Transformed into the leader of an esoteric sect in Japan

The original owner of this body had entered this world under her father's guidance, searching for something. She did indeed possess the skill to enter this world, an ability known as "Wandering in the Ghostly Realm," which Kurosawa Shizuki had not yet inherited from the original owner. The reason she is here now is probably simply because she has truly died once.

"Don't look," Kurosawa Shizuki heard a distant yet familiar voice. She looked down in the direction of the voice and saw a pair of all-too-familiar deep blue eyes. The shadow girl was below her, staring at her face to face.

The shadow girl held a black stone that resembled a star. The stone emitted a radiance similar to the black setting sun overhead, only much dimmer, giving Kurosawa Shizuki only a faint feeling of warmth. "The true form of the deity in the Netherworld is not something we can look directly at now. The time has not come."

"You've finally shown yourself. It's harder than climbing to heaven to see you..." Kurosawa Shizuki said weakly. As the shadow girl approached her, the temperature of the black-red flame that seemed to be burning her soul away gradually decreased.

The flames seemed to be being tamed; the scorched black flames gradually decomposed into clumps of black matter, wrapping around her and the shadow girl in circles, nourishing their damaged souls.

“We shouldn’t have met, we shouldn’t have met at all. This violates the order of the Netherworld,” the shadow girl shook her head and sighed softly. She opened her arms and hugged Kurosawa Shizuki tightly. “We have to go back. The reason we’ve ended up in this situation is all your fault for being so careless…”

"Blame me for being careless? How was I supposed to know someone would suddenly snipe me in the head? If you're so capable, why don't you do it yourself?" Kurosawa Shizuki said irritably.

“It’s pointless to discuss who’s to blame now. You are me, and I am you. There’s no difference,” the shadow girl whispered. Kurosawa Shizuki could even smell the faint milky scent on her. She didn’t feel like a shadow at all. It felt like she was holding a living person in her arms.

"Fortunately, we are already at the fourth class. They are still using the same tactics they used against the third class to hunt us down. They miscalculated. Thanks to the influence of the 'Bide Fragment,' we are able to go back."

Under the glow of the Black Sun Stone, Kurosawa Shizuki and the Shadow Girl, embracing each other, fell downwards. They were leaving the realm of the gods and returning to the reality of humanity.

Kurosawa Shizuki saw that beneath the gloomy realm was an Earth that shimmered with bizarre light. However, this Earth was not the Earth she remembered from her previous life, the one located in the solar system.

Here, the Earth is shrouded in endless darkness and chaos. Below the Earth is a fluorescent, silvery-white pyramid. The Earth sits atop the pyramid like an adorning jewel, and revolving around the "Earth" are four incomplete "suns".

The golden sun shimmered with a hazy, dawn-like glow; the blood-red sun was shrouded in wolf-shaped mist; the black sun dripped blood-like tears, shrouded in layers of black matter; and the dark blue sun flowed with a moon-white silver light…

Am I really still on Earth? This is completely unscientific! This is neither Newton nor Einstein! This is a scene that could only appear in the most absurd cosmological imagination of some ancient person!

"What's wrong? In the timeline you're in, isn't the universe like this?" the shadow girl asked curiously.

"That's not the case, or rather, it's completely different. In my history, Earth was clearly just one of the eight planets in the solar system! And there was only one sun!" According to my previous life's astronomical knowledge, if there really were four stars around Earth, then Earth shouldn't exist at all! Not to mention life on Earth.

“In my history, ordinary people believed the same thing,” the shadow girl said with a light laugh. “When astronauts fly into space, they still see the moon orbiting the Earth and the only sun that never goes out.”

"The gods only allow humans to see what they want them to see. Most things in the real universe are impossible for humans to observe. Only by elevating our status, like us, can we continuously see 'truth'. At least, this is the true world in mysticism..."

"This is absurd..." Although she knew she might be living in a completely unscientific world, Kurosawa Shizuki really didn't expect it to be this unscientific!

Is the technology that humanity has developed based on a scientific perspective in this world truly reliable? She suspects that the most basic physical laws considered common sense in this world may all be a hoax woven by the gods!

