"Robin betrayed them?"
"No, she is protecting Luffy and the others."
Raiden Ei was drawn in by the plot. She wanted to see how Luffy and the others would choose under such overwhelming pressure.
The result was obvious. They would not give up.
To save their companion, Luffy and the others stormed Enies Lobby.
When Ei saw Robin, tears filling her eyes, say the words, "I want to live," her body trembled involuntarily.
She only wanted to live. What was wrong with that?
The comic ended quickly.
But Raiden Ei's mood grew somewhat melancholic.
Back then, to save her sister, she abandoned Inazuma and rushed to Khaenri'ah. In the end, what she received in return was the death of her last friend.
That was an eternal pain in Ei's heart.
"Perhaps if I had returned a little earlier, Kitsune Saiguu might have survived."
"Unfortunately, I was trapped by my sister's death at the time and came back too late."
Ei put down the comic and let out a soft sigh.
She truly liked this comic, yet it always stirred up memories of the past.
The past was already buried. Now, she had to safeguard eternity.
...
Hanamizaka.
Arataki Itto was pleading bitterly with Kuki Shinobu.
"Shinobu, just give me some Mora. I'll only buy one comic, okay? Just one this time."
"Heh, Boss. That's the same excuse you used last time. Don't come to me when it's about spending money."
Kuki Shinobu looked completely unconvinced.
Previously, Arataki Itto had taken money from her to buy comics, but he came back with a pile of pirated merchandise instead. The prices were absurdly high, and even when discounted, they would not sell.
If the Boss kept wasting money like this, the entire gang would go hungry.
This kind of thing had to be completely stopped.
Seeing the merciless Kuki Shinobu, Arataki Itto dropped straight to his knees.
He clasped his hands together and begged earnestly.
"Please, Shinobu. Or how about you come with me to buy it this time? The latest Adventure King is really amazing. I heard the main character can stretch his fists, and even go to islands in the sky to adventure. If I can't read it, I won't be able to discuss it with my friends anymore."
"Cut it out. The gang's funds are tight. Unless you go get a job, Boss."
Kuki Shinobu refused to budge.
This time, Arataki Itto was completely out of options.
A job.
He wanted one too, but which shop was hiring right now?
Many stores had already closed. Even if he wanted to work, no one would take him.
At that moment, Yoimiya arrived in front of them with an unfamiliar young girl.
Listening to their discussion, the unfamiliar girl's eyes lit up.
"Hey, are you short on money? Want to work for me? This director is hiring right now. Fifty thousand Mora per person per month. Only two positions available."
As soon as Arataki Itto heard there was money, he immediately turned around and knelt.
"Boss, from today onward, the Arataki Gang will listen to you entirely."
"Refreshing, truly refreshing. Su Han's recommendation was not wrong."
Before Hu Tao could finish speaking, Kuki Shinobu interrupted, "Boss, we don't even know what they do yet. How can you just agree like that?"
"Shinobu, this is where you don't understand. Fifty thousand Mora. Do you know how much that is? That's two months of living expenses for our gang. Even if they only need two people, if we all go together, earning one hundred thousand would be easy."
That might be true, but there was definitely risk involved.
However, seeing how enthusiastic the Boss was, Kuki Shinobu did not want to dampen his spirits.
After all, the gang really was short on money.
"Fine then. You two can go work. I'll supervise."
She had no intention of being ordered around, so acting as a supervisor sounded quite good.
Once everything was settled,
Arataki Itto finally asked about the job details.
Hu Tao smiled and said, "Our job is to serve the dead. In other words, the funeral business. You're so big and strong, so I'll leave the coffin carrying to you."
"What? The dead? No way, I'm scared!"
Although Arataki Itto was large in stature, he had one weakness.
He was afraid of ghosts.
Even if he did not want to admit it, those spirits truly made his legs go weak.
Hu Tao patiently explained, "What are you afraid of? We're a legitimate business. Even if there are ghosts, the director can easily handle them. When it comes to catching ghosts, I'm a professional. And if you become an outstanding employee, there's also a mysterious reward."
"What reward?"
"Golden Light Spell. Want to learn it?"
One sentence.
Everyone present froze.
Even the well-informed Kuki Shinobu was startled by Hu Tao's words.
"Isn't that a move from the comic? Don't tell me you can…"
"Yes. So let me demonstrate."
Hu Tao smiled proudly. With a low shout, a golden glow immediately surged out from her body.
The light was not dazzling, but it was exactly the same as in the comic.
Arataki Itto's jaw dropped to the ground in shock.
"I… I'm not seeing things, right? Shinobu, this… this is really the Golden Light Spell!"
"Yes, Boss. You're not mistaken. This is the Golden Light Spell."
Suddenly, Kuki Shinobu recalled the rumors spreading from the comic.
In the comic Under One Person, there existed beings with the power of immortals.
Whether one could comprehend it depended entirely on personal fate.
Originally, Kuki Shinobu had scoffed at this legend. That was until she saw the Golden Light Spell with her own eyes.
As for how Hu Tao learned this skill, it was truly difficult.
Everyone knew she could not calm her mind. Even when Su Han personally taught her, she could not learn it. Later, after the appearance of the Ice Heart Art, she gained what was essentially a loophole.
Using the mental cultivation method to forcibly enter a meditative state, Hu Tao gradually found the right feeling.
Although her progress was slow, she genuinely mastered the Golden Light Spell.
As for why she revealed it publicly, it was naturally Su Han's idea.
"Well? This is the real Golden Light Spell, not the power of a Vision. So, are you willing to join?"
"Yes, of course I'm willing!"
Arataki Itto, who had just stood up, knelt down again.
This time, he was completely sincere.
Because he was thinking that if he could learn this skill and show it off in front of the kids, he would surely win them all over.
That would be so impressive.
However, Kuki Shinobu and Yoimiya were thinking differently.
A foreigner.
And she knew the Golden Light Spell.
Hu Tao's identity was likely not as simple as it seemed.
"Alright, now it's time for me to ask you for advice. What kind of funeral rituals are generally used here in Inazuma? Or what style of coffins?"
"Well, around here, we usually use small boxes. After cremation, the ashes are placed inside. As for funerals, that's mainly business for Mount Yougou, meaning shrine maidens performing exorcisms and sending off the deceased."
When it came to this topic, no one was more knowledgeable than Kuki Shinobu.
Her family was a lineage of shrine maidens.
If she had not run away early on, she would probably be a shrine maiden now as well.
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