After desperately convincing Tia that he didn’t do anything wrong, Alec left Miko’s room with his body covered in cold sweat.
“Hah~. I felt like I was going to get killed.”
He mumbled.
“But I gotta say, I learned a lot from Augustus just now. Not only that it clarify some stuff that Sandora said but I couldn’t understand.”
He said as he walked down the hall.
“What are you doing up so late, Alec?”
That’s when he ran into his grandfather, Alexus.
“Oh, old man. I was just taking a walk. What about you?”
“I was thinking some stuff over. Oh, by the way there will be a meeting among the core members of the five branches tomorrow. During that time I and rest will be busy. I know that I’m just wasting my breath, but I don’t want you causing any trouble while it’s going on.”
“You make it sound like I’m a problem child who only knows how give trouble.”
“You want me to answer that?”
“No, I prefer not.”
Said Alec.
“So you’re going to discuss reuniting the clan?”
“That’s my intention but as expected of every meeting of this level there’ll sure be to conflict here and there. Because of that, it’ll be hard to immediately reunite the clan.”
He paused before continuing.
“There’s still the problem of the Heavenly Demon King. To be frank, I don’t know how to handle him. He’s one of the few people I can’t read at all. He’s just like Gamiko (Nero) in that regard.”
He looked at Alec.
“You seem to be of high opinion of him, tell me what do you think? Should we try to take him on?”
Alec shook his head.
“I wouldn’t advise you to do that. Miko isn’t one to be provoked too much. He’s also one that shouldn’t be underestimated. It will cause more harm than good if you do.”
Alec yawned and stretched his body as if he was getting sleepy.
“He told you and the other leaders to decide among yourselves what you wanted to do right?”
He asked.
Alexus nodded.
“Then its best to do just that. I don’t think he was lying when he said that he didn’t care who held the power in the Dragna Clan. From what I’ve gathered about him, he’s obsessed with the country rather than the clan itself. He’s doing everything he can to build an empire. I believe that no matter who takes control of the clan it wouldn’t matter to him as long as that person doesn’t interfere with his country.”
“In other words, if someone tries to turn him into a figurehead and take the country from him he’ll snap?”
Alec nodded.
“Hmm…..He seems like the short tempered type unlike Gamiko, plus he has the guardian beasts on his side, so it would be best if he doesn’t snap and do something outrageous on impulse.”
Alexus looked like he entered deep thought for awhile before speaking.
“Well, we’ll just have to gain control of the clan first and figure out how to deal with him later.”
“As long as you don’t push it.”
‘If Augustus gets pissed and comes out, we’re all fucked.’
Alec thought to himself.
“Anyway, I need for you and Kirika to do something for me, while the rest of the clan is focused on repairing the kingdom.”
“What’s that?”
“While we’re having our meeting I would like you two to gather up the geniuses of your generation from each branch and have your own meeting.”
Said Alexus.
“Ah, you want us to compare with the other branches.”
Alexus nodded.
“You’re the #1 of this era, while Kirika is the swordsman who is hailed to have the potential to clash head on with the Seven Swords Of Lucifer, and Gizmo is an Alchemy genius; that means that the Tertitus branch undoubtedly have the best younger generation of the five branches.”
“But there are still those that give you a sense of unease?”
“Yeah. Al-Shura and Alesia from the Quintus Branch are iron blooded warriors whose fame is on the constant rise in the Beast Continent. Echo’s daughters Sylvia, Sylphy, and Sophia are known as the Heavenly Stars. They possesses Athena’s blood along with the powers of Orion. They will have a bright future as well.”
He then paused before speaking again.
“I’m more worried about the ones from the Primus and Secundus Branch though. Because of the deadlock the two branches were in for centuries their younger generations were basically unknown to most of the world. If you didn’t visit them each years ago I wouldn’t have known about them.”
“See? I told you me going around the five branches wasn’t a waste of time.”
Alec said.
