My and Their Anime-Style Otherworldly Survival Adventure

"Looks like I was right, wasn't I? My brother and I have been in this line of work for so long, we naturally have our own sources of information. We can even find out information that the authorities haven't released in advance, otherwise we would have become food for Gastrea long ago," Katagiri Tamaki continued, a hint of smugness in his voice.

Jiuxiao nodded, neither denying nor denying, which was considered an admission of the other party's guess.

"I underestimated the heroes of this world. I never expected that your small agency could have such an intelligence network," Jiu Xiao said approvingly, a hint of admiration in his eyes. This was actually Jiu Xiao's assumption. If judged by their own strength, the Katagiri siblings were naturally insignificant. However, within the Black Bullet world's local forces, the Katagiri siblings ranking among the top 2000 out of hundreds of thousands of police officers was already extremely impressive.

Katagiri Tamaki laughed and patted Jiuxiao on the shoulder. "Don't say that, kid. In this chaotic world, who doesn't have their own special skills? Otherwise, how would they survive in this quagmire of Tokyo?"

Jiuxiao nodded in deep agreement, then turned his gaze to the tightly closed door and asked, "Judging from your tone, you don't want to get involved in this? Or do you have some concerns? By the way, where is your sister? Can you make the decision on this all by yourself?" Jiuxiao's tone carried a hint of inquiry, after all, they came here to help the Katagiri siblings. In the face of such a great disaster, it would be difficult for them to remain unscathed, unless they had extraordinary strength like Jiuxiao and his companions.

Katagiri Yushu blocked Jiuxiao's view and said with an unfriendly expression, "Hey, kid, I'm warning you, don't you dare lay a finger on my sister. Even though you saved her life before, you can't take advantage of her kindness, can you? Besides, back then, my brother and I working together might have been able to defeat that masked bastard."

When Yanzhu heard Katagiri Yushu say that, she was immediately displeased. She glared at Jiuxiao and said unhappily, "Jiuxiao, what's going on? Have you been fooling around with other women again? I've never heard you mention this before."

Upon hearing this, Jiu Xiao was both amused and exasperated, quickly waving his hands to explain, "Oh dear, Yan Zhu, what kind of nonsense are you thinking about all day? This happened about half a year ago. I just helped them out when I saw them struggling..."

Next, Jiu Xiao briefly explained what had happened between them. About a few months ago, during the search for the Seven Stars' legacy, before encountering Xia Shi, he inadvertently stumbled upon the Katagiri siblings fighting Hiruko Kagetane. At the time, Katagiri Tamaki was being held back by Hiruko Kagetane's initiator, Hiruko Kohina, and seeing that Katagiri Yumizuki was about to be killed, Jiu Xiao conveniently helped them. Hiruko Kagetane, being very cunning, immediately fled after realizing the situation was dire.

Enju pouted, clearly not believing Jiuxiao's explanation, but she didn't press the matter further. Instead, she turned her gaze to Katagiri Tamaki, her eyes filled with hostility. Seeing this, Jiuxiao quickly smoothed things over, saying, "Alright, alright, let's stop fooling around. Katagiri-nii, you haven't answered my question yet. Do you want to participate in this operation or not?"

Katagiri Tamaki's smile vanished, his expression turning serious. He remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking, "How many more days can the giant stone monument hold out? When will the new one be completed? Approximately how many enemies will we face?"

After doing some calculations and combining the known information, Jiu Xiao explained, "The megalith will probably collapse in about two days. We need to hold out for three days before the new megalith is built. It is said that more than 2000 Gastrea have already gathered at the No. 32 megalith."

Katagiri Yushu was startled and immediately changed his attitude, making a gesture to drive him away.

"2000?! The way back is over there. You'd better hurry up and leave. Don't cause trouble here. If you want to die, don't take us with you. I haven't lived enough yet." Katagiri Tamaki pointed in the direction that Jiuxiao and the others came from, his tone filled with unwavering determination.

