Chapter 605: Misunderstanding and Conflict

【？】

Looking at the butterfly youth who had suddenly appeared before him, a question mark formed of black flames emerged atop the black shadow ninja's head.

【Human? Evil Spirit?】

Unlike the white shadow ninja who liked to use the spirit flames on his body to form wooden plaques and hold them up to communicate, the black shadow ninja preferred to use special-effect black flames to construct text for communication.

"I am neither human nor evil spirit, merely a spirit body lingering in this world, with an unfulfilled dying wish, unwilling to attain Buddhahood."

Sanzugawa Kazuhiro answered thus.

【Forget it, whatever you are, I don't care. Just, you said that was a gift for me?】

The black shadow ninja looked toward the surging tide of evil spirits and asked.

"Yes."

Sanzugawa nodded.

【Then why do they look like they're preparing to charge over with menacing momentum?】

The black shadow ninja also raised a question.

"I only possess the ability to lure evil spirits; I do not have the strength to subjugate evil spirits like you, Lord Black Shadow. They are merely wild evil spirits attracted by me, not my subordinates."

Sanzugawa Kazuhiro hurriedly explained, and the question mark atop the black shadow ninja's head directly turned into an exclamation mark.

【My dark servants, go teach those newcomers the rules they ought to follow!】

During the time it was left to free-range by Broly, the black shadow ninja had self-taught quite a few new lines and actions; with a wave of its hand, darkness like a swamp spread out from beneath its feet, and one by one, miscellaneous ninja soldiers mixed with the evil spirits and monsters it had controlled and subjugated, emerged from the swamp-like darkness.

Each one wreathed in the same black flames as the black shadow ninja, their quantity actually exceeding the number of evil spirits lured by Sanzugawa Kazuhiro; like a black tide they directly submerged the oncoming evil spirit tide, and in just a moment, they devoured and assimilated the evil spirits of the evil spirit tide. It had a bit of the Devouring Shadow Corps' flavor, but with some differences; unknown whether it came built-in with the Black Shadow Corps template, or was caused by mutation after devouring the numerous evil spirits of this world.

"Lord Black Shadow is truly formidable!"

Sanzugawa Kazuhiro offered sincere praise; compared to when he previously saw the other party use a ninja sword to cut down the evil spirit tide, the other party was now who-knows-how-many-times stronger.

【I like listening to your words!】

The black shadow ninja looked at him, its crimson eyes bending like crescent moons.

The next moment, Sanzugawa Kazuhiro was like a scalded duck, transforming into a butterfly from his spot and flying to the other side.

"Lord Black Shadow, what are you doing?"

At the position where the other party had originally stood, a black cocoon appeared; that was precisely the dark power that had nearly caught him.

【Didn't you say you wanted to defect to me?】

The black shadow ninja raised its head to look at the spirit butterfly youth dodging its absorption, and behind it black flames surfaced this message.

Sanzugawa Kazuhiro: "..."

As expected, interacting with this kind of existence is dangerous; the slightest carelessness and you'll be done in.

"Lord Black Shadow, I indeed wish to defect to you, but I don't want to be devoured by you."

Sanzugawa Kazuhiro answered with a smile.

【If not devoured by me, then how do you defect to me?】

The black shadow ninja expressed puzzlement.

"Individuals devoured by you all lose their self and wisdom, and my most useful aspect is precisely my wisdom. As a spirit body I have no formidable techniques; the only place I can help you is with my brain. Please, Lord Black Shadow, think thrice — don't turn me into a puppet without wisdom."

Sanzugawa Kazuhiro hurriedly said.

At this, the black shadow ninja tilted its head.

It already has a master, so why would it need a brain for anything?

"I know what Lord Black Shadow wishes to do, and am even clearer on how to help Lord Black Shadow realize what you wish to do; I only ask you to give me a chance to perform."

Sanzugawa Kazuhiro had previously dispatched spirit butterflies everywhere to search for traces of the mysterious person who attacked the Tsuchimiya Family to no avail; instead, through the Sanzu Family's Exorcist network channels, he learned of the matter of the black-and-white twin ninjas from the Demon Hunter Alliance.

And unlike other fellows who believed or disbelieved such things, after using spirit butterflies to observe the black-and-white twin ninjas performing a double-act at the Isayama Family's side, Sanzugawa Kazuhiro believed he had already seen through the entire truth.

What Guardian Deity of the Great Spirit Vein, what spokesperson spirit of Naraku — they should all be fake. The mysterious person hidden deeper within, their objective should be all the Killing Stones.

It's just that some Killing Stones have not yet awakened currently, their traces nowhere to be found.

Therefore, the other party should be preparing to cultivate suitable vessels capable of awakening the Killing Stones, to make the Killing Stones awaken, thereby triggering resonance among the other Killing Stones, awakening all Killing Stones, and making all Killing Stones manifest in the world.

【You know my mission?】

The black shadow ninja asked, and what it referred to was the mission Broly had instructed it with: perform well as a villain, properly act as a standard shonen manga big villain who delivers subordinates (EXP packs) for the two female leads (Jianshan Huangquan, Tsuchimiya Kagura) to cut down, leveling up by fighting monsters.

