Chapter 38 "Don't cry!"

Unlike Doma, Kokushibo doesn't show his emotions much, but when he stares at you with his six eyes, the pressure he exudes can only be understood by the person experiencing it.

Kokushibo disliked Doma using such frivolous language to mention Aori; he didn't even want his frivolous, seven-colored eyes to see Aori's appearance.

So he cut off the part of Doma above his mouth and thoughtfully blocked the girl's view so that she wouldn't be frightened by what she saw.

Azhi was both naive and eager to listen, so 000 tried to describe what had just happened in a more euphemistic way. It compared Doma's head to a watermelon and Kokushibo's actions to cutting a watermelon.

He suddenly became so fierce.

It was so fierce that it shattered A-Zhi's existing understanding.

Aori couldn't see; she could only hear Kokushibo's cold shouts. Even though she knew the target of the reprimand wasn't her, she still felt a bit intimidated by Kokushibo's current state, as if she were experiencing it herself.

She remained obediently still, but her heart was in her throat. She couldn't help but seek comfort from 000. Having been raised in a comfortable environment for some time, she was clearly not used to the changes in the Upper Moon.

000 Consolation: [This is what Doma deserves.]

To be honest, setting aside its own biases, 000 felt quite satisfied with what Kokushibo had just done; it had long disliked Doma.

He had been treating Azhi like a fun toy, and it was precisely because of this mindset that Azhi gained some time.

But I'm still angry!

Compared to Kokushibo, with whom she had spent several days, Aori was still somewhat afraid of him, but this fear, which had been gradually dissipated, was far less than that of the Upper Moon Two in front of her.

Since Aori couldn't see, and already feeling insecure, she could only stick close to Kokushibo. They were very close, making her look like she was afraid of being abandoned.

The girl's complexion didn't look good; her thick eyelashes fluttered, and her palm felt as if it had been lightly brushed by a small brush. A feeling of pity suddenly rose from the depths of Kokushibo's soul.

If it weren't for the current situation, Kokushibo thought he might have followed his heart and simply pulled the girl into his arms. She was so small that he could easily wrap one arm around her.

Although Aori won't be as compliant as she is now, she's not one to resist much by nature, nor will she directly refuse, so things will ultimately develop as Kokushibo intended.

Knowing this, Kokushibo was able to gradually integrate into Aori's world step by step over the past few days, like following a strategy guide.

He restrained himself well and didn't push too hard, but all of this, which was so wonderful in his imagination, was shattered by the arrival of Doma.

Kokushibo described Doma as difficult to deal with.

Judging solely from the fight, he was naturally capable of completely defeating Doma. Years of training had made his strength increasingly solid, and it could be said that there were very few people or demons in this world who could defeat him in a one-on-one battle.

The premise that he was able to defeat Doma single-mindedly was that the girl was not here; it doesn't mean that Aori held him back.

Kokushibo was able to guess the general course of events.

It's unlikely that Aori would offend Muzan Kibutsuji. It's more likely that Muzan accidentally saw Aori, who looked very similar to him in his memories, and then connected the two, which is why he provided the information to Aori.

The source of Azhi's undeserved misfortune was still him.

So now, even if a girl has a tiny wound, he feels like a failure.

He was indeed a failure.

Aori was injured, and Kokushibo could smell a faint scent of blood from afar. The aroma of rare blood was pleasant and had a great attraction for demons.

This was what other ghosts dreamed of, but it was what caused him the most pain—it was A-Zhi's blood.

The girl must be injured. Surrounded by demons, Kokushibo was almost afraid to think what had happened. He never expected to be like this...

Fortunately, fate gave him another chance, even though he was late.

Thinking of this, Kokushibo unconsciously tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, his knuckles cracking loudly in the quiet environment.

Aori had no idea what Kokushibo was thinking, so she could only guess at Upper Moon 2's actions. She assumed that Upper Moon 2 had done something again.

Having faced Doma directly before, he knew that this Upper Moon was not so easy to deal with. Fearing that Kokushibo would suffer a loss, he shook the Upper Moon's sleeve and whispered, "Let me go for now, don't worry about me."