Jiuxiao moved his lips, about to explain, when a lazy voice came from inside the door: "So noisy, can't a person sleep in this early morning?" As the voice fell, Katagiri Yumizuki rubbed her eyes and walked out from behind the closed door, clearly awakened by the noise outside. She was wearing loose loungewear, her hair was slightly messy, and she looked sleepy.

Upon seeing Jiuxiao, Katagiri Yuzuki's eyes flashed with surprise, but it quickly turned into delight. She hurried to Jiuxiao's side and exclaimed excitedly, "It's you! Thank you so much for saving me last time. I didn't even have a chance to thank you before you left in such a hurry. Your name is Minamoto Jiuxiao, right? I've seen you on TV. Thank you for saving me back then. If it's alright, can I call you Brother Jiuxiao? You can just call me Yuzuki." Katagiri Yuzuki's eyes shone brightly, and she clung to Jiuxiao as if she wanted to pounce on him, looking incredibly cute like a devoted fan.

Seeing this, Enju immediately squeezed between the two, hands on her hips, glaring angrily at Katagiri Yumizuki, and said discontentedly, "Hey, why are you standing so close? He's my fiancé! I'm warning you, don't you dare lay a hand on him!" Enju was like a protective little hen, all her feathers standing on end, watching Katagiri Yumizuki warily. To make her words more convincing, Enju stood on tiptoe and, to everyone's surprise, kissed Kushou's lips.

Jiuxiao was completely dumbfounded, his expression faltering. He hadn't expected Enju to pull this stunt at this moment, and for a moment he was at a loss for what to do. Katagiri Yuzuki's smile also froze on her face, and her gaze towards Jiuxiao became very strange.

Tina tugged at Jiu Xiao's sleeve and said with dissatisfaction, "Yan Zhu is so cunning, Brother Jiu Xiao, I want one too..." So, before she could finish speaking, Tina imitated Yan Zhu, stood on tiptoe, and gently kissed the other corner of Jiu Xiao's lips.

This left not only Jiu Xiao speechless, but even Pian Tong Yu Shu was dumbfounded. He pulled his sister behind him and said with displeasure, "Hey kid, although I don't want to gossip about other people's private lives, I'm warning you to stay away from my sister, or I'll call the police!"

Once she came to her senses, Jiu Xiao separated the two little ones and gave each of them a chop to the neck.

"You two little devils, stop causing trouble! Yeonju is one thing, she's a repeat offender, but Tina, why are you following her around like this?"

Tina covered her head, stuck out her little tongue, and gave Jiu Xiao a cute look, which made Jiu Xiao shake his head. It's true what they say, you become like those you associate with; Tina has been influenced by Enju, and Xia Shi has recently shown signs of going astray as well. Only Fate remains that little angel.

After another round of explanations, Jiu Xiao and his group were invited inside. The moment they stepped inside, Jiu Xiao couldn't help but frown. The room was dimly lit, and there was an unpleasant odor in the air. Empty bottles and food waste bags were scattered everywhere, making the room look cluttered and almost impossible to find a place to stand, a stark contrast to the pristine and clean exterior of Katagiri Yushu.

Katagiri Yumiko blushed slightly. She quickly opened the window to let in fresh air and picked up the trash on the floor one by one. She said apologetically, "I'm sorry, you must have found this a mess. My brother is usually very busy with work and is often not home. I'm not very good at tidying up, so the house is a mess." As she spoke, she ran her fingers through her hair, her eyes darting away, revealing a hint of embarrassment.

Katagiri Tamaki's lips twitched. His younger sister was usually not like this. At home, she was practically a little devil. Although she wasn't exactly waited on hand and foot, she was definitely someone who never lifted a finger. When had he ever seen her so diligent? Shaking his head helplessly, Katagiri Tamaki thought to himself: Girls really are hard to keep at home once they grow up!

After a quick tidying up, Jiuxiao explained his purpose again. After another round of haggling, Katagiri Yushu said, "Aldebaran is a terrifying monster. That guy once turned three cities into ruins, causing quite a stir. To fight such a thing is practically risking your life. So, we need more money!"

