Mumei was extremely sensitive to the aura of Kabane.
Even humans who had not yet transformed into Kabane would give off a faint aura once the virus had been injected into their bodies, even during the transformation process.
Mumei had noticed immediately after Ikoma transformed into a Kabaneri.
This showed just how sensitive Mumei was to the aura of Kabane.
Perhaps this was also an ability that could only be developed after becoming a Kabaneri?
Yet now, Mumei could not sense even the slightest trace of a Kabane aura from Ikoma.
So, no matter what anyone else thought, Mumei believed it.
Ikoma had truly become human again.
And among the people Mumei knew, there was only one person capable of doing such a thing.
"Only that guy could have done it..."
After all, that guy had done the exact same thing not long ago.
Therefore, Mumei had every reason to believe that Fang Li had also removed the Kabane virus from Ikoma's body.
No.
More accurately, he had killed it.
By killing the part of Ikoma that was Kabane, Fang Li had turned Ikoma back into a human.
"He can kill not only Kabane viruses still in the process of transforming, but even Kabane viruses that have already transformed?"
Strictly speaking, a transformation could only be considered complete after one had fully turned into a Kabane.
A being like a Kabaneri, caught between human and Kabane, could only be considered half-transformed. They were practically no different from the pregnant woman who had been bitten by a Kabane before.
That was why Fang Li could turn Ikoma back into a human by killing the virus that had only undergone half a transformation.
If it had been a fully transformed Kabane, Fang Li probably would not have been able to do anything.
Because it would have been a complete Kabane, without the slightest remaining part that was human.
If it was a Kabaneri that still possessed a human part, then once Fang Li killed the Kabane part, only the human part would remain, allowing the Kabaneri to become human again.
But if the target were a complete Kabane, then killing the "Kabane" part would mean killing that Kabane completely. It would be impossible to revive it and turn it back into a human.
At its core, the Mystic Eyes of Death Perception could only lead a target toward death. They were not an ability meant to save people.
Yet in reality, Fang Li had indeed saved two people with the power of death.
At that thought, an idea suddenly arose in Mumei's heart.
"If Ikoma can become human again, then I can too..."
The moment that thought surfaced, Mumei was badly startled by it. She desperately shook her head.
"No! I can't! I can't!"
That was right.
Mumei could not.
It was not that Mumei could not become human again.
Since Ikoma could return to being human through the remaining human part of himself, Mumei, a Kabaneri who had likewise only been half transformed into a Kabane, could naturally become human again as well.
But once she became human again, Mumei would lose something very important.
Something very important to her.
"If I become human again, then I won't be able to fight!"
...Fight.
Ever since becoming a Kabaneri, that had been the only function bestowed upon Mumei. It could even be considered the meaning of her life now.
If she lost that meaning...
"Then I'll definitely be abandoned..."
Fear began to arise in Mumei's heart.
It was the fear born from not wanting to be abandoned.
Yet opposite that fear, a hopeful feeling also began to grow within Mumei.
"Become human again..."
It was a small wish she had never entertained before.
But Mumei immediately snuffed out that small wish as well.
Her heart instantly became a tangled mess. She stomped her foot and spoke angrily.
"It's all that guy's fault!"
That was right.
It was all that guy's fault.
If not for him, she would not be feeling so restless.
"I have to settle the score with him!"
With that thought in mind, Mumei glared at Ikoma.
"Y-you... What are you planning to do?" Ikoma said in a trembling voice, showing no backbone at all. "I-I'm not a Kabaneri anymore. If you hit me like before, I'll definitely be seriously injured."
"If you don't want to be hit, answer my question properly." Mumei spoke with dissatisfaction. "Where is that guy now?"
"That guy?" Ikoma froze for a moment, then hesitated before asking cautiously, "Do you mean Fang Li?"
"Who else could I mean?" Mumei said directly. "Hurry up and tell me where he is. I'm going to settle the score with him!"
At that, Ikoma opened his mouth, yet could not say a single word.
Seeing Ikoma like that, Mumei frowned and stared straight at him. "Don't tell me you're trying to cover for him?"
Ikoma did not answer and remained silent.
Mumei's frown deepened, and even the onlookers began asking questions.
"Ikoma." Yomogawa Ayame asked worriedly, "Did something happen to Mr. Fang Li?"
Yomogawa Ayame's words made Kurusu Kunoichi and Kibito Aragane exchange glances before they too looked at Ikoma.
Kurusu Kunoichi even demanded, "What exactly happened?"
Ikoma's expression immediately turned troubled, as though he did not know how to explain it.
Even Mumei became angry at that.
"Say something already!" Mumei said furiously. "Don't tell me you did something to him?"
"I didn't!" Ikoma retorted reflexively, then spoke helplessly. "I don't know what happened either."
"What?" Everyone was stunned.
"I only remember my body suddenly becoming incredibly weak, my throat getting very dry, and then my consciousness becoming hazy." Ikoma's voice was filled with uncertainty. "After that, Fang Li seemed to come into the carriage to see me and said a few things, but my mind was too foggy to hear clearly. When I woke up, I discovered that I had become human again."
"But there was one thing Fang Li said that I still remember." Ikoma's expression tightened.
"He said that he was leaving soon."
"Leaving?" Yomogawa Ayame and the others were completely shocked.
Mumei's eyes widened slightly. Then, she suddenly turned and charged into the forest at top speed.
A commotion gradually spread across the clearing.
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