Dragon Raja 3; Chapter 236: Sakura and Red Lotus (5)

Dragon Raja 3

Sakura stomped on Crow’s foot, signaling him to shut up.

Chisei took off his coat and rolled it up, placing it beneath Sakurai Kogure’s head as a pillow. Moments later, Sakurai Kogure opened her eyes. Despite being a grotesque oni with golden, fearsome eyes, to Sakura, her gaze seemed filled with charm, like that of a peerless beauty.

“This didn’t have to end this way,” Chisei said softly.

“It absolutely had to,” Sakurai Kogure replied with a mocking laugh. “We moths born in darkness are meant to burn in fire. Even with our wings aflame, we’ll still try to fly. You, someone as exalted as you, will never understand that.”

“Someone once told me something similar,” Chisei responded, “but your heart is destroyed, and you don’t have much time left to talk. If there’s anything left, any wish you’d like to fulfill, tell me. As the daughter of the Sakurai family, I’ll help make it happen.”

“Do you think you’re worthy?” Sakurai Kogure sneered. “Think of how many people you’ve already killed. Do you ask for their last wishes too? Such hypocrisy.”

She closed her eyes.

Chisei wasn’t sure if she had died. He didn’t understand why she was so stubborn to the very end. It seemed she truly had no final wish, that she had stayed simply to die, because her heart was too weary. Most people, when they realize they’re about to die, show some moment of kindness or serenity before the end, like the samurai who, despite living by the sword, often composed peaceful poetry about moonlit mountains and flowers in their homeland before death. But Sakurai Kogure passed away with her last words being a taunt directed at Chisei.

He reached out, intending to check her pulse, but his hand accidentally brushed her face. Her eyes opened again, staring at him for a few seconds before she smiled—a charming, joyful smile, like that of a kitten or a sly fox. She struggled to move her head closer to Chisei, resting her grotesque face on his lap, then closed her eyes once more. This time, Chisei didn’t need to check her pulse; he knew she had died. The signs of dragon transformation slowly faded, revealing her beautiful features again as the scales fell away. Crow, astonished, pointed at Sakurai Kogure and tried to speak, but his throat was parched from the heat. He didn’t dare open his mouth for fear of inhaling the scorching air, but he was utterly shocked. In just a few minutes, the fearsome monster Chisei had been holding had reverted to a fair-skinned, beautiful young woman. Though her naked body was covered in cuts, some wounds so deep that muscle was exposed, there was still an undeniable radiance to her appearance.

“Sakurai Kogure, 24 years old, daughter of Sakurai Kōzaburō,” Sakura said. “Confirmed to carry a dangerous bloodline at age five. She ran away from the family at 14 and grew up among the Oni Clan. Sakurai Akira, whom we recently eliminated, was her half-brother.”

“Is that so? So, she was his sister,” Chisei murmured. “Notify her family to come collect her body.”

“Sakurai Kōzaburō already stated he won’t collect her remains. He said the Sakurai family is ashamed to have produced such a daughter. They should have executed her themselves, but lacked the ability.”

“But she’s still his daughter…” Chisei said quietly, taking off his coat and covering Sakurai Kogure’s body.

He glanced one last time at her, now surrounded by flames, then turned and walked away from the burning building. A few steps later, the red pavilion finally collapsed, sending countless sparks shooting into the sky like a fiery bird soaring into the night.

“That was close!” Crow clasped his hands together. “A few more minutes, and we would’ve ended up buried with Ryoma!”

Chisei kept walking without a word.

“C’mon, boss, don’t be so down. Someone risked their life to rush in and save you… Not that I’m talking about myself, of course… but you seemed really upset about holding that beautiful monster.” Crow muttered under his breath.

Sakura kicked him sharply in the back of the knee.

Though Crow often acted indifferent, he wasn’t as thoughtless as he appeared. When he saw Sakurai Kogure’s bare body lying in Chisei’s arms, he noticed the severe look on Sakura’s face. He silently cursed himself, thinking he had charged ahead recklessly, misreading the situation. It wasn’t about loyalty; it was about deeper feelings. Compared to them, he realized his bond with Chisei was lacking. That explained why no one was giving him a kind look now.

“Turn around,” Chisei commanded as he approached the Humvee, suddenly drawing his sword.

Before Sakura could react, Chisei turned her around and cut open her armor, exposing her red, swollen shoulder and back. She had been burned when she touched the bronze door. Though her armor had provided some heat resistance, it was still too thin, like a layer of stockings.

Chisei retrieved burn ointment from the back seat and gently applied it to Sakura’s wounds. Crow took one look and decided it was best not to continue watching. He turned away, hands behind his back, humming to himself while staring at the night sky. He wasn’t concerned about seeing Sakura’s half-naked form, but her blushing face was more embarrassing than her shoulder wounds. Who knew if she’d silence him later for witnessing this scene?

Once he finished applying the ointment, Chisei carefully trimmed the burnt ends of Sakura’s hair with scissors and draped his jacket over her shoulders. He patted her cheek gently. “Thank you.”

Crow, still humming a few steps away, suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder, holding a cigarette. He quickly took it, and as he turned, Chisei had already lit a match for him. “Thanks.”

“To serve you with all my heart is my duty, boss. Not that I’m in love with you or anything…” Crow mumbled instinctively, but stopped himself when he noticed the dangerous look on Sakura’s face.

Chisei leaned against the Humvee, smoking in silence as he gazed up at the night sky. After a long pause, he spoke, “It’s not Sakurai Kogure’s death that’s troubling me… It’s something strange. Several times, she acted like she knew me… or mistook me for someone else.”

Tokyo, Shinjuku District, Kabukicho.

The clattering sound of wooden clogs echoed through the long street. Passersby stopped to watch the young man walking by. He wore a black kimono with red flowers, wooden clogs on his feet, and a red-sheathed katana at his waist. His kimono was open at the chest, revealing faint ribs, much like a ronin from the Edo period.

“Isn’t that Takasugi Shinsuke from Gintama?” a passing girl whispered to her friend.

“No, Takasugi has bandages on his face. This is more like Himura Kenshin from Rurouni Kenshin! Look, he’s got a sword master’s ponytail!”

“Himura Kenshin is supposed to be under 160 cm tall. I think it’s Hijikata Toshizo from Hakuoki,” another passerby chimed in.

“When did Hijikata ever wear a dark kimono in Hakuoki?” the first girl retorted.