This is utterly upside down! It's always Yuan Jiuxiao who makes demands on others, when has it ever been anyone else's turn to ask him for more money? But since it's not his turn to give it, it doesn't really matter. Let the Holy Emperor and the Tokyo high-ranking officials worry about it.

To allay their concerns, Jiuxiao explained, "Don't worry, if nothing unexpected happens, we won't need to confront the Gastrea head-on. The Self-Defense Forces will be on the front lines, and we only need to deal with the stragglers. It's practically free money."

Jiuxiao played a trick here, saying, "If nothing unexpected happens." In other words, if unforeseen circumstances arise, then it's a different story. After agreeing on the cooperation plan, the Katagiri siblings proposed a sparring match with Jiuxiao and his group, reasoning that they wouldn't cooperate with someone weaker than themselves, even if that person was their savior. However, they seemed a little lacking in confidence; they had witnessed Jiuxiao's prowess, and it was likely that Katagiri Tamaki wanted to find a way to save face.

A group of people arrived at a spacious dojo. Katagiri Tamaki asked, "Kid, who's your partner? Don't blame me for not warning you, our strength has improved a lot recently. Underestimating us will result in a very bad defeat."

Jiuxiao smiled slightly and said confidently, "My IP ranking is 50th. How about this, don't say I'm bullying you. I'll take on both of you by myself. If you can last a minute against me, I'll give you my position as the leader."

The Katagiri siblings weren't angered by Jiuxiao's arrogance. As seasoned police officers, they knew that anyone ranked in the top 100 by IP address was a monster, let alone Jiuxiao, who was ranked in the top 50. The Katagiri siblings exchanged a glance and decided to use delaying tactics to get through this minute.

The battle was about to begin. Katagiri Yumie was the Initiator with the Spider Factor. She sprayed countless spider silks from her palms, attempting to restrict Jiuxiao's movements and thus achieve their tactic of buying time. However, they clearly underestimated Jiuxiao's strength; spider silk is inherently susceptible to high temperatures. Jiuxiao imbued his body with fire magic, and the steel-wire-like spider silk melted and broke upon contact with him, completely failing to restrict his movements.

Katagiri Yuzuki was startled. Although she was somewhat prepared for the power of the Nine Heavens, she was still very surprised to see that the other party completely ignored her spider silk. Therefore, the two siblings had no choice but to change their strategy and decide to fight head-on.

Katagiri Tamaki launched a frontal assault, throwing a punch straight at Jiuxiao's face. His attack hurtled towards Jiuxiao like lightning, attempting to launch a surprise attack using his speed advantage. His fist, accompanied by a whooshing sound, carried considerable power, aiming directly for Jiuxiao's face. Jiuxiao, however, remained calm, slightly shifting his body and easily dodging the blow. Then, he retaliated with a punch, slamming his opponent into the floor. The wooden floor shattered instantly, and Katagiri Tamaki was unable to rise again.

"The speed is good, but the strength and technique are still lacking," Jiuxiao commented calmly, his tone full of confidence and composure.

Katagiri Tamaki struggled to get up, but found his body as heavy as lead, unable to move at all. Katagiri Yumizuki, who was searching for an opening behind Kyuuou, immediately launched her attack. She leaped high into the air, using spider silk to cling to the ceiling. Then, with a powerful thrust of her legs, she used the reaction force and gravity to accelerate, shooting towards Kyuuou like a cannonball. Her legs left afterimages in the air, carrying a sharp gust of wind, aiming straight for Kyuuou's back.

However, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, Jiu Xiao gripped Katagiri Yuzuki's leg tightly. The immense strength bound Katagiri Yuzuki as if she were locked in invisible shackles, unable to move forward even an inch. Her expression changed drastically, and she tried to struggle, but Jiu Xiao's hand was like an iron clamp, completely immobile.

“It’s over.” With that, as if by magic, a dagger appeared in Jiuxiao’s hand and was pressed against Katagiri Yuzuki’s long, snow-white neck.

Katagiri Yuzuki's breath caught in her throat. She could feel the chilling aura emanating from the dagger, and the unhurried composure of Kusou. The surrounding air seemed to freeze at that moment, and every sound in the dojo was amplified to the point of being audible.

