Chapter 236 - 236: Eric’s Death & Yakuza
The explosion was truly powerful, as it completely destroyed and combusted the car that Eric and Hilda were riding.
It was clear that the person who had set up the bomb and set it off was a true professional, as he had waited for the car to go over the bomb, and had activated it only when it reached the gas tank.
This way the explosion not only sent the car flying away, but it also caused the explosion of the gas tank, which added to the combustion and force.
Everything had been done in perfection so it was impossible for Eric, or Hilda to escape the explosion, both of them should be dead.
And even if they weren't at the beginning they would surely be once flames started spreading around the car.
There was no way someone could survive such an explosion and such a fire, this was the first thing that everyone thought.
The security guards of the complex who had seen the accident happen had immediately notified the police and the firefighters, as they secured the area.
The police and firefighters didn't take long to arrive, in fact, they arrived there in quite a hurry, as this was a big complex, and powerful people lived here.
As soon as they arrived at the scene, the police secured the area, and spread their control, while the firefighter started taking the fire out.
It took them an hour or so in order to finally put out the flames, but by now it was already over, there was no sign of bodies in there anymore.
Only that pungent smell of human meat being burned and melted by fire, and no bodies to look at. Most probably Eric, Hilda, and their driver had been totally burned to a crisp and melted.
After the first check-up from the police, in the car, there was Hilda's, and the driver's DNA, but no sign of Eric's DNA.
The news of the assassination attempt on Eric, and the explosion sent the whole society in an uproar.
It wasn't that this was the first time an assassination attempt happened in the city, it was just that the identity of the person who was targeted was really delicate.
The person who had done this probably had no idea of the Council of Five backing him, but at least they knew he was the Takeshiba family's son-in-law.
Doing something like this, and that in broad daylight was the same as slapping the Takeshiba family, and Master Takeshiba in the face.
The most shocked people of all though were probably Tatsuya Minami, and the Inuhara siblings, they were sent by his side exactly to save him out of these situations, and yet they hadn't been able to.
But right now, their duty was the last they could think of, especially for Tatsuya Minami, and Inuhara Hina, seeing the car in flames, and knowing what had happened, their hearts were split in two.
Even Takeshiba Aika had broken in tears and had arrived at the complex immediately. She had already gotten news of the bet, and stakes, as she was angry at him, but she still loved him.
At least this was how it looked to those people looking at this from the outside because nobody knew better than her what was going on.
One thing was for sure though, her first tears, shock, and pain were 100% real. She truly lived those moments.
Still, most people didn't care much about her, or her pain, but about Eric's disappearance. Of course, the first thought was that he had died, but after finding no evidence in the car, that belief got shattered.
Furthermore, if Eric was truly the disciple of a great Master like he claimed to be, there was no way he had died that easily.
Even if he were in a precarious situation, his Master must have handed him one or two items to save his life in the last moments.
The irony of all this though was that the people most worried about his death weren't Master Takeshiba and his family, but the other big families' heads.
Almost each and every one of them had already tried to negotiate a deal with Eric with respect to the potions, and techniques.
But they had yet to reach an agreement, so now with Eric's disappearance, every one of them was in a mental uproar.
What should they do now!?
One thing was for sure, the person behind the attempt had unconsciously become the target of 3 big families, and Yakuza in but a night.
Even though it was still noon, everyone closed their shops, and business as they ran home, as they all had a bad premonition about this night.
There was an ominous feeling in the air like demons would be out this night to hunt for blood, so no one dared to be out of their houses during the night.
In a small, and dimly lightroom, the current head of the Yakuza family, his two trusted guards, his adopted son, and his daughter were discussing their course of action from now on.
The two guards were clearly unhappy when they heard that their Master had decided to leave the Yakuza in the hands of a total stranger, so now that Eric was supposedly dead, they displayed their dissatisfaction,
"Master this is our chance to negate our deal with them, and put off the plan of killing our members, we don't have to kill our brothers just to live through these chaotic times."
Fujiwara Hatake looked at him with a composed and natural expression, as if he was just hearing some normal opinion, as he said with a completely expressionless face,
"Anyone else who agrees with his opinion!?"
Everyone seemed to be in a difficult situation, thinking about what side should they chose right now. His other guard and his daughter seemed silent and composed, but his foster son seemed to be holding something.
Looking at him with no trace of positive or negative emotion, the current Yakuza head said in a monotone voice,
"If you have something to say, better man up and say it now!"
The guy still looked a bit undecided, but he resolved himself to the risk, and immediately started saying,
"Foster Father, please forgive me for the impudence, but I agree with Master Tio's words. Your decision to hand over the organization to a total stranger's hands is a bit rash and not the right one."
"Oh!? Please continue!"
This was the first emotion that Fujiwara Hatake had displayed from the moment they entered the small room, so his Foster Son thought that it showed he had done the right choice, as he continued,
"Foster Father, the Yakuza was built by ties of brotherhood, and common interests between the families. The original heads made an oath to never fight among each other.
I feel that your decision to hand over the organization and sister Amane to that worthless guy is a betrayal against that oath.
Not to mention that we have no idea what kind of person that idiot is, and what does he plan to do with us once we end up in his hands.
Wouldn't you reconsider Foster Father!?"
Fujiwara Hatake already expected such an opinion from him, so he was still calm and composed, but there was one person who seemed to be a bit distressed by his words.
Unexpectedly the person who seemed to be distressed from his words was precisely Fujiwara Amane, even though just for a fleeting moment she had a look of hate and anger on her beautiful face.
The person to whom the look was directed clearly sensed her gaze, but he pretended not to. This wasn't the right moment for him to antagonize her.
He just couldn't believe that this bi*tch had fallen so easily just as she had lost her virginity to that guy. She was surely a hopeless bi*tch.
He would make sure to properly train her later, and show her who her real Master should be. But everything at a time, firstly he had to take control of the organization.
Just as he was thinking like this, he heard his Foster Father say in contemplation,
"Then who would be a good leader to hand over the organization, and my daughter Foster Son!? Are you volunteering Foster Son!?"
The guy was caught by surprise from those words, but thought that this was his chance, as he said,
"I wouldn't dare Foster Father, but if Foster Father thinks that I am an eligible candidate, then I promise to do everything I can in order to prosper the organization and make you proud."
At this moment, even that guard who had started all this a moment ago said in a calm voice, trying to hide his excitement,
"Perhaps it's time to give the young generation an opportunity Master, I am sure that your Foster Son would never disappoint you!"
Hearing all these Fujiwara Amane had another slip of her anger, but still, she managed to control herself, as she waited for her father's decision.
After taking a few deep breaths, Fujiwara Hatake released a sigh, as he looked at his old guard, and Foster Son, and then said,
"Sigh~! To think that you have fallen so low Tio, to fight for position when you are at death's door. It's truly pitiful!"
Then he returned to his Foster Son, and continued,
"I already know your plans, and even the poison you have already given me, and truth to be told I was ready to hand over my position and my daughter to you, as I had no other choice.
But now I am afraid that your chance is gone! You should have hidden yourself better Foster Son!"
The two guys in front of him were completely stunned by those words, but before they could even say something, a cold steel katana had sliced their throats…