Chapter 148: Natsuba Rinrei’s Resurrection
“Vwooooom——————————!”
The sound echoed in Natsuba Rinrei’s ears, and her vision blurred.
She stumbled to her feet, her body swaying.
Due to her complete lack of defense, she had been hit squarely by the attack. And since it was powered by an overdrawn potential…
Its power was close to peak B-rank.
However, the physical damage was nothing compared to the wound in her heart.
The mental shock completely shattered her spirit.
The words appeared in her mind, over and over again.
【Sister Sakura betrayed me】【Sister Sakura betrayed me】【Sister Sakura betrayed me】【Sister Sakura betrayed me】【Sister Sakura betrayed me】【Sister Sakura betrayed me】…
How could this be!!!
All the warm memories of the past flooded her mind. Natsuba Rinrei couldn’t believe it. Under the influence of her emotions, the blue-green flame in her left eye burned even more fiercely.
However, the current situation…
Didn’t give Natsuba Rinrei much time to wallow in her grief.
Lightning fast!
Natsuba Taiga had been waiting on the ground for her to fall. He had charged up to his limit. The claws on his left hand were nearly a meter long, glowing with a dense white light, and containing a surging power.
And a blood-like malice flickered within them. His eyes were dyed red.
Natsuba Taiga, with the force of a thousand thunderbolts, attacked!
In a single instant, just as Natsuba Rinrei had barely recovered her senses and her crimson dragon pupils were fixed on Natsuba Taiga, it was already too late.
The incredibly sharp claws slashed at her.
This claw strike contained almost all of Natsuba Taiga’s strength!
Natsuba Rinrei had just begun to dodge, only managing to turn half her body, when the claws raked across her left arm.
“Ziiiiiiiiiiiiiiii———!”
A sharp, metallic sound echoed, and sparks flew.
Natsuba Rinrei’s crimson scales and Natsuba Taiga’s claws clashed. Although they were both flesh and blood, a sound like metal being cut was heard.
But the sound of metal being cut only lasted for less than five seconds.
In the next moment, the claws cut through her skin, and a complete left arm was torn off, blood spraying out like a geyser.
This intense pain also completely sobered Natsuba Rinrei up.
Almost by combat instinct, a scorching flame ignited on her severed arm, instantly cauterizing the wound.
A severed limb!
For any supernatural user, even a supernatural being, this was an absolute, heavy blow.
Kujō Mien, seeing this, instinctively leaned forward, taking half a step, preparing to rescue Natsuba Rinrei.
Even though they had just met and weren’t familiar with each other…
For the sake of her mother, they were both in the same camp of Summer Harvest Mountain. She couldn’t let Natsuba Rinrei die.
With her joining, even if it was just stalling, she could buy a little more time.
However, the moment this thought arose in her mind, the power her mother had given her just now stagnated for a moment.
In an instant, she understood.
This was her mother’s way of telling her not to act.
But she was extremely confused. Could Natsuba Rinrei be a pawn to be sacrificed?
Would such a gentle mother really abandon her daughter? Thinking this, but her trust in her mother ultimately made her stay put.
However, Kujō Sujin was a little eager to act. In his view, Natsuba Taiga and Natsuba Rinrei were both peak B-rank with extremely dangerous abilities. It wouldn’t be so easy to decide a victor.
But he hadn’t expected Kimura Sakura to be the Natsuba conglomerate’s mole, and to deliver a fatal backstab.
And to create such a scene.
Natsuba Taiga had actually killed Natsuba Rinrei. This was not a scene he wanted to see.
But if he broke the contract, his cooperative relationship with the Natsuba conglomerate would undoubtedly be fractured.
At this moment, he was even more eager for Summer Harvest Mountain’s rescue than Natsuba Rinrei, for a B-rank or so member to come and save her.
However, from the looks of it now…
Natsuba Taiga hadn’t used his killing move yet. If it really came to that…
Kujō Sujin’s eyes narrowed slightly.
And at this moment, the battle was still ongoing.
Natsuba Taiga didn’t care about anyone else’s thoughts. He just wanted to kill Natsuba Rinrei.
His attack was far from over. He completely unleashed his malice, and it surged within his body. The bloodlust in his eyes intensified, filled with a desire for blood.
At this moment, he was as violent as a beast, and like a beast, he would tear his prey to shreds!
Claw to fist!
