The black Gulfstream G550, "Sleipnir," began to taxi down the runway.
The engines roared with deafening noise, and even though the cabin was equipped with top-tier soundproofing, it couldn't block out the sound, which seemed to pour directly into the brain through the ears.
Then, the intense force of acceleration hit. It felt like an invisible power was pressing the passengers firmly into their seats, the eardrums vibrating, the heart pounding, and the blood racing.
If it weren't for the fact that the passengers were Hybrid, they might have fainted from the overwhelming acceleration.
Although they had heard rumors that the principal's vehicle was quite "violent," no one had expected it to be this intense. In just a few seconds, Sleipnir shot up into the sky with a deafening roar.
Thankfully, after reaching a higher altitude, the flight stabilized.
Caesar glanced at the poker-faced Chu Zihang and then at Adam, who was smiling. Neither of them seemed to react. Caesar rubbed his forehead in frustration and said, "We've all seen the mission briefing, right? We still have some time before we reach Japan, so how about we discuss the plan of action once we get there?"
"I haven't seen it."
Chu Zihang barely lifted his eyelids and spoke briefly.
"You should have received the mission details," Caesar said, confused, looking at Chu Zihang.
"Ahem, let me explain," Adam cleared his throat and came to Chu Zihang's defense. "The thing is, after the last mission, Chu Zihang was in psychological therapy. He just got out today... ahem, I mean, he was discharged, so he's not really up to speed on the mission details."
Chu Zihang shot him a sideways glance. Did he just say "out of prison"?
"Hahaha, I see," Caesar chuckled, then immediately straightened up, switching to a more serious tone. "Well, here's the detailed mission intel."
He reached behind his seat, grabbed a manila envelope, and after opening it, took out the documents inside.
The three of them gathered around, the "SS" red seal on the envelope indicating top-secret clearance, and according to protocol, it could only be opened after the plane had taken off.
As for the reason behind this rule, Caesar jokingly guessed it was probably to prevent the agents from quitting halfway, but of course, that was just a joke.
The contents of the file were simple: a black-and-white photo, a memory chip, and a translated Russian document.
The black-and-white photo showed a magnificent Soviet-era icebreaker, which mysteriously disappeared after the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.
The contents of the memory chip confirmed that this massive icebreaker was believed to have carried forbidden items related to the Dragon Race, ultimately sinking near Japan's territorial waters.
Their mission this time was not only to investigate the origin of the Dragon Blood gene serum but also to find this massive icebreaker.
"So, what do you two think of this mission?"
Caesar asked, hoping to get his teammates' thoughts so he could start planning their actions once they landed.
However, he was disappointed.
Chu Zihang and Adam both quickly said that they would follow his command.
This left Caesar, who had planned to use this mission as an opportunity to challenge Chu Zihang, feeling somewhat speechless and disheartened.
The atmosphere grew tense again.
Caesar never imagined that, one day, the task of easing the tension would fall to him.
It was hard—too hard.
One teammate was Chu Zihang, who had a stoic face and spoke little. After hearing about the mission, he simply closed his eyes and pretended to nap.
The other was Adam. He wasn't exactly quiet, but talking to him gave Caesar the feeling of punching cotton—no matter what he said, Adam would end the conversation almost instantly with a quick response.
After much effort on Caesar's part, he eventually gave up.
"Whatever, let them be. I'm done trying!"
The three of them were completely out of sync, with almost no common ground to speak of.
And so, the trio continued in their strange silence...
Sleipnir, the personal vehicle of the principal, lived up to its reputation. What would have been a thirteen-hour journey was completed in just six hours, taking them from Chicago to Tokyo, Japan.
Inside the cabin, the "high-pressure" atmosphere had finally relaxed a little.
"The brightest spot over there is Ginza," Caesar pointed out, looking out the window at the brightly lit city. "They say that at the height of Japan's real estate prices, the land in Ginza alone was worth enough to buy all of America."
"Mm."
Chu Zihang's response was still cold. He didn't care for the flashy city lights. Instead, he asked, "Where can I buy cosmetics and souvenirs?"
Caesar gave him an odd look. "Do you have a special preference?"
"No."
Chu Zihang's eyes twitched slightly, and the hand gripping his alchemy sword tightened, his veins bulging. "It's for my mother. She asked me to bring some things back."
"Go to Ginza. It's Tokyo's largest luxury goods center," Caesar said before glancing at Adam. "Do you have any place you want to visit?"
"No, I'm more comfortable staying at home."
Adam smiled and waved his hand, signaling he wasn't interested in going out to wander.
And so, the atmosphere that had just relaxed fell into silence again.
Even though the mission hadn't even begun yet, Caesar already felt mentally exhausted, sensing that the "future was uncertain."
He really couldn't understand what the principal was thinking—why would they send three completely unrelated people together on this mission?
Genji Heavy Industries Building, Tokyo, Japan.
It was hard for outsiders to imagine that in such a prime, high-value building, there was a hidden room with traditional Japanese-style décor on one of the upper floors.
The room was filled with all kinds of dolls—cute plush monsters, plastic Ultraman figures, and various other creatures. There was a large flat-screen TV on the wall, with a Sony PS3 game console below it.
The high pile of game discs beside it proved that the room's owner was a big fan of gaming and the anime world.
In front of a huge floor-to-ceiling window, a girl dressed in a traditional Shinto priestess outfit stood. Despite the loose fabric, her slender figure was still noticeable.
Her long dark red hair cascaded down her back like a waterfall, and her waist was delicate, almost fragile. The red skirt revealed her slender, jade-like ankles, and her fair feet rested lightly on the tatami mat.
She leaned against the window, her graceful neck arched like a swan's, gazing eagerly at the night sky of Tokyo.
Her bright, clear eyes sparkled with a sense of joy and excitement as she watched the city below.
Even her favorite little yellow rubber duck, which she always loved, was now tossed aside.
Because she was waiting for someone.
That person had promised to take her away from the cold, high tower that held her prisoner and show her the world outside.
It was like the all-powerful Mario, breaking into a cold castle and rescuing Princess Peach from the evil Bowser, who had kept her captive and longing for freedom.
"Do you long for freedom?"
This was the first thing he said when she met him in her dream.
He sat on a tall bronze bench, as if he had a thousand faces, surrounded by a mysterious gray mist. The place was an awe-inspiring, grand cathedral built from human bones.
His pale golden eyes were as pure and clear as a newborn's, reflecting the essence of everything, like a mirror to the soul.
"My name is Adam Angelwid."
The mysterious man lowered his gaze and spoke in a tone that the girl couldn't fully understand, but it felt laced with sadness. "It's nice to meet you, Uesugi Erii."
Some readers had said the world shift came suddenly, but I don't think it was unexpected. After all, it had been foreshadowed earlier. The main character will definitely go to other worlds in the future. The Dragon Raja is just a stepping stone. After Dragon 2 and Dragon 3, the main story will return to Naruto.
********
Support me on my patreon and read upto 15 early chapters.
https://www.patreon.com/Unique_Writer