Transformed into the leader of an esoteric sect in Japan

"How do we turn them into our own swords?" Kurosawa Shizuki asked, going with the flow. Why did she feel that Asakura Yuki didn't seem to be that loyal to the Black Sun Cult? Was it just her imagination?

Kurosaki smiled without saying a word, lowering his head and looking down as if he hadn't heard anything.

“Right now, true freedom is still too far out of reach for us,” Asakura’s eyes became gloomy, but then she changed the subject and smiled brightly, “Haha, we’ve gone off on a tangent. Let’s get back to the main topic.”

"Regarding the ambush you encountered, Kurosawa, our Black Sun Cult's true trump card in Heijing, and what our next move should be in response to the divine descent of Kirie."

"First of all, please allow me to apologize to you on behalf of the Intelligence Department. Saintess Kurosawa, we really did not expect that the first full-scale conflict between the Order and the Divine Society would come so quickly. They laid such a treacherous ambush on you, and our failure to respond in time was a dereliction of duty on our part." When it came to business, it was Kurosaki Jubei who first expressed his remorse to Kurosawa Shizuki.

It seems that his intelligence network is indeed more powerful than Kurosawa Shizuki had imagined. Not long ago, Kurosawa Shizuki escaped the ambush, and now Kurosawa Shizuki seems to have already confirmed the news. Kurosawa Shizuki doesn't even know how he obtained the information.

P.S., I might have to work late again tomorrow, so there might be no updates. I'm giving you a heads-up now. I've been too tired lately and my condition is a bit poor. Sigh.

Chapter 85, Section 85: The Goal – Leveling the Shedding Club!

Kurosawa Shizuki recounted her recent experience in the most concise way.

"Kurosawa, you've done a great job surviving and even turning the tables on those who were being hunted at that level. Don't be too hard on yourself," Asakura said, playing with the broken spear he had taken from the Falconer for a long time before returning it to Kurosawa. "The enemies of the Blade Aspect are always the most skilled at fighting and head-on confrontation. Not to mention a third-tier killing a fourth-tier, there are at least a dozen long-lived beings in history who have been killed by Blade Aspect mortals after thorough preparation."

"Are all blade types this strong? Why doesn't everyone just pursue the Way of the Blade?" Kurosawa Shizuki recalled the extremely frustrating moment when she was suppressed by the Falconer.

“Because those who wield blades all die young. Pursuing a blade means one must fight endlessly to become stronger. To advance to the Blade Secret Technique, you must constantly challenge powerful enemies. If you don’t climb, you fall. Even long-lived Blade Aspects must find an enemy of another long-lived Blade Aspect to fight one-on-one. That’s why the concept of ‘sustainable warfare’ exists among them. Nobody likes a Blade Aspect madman. To avoid becoming their whetstone in the future, most superhumans are very willing to nip some developing Blade Aspect superhumans in the bud…” Asakura said with a cold laugh. She inserted a straw into her wine glass and slowly sipped, almost emptying it.

"Therefore, the Blade Masters are the most numerous among the Purgers. They are mostly mortals who have failed on the path of the blade and have been abandoned by the Blade God. They should have decayed to dust, but the Lord of Ashes is willing to share with them the time that can keep the blade from decaying. The Blade Cultists are naturally happy to offer their loyalty to Him," Kurosaki said.

"To encounter such a disgusting Blade Cultist, it seems my luck is really too good." Kurosawa Shizuki smiled bitterly. She still didn't know why that Falconer was hunting her down. Was it an order from a powerful enemy, or was he just there on a mission and happened to be there?

"The ambush by the Divine Society, two high priests plus a lieutenant from the Purifier, and hundreds of cultists—it seems you hold a high position in their hearts, Saintess," Kurosaki Jubei exclaimed. "The most troublesome are the Purifiers. I never expected that this organization with such a terrible reputation would actually respond to the Divine Society's call to participate in this war."

