CHAPTER 112: CHAPTER 112: SOOTHING

The details of the battle, every life-or-death decision.

The quiet room was bathed in moonlight streaming through the empty window frame.

The moonlight was beautiful, but the only problem was the wind—after all, there was no window, just an open frame.

Under the interplay of wind and moonlight, Sosuke silently recounted every twist and turn of his battle.

Kanae listened intently, her brow furrowing at times, then relaxing with a sigh of relief.

After he finished the entire account, she couldn’t help but exhale deeply. "That was too close."

Sosuke agreed.

If that Demon hadn’t been just a hobbyist, he likely would have been finished.

Fighting on with such severe injuries meant Sosuke’s chances of survival were less than ten percent.

"However, your victory wasn’t solely due to her flashy but ultimately impractical swordsmanship," Kanae said. "More importantly, at every critical turning point, you made the right decision."

"The most dangerous moment was her sudden spiral slash. If you hadn’t sent your Hammer-Sword to block it, you would have died instantly. After dodging that strike, she immediately turned to pursue you. If you hadn’t instantly altered your landing trajectory, you would have been killed on the spot. Both reactions were flawless! But the most brilliant move was your split-second counterattack. As soon as you landed, while she was still recovering from her strike, you immediately slashed, splitting her body and seizing the advantage. Even then, victory remained uncertain."

At this point, Kanae’s gaze toward Sosuke revealed undisguised admiration. "But what truly delighted me was your final words to her. It seems you’ve fully internalized everything we discussed during our last battle review. By using words to force her to abandon her strongest attack and instead adopt a vulnerable approach, you fully exploited her weaknesses and delivered the final blow. It was a perfect kill!"

Sosuke, feeling a bit embarrassed by the praise, scratched his head and said, "Don’t keep complimenting me like that. Hurry up and give me some criticism, or I’ll get a big head."

"Alright," Kanae nodded immediately. "You’re still too reckless! After dodging the cross slash, how could you be so sure she had revealed a weakness? Her Blood Demon Art, which can transform bones into blades, is still incredibly dangerous. Even though her guard was wide open, there could have been hidden traps. For example, her ribs. If she could turn her ribs into swords, she might have impaled you mid-air the moment you jumped."

"Ribs," Sosuke nodded thoughtfully.

After the cross slash, the Demon’s guard was wide open because her twin blades were extended and couldn’t be retracted. Seizing this critical moment, Sosuke bisected her body.

But if her ribs could indeed transform into swords, he would have been killed instantly.

Without making excuses, he nodded honestly, acknowledging his mistake.

Kanae couldn’t help but roll her eyes at him. "You never argue with anything I say, do you?"

Sosuke blinked in surprise. "Why would I argue with you? Besides, you’re right."

"You’re impossible..." Kanae couldn’t help but smile. "Can’t you tell I’m deliberately trying to pick a fight with you? In that situation, how could you possibly have had time to think so deeply? Your eyes, elbows, palms, and feet could all transform, but your torso showed no such ability. Even after careful consideration and understanding the hidden risks, it was still worth trying. You just need to be more cautious. Always stay vigilant and prioritize your safety while slaying demons. That’s my only request... Don’t forget our promise: no matter how strong the enemy, we’ll fight and win, and return safely."

"Mm."

Sosuke couldn’t resist taking Kanae’s hand, placing it in his palm to share their warmth.

Kanae sat on the chair beside the bed, gently resting her head on Sosuke’s hand. "I was a little scared today," she murmured.

Under the moonlight, the girl faced away from Sosuke, her voice soft. "Being trapped in that space didn’t worry me too much. But knowing they were after you, and being unable to break free to save you—that was what truly terrified me. Yet I was utterly helpless. Lower One’s Blood Demon Art was so bizarre. If not for the Sound Pillar’s final, devastating attack and threat, which shattered him both internally and externally, allowing me to strike him through the wall, we wouldn’t have been able to kill him so easily."

Sosuke nodded.

This Twelve Kizuki’s Blood Demon Art was indeed peculiar. In fact, even a Pillar could have fallen victim to it if caught off guard.

This suddenly reminded Sosuke of another Demon—the one from the Mugen Train Arc who dragged everyone into dreams and launched insidious attacks through unconventional means.

He had to admit, these kinds of attacks that didn’t rely on direct confrontation felt almost impossible to defend against.

Kanae faced an even greater challenge.

She had to fight Demons while constantly worrying about Sosuke’s safety. If not for her inner strength, she would have lost her composure long ago and fallen into the Demons’ trap.

"But it’s okay," the girl said softly, lifting her head to gaze at Sosuke, who was staring intently back at her. "I believe in you. I know you’ll keep our promise."

With that, she leaned in and gently kissed Sosuke on the cheek.

Sosuke froze, then stared blankly at the ceiling, grinning foolishly.

"So silly," Kanae thought, suppressing a laugh. She carefully moved closer to the bed, maintaining a gap of an inch or two to avoid touching his wounds.

Resting her head on her arm, she watched him. "You need to rest properly when you’re injured."

"What if I can’t sleep?" Sosuke asked.

"Then I’ll lull you to sleep," Kanae replied softly, her voice carrying a soothing quality that seemed to calm his very soul.

Sosuke was completely captivated, unable to resist letting out a contented sigh. "Just having you by my side, speaking softly to me, is enough to intoxicate me. There’s no need for any coaxing."

The girl, who had intended to coax him, suddenly felt like she was the one being coaxed.

Her eyes unconsciously narrowed into beautiful crescent moons as she hummed a gentle tune, gradually filling the room with tranquility.