After placing the gemstone in Mumei's hand — together with the crystal containing Ikoma's younger sister — into his divine kingdom, Ryuji walked out of the compartment.
Although a Kabaneri's recovery speed was extremely strong, he still had Mumei rest well here for the day.
Screeech!!
The moment he stepped out, a powerful sensation of weightlessness hit. At the same time, the Kōtetsujō came to a stop.
Woo! Woo-Woo!
Worker, "Lord, the Yashiro Station isn't responding. It may have been overrun by Kabanes."
Kenshō, "Is the situation confirmed?"
Worker, "We've spotted signal smoke ahead. There also seem to be survivors."
Seeing her father frown, Ayame asked in confusion, "Father, aren't we going to rescue them?"
Kenshō, "Of course we are. Kurusu, pass the order — be ready at any time to face a Kabane attack!"
Kurusu, "Yes, Lord!"
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦
The Kōtetsujō linked up with the Yashiro Station that had sent out a distress signal. The warriors inspected the survivors in two groups, separated by men and women.
"Look — the hoist platform is lying across the tracks now. We can't get through."
"Then we'll take a detour around it."
"No. If we detour, it'll take ten days to reach the next station. We don't have enough food."
Kenshō had planned to restock food at the Yashiro Station. But it had already fallen to the Kabanes, so resupply was impossible.
Ryuji found Kajika and gave her a bag of polished rice to steam. He went to prepare ingredients himself.
Kajika's cooking skills were quite good. Once she understood modern seasonings, the food she made was good enough to open a wildly popular restaurant.
She went to the Kōtetsujō's kitchen to prepare ingredients. The two little girls followed along, drooling.
Now only Ryuji and Shino were left in the compartment.
Shino kept her head lowered, hands continuously knitting clothes for an infant. But the faint redness on her cheeks showed just how unsettled she was.
Looking at her now — wearing a loose kimono that completely hid her figure — Ryuji asked, "Shino, about my proposal yesterday… what do you think?"
"Ah… Lo-Lord Ryuji, I…" Shino secretly glanced up at him, then lowered her head again and nodded.
Ryuji didn't react for a moment. He hadn't expected her to agree so quickly.
But it made sense. If not for him, Shino would still be living packed together with a chaotic crowd. Not to mention the mixed, unpleasant smells — she wouldn't even be able to get much food.
And she was already eight months pregnant. If she couldn't keep up nutritionally, the baby could easily develop problems.
Now there was a handsome, powerful man who could provide a quiet, clean place to live and nutritious food — and who didn't even mind that she was pregnant. Why would she refuse?
Ryuji sat beside Shino and pulled her into his arms. It was only the second time she had been held by him, and her body still wasn't used to it.
He took a deep breath. The milky scent was very rich.
He slipped his hand in through the kimono collar and played with those "buns", even grander than Ayame's.
Maybe because there was milk, they felt like water-filled balloons. With a light squeeze, he could even sense the fluid shifting.
Shino covered her mouth with one hand, enduring the strange sensation in her chest. She felt like the tips of her breasts were swelling slightly, almost aching.
"Shino… why is yours sunken in?"
His finger traced the indentation, and with a probing touch he could feel a soft-hard nub inside. He pinched it and found it was almost as thick as his pinky.
"Mmm… I-I don't know. After it developed, it slowly sank in." Shino bit her lip, her gray eyes full of watery mist.
"Oh? Let me take a look."
You had to admire the design of kimono. With only a small tug, a pale mound dotted with cherry-pink was revealed.
Grasping it in one hand, Ryuji saw a red, slit-like "sleepy eye". Inside, a "red bean" peeked out like a shy little girl. A drop of milky white fluid hung there.
Ryuji lowered his head and sucked. A hint of sweetness, together with an even stronger milky aroma, flooded his mouth.
"Mmm…" Shino couldn't help letting out a tempting sound. Embarrassed, she endured it.
But seeing Ryuji suck like a little baby, her overflowing maternal instinct made her boldly reach out. She gently stroked his short black hair.
Yet soon Shino's face—so full of maternal softness—turned flushed.
Ryuji's tongue slid into that slit-like "eye", teasing the shy red bean. With a firm suck, he successfully pulled the shy little red bean "out of the house", and a moving milky-white tear flowed with it.
