Ten minutes later, Lan Mingang returned to the stadium with Kochou Shinobu, landing on the ground.
Kochou Shinobu's heart was pounding uncontrollably at this moment; the feeling of flying just now was too exhilarating, too stimulating.
That bad guy, Lan Mingang, even flew so fast.
"So, Shinobu, are you willing to be saved by me now?" Lan Mingang asked again.
Still in an excited state, Kochou Shinobu nodded blankly.
He now fully believed that Lan Mingang had the strength to save him.
Lan Mingang bent down, cupped Kochou Shinobu's cheeks with both hands, and kissed Kochou Shinobu's delicate lips.
"Mmm~"
Kochou Shinobu's body went numb; she wanted to resist, but her body wouldn't obey her, instead leaning into Lan Mingang.
Kochou Shinobu wrapped her arms around Lan Mingang's neck, and the two passionately kissed in the center of the stadium.
After a long while, Lan Mingang released Kochou Shinobu, whose cheeks were flushed red, like a ripe little apple.
Her earlobes were also terribly red.
She felt incredibly hot, and her mind was blank.
Looking at Kochou Shinobu, who was numb and dazed from the kiss, Lan Mingang reached out and gently wiped away the saliva remaining on Kochou Shinobu's lips.
He said gently, "Shinobu, promise me you absolutely must not ingest wisteria poison into your body."
"I will make you incredibly powerful."
"A weak body unable to use a nichirin blade to cut off a demon's neck?"
"That won't exist. As long as I'm here, within a year, you will have the strength to kill the demon that killed Kanae with a single sword strike!"
"Avenge Kanae."
Hearing Lan Mingang's promise, Kochou Shinobu snapped back to reality, stepped forward, and hugged Lan Mingang, saying,
"Thank you, Lan Mingang. If it weren't for you, I really... really... don't know what I would do..."
As she spoke, Kochou Shinobu began to cry, choked with sobs.
After her parents were killed by demons, Kochou Shinobu still had her older sister, Kanae Kocho, to rely on.
But ever since her sister Kanae died, Kochou Shinobu truly had no one to confide in, and could only silently bear everything and move forward alone.
Anger, grievance, confusion, sadness, loneliness, solitude—various emotions came one after another over several years, all buried deep within Kochou Shinobu, not daring to show them.
She began to learn her sister's smile, showing a smile to others.
But that was only to make herself appear mature and composed, to hide her fragile heart.
She worked hard to become stronger, becoming a Hashira.
She also took in several talented Tsuguko, but these Tsuguko all died one by one at the hands of demons.
It was as if hardship constantly targeted Kochou Shinobu, leaving her with no one to rely on, no one to confide in.
Misfortune also constantly targeted those around her, leaving Kochou Shinobu perpetually alone.
Kochou Shinobu knew, she knew that the demon who killed her sister was an Upper Moon.
She wanted revenge!
But she found that she was so weak that even if a demon stood in front of her, letting her cut with her sword, she couldn't cut off its neck.
Facing such a frail body, even the intelligent Kochou Shinobu was helpless and could only find another way.
The method of using poison, sacrificing herself, trading her life for another!
However, today, a handsome young man of similar age to her demonstrated with his actions that even you, Kochou Shinobu, despite your frail body, I can still make you strong enough to slay an Upper Moon!
His firm and confident tone declared to Kochou Shinobu that Lan Mingang possessed absolute confidence and absolute certainty.
How could Kochou Shinobu not be happy, not be emotional, not be excited about this?
Her choked sobs conveyed Kochou Shinobu's past grievances.
The falling tears carried away the loneliness in Kochou Shinobu's heart.
Anger still existed; it would not disappear, only making Kochou Shinobu stronger.
Perhaps... only when demons completely vanish from the world will anger disappear...
Embracing the petite Kochou Shinobu, Lan Mingang waved his hand, signaling Mitsuri to come and comfort her too.
Mitsuri was unaware of Kochou Shinobu's past, but embracing both of them together was surely not wrong.
Lan Mingang stroked Kochou Shinobu's hair and said gently:
"From now on, you are no longer alone. You have me, you have Mitsuri Kanroji, you have Kanao Tsuyuri, and you have everyone at the Butterfly Estate."
After an unknown amount of time, Kochou Shinobu stopped crying.
She just quietly held Lan Mingang like that.
It was already noon. Kanzaki Aoi walked out of the kitchen, having prepared lunch.
She went to the stadium to look for the three of them.
As soon as she entered the stadium, she saw the three embracing.
"Ah?"
Kanzaki Aoi rubbed her eyes and looked again.
She hadn't seen wrong. Kochou Shinobu was hugging Ming Ang Ge, Ming Ang Ge was hugging Kochou Shinobu, and Mitsuri was hugging Ming Ang Ge and Kochou Shinobu.
Hiss~
The relationship was a bit complicated.
Seeing the peaceful and harmonious scene of the three, Kanzaki Aoi decided to withdraw first.
I won't disturb you, I'm leaving, okay?
Kanzaki Aoi began to turn around.
Thump!
"Hiss--" The sharp pain from her forehead made Kanzaki Aoi involuntarily let out a sound.
Kanzaki Aoi quickly reached up to rub her forehead, while her tear-filled eyes looked forward. What exactly did she bump into?
As a result, Kanzaki Aoi actually saw Kanao Tsuyuri.
Why was she here?
After Kanzaki Aoi entered the stadium, Kanao, seeing that lunch was still delayed, decided to practice her sword first.
Then she saw Lan Mingang and the other two, and was also a little stunned for a moment.
She completely didn't understand what was going on with the three of them.
And just as Kanzaki Aoi turned around, Kanao was also in a daze, and their heads collided.
Although Kanao couldn't express her emotions, she still felt pain when injured.
Kanao pitifully rubbed her forehead and looked at Kanzaki Aoi.
The sound of Kanzaki Aoi's pain startled Kochou Shinobu, who was enjoying the embrace.
Hearing human voices, Kochou Shinobu quickly turned her head to look and saw Kanzaki Aoi and Kanao Tsuyuri.
As if afraid of her little secret being discovered, Kochou Shinobu quickly let go of Lan Mingang and broke free from Lan Mingang and Mitsuri's embrace.
She instantly returned to her usual state and asked Kanzaki Aoi and Kanao:
"Why are you two here?"
Kanzaki Aoi lowered her head and whispered, "It's lunchtime..."
Kanao pointed at Kanzaki Aoi, indicating that she came to find Kanzaki Aoi.
She couldn't say she came to practice her sword, because Kochou Shinobu didn't allow her to practice her sword or become a Demon Slayer.
Having already lost her sister, Kochou Shinobu didn't want to lose Kanao as well, so she consistently forbade Kanao from practicing her sword and didn't teach Kanao breathing techniques.
But Kanao's talent was too high; even without guidance, she mastered breathing techniques just by recalling her older sister Kanae's past practice. She would secretly practice her sword whenever Kochou Shinobu wasn't around.
...