The Shattered Bonds of Seiryu-kai

After talking for quite some time, Takeshi, Yūto, and Sakamoto finally finished their conversation.

Yūto then stood up and prepared to leave.

“Thank you, Yūto. Take care,” Takeshi said.

Takeshi waved his hand, while Sakamoto smiled at Yūto.

“See you...” Yūto said.

Yūto slightly bowed his head before leaving Takeshi’s house.

A few minutes after Yūto left, Sakamoto suddenly asked Takeshi.

“Grandpa, is Yūto strong?”

Takeshi, who was sitting down, turned to Sakamoto with a confused look.

“Why are you suddenly asking that?”

“I just feel like I’ve never met anyone stronger than me.”

Sakamoto gave a faint smile.

“In Europe, I always came in first place in every kendo tournament I entered. The same goes for kenjutsu exhibitions. I started to think that perhaps everyone was simply weaker than me. But when I saw Yūto, I felt something.”

Suddenly, someone interrupted their conversation.

“Sakamoto...”

Ryu Kazama approached from the gate.

His gaze was sharp and cold.

“You’re still too naive.”

Sakamoto turned toward him.

“Do you think competitions and real fights are the same?” Ryu asked.

Ryu slowly walked closer.

“In a competition, your life isn’t in danger. But in a real fight, one small mistake can get you killed."

Sakamoto simply smiled.

“Hey, Ryu. Long time no see.”

Ryu turned his face away.

“So, you think they’re different?” Sakamoto asked.

Sakamoto smiled.

“How about we find out whether you’re right? You and me. Let’s fight."

Ryu fell silent for a moment.

“Interesting."

His gaze became even sharper.

“But I don’t like half-hearted fights."

His voice was cold.

“I want a fight to the death... What do you say?”

Hearing this, Takeshi quickly interrupted.

“Enough. Enough...”

He sighed.

“Why are you talking like this? You’re family.”

Sakamoto smiled.

Ryu then turned his attention to Takeshi.

“Grandpa, I want to ask you something.”

“What is it, Ryu?”

“Is it true that you know "The White Ronin"?”

Takeshi fell silent for a moment.

“Ah... Hmm... Of course I don’t know him. He just came to help me and then left—”

But before Takeshi could finish, Ryu cut him off.

“You’re not lying to me, are you?”

Ryu looked at Takeshi suspiciously.

“How could someone just suddenly appear for no reason and help in a fight like that?”

Ryu stepped closer.

“Tell me the truth.”

Sakamoto, who was standing nearby, began listening to their conversation seriously.

“What was the name of the man wearing the white samurai outfit back then?” Ryu asked.

Takeshi began to look nervous.

“Ah. That... Hmm... His name is...”

He stopped.

Takeshi was afraid that if Ryu discovered Yūto’s identity, he'd go after him.

“Answer me, Grandpa,” Ryu said.

Suddenly, Reika came out of the house and approached Takeshi and Ryu.

“Enough!”

Reika glared angrily at Ryu.

“You’re becoming more and more disrespectful! Speak properly to your elders! Do you have no manners?!”

Ryu looked at Reika coldly.

“I don’t want to deal with you. I’m asking Grandpa."

“I’ve been listening to you raise your voice this whole time.”

Reika became even more emotional.

“Do you think everyone is afraid of you?! I’ve been patient with your behavior all this time. Don’t force me to hurt you!”

Ryu walked toward Reika and stopped directly in front of her.

“Hmm...”

“Stop, Ryu. Don’t touch my mother!” Sakamoto shouted.

Ryu smirked.

“So now the mother and son are teaming up against me?”

Ryu’s hand slowly moved toward his katana.

“You think I’m afraid of the two of you?!”

Ryu partially drew his katana and took a fighting stance.

Reika and Sakamoto also prepared themselves.

Their hands moved toward their own katanas, ready in case Ryu really intended to fight.

But before things could get worse, Takeshi quickly stepped between them.

“Enough... That’s enough.”

Takeshi’s voice trembled.

“Why are you fighting? We're family.”

He looked at each of them one by one.

“I've never treated any of you differently. You're all my family.”

His eyes began to well up with tears.

“Please don’t fight. Family should protect each other...”

Ten years ago...

Takeru Kazama stood in front of Takeshi.

“Father, I’m going out for a while to meet with Kokuryu-gumi. I need to discuss the cooperation agreement from before.”

“That’s fine, Takeru.”

Takeshi nodded.

“After I retire, I'll pass the leadership of Seiryu-kai to you. Do your best and don’t disappoint me."

Takeru fell silent for a moment.

“But, Father...”

He looked at Takeshi seriously.

“I’m not your biological son.”

Takeshi fell silent.

“Your biological child is Reika. Let her become the leader,” Takeru said.

Takeshi sighed.

“Reika is still immature. She gets emotional easily. Besides, she's a woman."

He looked at Takeru seriously.

“A large ship must be steered with a steady hand."

“Father, I’m not refusing the position. But shouldn’t we discuss this with Reika first?”

