After arriving at the foot of the small hill beside Lake Shinjinō, the group ascended the stone steps and arrived at a spacious shrine.
"Huh?"
Just as they reached the shrine's entrance, the group halted their steps.
In the center of the shrine's front courtyard stood an elderly woman who appeared to be in her sixties or seventies, gripping a three-ter-long guandao like a guardian deity. She stared coldly and solemnly in their direction.
"You've arrived?"
The mont the group stepped onto the stone steps, the old woman stomped heavily, causing the guandao to spin like a windmill.
"Perish, Narcissus!"
Swinging the guandao with fierce montum, the old woman lunged forward.
Despite her advanced age, she moved with the speed of a tiger or leopard. Her guandao sliced through the air with a sharp whistle, descending upon the only unfamiliar face in the crowd!
Eiji casually threw a punch.
"Boom!"
The old woman was sent flying backward faster than she had charged.
The guandao in her hand shattered into countless fragnts, and she crashed into a wooden hut along with the weapon's hilt.
"Do you understand what it ans to attack , you old hag?"
Beneath his mask, Eiji revealed a vicious smile.
"Grandma!"
Yuha Yui and Asawa Shio exclaid in shock, rushing into the wooden hut.
"Wait, Eiji!"
It was only then that Kojou Akatsuki snapped out of his daze and hurried forward to restrain Eiji.
"She's my grandmother!"
"Should I leave her corpse intact then?"
"Stop it! What are you trying to do to soone's grandmother?!"
"But she ca at trying to kill ! If I don't beat her to death, wouldn't people think I'm an easy target?"
"I owe you a favor. Please spare her life, okay?"
"Your favors are worthless. If you call 'Dad,' I might be happy enough to let it slide!"
"...Dad."
"Good boy!"
Eiji chuckled as he retracted his fist.
Seeing Kojou Akatsuki's expression of extre resentnt, his mood instantly brightened.
Hiragi Yukina blinked.
She suddenly began to understand why Sasasaki had described this person as having a few screws loose.
Shortly after, Yuha Yui and Asawa Shio helped Akatsuki Fijino out of the hut.
Though the old woman walked unsteadily, her physique was surprisingly robust. Despite Eiji not using much force, he had still sent her flying over ten ters. The fact that she remained unhard was no small feat.
Being able to wield a dozens-of-jin heavy guandao with such ferocity, she clearly possessed considerable skill.
"Have you grown this strong, Narcissus?"
Akatsuki Fijino clutched her chest, her face pale.
"Never mind. Since I've lost, there's nothing to argue. Do as you please, whether it's killing or dismbering !"
Yuha Yui and Asawa Shio trembled with fear.
For their first mission, this assignnt was far too thrilling!
This old woman, who dared to mock and curse even the Three Saints of the Lion King Agency, was now saying "do as you please" about her own life—wasn't that utterly terrifying?
"For the sake of your grandson, I'll let it slide this ti."
Eiji vigorously patted his "good son's" shoulder, causing Kojou Akatsuki to grimace in pain.
"Kojou?"
Kojou Akatsuki's grandmother froze for a mont before noticing her eldest grandson's uncomfortable expression in the crowd.
She remained stunned for a while.
"...It seems this old woman has been judging a gentleman's heart by her own an asure."
After a long silence, she finally sighed and bowed her head toward Eiji.
"I was wrong this ti. I apologize, Narcissus."
Apparently, she had thought Eiji was extensively using charm to control many people including Kojou, which led her to take the risk of attacking Eiji.
Now seeing Kojou completely normal, she naturally realized she had misunderstood and frankly apologized.
"But really, what exactly is this Narcissus thing anyway?"
Haba Yuiri muttered under her breath.
Hikawa Shio, Sasasaki Sayaka, and Hiragi Yukina all looked equally curious.
But Kojou's grandmother avoided answering.
"Kojou, you who never even co back during holidays - why have you returned so suddenly now?"
"I asked Eiji to bring here."
Kojou Akatsuki stepped forward, his gaze sharp.
"You didn't co for ?"
Sayaka looked utterly devastated, feeling sowhat resentful.
"I'm the one who wants to ask you, grandmother!"
Kojou's eyes fixed intently on his grandmother.
"Grandmother must know about Aogura being forcibly brought here, right?"
The owner of this shrine was Kojou's grandmother.
He had rarely visited since childhood and had faint mories of this place.
But he could tell his grandmother held considerable status in certain circles, naturally serving as a leader around Kamikura Lake.
"You already know about that?"
His grandmother raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Indeed I know. Not only was I aware - the idea to take Aogura was mine."
"Wha—?!"
Kojou was shocked.
What did you say?
You suggested that the Lion King Organization take Aogura?
"Need a knife?"
Eiji quietly offered a spiritual artifact.
"Or I can go find an axe!"
Hiragi Yukina stared at Eiji in astonishnt.
Sayaka covered her face.
Instead of diating or calming the situation, he was adding fuel to the fire?
Is he even human?
"Shut up!"
Kojou glared fiercely at Eiji.
I'm begging you, stop making things worse!
"Where is Aogura now!"
Kojou turned back to his grandmother, his voice cold.
"No comnt!"
His grandmother's face tightened as she answered without hesitation.
"Why!"
Kojou shouted in desperation.
"No particular reason."
His grandmother's expression remained aloof.
"Anyway, Aogura will be returned to you when everything is over."
"Can you guarantee there won't be any danger during the process!"
Hearing this, Kojou beca furious.
"Do you think I don't know? You plan to use Aogura to access the Holy Annihilation legacy in Kamikura Lake! Are you telling to calmly let you use Aogura for sothing with completely unknown dangers!"
"For this country, sacrificing one or two Aoguras is worth it."
His grandmother remained unmoved.
"Not just Aogura - even if it were you, or , I wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice us when necessary!"
This old woman is really stubborn.
Sayaka and the others exchanged glances, silently agreeing to remain quiet.
This wasn't sothing they could intervene in.
"This is absurd!"
Kojou Akatsuki trembled with rage.
He finally understood why Mimori Akatsuki disliked the Akatsuki family so much and why the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law relationship was so terrible!
"Now, now, calm down, Kojou."
At that mont, Eiji strolled over and patted his shoulder.
"Think about it—if they had no intention of returning Asagi, why would Kurenaito Shina have us co here in the first place?"
"...What do you an?"
Kojou Akatsuki frowned, sowhat confused yet vaguely comprehending.
"It's simple—they're trying to buy ti!"
Eiji raised a finger, smiling cheerfully.
Kurenai Sayana's expression shifted, and she shot Eiji a wary glance.
"Right now, Kurenaito Shina must be racing against the clock to decode the Legacy of the Holy Annihilation. She can't afford to let us interfere, which is why she sent us on this wild goose chase to the shrine—creating the illusion that they're willing to return Asagi, just to slow us down!"
"So you an...!"
"Exactly. Asagi is most likely right over there!"
Eiji pointed into the distance.
Beneath the morning sun, the shimring surface of Kaminawa Lake to the east was breathtakingly beautiful.
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