novelraw Chapter 269-1: Yutaro’s Rice Ball, the Ogiwara Clan Head’s Ambition (1)
Chapter 269-1: Yutaro’s Rice Ball, the Ogiwara Clan Head’s Ambition (1)
The castle lord, the daimyo, was about to return to the water prison. Lin Xun swiftly summoned the shikigami Nurarihyon and ordered it to stand ready at his side.
He himself went into stealth, preparing to strike with a killing blow.
[…]
[The footsteps grew closer and closer. The door to the prison swung open, and the one-armed Ogiwara Clan Head strode in.]
[The cell was spattered with blood. The massive headless corpse lay off to the side, and beside it stood a handsome, unfamiliar young man.]
[The Ogiwara Clan Head’s face blanched in shock. He drew the greatsword at his waist and opened his mouth to shout, but a haze of confusion swept over his mind, and in an instant the entire scene transformed!]
[The filthy, decaying cell vanished without a trace, replaced by two sheer cliffs, suspended alone in the vast world.]
[He stood alone upon a narrow plank bridge connecting the cliffs, with an endless abyss yawning beneath his feet.]
[The bridge was so narrow that taking even half a step to the side would send him plummeting.]
[From the depths of the abyss, a howling cold wind blew up, making his footing waver. Reflexively, his toes clenched around the only scrap of support below, terrified of falling into the chasm.][In this desperate situation, he could not take a single step. The slightest error would dash him to pieces.]
[Suddenly, he sensed an ominous presence behind him. He turned his head…]
[At the far end of the bridge, on the distant cliff, a small figure stood. Left hand resting on the scabbard, right hand gripping the hilt of the blade!]
[From the jade-green jewel set into the hilt, a ghostly light radiated. All around the cliffs, the whirling cold winds were drawn irresistibly to that famed divine weapon, whose name was known across Sakura Falls…]
[The Ogiwara Clan Head understood that the power of this single stroke could shatter the heavens. If he did not fight back with all his strength, he would surely die here.]
[He tried to turn around, but the gale only grew fiercer. He knew that if he shifted even slightly, he would lose his footing and fall, if the blade didn’t kill him, the abyss would.]
[Then, without warning, the wind fell still. Elated, the Ogiwara Clan Head seized the chance to spin around and raise his sword to block, only to see a blazing arc of swordlight rip the world asunder!]
[Where the swordlight passed, space itself cracked like splintered glass, fracturing into layer upon layer of webs.]
[It was as if the strike could open the vault of the sky and cleave all things.]
[Through the rifts in the shattered scene, he glimpsed the familiar sights of the prison cell.]
[And in that instant, he understood: the bridge, the cliffs, the abyss, the roaring gale, everything had been a false illusion…]
[This was the final thought of his life.]
[Your small figure settled lightly onto the prison floor. You sheathed your blade and exhaled in a low breath.]
[Behind you, a blossom of bright red erupted from the Ogiwara Clan Head’s chest. Blood fountained all the way up to the ceiling before it fell.]
[His body collapsed lifelessly to the ground.]
[You have defeated the Fire-Worshipping Ogiwara Clan Head. Your experience has increased enormously.]
[The power within the shell began to surge. The Fire-Worshipping Palace Master of Iya Palace shell’s level increased. Current shell level: 66.]
[You have obtained Faint Spirit Essence of Profound Unfathomability *1.]
[You have obtained the Great Seal of Yomi-no-Ōsho Jinpi-Yasha (Epic Accessory).]
[You have obtained the Ogiwara Clan Command Banner (Epic+ Item).]
[You have obtained the Ushimitsu Mairi Straw Doll (Special Item).]
[You looked down at the one-armed corpse before you…]
[Fire-Worshipping Ogiwara Clan Head: The aging lord of Thousand Orchid City was once a hatamoto samurai at the general’s side. Though now far removed from the valor of his youth, the authority he held in his hands exceeded a hundredfold that of his past self. He died to a single fatal thrust through the heart. Compatibility: 118% (+55%).]
[Would you like to possess this shell?]
“At last, the Tenshukaku is conquered.”
Lin Xun let out a long breath, feeling his entire body relax.
[You have possessed the shell of the Fire-Worshipping Ogiwara Clan Head!]
He opened the panel to inspect the daimyo’s attributes.
The clan head’s stats were slightly higher than the Ninja Master’s, but the shell, originally Epic+ grade, had fallen to Epic grade due to its disability. After applying the compatibility bonus, the shell’s quality rose by half a tier, ultimately stabilizing at Epic+ grade.
Normally, severed limbs or even complete paralysis could be fully restored by resting at the Resting Page.
But the Ogiwara Clan Head’s case was more complicated…
In this hellish game, when an Apostle first possessed a shell, a hidden assessment was performed to record the shell’s initial state.
Any injuries that had already healed on the shell were judged as part of the shell’s baseline condition.
For example, if an Apostle cut off half the leg of a scarred, one-eyed NPC before possessing it, then went to the Resting Page to refresh the state, after healing, the severed leg would regrow, but the blindness and old scars would remain unchanged.
This was because the missing eye and scars were counted as the shell’s initial traits, not injuries, and so could not be restored.
The clan head’s severed right arm had already healed over. After the possession state assessment, it was highly likely that it could never grow back…
In other words, even with the compatibility bonus lifting the shell back to Epic+ grade, he would forever remain a one-armed ‘Yang Guo.’
[T/N: Yang Guo is a one-armed fictional protagonist of The Return of the Condor Heroes by Jin Yong]
Lin Xun opened his inventory to examine the newly acquired loot.
The Chief Retainer had dropped one hundred thousand Spirit Essence and a worthless weapon. These were unimportant. What mattered was the Epic item called Yutaro’s Rice Ball.
[Yutaro’s Rice Ball (Epic Item): A fist-sized rice ball wrapped in dark green seaweed. It steams as if fresh from the cooker, filling the air with a rich aroma.]
[Using this item will temporarily cause your shell to grow a thick layer of fat, greatly increasing its defensive power. When struck by a lethal attack, there is a significant chance that the fat will absorb the damage, allowing you to survive.]
[The effect that allows you to evade lethal damage can only trigger once. After activation, the item’s enhancement will disappear.]
“Pretty badass item, though it probably wouldn’t look very elegant if you used it in reality… especially if a female Apostle were the one using it…”
Using this item against a boss was basically equivalent to getting one extra chance to make a mistake. As for the evasion failing to trigger… Hah, a born lucky bastard never worried about that sort of low-probability mishap.
Besides, Lin Xun still possessed an artifact, the Lucky Gold Coin.