Summer holiday started and yet there were a lot of assignments for me to hand in at the start of Term 3. I have to admit that IB is literally burning myself mentally that I begin to get exhausted now. I did say I can only update every 1 or 2 months so I can't make any promise. Small spoiler for those who haven't watched K: Return of Kings but we finally move on to the main storyline of this anime with addition of K: Dream of Green.
#7 Kalon
Mishakuji Yukari. An eccentric man who has an obsession for "beauty". Flamboyant and free-spirited. That was her second impression of this man.
Unlike Gojou Sukuna who joined Jungle to enjoy Nagare-san's game, Mishakuji Yukari came to this place because he said that he wishes to witness the brightness of "hidden flowers" within people when they bloom.
"Does that mean you want all the people in this world to be equal to each other in term of power? You're bored of this peaceful world where people have to rely on another individual, aren't you?"
Once, she asked him a question. People consider the most beautiful thing is something which is reflected to their eyes. Then for this man, the most beautiful thing for him is the radiance people show when they exceed their own limit in a battle where he can cross swords with them equally.
"Doesn't that just make you a wild beast who is searching for a competitor to shed blood with?"
A second question without waiting for his answer. After going through many interpretation, she could conclude that there is something wrong with this man inside.
"Shinatsu-chan, you really do think of me as a beast like Nagare-chan had said? Then, what about you?"
In the world, people are fated to encounter things that might be seen as impossible or unpredicted. The girl knew. This was what she wanted to learn from here. A man who is a human and yet, not 'human' at the same time.
I see, my heart was agitating with this "twisted" excitement again. Did this transvestite see through my heart too?
"My answer, I do. However, I'll also not deny that there is something wrong with me inside. No, shouldn't it be there is something wrong with usinside, Yukari-san?
Ever since that moment, she decided to step over her boundary further and further. An action which was opposite to basic human rights.
Ah, it was obvious that I couldn't win Yukari-san anyway but, my aim was to allow him to keep driving me to the corner until I could break my own limiter.
A "mock" battle. Something which was in the category "normal" of Jungle. It was for the purpose of awakening the power she received from the King. She decided to continue to walk deeper in the forbidden deep jungle.
He would definitely be charged under the crime of committing violence against children. Though, in this place, such thing wasn't matter anyway.
That was how she got kicked into the wall by his leg from the back. Her body stopped flying in the mid-air when it bumped in a pillar. The pressure on her spinal nerve roots caused pain on the lower back when she landed on the ground.
I heard myself groan when my eyes opened and looked up to the sword master in front of me. It seemed my stamina almost dropped to zero. My mind was hopelessly as blank as an empty bottle. There was no water to fill the content right now.
She began to see some black spots kept appearing continuously on her sight. Every object which was taken through her eyes split into two. Yet, the fingers linked to her organs were burning even though she didn't make contact with fire. She might couldn't take a deep breath if she received another strike from him again.
It wasn't enough. I needed him to "crush" me even more. To the point where my flow of concentration would finally reach to a single point.
"You can surrender now if you want, Shinatsu-chan. I may kill you for real in this one. Are you sure you want to continue?"
"Shouldn't that be okay for you?"
She heard herself chuckle as she stood up while maintain balance. She might have turned into a masochistic but she wanted him to attack her even more. In adventure stories she read, the hero is driven to corner by antagonist. Unconsiously, their mind and body will concentrate at one point which awaken the inner power within them.
"For you, this form of 'training' is similar to a sword battle anyway. For me, to be able to see the wild beast performing a sword dance is really entertaining and mystic. Can you please continue, Yu-ka-ri-san?"
Within one second, the wild beast jumped elegantly and pointed his sharp blade to her face. Once again, multiple green lightings extended from her hand to the length of a string and wrapped the sharp blade 1 meter away from her.
Nagare-san had said. Now that I had received this 'Change' power in permanent form. Change means altering its shape to an existence that one wishes one. It reflects who you are. Those were the words he told me when he handed me this "new" weapon on my hand.
Gojou Sukuna's scythe represents his wish to slice through everything that try to hinder him. The symbol of rebellion against those who want to control him.
Mishakuji Yukari's sword represents his wish to always being on his most beautiful form at any time. The symbol of perfect beauty, both in appearance and sword skills.
While relying on my man-power to restrict him from pointing his sword further to my face, I realized that my 'strings' didn't have enough power to catch up to him. I couldn't chase after him further than that. Then-
Her whole life was solely to acquire unconventional knowledge that she couldn't understand just by reading books. If she wanted to achieve something, she just simply continued to chase after it until she could hold it in the grasp of her hands. That was who she is.
Advancing towards my own goal without being restricted by anyone, even if it was equal to cross over my boundary.
