LightReader

Chapter 2 - Chapter 2

"Senkaiji! Senkaiji!Your teaching of your disciple has truly been a failure!"

Inside the grand hall, Haruto Akiyama—now inhabiting the body of Senkaiji—sat firmly upon the throne. He took a long breath, closed his eyes, and let a wave of bitter self-mockery sweep through his heart.

Although he was not the original Senkaiji, hearing these words from Hibi Tō still filled him with a strange sadness for the man whose life he had replaced.

Her behavior wasn't surprising—Haruto understood Hibi Tō well enough to know this was entirely in line with her character.And yet, inside his heart, he still felt utterly revolted.

This wasn't just Senkaiji's emotions bleeding through—it was his own soul, overwhelmed with disgust and contempt toward Hibi Tō!

The body he now inhabited, on the other hand, pulsed with grief and outrage, full of sorrow and betrayal.

Yes, Senkaiji had known that Hibi Tō once considered eloping with Gō Yū. But he had always assumed it was nothing more than idle talk between the two.

He never expected that she would march up to him directly, her teacher and benefactor, and demand his approval—that unless he gave his blessing for her to be with Gō Yū, she would run away regardless!

To this, Haruto could only think one thing:

Bold. Incredibly bold.

This was no less than a direct betrayal, an insult carved onto his very face.

As an outsider peering into this drama, even Haruto felt sick to his stomach hearing Hibi Tō's words. How much worse would it be for the original Senkaiji, had he been sitting here?

Now, Haruto finally understood why Senkaiji had chosen to transform into the infamous secret chamber Douluo. Yes, part of it was Senkaiji's own mistakes. But Hibi Tō's threats—this vicious betrayal—must have played no small role!

And yet, despite understanding, Haruto still could not fathom it.

From Senkaiji's memories, he recalled:Hibi Tō had joined the Spirit Temple as a child. With her innate full spirit power and her rare twin martial spirits, Senkaiji had taken her in as a disciple.

After that, he had treated her as if she were his own daughter.

Whatever she wanted—whether stars or moon—Senkaiji would move heaven and earth to place them in her hands.

He had cherished her, nurtured her, doted upon her.Even the venerable Sendaryū had loved her like a granddaughter.

Within the Spirit Temple, Hibi Tō had lived like a princess. She enjoyed honor, wealth, and protection. She lacked for nothing.

And now, for the sake of one useless man, she dared to threaten the teacher who loved her, to betray the Spirit Temple that had raised her?

She would cast everything aside just to elope with Gō Yū?

To this, Haruto could only laugh coldly.

If it had been the original Senkaiji, perhaps he would have borne the pain in silence, suppressing his grief, and tried to persuade Hibi Tō back onto the right path.

But Haruto Akiyama was different. He felt no sympathy. Only loathing.

Toward a wolf so ungrateful, there was only one solution: execute her as a traitor to the Spirit Temple, and let her death serve as a warning to all!

But rushing to kill her now would not do. He had to consider Sendaryū, Senkaiji's foster father—a man famed across the continent as a gentleman and a kind soul.

If Haruto acted rashly, executing Hibi Tō without warning, Sendaryū would surely intervene. Even if Haruto succeeded, Sendaryū would resent him for life.

And considering Hibi Tō's carefully cultivated image of kindness and virtue within the Spirit Temple, acting too hastily would damage Haruto's own standing.

There was no need to create unnecessary trouble.

So, after a long pause with his eyes shut, Haruto took a deep breath, suppressed his disgust, and spoke evenly:

"Do you even realize what you are doing?"

The disappointment in his eyes made Hibi Tō flinch. For a moment, guilt and hesitation flickered across her face.

Yes, she knew this was betrayal—betrayal of her teacher, betrayal of the Spirit Temple. It must wound him deeply.

But… this was for love!

She truly loved Gō Yū. Without him, life itself seemed meaningless.

She had to marry someone eventually—so why not him? Even if she left the Spirit Temple, in her heart it would always remain her home.

Her resolve hardened.

"Teacher," she declared firmly, "I've made up my mind. I will be with Gō Yū!"

"I know you're prejudiced against him," she pressed on, her face flushed with passion.

"Yes, his innate spirit power is only half a rank. Yes, his martial spirit is nearly useless. But his talent in martial spirit theory is unmatched!"

"If you allow me to be with him, then one day, when he becomes the greatest master of martial spirit theory, he will raise countless strong cultivators for the Spirit Temple!"

Haruto sneered aloud, his voice dripping with mockery.

"Talent? You call it talent when Gō Yū copies the records from our Spirit Temple libraries, rehashes the basics of spirit rings and martial spirits, and dares to call it 'theory'? Laughable!"

"Innate spirit power corresponds to martial spirit strength. Martial spirits are divided into beast and tool types. Every cultivator follows a path of growth. These are common sense, nothing more—and he dares call them his discoveries?"

"That's not all it is!" Hibi Tō shot back angrily.

"Gō Yū says that building upon past knowledge is still creation—that this is part of the evolution of theory itself. Which theorist hasn't borrowed from the insights of others? The only difference is in degree!"

Haruto sighed inwardly. She was utterly brainwashed. Or perhaps she had simply lost her mind.

Fine. He had decided already.

He would have her imprisoned, summon Sendaryū and the other elders, and expose her betrayal before all. Then her execution would be beyond dispute.

"Enough," Haruto said coldly. "I will never allow you to be with Gō Yū. If you remain stubborn, then don't blame me for what happens next."

His ultimatum was clear.

Hibi Tō's heart shattered. Pain, despair, rage, and hatred surged within her. Her eyes burned red as she glared at him.

"Teacher—this is the last time I will call you that!"

"Thank you. Now I finally see that Gō Yū was right! You only took me in because of my innate power and my twin spirits. You never cared about my happiness!"

With that, she drew a gleaming sword from her spirit tool. She pressed the blade to her slender neck, her crimson eyes wild with fury.

"Senkaiji! If you don't let me be with Gō Yū, then I'll die here before you!"

Haruto actually laughed. A sharp, bitter laugh.

Threatening him with death? Did she think he was still the old Senkaiji?

Fine! If she wished to gamble her life, that would save him the trouble.

He was ready to sneer, to call her bluff, when suddenly—

"Ding! System successfully loaded!""Welcome, host, to the Subversion System!"

A cold mechanical voice rang out in his mind.

"First-time activation detected. Beginner's gift pack delivered!""Congratulations, host! You have received: Divine Sealing Art!"

A flood of information poured into Haruto's mind.

"A system? I… I actually have a golden finger too?!"

For a moment, Haruto froze, shocked and thrilled.

Even without a system, as Senkaiji he had full confidence he could one day become a god and lead the Spirit Temple to supremacy.

But with a system? Even better!

Yet as he inquired into its functions, his expression tightened.

This system did not provide easy rewards like daily sign-ins, automatic cultivation, or attribute collection.

No—the Subversion System only rewarded him when he overturned the original story of this world.

The greater the subversion, the greater the rewards.

Haruto's gaze drifted back to Hibi Tō, her sword trembling at her throat.

Slowly, a bold, dangerous idea began to take shape in his mind.

(End of Chapter)

More Chapters