Chapter #32

AN: Yellow Dragon=Ouryuu(Chinese)=Kōryū(Japanese)

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"It is done..." Zeno muttered as the last member of the parliament got fully infected with Silverlight.

The hard part was finished, from now on he doesn't need to watch over them for possible mutations.

And System just needs to handle the hive mind, but that's going to be a subtle thing. After all, Zeno has no reason to reveal it.

The only thing the parliament will realize is that their health is getting better and better. They won't tire as much as they had before.

[Can we just make an inferior strain for the army? I don't want to go through that again.]

'Fine, let's set up a project for that. We have enough power for that now that the infection has finished.' Zeno agreed.

Considering he was planning to infect the people in prisons as well, he really needed a better way to do this shit.

[Just more work for me!] System screeched. [I demand a vacation in the next world!]

'You are the one that controls the reincarnation function!' Zeno retorted.

[Oh right...] System muttered.

{It would be nice if it's somewhere medieval. I am sick of modern settings.} Ouryuu said.

It was kind of unsettling to live in a city with enhanced senses, however you dial them down. Zeno certainly didn't need to know how many people were murdered on a particular street he was passing by.

Sense of knowledge can be a bit of a double edged sword in this regard. Deciding that he needs to blow off steam Zeno went to find Souichirou.

He found him in his study, he wasn't having much trouble with his work thanks to Silverlight enhancing him, he has yet to become the prime minister but he is getting there.

Zeno knew he didn't have a visitor with him so he just barged in like he owned the place.

"I need to beat someone, with a sword preferably but not necessarily!" Zeno said with a grin.

Souichirou looked at Zeno who was grinning, he always looked carefree as far as he can remember. He withheld a sigh.

'Which one of us is trying to save Japan I wonder?' He thought to himself before answering Zeno.

"I can introduce you to Master Busujima, I had trained with him in the past. The Busujima family holds dragons in high regard, maybe you can find something of interest there." Souichirou spoke.

"Then I'll be going there!" Zeno nodded and left the room.

[Well, that wasn't on the wiki...]

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Zeno arrived at the dojo alongside Souichirou, he apparently needed to talk with Master Busujima.

The Busujima family had protected the throne of Japan for generations. He figured it's time they learned about Zeno and his prophecy regarding the apocalypse.

Entering the Dojo, Zeno noticed the students sparring with their partners. There were little children that were too little for training doing light exercises.

Amongst them Zeno noticed a girl with purple hair and blue eyes. She was going through the movements with practiced ease.

She almost seemed too bored considering how she watched the people who were sparring with unhidden desire.

Zeno came here to polish his technique more than anything, the current him wouldn't lose any skills he had learned but he can always improve.

He had been neglecting it in favor of going through his past life's memories. He decided to put that on hold since they were getting depressing.

While Zeno was looking around Souichirou had met with Master Busujima and talked with him regarding Zeno.

Souichirou didn't lie to the man who taught him the way of the sword. It was for times like this that Zeno never told Souichirou everything.

"If what you're saying is true, then you will be doing us a great favor, Takagi." Master Busujima said with a smile but his voice had suspicion in it.

He looked towards Zeno. He couldn't find anything different about the kid other than his eyes, his eyes looked old. It didn't suit his youthful appearance.

"Favor?" Souichirou was confused.

He was hoping to get Busujima's opinion about Zeno but he seemed to take him too seriously. Souichirou wasn't expecting to be taken this seriously without Zeno showing some scales.

"Well, it's related to Busujima family's roots, you don't have to worry about it. You said he wanted to spar with someone, then I'll be his opponent." Master Busujima said with a calm tone.

Souichirou, who knew about his master's sadistic streak, saw the glint in his eyes. 'Well, I guess it's good that Zeno is really a dragon.' He mentally shrugged before he went to get Zeno.

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Master Busujima was a tall man with a slender build, he had black hair and piercing blue eyes that radiated fighting spirit.

Zeno still didn't know the man's first name, and was too lazy to look into his information online.

