As a Ninja, All I Want Is to Live Off Others in the Nasuverse

Half a day later, the exhausted Higashino Kanade knocked on Waver's door.

Before long, the door opened, revealing Grea's pretty face.

"Junior disciple, what's wrong? You look exhausted."

Seeing the fatigue on Higashino Kanade's face, Grea hurriedly supported him, led him to the sofa, and poured him a glass of water.

After downing the water, Higashino Kanade let out a long sigh and complained, "Don't even mention it. My legs are about to fall off from running. In such a huge castle, Luvia actually treated me like a mount. I'm only twelve years old!"

Higashino Kanade recalled the scene of Luvia clinging to his back and directing him like a horse, making him run all over the castle to place gems. The thought still left him shaken.

Luvia's body was soft, and having her chest pressed against Higashino Kanade's back had certainly been enjoyable. But the problem was that Luvia was taller and much heavier than him. Carrying that airhead around such a massive castle for half a day had been utterly exhausting.

"Though I don't know what you went through, it must have been very hard," Grea comforted him gently.

"What did you come here for?" Waver asked, sitting across from Higashino Kanade as he lit himself a cigar.

Higashino Kanade organized his thoughts and told Waver everything he and Luvia had seen in the secret room. Beside them, Grea's face turned pale with fright.

"...I see. I knew there was one piece missing from the puzzle of the truth. Thank you, Uchiha Kanade. I think I already know who the murderer is." Waver let out a long breath, unable to suppress the excitement on his face as smoky haze filled the room.

"What did you figure out?" Higashino Kanade asked.

"Have you ever heard the theory that some patients, after receiving organs from the dead, inherit the deceased's memories?"

"Actually, after you and Luvia left, Lord Orlok came to seek an alliance with me. During that time, he told me a story."

"He said the murderer might be the incarnation of Gryphon's dead soul. Although Gryphon had no children, he did have a son in his early years. Gryphon loved his son dearly, but like his mother, the boy suffered from a genetic disease. Gryphon spent a fortune obtaining a Druid's elixir, yet he still couldn't save his son."

"After both his son and wife died, Gryphon went mad."

Waver did not continue. The two fell into a long silence.

"...I see."

After a long while, Higashino Kanade slowly nodded. At the same time, the system's notification rang in his mind.

Ding! Congratulations, host, for completing the Normal Quest "Truth of the Legacy." Reward: one Silver Treasure Chest. Would you like to open the reward?

The Story of the Cuckold ### That night, quite a few people gathered in the castle hall once more.

Waver, Grea, Higashino Kanade, Luvia, Orlok, Fliyou, Roxanne, and Jirobou Seigen Shitou.

Aside from the two deceased, everyone invited by Gryphon had gathered together once again.

"Lord El-Melloi II, I heard from the servants that you only left your room after finding the murderer. I hope you're not joking."

Fliyou's tone was somewhat uneasy. Of all the Magi present, aside from Waver, he was probably the weakest in combat. After all, he specialized in astrology and only felt safe from magical beasts inside his room, which was covered in bounded fields.

"Lord El-Melloi II, I heard you have found the murderer who killed my brother. If you can avenge him, the Istarri Family will remember this favor."

The petite Roxanne bowed to Waver. Her eyes were swollen from crying, making her look especially pitiful.

Jirobou Seigen Shitou patted Roxanne on the shoulder and comforted her with a smile. "Don't worry. If they've really found the murderer, I'll help avenge brother Heine. I'm pretty strong too."

Orlok sat in his wheelchair with one hand propping up his head, watching everything with a gloomy expression, as though something weighed on his mind.

"Please be quiet, everyone. I have found the murderer who killed Knight Heine and Miss Adashino Riri. The reason I summoned you here is to discuss this matter."

As soon as Waver finished speaking, someone anxiously asked, "Who is it? It can't really be one of us, can it?!"

"The murderer is..."

Waver pointed at one person and declared with absolute certainty, "Jirobou Seigen Shitou! Or perhaps I should call you Granite Ashborn."

The next instant, everyone's gaze converged on Jirobou Seigen Shitou.

Jirobou Seigen Shitou pointed at himself with a baffled expression, scratching his head in confusion. "Lord El-Melloi II, did you get something wrong? Knight Heine and I were good friends. How could I possibly be the murderer? And my real name is Jirobou Seigen Shitou, not Granite Ashborn."

Jirobou Seigen Shitou's defense left the others confused as well. It wasn't that Jirobou Seigen Shitou had too little suspicion on him, but that Waver's answer was simply too absurd.

"I know this is difficult for you all to believe, but please hear my explanation."

