"But..."
The prime minister still had her doubts. "The Dragon Kingdom is full of hidden talent. The young man who defeated Ito Makoto and that girl in red from the livestream are both dangerous. What if they don't play by the rules...?"
"Hmph! They're just a pack of wet-behind-the-ears brats!"
Ito Yūgorō snorted and drove the dagger into the tabletop.
"The people of the Dragon Kingdom lost their fighting spirit long ago!"
"Comfort has worn away their edge. All they know how to do is talk tough online!"
"The only reason I lost back then wasn't the Dragon Kingdom. It was Eagle Country's 'Little Boy' and 'Fat Man'!"
"When it comes to fighting one-on-one or the spirit of bushido, they aren't fit to shine my shoes!"
Ito Yūgorō grew more worked up with every word, as if he had returned to those days of war.
Then he suddenly stopped.
His clouded eye contracted sharply.
Fear he could not hide crossed his once-arrogant face.
He raised a hand to the patch over his left eye. Beneath it was an empty socket.
There was no eyeball, only an ugly hollow fitted with a cold prosthetic eye.
"No... That's not right."
His voice dropped, carrying a chill that went straight to the bone.
"There was one monster among them."
"He was the only one who ever made me feel true fear."
The prime minister paused on the other end of the call. "Who? Qin Lie, the God of War? Or General Xu Anbang?"
"Neither!"
Ito Yūgorō shook his head. The terror in his remaining eye twisted his face further.
"He was a madman!"
"Back then, in Jiangcheng... I led three fully equipped armored divisions, with the most advanced artillery and tanks of the time. I meant to take Jiangcheng in one strike."
"And