FULL STORY SUMMARY
Rated M for mature/Rated E for explicit. Reader discretion advised.
To free the Earth from Kibutsuji Muzan and Mujōna's tyranny and demon reign, a new organization prepares and trains for battle.
AUTHOR'S NOTES
読んでくれてありがとう
CHAPTER VOCABULARY
* kunoichi: a female ninja or practitioner of ninjutsu.
* sekkō: upper-class lower demons that recruit humans for servitude.
* tsuba: hand guard of a Japanese sword.
* okiya: lodging house for maikos and geishas to live in to fulfill their contract.
MEDIA DICTIONARY
* Thoughts
* "Dialogue."
* 'Telepathic dialogue.'
* "'Hearing someone's thoughts.'"
* "Past conversation."
* {Sound}
* [Movement]
DOUMA
For the past six months, Douma and Kanae frequently spent time together. He would take her around the Earth and use his charisma and charm to be the best lover he could.
Douma found himself obsessed with her each and every move and unbeknownst to Kanae, he would hide in the shadows and observe her nearly all the time.
The couple hadn't done anything sexual and he wasn't particularly interested in doing such, but he did feel the desire to own her.
FLASHBACK:
Douma playfully covered Kanae's eyes and guided her along a path.
"Douma, where are we?" she giggled.
He uncovered her eyes and said, "Take a look."
Kanae opened her eyes to see that she was inside of a luxurious temple with over two hundred people surrounding them.
The humans kneeled before them and cried, "Welcome, Kanae-hime!" They cheered as they rang bells and waved fans and lanterns.
"Douma, what is this?" she gasped.
"This is that church of mine I told you about!" he exclaimed, beaming. "The Eternal Paradise Temple! Do you like it?"
Before she could respond, Douma picked her up and placed her on a throne. Then a group of members placed a gold crown upon her head.
"Kanae-hime!" they chanted. "Kanae-hime!"
The continuous ringing and chanting of the members made her head throb. Kanae wasn't particularly fond of being large crowds, let alone being worshipped. The woman had assumed that Douma was taking her to another romantic, secluded location like before.
Douma sat in an adjacent throne and stared at her, smiling eerily. Then he saw a strange, unreadable expression upon her face. "Kanae, are you not pleased?" he asked.
"It's not that I'm not pleased, but—"
"Lord Douma-sama!" a young child cried, holding a bowl of blood. "I have some nourishment for you! I filled it all by myself!" The child had bloody bandages and deep gashes on his arms.
"Wonderful, my boy!" Douma took the bowl and deeply inhaled its enticing scent. Then he gave it to Kanae and said, "You must drink, Kanae."
"I'm… I'm not hungry," she whispered, frowning.
Kanae isn't happy! I can't have my woman be without joy and laughter.
It seems that I must make a drastic measure!
"Kanae, come with me," he abruptly said. Before she could respond, Douma picked her up and carried her another part of the temple.
As he gently placed her down, Douma said, "I wasn't going to show you this, but it seems that I have no other option. Before I let you see it, you must promise not to tell anyone."
Kanae raised a questionable eyebrow and said, "…Sure. Okay, Douma. I promise."
Oh, she's going to love this!
Douma clapped his hands and a group of members opened the veils, revealing a highly detailed sculpture that was carved with impeccable skill. The sculpture depicted a beautiful naked woman sitting on her knees as she cradled two infants.
To anyone with eyes, the sculpture was clearly of Mujōna Kibutsuji and her children.
Douma expectantly watched Kanae for her reaction, eagerness shining in his polychromatic eyes.
Kanae let out a soft gasp and said, "…Douma, this is— Wow."
"I know, right? It was finished not too long ago, but His Lordship and Lady Mujōna left," he sighed, frowning. "You're the only other person I told about this, Kanae."
Kanae turned to him and said, "I'm so glad that you trust me like this, Douma. I'll keep my promise and not tell anyone."
Beaming, Douma picked her up again and kissed her forehead. "Alright, Kanae. That may be the best thing I have to show you, but you should see the bathhouse as well!"
TENGEN
Instead of training and practicing his kekkijutsu, Tengen indulged and gorged on the many luxuries of The Dimensional Infinity Fortress for the past six months. The women, high quality Marechi blood, and luxurious bathhouses were among his favorite things.
Tengen's good looks and charm practically attracted all of the female servants like flies to honey. The constant flirting and adoration was very nice, but when three women caught his eye, none of that mattered any longer.
Tengen lounged by a creek with three female servants, who cuddled and leaned against him. The three lower demons were converted less than a year ago and used to be talented kunoichis when they were human. Their shinobi roots and beauty intrigued Tengen even further.