Waver pulled out a sheet of paper covered in writing and began explaining. "Miss Luvia and Uchiha Kanade found this paper in Gryphon's laboratory. It records the names of those involved in Gryphon's Mage Crest restoration surgeries. And one of those people was you, Jirobou Seigen Shitou."

"Have any of you heard of the theory that some patients retain the memories of organ donors after receiving transplants?"

"Gryphon had a son during his lifetime. That child was named Granite Ashborn. Gryphon loved his child dearly, but the child died young, beyond even the salvation of a Druid's elixir."

"That was when Gryphon went mad. He wanted to resurrect his son, so he preserved all of his son's Mage Crest and publicly claimed to be a Magus capable of restoring Mage Crests, drawing in a large number of Magi seeking treatment."

"It was then that Gryphon transplanted his son's Mage Crest into the Magi undergoing surgery, hoping to resurrect his son by granting him a personality."

"However, the failure rate for transplanting Mage Crests into unrelated individuals was extremely high. After hundreds of deaths, Gryphon finally achieved one successful result. And that person was you, Jirobou Seigen Shitou."

"Lord Orlok, as Gryphon's friend and collaborator in life, you couldn't possibly have been unaware of this, could you?"

Waver looked at Orlok, his gaze sharp as an eagle's.

"Hahaha, as expected, I couldn't hide it from you, Lord El-Melloi II."

Orlok let out a hoarse laugh. He had no intention of concealing anything and calmly said, "I knew all about Gryphon's experiments. I was one of those involved in transplanting the Mage Crests. Ashborn Family Magecraft could not transplant Mage Crests, so he borrowed my Butterfly Magecraft."

Waver immediately revealed an expression of confirmation, then demanded, "And the reason you cooperated with Gryphon in his experiment to resurrect his son was because Gryphon's son, Granite Ashborn, was actually your illegitimate child, wasn't he?!"

"What?!"

At those words, everyone present except Higashino Kanade revealed barely concealed shock.

"...As expected, I couldn't hide even that from you."

It was as if all strength had been drained from Orlok. In an instant, he lost his usual sharp presence, becoming as frail as a dying old man.

"Gryphon had no children. And neither did you, did you? Magi are cold-hearted. If there had been no blood relation, you would never have risked being investigated by the Clock Tower to help Gryphon murder one Magus after another." Waver's tone was exceptionally cold. He was doing his best to restrain his disgust for the old man before him.

"You are right. Gryphon's wife and I were childhood friends."

Orlok revealed a nostalgic expression. A gentleness never seen before surfaced in his clouded eyes, as though he had become another person.

"Although there was a large age gap between Gryphon's wife and me, we had known each other since childhood. I was surprised when I saw her again, and so, behind Gryphon's back, we fell in love."

"Impossible! That's impossible! You're lying! I'm not your son!" 'Jirobou Seigen Shitou' suddenly erupted with a roar.

At that moment, 'Jirobou Seigen Shitou' seemed like a different person. His eyes were bloodshot, and he clutched his head in agony, staring at Orlok with utter disbelief.

"Child, I truly am your father." Orlok looked at 'Jirobou Seigen Shitou' with fatherly affection, like a kind old man.

"Lord Orlok, if my guess is correct, you were the one who killed Gryphon, weren't you?"

Waver revealed another shocking piece of news.

"...That's right."

Orlok nodded. His tone suddenly turned agitated, his eyes filled with undisguised hatred like those of a vicious old wolf. "Granite was my first child. Like his mother, he had a genetic disease. I used every method I could, but I couldn't save either of them. That was why I cooperated with Gryphon's resurrection experiment."

"Yet after Jirobou Seigen Shitou's surgery succeeded, Gryphon suddenly told me that his wife had never died."

"He had known about my affair with his wife all along. He said he was grateful for my semen, rich with Butterfly Magecraft, which had turned his wife into something capable of receiving Mage Crests. He left his own Mage Crest within his wife's body and turned her into a beast!"

"Yes! The magical beast that killed Heine!"

"I couldn't forgive him. He turned my beloved into a magical beast! So I killed him! I stomped his head to pulp!"

Orlok panted heavily. His hate-filled eyes seemed to hold fury that could never be fully vented.

"You... killed my father!"

'Jirobou Seigen Shitou's' eyes turned blood-red with the flames of hatred. Every word he uttered was filled with uncontrollable fury, and his terrifying aura seemed ready to tear Orlok apart.

Falling Apart at the Crucial Moment ### In Jirobou Seigen Shitou's—no, Granite Ashborn's—memories, his beloved father had always been Gryphon Ashborn, not Orlok Sycamore.

Gryphon was indeed a complete madman, but it could not be denied that he had truly been a good father. It was precisely Gryphon's love for Granite that had driven Granite to become this insane.