With the system around, she was probably, maybe, or likely out of danger for the time being. Then she cautiously asked 000 if she could help Heishibo.

000 (lying down): [Don't count on me, I already used up a lot of energy just now to activate my hidden aura for you.]

It paused, then added coldly, "Besides, I'm only responsible for your safety; I don't care about the other ghosts."

For example, if a certain demon named Kokushibo can't even handle the current situation, he should just disappear from Aori's sight as soon as this matter is over.

Azhi Nuonuo: [Okay.]

She realized once again that she was a useless little thing, and it was already good enough if she didn't cause any trouble.

The familiar scene played out once again.

The large part of Upper Moon Two's head that had disappeared was visibly growing back slowly, and if you listened carefully, you could even hear the subtle sounds of flesh and blood rapidly rebuilding.

Once his mouth was fully restored, before the rest of his body had even fully recovered, Douma couldn't wait to exclaim, "How terrifying, Lord Kokushibo!"

A sharp killing intent pierced through from all directions like swords, but Douma showed no fear on his face. Instead, he narrowed his eyes as if enjoying it.

He was mostly curious about Upper Moon One, who had never attended an Upper Moon meeting, which is why he went to such lengths to say some provocative things, but he didn't seem to realize it himself.

Of course, there may also be an element of intent involved.

"...Is Lord Kokushibo keeping a mistress in a 'golden house'?" He drew out his voice, his seven-colored pupils filled with sticky malice, and the smile on his lips grew brighter and brighter. "But this place can hardly be called a 'golden house'!"

He was referring to the hut that looked rather simple from any angle. After a brief look, he already knew that it must be Kokushibo's temporary lodging.

Now it has become a cage imprisoning human girls... Doma was a little unsure, because from the beginning, Ori's behavior was not quite what he had expected.

She should have been terrified of Kokushibo as well.

Although it sounds a bit narcissistic, Doma genuinely felt that Kokushibo should be more approachable than Upper Moon One, so logically, the girl should be more afraid of him.

So something happened between them that changed the girl's view of demons, and Douma developed a sense of curiosity.

What can make food less afraid of predators?

—He had been to that house, the house that held the memories of his reunion with A-Zhi.

Compared to the strong provocation in Upper Moon Two's words, Kokushibo's first thought was how narrowly the girl had escaped from the clutches of death during the time he and Ori were separated.

This was a serious mistake on his part!

Kokushibo wouldn't shirk responsibility. He experienced the sudden stop of his heartbeat, a feeling that was completely unfamiliar to him, once again. He tightened his grip on his hand with great care, only letting go when Doma had fully recovered.

What Azhi saw was yet another complete, incessantly chattering ghost.

Unlike the two ghosts present, A-Zhi's attention was focused on the phrase "keeping a mistress in a golden house," and she was shocked: "Can your buff affect other ghosts too?"

000: [...Yes, what's wrong?]

Azhi: [Terrifying!]

*********

"Lord Kokushibo, you've refused to contact the Lord for quite some time now." Doma suddenly remembered Muzan Kibutsuji's instructions and added somewhat insincerely, "You always unilaterally cut off our conversations with the Lord, which is really giving us a headache!"

A headache in a physical sense.

Thanks to Kokushibo, Doma recalled the Upper Moon meeting that had just ended, in which Muzan Kibutsuji unleashed his fury in front of the demons of the Infinity Castle.

And he, the brave Doma, just as he always had when summoned, sincerely wanted to please Lord Muzan, but his head was smashed by the giant arm.

Daki and Gyutaro were killed by the demon slayers, resulting in the loss of one Upper Moon demon on our side, while the enemy only suffered minor injuries. Not to mention, the young demon slayer wearing the sun-shaped earring, whom Muzan ordered to be hunted down, is still alive and well.

There was still no news about the Blue Spider Lily, and what's more, Kokushibo, who had broken free of control, once again disobeyed Lord Muzan's orders and failed to attend the Upper Moon gathering...