When Hinatsuru was viciously attacked by a group of drunken men, a Sekkō came to her aid and converted her. Soon, Hinatsuru proved her worth and devotion and was allowed to reside in The Dimensional Infinity Fortress.
In order to become powerful and gain respect, Makio willingly became a demon and moved up the ranks by committing vicious crimes.
Suma became a servant of The Dimensional Infinity Fortress solely because one of the Sekkōs had taken a liking to her and thought she was attractive enough to reside in the demon realm. The woman was easily frightened, and her reactions were quite entertaining.
Tengen constantly heaved annoyed, sorrowful sighs and frowned. The man still hadn't gotten over his rank in The Twelve Kitaiyō.
Lower Sun Six.
I can't believe that I, Tengen Uzui, have the lowest rank when I'm easily stronger than most of the others!
What the hell are we even ranked by anyway?
"Is something the matter, Tengen-sama?" Suma asked.
"No, Suma," he lied. "I'm alright."
"I think he's still mad about his rank," Hinatsuru giggled.
"No, I'm not, Hina! I've made peace with it. If a high rank's not for me, then I'm not going to fight it."
Makio pulled away from his touch and said, "What? So, you're just going to give up?"
"…There's nothing I can do about it, so yeah."
"That's not true, Tengen-sama!" Suma cried. "There's a lot you can do about it!"
Tengen planted kisses upon her forehead and ran his fingers through her hair. "Like what, Suma? Like what?"
"Well, Queen Mujōna just adores the color white," she gushed. "Maybe if you wear your hair out, She'll like you again!"
"Suma, are you telling me that if I wear my hair out, Mujōna won't hate me anymore and give me a higher rank?"
"...Yeah, maybe."
Tengen stared at her with a blank, unreadable expression for a while, then broke into a wide grin. "Okay, sounds good! I look flamboyantly handsome with my hair long anyway."
"And you need to start training!" Makio shouted. "You've been nothing but lazy, Tengen!"
"Oh, come on, Makio," he chuckled. "Everyone's been taking a break."
"Yes, but everyone else doesn't have the lowest rank, now do they?"
Pouting, Tengen rolled his eyes and nodded because he knew that she was right. "…Fine. I'll start taking my training seriously, but on one condition."
The three female servants stared at him questionably.
"…All of you must support me and cheer me on at all times."
"Tengen-sama, that goes without saying!" Suma giggled, blushing.
Hinatsuru playfully kissed his cheek and snatched off his bandana. "Of course, we'll support you, silly!"
Makio snuggled against his chest even deeper now that she was at ease. "We want nothing more than for you to succeed, Tengen," she whispered.
As Tengen relaxed in the loving embrace of the three women, he thought to himself.
I've already wasted too much time doing nothing. I need to stop avoiding my problems and face them head on!
I'll prove my worth if it's the last thing I do!
AYUMI
Ayumi and Sutoraiku walked through a snowy forest with bleak grey skies above them. A man who looked to be a large sumo wrestler and another man with white hair accompanied them.
The four slayers continued their journey until the sumo wrestler came to an abrupt halt.
"Pokinagi," Ayumi said. "Where to?"
Pokinagi walked straight ahead, and the others followed him until he stopped again. They all stood still for an eternity, a murky fog clouding below their feet.
✧POKINAGI ABILITY - Sōru no Piaringu/Soul Peering: the ability to see and distinguish souls/auras from vast distances.
The Spirit Pairon immediately saw an evil, demonic aura cloaking itself and pointed in its direction. The demon was a demon of middle rank and primarily relied on sneaking up on its victims.
Ayumi withdrew her sword, which had a sun, flower, leaf, and snowflake design on its tsuba.
"First Form: Fading Solstice!" She released multiple consecutive slashes at the invisible demon, which made it lose its invisibility.
A large, grotesque demon with inhumanely wide eyes stood before them, growling.
Just as Ayumi raised her blade to attack, the white-haired man pierced through the demon's chest and pinned him against a tree.
Shocked, the demon gaped at the blade lodged within his chest and growled gutturally.
The white-haired man leaned in and ominously said, "Tell us everything you know about the Pureblood."
"The what?" the demon croaked through clenched fangs.
The white-haired man gave the blade a twist, which made the demon let out a pained mixture between a growl and a yelp.
A wide, psychotic grin spread across the man's face as he twisted the blade even more.
Ryū…
The demon's yellow eyes widened beyond belief as he snarled, "I don't know… what you're talking about."
Enraged, Ryū drew even closer and roared, "Tell us everything about the Pureblood demon child of Kibutsuji Mujōna and Kibutsuji Muzan!"
