Early next morning, Tatsuki was already gone.
Leone and Chelsea were so exhausted they couldn't even twitch. The two locked eyes.
Leone managed to roll over and mutter, "Could you change back? Staring at me with Mine's face is embarrassing."
"Okay, okay."
Chelsea cancelled her Gaea Foundation disguise and returned to her own appearance.
"You really play rough. If Mine ever finds out, she'll kill you, you know?"
Chelsea shot her a side-eye. "And if I don't tell and you don't tell, how's Mine ever going to know? Besides—you're the one who plays rough. Does this spot still hurt?"
She smacked the soft flesh.
"—Hiss! Keep it gentle!" Leone sucked in a sharp breath.
"Tsk-tsk-tsk, weren't you the one bragging before?"
Leone blushed. "Tatsuki's just… too good."
Her eyes lit up. "Next time let's rope Sheele in with us, okay?"
Sheele was so kind-hearted—easy to trick… to invite to help them, right?
"If Mine finds out she'll blast us with Romantic Harpoon," Chelsea shrank back.
Leone wriggled her brows. "Didn't you just say If you don't tell and I don't tell…?"
…
No one was aware of their little conspiracy.
Tatsuki had taken the day off. He was at Shinobu's place.
The room door stood open, facing a wisteria grove.
A gentle breeze rustled the hanging clusters; the sea of purple flowers rippled like waves, their fragrance soothing.
At the small, simple tea table, Tatsuki plopped down, one arm around Shinobu, the other around Kanae.
Beautiful blossoms, beautiful women, fine tea—life's small blessing. With her fair, slender hands Shinobu lifted a cup to serve him.
He tasted a sip. "The tea is excellent."
Kanae at once dabbed his lips with a cloth.
Shinobu set the cup down, smile bright. "As long as Tatsuki likes it."
She reached to pour again, but he stopped her with a grin. "This time I'd like to try some imported tea."
"Imported tea?" She had never heard of such a variety.
"Let me," Kanae chuckled.
She picked up the cup, tilted back her snowy throat, and drank.
Then she leaned close and pressed her lips to Tatsuki's—sharing the warmth.
Gulp! Shinobu suddenly understood: so that's imported tea! Literal mouth-to-mouth import.
"Tatsuki!" An excited voice rang out.
Kanae drew back just as a pink whirlwind burst through the wisteria, vaulted over the threshold, and dove into Tatsuki's arms.
Fortunately his physique was sturdy; he caught her easily.
"Mitsuri missed you so much!" Mitsuri Kanroji lay across his chest, inhaling his scent.
"I've missed you too, Mitsuri," he answered gently.
She lifted her head for a kiss; naturally he didn't dodge. "Mm!"
Lost in passion, Mitsuri ignored Shinobu and Kanae beside her. She showed no sign of stopping.
Shinobu and Kanae exchanged a glance, then rose and quietly slid the double doors shut.
…
Kanao Tsuyuri walked past the wisteria grove to the Butterfly Estate's main house.
She stopped before the door; clear sounds carried to her ears and set ripples in her violet eyes.
Slowly she sat on the step.
A purple butterfly fluttered by; she extended a finger and it perched upon the tip.
She sat there in silence, listening to the joyous noises within.
…
Tatsuki tested Mitsuri's training results.
She did not disappoint—muscle density eight times that of an ordinary person, a prodigy for martial arts.
Through sheer willpower she had driven both Six Powers and Haki to approximately Lv 3. Remember, Haruno and the others reached that tier only after becoming Redemption Angels or Sin Apostles; Mitsuri relied purely on perseverance.
Today Tatsuki also converted both Shinobu and Mitsuri into angels. The entire Butterfly Estate was now Shinobu's domain, and Mitsuri had moved in. With no neighbors around they could train freely, unlike in a big city where practice space was scarce.
While exchanging pointers, Tatsuki verified Mitsuri's progress. After the… exchange, he cuddled with them and chatted about recent events.
From Shinobu he learned the Demon Slayer Corps' current status: First, this estate was now Shinobu's outright. Living here were Mitsuri, Kanao, Aoi Kanzaki, and the three little girls. The Corps itself was gradually disbanding; under Kagaya Ubuyashiki's guidance, members were returning to civilian life.
"Has Ubuyashiki's health improved?" Tatsuki asked while toying with Shinobu's breasts.
Shinobu obligingly opened her arms, smiling sweetly. "Since Muzan's death, Lord Kagaya's body has been recovering bit by bit—the illness is steadily easing."
"Really? …So it truly was a curse." Interesting, but not worth his worry.
Just as they were about to continue talking, Tatsuki heard a ping in the group chat.
Opening the window, he saw Exusiai mentioning him.
Exusiai: "Tatsuki, Tatsuki, I think I've got a real problem here."
Tatsuki: "What's wrong?"