"They're a pack of jackals who'll take a bite out of anything. If you give them enough benefits, they'd even dare to wield a butcher's knife against the gods," Yuki Asakura said, making no attempt to hide her disgust when talking about the Purifiers. "By the way, Kurosawa, I heard from Kurosaki that you seem to have some connection with the Purifiers? Was your father a member of the Purifiers?"

“That’s right, but because I betrayed the Purifiers, my father should have already been ‘cleaned up’ by them. Strictly speaking, the leader of the Purifiers is my father’s killer.” Kurosawa Shizuki carefully chose her words. It seemed that the Black Sun Cult must have conducted a background check on her, the Holy Maiden. However, Kurosawa Shizuki really didn’t know how far the Black Sun Cult had learned about her background. But Kurosawa Shizuki was at least certain that the Black Sun Cult did not know two things: that she was a mole in the Anti-Suppression Bureau, and that she was facing a deadly enemy.

If she were exposed as an internal traitor, then the Black Sun Cult shouldn't have tested her qualifications to become a Holy Maiden; instead, they should have set up an assassination plot against her in the bar. To be on the safe side, it would be best if the Holy Lord, who is already an immortal, were to intervene, leaving her with no chance. As for her feud with the Great Enemy, if the Black Sun Cult knew about it, they would definitely not accept her as a Holy Maiden. The Purifier's infamy is known worldwide, and no organization would be willing to easily confront that named individual who is favored by the gods. After all, the Great Enemy is already a demigod walking among mortals, while she is not even an immortal and has absolutely no chance of winning.

"We've also investigated the Saintess's father, the man named Kurosawa Aichi. He stole two extremely precious time periods from the Ash Overlord, and his whereabouts are unknown after encountering the Overlord in Heijing. The internal struggles within the Purifiers are always very principled. Since the ringleader has been eliminated, his wife and children are generally not harmed. Therefore, the Saintess Kurosawa should not be intentionally hunted down by the Purifiers. This should just be a private assassination attempt on the 'Saintess of the Black Sun Cult' by a member of the Purifiers who accepted a commission," Kurosaki explained to Asakura. His words, however, left Kurosawa Shizuki feeling both amused and exasperated.

"The harm should not extend to the wife and children"? Is the Great Enemy such a principled person? Kurosawa Shizuki felt that the Great Enemy's pursuit of her and her love was probably far more than just punishing her father's betrayal; there must be a deeper reason behind it all.

"Oh~ Kurosawa, I didn't expect you to have such a big enemy," Asakura looked at Kurosawa Shizuki with considerable surprise. She narrowed her eyes, looking somewhat wary. "You're not thinking of taking revenge on that ruler, are you? We won't have any chance against such a being. He's not like Kirie, who lowers himself. He's the true son of the earth, possessing divinity, and the one who established a dark dynasty."

"How could I dare? My father's debts have already been repaid with his life. Continuing to cling to hatred is meaningless to me. I just want to live my own life now." Kurosawa Shizuki quickly shook her head. If the great enemy didn't come after her, she wouldn't even dare to think about revenge. She had no feelings for Kurosawa Asahi, having never even met him. Why should she deal with such a terrifying enemy for the sake of her father with another history?

“It would be best if you thought that way. Even if you do become an immortal one day in the future, I advise you never to provoke that person,” Yuki Asakura said cautiously. “That person is quite difficult to deal with among the named beings. If you really provoke Him, the Holy Lord will not hesitate to abandon you or even betray you.”

"We don't need to worry too much about the Liquidators for now. They'll put in as much effort as they're paid; they won't do anything that doesn't pay them. We've probably already paid enough to cripple the Kamishiro Society by bringing in a lieutenant and five second lieutenants from the Liquidators. The Liquidators shouldn't be bringing in any more members from Europe or America to join this war for the time being..." After repeatedly confirming the enemies deployed by the Liquidators, Kurosaki Jubei seemed to breathe a slight sigh of relief.

