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The strike missed.
Yemonse clenched his fist. His skin took on an eerie luster, like steel.
I immediately changed my blade's momentum, colliding with its skin. The blade struck its hand—actually sparked a few sparks.
This guy could even harden his own skin!
Since I couldn't hit the neck, I changed strategy. Planned to first sever both feet.
But it was exceptionally cunning. Seemed to guess my thoughts. Whoosh—hid in the shadows. Next second, emerged from the shadow behind me. A fist heavily smashed toward my back.
I withstood the dull blow. Turned and severed its arm.
This time, got my wish. Seemed its hardening also couldn't last too long.
Yemonse dove back into the shadows. Wriggled out from under a tree. Eyes venomously looking at me. "That blade... you're actually a demon hunter! You, a demon, actually dare presume to hunt your own kind!"
Bah! Who was the same kind as it!
My injuries healed very fast. Didn't affect combat. Immediately charged at it again.
Yemonse rolled its eyes. Once again dove into shadows.
This time, it didn't ambush from behind me. But I seemed able to sense its movements in the shadows. That mass of shadow moved rapidly—heading for the house.
Not good!
So many people still in the estate. This guy probably planned to eat people while fighting me.
I gathered energy to accelerate. Chasing its traces. Through several doors, could still hear panicked movements inside. And Takehime's voice trying to calm everyone, telling them to leave quickly.
Couldn't let this guy reach them.
I tried hard to mobilize my whole body's muscles. Used the Breathing Style Yoriichi taught me to coordinate blood and nerves. Lifted my foot, heavily stomping through the floor. Like a heavy cannonball, crashed over. Aimed at the shadow on the ground, slashed down.
Blood sprayed from the shadow like a waterfall. But Yemonse didn't scream. Instead lunged at my wide-open guard.
Its combat experience far exceeded ordinary demons. Didn't hesitate to trade injury for an opening. First strike pierced my lung. Five claws exerted force, viciously dragging out my organs.
My offensive stalled. Yemonse didn't miss this chance. Grabbed my arm, tearing forcefully.
It opened its bloody maw. Wolfed down the flesh from my body. Its wounds rapidly healed.
I fell to the ground. Didn't see its eyes flashing with pleased yet vicious light. Reached out again, tearing off my leg.
Too many body parts lost at once. My brain also became somewhat chaotic. Belatedly realized this demon was eating my body.
My limbs just regenerated, then would be torn off and eaten in one bite. Chewing sounds rang in my ears. Made me feel like a piece of dead meat on a chopping board. Let the demon pick and eat at will.
A bit... painful.
I seemed not to have felt pain for many years. As it tore my body again and again, that long-absent pain swept through my mind. Made me almost want to wail and cry.
But this guy was waiting to appreciate my ugly state. I gritted my teeth, holding back the cry of pain. Tried hard to distract myself.
For instance—it relied on devouring my flesh to suppress my regeneration. Then it had no way to attack people in the estate. Wait until dawn. However unwilling, it had to retreat.
This way, dragged through another day. Looking on the bright side, Yoriichi might arrive very soon.
But at sunrise, would it throw me into the wilderness, letting the sun burn me to death?
After many years, was death finally about to descend upon me?
But I seemed to still have many things undone. Unwilling to die like this.
Why? Hazily, as if someone was asking me—why unwilling? Chihaya, you're trying so hard to live, walking the human world. Exactly for what wish?
Who was that person?
Seemed... seemed to be Miss Ukifune.
I hadn't thought of her for so long. Truly ashamed.
I said to Miss Ukifune in the illusion—actually, back then, I didn't resolve to kill the Young Master for you. I'm sorry.
Miss Ukifune only smiled gently. "I understand. It's okay. I'm not angry. Then what is Chihaya's wish?"
Wish? Seemed no one had ever asked me this question.
My former wish was to eat my fill, dress warmly. Later became working hard to save money, wanting to buy a small house. Even later became killing Muzan.
