308 - A Family Dispute Settled and Caius's First Strike

What Mitsuaki had failed to realize was that the man his daughter had brought home was an ancient monster in human form, one who could stand undefeated in this world.

Caius smiled at his words, walked slowly over, and patted him on the shoulder.

Toki felt both anxious and loved. She knew her husband was about to stand up for her, but this was her father. She did not want to see them clash.

Unfortunately, the situation had already moved beyond what she wanted.

"You're Toki's father, aren't you? Let's have a calm discussion. Tell me the truth, so I know exactly where your family stands. Otherwise..."

As he spoke, Caius unleashed his presence. A boundless, terrifying pressure crushed everyone in the hall. Only Toki and Mitsuaki were spared its weight.

The others endured the pressure as best they could, staring at him in horror.

They had never imagined he could be this strong. And he had returned with Toki. Suddenly, her survival made sense.

"You! You..."

"How can you be this strong? You were... No. Impossible. It's impossible! How could anyone like you exist in this world?"

Mitsuaki shouted in disbelief.

He had only ever sensed such pressure from Joy Boy. Worse, Caius seemed even stronger. How could that be possible?

"Having trouble believing it?"

"Heh. There's nothing impossible about it. This is a big world. Has the Great Kingdom conquered all of it? I don't think so. And even if it had, what about the sky? You haven't conquered that, have you?"

"Some powerful people simply don't bother with you. That doesn't mean they don't exist. What's so special about the Great Kingdom? Could Joy Boy have founded it without the technology he got from the moon?"

"He was lucky. That doesn't mean he has the strength to match. He'll never advance beyond the limit-breaking level, and until he does, he has no claim to being the strongest."

"As it is, he can't even match me. All he has to rely on is that laughable technology."

Caius made no attempt to hide his contempt.

Joy Boy was doomed to fail. He could not begin to compare with Caius's wife, Imu.

Mitsuaki was horrified. Every word was an outrage against the king.

"Ask whatever you wish. If I know the answer, I'll tell you."

"That's better. You could have cooperated without making me force the issue."

Caius nodded in satisfaction.

The man was his father-in-law, after all, even if Caius had never asked for him. He decided not to humiliate him further.

"Tell me exactly what your family did after Toki got into trouble. The truth. Otherwise..."

...

Mitsuaki reluctantly explained everything: what had happened, why, and how the family had responded.

They had tried hard to save Toki. But the pressure from above had been overwhelming. The powerful families had given them no opportunity, refusing to budge. In the end, the Amatsuki family had been forced to back down.

Everyone present knew it, and shame hung over them. Toki had always been loved and treasured by the whole family. They had tried, failed, and finally accepted that there was nothing they could do.

The Amatsuki family was large. Letting every last one of them die would have been... They had seen no other choice.

After hearing him out, Toki no longer knew whether she should be angry. She could even see why her father had acted as he had. They had made an effort; it simply had not been enough.

Confused, she turned to Caius.

He could tell Mitsuaki was speaking the truth. Could he really say the man's reasoning was wrong?

Yes, but not entirely.

The problem was that Caius was here now. Without him, Toki might never have returned, and the question might never have arisen. But he was here.

That alone made their decision to surrender her unacceptable.

Still, they truly had tried. What more could he say? Toki herself no longer seemed to hate her father. He could hardly press the matter now.

'I can't very well kill my own father-in-law.'

"Let's leave it there, Toki. Your father wasn't lying. They really did try. Give him another chance, for your own sake too."

Caius stroked her hair affectionately.

At last, the family began to relax. Mitsuaki was no longer afraid. With a son-in-law this strong, everyone in the Great Kingdom would have to treat him with respect.

Even Joy Boy.

Yes, Mitsuaki's confidence had returned.

"Then I'll leave our visitors to you when they arrive. None of us could possibly withstand a fight like that."

Caius smiled, took a sip of tea, and nodded.

"Don't worry. I doubt there's anyone in this world stronger than I am. If there is, so much the better. Anyone who hasn't advanced beyond the limit-breaking level is the perfect opponent to hone my strength against. I haven't had a worthy rival in years."

"At this point, I'd welcome someone who could match me, someone I could have a proper fight with. As for the trash who used technology to reach the limit-breaking level, they don't deserve to be compared with me."

He finished with undisguised disdain.

Toki remained quiet, simply watching the two men talk. Beside her stood her brothers, sisters, and the rest of the family...

They watched Caius speaking with Mitsuaki, reassessing him with interest. Several of the women seemed particularly intrigued, though Toki's presence encouraged them to be more discreet.

Roughly two minutes later, three powerful fighters arrived outside. All three had reached the limit-breaking level through technology.

They entered the Amatsuki estate solemnly. The family was still due a certain respect.

But the moment they came inside, they saw Caius and began trembling. Their bodies recognized an overwhelmingly stronger opponent. They immediately tried to flee.

Caius gave them no chance.

He vanished from the reception hall and appeared behind them, smiling. Longquan flashed from its sheath. His sword intent and the force of his blade swept outward, a tremendous surge erupting from him and engulfing the entire capital. Countless powerful fighters took notice, alarmed by the sheer intensity of it.

Even Joy Boy frowned and looked over from the royal palace. He could see Caius, but did not dare approach. The man posed too great a threat.

If they failed to reach an understanding, their battle would engulf the capital and kill countless people. That was the last thing Joy Boy wanted. He intended to rule the entire world.