. The general consensus was to withdraw, while she tried to convince them to push on.

“It is probably all bluff,” she said.

“Perhaps,” an elder said. “I am unwilling to risk the clan on ‘perhaps.’ Unless everything goes perfectly, the boy is lying and this magic door gives us vast power, this act will split the clan and throw away our face forever.”

“Agreed,” another said. “We can struggle for power with everyone else without destroying who and what we are in the process. We even have a lead on everyone else. We should be dedicating ourselves to making the most of it.”

The arguing continued but ultimately the choice was made to abort the attack.

“I will contact Shiro and that obnoxious brat,” Noriko said.

“Oh, don’t bother with me,” Jason’s voice said as a dark figure with silver eyes stepped out of the dark.

“You can watch us through your shadow beings,” Noriko said.

“Yes. Your strategic situation was rather untenable, should you have decided to go through with the attack. I am not here to crow, however. My Asano family and your Asano clan henceforth have no connections, Noriko.”

“If we meet again, it will be as enemies.”

“I hope that day never comes,” Jason said. “You should hope for it more.”