"Ugh!!!"
Before Yoriichi could sink into grief, Tamayo beside him suddenly let out a scream-like wail, immediately kneeling and collapsing to the ground.
"So close... so close!"
Both hands frantically scratching her hair, Tamayo knelt on the ground, her eyes tearing up as she cursed in despair.
"Kibutsuji Muzan! You beast, why won't you just die?!"
Confused by Tamayo's sudden breakdown, Yoriichi stood frozen, not knowing what to do, when he suddenly saw her straighten up in shock, puzzledly patting her own body with both hands.
"Huh? Strange? Why am I not dead yet?"
Tamayo knew Muzan well. If she dared to curse like this normally, Muzan wouldn't kill her on the spot, but would at least give her some punishment to torture her.
But why was she completely fine now?
Not only that, Tamayo even felt that the connection with Muzan that originally existed deep in her soul, which was faintly visible, seemed to have been severed just now...
Muzan lost control over her?
Could it be because of that severe injury just now?!
She... was free?
"It seems the relationship between you and Kibutsuji Muzan is not a simple master-servant relationship."
Looking down at Tamayo kneeling on the ground with her changing expressions, perhaps feeling that she could be trusted, after hesitating, Yoriichi extended his hand to her.
"My name is Tsugikuni Yoriichi. Can we talk?"
"..."
On the other side, in an old mountain temple, Michikatsu was guiding Mitsuba in sword practice.
"The Transparent World is proof of reaching the pinnacle of the martial path. Only those who have explored the path of the sword to the extreme can master it.
So, merely memorizing moves rigidly is not enough, Mitsuba. You must learn to know them, understand them, and ultimately make them all truly your own moves."
Casually placing Ubuyashiki's cloth-wrapped head aside, watching Mitsuba standing in the courtyard swinging her sword repeatedly, Michikatsu said word by word:
"Restrain your own aura, remember every breath, feel the changes in your muscles and bones every time you swing your sword.
While doing all of the above, also try to observe these same changes in your opponent's body, understand them, guess them, even **predict** them..."
Listening to Michikatsu's guidance in her ear, Mitsuba's figure changed under the moonlight, the movements in her hands following her will.
A strange feeling gradually emerged in her heart. In this repetition again and again, she slowly closed her eyes.
The Nichirin Blade in her hand gradually felt weightless, her footsteps became increasingly swift, and the subtle sounds around her also became clearer.
Perception of time gradually lost in this process. Like a candle lighting up darkness, in this darkness with closed eyes, Mitsuba gradually felt that she could see again.
Like suddenly growing a mind's eye, everything around her gradually became clear in her mind.
The moon overhead, the dilapidated temple, the moss-covered floor tiles, the vine-covered walls, and Michikatsu standing quietly nearby, and Ubuyashiki's wrapped head...
Everything was so clear.
Mitsuba even felt her "gaze" penetrate Michikatsu's clothes and skin, clearly seeing his internal organs and muscles hidden beneath.
She saw Michikatsu's lungs expanding, saw the blood rushing through his vessels, saw his heartbeat and tensed muscles.
This feeling was very familiar...
Mitsuba remembered this feeling.
It was more than ten years ago, on the morning when Elder Brother Yoriichi defeated the sword instructor.
After both her brothers left, she quietly picked up a bamboo sword, trying to imitate Elder Brother Yoriichi's sword moves.
It was then that she had very briefly entered a "transparent world," and in this world, briefly obtained the ability to know everything.
So that's how it was...
Understanding in her heart, Mitsuba with closed eyes, the corner of her mouth slightly rose in an arc.
So, that was the Transparent World back then?
So, since that distant morning, she had already briefly touched this realm?
The Transparent World gradually stabilized, and Mitsuba also stopped her hand movements.
She still kept her eyes closed, turning to look at Michikatsu standing nearby, her face showing a bright smile.
"Elder Brother, the strength of your body is truly astonishing."
Hearing his younger sister's teasing, how could Michikatsu not know that this meant Mitsuba had successfully opened the Transparent World.
So quickly...
Michikatsu was shocked in his heart, his expression slightly stunned.
Although before, when he learned that Mitsuba could firmly remember all the sword moves Yoriichi displayed after just watching once, Michikatsu already had some expectations about his genius sister's talent.
But he never expected that Mitsuba would only need a few hours to completely master the key to entering the Transparent World and successfully open it smoothly.
This was terrifying talent.
If it were said that there truly existed someone in this world who could touch Yoriichi's realm in sword achievement, then Michikatsu believed this most likely candidate would certainly be his sister.
Envious? Jealous?
Michikatsu asked his own heart.
Of course envious, and of course jealous.
Such terrifying talent—any person in this world with aspirations for the martial path couldn't help but envy, and no swordsman wouldn't desire to possess such talent.
And he, naturally, was no exception.
However, what was the price to pay for obtaining all this?
Mitsuba was the only one among the three siblings who inherited their mother's fatal illness, showing symptoms in her teens.
If Mitsuba hadn't met Lord Muzan, if she hadn't successfully transformed into a demon, then her brief life would certainly have ended soon after.
Mitsuba, while possessing that proud talent, also obtained a fragile body with a lifespan as short as a shooting star.
This was the price Mitsuba paid.
If not for luckily meeting Lord Muzan, she should have been a talent admired by heaven but with a short life, dying before she could display her talent.
If it were said that unparalleled talent must be accompanied by this brief life, then all this should rightfully belong to his sister.
Although Michikatsu would feel envious of this, even jealous, he would never resent or become hostile toward his own sister because of it.
Michikatsu's attitude toward Mitsuba was completely different from his attitude toward Yoriichi.
Toward Yoriichi, Michikatsu never felt he owed anything.
The Child of God obtained everything without price; he was born heaven's beloved, blessed with abundant divine favor.
But toward this sister, he indeed owed much.
From childhood to adulthood, always so...
"Since you've mastered it, we should also go to pay respects to Lord Muzan."
"Yes~ Elder Brother~"
Restraining his emotions, Michikatsu spoke to Mitsuba before him.
Not paying attention to Mitsuba's cheerful response, he turned to retrieve Ubuyashiki's head.
Bzzt!
But at this moment, a strong, inexplicable fear, as if surging from the depths of the soul, like a wave instantly swept through Mitsuba and Michikatsu's entire bodies, causing both siblings to freeze in place!
Unable to move their bodies, their vision gradually blurring, the siblings vaguely saw that they seemed to suddenly be in an unknown outskirts, before them a fiery red figure carrying blinding flames rushing toward them.
In the next instant, all visions disappeared, and the siblings returned to this dilapidated temple.
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