Chapter 664 Receiving the Seed of Fire
Yes, Grandpa Hongmaru.
Hearing the other party’s question, Kazumi lowered her head again to show respect and replied respectfully.
At this moment, the girl felt a little helpless. What kind of situation had her dog gotten her into this time?
To give her such a big surprise gift for something so important. Kazumi’s impression of Satō Shin’ichi had even improved recently, making her feel that he had become much more mature than before.
The previous matter was not only apparent on the surface but also evident from the tone of Kusakabe Hongmaru’s conversation with them, indicating it was extremely important and came at a considerable cost. Now, he was secretly giving her a gift like this as a surprise? It seemed more reasonable to have informed her beforehand and discussed it together.
Moreover, having reached this point, standing before the renowned “Emperor Yan,” Kazumi dared not say, “I don’t understand this topic well, so please let me go back and think about it before replying.” The other party had already invested a lot of favors and resources in Satō Shin’ichi, and if the girl acted so foolishly, her transmigration would have been in vain.
Therefore, even though Kazumi didn’t understand anything, she could only brace herself and push forward. “Damn you, Satō Shin’ichi!”
Mm.
The old man’s crimson eyebrows furrowed slightly, and his fierce gaze swept over Kazumi again before withdrawing. He continued to speak without emotion.
“Although you are someone Sakura brought here, there are still procedures that need to be introduced to you.” The old man raised his right hand and pushed forward. Scorching hot flame energy flowed up his right arm, finally converging into a flickering fire lotus in his palm. The flame appeared strangely translucent, with layers of special flame patterns faintly visible inside.
“The ‘Seed of Fire’ is an extension of my ability. Infusing the Seed of Fire into a person’s body can indeed stimulate their abilities.”
The fire lotus in Hongmaru’s palm suddenly pulsed violently, the flame patterns inside twisting and shifting like living things. The old man’s sharp gaze fixed on Kazumi, his voice low and rumbling like muffled thunder: “However, the stimulation of this ability is unstable, and there’s no guarantee of its intensity.” The fire lotus in his palm split into two, separating into flames of two colors. Crimson flames surged, while white flames faintly receded.
“You are all students of Shikoku Gakuin. You must have some understanding of the heroes from the Hero Association. Heroes accepted my Seed of Fire, and only by accepting my Seed of Fire can they possess the power to control to that extent. However, some may only be able to use a faint glow of fire for illumination. This is not something I can control, so I need to inform you in advance.”
Mm, I understand, Grandpa Hongmaru.
Kazumi was not intimidated by the other party’s words and aura. After all, she wasn’t here for that reason. If anything, she was concerned about what excuse she would use to explain if she failed to receive it.
Hongmaru looked at Kazumi’s calm expression, his crimson eyebrows slightly raised, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes, and then continued.
“The second point is that the Seed of Fire is a derivative of my ability. Although the power obtained through it is independent, it also draws power from me for sustenance. I haven’t found a solution for this yet.”
“In other words, if I’m no longer here, the Seed of Fire, lacking my power to sustain it, will weaken until it completely disappears. Furthermore, given my age, I haven’t come to absorb the Seed of Fire for a long time.”
“So, young lady, I want to warn you: the feeling of watching power disappear helplessly after gaining strength can drive people mad!”
Hongmaru’s words echoed in the room. The flame scroll on the wall suddenly froze, and the entire space fell into a strange silence. The fire lotus in the old man’s palm slowly rotated, illuminating his wrinkled yet still sharp face.
“So, young lady…” Kusakabe Hongmaru’s voice suddenly deepened, “Are you sure you want to accept this power that will eventually fade away?”
The previously calm girl remained still at Kusakabe Sakura’s urging, and she wanted to speak but was stopped by her grandfather’s gaze. Shin’ichi looked at Kazumi nervously, only to find that the girl’s expression remained as calm as ever.
“Grandpa Hongmaru, I’d like to ask a question.”
Kazumi gently raised her eyelids, her black eyes staring directly at Hongmaru, without directly answering his question.
The old man raised his crimson eyebrows, signaling her to continue.
“The ‘Hero Ability Studies’ mentions that people can have latent abilities. If I receive your power while I already have an ability, what will happen?”
What Kazumi mentioned was indeed something discussed in the textbook. This was because most people in this world were ordinary civilians without abilities. Ordinary people generally wouldn’t bother spending a lot of money to test for abilities. This could lead to some individuals with not-so-weak abilities unknowingly possessing them, such as abilities that slightly enhance the power of mere strength.
Kusakabe Hongmaru’s crimson eyebrows shot up, the wrinkles on his face smoothed out, and he revealed an almost delighted expression. He then turned and glared at his granddaughter, saying,
“Hahahaha! Sakura, look at her! She can even recite ‘Hero Ability Studies’!”
Kusakabe Sakura pouted and muttered, “Who wants to memorize such boring stuff.”
Hongmaru ignored his granddaughter’s complaint, his fiery gaze returning to Kazumi: “Aren’t you afraid of death?”
“Not really.”
Facing the oppressive question, Kazumi shook her head. Her gaze couldn’t help but drift to the golden-haired youth beside her. The worry on his face was almost palpable. The girl added,
“It’s just… I don’t want to make someone worry.”
Hongmaru suddenly burst into a hearty laugh. The old man’s crimson beard and hair danced as if burning, and his laughter was filled with relief and admiration.
“Hahahaha! Good! Good! Doesn’t want to make someone worry!”
The laughter abruptly stopped. Hongmaru straightened up sharply, and an astonishing aura erupted from him. The old man’s eyes blazed, and his crimson pupils emitted dazzling beams of light.
“Listen up, little girl!” His voice thundered, “The chance of this happening is very small, but it’s not impossible! But you don’t need to worry—”
The fire lotus in Hongmaru’s palm suddenly surged, transforming into a dazzling light: “You old man isn’t so senile that I can’t control my abilities anymore! If there’s any accident, I’ll immediately take back the Seed of Fire!”
The temperature in the room suddenly rose, and even the air became dry. Hongmaru suddenly roared, “Sit up straight, clear your mind! Cast aside all distracting thoughts!” With this roar, the evil fire lotus flew towards Kazumi at lightning speed, touching the girl’s brow.