“Anyway, I met the Secundus Branch kids you mentioned.”
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“Oh? How were they?”
Alexus nodded.
“As expected from those who share the purest blood of our clan among your generation; gamiko’s grandsons are a bit terrifying.”
He said as he remembered nova’s sons, Kouta and Christian’s face.
“That Kouta boy is an unpolished diamond, but he possesses a terrifying amount of magic power in his body. When I saw him he was in a relax state but still was overflowing with mana. Not even I as a kid possessed that much mana.”
“What about Christian?”
Alec asked.
Alexus took a while to answer.
“Is that kid human?”
“I thought the same thing when I first saw him. He apparently inherited the Norse gods power from his grandmother’s side. This makes him terrifying because no one knows what that power is.”
‘To be honest, I was once convinced that he was Augustus reincarnation.’
Alec thought to himself.
“What about Karim?”
“He’s another weird one. He’s strong and have potential although not as terrifying as the previous two, there’s this strange but familiar feeling I get from him.”
Alexus said while pondering it.
“Anyway, there’s also the Primus branch youths.”
“They’re pretty interesting right?”
Alexus nodded.
“I never expected for them to have someone with the title of witch and so young too.”
“Momo, huh. She’s pretty impressive isn’t she? Aeon is too.”
“He’s that Rihan’s son so it’s expected for him to be great. But there’s someone I’m really curious about. Sasha Dragna.”
“Miko’s mother? Well, she does have the same origin as Nova and look at what he became, so being cautious of her is understandable. Especially with her being able to use death magic like her mother.”
Alec nodded after thinking for a bit.
“Okay, I’ll do as you say. But what about Miko’s generation? From what I know, other than the Primus branch each branch has three Geniuses around Miko’s age that could become stars in the future.”
Alexus smiled before answering.
“Let the kids handle themselves.”
The following morning the meeting hall in the palace was closed off to all, even servants and clan members.
The only one who could enter were the core members of the Dragna Clan.
The interior of the hall had been renovated to situate this situation.
It was divided into five sections to match the five branches. Naturally each branch were in their respective sections with their guardian beast’s symbol overhead.
Each branch had at least five members as respective.
Their branch leader, their elders, and their guardian beast along with their proxy.
In the center was Tiamat’s symbol and a sole throne.
This throne was prepared for Tia but she wasn’t at the meeting. Neither was Miko.
This showed that the two weren’t interested in the least about this meeting.
However this didn’t come to anyone’s surprised. In fact it was better that the two were absent, this way the branches could do as they like without being loomed over.
“Now that everyone's here can we get this stupid meeting over with?”
Said Andreas.
“If you think it’s stupid then why not leave? Matter of fact just leave the country while you’re at. No, leave this world.”
Said Nero.
“How about I leave a bullet in your head?”
Andreas took out his rifle and placed it on his table.
“The meeting hasn’t even started and we already have the first death threat.”
Kimiko said with a sigh.
“By the way, why are you here, Kimiko Mors? This is an internal matter for the Dragna Clan, not for outsiders to be here.”
Said Echo.
There was a history between the two.
Just like her mother, Tilly Dragna, Echo was someone with a strong sense of justice despite her playful behavior. Because of this when she took the helms as the Quartus branch leader she turned the branch into vigilantes.
She would travel the world and help those in need regardless of race, gender or background. As long as she deemed them as someone worthy to receive her help then she would use her full strength to help them.
In this regard, she was the total opposite of Kimiko who led the world greatest assassin clan and was also regarded as history’s greatest assassin.
The two ran into each other multiple times and have clashed numerous times with each suffering wins and losses.
Echo would prevent Kimiko from killing her target while Kimiko would prevent Echo from saving someone.
It goes without saying that they would have a hostile relationship.
“I’ve been married to this idiot over here for nearly 6000 years, and gave birth to that idiot beside him. I’m more than qualified to take part in this meeting.”
