Chapter 207: Takaichi Ryo
Chapter 207: Takaichi Ryo
Ashlanda, Capital City.
This was a typical residential building in the Ashlanda style, featuring hallways with balconies.
It was winter, and snow had piled up on the rooftop.
Under the eaves of a rented apartment, there was a row of empty bird nests.
The room inside was pitch black, with the curtains drawn.
Even the warm winter sunlight couldn't penetrate.
"Mount Vesuvio's volcanic eruption is predicted to occur in a month. Residents, please take precautions..."
"The authorities have decided to direct volcanic ash outside of Ashlanda. Other nations have agreed and expressed their willingness to share the burden..."
"General Kaneshiro will be stationed in Kyoto to guard Mount Vesuvio. The royal family has no objections to this..."
The news broadcast from a radio woke him up.
A young man holding a Starlight Witch body pillow slowly awoke from the sofa.
He rubbed his bleary eyes, picked up the blanket that had fallen to the floor, and wrapped it around himself.
It was winter, and the cold was noticeable.
The young man's hair was a mess, looking much like the empty bird nests outside.
His eyes carried an indescribable emotion—suppressed, numb—like the mournful hum of an insect.
This was the Capital City, the capital of Ashlanda, where the families living here were generally well-off.
However, his room had no significant furnishings—not even an air conditioner.
Would you assume he was poor?
Then take a look at the wall above his computer desk, which was lined with all sorts of collectible figurines.
Don't underestimate these items. In Ashlanda, whether in times of peace or chaos, these figurines are highly valuable treasures.
Especially during chaotic times, owning the leisure and funds to assemble a wall of authentic figurines marked one as wealthy—extremely wealthy.
This wall didn't just feature figurines.
There were also various collectible card decks and rare cards featuring virtual idols and fantasy characters.
All of them were authentic.
It was evident that the room's owner was a die-hard fan of pop culture.
An enthusiast with significant wealth.
That said, the young man wasn't overweight; in fact, he had a slightly handsome appearance. His demeanor resembled that of a protagonist straight out of a comic.
Yet the gloom in his eyes was uncharacteristic for someone his age.
The young man got up from the sofa, took a bowl of instant noodles from the cabinet, filled it with hot water, and dragged himself to the computer desk.
In this rented apartment without an air conditioner, his computer was a high-end model.
He skillfully opened a monster-taming game and checked the mood of his virtual companion for the day.
After fiddling for a while, he set the mouse down and stared blankly at the ceiling.
After a long time, he uttered two words:
"So boring."
Just then, the phone rang.
He answered it and put it on speaker.
A mature, authoritative woman's voice came through.
"Ryo, we're not right for each other. Let's break up."
Her tone was cold, laced with suppressed anger.
Hearing his girlfriend breaking up with him, the young man didn't even blink. He simply responded with a single "Oh."
Such an indifferent reply completely enraged the woman on the other end. Before she could launch into a tirade, the young man hung up the call.
He knew why she had been with him—his surname.
His name was Takaichi Ryo, and his ancestor was Takaichi Gorō, the founder of the Three-Blade Style.
When monsters invaded, his family's three swords, blessed by their ancestor, became legendary spiritual artifacts.
Awakened practitioners wielding those three swords and practicing the family's Three-Blade Style quickly carved a bloody path through the chaos.
The Takaichi clan was an undisputed noble family in Ashlanda.
However, Takaichi Ryo, as the eldest son of the Takaichi family, did not receive the corresponding status.
His mother passed away when he was young, and his father's indifference nurtured a solitary personality.
He also had a younger half-brother.
Over the past eighteen years, his stepmother had consolidated power within the family to pave the way for her son. As a result, Takaichi Ryo, the rightful heir, had lost most of his support.
Fortunately, he was exceptionally gifted. His spiritual cultivation progressed far faster than ordinary people's. With seven spiritual segments to his name, this young master still held a claim to the family inheritance.
Half a year ago, he turned eighteen and awakened a Class C [Painter] talent during the awakening ceremony.
A genius fallen, things changed beyond recognition.
His younger brother, with five spiritual segments, awakened a Class C [Frost Aura] talent.
Even the supporters of the rightful heir had to reconsider for the sake of the family.
His younger brother became the new heir.
Their father cared nothing for sentiment. Whoever could bring prosperity to the family would sit on the family throne.
An heir with a [Painter] talent? Just the thought of it was a disgrace to the family name.
His girlfriend—no, his ex-girlfriend—didn't leave him because he awakened a useless talent.
Her name was Kurosawa Haruka, the daughter of a local small-time gang boss.
The gang wasn't much—just a few dozen members, most of whom were awakened with low-grade Class E combat talents.
The Takaichi family was a prestigious household in Ashlanda. Even a disfavored young master was still considered a golden prospect for marriage.
But Takaichi Ryo's mindset was anything but ordinary.
Maybe he'd watched too many animations, because he'd picked up all the bad habits of a stereotypical animation protagonist.
Ryo was naturally cold-hearted, even toward himself.
After leaving the family, he didn't ask for a single coin, nor did he take much with him.
He left with only a few clothes and the figurines that had accompanied him through countless days and nights.
If he wanted, he could have used his status as the rightful heir of the Takaichi family to demand a fortune and live a life of extravagance.
But he couldn't lower himself to do it—and had no interest, either.
Aside from his figurines, he loved no one, no thing, not even himself.
To someone like his ex-girlfriend, this self-reliant young master had no value.
Especially since her future as a gang leader required resources and support.
Pursuing Takaichi Ryo was simply a failed investment.
In truth, Ryo didn't love his ex-girlfriend, either. He had agreed to date her only because she resembled the Starlight Witch.
But she wasn't truly the bold and domineering Starlight Witch.
At that moment, his phone rang again.
Ryo answered. It was the head of a branch family of the Takaichi clan, a man he should call "Third Uncle" by seniority.
An anxious voice came through the line.
"Ryo? You must leave the Capital City immediately!"
Ryo remained silent, his expression unchanging.
The voice on the other end grew more urgent.
"Your father passed away last night."
Ryo's face still betrayed no emotion, but the blanket in his hand slipped and fell to the floor.
"This morning, that woman joined forces with your Second Uncle to pledge allegiance to General Kaneshiro! Many family members are outraged and have demanded that Takaichi Jiro be stripped of his patriarchal status. They want to bring you back to take over as the head of the clan!
"That woman has gone mad! She wants to kill you!
"I overheard it… I couldn't stop your Second Uncle. You must leave now!
"I suspect your father's death wasn't natural. Damn it! Those bastards—those monsters!"
His Third Uncle's voice was hoarse and strained, as though he was yelling through gritted teeth, despite being gravely injured.
For the first time, a flicker of emotion passed through Ryo's eyes. He was no longer entirely indifferent.
"That woman" referred to his stepmother, and Takaichi Jiro was his half-brother.
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