"Haruko, what's wrong? Did that man kick you out? Good, then I can finally see what this man you keep praising looks like. He must be something special to stay on your lips all the time. Hurry up and show me the way!"
Suzuki Mufeng froze for a moment. Daki hadn't noticed him, but if she went into the room, she'd expose him anyway. He had to alert his Shadow Clone and make sure it was ready.
"What are you standing around for? Get moving."
Daki snapped at him, so Suzuki Mufeng had no choice but to pretend to obey and look for a chance to slip away.
Suzuki Mufeng led Daki into the room where he was staying. Haruko had already been hidden by his Shadow Clone.
When Daki pushed open the door and saw Suzuki Mufeng, her first impression was that he was an utterly ordinary man. He even had a scar on his face. Ugly. Far too ugly.
But why did every woman who'd received this man say they felt as if they were floating, that their body and mind had been healed? And when they woke up, he was always sitting nearby, fully dressed. So, are you what I think you are—a rare-blooded human?
"Oh, Haruko, how come you've brought such a pretty girl with you again? How about I—"
The moment Suzuki Mufeng's disguised old man began speaking out of turn, Daki attacked without warning. The sash at her waist pierced the Shadow Clone's chest, and it exploded into a cloud of smoke.
"Total Concentration—Sunlight Breathing, First Form: Halo."
As the Shadow Clone burst apart, Suzuki Mufeng quickly drew his sword and used its multicolored blade to catch Daki's attention. Her eyes were fixed on the blade. It was so beautiful—but why did such beauty belong to a human?
"Damn you, scum! You dare trick me!"
The sashes on Daki's body grew rapidly, stabbing at Suzuki Mufeng like countless blades. But they all passed through him. He was only an illusion.
"Drown in the Sharingan's genjutsu!"
Suzuki Mufeng closed in on Daki and cast the illusion at point-blank range. From the very start, the First Form: Halo had been meant to draw her attention.
Daki herself was weak, but Gyutaro inside her was the one he needed to watch out for. As long as Daki wasn't beheaded or fatally wounded, Gyutaro shouldn't be able to come out.
This isn't the time to fight them. I just need to put Daki to sleep, then hurry to Kanae Kocho's aid!
"My lord, I'm so happy!"
Daki dropped to her knees, her face blissful as she smiled foolishly, utterly entranced.
Suzuki Mufeng used the Sharingan's genjutsu to give Daki a beautiful dream. No one would willingly choose to wake from a beautiful dream.
"Bug, he ran off. Looks like he's headed toward Doma. As long as no one hurts my sister, none of this has anything to do with me."
As long as no one hurt Daki, Gyutaro couldn't be bothered to intervene. And as for Suzuki Mufeng going after Doma, they weren't particularly close to him. Why should Gyutaro care?
Their lack of unity was exactly why they would eventually be picked off by the Hashira, one after another. They had only themselves to blame.
Kanae Kocho was in terrible shape. She was desperately fleeing across a mountainside, with Doma pursuing her as casually as a cat chasing a mouse.
"My beautiful swordswoman, how about we become one, leave our troubles behind, and live happily ever after? But with a face as lovely as yours, I can offer you another choice: join us and become a demon."
As he spoke, Doma waved the folding fans in his hands. Countless ice crystals mixed with the air and rode the breeze toward Kanae Kocho.
Before setting out, Suzuki Mufeng had told Kagaya Ubuyashiki everything he knew about the Upper Ranks. Kagaya had then passed that information on to the Hashira.
Kanae Kocho carefully controlled her breathing, trying not to inhale the highly toxic ice crystals. Even so, her steps grew heavier and heavier, and breathing became increasingly difficult. She'd been poisoned. Only one option remained.
"Total Concentration—Flower Breathing, Fifth Form: Peonies of Futility."
Kanae Kocho spun around and charged at Doma at tremendous speed, striking nine times at his neck. But to Doma, her moves seemed no more than playful teasing.
"It's over, little butterfly. What a shame. If I don't eat you now, the sun will be coming up soon."
"Blood Demon Art: Frozen White Princess."
As Kanae Kocho charged at Doma, a snow princess made of ice appeared behind him and exhaled a torrent of frigid air.
"Total Concentration—Flower Breathing, Second Form: Honorable Shadow Plum."
In midair, Kanae Kocho forcibly changed her technique. Her Nichirin Sword whirled in her hand, unleashing a dense flurry of slashes that formed a sphere around her and blew the freezing air away.
"Blood Demon Art: Creeping Lotus Vines."
Ice vines formed from the sudden chill on the ground and tightly ensnared Kanae Kocho in midair. The ice spikes on the vines pierced her skin, bringing not only physical pain but also the mental torment of the ice poison.
"Such a beautiful Flower Hashira. I never expected to catch you so easily. It'd be a shame to eat you just like this. How about I freeze you into an ice sculpture and keep you as a collectible? Just thinking about it fills me with joy!"
As Doma spoke, he cupped his face in both hands, his cheeks flushed. The sight made Kanae Kocho, trapped in the ice, feel sick with revulsion. She'd rather die than become an ice sculpture in a demon's collection!
Her consciousness gradually blurred. Memories from the past flashed before her eyes like scenes from a revolving lantern: the happy home she'd had as a child; the life she and her sister had shared after a demon killed their family; and why, apart from treating patients, the person she remembered most at this final moment was Suzuki Mufeng.
She'd first been drawn to the young man because of his medical skills. Later, he'd unhesitatingly shared his medical knowledge—knowledge valuable enough to be a family heirloom. His generosity had only made Kanae Kocho more curious about him.
So much had happened since then: laughing and chatting on the way to the Kamado Family, then fighting side by side against Upper Rank Three. They'd been through so much together.
The brooch he'd bought her was still pinned to her clothes. She hoped Suzuki Mufeng would take it after she died, as proof that she'd existed. She didn't want him to forget her.
Just as her vision was about to sink into darkness, light cleaved through it. Blinding, dazzling light drove all the darkness away.
"Total Concentration—Sunlight Breathing, Second Form: Flash of Light!"
Suzuki Mufeng became light, moving faster than Thunder Breathing. A white line flashed across Doma's neck.
"Fire Release: Great Fireball Technique."
Suzuki Mufeng rapidly formed Hand Seals, took a deep breath, and exhaled a massive fireball. With his precise control, he easily melted the ice encasing Kanae Kocho.
He gathered Kanae Kocho into his arms, tore off his clothes, and wrapped her in layer after layer. Keeping her pressed against him so his body heat could warm her was the safest approach.
"That was incredible! You were so close. I really thought my head was about to come off."
The gash across Doma's neck had already frozen over and healed. He'd come that close to losing his head.
"For interrupting me, I won't hold back now!"
"Blood Demon Art: Crystal Child."
Five tiny ice figures identical to Doma surrounded them.
Suzuki Mufeng held the gravely wounded Kanae Kocho in his arms. Now he had to face five tiny ice figures as powerful as Doma himself. Their only chance of victory was to stall until the sun rose!
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