So the great enemy doesn't give up hunting me and love because He can gain unimaginable benefits from us.

“But I’ve already killed the members of the Purifiers. Won’t they retaliate against me?” Kurosawa Shizuki thought of the strange dodo bird that had flown up from the Falconers’ uniform.

"The Pursuers treat everything as a business. Even if you were truly marked by them, if they determine that the cost of hunting you down far outweighs the gains, they'll most likely abandon the pursuit. Besides, I don't see the mark of the Ash Overlord on you at all, so don't worry too much." Asakura Yuki smiled nonchalantly, playing with the clinking ice cubes in her glass with her straw. During the conversation, she actually finished the entire glass of Tequila Sunrise, yet her face remained unchanged. Was Asakura's stomach a bottomless pit?

To suppress her nervousness, Kurosawa Shizuki took another sip of Long Island Iced Tea. The icy liquid would temporarily numb her senses and make her forget the imminent threat.

“Even if we really wanted to hunt you down, Saintess, this mission would probably be carried out by the scarred lieutenant currently stationed in Heijyo. However, this lieutenant is already on our kill list for this mission, so the Order will certainly support the Saintess with all its might.” Kurosaki Jubei started mixing a second cup of sake for Asakura.

It seems that as long as she doesn't provoke enemies above the level of immortals, the Black Sun Order is willing to provide her with assistance in various ways.

“What concerns me even more is that your itinerary should have been kept extremely secret within the Order, Saintess. Regardless of your identity or strength, it should have been known only to a very small circle of people… How exactly did the Divine Society happen to know about your itinerary and set up an ambush on your inevitable route?” Kurosaki frowned deeply. As the intelligence minister of the Black Sun Cult, he was clearly extremely sensitive to such matters.

“My initial suspicion is that it was leaked from Nakamura. Nakamura has already paid a heavy price with her life, so I can’t be too harsh on her. Besides, she’s now specifically dealing with that person.” Kurosawa Shizuki felt particularly regretful when she thought of Nakamura.

“I was strongly against making Nakamura your assistant from the beginning, but now that she has become a Shadow Servant, perhaps she will be more suited to the job…” A dangerous glint flashed in Kurosaki’s glasses.

“Nakamura’s matter is irrelevant to the overall situation. The information you obtained from the high priest of the Shindai-kai is what we should really pay attention to,” Asakura frowned his delicate brows. “The situation is already worse than our worst-case scenario. If we don’t act now, in two days we will be facing a Named One, five Immortals, and countless high-ranking esoteric cultists. This is a powerful force capable of overturning everything.”

"We must destroy Kirie's divine descent, at all costs. Heikyo is a crucial link in the Holy Lord's plan, and we cannot afford to lose it." Asakura looked at Kurosaki Jubei.

"My lord, could it be that your real purpose in coming to Heikyo is..." For the first time, a look of horror appeared on Kurosaki's face.

“That’s right, Uncle Kurosaki, I want to awaken my father, that should be fine, right? I heard that you have been continuously providing human sacrifices, so my father’s power should never have diminished during this time…” Asakura Yuki’s expression became very complicated, as if she both missed him and felt awe.

“We support the King of Blazing Flames so that he can be of use at such a critical moment. His power can indeed be of great help to us in this war. Asakura Miko, I will immediately inform Mr. Sakata to prepare for the ceremony.” Kurosaki Jubei nodded.

The words "King of Kagerou" sent chills down Kurosawa Shizuki's spine. Not long ago, she had received news from Sakata Shinji about sacrificing lives for a Black Sun Apostle known as the "King of Kagerou." Asakura's black essence was also called Kagerou. Could the existence of the King of Kagerou be Asakura Yuki's father? Kurosawa Shizuki also discovered similarities between herself and Asakura. They both seemed to have a father with a rather extraordinary background.

