“Devouring Spirit Book?” Rin stared at the characters on the book’s cover, softly reading them out loud.
Although Chrollo couldn’t see what was happening before Rin, he could still infer based on Rin’s actions. He looked at the empty space in front of Rin and calmly said, “Rin, maybe your ability can be understood from the name of this book.”
Chrollo glanced down at his own empty hands. He used to possess a Nen ability book, the “Bandit’s Secret,” which had now disappeared. If he still had it, he could have been more helpful to Rin in this world. Looking back at Kuken, who was staring at them in confusion, Chrollo thought learning chakra from him might provide some solutions.
At this moment, Rin nodded thoughtfully, agreeing with Chrollo’s words. “Maybe my Nen ability is related to ‘Devouring Spirit’… But what kind of ability could it be?”
Without further hesitation, Rin reached out and touched the deep purple book again. Despite its ethereal state, the book felt tangibly old and had a faint heartbeat sensation.
Opening the book’s cover slowly, Rin revealed yellowed pages. The first page displayed four eerie black figures dotted with numerous small blood-red spots, evoking a sense of discomfort and oppression.
“What is this?” Rin muttered, unsure what the book depicted. He glanced at the four bandits still writhing in pain, sensing a connection between the book and the defeated bandits.
At that moment, the deep purple book in front of him seemed to become more ethereal, as if it would vanish at any moment. Rin, puzzled, said softly, “Chrollo, now that everything here is settled, let’s leave this place.”
Chrollo glanced at him and nodded, then looked at the four surviving bandits. As Chrollo prepared to deal with them, Rin spoke up, “Leave them alive. My Nen ability seems connected to them. Let’s bring them back so I can observe what’s happening.”
Chrollo nodded, “Alright. I’ll notify the villagers to come up and gather the supplies so we can head back.”
This was the original plan, so Rin had no objections. Chrollo left briefly to bring the villagers, who had been hiding at the foot of the mountain, to start moving the supplies.
Rin remained there, frowning slightly, pondering something as he curiously watched the nearly unconscious bandits. Before long, Chrollo returned with the villagers from Snow Village, who climbed the slope to the temple.
The villagers, bundled up against the cold, were excited to see that all the bandits had been killed or captured. Kuken’s confession delighted them further, as they found a storage cellar full of food and supplies.
Kouichiro, eager to share their joy, approached Rin. “Lord Rin, our harvest this time is really…”
However, upon approaching Rin, Kouichiro’s words got stuck in his throat. “Lord Rin… are you alright?”
Rin seemed to notice his arrival only then, waving it off lightly. “It’s nothing. I’m just researching something. How about your side? Did you gather everything? If so, let’s get ready to leave.”
Kouichiro nodded quickly, “Yes, Lord Rin. Everything is packed. I’ll tell them to prepare for departure.”
Seeing Rin engrossed in his study, Kouichiro didn’t dare say more and left. Once a bit further away, he exhaled deeply, realizing his back was soaked in cold sweat.
He recalled the moment when Rin had looked up at him, feeling as if a terrifying presence was watching him, craving his flesh. Shaking his head to clear his mind, Kouichiro muttered to himself, “What am I thinking? Now is the time to achieve great things with Lord Rin. I can’t lose focus!”
He then hurried off to urge the villagers to finish packing. As the morning sun pierced through the snowy forest, illuminating the ground, the villagers pushed carts and wheelbarrows laden with supplies back towards Snow Village.
Despite having traveled since the previous day and not having rested overnight, the villagers felt no fatigue, only excitement, as they discussed their plentiful haul and the prosperous year ahead.
Despite his ambitions, Kouichiro felt proud seeing the villagers’ joy. Under Rin’s leadership, they were harvesting the spoils taken from the bandits’ lair. He frequently glanced at the last cart in the line, where Rin seemed engrossed in studying something, accompanied by the captured bandits, sparking his curiosity.
Become a Patron read up to 60 chapter ahead public release ^_^
Please join Discord Server so we can talk ^_^
