"Bang!"
With Genya's gunshot, Kochou Shinobu immediately drew her nichirin blade and attacked, not wanting Mei Jing to focus her attacks on Genya.
Insect Breathing, Dance of the Bee Sting, True Thrust!
The spike-like nichirin blade thrust forward with an unstoppable momentum. Mei Jing, who had just dodged Genya's bullet by sidestepping, was completely unprepared!
However, the kimono-clad woman showed no panic.
Her fingertips twirled the string of bells, and amidst the ringing, Shinobu's vision blurred, and the tip of her nichirin blade even began to tremble.
The nichirin blade, originally aimed at the demon's throat, was pulled off target by the trembling blade tip, narrowly missing the woman's side.
Sensing something was wrong, Kochou Shinobu immediately bit her tongue. Stimulated by the pain, she cleared her head, shook her nichirin blade, and thrust again.
At the same time, Genya behind her fired his gun furiously, bullets spraying from the barrel. His bullets and Shinobu's blade tip formed a pincer attack, giving Mei Jing no escape!
The girls nervously took up positions, intending to slay this Lower Moon demon here!
"Ding-a-ling..."
The bells in Mei Jing's hand continued to emit a soul-shaking crisp sound. She elegantly turned amidst the pincer attack, her feet clad in thick-soled geta.
Her seemingly snow-white sleeves brushed lightly against Kochou Shinobu's face, bringing with it a foul stench.
No matter how glamorous her appearance, it couldn't change the fact that she was a man-eating demon!
The bullets hit the surrounding trees, and Kochou Shinobu's attack only grazed her sleeves.
Mei Jing bowed, as elegant as her appearance.
Damn it... she's even more slippery than an eel!
The bells in her hand had a peculiar effect of unsettling the mind. Coupled with her ability to perceive others' thoughts, she could predict their next move before they even acted, giving Mei Jing a greater advantage in combat!
"Clever," Mei Jing nodded gently at her. "You are much more perceptive and intelligent than a considerable number of demons."
"Don't compare me to filthy demons!" Kochou Shinobu snapped.
After repeated provocations, Mei Jing's smile also faltered.
"I originally intended to ask some questions, but it seems I'll have to wait until I've devoured you all... and then personally search your empty brains."
Kochou Shinobu quickly exchanged glances with Genya and her sister's successors.
Don't overthink it!
Even attacks must be... unexpected!
Insect Breathing, Dance of the Dragonfly, Compound Eye Hexagon!
The spike-like nichirin blade was rapidly swung by Kochou Shinobu, sharply transforming into six consecutive strikes, aimed directly at Mei Jing's head.
"It's sudden, but I saw your heart. Your every move is like pebbles under a stream to me, completely unobstructed." Mei Jing easily defused her technique. As she spoke, she twisted her body, and the demon claws hidden in her sleeves suddenly extended, grabbing the sword-wielding hand of one of the successors. "Hmm? Your speed is quite fast."
She exerted downward force with her demon claw, and with a bone-grinding sound, the girl's nichirin blade clattered to the ground, and pain swept across her pale face.
"Yuri!" Kochou Shinobu's expression changed drastically. The thought of attacking didn't even pass through her mind as she lunged, thrusting at Mei Jing's eye.
Did... did I get her?
The spike pierced her eyeball with a squelching sound, like a crystal soft ball being punctured.
Kochou Shinobu snapped back to reality. Before she could release the poison within her nichirin blade, Mei Jing flicked her nichirin blade away with her fingers.
Mei Jing clutched her eye, looking at Kochou Shinobu in a daze, black-red blood flowing from between her fingers, leaving specks of black-red blood on her beautiful kimono.
Yuri's hand was completely twisted and deformed. Enduring the intense pain, she hooked her toe, caught the fallen nichirin blade with her left hand, and quickly retreated behind the other girls.
"Your thoughts entered a momentary standstill... making me unable to perceive them."
Mei Jing murmured, "Curious, truly curious."
"But your heart is clearly in turmoil now... Ah~ don't you even know why that was? Was it just a coincidence?"
The woman lowered her hand from her eye, the injury in her pupil already healed.
Is she really one of the Twelve Kizuki? Even as a Lower Moon demon, her regeneration is so fast... What about Upper Moon Two, Douma, whom my sister and Haruto encountered? Wouldn't fighting him be like having one foot already in hell?
"Not only that, the Upper Moons' regeneration abilities are astonishing, and their Blood Demon Arts are also extremely powerful... especially Upper Moon Two, Douma-dono, in your head. The variety of his Blood Demon Arts is countless, even if you counted for a day and a night."
Mei Jing lowered her gaze and chuckled softly, "But for a swordsman to escape from Douma-dono's hands? Should I say they're lucky, or lucky?"
Damn it... whatever I think, she'll know. Even if I plan an attack, she can easily dodge it... Kochou Shinobu gritted her teeth, noticing that Genya had already reinserted his blunderbuss into his belt, preparing to pull out the pill made from Tamayo's flesh and blood to swallow!
Damn it! Kochou Shinobu! Are you going to let your much younger brother protect you? Calm down!
If my sister and Haruto were here, what would they do?!
"Haruto... who is that? Is he the famous Star Pillar?" Mei Jing murmured. "The adults have already analyzed his strengths and weaknesses. Next time, no matter who encounters him, there will only be two outcomes.
Either he kneels at That Person's feet, becoming a groveler like us.
Or he sinks into eternal darkness, becoming food for That Person, wriggling in their intestines."
What?
Genya and Shinobu's hearts skipped a beat.
Teacher / Haruto, has he already been targeted by the Twelve Kizuki?
"Haruto, so his name is Haruto. What's his surname?" Mei Jing glanced at the two, but couldn't glean a single word from their minds.
Kochou Shinobu: Gauze, alcohol, traditional Chinese medicine, Western medicine... Genya: Ohagi, red bean ohagi, sakura mochi, Mizu Shingen Mochi... What is all this...? As long as they filled their minds with meaningless words... this demon would no longer be able to read their next moves.
Mei Jing chuckled, deciding to focus on one person.
"You always think of your sister, which doesn't surprise me. But who is this 'Haruto' that accompanies her? He appears so frequently in your spiritual world, he must be very important to you?"
A strange glimmer appeared in Mei Jing's brown eyes, drawing Kochou Shinobu's gaze uncontrollably into hers.
"He's your teacher... Hmm, no, he's that impolite boy's teacher..."
Mei Jing pondered, then shook her head, a knowing, ambiguous smile appearing at the corner of her mouth.
Young and innocent, a maiden's longing.
If, besides family and mentors, someone can leave such a deep impression on your heart, comparable to your closest sister, there is probably only one explanation.
He is your..."
Buzz—
It was as if a buzzing insect sound rang in her ears.
A sharp nichirin blade appeared before Mei Jing's eyes, followed by the sight of a girl's face, cheeks puffed out, eyes spitting fire.
Kochou Shinobu felt her entire body's blood boil. She had no thoughts in her head, only wanting to shut up this chattering demon in front of her!
In her rage, she no longer used any of her usual thrusting techniques. Instead, as she leaped before Mei Jing, she held her blade horizontally, adopting the demon-slaying method she was least proficient at.
A slash!
The sharp blade smoothly cut through flesh and blood.
Shut your mouth, and then—
Go!
Die!