Upon hearing that, the grotesque demon smirked and let out a gravelly, distorted laugh. "…Oh, you want to know about that. Good luck finding out anything... because you're gonna need it."
"Tell us what you know, and we'll let you live," Ayumi said.
The demon ignored her words and held Ryū's daunting, malicious stare. "What you humans don't understand is... defeat. When Our Queen gave That Man the Sun, it sealed your fate. Demons will rule forever, and there's nothing you can—"
Before the demon could finish, Ryū's blade pierced right through his heart.
The demon erupted in flames and as he faded away like scorched paper, a wide, devious grin spread across his face.
Seething, Ryū angrily put his sword back in its sheath and walked away.
"Ryū, don't leave," Ayumi said.
The Ice Pairon ignored her pleas and continued storming away, a flurry of snowy fog engulfing him.
"I'll go after him," Sutoraiku said. "We'll meet you back at the temple."
"Alright, Sutoraiku. I think we all had enough hunting for today."
Now alone, Ayumi adjusted Pokinagi's winter shawl and gazed into his completely white eyes. The Spirit Pairon was born deaf, blind, and mute, but that didn't stop him from becoming a talented sumo wrestler.
Pokinagi used his spiritual giftto 'see' and could distinguish between friend or foe. Although he couldn't hear or speak, many found comfort in speaking to the gentle giant.
"Pokinagi, we must head back to the temple." Ayumi took his hand and guided him through the snow.
As they walked, Ayumi recalled Ryū's sadistic, vicious behavior. The Ice Pairon always had a temper and a certain edge, but it worsened about two years ago.
FLASHBACK:
A group of warriors entered one of the chambers deep in The Bushi Temple. There, they found Yoriichi, Takeo, and Fūryū.
Takeo turned to them and said, "It's good that everyone's here. We called this meeting because we have some important information, so gather around."
The warriors approached them and chose to either sit or stand around.
"It's more bad news, isn't it?" a muscular woman with an eyepatch said. "If so, we can take it."
✧PUREBLOOD
"I'm afraid so," Fūryū said. "We were told that a powerful demon has been born."
"You mean, like The Shift?" a woman with light blue hair asked. Her hair was styled in a high bun with two curly locks framing her face.
"No, Sarakimi. This is much more different," Takeo said. "This wasn't a union to create another powerful being, but an actual birth."
Ryū raised a questionable eyebrow and asked, "Are you telling us that a demon was born like how humans are?"
"Yes."
A long period of silence hung in the air until a man with wavy medium length black-to-yellow hair said, "What?"
"But demons can't even reproduce!" Sarakimi exclaimed. "How the fuck is that even possible?"
"We aren't sure, but it's clear that the demon named Mujōna has something to do with it," Fūryū sighed. "It's called a Pureblood and is the first of its kind,"
A man with a long, low ponytail stopped drinking his tea and said, "How… unusual."
"Demons of pure blood… shouldn't exist," Ryū said dully with a strange, unreadable expression.
Ayumi looked at Ryū and saw that he looked terribly disturbed with a faint, malicious gleam in his eyes. The white-haired man's nails dug into his palms and blood trickled down his fists.
She reached out to console him, but Ryū recoiled from her touch and glared at her. "I'm fine, Ayumi," he said in a voice void of emotion.
"I bet the Pureblood is ugly and has eight legs or something!" Sarakimi laughed.
"Sarakimi, this isn't a laughing matter," the man with wavy medium length black-to-yellow hair said. "This is serious."
"You're no fun, Denshin."
Just as Denshin opened his mouth to retort, Takeo said, "Nichiyō, go help Lady Hisa prepare more banishing spells."
The man with the long, low ponytail nodded and left the chamber.
"Sutoraiku, you and Pokinagi need to handle the armory."
Sutoraiku bowed and said, "On it, Takeo-sama!" Then he took the sumo wrestler's hand and guided him out of the chamber.
"Sarakimi and Denshin, go help the instructors train the higher level Kakushi."
Sarakimi and Denshin bowed and left the chamber.
Takeo glanced at Yoriichi, who nodded. "Ayumi and Ryū, Yoriichi-sama wants you two to be in charge of finding more information about Mujōna and the Pureblood. They're our main focus and any information, no matter how minuscule, is crucial."
Upon hearing that, Ryū shot up and said, "You can count on us."
Ryū and Ayumi started to leave, but Yoriichi stopped them. "Ryū," he abruptly said.
"...Yes?"
"Do not… let your inner darkness… overtake you."
…Inner darkness?