He greeted him with proper respect he just learned through a YouTube video, Master Busujima probably be his sparring partner for years to come after all, Zeno couldn't neglect respect.

They were inside a personal training room, chatting while drinking some tea before they got started.

"I hear you were looking for a sparring partner?" Master Busujima said while filling the cups.

Zeno didn't know about the tea ceremonies but he had seen Samurai Jack doing it, so he played along.

"Yes, Busujima-san. I have grown dull over the years, I might be over two thousand years old but barely half a century of it was spent on the battlefield." Zeno replied seriously in a solemn tone.

Souichirou on the side nearly choked on his tea, meanwhile Master Busujima raised an eyebrow.

"Well, what did you do in the remaining years?"

"Well, some years were spent aimlessly wandering, some spent with humans... Well, you can guess where I am going with it " Zeno brushed over the question.

Talking about the years he spent just to find a way to kill himself was too depressing to tell anyone. Even if it was his previous life.

"I can see you're not comfortable talking about it, well then let's move on." Master Busujima got up and moved towards the wooden swords.

Zeno too had got up, leaving Souichirou to clean and put away the tea set.

"..." Souichirou

Zeno had been scanning Master Busujima during their talk. He now has an accurate reading of his physical state.

Zeno restrained himself to his opponents level, what he is trying to improve isn't brute power but technique and instincts.

He can only do that if he fights with opponents that are equal or stronger than him. Since he cannot find such people in this world he must improvise.

Once the both sides were ready, Zeno sprang forth delivering a strike towards his enemies' left side.

Master Busujima was quick to parry the attack before answering with his own attack, yet it was parried by Zeno.

They both stopped suddenly.

Master Busujima chuckled and said. "I see."

Zeno didn't know what he saw but Master Busujima increased the intensity until Zeno finally got a hit to his head.

"You have learned how to fight on the battlefield, it is not a bad thing but your current style is one that is suicidal. Even if you tried to remedy it, it is obvious." Master Busujima said as he watched Zeno get up.

He was right, while Zeno hated being attacked in his previous life. Yet, his fighting style was mostly centered around killing as many as possible until his powers gave him a boost without caring about injuries.

Now, he was trying to fix that, this caused his haphazard style to be further mutilated. The only reason Zeno had lasted this long was his multiprocessing abilities.

{Don't look at me, I was immortal. Why bother with proper fighting styles?} Ouryuu quickly defended himself.

'I am not blaming you, I didn't do anything to learn how to fight. It's on me.' Zeno sighed.

[...] System suddenly felt like he's the third wheel.

Master Busujima looked at Zeno's face that now had some scales and his vertical eyes.

'Souichirou was right.' He nodded inwardly.

Dragons have a special place in the Busujima family, every student is thought to revere them.

This has been a long time tradition that was passed down from their ancestors.

There was even a saying that was passed down, saying their family will be uplifted by Kouyuu himself.

Looking at Zeno's golden scales, Master Busujima's heart wavered. As a young man he was doubtful of their ancestors' words, thinking they were said to increase the family's honor.

Now however, things have changed. A golden dragon came from the skies with the goal of saving their glorious country.

'Ancestors weren't wrong.' He let out a gentle smile before schooling his features once more.

Zeno had long got up at this point, he had been wondering the last time he got hurt.

"Well, let's continue then." Master Busujima says while taking a stance.

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By the third round Master Busujima got tired, he was just a human after all, and sparring with Zeno was a tiring task.

Even with taking tea breaks he was tired, and he wanted to give Zeno time to process his gains.

Master Busujima too was reaping the benefits of fighting someone at his level, he could feel himself getting better.

That day, he decided to devote the Busujima family into serving Zeno. As a dragon of his lineage had the right to the throne, but he didn't mention any of this to Zeno.

'It seems he already has his plans. He will naturally ask for help if he needs it. It would be rude of me to ask him.' He thought to himself.

At that time his daughter entered the room. Looking at his daughter he sighed inwardly. His wife had passed early on leaving him to raise Saeko on his own.

While he didn't find it hard to do, Master Busujima was constantly worrying about his daughter.

An idea entered his mind at that moment...