Chapter 184 Empty Emotions
"Huh? Could it be that Lord Akaza is dead?"
On the wooden bridge over the lotus pond, Douma held a pair of golden fans, his expression somewhat surprised. "My aura suddenly became very strange. It must be my imagination. It seems to have turned into some kind of special creature, but once it dies, there's no way to know."
Doma rested his hand on his chin, tilted his head, and smiled. His colorful pupils reflected the person opposite him, as if he had just realized something: "What was it again? Oh right, I asked for your name, didn't I?"
Kanao, panting, held her Nichirin Blade, her body covered in scratches of all sizes, sweat dripping down her cheeks. She looked at Doma and said through gritted teeth, "I am Kanao Tsuyuri, the younger sister of Kanae Kocho and Shinobu Kocho."
"Eh, really?" Douma asked doubtfully. "But judging from the texture and taste of your meat, you don't seem to be blood relatives at all. On the contrary, I can tell at a glance that you are Lord Kokushibo's relative."
The golden fan pointed to Ichiro, who was protecting Shinobu and Tamayo from the side, his tone amused and nonchalant. Ichiro tightened his grip on his sword; if Tamayo hadn't arrived in time, both his hand and Shinobu would have been finished.
His left hand was wrapped in bandages. Even though Tamayo had been given medication to improve blood circulation and stimulate nerves, it could only slow down the stiffening process. The cold, stinging pain would intensify from time to time as he moved his hand, causing him to break out in a cold sweat.
"He went easy on you," Tamayo said, looking at her newly healed left leg. Following the directions, she rushed over immediately and, with Yushiro's help, successfully approached Ichiro, only to be discovered by Doma as soon as she appeared.
Frost instantly spread across her legs. If she hadn't decisively severed her left leg, the frost would have gradually eroded her entire body.
"It's just for fun."
He spoke sharply, his eyes fixed on the other person's seven-colored eyes, recalling the chilling feeling he had when he first met him. He hadn't known how to describe it before, but now he understood: it was that kind of fakeness, unmoved by anything, like a mask.
"Oh dear, that's scary. Don't worry, I promise I won't kill you. Besides, I prefer girls~."
Doma said with a smile, then looked up as if thinking, and said regretfully, "Speaking of girls, there's nothing we can do about Akaza's loss~ because he absolutely refuses to eat women. I told him! The nutrients in a woman's body can support a fetus, so eating a lot of women will definitely make him stronger sooner."
But they completely ignored me! They wouldn't eat or kill them! That lord eventually acquiesced. How cunning! One of the few who receive special treatment, Lord Akaga.
After saying this, he placed his right hand on his forehead, revealing a very sad expression. His eyebrows drooped slightly, and tears slid down his cheeks: "But... he's actually dead... He was my best friend. I'm so heartbroken. Lord Kokushibo must be feeling terrible too..."
Ichiro couldn't help but twitch his lips as he watched. He didn't sense any sadness in the air. Kanao frowned, her purple eyes coldly staring at Doma: "Enough. You don't need to keep spouting lies."
"What?"
Doma was somewhat shocked, tears still streaming down his face.
"It's all fake, there's no trace of sadness in you, you're not sad at all."
Ichiro placed his left hand on the hilt of his sword, speaking with a disdainful tone. The slight stinging sensation made him even more alert. He had a strong sense of presence, a great asset of his Tsukuyomi technique, allowing him to detect approaching enemies more quickly after an attack.
"Her complexion didn't change at all. Her best friend died, and her face was still bloodshot, but it didn't fade, nor did it become flushed with anger," Kanao stated coldly. Her eyes were very sharp, which is why she completed Ichiro's training in just two days when the Pillars were being trained.
"Because I'm a ghost."
Doma said strangely, admitting he was surprised, but Kanao calmly retorted, "Demons' pupils are always moist, they don't need to blink, but their blood circulates like humans, so their complexion changes."
Before she died, Ms. Kanae said she felt sorry for you because you couldn't feel anything. Humans born into this world are naturally capable of experiencing all emotions, which you couldn't comprehend. You were incredibly clever, lying to avoid revealing your true feelings and feigning sadness or happiness, but to you it was all emptiness, a void. It's ridiculously foolish, haha.
What was the purpose of your coming into this world?
Kanao's mocking expression and ridiculing tone wiped the smile off Doma's face, and his expression turned frighteningly cold: "I've talked to many girls so far, but you're the first one with such a malicious heart. Why did you say such outrageous things?"
"Don't you understand? Because I hate you and wish I could send you to hell, and you don't seem to be very bright. You're really outrageous. You might as well die sooner rather than later, since you have no value in living."
As Kanao finished speaking, Ichiro saw Doma disappear from his spot, his afterimage instantly appearing behind her, the golden fan swishing towards her neck.
Kanao swiftly ducked to dodge, her Nichirin Blade slicing open Doma's waist as she moved, before she flipped over to avoid the ice blade wielded by Doma, which was carrying a lotus flower.
Doma licked the blood that had trickled from his mouth in surprise. He looked at Kanao; her reaction speed was beyond his expectations. She hadn't inhaled the scattered powder crystals from last time, and even with the warning, it should have been extremely difficult for her in battle.
Her strength might even surpass that of the girl from the pillar.
"Flower Breathing, Form of Five, Fruitless Peony".
Kanao didn't linger long, charging towards Doma with a leap, her Nichirin Blade creating pink and white afterimages from all directions with her movements. Pink petals fell in a flurry of nine strikes, aimed at Doma like peony petals.
Doma waved the iron fan in his hand, his smile returning, and said in an appreciative tone, "Not bad, really beautiful. I'll try it too."
"Blood Demon Art: Snowfall in the Withered Garden".
Doma swiftly swung his two fans, unleashing a dozen intricate, frost-laden blue blades of energy with each movement. Kanao countered with lightning-fast, arcing slashes from all directions, their trajectories resembling plum blossom petals, deflecting Doma's attacks.
"Flower Breathing - Second Form - Mikage Plum".
Doma was somewhat surprised, for he too had noticed the difference in her eyes. His golden iron blade slashed towards Kanao's eyes as he moved. Suddenly, two enormous, curved red blades, each bearing a golden crescent, flew towards Doma at incredible speed.
"Breathing of the Moon, Third Form, Aversion to the Moon, Erosion".
Doma jerked back, watching the red blade slice past his eyes, scattering the ice crystals in the air. "Oh dear, that was dangerous."
He said with a smile, dodging Kanao's follow-up slashes by sidestepping. He spread his arms and swung them, and a large amount of icy mist began to spread and thicken. Kanao reacted quickly and jumped back, covering her mouth and nose with her hands and closing her eyes. A thin layer of ice covered her cheeks and shattered, almost freezing her eyes.
"Wait, don't run away."
"Blood Demon Art: Lotus Blossom." Several ice vines wrapped with ice lotus flowers suddenly appeared, winding upwards to attack Kanao. Ichiro stepped forward and quickly attacked, his chaotic blades weaving into a net, blocking the vines while slicing and shattering them.
"Breathing of the Moon, Land Form, Long Night Lonely Moon, No End".
Taking advantage of the situation, Tamayo used Yushiro's talisman to carry Shinobu away. She ran quickly through the turbulent corridor with Shinobu on her back, following Kasugai Crow. Even though she had taken first aid measures, Shinobu's condition still required further treatment.
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