"You...you won." Katagiri Yuzuki's voice trembled slightly. She knew that there was no chance of turning the tide at this moment, and she could only helplessly admit defeat.

Chapter 115 Tina: I'm Not Clean Anymore

Katagiri Yumizuki was extremely disappointed. She thought that with her and her brother's strength, they should be able to hold out for at least a minute against Kyuuhou, even if they were no match for him. However, reality was cruel. Kyuuhou's strength far exceeded their expectations, and he defeated them almost instantly.

Faced with overwhelming power, the Katagiri siblings accepted their defeat wholeheartedly. In just a moment, Katagiri Yuzuki rallied, her eyes sparkling as she looked at Kyuu. She instinctively wrapped her arms around Kyuu's neck and exclaimed excitedly, "Waaaaa, Kyuu, you're amazing! You're so strong and handsome, completely different from my useless older brother!"

Jiu Xiao was startled by her sudden action, and the dagger he was holding slipped from his hand, as if afraid of hurting her. Yan Zhu put her hands on her hips and said smugly, "Of course, the man I've set my sights on is amazing. No, I told you to stay away from Jiu Xiao, don't hug him..." Yan Zhu complained as she separated the two.

Katagarasu lay on the ground, the disdain from his younger sister inflicting a second wound on his heart. Looking at the three people chatting and laughing not far away, he felt utterly superfluous. His beloved sister, whom he had nurtured for ten years, had been devoured by this "wild boar," Jiu Xiao. He felt a mix of emotions: pride in his sister's growth, frustration at his own powerlessness, but above all, a sense of security. With a strong protector like Jiu Xiao, his sister would surely live a safer life.

After struggling to his feet from the floor, Katagiri Tamaki rubbed his aching areas. Although he had lost the match, his face did not show much frustration. Instead, it carried a hint of relief and admiration, as well as a touch of relief that they were not enemies.

Having successfully persuaded the Katagiri siblings, the group arrived at the front lines of the fight against the Gastrea. At this time, the dilapidated ruins, abandoned by humans, had gathered almost all of Tokyo's top-ranking police officers. Tents sprang up, and even small vendors set up makeshift stalls selling various foods and necessities. One can only say these people are incredibly audacious; do they really think that the Self-Defense Forces' insignificant personnel can handle an army of over 2000 Gastrea? No way, no way!

"There are so many people, it's like a temple fair," Yanzhu exclaimed, holding Jiuxiao's hand.

Jiuxiao glanced around, his eyes grave. Despite the bustling noise and excitement, he didn't know how many of them would survive. The threat of the Gastrea army was imminent, and these scattered soldiers' sense of crisis was far too weak. He truly didn't know how they had repelled the Gastrea army in the original story; calling it protagonist's halo wouldn't be an exaggeration.

"Brother Jiuxiao, what are you thinking about?" Tina Gongyue asked curiously, noticing a deep worry hidden in Jiuxiao's eyes.

Jiuxiao gently shook his head, pulled back Daoyanzhu who was about to run around, and said, "It's okay, let's go find Sister Mugeng and the others. There are so many people here, I don't know where they are now."

“Give it to me.” Tina said, releasing her personal reconnaissance aircraft—the Senfield. Several spherical reconnaissance aircraft quickly transformed in Tina’s hands, extending propellers and slowly taking off. Jiuxiao casually grabbed one of the reconnaissance aircraft that hadn’t yet flown far from the sky, playing with it in his hand, a wicked idea sprouting in his mind.

"Tina, I heard that these reconnaissance planes are controlled by a chip implanted in your brain. Does that mean these reconnaissance planes are also part of your body?"

There was a hint of cunning in Jiu Xiao's words. Upon hearing this, Tina's face flashed with doubt, but she nodded and answered seriously, "Yes, Brother Jiu Xiao, they can indeed be seen as extensions of my perception, just like my eyes and ears."

