Morning light grew stronger.
Kaede Village awoke from its slumber. Cooking smoke rose in thin wisps. Farmers began their work in the fields. Children's laughter echoed through the village paths.
It was a rare scene of peace in this chaotic age.
Inside the shrine, Shinji sat cross-legged on the veranda.
Before him lay the purple thunder horn, the dark purple venomous dragon's reverse scale, the black cat demon's paw, and the red comb from his robe.
All the spoils from the previous night's fierce battle.
[Thunder Beast Horn: Affection 4]
[Venomous Dragon Reverse Scale: Affection 2]
[Cat Demon Paw: Affection 1]
[Yura: Affection 3]
Shinji looked at the numbers on his panel, his mind churning.
The affection was rising too slowly.
Though these items were all demonic artifacts unlike ordinary objects, they contained their own demonic aura and could be used without resisting his control, they were still far from being truly integrated into himself, becoming part of his own transformations.
He estimated it would take reaching 30 affection to unlock the first talent, 50 for the second, and 100 for complete fusion.
At this rate, he'd probably have to "date" each of these things for a month.
He arranged the four items neatly before him, like a teacher assigning seats to students.
The thunder horn on the far left, occasionally emitting a small arc of electricity, jumping restlessly.
The reverse scale in the middle, quiet and still, occasionally seeping a wisp of purple mist. It looked docile, but Shinji knew its nature was insidious.
The cat demon's paw on the far right, motionless as a stone.
As for Yura...
Hum.
Humhumhum.
Yura was vibrating with considerable intensity, as if protesting that she hadn't been placed among the displayed items.
You've switched to vibration mode now?
Shinji pressed the restless comb in his robe. "Don't fuss."
"You didn't put me out with them!" Yura's voice came from inside his collar.
"Your spot is in the innermost position."
"What's that supposed to mean!? Innermost means most important, right?"
"It means I don't have to worry about you."
"…"
Yura was silent for two seconds, then vibrated even harder.
Shinji finally pulled her out of his robe and placed her in front of the other four items in a spot by herself, facing him.
Like a homeroom teacher moving the most troublesome student to the seat directly below the podium.
The vibration stopped.
The skull's expression was hard to read, but the slight upward curve of its lower jaw clearly carried smugness.
This is what you call playing hard to get.
I'm pretty good at this.
Shinji thought to himself, watching, his expression thoughtful.
"What are you thinking about?" A cool voice came from behind.
Shinji turned.
Kikyō was carrying a wooden tray with two bowls of steaming porridge and several small dishes of pickled vegetables.
She had changed into a fresh shrine maiden's outfit, white robes and red hakama as always. Her long black hair was tied at the nape with a white cord, a few loose strands falling by her ears.
Morning light fell on her profile, outlining her delicate, clear features.
Her pale cherry lips were slightly pursed. Her dark eyes held an indescribable softness.
Shinji looked at her and suddenly felt this scene was unreal.
Last night, he had been fighting a life-and-death battle with the great demon Kidōmaru.
This morning, he was having breakfast with his lover.
The contrast was too stark.
"Thinking about you," he said, completely matter-of-factly.
Kikyō's movement paused.
A flicker of emotion passed through her dark eyes, then she regained her composure.
"Greasy." She set the tray down and sat beside him maybe referring to the tray, maybe to the demon beside her, or maybe both.
They sat shoulder to shoulder, facing the village beyond the shrine.
In the distance, villagers were already busy in the fields. Occasionally, the lowing of oxen and crowing of chickens could be heard.
Little Kaede was chasing a butterfly at the village entrance. She fell, got up, and kept chasing.
It was very peaceful.
Very ordinary.
As if the earth-shattering battle last night had never happened.
"Eat," Kikyō said, pushing a bowl of porridge toward him.
Shinji didn't bother saying he didn't need to eat. He just took the bowl and took a sip.
It was hot, but through the senses extended from his demonic aura, it tasted pretty good.
"You made this?"
"The villagers brought it." Kikyō picked up her own bowl and drank in small sips.
"They said they wanted to thank you for saving the village."
Shinji didn't respond.
He just looked at the porridge, thinking of all the killings he had witnessed along his journey, all the villages that had been slaughtered.
Not long ago, faced with the norm of war, he could only watch.
Now, he was able to protect a place?
Though it was thanks to Kikyō, really.
He nodded.
Their eyes met in the morning light.
Under the dawn, her cool face was inches away.
He could see the curve of her eyelashes, smell that faint fragrance like wildflowers in the mountains.
"Kikyō."
"Yes?"
"You're very close."
