Chapter 165: The Sky has Cleared, the Rain has Stopped, and Kamishiro Naraku is Good to Go Again
Hearing this, the Kujō steward’s face instantly froze. He hesitated for a moment and then said,
“Family Head, Young Master Kōta and Mr. Tōkawa haven’t returned yet. I’ve already sent people to look for them, but there’s no news so far.”
“Once there’s news, I’ll inform you immediately.”
As the steward spoke, he saw Kujō Sujin’s face grow darker and darker. He quickly reported another piece of good news.
“However, Kujō Mien has returned.”
Hearing this, Kujō Sujin pondered for a moment.
Kujō Mien’s return was not good news, but rather, bad news.
This meant that Kujō Kōta’s grafting plan had not succeeded.
And it also meant that since Kujō Mien had returned, then Kujō Kōta and Kujō Tōkawa, who had not returned, had most likely met the same fate as Natsuba Taiga.
They had also died at the hands of the Master of Summer Harvest Mountain.
He hadn’t expected that just a second ago, he had been half-gloating, half-worried about that old geezer Natsuba Genryū’s madness, and now the karma had come to him so quickly.
Kujō Kōta’s death meant that the purest blood ability had disappeared, and a powerhouse who was about to advance to A-rank had vanished.
This was undoubtedly a huge loss.
And Kujō Tōkawa’s death, in comparison, was somewhat insignificant.
Although Kujō Tōkawa was the only A-rank sorcerer, with the Kujō family’s financial resources, it would only take a few years to create another A-rank sorcerer from a peak B-rank.
In fact, the reason why there was only one A-rank sorcerer in this country was not because it was difficult to become one.
On the contrary, the creation of an A-rank sorcerer was much simpler than a peak B-rank supernatural user.
It only required the accumulation of resources.
And a formed A-rank sorcerer, in terms of combat power alone, was not even as good as a B-rank supernatural user who focused on offense.
Not only that, but A-rank sorcerers were generally ordinary people with a talent for sorcery, not the bloodline of a conglomerate, which meant their loyalty was often not high.
Except for the Kujō family, who were wealthy and lacked high-end combat power, which was why they had created an A-rank sorcerer.
The other forces, at most, would train sorcerers to peak B-rank, and then have them specialize in a certain sorcery to maximize their usefulness. They would never waste resources to create an A-rank sorcerer.
Of course, for the Kujō family, Kujō Mien’s return was not without its good points.
When the second-in-line blood ability user reached peak B-rank, they could continue the grafting plan and have Kujō Mien become a vessel for them to use.
However, it would probably take a few more years for the second-in-line blood ability user to reach peak B-rank.
And there was one more thing that puzzled Kujō Sujin.
Kujō Kōta and Kujō Tōkawa had not returned. How had Kujō Mien returned?
Could it be that she…
Had betrayed the Kujō family and defected to Summer Harvest Mountain to save her own life?
Thinking of this, Kujō Sujin pondered for a moment, then said,
“Is Kujō Mien still in the main residence?”
The Kujō steward replied,
“Yes, when she returned, she was severely injured and is now recovering in her room.”
Kujō Sujin continued,
“Have her come and see me.”
Whether Kujō Mien had betrayed him or not, he would know everything with a single glance.
“Yes.”
The Kujō steward nodded and prepared to leave.
However, just then, Kujō Sujin suddenly remembered something. He said,
“Right.”
“Send a message to Natsuba Genryū. Say that at the Hero Association, Natsuba Taiga and I encountered the Master of Summer Harvest Mountain. I was seriously injured and escaped, while Natsuba Taiga was left behind by the Master of Summer Harvest Mountain and has likely met with a mishap.”
The two families were currently in a cooperative relationship. This was something he had to tell Natsuba Genryū.
And by saying he was seriously injured and had escaped, even if Natsuba Taiga had died, if Natsuba Genryū were to blame him, then the cooperation between the two families would have to be terminated.
Moreover, the Natsuba conglomerate must also have related intelligence.
Probably after a day, if Natsuba Taiga hadn’t returned to the Natsuba main residence, the Natsuba conglomerate would also be investigating this matter. Their people might even be at the Hero Association now.
And they would probably also find out that the Kujō family had lost Kujō Kōta and Kujō Tōkawa.
Both families had suffered such a loss. Who could blame whom?
