Chapter 52: Natsuba Genryū, the Human Butcher
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
In the very center of the Natsuba main residence, a temple stood.
And at this moment, within this simply decorated temple, a large golden Buddha statue was enshrined.
Natsuba Genryū was kneeling on a cushion in front of the statue, dressed in a brown monk’s robe, his face benevolent, continuously tapping a wooden fish and chanting.
Every day, unless there was something extremely critical, he would sit before this Buddha statue and repent, washing away the sins of his past.
He even slept in a side hall next to the statue most of the time.
He was the very picture of a devout Buddhist.
However, just then…
A peak C-rank steward, who had managed to escape Natsuba Rinrei’s onslaught and was the first to return to the residence…
He had information that Natsuba Rinrei had broken through to B-rank, that her ability was extremely dangerous, and that she had charged into a Nightmare-level Otherside.
These three pieces of information combined would undoubtedly advance his position within the Natsuba main residence.
When he reached B-rank in the future, he would most likely become a senior steward.
His steward status granted him unimpeded access, and he ran straight into the temple where Natsuba Genryū was.
His face was flushed with excitement, his mind filled with fantasies of the power he would wield as a senior steward, and he abruptly pushed open the redwood doors.
“Bang!”
The sound of the doors slamming open echoed. He looked at Natsuba Genryū’s back and eagerly said,
“Family Head! The First Miss is in the Nightmare-level Oth—”
Thump—
Suddenly, the sound of the wooden fish stopped.
And with it, the voice of the steward who had burst in.
His body was cleanly and neatly sliced in two, blood splattering on the immaculate redwood doors.
And the blood seemed to make the redwood even redder.
Under the light of the golden Buddha, it looked vibrant and fresh.
Natsuba Genryū’s eyes, at some point, had opened, and an incredibly dense and pure killing intent, like a howling gale, enveloped the entire temple.
The hand that had been tapping the wooden fish had transformed into a chillingly sharp blade and was now slowly reverting back to its original shape.
He began to tap the wooden fish again.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
The killing intent slowly dissipated, and Natsuba Genryū looked at the face of the golden Buddha.
A few drops of blood had splattered onto it.
Natsuba Genryū’s killing intent subsided, and he returned to his benevolent appearance. He stopped tapping the wooden fish and said softly,
“Disturbing the tranquility of the temple…”
“Death is not enough to atone.”
“I killed him to protect the temple. My merit has probably increased.”
A smile appeared on Natsuba Genryū’s aged face, the wrinkles around his eyes deep enough to trap a fly.
Then, he thought,
“I heard the Ryūko Shrine was recently designated as a Saigū (Imperial Shrine). The god they worship must be quite effective.”
“When I have time, I’ll invite one back to wash away my sins.”
Indeed, Natsuba Genryū was not a faithful Buddhist.
Any deity that showed a hint of fame would be invited back and enshrined in the center of the Natsuba main residence. Since the courtyard was so large, it could accommodate them all.
And the Ryūko Shrine, having recently become a state religion, naturally needed to have a place in the residence.
In his youth, Natsuba Genryū was a notorious “Human Butcher,” with swordsmanship that had reached the pinnacle of perfection. Combined with his own ability, which was “Weapon,” he was invincible.
In the end, he had slaughtered his way to A-rank.
His combat power was far beyond what the Kujō head could compare to.
Before him, the Natsuba conglomerate had always been inferior to the other top conglomerates. But through Natsuba Genryū’s efforts alone, he had single-handedly brought them to stand shoulder to shoulder with the other three.
However, the killing intent that had made him an A-rank now tormented him in his old age.
So he prayed to all the gods.
Unfortunately…
It had no effect.
As for healing-type supernatural users, they could only heal physical injuries. The killing intent, something so profound and intertwined with his own ability, was untreatable.
Then, Natsuba Genryū turned to look at the corpse at the door. It was an eyesore.
His aged voice was full of strength as he said,
“Someone come.”
Two stewards entered, their heads bowed, and knelt on one knee.
“Yes, sir.”
“Take this body away, give him a proper burial, and give his family a death benefit.”
Natsuba Genryū was indeed a responsible family head.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have brought the Natsuba conglomerate to its current height.
The steward had died because he had been disrespectful, but he had been killed by his own uncontrollable killing intent. It was only right to console his family.
As for dying in battle, indeed he had. Was not a battle with him still a battle?
At the same time, Natsuba Genryū remembered what the dead steward had said. It seemed to be about Natsuba Rinrei.
He had heard that Natsuba Hanae had been kidnapped and taken into an Otherside, but he hadn’t paid it much mind.
To him, the marriage with the Kujō family was just a formality.
As long as Natsuba Rinrei was there, the formality could be maintained.
However, the steward’s words seemed to imply that Natsuba Rinrei was also in trouble. This made Natsuba Genryū ponder.
He continued,
“He was trying to report something about Rinrei. Send someone who knows what they’re talking about to tell me.”
“Understood.”
The two stewards left with the body.
Not long after, an injured steward rushed in, knelt on both knees, and, seeing the blood on the floor, didn’t dare to look up.
He began to explain what had happened.
“Family Head, after we arrived at the Nightmare-level Otherside, the First Miss also came.”
The steward explained that Natsuba Rinrei had reached B-rank, that her ability manifested as dragon eyes, dragon wings, and control over intense heat and flames, almost certainly a Red Dragon.
And that she had entered the Otherside.
“Red Dragon?”
Natsuba Genryū’s red eyes narrowed slightly. As the head of the Natsuba family, he of course knew the prophecy of the “battle between a dragon and a tiger.”
This unexpected development was something even he hadn’t foreseen.
Although Natsuba Taiga and Natsuba Kouryu’s backing was far greater than Natsuba Rinrei’s, there was now a possibility.
Moreover…
He had received intelligence from a mole in the Supernatural Abilities Association that Natsuba Rinrei’s talent was progressing rapidly, but her ability was only a fire lizard, with limited potential, not worth paying attention to.
So, even when she reached peak C-rank, he hadn’t paid her much mind.
Why had she now become a Red Dragon? This removed her limitations. And at her young age, before she reached her peak and began to decline at forty, her chances of reaching A-rank were extremely high.
If he had known about this ability earlier, even as a woman, she could have been a valuable asset.
Female stewards were rare in the Natsuba conglomerate, but not unheard of.
But…
Now, there was an irreparable rift between the Natsuba family and Natsuba Rinrei.
And what he couldn’t have, he had to destroy.
