Night fell, and the backyard of the Butterfly Mansion was much quieter.
A bright moon hung in the night sky, casting a layer of silver gauze over the wisteria flowers in the courtyard.
Yamada sat on the wooden floor of the corridor, looking at the system panel.
Not only did he make a big show today, but he also got 5,000 Dimension Points. He was in a great mood.
Tap... Tap...
The light sound of wooden sandals echoed in the corridor.
Shinobu walked over with an exquisite tray, which contained a sumptuous dinner—tempura, grilled saury, and even a flask of warm sake.
"I cooked this myself. Considering you didn't completely cripple Sanemi and the others today, this is a reward for you."
Shinobu knelt beside Yamada and pushed the tray in front of him.
At this moment, Shinobu was not wearing her wide butterfly-patterned haori, but only a form-fitting deep purple yukata, which outlined her petite yet perfectly proportioned figure. Her freshly washed long hair was draped casually over her shoulders, carrying a very pleasant fragrance.
"You cooked yourself?" Yamada raised an eyebrow in surprise. "That's rare. You didn't put any strange poison in it, did you?"
"Eat it if you want or don't if you don't want to." Shinobu rolled her eyes at him, making a move to take the tray away.
"Hey, how can I refuse food delivered to my door?"
Yamada pressed down on the tray with quick hands and eyes, picked up his chopsticks, and began to eat heartily.
It had to be said that although this sharp-tongued butterfly had a tsundere temper, her cooking skills were top-notch. The tempura was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, cooked to perfection.
Watching Yamada eat like a whirlwind, Shinobu rested her cheek on one hand, her purple eyes appearing exceptionally soft under the moonlight.
"Hey, Yamada."
"Hmm?" Yamada chewed a piece of saury and responded vaguely.
"You... that 'Chidori' you used before, and those red eyes of yours..."
Shinobu hesitated, but couldn't help asking, "What kind of power is that? I have read all the ancient books in the Butterfly Mansion, including records of swordsmen from the Sengoku era hundreds of years ago, and I have never heard of this ability."
Hearing this question, Yamada stopped his chopsticks. He turned his head and looked at Shinobu's curious and probing eyes, the corners of his lips rising slightly.
"That is an energy system called 'Chakra'. As for my eyes..."
Yamada pointed to his deep black pupils. "It's called the Sharingan, a very special Kekkei Genkai of the clan I belong to."
"Clan? Kekkei Genkai?" Shinobu was confused.
"It's too troublesome to explain. You just need to know that this kind of power is born for battle and slaughter."
Yamada picked up his sake cup and took a sip, his tone indifferent. "But don't worry, I have no interest in ruling the world, and I'm not a savior. I kill demons just because they happen to be in my way, and I earn some things I need along the way."
Looking at Yamada's casual and free-spirited, yet extremely arrogant demeanor, Shinobu's heart skipped a beat again.
She took a deep breath, as if having made some kind of decision, and looked at Yamada's profile with extreme seriousness. "You said... you would cut down that Upper Rank demon for me."
Shinobu's voice trembled slightly. The hatred she had suppressed in her heart for many years finally opened a crack to this man in front of her.
"That demon who killed my sister... he has a pair of colorful eyes, his weapon is a pair of golden iron fans, and he can use ice-attribute Blood Demon Art. If you meet him outside in the future..."
"Upper Rank Two, Doma."
Yamada spat out the name extremely calmly, interrupting Shinobu.
Shinobu's pupils shrank, and she looked at Yamada in shock. "You... how do you even know his name?!"
Even Kagaya and the Demon Slayer Corps' intelligence network couldn't find detailed information on that Upper Rank, but Yamada not only knew him, he even knew his name.
This could only mean that Yamada's intelligence network was even more terrifying than the Demon Slayer Corps.
Or rather... he really had investigated that evil demon thoroughly in secret for her sake.
"I said, as long as you don't wear that hypocritical mask in front of me, I will take care of your business to the end."
Yamada put down the sake cup, reached out, and rubbed Shinobu's hair very naturally, his actions carrying an unquestionable dominance.
"Doma's life is mine. You just need to stay in the Butterfly Mansion with peace of mind, continue being your sharp-tongued little butterfly, and prepare this level of dinner for me every day."
Feeling the warm touch on her head and hearing the declaration that could be called a statement of absolute security, Shinobu's eyes suddenly became sore, and an unprecedented feeling of peace instantly swept over her whole body.
For so many years, she had carried the burden of avenging her sister alone, struggling in endless nightmares and despair. And now, this man who suddenly broke into her world not only shattered her disguise with an extremely overbearing posture, but also took all her burdens and carried them lightly.
"You... you're really annoyingly arrogant."
Shinobu lowered her head abruptly, trying to hide the moisture in her eyes, but her flushed earlobes and slightly trembling shoulders completely betrayed her extremely excited emotions at this moment.
[Ding! Detected the host's extremely precise declaration of protection, shattering the psychological defense of the key character Kochō Shinobu!]
[Kochō Shinobu's conquest progress achieved (Absolute Trust)!]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining Dimension Points: 3000!]
Hearing the system prompt in his mind, the smile on Yamada's lips grew deeper.
Just when the ambiguous atmosphere was about to overflow from the corridor.
Behind a wooden pillar not far away, Kanao was silently watching this scene. She was clutching the coin in her hand, but did not flip it.
A flash of extremely complex emotion flickered in her originally empty purple eyes.
She looked at Shinobu, who was no longer faking a smile but showing a young girl's shyness, and then looked at Yamada's upright back, and a strange, indescribable feeling suddenly welled up in her heart