Miracle

The next day.

Early morning.

On a clean, tidy bed embroidered with purple butterfly patterns, Shinobu Kocho, curled into a ball, slowly opened her eyes.

She yawned, sat up, and stretched her body hard.

She rubbed her eyes.

Then she patted her forehead.

She had dreamed all night, reliving the scene from yesterday over and over again—her sister's full-force slash failing to so much as shake a single hair.

Even now, after waking up, she still felt deeply unsettled.

Terrifying.

Horrifying.

Unfathomable.

Feng Ye was the most incomprehensible being she had ever encountered.

Shinobu Kocho had followed her sister, Kanae Kocho, and participated in the war a month ago. On the battlefield, she had personally witnessed the strength of Akaza, the former Upper Rank Three and current Upper Rank Two.

His power had been utterly terrifying. If the Hashira in their group had not learned higher-level swordsmanship from Makomo and improved their offensive abilities, they likely would not even have been able to break through his defenses.

But.

Even Akaza, terrifying as he was, gave her an entirely different feeling from Feng Ye.

If Akaza merely felt "powerful" and "difficult to defeat," then concepts like power and victory simply did not exist when it came to Feng Ye. He was nearly impossible to comprehend.

His speed, stealing away the little girl in an instant; a single strand of his hair, which Kanae had been unable to sever despite using all her strength.

All of it made Shinobu Kocho wonder whether Muzan Kibutsuji, the King of Demons and origin of all demons, could reach such a level.

"Phew..."

Shinobu Kocho hugged her knees and curled up against the bedside for a while. Only then did she take a deep breath, set aside the chaotic thoughts in her heart, get dressed, and