His supernatural power and malice remained unchanged. He slammed his fist into Natsuba Rinrei, stunning her.
And making her fall into a state of delirium again.
A combo was instantly unleashed.
A whip kick to the abdomen, a right elbow to the head, a flurry of punches, a devastating onslaught rained down on Natsuba Rinrei like a storm.
Until the final blow.
His hands each extended a meter-long, mottled claw, glowing with a mottled red, dazzling light. All his malice was poured into them, and an endless, surging, frantic aura expanded.
Even Kujō Sujin, seeing this blow, felt a sense of extreme danger.
This was a killing move that even he couldn’t completely block, let alone the now heavily injured Natsuba Rinrei. His eyes were about to split. Now was not the time to worry about cooperation. He had messed up!
Kujō Sujin quickly moved. A massive blood-red hand began to condense, and he quickly roared,
“Stop!”
But Natsuba Taiga sneered, his brow filled with an arrogant and uninhibited air.
His two claws were crossed above his head.
And Natsuba Rinrei’s neck was the line.
Then, with a low tiger’s roar, he suddenly swung down!
“Die!!!”
In this vast building, it seemed as if only the swing of this claw remained, its violent aura sweeping through everything like a tornado.
Natsuba Rinrei’s ruby-like dragon pupils lost their luster.
A blood line appeared on her neck.
In the next moment, her neck and body separated, falling to the ground in two pieces.
And a wide grin appeared on Natsuba Taiga’s lips, reaching his ears. Like a world-conquering tiger, he was full of arrogance.
Killing Natsuba Rinrei, the position of the Natsuba family head was now a certainty. At this moment, Natsuba Taiga was completely immersed in this joy.
He laughed maniacally at the sky.
“Hahahahahaha!!”
“Dragon?”
“Whether it’s Natsuba Kouryu or you, you’re all just insects, just trash!”
“The Natsuba conglomerate is mine! The Natsuba family head is mine! Everything is mine!!”
“Rōichi, celebrate!”
And Kyōkotsu Rōichi quickly knelt on one knee and congratulated,
“Congratulations, Young Master, on eliminating Natsuba Rinrei. The Natsuba conglomerate will welcome a new family head and a new chapter!”
And Kujō Sujin hadn’t expected Natsuba Taiga to be so swift and decisive. That killing blow was far beyond his expectations. When Natsuba Taiga reached A-rank…
He would probably be a powerful A-rank. It would be better to… while he was still at peak B-rank…
Thinking of this, a killing intent appeared in Kujō Sujin’s eyes.
But in the end, he shook his head.
Killing the last heir, that old geezer Natsuba Genryū would go mad. At that time, he would probably be willing to suffer a thousand losses to drag the Kujō family down with him.
He looked at Natsuba Rinrei’s corpse and couldn’t help but sigh.
At this point, he could only place his hopes of absorbing a god’s power on Natsuba Hanae, and wait until later.
As for absorbing a god’s power to make himself stronger, perhaps he could start with Natsuba Yosuke.
After all, the third son of the Natsuba conglomerate was just a marginal figure. That old geezer Natsuba Genryū wouldn’t care too much.
“Let’s go.”
Kujō Sujin said, preparing to leave with his two descendants.
And Kimura Sakura, who was still in mid-air, worried about Natsuba Rinrei’s revenge, saw her die and breathed a sigh of relief.
She landed on the ground.
That last blow had overdrawn a lot of her potential.
Even her mid-B-rank was on the verge of dropping back to early B-rank.
But it was all worth it.
For the second half of her life, it was all worth it.
It wasn’t a waste of her long act.
Now, she should go and congratulate Natsuba Taiga. She had to serve him well to receive more rewards.
Kimura Sakura’s face was pale, and she walked towards Natsuba Taiga with unsteady steps.
On the way, she passed by Natsuba Rinrei’s severed arm. She accidentally kicked it, and her brow immediately furrowed. She felt it was unlucky.
And quickly kicked it to the side.
But she didn’t notice that at the wound of the severed left arm, a blue-green flame flashed for a moment.
Kimura Sakura continued to walk towards Natsuba Taiga.
However, just then…
A huge force from behind fiercely grabbed her neck and lifted her up. A suffocating and oppressive feeling suddenly came over her.
Although she didn’t know what was going on…
She was a B-rank supernatural user after all. She instantly mobilized her own ability and quickly shouted with a sound wave,
“Help… help me!—”
The sound of the shockwave instantly entered the ears of the laughing Natsuba Taiga and the congratulating Kyōkotsu Rōichi.