Kurosawa Shizuki and the shadow girl continued to fall toward "Earth," or rather, the planet commonly regarded as Earth. She could see the land known as "Eastern Japan" growing larger and larger.

They are going back.

"Who exactly are you?" Kurosawa Shizuki seized the last moment, hoping the shadow girl could answer her question.

"As you guessed, I am an amethyst worm that was swallowed by the black matter, and I am maintaining my last consciousness by relying on the Black Sun God Stone," the shadow girl laughed nonchalantly. "You don't need to be afraid of me. I will perish sooner or later, and everything I have is yours."

Kurosawa Shizuki couldn't understand the shadow girl; what was her mindset when she casually uttered such words?

"What exactly are you plotting?"

"I'm plotting revenge. You saw it in my diary, didn't you? I said I was willing to sacrifice everything to avenge our great enemy. That includes having you do everything that I should do in my place," the shadow girl said calmly.

"Why do you insist on me avenging you? Can't you do it yourself? How did you even summon me here?"

"You will understand your mission sooner or later. I can't do it, only you can, so I paid the price and made a pact with a god who walks among humans to summon you here," the shadow girl's voice grew more and more distant, and she let out a melodious laugh.

"Lu Jingxi, I'm sorry to force you to face a war that doesn't belong to you, but you don't have much of a choice."

"That's because someone has already made the choice for me," Kurosawa Shizuki said through gritted teeth.

"Either grit your teeth and forge ahead, defeating all the enemies who stand in your way, or sink into eternal despair like me, awaiting the end in self-destructive despair. Do whatever you want, I don't care anymore. Just as you guessed, I've given up hope, I'm broken, that's why I'm handing everything over to you." The shadow girl's laughter grew weaker and weaker.

"Is such a sacrifice really worth it?"

“This is not a sacrifice, I have no interest in sacrificing for anyone. This is just suicide, and suicide is meaningless…” A hint of hesitation finally appeared in her voice.

What kind of despair could have driven her to choose this path? Kurosawa Shizuki doesn't understand, and perhaps she never will.

"After this fusion, in order to prepare for the final battle, my consciousness will probably have to go into slumber. You should be able to control this filthy shadow of mine at will now, so make good use of it."

"Could you help me with the typing? Your book isn't finished yet, and so many readers are eagerly waiting for it." This was the first thing that came to Kurosawa Shizuki's mind.

Shadow's unsteady body trembled again, and finally she said softly, "I'm giving you everything, including the unfinished work. If you really can't finish it, just cancel it or find a ghostwriter from the Black Sun Cult."

"How could you do this! You're such an irresponsible author, digging holes and then not filling them in, that's just too much!"

"Take good care of Ai, don't let her down again. She really is the only family we have left in this world." Shadow's last words sounded a little flustered, and he changed the subject rather abruptly.

As silence fell, she embraced Kurosawa Shizuki, her body melting into a black shadow, merging back into Kurosawa Shizuki's body. No matter how much Kurosawa Shizuki called out, there was no response.

You're doing all this just to delay your manuscript, aren't you? Kurosawa Shizuki had this absurd thought for no apparent reason.

However, the shadow had vanished without a trace, and she fell back into the real world. The first thing she sensed was the black matter all around her, swirling endlessly around her mangled body. Now, infused with new power, the black matter was once again full of life, trying to rebuild her physical body.

First came the dark golden skeleton, then the internal organs, followed by the blood and muscles, and finally the girl's delicate skin. Kurosawa Shizuki's consciousness clung to the black matter, watching her body being reshaped like a doll by a formless craftsman. The feeling was indescribably eerie.

Within the burning wreckage of the car, the temperature suddenly rose, and clumps of seemingly living black matter wriggled and condensed. The shaping power activated once more, and swirling black flames roared, solidifying the slender girl's body like a statue sculpted by the flames. Her soul was as if struck directly by a forging hammer, forcibly shoved into the newly forged flesh in an extremely simple and brutal way.