She said as she pointed at the smiling Nero and Nova.
“Even so, you don’t possess our blood.”
Alexus added.
“Not to mention that you’re the leader of Niflheim, an enemy country.”
Andreas added.
“Your enemy, my country is on good terms with both the Primus and the Secundus branches.”
Celina added.
“My mother and aunt has all right to be here so I appreciate you stop looking at them with such disdainful eyes.”
Said Marcel as he rest his cannon in front of him.
“Oh? The so-called warrior king wants to fight?”
Said the person next to Andreas.
She had purple hair, dressed in a military uniform that was so tight that it showed her alluring figure, and had a bewitching face.
“Slaughter Witch, Aloisia.”
“Oh, the former great king still recognizes this peasant? I’m honored.”
Aloisia chuckled as she spun her pink revolver in her hands.
She stopped and pointed it at Marcel.
“It’s been awhile since I’ve seen you and you’ve gotten this cocky. Maybe I should open up your skull and peek into your brains and see what makes you so confident?”
“Oh! I would like to see that too.”
Unexpectedly the one who said that was from the Secundus section.
She was the leader of the Secundus Branch’s second family, Alisa Dragna.
She smiled at Aloisia.
“But I prefer to look into your head rather than Marcel’s. I want to see what an old hag’s brain looks like.”
Aloisia eyes twitched when she heard that.
“Brat, who do you think I am?”
“Don’t know, and don’t care. But I do know that I won’t tolerate anyone looking down on my branch.”
“Hohoho….such big words.”
Aloisia stood up and pointed her gun at Alisa who didn’t bat an eye in return.
“How about I put a hole in that pretty face of yours?!”
“Hahahaha.”
A creepy laugh came from the Primus section.
Aloisia looked over and saw Nova looking directly at her.
“Geh! The psycho!”
She pulled back her gun and sat back down.
“Now, now. We haven’t done anything except arguing. At this rate we won’t solve anything.”
Raven stood up and said.
“First of all, let me announce something that most of you don’t know.”
He looked at the faces of everyone before speaking-
“Grandmother has declared her intentions to destroy all five branches if another war like last time breaks out again.”
“?!”
“Wha?!”
“Is that true?!”
Everyone outside of the Primus branch were naturally surprised by what Raven said.
Raven nodded.
“She’s clearly upset with your constant bickering over the years and is considering putting an end to it all. By killing you all of course.”
Raven looked around and saw that everyone’s faces were paled, especially those who witnessed Tia personally slaughtering the traitors who turned on the clan years ago.
At that time even though they were mostly her family she didn’t hesitate to cut them down and devour them whole.
This proved that once she set her mind on doing something, she would do it regardless of how much it would cause her grief.
“Wait, she doesn’t have the power to do that anymore because of the contract that restrains her powers.”
Alexus said after some thought.
“But she can still order us to do it.”
Said Sirrush.
“What?”
“Did you forget what Miko did to stop you guys from fighting? He has the ability to fuse with us and wield our powers. If mother wants she can have him kill you all.”
“Not to mention that he also has the ability to temporarily remove our status as Higher Beings, thus making us exempt from the effects of the peace treaty.”
Said Gallu.
“In other words, Miko doesn’t have do it himself. He can have us destroy the branches in his place.”
Mušma added.
Andreas looked up at him.
“From your tone it seems that you wouldn't resist if such an order was issued and destroy us without hesitation.”
Mušma nodded.
“Even if half the clan were your descendants?”
“Even so.”
“I see.”
Andreas face showed no panic as he turned and faced the others.
“Alright, since I don’t want all my efforts to create the perfect military force go down the drain, I propose we put our differences aside and begin the meeting.”
Everyone nodded in agreement.
“Alright then, I’m sure everyone is in agreement about the first thing we should discuss.”
The branch leaders nodded.
“How are we to handle the unpredictable threat known as gamiko Dragna the third.”