Chapter 96: One Step from Materialization
In the end, Hikaru and Kikyo stopped at the final threshold. Though they had shared nearly every other form of intimacy, they did not take that last, ultimate step.
It wasn't that he didn't want to, nor was it that he was incapable. He was a man, and the desire was a living fire within him. But it wasn't right. The time was not yet ripe.
Hikaru was still in the stage of the Six Transformations, his body not yet having undergone true Materialization. While he had gradually regained a semblance of 'vitality,' most of his bodily functions were still driven by Yao Qi and sustained by his Blood Transformation. In essence, he was still a dead man walking, his core hollow. His most vital organs lacked the spark of true life; he could not leave a part of himself behind.
He felt, with an unshakeable conviction, that to truly take that final step, he must do so as a complete and living man. Not with this borrowed, deceased flesh.
He also sensed that the day he could was not far off.
As long as he could complete the accumulation of power—the quantitative change needed to trigger Materialization—and find the right opportunity, he could even bypass the Seventh Transformation and leap directly to the eighth, or perhaps even the ninth. Once he completed all Twelve Transformations, he would be reborn. He would, thoroughly and completely, come back to life.
For Kikyo, the same reverence was necessary. She was a priestess, a traditional young woman shaped by the culture of the Sengoku Period. She was still so young, and she would respect his choice, whatever it might be.
Later, the morning sun pierced through the thin clouds, its golden light spilling across the wild grass. Dewdrops clung to the tips of the blades, trembling on the verge of falling.
Hikaru's eyes opened.
His body felt light, yet it thrummed with an unmatched, explosive power. He raised his hand, palm facing the sky. A thin, violet arc of lightning danced across his fingertips without the slightest delay, moving as if it were an extension of his own will. The feeling was magnificent.
He lowered his head and glanced to his side.
Kikyo was leaning against the trunk of a tree, her longbow resting across her knees. Her eyes were gently closed, her breathing steady and deep. She had fallen asleep. For a priestess who maintained constant vigilance, this was an almost impossible occurrence in the wilderness. But he was by her side, and the near-frenzied fusion of her spiritual power and his Yao Qi the night before had left her utterly exhausted.
Still, the barrier she had erected in advance remained, shimmering faintly at the edge of his perception.
Hikaru's gaze softened as he watched her. Her white kosode was slightly disheveled from their earlier intimacy, the collar parted just enough to reveal the expanse of skin below her collarbone. In the morning light, it looked as delicate as snow, glowing with a soft luster. The red hakama wrapped around her slender legs, which were stretched out casually, the smooth, undulating curves tracing a stunning silhouette all the way to her waist.
He carefully shrugged off his own tattered haori and gently draped it over her. His movements were feather-light.
But Kikyo still woke.
Her long lashes trembled, and those pitch-black eyes slowly opened. The initial daze of waking vanished in an instant, replaced by her usual cool vigilance. The moment she saw Hikaru, however, that guardedness melted into a deep softness.
"You're awake?" Her voice was a low, husky whisper, still touched by sleep.
Hikaru sat down beside her and, with a natural ease, reached out to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
Kikyo's bright, beautiful eyes looked directly into his. "How do you... feel?" she asked suddenly.
"Strong," Hikaru replied, looking down at his own palm. Beneath the pale skin, a network of faint purple vessels was now visible. "Better than I expected. The power of the thunder beast isn't just a surface-level addition; it has truly become a part of my body."
In the past, he used Yao Qi to drive his body. Now, blessed by the thunder, his very flesh was a manifestation of that demonic energy. His speed, strength, and reaction time had all been elevated by more than a single level.
But it wasn't enough.
The quantitative change had indeed triggered a massive shift, but it hadn't yet shattered the qualitative barrier. Materialization was a leap in the very nature of one's life force. It was akin to the thunder beast's complete elementalization, or the fundamental, law-bending transformation of a demon like Kidomaru.
Hikaru was currently poised on an extremely delicate threshold.
He had treated his Six Transformations like pockets and had stuffed every single one to the brim. The [Sharp Body Transformation], in particular, had expanded to its absolute limit after merging with the lightning, evolving into the [Thunder Muscle].
But even so...
"Still missing something," Hikaru whispered to himself. "Just one step away from the threshold."
Kikyo keenly sensed the shift in his mood. She sat up straighter, then her hand found his. She gripped his palm, their fingers interlocking once more.