She staggered to her feet again, completely naked, as pure as a newborn baby, her long hair flowing like seaweed behind her head.

[You have triggered the 'Undying' trait. Your Shadow Servant, Shadowman, has consumed Black Matter to share 24% of your life force with you. You have returned to the mortal world from the realm of death, and your body has been reshaped.] The system, which had been silent for a long time, finally spoke again.

[The remaining life force of the person in the film is 42%.]

Kurosawa Shizuki opened her eyes, her pupils filled with a terrifyingly pure and deep darkness. Behind her, a black sun, seemingly dripping blood, condensed once more!

Kurosawa Shizuki held the Black Sun Divine Stone to her heart, its holy black light flowing across her profile, like a saintly woman in prayer.

The purple moths that had been clinging to her and sucking her energy let out painful screams as they were bathed in the black flames, before turning to ashes and scattering in all directions.

The illusion of the black sun was fleeting, and Kurosawa Shizuki, whose body was covered in black matter, returned to the world from the abyss of death.

P.S., I'm so tired. Why is typing so tiring? My lazy nature is starting to eat me up again. I have to hang in there!

Chapter 68: The Counterattack Begins! (Please refresh if there's a formatting error; this is a terrible mobile app.)

The scarlet raindrops emitted a nauseating stench, relentlessly continuing as if they would never cease... Yet the flames would not be extinguished by the raindrops, whether they were orange worldly fires or black fires of hatred.

Kurosawa Shizuki was reborn in the burning flames. Her physical body was no longer that of an ordinary person. Even if it was destroyed, she could still be reborn by consuming the power of black matter and shaping it. This level of immortality was extremely rare even among fourth-tier superhumans. To kill a Sun Apostle of her caliber, it would probably require a higher level of secret teachings and a more meticulous plan.

Admittedly, the preparations of the Divine Congress were already very comprehensive for most superhumans. First, they used sacrifices to construct a false history to cover up the enemy's subsequent tracking and investigation. Then, they used the Blade Spear, which contained the solemn power of a harsh winter, to snipe and destroy her physical body. Finally, the tanker truck that was detonated contained a large number of amethyst worm eggs. The purpose was obviously to use the amethyst worms to pollute her black matter and hinder her possible rebirth.

However, the members of the Divine Society seemed to be slow to update their information. They were unaware that they had become the fourth rank, and they were also completely unaware of the Black Sun Divine Stone fragment on their bodies. Kurosawa Shizuki's control over the Black Essence was perhaps unique in the entire Black Sun Cult. The Black Sun could not strip the Black Essence from her, and the Amethyst Insects naturally could not corrupt the Black Essence either.

Kurosawa Shizuki observed the surrounding scene: flames, extremely high-temperature flames everywhere, and shattered car wreckage. The first thing she saw when she turned her head was a corpse that had been almost burned to a crisp.

The faint outline of her once beautiful body curves and her charred black dress were still discernible. The remaining black energy was emanating from the corpse, and the black energy was beginning to backfire on its deceased owner, burning the body inch by inch into complete ashes. The Black Sun Cultist, being devoured by the black energy, was even unable to send his soul to the Netherworld.

Kurosawa Shizuki still remembered the long, boring chatter that Nakamura Yukise had given her not long ago. She was incredibly loyal to her and carried out every single one of her orders without question.

But now death came suddenly. As a Black Sun Cultist who worshipped fire, she was buried in the sea of ​​flames without warning and devoured by the black matter... Although she had only known Nakamura for a short time, Kurosawa Shizuki couldn't help but feel sad for Nakamura.

"I'm sorry, Yukise, I've dragged you into this..." Kurosawa Shizuki muttered to herself. The enemy's real target was her; Nakamura had only suffered an innocent misfortune. But there was no time to mourn now, for she was about to face a major battle.

If she can win, perhaps she can try to save Yukise, since her first impression was quite good. If her corpse can be turned into a Shadow Servant, Kurosawa Shizuki might give it a try.