Ryū's muscles tensed and his breath caught in his throat at Yoriichi's words. Then he turned and looked at Yoriichi directly and confidently said, "I won't."
MUJŌNA
Mujōna gazed into an enchanted bowl that reflected whatever her two assistants, Hakanai and Hikiharau, saw. The two white-haired demons were tasked with obeying Kamabisushii and keeping The Twelve Kitaiyō in check, but they were also tasked with spying on Giyu.
The twins would randomly appear and watch him from afar. Giyu could always detect whenever they were present but seemed to be indifferent.
Because she was peering through someone else's vision, Mujōna couldn't analyze his aura and see his true emotions.
As usual, Giyu sat upon a mountain's peak and kept his eyes locked on Hakanai and Hikiharau.
The development of his technique is impeccable! Hakanai and Hikiharau have no presence, yet he can easily sense them.
Brilliant.
Giyu could be molded into a strong, powerful demon if he would just stop resisting and let me have him completely.
...Perhaps I went too far with using Shinobu to get to him. It's clear that he'll never trust me, let alone like me.
He knows that I'll never physically harm him and uses that against me. With anyone else, I would be infuriated, but not with him.
In truth, I find this game of cat and mouse with Giyu to be… thrilling.
How does one break a man like Giyu? What's his weakness and drive?
What is keeping this man from cracking and destroying himself from within?
What's keeping him grounded and sane?
I always wanted my demons to complement Muzan's demons, which is why Tanjirou is Upper Sun One in the first place.
Yes, I love Tanjirou dearly and he has potential, but he also has one major flaw—
Nezuko.
Tanjirou and Nezuko are siblings, just like Upper Moons Six.
Gyutaro and Daki are one and are too dependent on each other. Daki hinders her brother's success and true power, for he is the true holder of the Upper Moon Six rank.
I see Tanjirou and Nezuko evolving to such a thing in a century, if not a few years. The last thing I want is for my highest-ranking demon to have such a suffocating, toxic relationship.
But Giyu—
That man is alone and there's no one holding him back, not even the love he feels for Shinobu.
Such grace, dignity, and strength.
Such… potential.
Oh, Giyu. Why couldn't you be my little Sun Breather?
A vision of Giyu with white hair, solar demon crests, and striking red eyes that looked just like hers appeared in Mujōna's mind.
Giyu would be so beautiful as Upper Sun One, just like how Tanjirou is; a true demon warrior of The Sun.
Perfect; sublime.
Giyu was once The Water Hashira, but maybe there is a way to transform him into something entirely different.
Perhaps if I inject him with large amounts of my blood and essence, I could—
Mujōna paused when a tiny hand with violet claws splashed in the bowl, which made the vision of Giyu dissipate.
Then she looked up and saw an adorable toddler with beautiful, golden eyes and curly hair staring back at her. "Mushi-kun, what are you up to?" she sang melodiously.
Mugoi held his finger to his lips and softly said, "Mama, Otōsan ni watashitachi o mita to iwanaide kudasai."
✧TRANSLATION: Mugoi held his finger to his lips and softly said, "Mommy, please don't tell daddy you saw us."
Mujōna held her finger to her lips and nodded. "Mochiron, Koibito."
✧TRANSLATION: Mujōna held her finger to her lips and nodded. "Of course, Sweetheart."
One of the twins' favorite activities was to play hide-and-seek. Mugoi and Mujihi believed that they could become invisible and would 'hide' all around the palace. Their hiding places were always in plain sight and were quite noticeable, but their parents would always play along.
Suddenly, Mujihi burst into the chamber with one of his father's cloaks over his head.
The orange-eyed boy ran around as he squealed and laughed with great joy. Then he ran behind a panel shoji screen, the warm lighting of the candles casting his shadow against it.
Mugoi walked on the walls and crouched in a corner of the ceiling, his golden eyes glistening with anticipation and excitement.
Moments later, Muzan entered the chamber and pretended not to see the child on the ceiling, or the small figure behind the shoji screen. "Darling, have you seen the twins?"
Mujōna innocently batted her long eyelashes and said, "No, I haven't, Muzan."
"Well, it seems that they're… missing."
Mujōna let out a shocked gasp full of disbelief and dramatically fanned herself. "The twins are missing, you say? Oh no!"
The sounds of stifled giggles and laughs were heard from the two 'missing' children.
"Yes, but they couldn't have gone too far," he said. "They have to be around here somewhere…"
"We should look for them together, My Love."
"Indeed. Let's search for them upstairs first, hm?"
TANJIROU
Tanjirou stared at his bloodied hands as he sat in a dark, isolated chamber. The burgundy-haired demon didn't understand what was happening to him, and felt nothing but everything all at once.
