The moment Sango followed that hand gripping the blade, Kohaku's knife stopped less than an inch from her throat.
The blade screeched harshly against Chiyo's palm, like something scraping over metal.
For the first time, a ripple appeared in Kohaku's eyes, which had been completely swallowed by black.
It was a shudder from the depths of his soul.
"You..."
Kohaku's mouth opened, but the voice that came out did not belong to him.
"Who are you?"
Chiyo did not answer.
The hand gripping the blade gave a gentle squeeze.
The iron dagger snapped in the middle, and the front half of the blade fell to the ground with a crisp ring, especially grating beneath the silent night sky.
Kohaku took a step back and lowered his head to look at the half hilt left in his hand.
The evil aura inside him, the instant it saw the white-haired man before it, seemed to have been scalded by something. It shrank back madly, burrowing toward the deepest part of his body.
"No... don't..."
Kohaku's voice trembled.
But this time, that voice was no longer the unfamiliar one.
It was Kohaku's own voice.
"It... it's drilling deeper into my body..."
Kohaku crouched down, clutching his head with both hands, his whole body shaking violently.
Black lines spread from his neck to his face.
"It hurts... it hurts so much..."
Kohaku's screams echoed through the night sky.
The surrounding Monster Slayers held up their weapons and looked at one another, but no one dared to step forward.
Sango knelt on the ground, looking at Kohaku as tears streamed down her face.
"Kohaku!"
She wanted to rush over.
But she had no idea what to do.
Chiyo walked up to Kohaku and crouched down.
He looked at Kohaku's face, now covered in black markings,