However…
Now that the Natsuba conglomerate had no heir, and only a peak C-rank Natsuba Yosuke remained, although his talent was not bad, his ability was quite average. His future decline was inevitable.
And after he had seized the power of the Natsuba god…
In the next few decades, or even a hundred years, it was inevitable that the Kujō family would be superior to the Natsuba conglomerate.
Thinking of this, a hint of pleasure appeared in Kujō Sujin’s heart.
But he didn’t know that now, in his body, the pleasure on Kamishiro Naraku’s lips was almost impossible to conceal.
If he hadn’t forcibly suppressed his own emotions, Kamishiro Naraku would have been unable to help but laugh out loud.
But even with his desperate suppression, the joy in Kamishiro Naraku’s pure black eyes overflowed, and in his spiritual world, he couldn’t control his wild laughter.
“Hahahahahaha!”
“That idiot, Kujō Sujin!”
“To actually use so much of my created supernatural blood for healing!”
After all, the reason Kamishiro Naraku could parasitize Kujō Sujin’s body was because the medium was the supernatural blood he had refined for him in exchange.
In each tube of blood, there was a supernatural being that Kamishiro Naraku had fused into his body, which was why it had such a powerful healing effect.
And these supernatural beings, although they were called supernatural beings, after being absorbed by the fusion ability, were actually a part of Kamishiro Naraku’s body.
In other words, Kujō Sujin’s body was not just his own body now, but also Kamishiro Naraku’s.
The so-called parasitic relationship was probably about to be reversed.
Not only that, but because Kujō Sujin’s ability was blood, and Kamishiro Naraku’s was fusion, this strange connection was as if Kamishiro Naraku had fused with Kujō Sujin’s blood.
And controlled his body.
And controlling his body meant that the divine artifact Calamity and Fortune was also being possessed by Kamishiro Naraku at an astonishing speed.
This tug-of-war between bodies was now leaning towards Kamishiro Naraku.
Given time, it was not impossible to completely replace Kujō Sujin’s body.
And from the looks of it now, the possibility was very high.
Of course…
Kamishiro Naraku’s ambition was not limited to this.
What Kujō Sujin could think of, Kamishiro Naraku had of course also thought of.
Now, the Master of Summer Harvest Mountain’s combat power was not at the peak of A-rank.
Of course, with the passage of time, she would sooner or later return to the peak of A-rank.
But…
She was still just at the peak of A-rank.
Ultimately, she was a mortal.
And he, Kamishiro Naraku, had a higher goal.
When the time was right, he would completely replace Kujō Sujin, and with his mastery of divinity, and the divine artifact Calamity and Fortune in his hands…
All of this combined, of course, represented…
—He would become the new god of the new world!
At that time, even if the Master of Summer Harvest Mountain returned to the peak of A-rank, what resistance would she have against a god?
The beautiful plan for the future, like the sun, gradually melted the ice-like fear buried deep in Kamishiro Naraku’s heart.
The sky had cleared, the rain had stopped.
Kamishiro Naraku felt he was good to go again.
But he didn’t know that…
All of this was being watched by the crimson pupil from within his soul.
Natsuba Hanae was watching everything at this moment.
Of course, she wasn’t looking at the two twisted, ugly things, Kujō Sujin and Kamishiro Naraku.
But waiting for Kujō Mien’s arrival.
Kujō Mien’s character and combat ability had been recognized by her. The reason she had been at high B-rank for a long time was only because her supernatural ability talent had been suppressed.
Once her supernatural ability talent was enhanced, then Kujō Mien’s future would be limitless.
Of course, in the end…
This was not Natsuba Hanae’s luck, but Kujō Mien’s.
Although character and combat ability were extremely difficult to improve, they could still be slowly improved. But in this world, the upper limit of one’s supernatural ability talent was what truly determined one’s strength.
Talent and effort. The weight of talent was as heavy as a rock, while effort, though much, was as ethereal as air.
On this land, who knew how many people with strong character and high combat skills were unknown because of their limited abilities.
Kujō Mien’s luck…
Was that Natsuba Hanae had seen her and had chosen her.
And Natsuba Hanae was always merciful and gentle. When she acknowledged someone as her daughter, even if they were in a desperate situation and it would affect her plans, she would still act appropriately.