"Kurosawa, you must be furious to have been ambushed like this all of a sudden, right?" Asakura stood up from the small round chair, his demeanor suddenly becoming as blazing as the sun. "After awakening the King of Blazing Sun, we will launch our revenge against the Generation of Gods tonight. We must weaken their strength as much as possible before the start of a full-scale war. If necessary, we can cooperate with the Anti-Corruption Bureau. Even if we can't find the Chosen One, killing one more member of the Generation of Gods to reduce their manpower in searching for the Chosen One is still necessary."

"The Shedding Clothes Club, I've heard that this place is famous in Heijō, and is considered the headquarters of the Generation of Gods. Perhaps we can launch a surprise attack on it, or even level it in one fell swoop. The majesty of the Black Sun cannot be offended by anyone." Looking at Kurosawa Shizuki, Asakura Yuki's eyes were filled with undisguised killing intent.

"Aren't you worried about attracting that Muko? She's at least a Longevity Realm cultivator now." Kurosawa Shizuki didn't expect Asakura to be so audacious. Was it because of the "father" Asakura mentioned that she had such confidence?

“Before the true divine descent, that apostle should not appear on the front lines. If she is really willing to fight, it will actually be a good thing for us. The more power she consumes, the more incomplete the form that Kirie will descend in the future,” Asakura said in a relaxed tone. “Moreover, before the divine descent, if she faces my father head-on, Mistie’s chances of winning are definitely high. Both of them are divine apostles, and my father may not necessarily lose to her.”

"Wait, Asakura Miko, you said your father was also an apostle of the gods... Could it be that in the future He will also become the divine vessel of the Black Sun?" Kurosawa Shizuki said in horror.

“Black Sun is not a fallen god like Mist Spring. He still resides at the top of the Netherworld. He doesn’t have such an urgent need to descend as a god. The reason my father became an apostle was actually… a mistake.” For the first time, a look of sorrow appeared in Asakura’s eyes.

"Even if a divine intervention were to occur, Black Sun would probably prefer to see women like you and me as the embodiment of that intervention... After all, Black Sun has always favored young girls throughout history."

Kurosawa Shizuki felt even more panicked. So, the Black Sun Cult's chosen one was actually a candidate for divine possession? Was the Anti-Suppression Bureau pushing her into a fire pit by having her fight for this position? However, Kurosawa Shizuki dared not show any abnormality on her face. For these esoteric cultists, becoming a divine possession was probably an immense honor.

"Don't overthink it," Asakura said, though Kurosawa Shizuki's thoughts were not hidden from her. She patted Kurosawa Shizuki's shoulder with great sympathy. "As for divine intervention, we are like that Kureko. If it really happens, we have no choice. Instead of something so far away, you should think about how we can achieve the greatest results with the least cost against the Shedding Club."

“I also obtained some information from the high priest of the Divine Society, Takasaki,” Kurosawa Shizuki said, pretending to be from the Divine Society. “There should also be a Chosen One in the Shedding Club, but for some reason, Muko has not yet devoured him. If we can kill this Chosen One, it will undoubtedly harm Kirieko’s divine descent to the greatest extent.”

P.S. I was going to take a break, but I actually managed to squeeze in some time to update, and even wrote 4,000 words. I'm so happy.

Chapter 86 Nakamura's Revenge (Part 1)

He could hear the continuous sound of rain all around him, and the faint rumble of thunder. Damn rain! The forecast said there wouldn't be a typhoon until tomorrow, so why is it starting to make a ruckus now?

However, when he looked up at the window, he saw a tranquil city scene with no clouds in the sky, which surprised him. What exactly was the sound of rain he was hearing?

He then finally understood that the sound of rain actually originated from inside his head, and his consciousness was being gradually eroded. But he had no choice; he had already embarked on a path of no return. He was unsure whether such a heavy price was worth it.

He found himself becoming less and less like his former self, as if another completely unfamiliar self was replacing him entirely.

