early morning.
The rising sun shone on the hillside.
Several crows circled under the azure sky, accompanied by their unpleasant cawing.
Kanae and Shinobu Kocho stood frozen like sculptures at the edge of the battlefield, their gazes meeting a scene drastically different from what they had seen before.
Ahead of them.
Originally, it was a mountain forest that, while not exactly lush and green, should at least have been filled with trees.
At this moment, it was as if an invisible giant blade had swept across it, and as far as the eye could see, it was so empty and desolate.
The entire battlefield was littered with fallen trees, their branches and leaves covering the mountains and creating numerous ravines.
"Is this... yesterday's battlefield?" Shinobu Kocho murmured.
Even though she herself was a swordswoman with power beyond that of ordinary people, she still felt an indescribable sense of unreality in the face of the scene before her.
Shinobu Kocho's murmur brought Kanae was also immersed in shock, back to her senses. She called out anxiously:
"Ren, forget about all that, hurry up and find Teiichi and Mr. Himejima!"
Upon hearing Kanae's words, Shinobu Kocho quickly snapped out of her thoughts and nodded.
The two quickly split up and began searching the battlefield.
"Here! Here!"
Soon, the Kasugai Crow flying in the sky were the first to spot the figure of Gyomei Himejima.
Kanae and Shinobu Kocho rushed over upon hearing the news.
From afar, I could see the figure sitting cross-legged on the ground, gently turning a string of Buddhist prayer beads in his hand.
After confirming that Gyomei Himejima was still alive, Kanae breathed a sigh of relief and quickened her pace.
Noticing their arrival, Gyomei Himejima beads and slowly stood up from the ground.
"Amitabha..."
" Mr. Himejima, are you alright?"
Kanae looked at the numerous wounds on Gyomei Himejima's body and the bloodstains flowing from them, and asked first.
Gyomei Himejima shook his head. "I'm fine. The bleeding from these wounds has stopped. I just need to bandage them up a bit and wait for the flesh to grow back!"
Upon hearing this, Kanae nodded, turning her head slightly and scanning her surroundings as if searching for something.
However, apart from the traces of the battle, there was nothing around.
Finally, her gaze slowly returned to Gyomei Himejima.
Do you know where Teiichi is?
Upon hearing this, Gyomei Himejima paused for a moment, then slowly raised his hands and clasped them together.
" Kato... was teleported away with the demon when it left!"
Although his voice wasn't loud, its content struck Kanae like a thunderbolt.
Kanae felt her mind go blank, as if the whole world had lost its color at that moment.
The next instant, his legs inexplicably lost their strength, and he involuntarily fell towards the ground.
"Elder sister!"
Kanae's collapsed figure startled Shinobu Kocho was also caught in a panic.
Shinobu Kocho quickly stepped forward and reached out to support Kanae.
The swaying vision brought Kanae back to her senses. She stumbled a couple of times, but with Shinobu Kocho's help, she didn't fall.
But at that moment, even if she fell, she wouldn't be paying attention to it.
Her gaze was fixed on Gyomei Himejima, and her originally gentle voice trembled and broke at this moment.
"Was he... really... transported... away... together...?"
He spoke in several broken segments before finishing a sentence.
Gyomei Himejima nodded heavily.
"... Well, although I didn't see it with my own eyes."
However, at that time he was fighting Upper Rank One, Two, and Three in the distance.
I then helped to entangle Upper Rank Four, Five, and Six.
As dawn approached, Upper Rank Four, Five, and Six were teleported away.
When I went to look for him, he was nowhere to be found.
Also disappearing were Upper Rank One, Two, and Three.
so..."
Before he could finish speaking, Kanae interrupted him.
"If you didn't see him, Teiichi just joking with us? He'll be out in a minute!"
Kanae's voice held a barely perceptible hint of hope. She turned to Shinobu Kocho, forcing a smile, and asked:
"Is it, Ren?"
Tears welled up in Shinobu Kocho's eyes, and she struggled to hold them back.
Looking at her smiling older sister, Shinobu Kocho sensed endless sorrow and despair within her.
"Elder sister..."
Shinobu Kocho pursed her lips slightly, opening her mouth as if to say something, but was interrupted again by Kanae.
Kanae turned to look at Gyomei Himejima, her voice carrying a hint of determination.
" Mr. Himejima is seriously injured. Please help bandage Mr. Himejima first. I'll go check where Teiichi is!"
Having said that, without giving the two a chance to speak, Kanae had already taken a step forward.
Watching her sister gradually leave, Shinobu Kocho opened her mouth as if to say something, but was stopped by Gyomei Himejima.
Shinobu Kocho looked at Gyomei Himejima with a puzzled expression.
"Let her go out and have some peace and quiet. She knows better than any of us..."
Upon hearing this, Shinobu Kocho glanced again at her sister's receding figure and finally nodded.
She took out a roll of bandages she always carried with her and began to bandage Gyomei Himejima Gyoumei's wounds.
On the other side, Kanae staggered across the battlefield.
She had no destination, and she didn't know what her destination was.
All she knew was...
Own...
Once again...
Have you lost family members?
Panic, fear, sadness, despair and other emotions filled her heart.
Kanae felt her mind go completely blank; she couldn't think of anything, and she dared not think of anything.
He stumbled, as if tripped over something, and fell to the ground.
A delicate crescent moon necklace slipped from her neck.
Kanae gently raised her hand, letting the necklace fall into her trembling hand.
Scenes from their shared experiences flashed through their minds.
From their first encounter at Mount Fujikasane, to their reunion at the Butterfly Mansion, then the Hashira Meeting, then Mine City, then under the starry sky, then by the sea, and finally back at the Butterfly Mansion...
Kanae's body trembled involuntarily.
On the other end.
After Gyomei Himejima, Shinobu Kocho walked around the battlefield, searching for Kanae.
The battlefield was quite large, and fallen trees obscured the view. Without the help of Kasugai Crow, Shinobu Kocho walked for a long time before finding it.
At that moment, Kanae was sitting quietly on a tree stump, staring blankly at a delicate crescent moon necklace in her hand.
Even when Shinobu Kocho was right behind her, she didn't react.
Shinobu Kocho stood quietly behind Kanae, waiting.
After a long while, she finally spoke softly:
"Elder sister..."
Kanae gently turned her head.
Only at this moment did Shinobu Kocho see it clearly.
The tears that streamed uncontrollably down her cheeks...