After confirming that her younger sister was unharmed, though a little breathless from being strangled, Kanae finally breathed a sigh of relief.
She loosened her embrace, but was still worried, so she reached out and Shinobu straightened Xiaoren's uniform, which was a little messy from the fight, while muttering to herself.
"Honestly, you're not allowed to do anything so dangerous again!! What if... what if your sister didn't get there in time?! Do you know how serious the consequences would be?!"
"Okay, okay!"
While enjoying her sister's rare personalized service, Shinobu waved her hand impatiently.
"I just knew you'd tear that guy to shreds before I got ripped to pieces!"
"Besides, I'm not one to be trifled with! Even if you were a step too late, I have a hundred ways to make that guy regret ever being born!!"
She brandished the Nichirin Blade in her hand, her little face beaming with pride, practically screaming, "I'm super strong, praise me!"
Kanae looked at her younger sister's adorable expression, her tail practically sticking up in the air, and felt both annoyed and amused.
She shook her head helplessly, then stretched out her finger, ready to give her another heart-shaped flick on the forehead.
Hey!! You two!!
Just then, a weak voice, filled with shock and gratitude, drifted over from not far away.
It's Kirikawa.
He was leaning against a big tree, laboriously bandaging the deep wound on his body that revealed the bone. He looked at the Kocho Sisters as if they were seeing a god descend to earth, completely dumbfounded.
"Thank you so much... for saving my life!"
Kirikawa struggled to stand up and perform a deep bow, but accidentally aggravated his wound, causing him to wince in pain and fall back down.
"Um... I am Kirikawa... I haven't yet had the pleasure of knowing your names, ladies?"
There was no trace of the arrogance and frivolity he had shown at the beginning on his face; all that remained was heartfelt admiration and awe. He was truly convinced.
Oh, you're still alive.
Shinobu Kocho turned her head, glanced at him, and with a slight pout of her delicate lips, launched into a sarcastic retort.
"I thought you'd peed your pants in fear!"
"What, you still want to know our names? Are you planning to write a self-criticism titled 'About My Life Being Saved by Two Delicate Girls' when we get back?"
"I... I..."
Kirikawa's handsome face instantly turned a deep liver color! He opened his mouth, but found that he couldn't utter a single word in rebuttal.
Because~
What the other person said seemed to be entirely true.
"Shinobu!"
Kanae glared at her younger sister, a little annoyed, signaling her to watch her tongue.
She turned around, gave an apologetic, gentle smile to the embarrassed Kirikawa.
"I'm so sorry, my sister doesn't mean any harm. My name is Kanae Kocho, and this is my sister, Shinobu Kocho. You're quite badly injured, so it's best not to move around too much and just wait for rescue here."
"Butterfly... Kanae..."
As Kirikawa murmured the name, gazing at the girl's gentle and beautiful face in the moonlight—she looked like a saint—his heart began to pound wildly again.
That earth-shattering battle seemed to have terrified all the ghosts in Mount Fujikasane.
For the next six days, the two sisters encountered virtually no further resistance.
Occasionally, one or two clueless ghosts, drawn by the human scent emanating from them, would rush over excitedly. But the next second, upon seeing their faces, they would let out a truly terrifying scream, and without looking back, disappear into the depths of the forest at a speed faster than fleeing for their lives.
What kind of international joke is this?!?!
Even the notorious Speed Demon, known for his speed and brutality, was chopped into dumpling filling in a single move by these two seemingly harmless little girls!
Those small fry rushing in aren't just offering themselves up as food, they're offering up the plate along with them!
Thus, a bizarre urban legend began to spread at lightning speed within the ghostly circles of Mount Fujikasane.
Legend has it that two demons disguised as beautiful girls have infiltrated this year's Final Selection, demons from hell!!
One is pink, and one is purple.
Wherever they went, nothing grew, and all ghosts fled!
If you encounter them, don't take any chances. Your only chance of survival is to run! Run as far away as possible!!
And so, the Final Selection of the Kocho Sisters took place over six days in an eerie atmosphere that resembled an armed parade.
On the eighth day, the first ray of sunlight finally pierced through the layers of leaves and shone into the forest that had been dark for seven days and seven nights, signaling the end of this cruel trial.
The Kocho Sisters walked hand in hand, leisurely strolling back along the path.
They were still clean, without a speck of dust on them.
The two haori with butterfly patterns shimmered in the morning light, as if they had never fought. A pretty face, clear eyes, and a relaxed smile on her lips.
She doesn't look like she just came out of a near-death experience. If you didn't know better, you'd think she was some rich young lady who had just finished a picnic and was heading home.
"Speaking of which, sister."
As they walked, Shinobu Kocho suddenly spoke, breaking the tranquility of the morning.
"Do you think... Mr. Giyu might really be waiting for us at the exit?"
Her voice carried a subtle joy and anticipation that she herself was unaware of.
It's been more than half a year since we last parted ways at Mount Sagiri.
Over the past six months, they had maintained intermittent correspondence with Mr. Giyu, but what could be more meaningful than a face-to-face meeting?
The thought of soon meeting that clueless blockhead filled Shinobu with inexplicable joy.
"Hmm... well..."
Upon hearing the name "Giyu," Kanae paused almost imperceptibly.
The image of that boy's cool and handsome face immediately popped into her mind, along with his usually calm, yet occasionally revealing, clumsy, gentle, icy blue eyes.
Her cheeks, uncontrollably, felt slightly hot.
"Mr. Giyu... as Water Hashira, he's usually so busy with his missions, I doubt he could find the time. We'd better not get our hopes up too high."
She tried to persuade her sister in a calm tone, but her slightly unfocused eyes betrayed the equally strong expectation in her heart.