"Of course."

Sanzugawa Kazuhiro answered confidently; how a Killing Stone could awaken, Tamamo no Mae's spirit had told him before — it is the spiritual power containing extreme resentment and despair produced in the instant a person falls from happiness into the abyss of despair.

Of course, an ordinary person's spiritual power is insufficient; even if they can satisfy the emotional condition it's of no use. It must be someone formidable, with sufficient spiritual power, who can become the vessel to activate the Killing Stone, providing sufficient despair spiritual power at the moment of evil fall.

【Then what can you help me do?】

"Lord Black Shadow needs a sufficient quantity of evil spirits, and I can take on the task of luring these evil spirits over for you."

【Anything else?】

"My Family specializes in researching Killing Stones; I know much hidden information about Killing Stones. If Lord Black Shadow needs to understand this information, I can inform you of all of it."

Upon hearing Killing Stone, the black shadow ninja was first stunned, but then immediately reacted to its own villain role setting it was performing — it was to seize the Killing Stones — yet regarding the things its own role setting wanted to scheme for, it seemingly had no understanding whatsoever.

Instantly, the black shadow ninja felt the butterfly youth on the tree was a person who could enrich the image of the big villain it was performing.

【Anything else?】

"When Lord Black Shadow needs it, I will present the Killing Stone I myself possess."

Sanzugawa Kazuhiro hesitated a moment, then still brushed aside his right eye covered by his hair, revealing the dark red stone in his eye socket, and said.

"Naturally, I only ask that Lord Black Shadow, when gaining the Nine-Tails' power, fulfill this humble one's one small wish."

【What wish?】

"I want to revive my departed family."

Black Shadow Ninja: "???"

【This kind of thing, I can't do it (perhaps Master can).】

"I know, but as long as Lord Black Shadow (the person behind) gathers all the Killing Stones and grasps the Nine-Tailed Fox's life-and-death Divine Authority, he will be able to possess the power to manipulate yin and yang and reverse life and death. At that time, wanting to revive one person or a group of people will be nothing but an easy matter. Please, Lord Black Shadow, grant this small request of mine."

Sanzugawa Kazuhiro, while vigilant against the possibility of the Dark Ocean spreading over, bowed deeply toward the black shadow ninja on the ground over there.

And the reason he himself had no designs on the Nine-Tails' power: one reason was that he clearly knew his own strength was insufficient to gather all the Killing Stones; there are still quite a few powerful guys in this world. Scheming with some means in the dark is fine, but jumping into the open would very likely result in being beaten to death by a mob.

Another reason was that he clearly knew the guy who inherits the Nine-Tailed Fox's power, regardless of whether their original identity was an Evil Spirit or a Renwulei, would in the end most likely fall into becoming a new Nine-Tailed Fox, becoming a puppet driven by the Great Spirit Vein (Naraku)'s will, to conduct the world-destroying purification duty of devouring the souls of all humans in the world.

Sanzugawa Kazuhiro had no interest in becoming a puppet; he only wanted to live in the New World purified by the Nine-Tails together with his mother who would be revived in the future.

【Very well, I promise you.】

The black shadow ninja merely pondered for a moment, then nodded in agreement. After all, the butterfly boy on the tree looked quite capable.

As for the request the other party proposed, whether to help realize it afterward — the black shadow ninja didn't know, because it would report this matter to its own Master afterward; whether the other party's request would be realized would be decided by the Master.

If the Master decided to realize the other party's request, then realize it. But if the Master didn't intend to realize the other party's request and this guy still dared to make a fuss, the black shadow ninja's scarlet gaze looked at the butterfly boy bowing in thanks on the tree — then it would solve the other party and give him a sentence: "Well known, villains never keep their word!"

The butterfly boy left happily, while the black shadow ninja stopped its steps on the way back; the White Shadow Ninja's figure manifested in the moonlight before it.

【Ding, you have harvested Plot Performance Prop 【Killing Stone Fragment】 ×1.】

【Ding, your rival Summon has sent you a new Quest from the Master...】

If the black shadow ninja had a game system on it, a prompt message like this would probably sound.

At midnight, Jubando began staking out the Headquarters Building in Tokyo, waiting for a terrifying ninja spirit that might throw a Killing Stone at any moment and then use the excuse of eliminating them.

However, Jubando's Head indeed did not intend to continue hunting down the two daughters who had already broken free from the Organization afterward, which instead let himself and the Jubando Organization he led escape a deadly tribulation.

The exorcist girl and the girl's growth training plan continued to proceed, and did not change because of Jubando's matter.

"What are you doing?"

Jino Shizuru, somewhat curious, crouched beside her Older Sister, and approached the boy holding a pencil and notebook recording things to ask.

"This is homework assigned by White Shadow Teacher. I'm recording your Older Sister's physical changes after the Injection Drug, whether any adverse Reactions appear..."

In other words, Broly was recording the subsequent Reactions after the other party used the Gene Evolution Agent, confirming whether there were any problems.

However, after he explained this to Jino Shizuru, it made this girl also bring a notebook and pencil to his side and start doing Reaction records on Jino Setsuna as well.

