Kazuki broke from his reverie and leaned on the desk on his elbows, abandoning his usual composed and proper posture.

"Your mother had countless suitors on the island who hoped they could bring her into their families. However, during one of her trips outside, she met your father and fell in love. She was so happy and could not wait to tell me that she had met her true love."

Kaito's eyes narrowed because he knew that the story was not going to a good place.

"After she told me, I could not accept it. No one in the clan could accept it. Even the top elite families were opposed to the idea of Hime leaving the island. We did not want the fertile waters of our land to flow to the outside world."

"Furthermore, at the time, Hime was working on improving the rare material to enhance its effect and minimise potential bad effects. So, we refused to let her go. But after that, she became listless and lethargic, staying at home and refusing to go to work."

"She was no longer the same person. Even if we kept her, she refused to help us. In the end, we had to accept her marriage. In an act of good faith, she promised to keep working on the rare material. Since the Takahashi family was involved in the pharmaceutical business, it was not a difficult feat."

Kazuki was restless as he shifted on his chair, agitated by the memories of what happened later on. His heart bled for his child, but he also felt a great loss for Martial Island.

"Please continue." Kaito prompted him.

"I am not sure the specific matters that happened in the two years leading to their death. You should know that the tragedies came around the time when you were born. Perhaps, Hime and your father were distracted." Kazuki continued.

The voice held some blame towards Kaito even if he had been nothing but a toddler. Kaito did not care about this misplaced faulting. He did not comment on it.

"In that period, it seems like Takahashi Senzo discovered something about the rare material. I cannot say if he read the documents made by your parents or if he managed to obtain a sample of it. But he knew the secret of Martial Island."

"Little by little, he started grasping the control of the Takahashi Corporation. He wanted to control everything so that he could have access to the rare material for his use. Of course, this is my conclusion after what happened later."

"He harnessed as much power as he could, but the work on the rare material was a private project by Hime. Therefore, regardless of his efforts, he could not take control of the matter as long as Hime and your father were alive."

"I should mention that the specific issue that Hime was trying to solve at the time was the problem of energy rioting in the bodies of people who consumed the rare material incorrectly. It was a critical concern that caused the end of many lives. It still is."

Kaito remembered again the story Taiki had told him about the faulty power gained from bad cultivation manuals and materials. It is just as he had thought. He could already see how the matter had ended up with his parent's death.

"Your mother came up with a modified version of the drug commonly known as the zombie drug. She modified the normal compound structure of alpha-pyrrolidinopentionephenone. Her plan was designed to use the new drug to force the bodies of the affected individuals to consume the accumulated and rioting energy."

Kaito flashed back to the explanation that Akira had given him about the effects of the zombie drug sample they acquired from the shipment. As his uncle had mentioned, they were using the material for medical research. He could never have imagined the explanation in a thousand years.

"The only problem was that she had not figured out how to manage the dangerous effects of the drug. Once administered, the potential lethality was high, and it would lead to a painful death. However, it was the best idea we found for controlling the crisis."

"When Hime died, she had not given us the production process of the drug. Furthermore, our capacity for production would be limited without the cooperation of an external pharmaceutical company. The only person who could meet our needs was Takahashi Senzo." Kazuki sighed.

Kaito felt angry at the resigned man. "The Martial Island prides itself on having power. Could you not find a way to take the formula from Takahashi Senzo? It would not be complicated to find another manufacturer."

His raised voice betrayed his agitation.

"Takahashi Senzo is a careful man." Kazuki said. "We did try to acquire the manufacturing on several occasions, but he has always been a cautious man. We also attempted to reverse engineer the drug. We were not successful in getting the right results. We could only depend on the man."

Kaito's eyes became hard. "Admit it. You just chose the easier route even though it meant working with your daughter's killer."

Kazuki sighed. "Perhaps, it is as you say. Maybe, I chose the easier path for the sake of the Iekami clan and Martial Island. Our family cannot afford to be proud when the lives of many are at stake. I will apologise to Hime when I see her."

Kaito scoffed as he looked at him. "It is not a wonder that you cannot resolve a problem even after thirty years. Did it strike you that your thinking is the problem? But that is none of my business. My final question is simple. What did you trade with Takahashi Senzo?"

Kazuki became a little awkward. "The existing deal is to give him a little rare material for providing us with the drug and other medical supplies. It is not enough to change his life completely, but it keeps him healthy and strong."

Kaito stood up and looked at Kazuki with disgust. He did not say anything else. He opened the door and left the old home without another word. Kazuki felt weary as he wondered if he should have told Kaito everything. He hoped the boy would not be impulsive due to anger.

When Kaito left the Iekami residential district, there was a subtle smile on his wickedly handsome face. He did not have the irate expression he had when he left the office. He felt triumphant because he had discovered a way to make sure that Takahashi Senzo disappeared forever.

He now knew his uncle's weakness.

All he needed was a chance, and Senzo would be no more.