One thing after another was making Muzan Kibutsuji unhappy, so he displayed an unprecedented level of irritability during the meeting.

During the Upper Moon, Akaza was engrossed in fighting and rarely offered any opinions, Hantengu was timid and remained silent, while Gyokko, having received unverified information, recklessly blurted it out and became the first person to be beheaded.

Feeling the atmosphere was too heavy, Doma felt obligated to say a few heartfelt words at the meeting, not because he hadn't done anything during this time.

He believed that he was trying his best to help Muzan, and that his attitude was full of sincerity, and then he got his head blown off.

Moreover, the method was far more cruel than that of the jade pot.

Even now, when Doma reminisces about it, he still finds the feeling of having a huge hole punched in his head and his brains churned into a pulp to be an incomparably wonderful sensation.

His perverted nature seemed to seep out of his very bones.

When A-Zhi's eyes were released, the first thing she saw was Upper Moon Two's expression seemed to be dazed for a moment, and then his cheeks flushed as he was lost in some beautiful memory.

Azhi: "…………"

She shivered slightly, as if she were shivering, but she also felt a vague, indescribable emotion because of Doma's words.

—Kuroshibo didn't lie to her.

What he said to A-Zhi back then was true; he really had never contacted the cannibal. This fact was actually confirmed by another ghost.

Azhi's eyes glazed over for a moment, then she said to the system in a serious tone: "I take back what I said before. He still has a chance to find his wife." 000: "[?] Explain yourself clearly!"

The girl seemed to be lost in thought again. She frowned and stared at Kokushibo's profile with a troubled expression. Even Doma, who had listened to the lives of countless people and claimed to have seen through the true nature of humanity, could not guess what she was thinking.

His gaze swept over A-Zhi's face, a strange light gleaming in his eyes. "Could it be that this young lady is the one who stopped you?"

"I'm really curious why Lord Kokushibo would leave..."

Before he could finish speaking, his face contorted, and spiderweb-like veins spread across his exposed skin. Blood gushed from between his teeth, a result of the pressure inside his body.

Without a doubt, there is only one thing that could cause him this level of harm.

—Muzan Kibutsuji is warning him.

Doma realized he had crossed a line, so he curled the corners of his lips into a smile and then shut his mouth.

Generally speaking, when it doesn't involve matters of safety, the busy Muzan Kibutsuji doesn't have much time to spy on his subordinates' thoughts; the demons he turned into all have curses he planted within them.

Therefore, he only does this when necessary.

For example, right now, regardless of whether Doma asked this question accidentally, there is no doubt that this question has crossed Muzan Kibutsuji's bottom line.

He will not allow any more ghosts to escape his control!

Blood-red pupils appeared in Upper Moon Two's mind, showing no mercy whatsoever. He spoke ruthlessly, "Doma, do you want to die?"

It was practically a blatant warning: if Doma continued the conversation on that topic, he knew he would be doomed.

Not only Doma, but the other Upper Moons who were still recovering their bodies also sensed Muzan Kibutsuji's displeasure.

Hundreds of years of interaction hadn't instilled much compassion in Muzan for his subordinates; in fact, he had absolutely no such feelings whatsoever.

In his mind, the Upper Moon he created could only be evaluated as either useful or useless.

Doma is quite useful, but Muzan Kibutsuji dislikes his personality, so he is rarely assigned tasks. This one of the few tasks he was assigned just now was cut short halfway through.

If we were to say who Muzan Kibutsuji admired most, it would have to be Upper Moon One, Kokushibo, the collaborator who best suited his tastes.

The appearance of Tanjiro Kamado wearing Yoriichi Tsugikuni's earrings made Muzan Kibutsuji feel a sense of urgency. Although he had been creating demons for hundreds of years, an unpleasant fact was right in front of him.

The quality of the demons created later was not as good as before. They either had very low potential and could hardly improve by eating people, or they were destroyed by demon hunters just as they were about to grow up.

The number of ghosts is increasing, and the number of ghosts is decreasing.

The only use these added and removed demons had in Muzan's mind was to confuse the Demon Slayer Corps, making them run around and distract the Ubuyashiki clan.