Jiu Xiao's lips curled into a mischievous smile, his eyes gleaming with a playful light. He held the small, exquisite drone in his hand and rubbed it repeatedly, saying meaningfully, "Look, if I held it in my hand and played with it like this, wouldn't you feel like...?"

Tina was taken aback by Jiu Xiao's unexpected idea, then a blush crept onto her face. She clearly understood what Jiu Xiao meant. Tina fidgeted, and the reconnaissance drone in Jiu Xiao's hand swayed slightly, as if responding to Tina's shyness.

"Oh dear, Brother Jiuxiao, you really are a pervert! You're actually playing with a girl's body like this, waaaah, I'm not pure anymore, you have to take responsibility for me..." Tina deliberately played the victim, ostensibly trying to regain control of the reconnaissance plane, but actually having a great time with Jiuxiao.

Jiuxiao laughed and released his grip on the reconnaissance plane. Freed from its restraints, the plane instantly took off and disappeared into the crowd in the blink of an eye. With Tina's help, they quickly found Kisara and the others in the bustling crowd.

Kisara was dressed in a black sailor uniform today, with a katana—Yukikage—at her waist. Fate and Sania stood behind her, and a handsome white-haired man stood beside them. They were surrounded by a crowd and seemed to be confronting someone. Jiuxiao and his group quickly stepped forward, parted the crowd, and saw the situation at the center of the confrontation.

Kisei spotted them immediately, and Jiuxiao waved and called out, "Sister Kisei, what are you doing? We've been looking for you for ages. Who are they?"

Kisara frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping over Jiuxiao and the others before finally settling on their opponents. He said in a deep voice, "These are ordinary people who have infiltrated the police force. They call themselves the 'Pureblood Society' and were secretly spreading rumors detrimental to the Cursed Children in the camp. We caught them red-handed."

Upon hearing this, Jiu Xiao's gaze darkened, and his aura instantly turned fierce. At a time like this, these people still had the mind to cause trouble; were they truly fearless? If it weren't for his intention to turn Tokyo into his logistical supply base, exporting resources and modern technology to the other world, who would care about these people's lives? He had already killed a batch of these self-proclaimed 'Pureblood Society' members, but they were like weeds, one crop after another.

Jiu Xiao's face was grim, growing angrier with each thought. He stepped forward, suppressing his inner fury, and calmly said, "Where is your leader? Come out and talk to me. Hurry up, my patience is running out, don't make me chop you all down to offer as a sacrifice!"

From the Pureblood Society crowd, a man in a suit and tie, with a sinister face, slowly stepped forward. He glanced sideways at Jiu Xiao, a disdainful smile playing on his lips: "You're Yuan Jiu Xiao? Hmph, just a little brat with a bit of power. We, the Pureblood Society, are here to purify this world, to let those with truly pure bloodlines rule everything..."

Upon hearing this, Jiu Xiao's eyes grew increasingly dangerous. The other person was being too long-winded, and he had no interest in listening to their rambling. In the blink of an eye, Jiu Xiao had already rushed in front of the man, grabbed him by the neck, and lifted him up.

"Shut up! Is that all you have to say before you die? Who gave you the courage to cause trouble here, Fish Leong? If it weren't for these cursed children fighting for you scum, you would have been Gastrea excrement long ago!"

The man was being held in mid-air by Jiu Xiao's neck. His face instantly turned red, his eyes bulged, and his hands frantically clawed at Jiu Xiao's arm, unable to break free. The Pureblood Society members around him were horrified at the sight. Some drew their weapons to rush to his aid, while others began to retreat, creating a chaotic scene.

Jiuxiao's gaze was as cold as ice as he swept over the Pureblood Society members around him. His voice was deep and filled with anger: "Who else wants to come up and die? I'll count to three. If no one steps forward, you can all get out of here and never let me see you again!"

After saying that, Jiuxiao began to count: "One, two..."

Just as he was about to count to "three," a burly Pureblood member stepped forward and shouted, "Release our leader!"