After all…
This was a normal daughter, and she was one of the good ones who could reshape the crooked ways of her daughters.
At the same time, she could also observe how Kujō Mien handled matters.
After all, among her subordinates now, besides Kamishiro Hime, the rest were basically all about brute force.
Here, she had to criticize Chikari Makoto.
And not long after, Natsuba Hanae soon saw Kujō Mien, who was “severely injured, pale, and breathless,” arrive in front of Kujō Sujin.
In her hand, she was carrying a package.
According to the hierarchy of the conglomerate and her past habits, she subconsciously wanted to kneel on one knee.
However, she suddenly realized something.
Now… her allegiance was not to Kujō Sujin.
The moment she thought of this, her exquisite face turned even paler, and a sickly blush appeared. She suddenly covered her mouth and coughed.
“Cough, cough, cough, cough!!”
Soon, her hand was covered in a large patch of blood. Her wine-red, beautiful eyes were filled with a pitiful resentment, and she said in a weak voice,
“Uncle Sujin, I was seriously injured and can’t kneel. Please forgive me.”
Hearing this, Kujō Sujin didn’t find anything wrong with it.
He nodded.
“Mien, Uncle.”
“If not for some necessary matters, I wouldn’t have let you come here when you’re so seriously injured.”
“Let’s get to the point.”
“So you can go and rest soon.”
These words, Kujō Sujin also said sincerely.
If the body of the graft was damaged due to a serious injury, it would more or less damage the future blood ability user.
And because of the deaths of Kujō Kōta and Kujō Tōkawa…
Now seeing the most worthless person still alive, he was a little impatient.
If not to find out if there was anything wrong with her, to prevent a mole from being planted in the main residence, he would not have called her at all.
Then, he immediately said, and slightly changed the facts,
“At the Hero Association, because the Master of Summer Harvest Mountain was too strong…”
“To prevent you from encountering danger, I deliberately led the Master of Summer Harvest Mountain and Natsuba Rinrei away. But Natsuba Rinrei, whose supernatural power was mostly exhausted, didn’t pursue.”
“But even if Natsuba Rinrei were to chase and kill you, with the three of you working together, you should have been able to fight her.”
“But now, Kujō Kōta and Kujō Tōkawa haven’t returned, and they should be dead.”
“Mien, can you tell me what happened then?”
With that, Kujō Sujin’s wine-red pupils narrowed slightly, and a powerful bloodlust covered Kujō Mien.
And gave her a terrifying fear.
In his view…
Natsuba Rinrei’s supernatural ability was mostly exhausted. Although her strength was close to mid-A-rank, but if the grafting plan had been successful, and Kujō Kōta had reached A-rank with his blood ability, and with the assistance of the A-rank sorcerer Kujō Tōkawa…
With the characteristics of an A-rank blood ability, it was almost impossible to die.
Not only that, but the bloodlust also had other purposes.
Kujō Kōta had mastered Kujō Mien’s branch of the blood ability information, and he was no exception. Kujō Mien’s blood information was given to him by Kujō Kōta.
And now, with the bloodlust covering Kujō Mien, he could even read her blood information to see if she was lying.
Once she spoke, even if her expression was calm, some of the subtle changes in her organs and blood could not be hidden.
However…
What Kujō Sujin didn’t know was that Kujō Mien’s ability was no longer a branch of the blood ability. Her entire body’s blood was no longer under the control of the blood ability.
However, even so…
Kujō Mien still had to produce enough evidence.
Kujō Mien herself also knew this very well.
Her own return was against common sense, and Kujō Kōta’s death was even more against common sense.
Kujō Sujin’s current posture was undoubtedly a suspicion of her. If she couldn’t give a good reason, because she still had the value of being a grafting vessel, although she wouldn’t die immediately…
But it was inevitable that she would spend the next few years in suppression. And once she came out, it would be the continuation of the grafting plan.
But for her mother’s plan, she had to clear her name.
Fortunately, at this moment, she could make up a lie.
And for the now-suspicious Kujō Sujin, she needed to take action to completely shock him.
Thinking of this, Kujō Mien already had a bold plan in mind.
She pursed her red lips and said with a smile,
“Uncle Sujin, please look.”
The package in her right hand was thrown out, and it rolled on the ground a few times.
And opened.
It was clearly Kujō Tōkawa’s…
—Head