Nishizawa Daisei folded his umbrella and stepped into the elevator. The sound of rain did not bring him peace, only a growing sense of anxiety.

Xize's left hand trembled beneath his sleeve; his breathing was heavy and his body was burning.

As his "self" crumbled, he became even more craving for desire. His thoughts became chaotic, and his reason disintegrated, as if he were transforming from a human into a beast.

He recalled Nakamura Yukise's graceful figure, the adorable girl who always looked at him with adoration during contemporary literature class, whom he had easily won over with French love poems. To further strengthen his control over her, he introduced her into the cult. Given their vastly different status within the cult, he thought she would become completely obedient to him—everything was proceeding as planned until Nakamura was chosen by the high and mighty saint to become her assistant.

Caesar would never forget the mysterious saintess in the cult, always dressed in a priestess's robes, whose condescending gaze looked down upon him as if he were a filthy insect. Yet, this gaze did not disgust him; instead, it excited him even more. If he could desecrate such holiness…

However, after that day, something even more distressing happened to him. The relationship between Yukise and him became distant and estranged. Yukise often used the affairs of the cult as an excuse to cancel their dates. He regretted introducing Yukise into the cult. He thought that he could completely control Nakamura from then on, but he did not expect that he would take Yukise to another vast world where she could fly freely.

Just like what happened in the office today, how annoying! They were only halfway through getting intimate when that immature saint interrupted their good time again. Yukise naturally regarded the saint as far more important than him. At the saint's command, Yukise would abandon him without hesitation to follow the saint's call.

He keenly sensed that his relationship with Yukise was reversing, especially recently, after he learned that Yukise had gained great benefits in a ritual of the saintess and had become a Shadowless One in one fell swoop... He no longer had any advantage in terms of status in front of Nakamura Yukise. If we consider Nakamura's status in the saintess's heart, Nakamura had even surpassed him and climbed over him!

How outrageous! What gives her the right? Why would the Saintess value Yukise so much, even going so far as to personally snatch her away from him? If only he could get Yukise back…

Thinking of the saintess of the cult, Nishizawa felt even more aroused. Although he had only met the saintess a few times, the bewitching charm of that beautiful girl with a poppy-like temperament was deeply engraved in his heart with just one glance. Whenever he thought of the saintess Kurosawa, he couldn't help but feel his mouth go dry. Nakamura Yukise didn't know that several times when they made love, he was thinking of the saintess's cold, dark blue eyes.

What ethereal and profound beauty those eyes were, enough to inspire any poet. Even Dante's Beatrice in his heart could not have been more exquisite. Who will possess such unparalleled beauty in the future? I've heard that the higher-ups of these orders can only love one person of the same sex. Thinking about it, it seems like such a waste of talent.

"It's a pity that such beauty can never be touched by me. Since she wanted to take Yukise away from me, she can't blame me for making that decision. This is not betrayal, but simply taking back what rightfully belongs to me..." He muttered to himself, a dark light flowing in his eyes. He suddenly lowered his head, scratching his face with both hands, and a beast-like roar came from his throat.

He couldn't understand it anymore. Was this really a decision he made? Or was there another person, wearing his skin, doing something completely contrary to his original intention?

Ever since he first took that drug in a nightclub, he had often experienced this strange reaction, his mind filled with chaotic thoughts and boundless desires. Sometimes he felt more like a wild beast than a human being, and more than once he even had the bizarre urge to tear off his own skin. He felt that there was another peculiar self repressed within him, a self whose actions were not surprising.

However, it wasn't a big problem. After each attack, everything would improve as long as he took that medicine. Trembling, he staggered and took a medicine bottle from his pocket, poured out a few small purple pills, and swallowed them without even looking at them. If he befriended those people, he could get as much of this medicine as he wanted. He knew very well how much profit he could make if he started selling this medicine on campus, and those people had already promised him that in the near future he would also transform into an elegant winged creature and never age again.