Jiu Xiao sneered and casually tossed the man aside like trash. The man died the instant he hit the ground. Seeing this, the burly man immediately rushed forward, throwing a punch at Jiu Xiao. Jiu Xiao easily dodged to the side, then kicked the man in the stomach, sending him flying backward and crashing to the ground, spitting blood, unconscious, his fate unknown.

"Is that all you've got?" Jiu Xiao scoffed disdainfully, glancing once more at the Pureblood Society members around him. By this time, the members were completely intimidated by Jiu Xiao's aura; their hands, holding their weapons, trembled violently, yet none dared to step forward and provoke him.

Fate transformed the moment the conflict erupted. Because everyone's attention was drawn to Jiuxiao, no one noticed her transformation. Those Pureblood members who were stunned by Jiuxiao slowly had golden lightning slowly emerge from their bodies, binding them. This was Fate's magic—Lightning Shackles. Then, the lightning shackles on these people erupted with visible golden electricity, and screams of agony filled the air.

Although these Pureblood Society members were just ordinary people and posed no threat to Jiuxiao and his group, their behavior was utterly disgusting. Like rat droppings in a soup pot, they not only spoiled the entire soup but also made it impossible to swallow.

Watching Fate cleanly and efficiently eliminate the Pureblood Society members, Jiu Xiao's eyes flashed with approval. Although she hadn't killed them, she had rendered them incapable of resistance immediately. This was excellent; if possible, Jiu Xiao didn't want Fate and the others to have their hands stained with the blood of these scumbags. Call it hypocrisy or pretense, Jiu Xiao had his own principles. He and the girls around him disliked pointless killing, especially of ordinary people, despite their repulsive words and actions!

The onlookers were startled by Jiu Xiao's unpredictable abilities. Indeed, they couldn't detect who was actually making the move. To them, Jiu Xiao was merely glaring at the Pureblood Society members when they were suddenly bound by a golden light. Then, golden lightning appeared out of nowhere, electrocuting them until they convulsed and collapsed to the ground, unable to move.

Immediately, various speculations and discussions spread among the crowd, with most believing that Jiu Xiao had used some kind of high-tech product. However, this did not prevent Jiu Xiao from leaving an indelible impression on them. Many people were initially indignant that Jiu Xiao had used a clever method to defeat Scorpio and thus rise to 50th in the rankings. Now, witnessing this scene, the scales in their hearts began to tip subtly. They realized that whether it was coincidence or strength, Jiu Xiao's position was by no means accidental.

Jiuxiao ignored the surrounding chatter and offered no explanation. He slowly walked towards Fate, and the two exchanged a knowing glance. Fate nodded slightly, indicating that the Pureblood Society members were currently under her control and would not cause further trouble.

Touching Fate's soft blond hair, Jiuxiao said softly, "Well done. This outcome is undoubtedly the best choice. Otherwise, I wouldn't know what to do. I couldn't just kill them all in front of everyone. In short, you've been a great help."

Fate nodded, her face beaming. It was impossible to reconcile this gentle girl with the image of the cold-blooded warrior on the battlefield. Even Kisara was taken aback; she had never seen Fate so capable and ruthless, and a sense of admiration arose in her heart. Kisara secretly resolved to work harder in the future, striving to contribute her strength to the team in crucial moments, otherwise, her image as the big sister would be tarnished.

Kisara pointed to the Pureblood members groaning on the ground and asked, "What should we do with these people? We can't just leave them like this, can we?"

Jiuxiao glanced at the Pureblood members sprawled on the ground, a cold smile playing on his lips. "Heh, I've come up with a good way to use them. How about we distract the Gastrea? That might make things easier for us, and it might even have some amazing effects?" Jiuxiao's voice wasn't loud, but it sounded like a devil's whisper to everyone. They couldn't believe that this gentle and handsome young man could have such a ruthless and heartless idea.

The Pureblood Society members were terrified, their faces turning deathly pale and their bodies trembling, as if they had heard their death sentence pronounced. They finally realized just how terrifying the being they had provoked was. There was no pity in Jiuxiao's eyes, only coldness and resolve, which only strengthened their belief that their fate would be utterly miserable.

