21st Century Necromancer

Although they had come to negotiate and had little respect for the Mingyue Society, the two representatives from the Kanto Kendo Alliance did not resort to forcing their way in. Instead, they followed proper etiquette. After notifying the reception at the entrance, they were led by the reception staff to the meeting room to wait for the Mingyue Society delegates for negotiation, showing not the slightest hint of impatience.

"Akiha, do you think the Mingyue Society will accept our terms?" asked the man in the black Kendo uniform to his companion. Although he didn't believe the Mingyue Society would dare to resist the Kanto Kendo Alliance openly, he also felt that they might not accept the terms they had brought.

"Okuyama-kun, you worry too much. It's not their place to dictate terms," the man known as Akiha adjusted the badge of Hokushin Itto-ryu on the lapel of his blue Kendo uniform, laughing arrogantly, "Their only choices are to agree or disagree."

"Akiha, this is not what the directors asked us to do, is it? They said to resolve this peacefully!" Okuyama frowned upon hearing Akiha's words, seeming somewhat dissatisfied with his companion's approach.

However, Akiha didn't care about that at all, continuing to laugh wildly while also touching the Sword Bag he had brought with him: "Just an emerging organization, do you really think they have the guts to bare their fangs at the Kanto Kendo Alliance? A peaceful resolution means no fighting, isn't that peaceful?

You don't actually believe such an upstart organization has Transcendent individuals capable of confronting the Alliance, do you? If they had such high-level existences, they wouldn't need to lure small, insignificant Kenjutsu Schools with their precious cultivation heritage."

"Perhaps, but it's better to be cautious. If we push them into a corner, it wouldn't look good for the Alliance either," Okuyama was clearly more cautious than Akiha or perhaps just more concerned about saving face.

"Drive them into a corner? They'd have to be a fish before they could even think about that, and shrimp don't have the privilege to 'die along with the net,'" Akiha said dismissively, not taking Okuyama's caution to heart.

"But…" Just as Okuyama was about to say something else, the door to the meeting room opened and Kojo Kyoko, with a cold expression, walked in alongside Kyuuzai Ryousen.

"Good morning, nice to meet you for the first time. I am Kyuuzai Ryousen, in charge of the Mingyue Society. This is Miss Kojo Kyoko from the Muso Itto-ryu, who is also one of our leaders. We ask for your kind consideration," Kyuuzai Ryousen said politely, before turning his gaze to the two men from the Kanto Kendo Alliance.

"Muso Itto-ryu? Are you Kyoko? Kojo-san's daughter, Kyoko?" Hearing Kyuuzai's introduction, Okuyama looked at Kojo Kyoko in surprise, as if he could hardly believe it.

"I'm sorry, but who are you?" Kojo Kyoko looked at the man in the black Kendo uniform. Though his lapel badge revealed that he was from Shinto Munen-ryu, Kojo Kyoko still had no recollection of him.

"I'm your father's good friend, Imahon Okayama! I even held you during your mother's funeral, have you forgotten? Every summer, I would visit your home to drink with your father, have you forgotten that?" Okuyama hurriedly explained to Kojo Kyoko, while also couldn't help but feel sentimental, "I never thought you'd grow up so fast, how time flies!"

"Uncle Okuyama? It has been many years since you last visited our home, hasn't it? Almost six or seven years since my younger brother started high school, right?" Hearing Imahon Okuyama's self-introduction, Kojo Kyoko finally remembered who the man in front of her was, albeit her greeting lacked any expression on her face.

"I was ordered to go to the United States to serve as an instructor at a dojo, so I've been in the United States these past years and only recently returned to Japan." Imahon Okuyama explained to Kojo Kyoko, while also curiously asking her, "Kyoko, why are you here, and as a leader no less? Is this organization called Mingyue Society established by you?"

"I am one of the leaders of Mingyue Society, and yes, you could say we established it. Uncle Okuyama, are you from the Kendo Alliance? So are you here to negotiate with us this time?" Although Kojo Kyoko addressed him as 'uncle', her demeanor did not treat Okuyama as a friend of her father's, but rather with a businesslike attitude.

"Hey, hey, don't tell me you think that just because Okuyama-kun is an acquaintance of yours, you can easily slip through, right?" Upon hearing Imahon Okuyama trying to establish a connection, Akiha stood up, speaking arrogantly, "Your Mingyue Society dares to poach those minor schools under the Kanto Kendo Alliance's umbrella, and even have the audacity to compete with the Alliance's dojos for disciples—isn't that taking us for granted?"

"Oh? And what do you intend to do about it? By the looks of it, this is what you came for today, isn't it?" Kyuuzai Ryousen directly asked the confrontational Akiha.
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"Expel all the Kenjutsu Schools that have joined you, and issue a public apology to the Kanto Kendo Alliance through the media," Akiha did not beat around the bush, stating his terms straightforwardly while looking at Kyuuzai Ryousen with an audacious gaze, "Don't think you can just smooth this over because you know Okuyama. Offending the Kanto Kendo Alliance and not offering an apology, then don't blame us for being utterly ruthless!"

As he spoke, Akiha, disregarding the subtle signals from Imahon Okuyama beside him, walked up to Kojo Kyoko and deliberately said to her, "Let me teach you a lesson, woman. In this world, power speaks. Organizations playing house like yours should tuck their tails and behave like dogs—it's possible we might take pity and leave you some scraps. And if you're disobedient, you'll end up like a stray dog on the street… no, you're not even worthy of being stray dogs, just a bunch of disgusting bugs that can be crushed with a simple hand raise. Hahaha!"

Watching Akiha's haughty and insufferable demeanor, both Kojo Kyoko and Kyuuzai Ryousen appeared utterly indifferent, as though they were watching a clown trying too hard to perform.

"Kyoko, what you're doing is unwise; offending the Alliance does you no good. Although the conditions are indeed harsh, it's still better than being targeted by the Alliance." On the sidelines, Imahon Okuyama pulled Akiha back to stop his arrogance, then earnestly persuaded Kojo Kyoko, "Just apologize to the Alliance for now, I'll plead with the Alliance's upper echelon on your behalf..."

"No, thank you for your kindness, Uncle Okuyama." Kojo Kyoko directly rejected Imahon Okuyama's persuasion, looking coldly at Akiha, she said bluntly, "Verbally sparring is pointless. Ultimately, it's strength that determines who should apologize and who should admit fault. Let's settle this with a duel according to tradition. If you win, we'll accept your terms; if you lose, leave one of your hands as the price of insulting Mingyue Society."