In fact, Muzan Kibutsuji never gave up on winning over Kokushibo, whose powerful strength could be his best ally.

Therefore, in Muzan Kibutsuji's view, sending Ori's image to Kokushibo was tantamount to a gesture of goodwill, although it was unclear why he was so fixated on a human woman who had died a hundred years ago.

This was the first time in hundreds of years that Kokushibo had responded to Muzan.

Muzan Kibutsuji read Daki's memories and learned that Kokushibo had been to Yoshiwara that day.

Thinking he had given them a way out, Muzan assumed they had reached a consensus. He didn't blame Kokushibo for leaving without rescuing Daki and Gyutaro, since he considered it common to leave someone to die and there was no need to make a fuss.

However, to everyone's surprise, Kokushibo never returned, and he didn't even attend the Upper Moon meeting he convened once again.

Muzan had shown unprecedented patience towards Kokushibo. A series of defeats had caused his accumulated anger to explode and double. He had no patience to listen to his useless subordinates' nagging anymore, and he directly ordered an attack to wipe out Kokushibo.

Before the Upper Moon left, Muzan Kibutsuji coldly said to Doma, "Find the girl who was with Kokushibo, and then kill her!"

Sending Upper Moon Two to hunt down an ordinary human woman might seem like overkill, but it also means there's absolutely no chance of failure. Muzan Kibutsuji is already looking forward to seeing Kokushibo staring at the blood-soaked ground with bloodshot eyes.

However, this idea changed drastically after seeing what happened next.

Muzan didn't just start watching; he was already there when Kokushibo, Akaza, and Gyokko were fighting.

The battle was intense, and because he used his killing moves right from the start, the fight ended quickly, with Kokushibo achieving an overwhelming victory at an undeniable speed.

Just now, Muzan suddenly realized that Kokushibo, who was no longer controlled by his blood and curse, had become like him, only afraid of sunlight.

Kokunobu Koku, a swordsman who was already quite outstanding during the Sengoku period, was overshadowed by his younger brother, but his own abilities were not to be underestimated.

He first trained in demon-slaying techniques, and he always used the Demon Slayer Corps' "breathing method." He became a demon, Kokushibo, but he also seemed to have a natural advantage against demons.

It is currently unknown whether he can create demons. If he can, it would be fine if he remained neutral. However, if he leans towards the Demon Slayer Corps, even by a little bit, it would be a disaster for Muzan.

That means his long-standing advantage will no longer exist.

If before this, Muzan Kibutsuji could still boss Kokushibo around with an air of superiority, now he has unknowingly placed Kokushibo on an equal footing with him.

His strategy towards Kokushibo also changed.

During his observation, Muzan noticed some differences in Kokushibo.

It's a good thing that Kokushibo is showing such importance to this human woman. Although she is just a substitute, this substitute seems to have the ability to influence Kokushibo's thoughts.

If used properly, Aori will become the best tool for him to control Kokushibo, so it's better for the girl to live until he achieves his goal.

After thinking about the information mentioned by Yu Hu, Muzan narrowed his eyes.

With his superior watching his every move, Doma naturally couldn't afford to slack off in front of him. He bowed slightly and extended his hand, as if Muzan Kibutsuji had descended upon him.

Upper Moon Two spoke with certainty, as if he had the situation under control: "I will surely bring victory to you, sir."

Doma has never been in a hurry, not even when Kokushibo came. The reason is that his Blood Demon Arts are all area-of-effect attacks, which could easily kill a weak ordinary person like Aori.

This is probably why Kokushibo has been locked in a stalemate with him. If he cannot completely subdue him in one blow, there will only be one outcome for Aori.

There's still a long time until dawn, and Akaza and the others should be arriving soon, so there shouldn't be any unexpected events.

Even so, he still wanted to complete the task himself!

In recent years, his presence has been diminishing. If he doesn't make a good impression on Muzan, he'll probably be assigned fewer and fewer tasks in the future, and his life will become increasingly boring.