Seeing his son hate him so deeply, Orlok was as vulnerable as an ordinary old man. He hesitantly extended a hand and said to 'Jirobou Seigen Shitou' with a guilt-ridden expression, "Child, I know you hate me, and I don't expect you to forgive me. But now isn't the time for revenge. If we kill everyone here, the Clock Tower will never discover our crimes, and you can continue living as the true heir of the Ashborn Family."

Such pure familial affection was rare among Magi. Gryphon loved his child, and Orlok was no different.

The reason Orlok had come here was to support his child in becoming Gryphon's true heir. Even if it meant killing many people, he would not hesitate.

"No! You killed my father! I want you dead!"

'Jirobou Seigen Shitou' suddenly threw something. It spun through the air at extreme speed toward Orlok's head. It was the Flying Bowl Technique that 'Jirobou Seigen Shitou' had performed before.

With a crack, Orlok's head burst like a watermelon. Red and white matter splattered everywhere, and his servant fainted on the spot in terror.

"With Lord Orlok's strength, it would have been impossible for him not to block that attack—unless he had wanted to die."

Waver made his judgment in an instant, then stepped forward. "Granite, surrender! You are merely a composite personality of Granite and Jirobou Seigen Shitou. You are not the real Granite!"

"You're lying! I am Granite! I'm not Jirobou Seigen Shitou! As long as I kill all of you, the Clock Tower will recognize my identity!"

'Jirobou Seigen Shitou' somehow produced a short blade. Like a beast driven into a corner, he glared viciously at everyone.

At some point, Higashino Kanade had already moved Roxanne, who stood closest to 'Jirobou Seigen Shitou,' behind him. Luvia acted first, sending dozens of gem-forged magical bullets flying toward 'Jirobou Seigen Shitou' like rounds fired from a machine gun.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

A series of dense explosions rang out. When the blazing flames dissipated, a massive black beast stood before 'Jirobou Seigen Shitou,' effortlessly blocking Luvia's attack.

"Mother!"

'Jirobou Seigen Shitou' looked at the giant wolf before him with a moved expression. But before he could convey his gratitude, he clutched his head in pain, then furiously began stabbing the giant wolf with the knife in his hand.

"Die, you bitch! If it weren't for you, Father wouldn't have died!"

At that moment, 'Jirobou Seigen Shitou's' personality had reached the brink of collapse. The only thing remaining in his mind was the obsession to avenge his father.

Unfortunately, 'Jirobou Seigen Shitou's' attacks were no more than scratches to the giant wolf. The hideous, terrifying wolf revealed a humanlike look of guilt and allowed 'Jirobou Seigen Shitou' to attack it without retaliating.

"Grea!"

"Yes, Master!"

Waver had already realized that the situation had spiraled beyond control. The monster that had killed Heine was not something ordinary Magi like them could defeat. Now, they could only rely on Grea and the power of the holy lance.

"Wait! This is where the Edelfelt Family takes the stage."

Despite the giant wolf's terrifying aura, Luvia stepped forward with a confident expression.

Luvia pointed one hand at the ceiling and murmured an incantation. The entire castle began to shake violently.

"Let me use the Mage's Workshop I just gained control over to deal with this beast!"

The next moment, the magecraft went out of control and caused a massive explosion, blasting everyone in the hall away.

Higashino Kanade did not even have time to complete a Substitution Technique before a darkness enveloped him as he was sent flying.

"What's going on..."

Before Higashino Kanade could finish speaking, a pair of full, springy buttocks landed on his face. At some point, Luvia had fallen down on top of him.

"Ow, ow, ow!"

Luvia clutched the wound caused by the explosion. Instead of treating it immediately, she anxiously shouted, "Uchiha! Uchiha, where are you?!"

"Get the hell off me!"

Higashino Kanade slapped Luvia's butt, and a crisp sound echoed through the pitch-black space.

Luvia cried out and hurriedly stood up. One hand covered the spot where she had just been hit, while the other pressed down the front of her skirt. With embarrassment and indignation, she roared, "How can you casually slap a lady's butt?! Uchiha, you're the worst man!"

"You've got the nerve to say that? Didn't you say you'd already taken control of the entire Mage's Workshop? Then how did this happen?" Higashino Kanade jumped up and cursed. He was genuinely furious with this useless teammate.

Luvia lowered her head in shame and argued in an almost inaudible voice, "It was an unforeseen circumstance, an unforeseen circumstance. I didn't expect that old man Gryphon to have left a backup plan."

"So basically, you dropped the ball at the crucial moment, right?" Higashino Kanade glared at Luvia with deep resentment.

"Wah! How can a lady's business be called dropping the ball? I wasn't wrong—the world was!"