Kikyō blinked.
She looked down.
Their distance was indeed a bit excessive.
Her shoulder was almost touching his arm. Their knees brushed through the fabric.
"…"
Kikyō didn't move away.
She just looked up at his crimson eyes.
"So what?"
Shinji smiled.
"Nothing," he said. "Just thinking, this is good. Human or demon, better to be honest. No need to pretend."
Kikyō agreed wholeheartedly.
Silence spread again.
But the silence wasn't awkward.
It let them sit quietly, better feeling each other's presence.
Then
Kikyō moved.
She turned slightly, tilting her head up.
Those dark eyes met his directly. Her cherry-colored lips parted slightly.
Shinji blinked. He hadn't expected Kikyō to take the initiative.
But the next second, he reacted and lowered his head.
Their lips touched lightly.
Very light, very shallow, like a dragonfly skimming the water.
But in that instant, Shinji felt something very good.
When they parted, Kikyō's cheeks were faintly flushed.
It was the first time Shinji had seen her like this.
The usually cool and composed shrine maiden, now like an ordinary girl… or rather, she was always supposed to be an ordinary girl, supposed to enjoy the things of her age.
"…Don't look." Kikyō lowered her head, her long black hair falling to hide her expression.
"Look at what?"
"At me."
"You're my lover. Who else should I look at?"
Kikyō's body stilled.
Then, the corners of her mouth lifted.
[Shikon Jewel · Pure Spirit: Affection +1]
[Current Affection: 68 (Intimacy)]
[It says: "Keep going."]
Shinji looked at the prompt on his panel and couldn't help but complain inwardly.
Even if this was thanks to you... what business does a jewel have butting in?
Don't you know anything about taking things step by step!?
Shinji did a 'mental backflip' internally.
Kikyō had no idea what he was thinking. She just quietly stacked the two empty bowls and placed them on the wooden tray.
Her movements were unhurried. Her breathing steady.
But the blush on her cheeks lingered.
Still, this kind of ordinary life was indeed nice.
Very nice.
So nice that he almost forgot he still had a pile of important matters to attend to.
The danger was still far from over.
After finishing breakfast, Shinji began reviewing his assets again.
Six Changes.
Body, eyes, hand, waist, bone, blood.
Among them, Bone Soul Changes, having fused Hiraikotsu's ability, allowed him to freely control the hardness, shape, and growth direction of his bones.
This was currently his strongest offensive method.
Blood Change remained his strongest perception ability.
But this alone was not enough.
The battle with Kidōmaru had proven that.
Even with the land's recognition, even with Kikyō's cooperation, he had only barely driven the demon away, and that had been a close call.
If Kidōmaru had been willing to pay the price even at the cost of his own destruction, with Kikyō's protection, Shinji still might not have escaped unscathed.
And behind Kidōmaru were other Kyoto demons.
And beyond them… Hagoromo Gitsune.
A true great demon.
In Shinji's inference, an existence that had completed at least thirteen transformations.
Besides that, there was Muzan Kibutsuji lurking in the shadows, the progenitor of demons, with his immortal body. Though not as powerful as these great demons, he was still a considerable nuisance.
There were too many enemies in this world.
And his current strength was far from sufficient.
He needed to pick up the pace.
The thunder horn, the reverse scale, the cat demon's paw, he needed to max out affection for all three as quickly as possible.
If he could fuse their powers into his Six Transformations, his strength would rise another level.
Quantitative change leading to qualitative change.
That was still the path he had charted for himself.
Turn six bags into six mountains. Use pure quantity to shake the threshold of qualitative change.
"What are you thinking about?" Kikyō's voice came again.
Shinji snapped back to the present and found her looking at him.
"How to get stronger," he admitted. "Kidōmaru won't let this go."
"Next time, it might not be just Kidōmaru alone."
Kikyō nodded.
Her expression grew serious as well.
"I know," she said.
"So..." She stood, her longbow already in her hand.
Those dark eyes reignited with that determined light.
"I won't slack off either."
"You get stronger, and I'll get stronger too."
"So we can fight side by side. So we can stay together."
Though she was already powerful, in her use of spiritual power, Kikyō could undoubtedly become even more profound.
At the very least, the next time she faced an existence like Kidōmaru, she needed to be able to effectively subdue them.
Shinji looked at her.
Watching the white-and-red shrine maiden under the morning light, holding her longbow, her black hair flowing.
Suddenly, a thought came to him, and he asked:
"Stay together... does that include tonight?"
Even if it was just holding each other.
Kikyō blinked, then gave him a look of exasperation. But, somehow, she didn't refuse.