Dragon Clan: I am Lu Mingfei, the Intelligence Strategist, the God of Concepts!

Chapter 172 Word of Power: Judgment - The three siblings are taken away in a pack!
Ruri Kazama's madness was even more severe than Lu Mingfei had imagined.

Unexpectedly, at the crucial moment, this guy took the initiative and did something completely different from the expected approach!
...Okay, although it seems like Kazama Ruri is never really calm.

Deeply influenced by the King, this 'Dragon King' of the Demon Clan always wears a mask, and beneath that mask is another mask. It's hard to tell which face is his true self—whether it's the gentle and smiling second son of the Minamoto family or the ruthless and murderous Shinra demon.

Or perhaps neither; Lu Mingfei found it difficult to judge the other party's mental state when they replied "received" after he sent that text message.

But this strike was too fast, too swift.

There wasn't even time for the wind to sound.

Lu Mingfei finally realized that this guy had long forgotten his plan, and that Kazama Ruri, this mentally ill person, was the real brute!
It seems he really intends to kill Genjiro!

Damn it!

Couldn't Genji have put in a little more effort?! What is that kid doing?!

Lu Mingfei lightly touched the ground with his toes and swiftly lunged forward, his expression a mixture of anxiety and speechlessness.

Outrageous!

Compared to Kazama Ruri, who suddenly went mad, Genjiro was even more outrageous!
This guy could clearly put up a fight with him before, and he even showed off his skills by descending from the sky in a very arrogant manner, but when it came to actually fighting, he had absolutely no ability to defend himself, and didn't even have the intention to stop him!
After a symbolic parry, he deliberately waited for the other party to kill him!
"What the hell is going on! Can't they even stop us for a moment, buy some time, and wait for rescue?" Lu Mingfei was truly exasperated.

"Can someone so bad really be of any help?"

Faced with the young master's surrender before the battle even began, the snipers guarding the long street were dumbfounded. From the sudden reunion of the brothers to the pulling out of the melon, the two events were almost seamlessly connected, and they had no time to stop it.

Finally, someone pulled the trigger.

The large-caliber, copper-clad bullet streaked across the muzzle, shooting towards Kazama Ruri.

This was like a reminder.
The officers from the enforcement bureau then realized, "Ah, I should have fired the shot."

Thus, a dense metal-woven net of firepower enveloped all directions. This treatment was originally intended for Lu Mingfei, as hybrids often possess superhuman physical abilities, yet they still appear weak when facing heavy weapons.

But that's still not enough; the bullets are flying too slowly.

For Kazama Ruri, who is unleashing her full speed, unless you aim first or fire in advance, you can't deal with her with any impromptu shots!

Ruri Kazama moved with ghostly speed, appearing in front of Genji in a flash.
With another strike, the opponent's instinctive 'Water Moon Submissive' stance was shattered.
"How weak!"

Seeing the other person's silent and pale face, Kazama Ruri grinned, revealing a genuine smile.

The cherry-red longsword was still pointed directly at Genjiro's chest.

Closer, closer.

They were only a hair's breadth away from death.

He would be killed by the person in front of him in a split second.

Genjiro was still confused. He had a first-strike sword technique called Rakshasa Oni-kotsu, which was the secret of the Heart-Shaped Sword Style. He had practiced it for many years. It was his fastest and most lethal killer sword. He had used this technique to slay the heads of countless demons while wielding Spider Cutter and Child Cutter.

But now, facing this first and strongest demon, he momentarily forgot to draw his sword.

why?
Yuan Zhisheng suddenly felt confused.

Isn't this the justice I've been searching for?
Although I have grieved countless times over the death of my young daughter, after countless recollections, haven't I ultimately remained steadfast in my resolve to slay demons? I have never regretted it. I am Amaterasu of the Snake-Headed Eight Family, and I am destined to slay demons.

Now that the girl has returned to seek revenge, you should kill her again and completely end her life as a demon. This is a do-or-die operation! Genjiro, why are you not as good as you were back then?

why?
Genji asked himself this question once again.

Or am I really just a coward?
He suddenly heard the howling wind, mixed with a bitter, salty smell.