"Eh, you haven't even accepted White Shadow Teacher (my Summon)'s guidance, so what are you recording?"

Having an additional peer girl by his side made Broly glance sideways, and he couldn't help but ask her.

"Jino Setsuna is my Older Sister. I'm worried your records aren't complete enough, so I'll do a second recording."

Jino Shizuru is a good Younger Sister who cares for her Older Sister. Concerning her own Older Sister's safety, she followed Broly every day to do records on Jino Setsuna.

After every training session, she would lean over, head and body pressing against Broly, comparing her own records with the boy's records.

Since Jino Setsuna had no adverse Reactions, Broly didn't mind her Younger Sister's behavior much. It's just that Tsuchimiya Kagura would also lean over to look together afterward.

Who knows if it was really to look at Broly's records, or if she produced some vigilant food-guarding mentality toward Jino Shizuru, a same-age girl.

In short, every time Jino Shizuru leaned against the boy, Tsuchimiya Kagura would run over and pull the boy to her own side.

Back and forth, Jino Shizuru, who originally only leaned against the boy to compare records out of worry for her Older Sister's condition, felt somewhat targeted, yet was also stimulated into a mentality of secretly competing with the same-age girl.

"I feel my Older Sister's sword-swinging motion just now should be higher."

"No, I feel Setsuna Older Sister's motion should be lower."

"Higher!"

"Lower!"

"Broly, what do you think?"

"Isn't there a possibility that Setsuna Older Sister's motion just now was actually just right?"

"Then what about Sister Huangquan's motion?"

Broly: "......"

These two, under the guise of discussion, were actually engaging in a kind of invisible, intangible, but faintly perceptible conflict between girls.

"This kid Broly, he's really popular with girls~"

Jianshan Huangquan, watching from the side, said with a grin.

"......"

Isayama Meifu looked at her with a subtle gaze, feeling her clan cousin had a vibe of eating melons involving a younger brother and sister, not minding if the trouble got big.

"Sorry, Shizuru was a bit rude. Tonight I'll talk to her about it."

Jino Setsuna apologized on behalf of her Younger Sister.

"Well, kids of the same age having some conflicts is normal."

Jianshan Huangquan didn't mind much.

And who knows what Jino Setsuna said to her Younger Sister that night; anyway, Broly felt the next day that Jino Shizuru was even more enthusiastic toward him.

Of course, the reason for the enthusiasm was actually very simple: Jino Shizuru learned that Broly contacted the White Shadow Ninja and had the White Shadow Ninja help her Older Sister.

The girl treated him as a benefactor to her sisters. What was originally just a competitive mentality produced as a counterattack because she sensed Tsuchimiya Kagura's targeting, now directly turned into an active competitive mentality.

And the specific manifestation was roughly:

"Broly Older Brother, I'll serve you food."

At the Rice Bowl, Jino Shizuru served food to the boy.

"Uh, thanks."

Broly politely thanked the other party.

"Ah, Broly, I'll serve you too!"

Then, Tsuchimiya Kagura followed up and also served him food.

"Eat eat this."

"Eat this too!"

……

How to put this matter — as the saying goes, one doesn't strike the hand that serves food; although Jino Shizuru isn't a capture target, she still served him food, which left Broly somewhat at a loss.

So Broly could only eat more of the dishes Tsuchimiya Kagura served to show his attitude, but Jino Shizuru didn't seem affected at all, merely becoming even more enthusiastic toward him.

The two girls didn't have any open conflict, merely competing through ways of showing him favor, and this was instead the situation Broly found most difficult to handle.

Fortunately, Jianshan Huangquan saw through his predicament, and before he could go to the group chat room to seek help from the other wives, she proactively offered assistance.

"Broly, you're troubled, aren't you? Because of Shizuru and Kagura's matter, want to know how to solve it? The solution is actually very simple — just let Shizuru and Kagura also become good friends, good sisters."

Broly was inspired, and copied what Jianshan Huangquan had once done for him and Tsuchimiya Kagura, applying it to Jino Shizuru and Tsuchimiya Kagura.

Electronic fighting games during leisure time instead eased the two girls' relationship, and it gradually developed in a good direction.

And just as the two's relationship was warming up, the gene evolution agent was finally brought up proactively by Isayama Meifu in front of the White Shadow ninja.

And the White Shadow ninja had been waiting for this step for a long time.

【There is still precious medicine; if you want it, I can give it to you.】

Looking at the information on the sign the White Shadow ninja held up, Isayama Meifu and Jianshan Huangquan and the others, all interested in this agent that could make one rapidly get stronger, looked at it with some surprise.

"White Shadow Teacher, you're just going to give us this precious medicine that can rapidly increase strength?"

【There's a price, but the price later...】

The White Shadow ninja also didn't know what price the master wanted, but in any case still followed the master's arrangement and produced the gene evolution agent.

And after each injected the gene evolution agent, the girls all had no adverse reactions, and their physical quality all improved significantly.

And after their physical quality rose, each and every one surpassed the previous level where they had hit their technique limit, their sword dance making Jinguji Shobu who came over to this side feel ashamed.