DS Chapter 73: One Butterfly Defeats Two Hashira! Shinobu Pierces Sanemi's Kidney!
Kanao nodded silently.
She knew...
Her master was truly angry.
Without another word, Kanao picked up Ren and hurried into the Butterfly Mansion.
A moment later...
Shinobu drew in a deep breath.
The oxygen consumption of her Insect Breathing instantly reached its peak.
"Sanemi!"
She called out, suppressing the anger in her voice.
But Sanemi was completely absorbed in his battle with Kyojuro.
He didn't hear her at all.
Shinobu said nothing else.
She silently raised her slender Nichirin Blade.
Its cold gleam sent a chill through the air.
"Insect Breathing, Dance of the Centipede: Hundred-Legged Zigzag!"
Her toes lightly tapped the ground.
In an instant—
A hundred rapid footsteps echoed throughout the training grounds.
A figure even faster than the Wind Hashira and Flame Hashira shot into the battlefield.
As the Insect Hashira, Shinobu possessed one of the fastest movement speeds among all the Hashira.
Within the blink of an eye...
She had already entered Sanemi's striking range.
Only then did Sanemi notice her.
"Shinobu, you're—"
Before he could finish speaking...
Shinobu's Nichirin Blade pierced directly into his side.
Sanemi froze.
"...?"
The wound wasn't deep.
Barely half an inch.
But the wisteria poison immediately began taking effect.
Numbness rapidly spread throughout his body.
The once-mighty Wind Hashira instantly lost control of his limbs.
His body stiffened.
Then he dropped from midair and crashed face-first into the ground.
Kyojuro instinctively stepped back.
Meeting Shinobu's furious gaze...
He couldn't help swallowing.
He had never seen Shinobu this angry.
Even someone as fearless as Kyojuro felt a chill run down his spine.
He couldn't understand it.
The Shinobu he knew was always gentle and smiling.
Yet now...
She looked terrifying.
Kyojuro stood perfectly still.
Not daring to move.
Fortunately...
He wasn't her target.
Shinobu merely glanced at him before shifting her attention elsewhere.
Lying on the ground, Sanemi struggled to prop himself up.
His expression was still filled with confusion.
"Shinobu... what are you—"
Pfft!
Her blade lightly grazed the back of his hand.
Another wave of paralysis spread through his body.
This time...
Sanemi collapsed completely.
He couldn't even lift his head.
Biting her lip, Shinobu suppressed the anger threatening to burst forth.
"Sanemi."
"Who gave you permission to fight inside the Butterfly Mansion?"
Sanemi remained silent.
Shinobu slowly raised her blade.
"If anything happens to Ren..."
"I will personally ask the Master to strip you of your position as Wind Hashira."
Kyojuro hurriedly tried to mediate.
"Hahaha! Shinobu, Sanemi was simply acting on impulse—"
"Please don't interfere, Kyojuro."
Her icy voice interrupted him.
"This is between Sanemi and me."
"Do you know that the shockwaves from your battle injured Ren?"
"I absolutely will not let Sanemi off."
"What?!"
Kyojuro's eyes widened.
He pointed toward Sanemi.
"This idiot actually injured Ren?"
"That's unforgivable!"
"Should I hit him a couple more times?"
Sanemi remained speechless.
At that moment...
He genuinely felt that the entire world was against him.
Wait a minute...
Something isn't right.
He had only been using a wooden sword.
Could the aftershock alone really injure Ren?
The more he thought about it...
The stranger it seemed.
Although he disliked Ren...
He had to admit the young man was capable.
Things shouldn't have ended like this.
Could that brat be setting me up?
Sanemi slowly turned his head.
Looking toward where Ren had been sitting...
He found the place empty.
His expression immediately stiffened.
No way...
Did I really knock him unconscious?
Doesn't that mean I technically won?
But after seeing the murderous look in Shinobu's eyes...
Sanemi wisely lowered his head again.
Better to stay quiet.
At least that way...
He might leave with the rest of his body intact.
Shinobu spoke once more.
"If anything happens to Ren..."
"Prepare to spend the next two months in bed."
As she spoke...
Her eyes gradually turned red.
"Ren never would have been hurt..."
"It's all because of you."
"I told you not to fight inside the Butterfly Mansion."
"So why did you ignore me?"
"You even damaged the Butterfly Mansion..."
"This is the home my sister left behind."
"Sanemi..."
"I hate you."
Her voice trembled.
Her nose reddened.
Tiny tears glistened along her eyelashes.
The two things she treasured most...
Ren...
And the Butterfly Mansion her sister had entrusted to her...
Had both been harmed because of Sanemi.
All the anger she had suppressed over the past several days erupted at once.
But only for a moment.
Shinobu quickly regained control.
She gently wiped away her tears with the butterfly-patterned haori her sister had left her.
Then...
She once again became the Insect Hashira.
Because Shinobu was allowed to cry.
But the Insect Hashira could not.
Her sister was gone.
She was now the master of the Butterfly Mansion.
And Kanae had once told her...
People who only cry can never accomplish anything.
Meanwhile...
Sanemi's face was practically buried in the floor.
He knew he had crossed the line this time.
He had broken the rules first.
So he didn't dare argue.
He simply endured Shinobu's anger in silence.
Though...
His kidney really hurt.
Grimacing in pain, he silently accepted every word of her scolding.
At that moment, Kyojuro spoke calmly.
"Shinobu."
"Since Ren is injured..."
"You should go check on him first."
"Don't worry."
"I'm here."
"Sanemi isn't going anywhere."
After hearing Kyojuro's suggestion...
Shinobu finally calmed down.
Taking a deep breath, she slowly sheathed her Nichirin Blade.
Forcing a smile, she said,
"Thank you, Big Brother Kyojuro."
"I'll go check on Ren first."
With that...
She hurried toward the room Kanao had entered earlier.
Watching her leave, Kyojuro folded his arms.
"Sanemi..."
"This time, you really owe Shinobu a sincere apology."
---
Inside Ren's Private Ward, Butterfly Mansion
After Kanao carried Ren inside...
Aoi hurried over.
The two immediately worked together.
One examined Ren's injuries.
The other assisted.
Creak—
The ward door slowly opened.
Shinobu stepped inside.
The first thing she saw was Aoi's grave expression.
"Lady Shinobu..."
"I... I don't understand Ren's condition."
The moment those words left Aoi's mouth...
Kanao's face immediately turned pale.
She asked anxiously,
"Will Ren-san be alright?"
"I don't know..."
Aoi shook her head, confusion evident in her eyes.
"I've already performed a basic examination."
"Physically..."
"Ren's body isn't much different from an ordinary person's."
"By all accounts..."
"He should have awakened by now."