Constantine.
One of the twin kings of Bronze and Fire.
By this point, Ange already knew the secret of the King—
and was preparing to recruit Lu Mingfei.
So he understood exactly what that name represented.
On the other side, Constantine was hiding behind Old Tang, looking rather nervous.
In truth, he'd always been a little afraid of Ren Asakura.
Every time Ren was around, Constantine would immediately retreat behind his older brother.
After all, a large sinus cavity could be very traumatizing for a child.
Especially on a psychological level.
"Jie jie jie… Constantine, where do you think you're running off to?"
Old Tang stepped in front of Constantine, smiling.
He raised both hands to his chest and said:
"Boss, calm down a bit. My little brother's just shy. Stuff like appearing on camera really isn't his thing. And having a kid make threats doesn't exactly scream intimidation. It'd be better to have Fenrir do it. I mean, the guy's in dragon form right now—he's obviously more useful than Constantine."
Fenrir was currently enjoying some spicy snacks,
his expression as dopey as ever.
Seeing the Dragon King like this left the others silent.
If he didn't move or speak, and just stood there, he actually looked quite majestic.
Ren Asakura hesitated for a moment.
Having Constantine do the posturing might really not have the effect he was going for.
But Fenrir… he was mentally still just a three-year-old—his IQ was questionable!
Still, with a little coaching, it might be doable.
The majestic Dragon King and the shy child—Ren quickly made up his mind.
"Fenrir, stop eating. I'll buy you a lollipop later. C'mon, give us a roar in this direction."
Ren walked over, raising his phone.
Still confused, Fenrir let out a roar.
A terrifying wave of draconic might surged through the video.
At the Kassel Conference Room—
The video call flickered with tremors and strange static before stabilizing.
A majestic Dragon King filled the screen.
Dark green-black scales shimmered under the light, emanating an oppressive, inviolable aura.
It was a being more beautiful than any other form of life.
The dragonblood in the hybrids began to stir uncontrollably.
This was a call from the King himself.
Chu Zihang's ever-burning golden pupils seemed to burn even brighter.
But none of them noticed the oil stain from spicy snacks still glistening at the corner of the Dragon King's mouth.
Compared to his majestic form, the greasy residue left by snack food was utterly insignificant.
And Ren Asakura, who was filming with his phone, was skilled—he made sure not to capture Fenrir's spicy sticks or potato chips.
If the camera had tilted even slightly downward, it would have revealed a much more… amusing side of the Dragon King.
Then came a mighty roar.
Like the furious wrath of an ancient emperor.
When an emperor is enraged, corpses line the land.
The terrifying dragon aura pressed down on everyone's hearts.
Their hearts raced, and blood rushed faster through their veins.
Had their bloodlines been any weaker, they would've passed out on the spot—
even though this was just a video call.
Ange's expression darkened.
The folding knife in his hand spun continuously.
The video cut off.
The Dragon King disappeared from the screen.
Ren Asakura knew if he kept filming, the whole act would be exposed.
Sure enough, the very next second—
Fenrir picked up a potato chip and crunched into it.
"Tasty!"
That look of pure bliss on his face made him seem more like a cat.
It was hard to imagine such a majestic Dragon King enjoying snacks so innocently.
"So," Ren said, "you've all seen my little brother, yeah? After we unleash Candle Dragon, I'll have Fenrir throw a rave on your graves—full-on Shiva Tandava. Not even ashes will be left of you. We won't be repeating the disaster from a hundred years ago with the first generation of the Lionheart Society. Can't believe some of them survived. That dumb Dragon King didn't even finish the job."
Ren Asakura wore a smug smile at the corner of his mouth.
And that incident from a hundred years ago was the most painful secret buried in Angers' heart.
"Who exactly are you? Don't tell me you're the Black King."
Angers finally voiced the question.
"Hahaha!"
The question made Ren Asakura burst out in wild laughter.
"Oh come on, I already told you—I'm an immortal. Ever read a cultivation novel? The immortals in those stories live as long as the heavens and earth, battle all creation, grasp the sun and moon, pluck stars from the sky… there's simply no one like me in this world. Clearly, the world has limited your imagination."
Delusional.
Everyone's minds echoed with that word at the same time.
There was no such thing as immortals in this world.
That was all fake.
Those so-called myths and legends were actually just tales passed down about dragons. But after generations of being passed from mouth to mouth, they eventually morphed into mythology.
This was the phenomenon known as "word of mouth distortion."
Angers fell silent for a moment, then spoke:
"You… might seriously be insane."
Ren Asakura: "...!"
After a short pause, Ren retorted.
"You're the one who's insane! Your whole family's insane! Actually… now that I think about it, you probably are sick—tormented endlessly by the Sorrow of Blood. It's fair to say hybrids are all lunatics or idiots. But I'm not like you people."
Chu Zihang stared coldly at the screen.
"You're not wrong. Most hybrids are insane."
Ren Asakura took a deep breath.
"Alright, alright! As much fun as it is chatting with you guys, I have some dirty work to do now. After all, I've kidnapped a Dragon King—would be a waste not to make use of that, right? Anyway, you're all invited as the audience. But if you think it's fun, feel free to jump in. After all, an audience can become an actor too. Your roles are entirely up to you."
Caesar seemed to find this quite amusing.
With a proud smile, he said:
"Switching between actor and audience at will—what an interesting idea. It reminds me of a concert. And if it were up to me, I believe the entire play would become a one-man show starring yours truly."
He was clearly pleased with himself—arrogant, confident, and unapologetically flamboyant.
Ren Asakura looked at the radiant Caesar, then turned to glance off-screen at a corner the camera didn't cover.
A certain sorry-looking guy was munching on spicy strips and chips with Fenrir while watching a boring movie.
Ren sighed, then turned back to the video interface where the dashing blond man beamed with brilliance.
He was confident, strong, self-assured, and exceptional.
A textbook example of tall, rich, and handsome—compared to the sorry guy, it wasn't even a contest.
"Oh, frenzied noble prince! Compared to a certain loser, you are overwhelmingly superior. You were clearly born the protagonist of this world—with a cheerful wife, an unparalleled family background, a confident and bold personality, and the most prestigious bloodline. Honestly, you're so exceptional, it's almost hard to fathom. But… this time, the main character isn't you. Because this is a clown's performance."
"A clown? So this is a circus act? In that case, I'll be a good audience member. But if I think your acrobatics are impressive, I might just jump up on stage and perform too."
Caesar replied casually.
If it were him, he really would do it. Anything that would bring shame to his family was something he'd probably enjoy.
Chu Zihang seemed to be considering as well.
But despite this long conversation, the most important thing still hadn't been said—the location.
After all, every stage play needs a proper setting, right?
"When and where is it happening?"
Chu Zihang finally asked.
Ren Asakura smacked his forehead.
"Damn! Talking with you guys is so entertaining I completely forgot the most important part! This time, the stage is set in every otaku's dreamland. It's a place full of maids, fun games, and late-night theater versions of uncensored anime. I think you've already guessed it—Akihabara. As for the time, it won't be long… just depends on when I finish strolling through the whole district."
°°°
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