Before his death, Tachibana Masamune once told him that the last sound a samurai hears is always the sound of the wind, the sound of blood splattering from his own neck, as lonely as the sound of the wind.

Has he already been stabbed?

He remembered.

That's because the other person's eyes... are so similar. Back then, in the damp and cold basement, when the young girl saw herself returning to Shikatri Town for her first mission, she had the same look in her eyes.

It's just like a younger brother suddenly seeing his older brother come home to visit him, and he looks very happy.

It was precisely because of that look in his eyes that he was able to kill his younger brother unharmed... Otherwise, according to the experience of the Snake Clan, under the same bloodline, a stable human hybrid would always find it difficult to directly confront an unstable demon. This was the amplification that dragon blood was destined to bring.

It was precisely because of that look in his eyes that he couldn't be sure whether he had killed a demon or his younger brother.

But just now, the other person had that same look in their eyes.

or……

Could it be that if I had responded to the young girl just now, he would have been able to revert to his original form?

The wind arrived as expected, carrying with it the fresh scent of blood.
A thought suddenly arose in Yuan Zhisheng's mind that he himself found naive.

The feelings from reality also reached his mind.

He was stabbed.

The cold blade pierced his chest, and moments later the blade became as hot as a red-hot iron.

The dragon bone structure, strong enough to withstand close-range pistol fire, was breached in one strike. All his strength was lost and retreated as the blade entered his body. He had never experienced such powerlessness and helplessness before. It was as if the blade had absorbed all the heat from his body. In that instant, he thought of many things, but all he could do was think.

Kazama Ruri's expression was ferocious as she clung tightly to him. The boy, now a man, wrapped his arms around his neck, and the long sword extended further, piercing his chest and then his back.

"How about... we leave it like this?"

Genjiro was unable to let go. Spider Cutter and Child Cutter slowly fell to the ground. The bird was pierced by the hunter's arrow. No matter how hard it tried to flap its wings, it could not change its fate.

At this point, he was powerless to reverse the situation.

Genjiro was exhausted, and on his deathbed, he finally admitted his ridiculousness.

I am ridiculous, and the justice I uphold is also ridiculous.

His father died, his sister was kidnapped, and he came seeking revenge, only to be killed by his younger brother. Even on his deathbed, he continued to doubt himself.

What an absurd family! What an absurd sense of justice! What an absurd version of ourselves!
"What exactly is a ghost?" Genji murmured absentmindedly.

He seems to be really going to die.

At that moment, the world seemed to slow down in his eyes, and his thoughts sped up again, just like the dying moments the old people talked about.

He saw Lu Mingfei trying to rush towards him, looking extremely anxious... Could this guy be trying to save me?

He saw Sakura, arms outstretched, about to pounce on the young girl, looking flustered and her hands flashing with cold light... What a stupid woman! She's always been so dull, and now she's acting foolish again. How could she possibly hurt the Emperor? He's my brother, with a bloodline stronger than mine.

He saw the crows swooping down as well... Could this lazy, slacking fellow really be so determined?
He saw many executive officers trying to rush up to him, some of whom were his subordinates, and some he had only met once. They all wanted to save him from this evil spirit.

The appearances of all living beings were presented to him at this moment.

No one has given up on him; people still believe in him!

What blind faith! They actually believed that as long as they bought me a little time, I could launch a powerful counterattack?

Yuan Zhisheng felt more exhausted than ever before, and he could hardly breathe.

It's too late. The girl will soon turn the hilt of his knife and destroy all my blood vessels and internal organs, just like I did to him back then.

The pain arrived as expected, but what I experienced even more was numbness.

His life seemed to have always been like this.

He always lived up to the expectations of others, forced to take on responsibilities without ever being asked if he could shoulder them or handle them well.
It was only through repeated trust and dedication that the burden on his shoulders was constantly increased, forcing him to acknowledge and face the responsibilities he bore.

But why does everyone expect a man with no ambition, who only thinks about going to nudist beaches to see beautiful women, selling sunscreen, and rolling around in the sand like a turtle when he's comfortable, to shoulder so much?
But... now that he's died at his brother's hands, he can finally rest, right?