He lowered his head slightly.

“After all, she's your biological daughter...”

“I'm the head of Seiryu-kai.”

Takeshi’s voice became firm.

“I decide who'll become the next leader. Once I've made my choice, my decision is final.”

Inside her room, Reika, who'd been listening to their conversation the entire time, remained silent.

Tears slowly fell from her eyes.

She cried after hearing Takeshi’s words.

Meanwhile, Sakamoto, who was only eight years old at the time, approached his mother.

“Mom, why are you crying?”

Reika quickly wiped away her tears.

“It’s nothing, Sakamoto.”

She forced a smile.

“Mom isn’t crying...”

Takeru was also in a difficult position.

After that incident, his relationship with Reika became strained.

Takeru himself didn’t understand what was happening.

Reika kept avoiding him and no longer spoke to him the way she used to.

A few months later, Reika decided to move to Europe and take Sakamoto with her.

“Father, Sakamoto and I are moving to Europe. I got a job there.”

Takeshi looked surprised.

“Why go so far away, Reika? You can get a job in Japan too, can’t you?”

“Yes. But I think it'd be better for me to leave Japan and live in Europe. Besides, there’s nothing important left for me to do here," Reika answered firmly.

Takeshi looked saddened by the change in Reika’s attitude.

“Reika, can’t you think about it for a few more days before leaving?”

“I’ve already thought about it for a long time. Ever since my husband died a year ago, I’ve been planning this. I’ve prepared everything carefully,” Reika said without hesitation.

Takeshi finally let out a long sigh.

“Take care of yourself, Reika.”

He hugged Reika and Sakamoto.

Takeru stood in front of them.

“Reika... If anything happens, don’t hesitate to contact me. I’ll come and help you."

Reika simply nodded without looking at Takeru’s face.

Then, she left.

Sakamoto waved at Takeshi and the others.

“Goodbye, Grandpa.”

On the way, Sakamoto looked at his mother.

“Mom, are you crying again?”

Reika quickly wiped away her tears.

“No, Sakamoto.”

She forced a smile.

“Mom is smiling...”

After moving to Europe, their life was quite difficult.

Reika often cried, and sometimes Sakamoto caught her doing so.

But whenever Sakamoto asked, Reika always tried to smile and told him that she was fine.

At present...

Takeshi was still standing there with a face full of regret.

“It’s all my fault.”

His voice trembled.

“You all ended up fighting because of me.”

He lowered his head.

“I chose Takeru as the successor of Seiryu-kai. I also neglected Reika.”

Tears began to fall from his eyes.

“It’s all my fault.”

He looked at Reika.

“If you want to be angry, then be angry with me.”

His voice trembled even more.

“I only wanted what was best for Seiryu-kai...”

He wiped away his tears.

“I never stopped crying for you and Sakamoto after you left.”

He took a deep breath.

“Please... Don’t fight anymore."

He looked at them with sorrowful eyes.

“You're family. You should protect each other...”

Ryu, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly turned around.

Without saying a word, he walked away from Takeshi and the others.

Reika lowered her head.

“Father...”

Her voice became softer.

“I was wrong too. I was too selfish."

Tears streamed down her cheeks.

“Forgive me...”

Takeshi then looked at his daughter.

“Reika, you and Takeru are both my children.”

He gave a sad smile.

“I love you both.”

He took a deep breath.

“Even though Takeru is my adopted son, I've always treated him like my own child.”

Reika remained silent, listening.

Takeshi continued.

“Do you remember when you were little? Takeru helped you a lot and taught you many things. He truly cared about you.”

Reika began to cry.

Takeshi looked at Reika warmly.

“When your husband died, Takeru took care of everything. He even stayed by your side for several days. Don’t you remember all of that?”

Reika couldn't answer.

“I saw that Takeru had a very kind and gentle heart. He also had strong self-control,” Takeshi said.

Takeshi paused for a moment.

“I chose him as my successor not because I didn’t love you.”

He looked directly into Reika’s eyes.

“But because you weren’t ready at the time.”

Reika remained silent.

“Takeru is a good man. In fact, he was the one who wanted you to become the leader of Seiryu-kai," Takeshi said.

He continued in a heavier voice.

“He was the one who suggested that I give you time until you were ready. After that, he planned to step down as leader."

Reika was shocked.

“But you moved to Europe and became difficult to reach...” Takeshi said.

Takeshi lowered his head.

Only then did Reika realize something.

For years, she had believed that Takeru was trying to take the leadership of Seiryu-kai away from her.

She had never known the truth.

Because she'd been consumed by her emotions, Reika ended up hating the person who cared about her the most.

She began to cry again.

Meanwhile, Sakamoto, who'd been listening to the entire conversation, stood silently.

Then he gave a faint smile.

“Alright...”

He put his hands into his pockets.

“I think I’ll go outside for a while and get some fresh air.”

Without waiting for Reika or Takeshi to respond, Sakamoto walked away.

He slowly left Takeshi’s house.

But his mind was still filled with everything he'd just heard.