Just then, Jiu Xiao changed his tone: "I was just kidding you, after all, I'm not some kind of devil. But you can escape the death penalty, though you won't escape punishment. I will hand you over to the Holy Emperor for processing. Your actions of instigating the police to oppose the Cursed Child on the front lines are no different from killing people. Hundreds of thousands of lives in Tokyo could be lost because of your foolish actions. It's not an exaggeration to say that you are anti-human. You'll spend the rest of your lives repenting in prison."

Chapter 116 You'll Always Be My Favorite Kitten

Jiu Xiao called the Holy Emperor, briefly explaining the situation. The Holy Emperor was furious and terrified upon hearing the news. Her hand holding the phone trembled; such a major blunder had occurred at the front lines, and she, as the supreme commander of the Tokyo region, hadn't given any warning. Fortunately, Jiu Xiao and his team discovered it in time; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable. This also left the Holy Emperor feeling deeply powerless; she realized that most of her officials were outwardly compliant but inwardly defiant, and she had no way to stop them. The Holy Emperor agreed with Jiu Xiao's approach and promised to quickly dispatch personnel to take over these Pureblood Society members and ensure they received the punishment they deserved.

After hanging up the phone, Jiu Xiao turned and scanned the onlookers. Wherever his gaze fell, people lowered their heads, avoiding his eye contact. Jiu Xiao nodded in satisfaction. These unruly police officers were quite sensible; after realizing the difference in their strength, they dared not act recklessly. His warning to them hadn't been in vain; leading them in the future would likely be much easier.

"What are you all looking at? Disperse! Are you all so idle? You'd be better off making more preparations for battle. Don't blame me if the Gastrea manage to breach our defenses." Jiuxiao's words carried an undeniable authority, sending a chill down the spines of everyone present. They all realized that although the young man before them was young, he was exceptionally ruthless and possessed unfathomable strength. While filled with awe, they also saw in him the possibility of victory.

After the crowd dispersed, Kisara took the initiative to introduce, "Kyusho, this is my fellow disciple, his name is Tsuzawa Akimasa. Although he was expelled from the sect for privately modifying the Tendou-ryu combat technique, he is not a bad person."

Upon hearing this, Jiuxiao turned his gaze to Tsuzawa Akimaro and nodded slightly, saying, "Senior Brother Tsuzawa, is it alright to address you like this? Because I am also training in the Tendo-ryu swordsmanship with Kisara-nee. It's a pleasure to meet you. If possible, I would also like to learn the Tendo-ryu combat techniques that you have modified."

Shojiro Tsubasa was taken aback, clearly not expecting Jiuxiao to be so polite. He quickly returned the greeting, saying, "Junior Brother Yuan, you're too kind. I never imagined someone as powerful as you would be my junior brother. Although I've been expelled from the sect, if possible, I'd like to learn some combat techniques from Junior Brother Yuan. By the way, she's my partner..." As he spoke, Shojiro Tsubasa pushed out the person hiding behind him.

This is a little girl with white hair tied in a single ponytail that hangs down her chest. The wizard's hat she wears covers most of her face, making it impossible to see her expression. The little girl seems a bit bewildered by being suddenly pushed in front of everyone.

"Um, I...I am Fuse Midori, I am...I am an Initiator with cat-like factors. Please take good care of me." To increase her persuasiveness, Fuse Midori stretched out her fair little hand, and her fingernails instantly transformed into sharp cat claws, gleaming with a cold light, but quickly returned to their original state, showing her special ability as an Initiator.

“Oh, oh, oh!” The little ones looked at Fushui’s paws, which she could control with ease, and exclaimed in amazement.

"Her special... special skill is scent divination..." Her voice was sweet and lovely, perfectly matching her appearance, giving off a "cute and gentle girl" vibe that seemed to heal the listener's heart and uplift their spirits.

Enju stared intently at Fuse Midori, her face full of anticipation, and asked, "Then, can you use magic?"

"Magic...?" When Fuse Midori heard Enju's question, a confused yet slightly shy expression appeared on her face.

