RNP Chapter 51 Leave the rest to me.
Chapter 51 Leave the rest to me.
Natsume remembered it was when he was in elementary school. It was a cherry blossom tree by the roadside, and a female yokai with light green hair.
That monster was probably lonely too. She would sit bored in the tree watching the children pass by, and every now and then she would suddenly jump in front of them to scare them.
Unfortunately, no one could see her. The tree spirit sat on the tree year after year, day after day, observing the passing crowds, but no one could spot her.
The spirit born from the cherry blossom tree cannot stray too far from her true form. She can only stay on the tree year after year, enjoying her long life while observing the passing crowds in solitude.
Until that day, the monster appeared suddenly in front of a group of children as usual. While everyone else ignored her, one child sat down on the ground in surprise.
He...was scared of himself!
The other children turned their heads away, staring at Natsume with eyes that looked at a monster or an idiot, while Natsume... looked at the monster in front of him with fear.
The monster laughed; she had found an interesting fellow. She had also found... someone who felt similarly to her.
After graduating from elementary school, Natsume left the city and was sent to a more distant place by his relatives. The cherry blossom tree spirit remained sitting there, waiting day after day, year after year...
"Why...didn't that little guy come today? Isn't he supposed to be at school...?"
...
Natsume's hometown is in the countryside. After visiting the relatives who had adopted him and saying hello, Uchiha Ryo followed Natsume to his old elementary school.
That elementary school I attended for six whole years, but never made a single friend...
"Are you sure this is the road from your relative's house to the elementary school? Why haven't we seen the cherry blossom trees you mentioned along the way?"
Uchiha Ryo stood at the entrance of the elementary school, while Natsume was constantly reminiscing about the past.
"Maybe the road is under construction. Let's try going back this way."
This rural town has been undergoing renovations for six years, and it took Natsume a long time to finally find the way home he had taken back then.
However, just as Natsume quickened his pace and walked forward, he was stopped by a group of construction workers.
Uchiha Ryo called out to a staff member, pointed ahead, and asked.
"What are they doing up ahead?"
"Oh, the road here was already quite dilapidated, and after so many years of wind and rain, it's time to rebuild it."
Natsume also came up and asked somewhat nervously.
"And what about the cherry blossom trees that line both sides of this road?"
The worker smiled and said, "Of course we dug it all up. Otherwise, it would affect the road construction. But we'll plant new ones later!"
All...dug up?
Natsume took a deep breath. "When did this happen? Are the trees that were dug up still there?!"
"Um... We chopped and dug it up this morning. As for the wood, it should still be in the ground. The delivery truck will be here soon, and they will help transport the wood away."
Unexpectedly, the worker was very easy to talk to. After telling him everything he knew, Natsume looked at Uchiha Rin with some anxiety.
"Okay, let's go straight in!"
The two people and two cats didn't stop at all, but walked straight towards the construction site.
"Hey, you two young men, the road ahead is closed to traffic. You'd better take a detour."
Uchiha Ryo turned his head and unleashed several genjutsu spells. Then, as if he hadn't seen the two of them at all, he continued doing what he was doing.
Where? She should be nearby!
This was the first time Uchiha Ryo had ever seen Natsume show such a nervous expression.
Finally, Natsume and Nyanko-sensei stopped under a fallen cherry blossom tree. The entire cherry blossom tree had been cut in two, the huge trunk lay on the ground, and the stump, along with its roots, had been dug out.
Natsume fell silent, while Uchiha Ryo activated his Sharingan, patted Natsume, and looked towards the tree trunk.
"Natsume! Look!"
Natsume, who had been feeling down, suddenly looked up as that familiar scent lingered around his nose once more.
Within that broken tree trunk, there was a woman with an ethereal body, staring at him in astonishment.
Six years may have passed, but the cherry blossom tree spirit still remembers that boy. Even though he has grown up, she still recognizes him at a glance.
"You are... Natsume?!"
Looking at the fairy he hadn't seen for six years, Takashi Natsume no longer hesitated and went to stand in front of her, revealing a smile he had never shown to her before.
Natsume... has grown up. He's become even gentler than before... He must have met someone just as gentle, which is why he has such a gentle smile.
"Natsume! You're back to see me~"
The yokai smiled as well, then lunged at Natsume. Unfortunately... she missed. Her body had become ethereal. Even the yokai's physical form couldn't be maintained.
Nyanko-sensei quietly stepped aside, as did Uchiha Ryo.
Natsume: "I've always wanted to apologize to you because I was so foolish back then. I never got to say goodbye, and I even resented you. But now, I understand your kindness back then, so I will become a kind person too!"
"But you..."
The cherry blossom tree fairy smiled without saying a word.
Plant life is tenacious, yet also fragile. When the cherry tree was cut down, when its roots were uprooted, it could only await its death...
The tree trunk was not yet dead, but it was already beyond saving.
No matter how many seasons have passed, I have never forgotten you. And you remember me too, understand my tenderness from back then, and still take the initiative to reach out to me—that's enough. Absolutely enough...
No need for further words or final blessings. She was happy to be treated so gently in her final moments.
Natsume reached out his hand, but it still passed right through the other person's phantom.
"By the way, Natsume, I haven't told you my name yet, have I? After all, you shouldn't easily tell others your name."
"Please remember, I have seen cherry blossoms falling since I was born, so my name is... Falling Cherry Blossom."
Suddenly, Nyanko-sensei jumped onto Natsume's back. "Natsume is safe and happy now. You can rest in peace."
Natsume: "Hey! Nyanko-sensei!"
Meanwhile, Nyanko-sensei stared at the tree trunk on the ground, saying, "Fairies born from plants, if they haven't cultivated to the point of separating from their original form, will disappear along with the plant's life once their original form dies."
Uchiha Ryo looked at the scene before him, raised his head and chuckled softly.
"There's another way, let me try."
[The system store is now open. Current G-point: 2656]
[System, exchange this for Wood Release!]
[Incomplete Bloodline Limit: Wood Release: 400 G points (reference Yamato), Perfect Bloodline Limit: Wood Release (reference Hashirama): 2000 G points (Learning Wood Release requires Earth and Water chakra as prerequisites: 400 G points)]
[Maxed out!]
【G-spot - 2400】
"Brother Ling?"
Uchiha Rin stepped forward and placed his hand on the severed tree trunk.
"The life of plants fades away... I'll take over from now on."