He had long since abandoned the Black Sun; its flames were too scorching and unbearable for him. The allure of the path of transformation was perhaps greater. However, the ominous premonitions that were now looming in his heart made him realize that the path of transformation was by no means an easy one.

As he felt the pill dissolve in his mouth, the sweet juice spreading through his mouth, he felt as if every pore on his body had opened up, and endless joy filled his entire body, as if countless tiny creatures inside him were rejoicing with him.

He braced his hands against the elevator wall, the sound of rain growing increasingly dense and complex, emitting excited and pleasurable moans. In a daze, he seemed to be in a dark forest, where countless naked dancers danced a seductive dance around him amidst the red raindrops. Among the dancers was Nakamura's face, another was Kaori's, and even the face of a saint...

His breathing calmed down again, and he felt a rare sense of peace once more. He opened his eyes, and his deep pupils shimmered like obsidian.

Suppressing the lust rising within him from the thought of the Saintess Kurosawa, he decided to go home and vent his frustrations on his current wife, Kaori. He had never loved Kaori from the beginning, but her voluptuous figure was very much to his liking; he had married her only to produce offspring. He had always treated this woman, who was devoted to him, merely as a toy for his sexual gratification. Although Kaori was pregnant, she was only four months along; as long as he was gentle, he could still continue to use her…

The elevator doors opened, and he stepped out onto the sixth floor.

He inserted the key into the lock and opened the door: "I'm back."

The old record player spun continuously, playing elegant classical music, and a strange fragrance filled the air, like some kind of new perfume, creating a very romantic atmosphere.

“Welcome back…” He saw Kaori in a dark red dress, her makeup exquisite, as if she were going to a grand banquet. She sat alone at the table, with a glass of scarlet whiskey and two wine glasses in front of her. She gave him a sweet smile that he knew all too well: “Would you like to have a drink?”

"So romantic today? Interesting, of course I'm happy to oblige." He smiled and sat down opposite Kaori, gazing at her beautiful face. He felt that Kaori seemed even more radiant today, her cheeks flushed with a luscious red. He could even smell a peculiar sweet fragrance emanating from her, like a delicious fruit waiting for him to pick it.

"First toast, how many years have we been married?" Kaori gracefully filled the wine glass, and they smiled, clinked glasses, and drank it all in one gulp.

"It's been eight years. I still remember the afternoon I proposed to you. We watched 'The Showa Gramophone' together. There was no happier couple in the world than us."

"You actually still remember that kind of thing? That's rare," Kaori's expression turned a little strange. Nishizawa noticed with a puzzlement that Kaori's eyes were slightly red.

"The second glass is to commemorate our undying love." They clinked glasses again, the bright red liquid swirling. Xize noticed something strange about the taste of the wine; it had a sweet, fishy smell.

It looks a bit like blood.

Chapter 87 Nakamura's Revenge (Part 2)

The bottom of the cup conceals bizarre, alien objects, seemingly revealing some kind of distorted desire, carrying a chilling sense of twistedness.

Xize looked down at the liquid in his glass and noticed some strange sediment at the bottom, as well as black, hair-like things. After drinking it, he inexplicably felt something like a living creature crawling inside his body.

"What was added to the wine?" he asked, puzzled.

"Some insignificant seasonings can make the wine taste sweeter. It's a little trick I learned from TV~" Kaori's smile was radiant.

"Stop watching those food guides on TV. This wine tastes... kind of weird," he complained. "Should I go out and buy some more red wine?"

"No need, just one more drink and we'll be done," Kaori said expressionlessly, refilling their wine glasses and handing them back to him without further ado.

"You're acting strange today. Did something happen?" Nishizawa Daisei was getting more and more puzzled. He felt that the person sitting in front of him was not his wife, whom he knew best, but rather a stranger.

“I’ll tell you after you finish this one,” Kaori said with a sly smile, “Come on, the third one.”