As for Dad, as for my sister, as for everyone, as for everything I owe...

I am sorry.

I can't promise anything about the next life; I'm an incompetent person.

All I can say is, I'm sorry.

Yuan Zhisheng's eyes were filled with relief.

He was too tired to notice that Kazama Ruri's eyes seemed to change for a moment, and his own heart was still beating.

boom--

Just then, a shrill shriek caught up!

Faster than Lu Mingfei, faster than Ying, faster than Crow, faster than everyone in the Executive Bureau.

It was as if a hurricane had swept through the street!
The hurricane was filled with a sharp, chilling aura; dust, fallen cherry blossoms, leaves, even trash cans flew up and were hurled around a dark brown object, hurtling towards Kazama Ruri.

It's actually a plush bear!
But the bear's flight was as powerful as a supersonic fighter jet, with air shockwaves enveloping it and many objects being swept up and spinning around it at high speed.

Word Spirit·Judgment!
It's Erii!

This is Erii's Word of Power, a Word of Power that surpasses human miracles.

For Erii, she can use anything in this world as a weapon at will; everything in her hands is merely a messenger to deliver orders to kill.

Erii was one of the very few people who immediately realized that Kazama Ruri had attacked Genji.

Upon seeing her brother bleeding, she finally panicked and threw away the toy she was holding.

They sensed the commotion behind them that was about to destroy the entire street.

Kazama Ruri's expression changed instantly.

"What is this?"

Without hesitation, he dodged and weaved. He wasn't worried about being grazed by stray sniper bullets; in his keel form, he could even withstand bullets powerful enough to penetrate an armored vehicle. But he dared not confront the bear head-on.

His intuition told him that he would die instantly if he were hit.

The revenge against his brother is about to be completed!

This is a joyous day, and he doesn't want his life to end here!
The one who started it all, Erii, had eyes that shone with an intimidating brightness.

But it wasn't coldness and a desire to kill that filled her; it was fear. She didn't vent her joy at violence; instead, she was terrified by the scene before her, her face filled with anxiety and fear.

She knew she was a monster, that the world hated her, and that it would always punish anyone who listened to her. So she always used paper and pen to convey her thoughts, but unintentionally, she would still hurt others, just like she had just done.

She thought she had done something wrong again, which was why everyone had gathered around, but she was still doing something wrong.

Erii crouched down, her tall figure swaying like a frightened little animal, instinctively moving closer to Zero beside her, as if trying to draw a little warmth from her friend.

Zero paused for a moment, then hugged Erii tightly, his face still expressionless, one hand quietly tucked into his pocket, inside which lay a pair of wooden clappers.

She wasn't worried.

Lu Mingfei was not within the little bear's flight path.

After witnessing Erii casually toss it away, she began to seriously consider the idea of ​​replicating this Word of Power.

The prerequisite for 'Word Spirit·Mirror Eye' to copy the Word Spirit of others is that the other party's bloodline must be lower than one's own; otherwise, it will deplete one's own bloodline very quickly, and may even result in death due to the depletion of one's life force.

She was very confident in her lineage, but Erii was clearly not a girl who could be judged by conventional standards.

In fact, Erii did not actively release 'Judgment' just now.

The power of that throw was at most a passive effect of 'Judgment', just like 'Evolution' naturally enhances brainpower, and 'Mirror Eye' enhances analytical ability.

But even without being actively released, this soft bear has become a hammer of judgment capable of shattering everything in the world!
The hurricane swept through the streets.

a mess.

The once orderly and disciplined elite enforcement team was scattered and disorganized. The roadside trees on both sides of the road fell down one after another, and the garbage cans that were overturned were filled with debris.

The middle of the road was empty; the two people who had been standing there were gone.

Despite her best efforts, Kazama Ruri was still able to easily dodge Erii's casual attack.

While dodging the teddy bears that were being thrown at him, he didn't forget to pull Genjiro along, who was also within the hurricane's range!
"Thank you, Mr. Lu... Don't worry, he's not dead."