"I see, so the answer was already beside me the whole time."
Unknown to her, she didn't realize the moment her thought was drifting to another one, the distraction left an opening for the sharp blade to close the distance between her face further.
Then, everything seemed to have turned to slow motion from her perspective.
The metal rod which was held firmly in the fist of my hand. Many little lightings kept flowing out from my fingers and magnetically attracted to the rod. The beautiful wild beast in front of me. And, a snake.
When the wild beast tried to take the prey which was supposed to collapse by his claws, instead of a squirrel, his visual perception was covered with green color.
Was it because of fatigue? Or my stamina had finally reached its limit? Or this sudden release of energy had exhausted myself? On my hand was an illuminating green colored whip materialized from the rod with several green sparks. In front of me was Yukari-san's hand restrained by the whip. The blade of his sword was one centimeter away from my eyes.
Instead of a squirrel, the wild beast saw that little animal transformed into a snake which trapped his body into its tail.
Then, the last thing I felt was tiredness. The last thing I heard was a 'thud' sound. The last thing I saw was a black curtain blocked my eyesight.
"I'll also join this mission. It's more interesting to see your battle against Yatogami Kuroh up close than from television."
"In the end I'm the only audience of this 'game'. What a shame, I wish Sukuna can also tag along with two of us too." Her aqua marine eyes looked up to the wide blue yonder whose color was paler than the color of her eyes. She talked in a tone as if she was pouting yet, the Cheshire cat's grin on her face betrayed it.
"Sukuna-chan is whimsical kid. His mood changes out of blue so just let him be." Yukari, who was walking beside her with Kotosaki landing on his shoulder, replied.
Needlessly to say, their youngest child was sulking because this man refused to give Sukuna permission to join his battle against Yatogami Kuroh. Needlessly to say, the boy then just left them along happily after Nagare called him for another 'extra' mission.
"Are you sure don't want to join him, Shinatsu-chan? There are little Yatagarasu from Homra and glasses-boy from Scepter 4 so you can take one too."
"It's okay. If I actually did, Sukuna may sulking again because I take one of his preys." She raised both of her arms half-way with her head turned slightly lower to the right side. "Didn't I already say. I just want to observe your battle with Yatogami Kuroh up close because it's more interesting. Moreover-"
Her eyes turned from right to left and to Yukari. That smile that she occasionally put came back.
"-it's a rare scenery to see a wild beast to their heart on killing a prey for real."
Obviously, Yukari could interpret the metaphor she was using to him. After two years of living together as fellow J-Rankers, he also came to understand that placid yet twisted personality of hers was one of the reasons why she decided to follow Nagare.
It seems like unlike Sukuna-chan, you and me may be more similar to each other, Shinatsu-chan.
"I don't mind as long as you don't get in my way. We also have another mission to bring Ameno Miyabi-chan to our King. You can constrain her so that she won't get into my battle with Kuroh-chan."
Ameno Miyabi. The strain girl who claimed herself as Neko and another person who their King actually paid attention to other than the Silver King.
"Now that you mention, Nagare-san did say that we must bring her back unharmed." Five seconds of silence, Shinatsu nodded. "Okay. You guys are the main characters of this stage so we side-characters aren't allowed to interfere afterall."
Their walk continued to the bridge of Ashinaka Academy's where they were going to meet the targets of this mission. While walking, Shinatsu was playing with her weapon as the familiar green lightings were rising and dancing to a single point. As if they were heading towards a single goal.
These lightings were the answer she had found before she collapsed. Her whip represents her wish to search for the knowledge she desires to know. The symbol of tenacity to pursue for what she wants to seize.
The story is moving on to Episode 3 of K: Return of Kings. After finished reading, I think readers can guess that this chapter was focusing on relationship between Shinatsu. The theme of this chapter is symbolism. For those who read K: Dream of Green, I think you all know that Nagare compared Yukari to a beast which craves for 'beauty', which was another way to express Yukari's karma. In this chapter, based on the two seasons and movie, I think the weapon does symbolize that character's personality and use it as a symbolic image here. Recently, I'm learning literature for my English class so metaphor also became another idea for this one.
Others:
Squirrel and snake: I found that GoRA did make an animal form for each K character so shouldn't Shinatsu also get one? A squirrel. Squirrel is my choice but mentally, Shinatsu's craftiness is similar to a snake despite her 'innocent' appearance.
Kalon: Again, this title is another use of symbolism for Yukari. Kalonn means ideal perfect beauty in physical and moral sense according philosophers of Greece. This refers to Yukari's obsession for beautiful things and his tendency of always polishing himself to be beautiful in both appearance and swordsmanship. Ironically, his moral sense doesn't exactly fit the category of ideal perfect beauty.
That's all for my long A.N and explanation!