And the three of Kujō Sujin, who were preparing to leave, also turned around in surprise.
Kamishiro Naraku, controlled by Natsuba Hanae, a slight curve appeared on his lips.
When they turned around…
An extremely absurd, terrifying scene appeared before their eyes.
He saw that a left arm, its end burning with a blue-green flame, was choking Kimura Sakura and lifting her up.
“What’s going on?!!”
“Did another supernatural user control Natsuba Rinrei’s corpse?”
“Has a member of Summer Harvest Mountain appeared?”
Everyone present began to look around, and did their best to sense their surroundings.
But they found nothing.
Just then, a very familiar voice sounded.
“You don’t need to panic.”
“No other members of Summer Harvest Mountain have come. This is my battle.”
Hearing the voice, they looked over.
And saw Natsuba Rinrei’s head, which had been cut off by Natsuba Taiga earlier. A faint blue-green light shone in her dragon pupils as she looked at them and spoke.
Then, Natsuba Rinrei’s headless body, a blue-green flame erupted from the wound.
Then, like a normal person, she slowly stood up.
And walked towards her own head.
Natsuba Rinrei felt the blue-green flame burning wildly, and the power within her body. A thoughtful look appeared in her eyes.
When her body had picked up her head and placed it back on, intact…
She finally said,
“Should I say thank you, brother?”
“On the verge of death, in a desperate situation, I finally mastered this power.”
“A power completely different from the Red Dragon.”
And at this moment, Natsuba Taiga looked at Natsuba Rinrei with an inscrutable expression. He was still a little confused and didn’t dare to act rashly.
His killing blow had clearly killed Natsub Rinrei.
And she had completely lost all signs of life.
But now, it was clear that she had been resurrected!
Was this a trick of the Master of Summer Harvest Mountain?
Had she given Natsuba Rinrei something that could resurrect her once? Or was the Master of Summer Harvest Mountain nearby, and had used some ability to resurrect her?!
However, Natsuba Rinrei didn’t care what Natsuba Taiga was thinking.
She pursed her pink lips and began to walk towards her left arm, and also towards Kimura Sakura.
Her beautiful eyes no longer held the confusion and disbelief from before. Instead, they were filled with an indescribable calmness, like a still lake, without a single ripple.
She appeared before Kimura Sakura.
And the force of her left arm grew stronger and stronger, tighter and tighter.
It choked Kimura Sakura so much that veins bulged on her neck, and her originally exquisite face was filled with a hideous and ugly expression. The feeling of suffocation grew stronger and stronger, and death was fast approaching.
She flailed her hands desperately, trying to grab something.
She wanted to live! She wanted to live!
And so, she began to beg for mercy. Her eyes were filled with tears, which streamed down her face. But with her hideous, ugly face, it didn’t look like she was crying at all, but more like an evil ghost.
She began to say with all her might,
“Rinrei… Rinrei…”
“I was just confused just now.”
“I’m your Sister Sakura. When you entered the Hero Association a few years ago, I was the one who always took care of you, your Sister Sakura.”
“Aren’t we the best of sisters?”
“You told me that besides Natsuba Hanae, I gave you your second warmth, and for the first time, you felt protected and cared for.”
“We’re family!”
“The care I gave you before was like a mother…”
“Gak————”
The force of her left arm suddenly tightened, squeezing out the last wisp of air from Kimura Sakura’s throat.
Natsuba Rinrei looked at Kimura Sakura’s face.
She recalled the truly gentle appearance of the Master of Summer Harvest Mountain, so gentle, and the way she had always taken care of her on the back of the bird, and had even given her this power.
That was real family, not this filthy, ugly thing before her.
She said softly,
“Family? Mother?”
“You’re not worthy.”
Having made up her mind, Natsuba Rinrei completely let go. In the palm of her left arm, a blue-green flame suddenly shot out and instantly ignited Kimura Sakura’s entire body.
Her wails became the music of Natsuba Rinrei’s re-entrance.
And the blue-green flame became her magnificent backdrop. After it burned, there was nothing left.
Her left arm returned to its place.
In Natsuba Rinrei’s vertical pupils, the left was cyan, the right was crimson, but both burned with a firm conviction.
She pointed at Natsuba Taiga and said,
“Now, it’s your turn.”
