Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Actually, as an ordinary large-scale organization, the Collection of Gods were reasonably powerful, with a total of over 10,000 members, diverse time-honored inherited trades, high average capabilities and strong cohesiveness.
This made the Collection of Gods one of the strongest Practitioner organizations in the world.
Yet, they loved to pitch themselves against the Heavenly Network, whose sheer number of members was already distressing enough…
The Collection of Gods was notorious for their craziness precisely because of their unusual logic. The mainstream policy towards the Heavenly Network was to avoid head-on confrontations at all costs, while the Collection of Gods coveted their vast lands and huge population…
Sakurai fixed Kitamura with a cold stare. She knew that she could never evade their attention even without her Conservatives identity.
However, despite her discontent with her teacher, Sakurai was a woman of principles. At the very least, she was not a traitor.
“I think you might have some misunderstandings,” Sakurai said calmly.
Kitamura asked curiously, “I beg your pardon?”
“I will not like you, because you are not good enough,” Sakurai replied, smiling. Thinking back, the feeling of peace she had in her time with Kiriharakun was so precious, for at least it was way better than the disgust clogged up in her throat now.
“Then, is Kirihara Yousuke considered good enough? I’m capable of killing him,” Kitamura said.
His words gave Sakurai’s heart a prick, but she remained quiet.
Kitamura laughed. “Are you serious? You are in love with him? I wonder what Oda Tokuma may think if he knows it. Given the imprudence of your party, I doubt how the Collection of Gods would establish itself as the leading organization in the world under the leadership of the Conservatives.”
“But I know, under your leadership, the Collection of Gods will be doomed,” Sakurai said softly.
In fact, the main discord between the Conservative and the Jingoists was peace or war. The Conservatives were not necessarily peace-lovers, nor did they consist purely of calm minds. Rather, they believed that an accumulation of strength would promise better results than inflicting violence upon others.
It was only a matter of different political stands, not a rivalry between justice and evil.
Therefore, Nie Ting had never given Lu Shu any nonsensical orders such as to assist the Conservatives. In overseas battles, casualties were inevitable among Practitioners. There was no need for guilt.
Kitamura’s smile faded. “Three days. This is my promise.”
As though she suddenly thought of something, Sakurai’s lips suddenly curled into a smile. In the quiet alleyway, the girl in a sakura kimono was as beautiful as a goddess, and her smile could cost the city. She said, “Tomorrow night, no one will be at my house.”
Although Kitamura could not understand what she found so funny, the information was good news to him. However, he had to bring more people in case it was a trap.
Thinking of that, Kitamura joked with the slight hint of a threat, “Since you said no one, there’d better be no one at all. Else, I may go on a killing spree.”
“Please rest assured. There will be no one at home.” With that, Sakurai left at once, as though totally unconcerned about Kitamura’s attitude.
Instead of going home, she headed to the dojo, because she had suddenly remembered one thing… she had forgotten her keys and wallet…
…
When Lu Shu and Bunndai were having a chat in the yard, they suddenly saw Sakurai in her gorgeous kimono. Lu Shu’s jaws almost dropped in shock. Why was she wearing that? For a ceremony?
Sakurai smiled. “I forgot to bring my keys and my wallet. Could I stay here, sensei?”
Lu Shu pondered for a few seconds. “You’ll have to pay for the accommodation fees.”
“Sure. Understood.”
Then, Bunndai led Sakurai to the guest room. All of a sudden, this girl had become the Kirihara’s guest without any prior signs, but it seemed to have happened very naturally.
Bunndai prepared some of her own clothes for Sakurai to change into. After all, it would be inconvenient to be in kimono all the time. Looking at Sakurai, Bunndai smiled politely. “These are my clothes. I think your bust size should be bigger than mine but please make do with them first.”
Then, Sakurai raised a question she had never expected, “Sister Taniguchi, do you think Kiriharakun would like a girl like me?”
Bunndai froze. At that moment, Sakurai Yaeko was no longer a spy. She looked like an ordinary teenage girl, lost in her feelings for another boy. Then, sitting down beside her, Bunndai said, “It’s impossible for things like feelings to have a concrete answer. They are unrelated to personal interests, nor monetary benefits, nor any specific goals. Many idiots love others so as to prove that they themselves are worthy of love. They hold love tightly in their grip until it dies. But Sakurai, you need to understand that love is not something you obtain. It is not something tangible.”
Sakurai took a long while to absorb her words. Then, she thanked Bunndai.
After the door was closed, Sakurai started recounting the night. She realized that her first reaction was to come to Kirihara’s dojo instead of her teacher’s place when she needed a shelter over her head. The decision itself meant something.
Kitamura’s threat was real. It was not that Sakurai could not defeat him, but what was truly dangerous was the Collection of Gods team behind him.
Why did Kitamura Hirono, a mere Class C, dare to despise a Class B expert, Oda Tokuma? It was because of his powerful backers, whom Oda alone was no rival for.
For the first time in her life, the light struck Sakurai that the Conservatives were not where she belonged. She knew full well that her teacher might not even stand up for her if she was targeted by the Jingoists.
It was about his attitude, not his power. Actually, the person who knew Oda Tokuma the most was his student, Sakurai Yaeko.
She would never yield to Kitamura Hirono, for her teacher was, no matter how terrible a person he was, still her teacher.
Now she realized that very soon she would have no place to stay in this vast land called Japan. The only option left for her was to leave.
Yet, she was unwilling to leave like this. Sakurai felt that there was one more thing she must do.
It was easy for people to overlook her combat skills due to the overpowering attraction of her appearance. But in fact, her cultivation abilities were the true thing she had always been proud of.
At this moment, an urge started to grow inside the girl, who had never stepped out of her hometown since birth, she wanted to take a look at the outside world.