With her eyes closed, Kurosawa Shizuki hid in the passenger seat of the wrecked car. The sudden explosion had almost completely destroyed the car, leaving it unrecognizable. Intense flames still burned fiercely around the wreckage. Countless amethyst insects, which had escaped the explosion of the tanker truck, swirled and danced around the wreckage. Even members of the Shindai Society dared not approach rashly.

This harsh environment, which is completely inaccessible to normal people, is a natural cover for Kurosawa Shizuki now, because the flames cannot harm her, the amethyst worms cannot corrode or contaminate her, and her dark power can be unleashed freely in the high-temperature environment.

Kurosawa Shizuki manipulated her dark spirit body, transforming it into several black crows that circled above the group. Charging rashly into the enemy's encirclement would be unwise; it was better to scout the surrounding area first. One by one, white names flashed through the crows' eyes; each bore the marks of being corroded by the amethyst worms and was filled with murderous intent towards Kurosawa Shizuki.

Enemies of the Divine Era were everywhere, numbering at least a hundred. The strange phenomenon of the black sun had clearly been noticed by these enemies; they were certain she wasn't completely dead, so they surrounded the area. If she made the slightest move, she would likely be met with a torrential downpour of attacks.

More than a dozen vehicles belonging to the Shindai Society were parked around the burning inferno. Nearly a hundred Shindai Society members, most of whom were wearing black suits with bulletproof vests underneath, carried submachine guns, rifles, shotguns and other firearms smuggled from the black market.

These low-ranking cultists didn't seem like members of the Age of Gods; on the contrary, they seemed more like Yakuza who came to fight for territory with their boss. Perhaps they were originally gangsters who followed the Age of Gods.

"After being sniped like that, followed by such an exaggerated explosion... could that woman really have survived?"

"Stop talking nonsense. If the high priest believes she has survived, then she absolutely has survived. The high priest's perception is never wrong."

Although the gangsters were discussing it amongst themselves, they remained on high alert, fearing that if Kurosawa Shizuki made any move, they would be met with a barrage of firearms.

But what truly made Kurosawa Shizuki wary wasn't them. Besides the low-level esoteric cultists, there were also a dozen or so "guides" of the Shindai-kai who possessed at least level two esoteric skills. They were clad in thick black armor, carrying bows on their backs, katanas at their waists, or naginatas in their hands. Their faces were adorned with various grotesque demon masks, making them look like samurai who had traveled from the Heian period.

However, the threat they posed was far greater than that of the gangsters wielding firearms! Almost every samurai posed a similar threat to Yamanouchi. For high-ranking esoteric practitioners, most secular weapons were hardly effective; conversely, the threat posed by ancient, intangible weapons might be far greater!

What made Kurosawa Shizuki even more wary was that these samurai no longer seemed human to her. The skin exposed between the gaps in their armor was an eerie dark blue, and every movement they made was accompanied by a dance-like rhythm and a thunderous cadence.

These guys are clearly warriors of the Kiriezu clan, forcibly catalyzed during the rituals held by the God Society not long ago!

[Kai, the Thunder Warrior (Green). A guide to the Age of Gods. In ancient times, the divine child of Kiriezuki led a group of demonic warriors to sweep across Japan, assassinate the king, and establish an ancient kingdom. Now, they have been awakened from their defilement to continue their service. Secret Techniques: Thunder's Secret II, Barber's Warning II. Skills: Dance of the Thrill, Moth's Sword... Items: Awakened Killing Sword, Black Scale Armor, Moth Feather Bow...]

Besides the clan warriors, there were two other high-ranking individuals that Kurosawa Shizuki was even more wary of: both of them were high-ranking priests who had mastered the sixth-level secret teachings!

The first cultist stood with a cold smile in front of the many familiar warriors. He was the handsome young man in the silver-white suit. He was wearing headphones, his eyes closed, and he seemed to be tapping his feet to the rhythm of a certain song.

"Come out, Holy Maiden of the Black Sun Cult. I never expected you to bring me such a pleasant surprise. Let the game continue." A cynical smile appeared on his face.

[Takasaki Ryo (Blue). A high priest of the Shindai-kai, Takasaki still yearns for the preservation of beautiful and valuable things. His fervor can ignite a flame within, and his breath can summon thunder. Secret Technique: Awakening Chant VI...]

