DS Chapter 110: Gyokko, Let's Create a Masterpiece Together!
Gyokko suddenly turned his head and examined the "artworks" displayed on the shelves one by one.
Then he suddenly froze.
Every artwork was filled with a terrifying atmosphere.
Every piece wore a similar expression.
There was no originality whatsoever.
They were all so similar that they seemed capable of expressing only one thing—
Fear.
For many years, Gyokko had devoted himself to portrait sketching, painting, and sculpture, yet he had never truly thought about the concepts behind his work.
Gyokko suspiciously looked at Katsuragi Ren.
"You understand art too?"
Ren knew his opportunity had arrived.
"A little."
Gyokko pointed toward the display shelves.
"Then tell me. What do you think of my works?"
"Monotonous and dull. Other than creating fear, they have almost no distinguishing characteristics."
The words left Ren's mouth without hesitation.
Every sentence was criticism of Gyokko's work.
Not a single word of praise.
Yet Gyokko became hesitant instead.
Because what Ren had said was almost exactly what he had been thinking himself...
Gyokko narrowed his eyes and asked again.
"Then how do you think a person should create a work of art?"
"You can't call this creating art."
Ren wasn't an artist himself, but his extraordinary comprehension made learning about art remarkably easy.
He tried to manipulate his mind and body.
He discovered that his mind was extremely clear, but there was still a considerable amount of poison inside his body.
And he was a little hungry...
Ren had initially been somewhat pleased.
But when he remembered that the reason his mind was so clear was because he had been imprisoned here for so long, that happiness disappeared.
If he got another chance later, he would definitely slash Gyokko a few more times!
Ren blinked.
Then he activated his Bullet Domain.
[You have activated Bullet Domain and begun observing your opponent's pot!]
You observe the patterns on your opponent's pot and discover that they seem to be...
The work of a master craftsman.
You fall into contemplation.
You contemplate.
You reason.
You grow.
You achieve enlightenment!
You have comprehended Master-Level Appraisal!
[You begin meditating. You activate Hyper-Memory Mode.]
You begin recalling scenes from the past.
You begin examining your memories.
You examine some of the beautiful moments of your life.
You achieve enlightenment!
[You have comprehended Master-Level Aesthetic Sense!]
You begin deriving various techniques and perfecting them through practice.
Eventually, you master Master-Level Sketching, Master-Level Sculpture, Master-Level Painting...
You are now a qualified artist!
[You examine your opponent's works once again and discover countless flaws. Even the flower pots are somewhat asymmetrical!]
You fall into contemplation...
[Hyper-Memory Mode deactivated. Bullet Domain ended.]
Katsuragi Ren took a deep breath.
After completing his deductions, it felt as though an extremely long time had passed inside his mind.
In reality, only a few seconds had gone by.
He was beginning to realize just how valuable his abilities were becoming.
However, escaping from here was still his top priority.
So Ren continued.
"This isn't really a question of creating a work of art."
"I think art is merely a recorder of nature."
"So rather than being a creator, I'd rather be a collector."
"A collector?"
Gyokko's eyes lit up.
He became excited as though he had just heard something completely new.
"Go on."
"I won't."
Ren suddenly stopped.
Gyokko became anxious.
"Why won't you continue?"
Ren answered matter-of-factly.
"I'm hungry."
Gyokko:
"..."
"I really can't do anything with you!"
Gyokko thought about it for a while and decided to find something for Ren to eat.
But he searched for a long time and couldn't find anything suitable for a human.
Then he suddenly realized.
This was practically a demon's lair!
How could there possibly be human food here?!
Gyokko stood there for a long time, deep in thought.
Then he returned to Ren's side.
A sudden idea flashed through his mind.
"You know, if I turned you into a demon, wouldn't you stop feeling hungry?"
Katsuragi Ren:
"..."
What the hell?
Turn him into a demon?
After a moment of silence, Ren said:
"That won't work."
"When demons become hungry, they're even more likely than humans to lose control of themselves."
"An artist needs to keep a clear mind at all times."
"You see, why don't you unlock my chains?"
"I'll get something to eat myself, then come back."
Gyokko froze.
He carefully considered the proposal.
This Demon Slayer had already been poisoned by Muzan.
He probably couldn't cause any trouble at all.
If Muzan didn't provide the antidote in time, he would inevitably die.
Besides, Gyokko's earlier suggestion of turning Ren into a demon had only been something he had casually said.
The "human reserves" here were already insufficient, and Gyokko himself wasn't exactly eating well.
Furthermore, if Ren became a demon, Gyokko would have to worry about him eating his "artworks."
Gyokko chuckled.
"Demon Slayer, you're quite clever."
"I can unlock your chains, but you still won't be able to leave."
Ren's expression didn't change in the slightest.
"Fine. Then bring me something to eat."
"However, I'm very picky about food. There are three things I absolutely won't eat."
Gyokko was astonished.
"Humans are this particular about what they eat?"
It had to be said that as a demon with an artistic nature, Gyokko usually didn't have any particular preferences when it came to food.
He often became so immersed in his artistic creations that he forgot to eat altogether.
Yet this prisoner was actually being extremely particular about his food?!
Could it be...
Was this related to becoming an artist?
Without realizing it, Gyokko was now associating every word Ren said with the concept of an artist.
His mind was unconsciously forming automatic connections.
Otherwise, why would Ren suddenly mention three things he refused to eat?
Gyokko was genuinely moved.
Everything this Demon Slayer had said before was something he had never heard of.
As someone who loved art, Gyokko discovered that he simply couldn't refuse Ren's request.
Finally, the Upper Rank Five demon tentatively asked:
"What are the three things you won't eat?"
Ren answered:
"I don't eat beef."
"I don't eat pork."
"I don't eat dog meat."
Gyokko frowned.
"Why?"
"Because they're red meat."
"Their bloody smell is too strong. It affects an artist's thoughts, which in turn affects the works an artist creates."
Ren seriously asked:
"Have you never wondered why all your works revolve around horror?"
Gyokko shook his head.
He truly had never considered the question.
"No. Tell me why."
Ren said:
"Because you're accustomed to killing."
"And as a demon, you're fundamentally incapable of controlling your own thoughts."
"Think about it."
"If you use killing as your creative subject for a long time, your works will naturally become monotonous and dull."
"That's why I said your thinking is closed."
Ren turned his head and looked at the display shelves with pity.
"I see sadness in your works."
His voice was filled with regret.
"Don't you want to create something truly great?"
"A truly great work..."
Gyokko murmured.
"Yes!"
Ren became excited.
"Exactly!"
"Something magnificent!"
"Something that, just like nature itself, captures people's attention at first glance."
"Create a masterpiece that can stand alongside nature itself!"
"A masterpiece..."
Gyokko fell into deep thought.
Suddenly, his eyes lit up.
His body began to tremble with excitement.
"So everything I've done before..."
"Was wrong!"