"Mmmh…" At that, Shino squeezed her legs together.
She felt like she might be leaking. Not only leaking up top—down below too.
After swallowing a mouthful of thick, pure milk, Ryuji lifted his head and licked the corner of his mouth.
"Mmm. Rich but not greasy. Smooth going down. Tastes good. The child will definitely love it in the future." Ryuji gave her a thumbs-up.
Shino's already rosy face turned even redder.
Ryuji flicked a small sphere of light from his fingertip and sent it into her body, "Alright. From now on you're mine. Just stay at ease under my protection."
He took out another bag of nutritious food and stuffed it into her arms. Then he waved and left the compartment.
Shino hugged the bag, gently stroking her round belly, and smiled tenderly.
"My child… when you're born, you must repay Lord Ryuji properly."
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦
When Ryuji returned to his own compartment, he found that Mumei wasn't there. Following the retainer-sense, he walked outside.
"Long time no see. I didn't expect to run into you here."
A middle-aged man with his head wrapped in black cloth, wearing a green coat, one leg replaced with a prosthetic, looked at Mumei.
"Hm. What are you doing here?"
Mumei put one hand on her hip and looked at the man — called Enoku or something — confused.
Mumei frowned, "Why did you call me out? What is it?"
"Twenty days ago, that lord brought in a large number of weapons. They're weapons used to kill people."
"Let him know that his actions are acceptable. When the young lord needs us, I, Enoku, will charge through fire and water."
"Oh." Mumei felt bored and turned to leave.
But the moment she turned, Enoku quickly drew his blade and slashed at her.
Swish! Clang!
As if she'd expected it, Mumei blocked the strike with her short sword.
"What are you doing?!" Mumei was annoyed.
After tasting the pleasures of sex last night, she really wanted to see Ryuji right now.
"Your reply."
"Even if you were once Lord Biba's 'Ear' — if you anger me again, I'll kill you."
To be honest, if Biba hadn't promised to help her search for clues about her mother, Mumei wouldn't have wanted to cooperate with these "Hunters" at all.
Mumei knocked the blade aside and spun into a roundhouse kick faster than Enoku could react.
Thud-Thud!
"Cough! Cough, Cough!"
Enoku spat several mouthfuls of blood as he rolled on the ground. From his other hand, a small short gun also fell out.
"Cough… as expected of the strongest 'Claw', able to fight two Kabaneri alone… such sharp perception." Enoku said.
He clutched his wounded body and left with a bitter laugh.
"Hah…" Mumei sighed.
If she hadn't been strengthened by the retainer contract, she might not have noticed the hidden gun in his hand.
Turning around, just as she was about to step forward, she was hugged from behind.
Mumei instantly tensed and raised her leg to kick back… only to hear a familiar voice.
"Hozumi-chan, why aren't you resting properly inside? Why did you come out?" Ryuji's tall figure hugged her.
His gaze followed the direction Enoku had just gone.
Because of the height difference, Ryuji's chin rested on top of Mumei's head.
"Mmm… it was too stuffy inside. I came out for some air." Mumei said, acting spoiled as she bumped her head lightly against his chin.
"Alright, then I'll stay with you." Ryuji replied.
✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦✦
Meanwhile, in the engine car, Ikoma explained his plan to Kenshō and received unanimous approval.
In simple terms: send a team to ignite the boiler in the central pit, then use the central hoist to lift away the hoist platform that had fallen across the tracks.
The only problem was that during the operation, the Kabanes inside the boiler pit would be disturbed — dangerous.
Of course, among those taking the risk would naturally be the protagonist of this world, Ikoma — and yes, his buddy Takumi. Maybe his brain suddenly came online.
If nothing went wrong, Ikoma's plan would easily lift the hoist platform.
But whenever someone says "if nothing goes wrong", something will definitely go wrong.
Boom!
Some fuel tank suddenly exploded. The enormous sound spread through all of the Yashiro Station.
Halfway across the elevated corridor over the pit, Ikoma's group discovered in horror that the huge pit below had lit up with countless flames.
"L-lord, bad news!" The worker ran to Kenshō, trembling as they reported, "D-down there — it's all Kabanes! They're climbing up! There are too many — too many!"
"What?!"