The second cult member emerged from the burning oil tanker. She was an ordinary-looking girl with cold eyes, her body covered in moths to protect her from the flames. She was likely the one who had previously ambushed Kurosawa Shizuki inside the tanker, intending to use the amethyst worms to corrupt her.

Her hair was casually tied back. She slowly opened an umbrella, and hundreds of moths scattered and fluttered under it. The girl had only one eye, and moths kept crawling in and out of her other eye socket, which had no pupil.

“The moths… are all terrified,” she gasped uneasily, her face growing increasingly somber.

【Yamashita Makiko (Blue). A high priestess of the Shindai-kai, Yamashita loves moths. She often closes her one eye, smiling as she dances with them. They enter and leave, and she has long since accepted everything. Secret Passage: The Parable of the Molting Dancer VI…】

The last cultist furthest from Kurosawa Shizuki was the mysterious sniper who wielded the power of blades. He posed the greatest threat to Kurosawa Shizuki, and the bullet he fired contained an aura that felt strangely familiar yet utterly repulsive to her.

The wounds inflicted by Blade and Winter cannot be easily healed. If he were to be killed by bullets a few more times, consuming a large amount of Black Matter Power, Kurosawa Shizuki would probably have little chance of rebuilding her physical body.

What troubled Kurosawa Shizuki even more was that she didn't even know where this guy was. He was clearly a highly experienced assassin; after failing to land his first shot, he immediately disappeared again, changing his sniping position. Kurosawa Shizuki was certain that he wouldn't be waiting for her at the initial sniping spot to launch a surprise attack. A sniper lurking in the shadows, whose whereabouts were unknown, was clearly the most terrifying enemy.

Having observed and recorded the location and movements of all enemies through the black insects, Kurosawa Shizuki waited quietly in the flames. She suppressed her anger, tried her best to remain calm, and began to formulate the next battle plan.

The blood transfusion was so unclear and ambiguous. The terrifying feeling of death and the suffocating atmosphere were things that Kurosawa Shizuki never wanted to experience again. She was determined to make those members of the Shindai-kai who ambushed her pay an extremely heavy price.

The wriggling black matter clung tightly to the body of Kurosawa Shizuki, whose clothes had been almost entirely burned away, forming a small black gauze dress that looked like it was on fire. It was somewhat like a nightgown, barely covering her sensitive areas and was a bit erotic, but Kurosawa Shizuki didn't have the time to create more complex clothing with the black matter. As long as she could kill all these guys, she wouldn't care about being exposed.

More black matter surged from the shadows behind Kurosawa Shizuki as if it were free, swirling wildly around her and forming a five- or six-meter-high, airtight spherical barrier. It provided her with comprehensive protection as Kurosawa Shizuki moved. Having already been caught off guard by the Blade Sniper's sniping once, Kurosawa Shizuki couldn't be too careful!

Kurosawa Shizuki even had the spare capacity to spare a small wisp of black matter to drag Nakamura Yukise's body out of the car, extinguish the remaining flames on her body, and barely protect her already severely damaged remains.

A mass of black matter surged excitedly behind the gloomy-faced girl. She swung her right hand fiercely above her head, and a mass of black matter shot up four or five meters high, condensing into a giant arm that lifted half of the burning car high into the air and hurled it fiercely towards the direction where the Yakuza were most densely gathered!

The car was just an appetizer. Above Kurosawa Shizuki's head, more black matter floated up and condensed into black javelins suspended in mid-air. Hundreds of javelins were aimed at the cultists all around!

At the same time, the shadow behind Kurosawa Shizuki spread rapidly, covering an area of ​​more than ten meters around her. Countless writhing beast-shaped and humanoid shadows emerged from the shadows, letting out angry roars...

She no longer had any interest in using the Void Blade Style to bully weaker opponents and practice her physical skills. Since her opponents were members of the Shindai-kai cult, she was going to unleash the power of her Dark Spirit Body without reservation and kill them all fair and square!