Upper Moon Two gripped the iron fan painted with lotus flowers and leaves. Faint ice crystals slowly swirled in the air, causing the temperature around him to drop sharply, and his breath turned into a mist.

These ice crystals were what he relied on.

Almost at the same time, Aori noticed that Kokushibo took a step forward. He was extremely focused, the muscles on his back were taut, and his thick, dark hair was slightly swaying.

He was prepared for a fight, his attention fully focused.

For no apparent reason, seeing Kokushibo like this, Aori inexplicably felt that nothing could defeat him.

However, the person to whom Douma expressed his determination was so cold and ruthless that he immediately extinguished his enthusiasm.

"Enough!" After a moment's thought, Muzan Kibutsuji suddenly spoke up, his deep voice revealing neither joy nor anger, stopping Doma a second before he was about to make a move.

At the same time, he urged the other Upper Moons who had recovered to come as soon as possible, and then began to contact Kokushibo.

It's pretty easy to guess what the conversation was about.

The arm, frozen in mid-air, looked slightly comical, and the ice crystals floating on the folding fan also froze for a moment. Doma was genuinely a little confused: "Huh?"

"…………"

What's going on with them?

Some dramatic moments, as if a pause button had been pressed, severed the tense atmosphere between the two Upper Moons. Azhi was so nervous that she almost forgot to breathe; her face was flushed from holding her breath, and she didn't understand the Upper Moon's controls.

They seemed to have stepped into a magical world, leaving Aori as a clueless spectator. She glanced to the side and realized that Doma might also be excluded.

Azhi's voice trembled: "[Have I seen a ghost?]"

000: [This is none of your business, ignore it.]

【…………】

After a moment, Upper Moon One slowly looked around, frowned and pondered for a moment, then slowly sheathed his sword.

Doma predicted that he must have been talking to Muzan, and he realized that he had been completely ignored by the two of them, and completely ignored at that.

The crisis was temporarily averted, and it seemed that only he was embarrassed. Fortunately, Doma was a demon who didn't feel embarrassed much.

Doma calmly waited until Muzan Kibutsuji and Kokushibo finished their conversation, and temporarily confirmed their current ambiguous relationship.

Thinking that they might work together in the future, he suddenly revealed a sincere expression and winked in Aori's direction, "Lord Kokushibo, as you know, I came here with no ill intentions."

"I just had a friendly conversation with this lady."

Azhi almost forgot what the word "friendly" meant. If this ghost's claim of eating her and then "helping her end her painful life" was considered friendly, then it was indeed quite friendly :)

All of this seemed very strange to Azhi. The attack against her and Kokushibo started inexplicably and ended inexplicably in the same instant.

—It happened very suddenly.

Not far away, the smell of burning spread through the air, and towering flames slowly rose from afar, originating from the small house where Aori and Kokushibo had stayed for a few days.

"…………"

Douma paused for a moment, then raised one hand to make his presence known, and said obediently, "I didn't do it."

Although he went inside for a stroll, he didn't touch anything. It's likely that some low-level demons went in. Doma felt a little sorry for what those demons would do next.

Another incredibly cold glance.

Kokushibo spoke gently, extending his hand to the girl, preparing to lead her away from this ominous place: "Let's go."

Azhi looked at him blankly, hesitated for a moment, and then took his hand.

Kokushibo was about to leave with Aori, and the Upper Moon who had come to cause trouble made no attempt to stop them. In fact, when Aori secretly glanced at him one last time, he waved very cutely.

While they had already walked some distance, Doma remained in the same spot.

"Lord Kokushibo, you should know this," he shouted, pointing to his head with his index finger, and said with a smile, "If you don't have a proper talk with the lord, I'm afraid the next time you'll see this young lady's corpse, ah, maybe even the corpse..."

In that instant, Aori felt that Doma's gaze wasn't just his; it was as if another invisible but undeniable pair of eyes were also watching her.

********

It can be described as starting strong but ending weakly.

Aori knew that because of her, Kokushibo seemed to have compromised on some things; otherwise, Doma wouldn't have left so easily.