"It's Kazama Ruri," she said softly.

The street corner, the edge of a mess.

After dodging Erii's 'judgment,' Kazama Ruri immediately chose to move closer to Lu Mingfei and join him, which relieved Lu Mingfei.

"Holy crap! Thank you too!"

Lu Mingfei glanced at the knife stuck in Yuan Zhisheng's chest and couldn't help but grind his teeth.

"You know what? I fucking thought you were crazy."

Only now that the other person is close do he realize that Kazama Ruri is actually very calm.

This guy is a meticulous person.

Although he was decisive when it came to drawing his knife, he still showed some skill when it came to actually striking. The knife avoided the heart, but pierced through the right lobe of the lung.

"Didn't we agree to just say a few words and then leave it at that? Why are you still going to chop him up? Is this your idea? Or is it Yuan Zhinü's idea?"

Lu Mingfei took another look at Yuan Zhisheng's condition.

Although the fatal blow to the heart was avoided, the young master of the Snake Clan was still seriously injured. After piercing his right chest, Kazama Ruri twisted the hilt of her sword, turning the wedge-shaped wound into a bloody, mangled hole from which he was losing a large amount of blood.

This yandere brother is really seriously ill, and he even seems to have a sadistic style. He'll beat you to death as long as you don't kill him.

"I'm sorry to have troubled you, but it's the same idea," Kazama Ruri said with a smile.

Lu Mingfei understood what the other party meant and was immediately taken aback.

"You successfully persuaded...the young girl?"

“We are the same person. My thoughts are his thoughts, and his thoughts are my thoughts. Why bother trying to persuade him?” Kazama Ruri shook her head.

"hiss……"

Lu Mingfei was taken aback, realizing that Kazama Ruri, whom he hadn't seen for a while, seemed to have transformed from a madman into a philosopher.

The original situation of the two personalities was—

Genjiro always knew that Kazama Ruri was herself, and admitting all the evil deeds the other had done was equivalent to admitting them herself; while Kazama Ruri hated Genjiro, hated this cowardly girl, and refused to admit anything about the other.

But now it seems that Kazama Ruri has come to her senses too?

What happened to him recently?
"My brother didn't hold back at all back then, I only retaliated a little bit, that's more than enough."

Kazama Ruri added, "This strike is necessary. You don't understand your brother. He's stubborn. If you don't completely defeat him, he won't listen to you quietly. This level of injury is just right for the Emperor; it won't heal quickly, and it will also render him unable to resist."

Lu Mingfei stared blankly at Kazama Ruri.

Even he couldn't tell whether the person saying those words was Kazama Ruri or Genji. Those "brother" calls sounded so natural.

However, Lu Mingfei finally felt relieved.

One appears reckless but is actually calm, while the other appears calm but is actually reckless. Kazama Ruri and his brother are practically two extremes.

Damn it, if it weren't for the resources of the Snake Clan, cooperating with Kazama Ruri would have been a better choice...

"What...are you talking about?"

At that moment, Genjiro's weak voice rang out from the side.
He opened his eyes, his expression filled with fear and shock.

After all, he was a super hybrid who was given the title of 'Emperor'. Even though the penetrating wound in his chest had caused him to lose more than half of his blood and he was being carried at high speed, any other hybrid would have passed out by now. But Genji was still conscious and could still speak.

He even overheard the brief conversation between Lu Mingfei and Yuan Zhinv.

My mind is filled with confusion again... What is he mumbling about?

Why do I not understand anything?

"hehe."

Kazama Ruri smiled and slapped Genji on the back of the head without any mercy.

Genjiro immediately lost consciousness.

“Let’s go first, this isn’t the place to talk, Mr. Lu,” he said. “Be careful of the Snake-Headed Eight Families.”

"Ah."

Lu Mingfei nodded, and at that moment, Zero also brought Erii closer.

His gaze swept over Genjiro, Kazama Ruri, and Uesugi Erii.

Review their panels again.

“ξ, ω, π... three codenames, three royal-level hybrids, Herzog's specific plan…”

(End of this chapter)