"Because you're wearing a hat that looks like something a witch would wear," Yeonju said matter-of-factly.

Upon hearing this, Midori Fuse nervously pulled her hat down further, as if trying to hide something. Seeing this, Akimaro Tsubasa spoke up to stop her, saying, "Midori, don't hide anything from your companions."

Fushui gently stroked the brim of her hat, a hint of hesitation flashing in her eyes, her blushing cheeks appearing even more pronounced in the firelight. But finally, she mustered her courage and slowly removed the mysterious magician's hat. Her action drew even more attention to her, especially to Enju, whose large eyes widened in curiosity.

Bushui removed her hat, instantly revealing a pair of fluffy white cat ears. They trembled slightly in the firelight, making them particularly eye-catching. This reminded Jiuxiao of Sanya's black cat ears; he wondered what the difference was in feel. If only he could gently bite them...

"Jiuxiao, why is this happening?" Yanzhu asked curiously.

Jiuxiao waved his hand, signaling Yanzhu to calm down. He then carefully examined Buse Cui's cat ears, his eager look startling the little girl, who quickly shrank back, covering her cat ears with her hands, her face full of shyness and panic.

"Ah, I'm so sorry, I was just curious. Actually, a friend of mine has similar features, so I couldn't help but take a second look." Jiu Xiao realized his lapse in composure and quickly apologized, trying to soothe Busu Tsui's emotions.

Upon hearing Jiuxiao's words, Fuse Midori seemed to find a resonance, and her tension eased slightly. She explained, "I heard it from others too. Sometimes, the animal genes contained in Gastrea can have a strong effect on the body, but this is rare..."

"I see, how amazing." Enju nodded, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and longing for the unknown world. She slowly reached out her hand towards Fuse Midori's cat ears to satisfy her curiosity.

Busi Sumi was startled by Yeonju's sudden action, a look of fear appearing on her face. She instinctively leaned back, dodging Yeonju's outstretched hand. Yeonju, realizing her abruptness, quickly apologized, "I'm so sorry, I've overstepped my bounds."

Fuse Tsui gently shook her head, forcing a smile in an attempt to ease the slightly awkward atmosphere.

"It's okay, Yeonjoo. It's just... I'm still adjusting to these changes myself, so I'm a little sensitive." Her voice was still sweet, but it trembled slightly, clearly indicating that this topic was not pleasant for her.

Jiu Xiao also felt quite regretful. If Yan Zhu could be touched, wouldn't he be able to benefit from it too? But since the little girl was so resistant, he, a grown man, couldn't force her. He could only hope for the future, there's always a chance... cough cough... he, Yuan Jiu Xiao, would never do something so despicable!

Sania, who hadn't uttered a word, narrowed her eyes at Jiu Xiao's expression. She knew all too well what Jiu Xiao was thinking. Back then, Jiu Xiao had also been eyeing her exposed cat ears with the same predatory look. Sania cursed Jiu Xiao inwardly for being a scoundrel, and an expression of displeasure appeared on her delicate face.

But Jiuxiao's senses were incredibly sharp. He noticed Sania's displeasure almost immediately. He wasn't emotionally naive; he could roughly guess what Sania was thinking. So, a maternal smile appeared on his face.

Jiuxiao approached Sania without making a sound, deliberately sniffing a few times, and said meaningfully, "Oh dear, why do I smell something sour? Who's been jealous?"

Sania's body trembled slightly, and a blush instantly spread across her pretty face. She glared at Jiuxiao, then climbed onto his waist with her small hand, gave it a light pinch, and said angrily, "You idiot, you're always bullying me. Be careful, or I won't let you touch me anymore."

Jiu Xiao winced in pain but dared not cry out. He could only grin and whisper in Sania's ear, "Little ancestor, be gentle. If you twist it too hard, you'll ruin your sex life for the rest of your life."

"Pah, mango..." Sania spat lightly, turning her head away and ignoring Jiuxiao. Jiuxiao chuckled, then snuggled up to Sania again, whispering in her ear, "Don't worry, you'll always be my favorite little kitten..."