Chapter 475 - THE RARE GENIUS

Kazuki was quite satisfied after seeing the interest in Kaito's eyes. He decided to share everything clearly to prevent the captured fish from escaping prematurely. If he did not entice his grandson enough, he would still want to go back to his old mediocre life. 

"Martial Island was established here by our forefathers because it is close to the ore of rare material. You can call this rare material, an elixir of life. Those who consumed it would not be plagued by disease. They would grow strong and live a long life." 

Kazuki spoke these words with a lowered voice, even though the study was soundproof. It gave the impression that he was sharing a mighty secret, which he was. He looked at his grandson, waiting for exclamations of awe.

Kaito narrowed his eyes. "There is nothing that good without a downside." 

"You are as smart as your mother. She was a sharp one, able to see problems without prompting." Kazuki sighed wistfully. "The mysterious energy in the rare material must be consumed with care. If not, that power could riot in the body and cause severe injuries, disease and even death." 

Kaito remembered his uncle's explanation about certain families finding faulty cultivation manuals. Could it be that he was referring to someone having and using a bad stash of the rare material? Or did those people use the item incorrectly? 

Either way, the mystery of the island was now in his hand. It seemed that his maternal grandfather was not as careful as his uncle. His uncle had shown great care for him, but he had not shared this secret matter due to his cautious nature. 

"What are the conditions of getting the material?" Kaito asked as if interested in consuming it. 

The older man was smug. "The physical condition of a person must be good. Each family provides their potion to the strongest individuals according to the yearly selections. The triennial championships determine the allocation of the available rare material to different clans." 

Kaito took a deep breath. Within a few moments, he had learned the secrets of Martial Island that had kept him awake at night. He finally understood the reason his uncle wanted him to fight for the clan. He also solved the mystery of the obsession with martial arts and the championships. 

"This is a lot to digest." He finally said.

"Think about it. You will not lose anything by joining the clan. With your strength, you could rise to the top." Kazuki hinted heavily, implying that he wanted to leave the position of clan leader to Kaito. 

Since Taiki was set on the path of a Guardian, he would probably not retire to take on the mantle. Taiki's interests had never been for family power. He was more likely to rise into a high legal position at the core of the island's government. 

Kaito was a good choice for the clan leader position because he was strong. Also, he had shown a keen brain. Even though he was not interested in medicine, he was good with business. Furthermore, Taiki was quite fond of him, so he would support and protect him. 

Kaito looked at his maternal grandfather. His dark eyes were sharp, but there was a hint of vulnerability in his eyes. It made him seem a little more human than usual. It was almost as if he was finally opening up to his grandfather. 

"I cannot say I am opposed to joining the Iekami clan." Kaito finally spoke after a long moment. "But I just want to know one thing before I make the final decision." 

"Please ask." The old man nodded magnanimously. 

"Can you tell me the matter concerning my mother and the Takahashi family?" He asked. 

"Kaito…" His grandfather became a little closed off. 

"I cannot make a clear decision if I am not sure about this issue. It is something I cannot neglect. I do not want to dishonour her memory. Even though I did not know her, I think it is still important to do things in a clear way." Kaito said. 

In truth, Kaito meant those words, but it was probably not in the same that his grandfather understood. In simple terms, his purpose for asking was not as pure as it might appear. He wanted more information so he could learn how to deal with Takahashi Senzo when he returned to Japan. 

Of course, he had no intention of becoming a part of Martial Island. He was bidding his time until he could escape the place. And he knew he would leave the island one way or the other. He would find a route off, or someone would come for him. 

He did not have a lot of good friends, given his line of work. Relationships were based on benefits and could break at any moment. However, he was not without a source of hope. At the very least, he knew that Zhong Feng and Hu Lei would probably try to find him. 

Even if they did not get the email, they would remember his question about Martial Island. It might take a while, but he had them as allies on the outside. As long as he was alive, he would have hope for escaping and returning to Akira's side. 

Given his personality, his uncle would probably try to kill him. When Senzo found out that Kaito had the shares for Takahashi Corporation in his hand, he would not rest until he was in control. He would attack him without scruples.

Therefore, Kaito needed to get ahead and handle his uncle before he made things difficult for him or his Akira. He was sure his weakness was related to the Iekami clan. 

"You are a good child," Kazuki said with a wistful smile. "Hime was a good woman, and your father was an honourable man. They did not deserve such a cruel death. You did not deserve to grow up without parents. I am sorry I could not protect them. Even now, I continue to fail them." 

Kaito's brows creased. "Please tell me what led to their deaths." 

Kazuki sighed, and his dark eyes became a little unfocussed and distant as his mind drifted back to the olden days. He could almost see Hime's beautiful face before him as he spoke.

"It is not a complicated story, but the simplicity is perhaps what contributed to the horrible outcome. Your mother was a valued member of the Iekami family. She was a great role model to everyone in her generation. A rare genius, you might say." The hints of longing were obvious.

"She was not only a powerful cultivator. Her skills in medicine were unparalleled. Before she was twenty, she was already making major contributions through our research lab. In addition, she opened a lot of businesses on Martial Island and in the outside world." 

A long moment passed as Kazuki thought of his perfect daughter, gone forever.