She belatedly realized what was going on, and felt a little anxious, but didn't know how to bring it up; she felt like an ant on a hot pan.

Kokushibo, however, appeared remarkably calm.

He led Azhi to the riverbank where they fetched water, put her down in a half-embracing position, and then held the girl's slender wrist.

The bloodstains had dried, congealing on her slender wrist, the contrast between red and white quite striking.

The wound was located right where she usually wore her bracelet; the edge of the skin had been scraped off and was covered in dust, making it look rather gruesome upon closer inspection.

I wonder if it will leave a scar. It would be a waste to leave even the slightest blemish on such delicate skin. I don't know who said that to Azhi, but luckily she doesn't care much about it.

She even ran barefoot for a while. Fortunately, there had been a heavy rain recently, and the soil in the dense forest had not yet completely hardened into dry clods, so there were no injuries on the soles of her feet.

This was the only good thing today, Ah Zhi thought optimistically. Otherwise, she would feel very painful just thinking about having to walk with an injured foot.

Shangxian lowered his face, and strands of hair fell from his temples, obscuring the upper half of his face, making it impossible to discern his expression or the obscurity in his eyes.

Kokushibo soaked a cloth and carefully wiped himself, each stroke revealing his deep care for the object. But for some reason, Aori felt a hint of dejection emanating from his massive body, which appeared even as he half-squatted down.

Azhi wasn't sure if she had seen correctly. She swallowed a small mouthful of saliva, put everything else out of her mind, and said dryly, "N-no, it's okay. I didn't feel any pain."

But her false reassurance was quickly exposed.

Shangxian quickly cleaned away the dirt from the edges, changed the water, and began to clean the dirt off the wound. The moment he touched it, he felt a stinging pain, like being pricked by needles.

Ah Zhi hissed, and as soon as she spoke, she realized she had contradicted herself. Embarrassed, she covered her mouth and dared not say anything more.

This silence continued until Kokushibo had completely treated Aori's wounds.

The girl's eyelashes were long and thick, casting faint blue shadows on her cheeks when they fell. She was feeling downcast after just experiencing a change in her life, and even her hair seemed to hang limply.

She was clearly terrified and had been wronged. Whether she was forgiving or just too easygoing, Kokushibo was waiting for the girl to say something that sounded like a reproach.

Unexpectedly, what I received was a word of comfort.

Whether she angrily denounced him or complained about the fear she felt because of him, it would be far better than the inappropriate strength she is showing now.

But for some reason, she didn't complain at all. Maybe she was embarrassed, or maybe it was something else... It didn't matter what the answer was.

Everything she showed made Kokushibo feel even more pity for her.

Unlike before, Kokushibo really didn't seem to be eating at all, and Aori didn't have that feeling of being about to be eaten. It was strange, even though flesh and blood were right in front of the demon.

Under that gentle gaze, Azhi almost had the illusion that it was he who was hurting, even though she was the one who was wounded.

For some reason, physiological tears began to overflow from the corners of my eyes, and a hazy emotion arose in my heart.

Azhi wanted to smile, but she couldn't quite manage it. She raised her eyes, and after only a short while, her eyes were filled with glistening moisture.

She didn't want to cry, but the tears just wouldn't stop. She tried very hard to control them, but it didn't help at all. Instead, it made her nose feel even more sore.

"……it hurts."

It doesn't actually hurt that much.

But Ah Zhi still let out a pitiful cry of pain. She blinked, her voice slightly nasal, and her mental defenses were completely shattered.

"I'm sorry." Kokushibo stopped what he was doing, gently lifted the girl's cheek, and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes with his fingertips. His voice was somewhat somber. "Don't cry!"

Because of my negligence, you are in danger.

"Don't cry."

Ah Zhi leaned on his shoulder, her vision blurred by tears, and sobbed softly.

-----------------------

Author's Note: Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution between 2023-05-15 21:38:20 and 2023-05-17 23:53:59!

Thank you to the little angel who threw the landmine: 1 lychee;

Thank you to the little angel who watered the nutrient solution: Wu Maomao (44 bottles);

Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!