"There's no need to rush." She leaned closer, resting her body against his shoulder. Her warm breath brushed against his ear as she spoke. "You're already progressing incredibly fast. Sometimes, being too fast isn't a good thing."
Hikaru turned his head, the tip of his nose brushing against her soft hair. "I know." He tightened his grip on her small, slender hand. "But I can feel it. The opportunity is right in front of me."
"I just need one more straw," he murmured. "A straw that can break the camel's back... or rather, a straw that can cause the entire bucket to shatter and reassemble."
His gaze fell upon the items in his pocket.
The Poison Jiao Scale, favorability 25.
The Nekomata Claws, favorability 18.
Because he had focused his efforts on the horn of the thunder beast, the progress on these two items had been minimal.
'Since the [Sharp Body Transformation] has already accommodated the lightning and become [Thunder Muscle], then the remaining transformations should be next on the agenda,'he thought.'Push all the quantities to their absolute extremes. When that happens, Materialization will occur naturally, like a flood breaking through a dam.''The favorability of the Poison Jiao Scale still needs to be ground out. That thing is too insidious; I can't just consume it directly like the thunder horn.' Hikaru calculated his next moves.'The Nekomata Claws, however... they can be put on the agenda.'
As he was thinking, a sudden vibration emanated from his chest. It was the red comb tucked into his collar.
[Yura of the Hair: Favorability +2]
[Current Favorability: 25 (A bit concerned)]
[She is protesting. She felt the power feedback after the thunder horn was consumed. She also wants to become stronger and doesn't want to be treated by you as a mere vibrating massager.]
Hikaru's expression remained unchanged. 'The resentment on this comb is quite heavy. And what does it mean, massager?'
Still, Yura of the Hair's ability was to manipulate hair, which was essentially a combination of threads and wind. If he could completely master her power... Hikaru's gaze drifted to the cascade of jet-black hair that flowed down Kikyo's back.
"What are you looking at?" Kikyo seemed to sense his gaze and tilted her head up slightly. Her eyes, which usually carried a cool aloofness, now seemed to hold spring water, shimmering with a gentle light.
"I'm looking at your hair," Hikaru answered truthfully. "It's very beautiful."
Kikyo didn't say anything, but her grip on his hand tightened just a fraction more.
After a while, it was time.
"Let's go back," Kikyo said, standing and tidying her clothes before shouldering her longbow. Although her tone was as calm as ever, the tips of her ears had turned a faint shade of red, betraying her true feelings.
When the two returned to Kaede Village, it was already noon.
Under the torii gate at the village entrance, little Kaede was kicking stones, her face a mask of boredom. The moment she saw the two figures walking side by side, her eyes lit up. She started to rush forward, but her footsteps suddenly faltered.
She saw it.
Her sister was walking in front, her pace steady and her expression as calm as usual. But the Oni-God big brother following just behind her had his gaze constantly fixed on her sister.
also...
Her sister's hand was reaching back, just slightly. While they weren't holding hands, the distance between them, the atmosphere... it was too close. So close that not even the wind could slip between them.
Kaede sniffed the air.
"So sweet," she whispered to herself.
In the past, her sister's presence only carried the cool, clean scent of sandalwood and medicinal herbs. But now... it felt like there was an extra, cloying sweetness mixed in.
"Kaede." Kikyo walked over and patted her younger sister's head. "What are you daydreaming about?"
"N-Nothing!" Kaede stuck out her tongue, her gaze darting between the two of them before finally landing on Hikaru.
"Big Brother, you seem to have changed."
"Oh?" Hikaru asked, his expression calm, though he was inwardly puzzled. 'Did I get stronger?'Could it be that this little girl actually possessed some great, hidden talent? The'original work'never showed anything of the sort. Of course, while Hikaru relied on his knowledge of the original story, he didn't trust it completely. This was a'mixed world,' after all. Many things were bound to be different from what he was familiar with.
To his surprise, Kaede shook her head.
The little girl pointed at his hair. "It feels... a bit frizzy. Like you were struck by lightning."
Hikaru was speechless.
A soft chuckle escaped Kikyo's lips. That momentary smile was like the first thaw of spring, making Hikaru's heart skip a beat.
"Let's go," he said, turning toward the village. "Let's go home."
At this moment, he knew. Becoming stronger was for survival.
And survival was to protect this simple, everyday peace.
The threshold of a new existence was right before his eyes.
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