Exusiai: "A Catastrophe—Chernobog's locked mid-event. The whole city stopped moving, and Rhodes Island people and we Penguins are stuck inside."
Exusiai: "I feel like I could block the storm, but after what you said before I'm not sure if I should."
Tatsuki: "I'll handle it."
Exusiai: "Okay—please hurry."
Tatsuki: "Mm."
March 7th: "Remember to livestream!"
Tatsuki patted Mitsuri's silken head.
"Mmm?" (Something wrong?)
"I've got to step out for a bit."
"Waa—okay!"
She obediently released him and helped wipe him clean.
Tatsuki stayed shirtless; a flash of golden light— he now wore a blue tracksuit. With wishcraft, dressing was trivial.
[You have requested world-jump permission from Exusiai!]
[Permission granted.]
[Portal opened.]
Kanae asked, "Tatsuki, do you need me?"
"All good," he replied easily. "Rest up—I'll be back soon, and we'll pick up where we left off."
A wormhole yawned; without another word he stepped through.
…
Not long after—
"Kanao… the door…" Kanae heard movement and tapped Shinobu's shoulder.
Shinobu covered herself and went out.
…
Chernobog.
A mobile city of the Ursus Empire on Terra—now frozen, stranded amid a skeletal wasteland. Flames and rubble littered every street; the entire city had fallen to Reunion. Destruction, arson, slaughter, plunder—Chernobog's new face.
Corpses lay strewn, blood spattered walls; cries and wails echoed through a city that wept. Above the battered metropolis hung clouds so heavy they crushed the spirit.
Spiral tiers of tornado-like storm fronts coiled across the vault; Originium dust swirled around the black vortex. Blinding golden lightning cracked within.
Something worse than war and murder was gathering—a Catastrophe capable of shattering a mobile city.
Dobermann stared at the sky. "Amiya—the storm is coming."
"Doctor, what should we do?" Liskarm, silver ponytail, shield in hand, frowned at Amiya and the bundled Doctor.
Dobermann snapped, "The Doctor's lost her memory!"
Within the hood, the Doctor's voice was low but steady. "I'm sorry."
Surprised, Liskarm looked to the rabbit-eared girl—the leader of Rhodes Island.
Amiya gazed in pity over the city—pain, rage, despair flooded her mind. She wanted to help everyone, yet they themselves were barely safe: Reunion's pursuit, the looming Catastrophe, each like a death warrant at their foreheads.
"You decided yet? Our contract's fulfilled. We Penguins aren't risking more—we're finding shelter from the storm and then we're out." The speaker, a Lupus with wolf ears and tail, was Texas.
Behind her walked Exusiai and the Vouivre baker Croissant.
"I agree—Chernobog's lost. We need to prioritize our own safety," Dobermann said.
Amiya was no fool; a leader's choice defined lives. She straightened: "Understood. We'll evacuate and decide the rest once the Catastrophe passes."
"Rhodes Island—where do you think you're going?"
"Look out!" Croissant dashed in front of Exusiai, slamming her shield to the ground—clang! The impact numbed her arms. A nearly invisible crossbow bolt had struck.
On a pile of debris stood the voice's owner, wielding a bizarre black staff. Gray-white hair whipped in the gale. He looked young, yet every Rhodes and Penguin member tensed.
Ace, Liskarm, and Croissant—all shield bearers—instinctively formed a wall; for beside that white-haired youth were not just one but many figures: roughly human silhouettes, bodies warped and twisted, shuffling stiffly forward—monsters.
"Rhodes Island, Rhodes Island… Ah, so that is the man who stepped from the sarcophagus?"
The youth's eyes narrowed, speech tinged with obsession and lunacy.
"Can I have him? I really want to talk with someone so… carefree. Maybe I envy his freedom—no worries, nothing matters… Ah, such an enviable life."
Through the shambling horde his gaze fixed on the hooded Doctor.
"They're after the Doctor—protect her!" Ace's deep voice planted safety in everyone's chest.
"Doctor? Sasha, what does that mean?" the boy asked the air.
"Eno, I do not know."
The answer came from space itself—a figure fading into view: hair green, face pale, armed with a bow-gun. Croissant scowled. "That's the one who shot us!"
"Just who are you people?" Texas's twin light-sabers snapped to life.
"What are we? …Let my flock explain," the youth—Eno—smiled, nearly deranged.
His staff glowed green; the humanoid monsters howled and charged.
Dobermann cracked her whip. "Everyone, hold the line!"
"They… they're human!" Amiya's voice shook, disbelief filling her eyes.
"Their agony won't fade—you turned them into beasts! You're defiling life!"
"Life? What is life? A flock is only tools—how could they be life? My life, perhaps—God says I am innocent."
His logic was shattered, yet he made his point: the horde were just tools.
"God says you're innocent—I say you're guilty."
Two large hands settled lightly on Eno's and Sasha's shoulders.
...
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