Tai Chi Blade

After feeling his mother's embrace, Tsugikuni Kuuga prepared to leave the Rengoku Family. From then on, this would be his second home as well.

"Won't you stay a few more days?" Ruka Kyogoku asked.

"Auntie!"

"No, you should call me Mother now."

"Well, if I count the days, today should be the day my sword arrives. I should be heading out on a mission soon too!"

Tsugikuni Kuuga had yet to adjust to suddenly having a mother, so he could not react right away.

"You must be careful!" Ruka Kyogoku reminded him.

"By the way, do you like Shinobu? I think she definitely likes you. Otherwise, why would she come here several times every day?"

"You're a boy. If there's a girl you like, you have to pursue her. I think Shinobu is wonderful!"

Ruka Kyogoku had already begun worrying about Tsugikuni Kuuga's lifelong happiness.

Tsugikuni Kuuga truly liked Shinobu, but he did not know why he had never found the courage to say it.

Seeing Tsugikuni Kuuga's face redden slightly, Ruka Kyogoku covered her mouth and laughed. She had not expected Kuuga to have such a bashful side.

"Kuuga looks so cute right now. Having another son like you would be so nice!" Ruka Kyogoku teased.

"I'll be going now. Please take care of yourself!"

Tsugikuni Kuuga hurried out and nearly crashed into Rengoku Senjuro.

Senjuro stared blankly at Tsugikuni Kuuga's retreating figure. What had happened? Why had Brother Kuuga run off as soon as he woke up?

"Mother, what happened?"

"Nothing. Kuuga might just be embarrassed!" Ruka Kyogoku smiled like a loving mother.

"Brother Kuuga gets embarrassed too?" Senjuro was even more confused.

"You'll understand once you have a girl you like!" Ruka Kyogoku stroked Senjuro's head.

"Mother, you're talking about Sister Shinobu, aren't you?" Senjuro complained.

Ruka Kyogoku merely smiled without answering. What Tsugikuni Kuuga did not know was that during the half month he had stayed here, Shinobu Kocho had become quite familiar with the Rengoku Family. The family had already accepted this prospective daughter-in-law.

Tsugikuni Kuuga raced back to the Butterfly Mansion. Pushing open the front gate, he saw someone wearing a Hyottoko mask beneath the eaves, eating an onigiri. The man kept his sword clutched tightly in his hands.

Tsugikuni Kuuga was so startled that he immediately shut the gate again. The one eating the onigiri was Haganezuka Hotaru, the man who wanted to chop him to death.

Just as Tsugikuni Kuuga was still reeling in shock, someone patted his shoulder. He was about to lash out, but he immediately calmed down, because the scent was familiar.

It was a strong scent of Wisteria Flower mixed with a faint natural fragrance. Though Tsugikuni Kuuga did not know exactly what it was, someone who smelled this strongly of Wisteria Flower could only be the Shinobu he had been thinking about day and night.

"Well, I think I can explain. Miss Shinobu, could you spare my kidney?" Tsugikuni Kuuga quipped as waves of pain came from his waist.

"My, someone still knows how to come back. Do you even still have a key to the Butterfly Mansion?" Shinobu Kocho said sarcastically.

At the same time, she twisted harder. For some reason, the flesh around Tsugikuni Kuuga's waist was especially soft, and felt quite nice to pinch.

"Shinobu, I was wrong. I really was!" Tsugikuni Kuuga begged.

"Someone said the same thing last time!"

"Uh! I promise this will be the last time!"

"By the way, where's your sister?" Tsugikuni Kuuga hurriedly changed the subject.

"She went on a mission. Unlike someone, she doesn't just sleep all day!"

Suddenly, Tsugikuni Kuuga broke free of Shinobu Kocho's grip and pinned her against the wall. His wall slam left Shinobu Kocho a little embarrassed.

Shinobu Kocho struggled with all her might, but Tsugikuni Kuuga was far too strong. She had no ability to resist at all.

Tsugikuni Kuuga lowered his head, his mouth coming level with Shinobu Kocho's forehead. She could even feel the warmth of his breath against her face, and her cheeks instantly flushed red.

"Well, someone might see us!" Shinobu Kocho said weakly, having lost all the confidence she had just shown.

Tsugikuni Kuuga directly kissed Shinobu Kocho on the forehead, then strode away coolly, leaving her standing there in a daze.

Tsugikuni Kuuga's words kept repeating in her mind:

"This is me returning the favor from last time!"

Tsugikuni Kuuga felt that he had really pulled it off just now. A real man never looked back; he only went inside to face Mr. Haganezuka's wrath.

Tsugikuni Kuuga pushed the door open, went inside, and waved to Haganezuka Hotaru.

"Long time no see, Mr. Haganezuka!"

Upon seeing Tsugikuni Kuuga, Haganezuka Hotaru first quickly finished the onigiri in his hand, then reached into his robes and pulled out a kitchen knife.

"You brat, you still dare show your face? Go die!"

Haganezuka Hotaru shouted as he raised the kitchen knife and charged at Tsugikuni Kuuga. Tsugikuni Kuuga directly caught the blade barehanded and blocked the attack.

"Well, please listen to my explanation. My sword broke because I encountered a Lower Rank demon. Think about it, I'm just a rookie, while the other side was a Lower Rank!"

Then Tsugikuni Kuuga began pouring out his grievances with tears and snot streaming down his face. Haganezuka Hotaru actually started to waver.

"Fine! Fine! This is the last time. If there's a next time, I'll definitely chop you to death!" Haganezuka Hotaru said helplessly, because Tsugikuni Kuuga's snot was about to smear onto him.

"I promise I probably won't break it next time!"

"Hm? Why does that sound weird?"

"You're overthinking it."

"Besides, you came to deliver my sword, right? Aren't you curious what color it'll turn?"

"I am curious, indeed. After all, you're a serial sword-breaker!" Haganezuka Hotaru complained.

Haganezuka Hotaru then put away the kitchen knife and reluctantly handed the Nichirin Blade to Tsugikuni Kuuga.

"Then watch carefully!"

Tsugikuni Kuuga did not know what color his sword would become either. Yoriichi Tsugikuni's sword combined black and red, while little angel Tanjiro's was black. Since he also used Sun-Breathing, his should probably be similar.

As the blade slid from its sheath, the Color-Changing Blade displayed its effect. Black and white slowly spread from the tsuka toward the tip, while the blade itself was gradually dyed red.

Haganezuka Hotaru was thrilled, because not only had he seen a red like the sun, he had also seen a Nichirin Blade bearing three colors at once.

At that moment, one side of the Nichirin Blade's spine was black and the other white. The black side bore a white koi pattern, while the white side bore a black koi pattern. Combined with the red blade, Tsugikuni Kuuga's Nichirin Blade was truly beautiful.

"Why can your sword turn three colors, and look so harmonious too? This is the first time I've ever encountered something like this!" Haganezuka Hotaru exclaimed, his hand unconsciously reaching toward it.

"Yes, it really is beautiful!" Shinobu Kocho said.

"Shinobu, when did you come in?"

"When you were getting chopped!" Shinobu Kocho glared at Tsugikuni Kuuga.

Tsugikuni Kuuga did not respond. Instead, he looked at his Nichirin Blade. Since it had become like this, he would call it the Tai Chi Blade.