Chapter 351 - ATTRACTIVE TARGET (1/2)

Akira did not know about the drama brewing in the Yamazaki family. She was on the road with Kaito fiddling with the radio of the old car. The vehicle had probably been there when the dinosaurs were treading the planet.

”I want my phone back. This old car can't even play music!” She sat back in the passenger seat after giving up on the analogue radio.  ​​

Kaito smiled. ”This is not an old car. It is a classic. And how can we bond when you have your phone? Young people are so addicted to the internet these days.”

Akira crossed her arms over her ċhėst in annoyance and looked at the passing landscape.

”When I was growing up in the mountains, we did not have modern conveniences. We did not have even a TV or this radio you are disparaging.” Kaito added with a sigh.

Akira's interest was captured. It was not every day that one got to hear about the life of a world-famous ȧssassin.

”What did you do for fun, Uncle Kaito?” She asked with some humour.

”You would like to know that, wouldn't you?” He laughed.

”Yes, that is why I asked. You said shutting off our phones would make the trip more fun. If you won't talk, I will just sleep.” Akira closed her eyes and leaned her head back.

”Fine, fine. I will entertain you. Where was I?”

”You were growing up in the mountains together with the dinosaurs and your ancient car.”

”You laugh, but we did not have much in the way of advanced products. We had to entertain ourselves with whatever we created or was available. We would make up games and play to our hearts contents. I did not know people bought toys until I was an ȧduŀt.” Kaito said.

Akira did not believe him, but she decided to go with the flow.

”Who did you grow up with?” She asked.

”When my parents died, I was adopted by a kind man. I was only two years old, so I don't know the particulars. But he adopted a lot of kids from the villages who did not have parents or were abandoned. So, we were quite a number.”

Akira's mind churned. Did that mean that there were more ȧssassins like Kaito? Did the Immortal Sword Brigade know about them?

After a moment, she calmed down. They probably were aware of Kaito's connections. And if they did not, it was not her concern. She was not an active agent at the moment. She was only watching Kaito as a favour to the Chief.

”Do you know what happened to your parents?” Akira asked.

Kaito's eyes flashed with some cold grief. He never cared about his parents in the past. He did not even insist on knowing how his teacher rescued him from that horrible car crash.

However, after spending some time in Mountain Ridge, he had begun to think of his parents as real people, even though he did not remember them. When he saw photographs and videos of them holding him and spoiling him, something like loss and bitterness filled him.

He did not intend to avenge his parents in the beginning. But each and every image of the past preserved by his grandmother was like a nail driven in his heart. He saw a life he could have had if they were not murdered by his uncle.

”They died in a car crash.” They were killed.