Everyone rushed to the outer corridor of the Kōtetsujō. In the massive pit below, it was indeed packed with Kabanes.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
The first explosion was like knocking over a domino. Explosions erupted one after another throughout the boiler pit.
Stimulated, the Kabanes climbed upward even faster.
Even more despairing—a gigantic shadow slowly stood up from the bottom of the boiler pit.
Tens of meters tall.
A fused monster centered on a Kabane — formed of countless Kabanes — "Black Smoke", was crawling toward the Kōtetsujō.
"Enter the emergency shelter line!"
Yukina quickly adjusted the Kōtetsujō into reverse, avoiding being "face-smeared" by Black Smoke's Kabanes.
At the critical moment, she drove the Kōtetsujō into the shelter fortress. With everyone's cooperation, they blocked Black Smoke outside.
"Ryu-kun! Ryu-kun and Mumei-chan are still outside!"
Just as everyone let out a breath, Ayame's anxious voice rang out.
Yukina snapped her head around and looked. Sure enough, she couldn't see Ryuji or Mumei.
Anxious, and without waiting for orders, she backed the Kōtetsujō onto another track and accelerated hard.
At that moment, Ryuji and Mumei were standing behind Black Smoke.
"Hozumi-chan, go activate the drawbridge. I'll handle this thing."
"Mm. Be careful. Oh, and to kill it, you have to kill the Kabane at the core first!"
After pointing at the blue glow in Black Smoke's chest, Mumei ran off alone toward the drawbridge.
Looking at the Kabanes packed densely on Black Smoke's body, Ryuji felt excited.
Just before, the Reincarnation Space — silent for two or three days — had issued a triggered mission.
⤚———————————————————⤙
〖Ding! Side Mission triggered!〗
〖Ding! Hidden Mission triggered!〗
⤚———⤙
〖Side Mission: Assist or activate the drawbridge alone and lift away the hoist platform so the Kōtetsujō passes safely! Reward: 3,000 Reincarnation Points 〗
⤚———⤙
〖Hidden Mission: Eliminate the Fused Colony "Black Smoke"! Reward: 4,000 Reincarnation Points, Kabane Treasure Chest ×1 〗
⤚———————————————————⤙
To be honest, seeing that fused mass of countless Kabanes made Ryuji feel a little creeped out.
Not because he couldn't handle it — but because it was disgusting.
But with two quests triggered in a row, he no longer felt creeped out.
He even wished for more.
Black Smoke seemed to sense his malice. With eyes as large as car headlights, it roared and charged at him.
⤚———————————————————⤙
[ Fused Colony ] [ Black Smoke ]
[ Strength: G+ ]
[ Intelligence: H- ]
[ Constitution: G ]
[ Spirit: H- ]
[ Power Assessment: G+ ]
[ Bloodline: Kabane Bloodline ]
[ Skill: Slap, Charge… ]
⤚———————————————————⤙
After reading Black Smoke's info, Ryuji realized its Strength stat was quite high.
This colony was also far larger than in the original story. In the original, it was only a bit over twenty meters. This one was nearly forty.
However, Black Smoke's weakness was too obvious. So it was only rated G+.
It swung its enormous palm at Ryuji, intending to crush him into meat paste.
Boom!
Before the palm fell, Ryuji leapt up. He stepped onto the back of the hand, then pushed off again into a high jump.
Boom!
A fireball was thrown in one smooth motion. It struck the core area directly, exploding into a thick cloud of smoke.
Ryuji retreated more than ten meters and looked up at Black Smoke.
When the smoke cleared, the blue core area had only lost a few Kabanes.
"The power of my current magic can't reach its core at all."
Only then did Ryuji realize: This Black Smoke was different from the original, where the core was wide open.
Here, the core Kabane was covered in layers and layers of Kabanes.
To kill the core Kabane, he needed an attack powerful enough to pierce straight through Black Smoke.
Otherwise, it would continuously send more Kabanes to reinforce the core's defenses.
✦✦✦
T/N: Comment, give me Power Stones, like and favorite, it all supports me and makes me go foward with this. Appreciate my other stories as well, I guarantee the good work!
If you want 20 chapters ahead of this novel for just $1, as well as smut chapters ($2) or spicy images ($5) or enjoy a large catalog of good novels with excellent translations (free or starting at $1.5): MrBlackWing (you know where to search)
That's it and happy reading! (-‿◦)