How could that count as your wish? Ohagi said beside me. That kind of guy isn't worth keeping in your heart at all!
Mm, true. My current wish... I seemed not to have thought about it for several hundred years. Every day either killing demons or training. No time to think about these things.
Turns out I'd already muddled through such long years. Truly shouldn't have.
I remembered. My wish. I only had one wish.
I wanted to return to the sun's embrace once more.
When I was little, every afternoon when I couldn't eat my fill, I'd lie in the grass. In the warm sunshine, sleep a long afternoon nap.
After falling asleep, wouldn't feel hungry. Could briefly forget all troubles. Obtain a trace of small happiness.
I felt the sun was the fairest thing in the world. Even if I was a villager's daughter, it wouldn't think the city's young master was more important than me.
The radiance it gave me and the young master was equal. Even compared to the sickly young master, it favored me more.
But I was abandoned by it in the night.
Night was truly cold. So cold I slowly forgot the taste of afternoon naps in sunlight. Also couldn't remember the feeling of being illuminated by sunshine.
Ohagi scolded me. "Then hurry up and get up! What are you deflating for! This old lady is about to go attain Buddhahood. Next time, no time to come see you again! Straighten your chest. Properly walk the remaining road!"
Yemonse licked its lips. Savoring the taste of flesh rolling between teeth.
It had eaten countless people. Whether men, women, or children—all had different tastes.
But in day after day of feeding, taste buds had long numbed... yet today's devouring of this peculiar fellow demon made it recall the word "delicious" once more.
"Truly strange..." Yemonse thought darkly. It had also fed on its own kind when hungry... but no matter who, bodies all had a similar rotten stench. Tasted no different from carrion.
Why was this strange female demon different? Her flesh was delicious. Even made it recall that lord's blood bestowed upon it. Changed its life.
Such delicious delicacy—if she were directly burned to death by the sun, wouldn't it be a waste? Yemonse thought. Better capture her, lock her up. Wouldn't that mean delicious meat to eat daily?
After indulging in this fantasy, those few cowering humans not far behind... not only didn't retreat, but aggressively pressed toward it.
"Demon! Quickly release that young lady!"
Yemonse turned back. Saw a woman wearing suikan robes... not only dressed like a man, but also gripped a long blade. Her posture truly laughable.
It grinned, laughing. Temporarily set down this mass of flesh before it—only a torso left, even organs hollowed out.
"This lord showed mercy, letting you live a bit longer. Granted one or two people to escape. Yet you don't cherish the opportunity at all."
Takehime gripped the blade handle in her hand. Fearlessly watched the monster before her.
Even just a little while was fine. The children should be able to escape to safety.
Samurai had already ambushed behind the door. Blade edges all coated with wisteria juice as that Miss Chihaya said. Even if they couldn't kill this demon immediately, enough to block its steps.
"Come! You monster!" Takehime shouted loudly. Blade tip aimed at its face.
The demon cast a mocking glance. Even contemptuously, slowly extended its arm—
Blood sprayed on Takehime's blade. Also splattered on her face.
The severed arm dropped to the ground with a thud. Whether the demon or her—both suddenly froze.
Yemonse reacted extremely fast. Immediately turned to pounce toward that female demon.
Its body clumsily fell to the ground. Neck convulsing, spouting gush after gush of blood. The head's vision suddenly lowered.
In that human woman's astonished gaze, Yemonse felt its head gripped in a hand.
This bitch—
It clenched its teeth. Silently urged its body to regenerate quickly. But the body had no reaction.
What Takehime saw was more than this severed head. But she still didn't see the blood-covered girl... exactly how she severed the monster's head. How easily she held it in her hand.
That somewhat straightforward yet cheerful girl looked up at her. Eyes had at some point turned pure gold, swallowing all emotion... even that beautiful face crawled with petal-like patterns covering half.
She only said one sentence. That monster suddenly collapsed.
"Don't regenerate. Die."
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