No guilt.
No sorrow.
No remorse.
Yet, a great pain.
An aching, excruciating phantom pain that was only a figment of his imagination racked through his entire being. The only time the pain was alleviated was when he brutally slaughtered innocents.
"You enjoy the power, and having the ability to protect and survive. For the first time in your life, you have the upper hand."
…No.
"In a way, I freed you, Tanjirou. I freed you from the shackles of mediocrity and poverty by disposing of your family. They were only holding you back and dragging you down with them, anyway."
"You were destined to be just like your father; a poor man who sells coal for the rest of his life, but I intercepted your fate."
No.
"You and I aren't as different as you think, Tanjirou,"
That's… that's not true. I am nothing like you.
"Have you noticed that you're fine with murdering innocents after your conversion? I bet you don't feel a thing."
Visions of the hundreds of lives Tanjirou had already taken flooded his mind.
Especially visions of the man who sold coal.
For the past six months, Tanjirou had been battling his demon side. His body would punish him for his resistance by causing him great pain, and the only way for that pain to cease would be to kill.
I stop counting my kills once I passed… two hundred and forty-five.
Yes. It was two hundred and forty-five. That was… a few days ago.
That man from earlier is my two hundred and forty-sixth kill.
"You're a different version of me cut from the same cloth, and vice versa. Perhaps that's how my aversion for you came to be; because I saw a parallel reflection of myself."
"…There is a reason why your eyes look a lot like mine, Tanjirou."
"I am nothing like him!" he abruptly yelled as he banged his fist on the floor. A deep, cracked crater and an indentation of his fist remained until the floor repaired itself.
Tanjirou kneeled as he balled his fists, his black claws piercing his palms. Blood trickled from his fists to the floor and made small puddles around him.
Why me? Why is this happening to me? I… didn't ask for any of this.
I'm just so tired of fighting... everything.
Suddenly, two identical, white-haired female demons appeared.
They wore matching black kimonos with gold flower embroidery and their lips were painted red. They had rose-colored eyes that were wide and coated with mascara. Their hair was a pure, striking white and styled into a blunt bob.
The only way to tell the twins apart was by looking at the ribbon in their hair. While one wore a black ribbon, the other wore a red ribbon.
While the twin with the red ribbon lovingly caressed his back, the other one held out a rather large vial of blood to him. "Take this," she said.
"This… this is a trick," he hissed. "I'm not falling for any more of her tricks!"
"Tanjirou, this isn't a trick of any kind. This vial of Her Majesty's blood is a choice; something not many receive."
"Consuming more of Her blood will give you the clarity and control you desire," the other one said.
"…Clarity and control?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Everyone's conversion is different," the one with the red ribbon said. "Some retain their memories while others don't. Some will use their past emotions to fuel their drive, while others will gain new ones."
"We know that you've been struggling with accepting who you truly are," the other said. "It is challenging at first, but we're here to help you along the way."
Tanjirou's face reluctantly softened at her words. "…Help? You two want to help me? Why?"
"Because Lady Mujōna cares for you and we care for you as well," they said in unison.
"She cares for me? I don't… I don't understand what you mean."
"Lady Mujōna is The Mother of Demons, and She wants nothing but what's best for you," the one with the red ribbon said. "Her love for each of you can be proved by the fact that all of you are still alive, well, and together."
"Lady Mujōna promised to mold all of you into strong, powerful demons, and that is a promise She will keep."
Tanjirou stared at the large vial of blood that glimmered in the light, beckoning him for a taste.
Then he took it.
"Drink this when you're ready for a New Beginning," the one with the black ribbon said. "There is no rush, so take your time and think this through, Tanjirou."
"Okay," he whispered, his eyes locked on the vial. "…I will,"
I have to.
HAKANAI & HIKIHARAU
FLASHBACK:
In an impoverished okiya called 'The Waukiyo House' between Europe and Asia, a celebration was being held. One of the successful geishas was soon to marry a wealthy nobleman, which in turn would boost the okiya's reputation.
While the geishas joyously ate and socialized amongst each other, two slaves scrubbed floors in the back in unison.
The two slaves were identical twin sisters with long, jet-black hair and dark brown eyes. Their knees and legs were covered in scars and welts from the constant lashings and strenuous work.
The twins were abused nearly every day by the geishas and the Mother of the house. This didn't bother them as much as it should because they were born into a life neglect and abuse.
Their mother was an abusive, alcoholic prostitute who refused to properly name them. A flurry of names that didn't truly belong to them would spit out of her mouth like bile whenever she was in drunken rage.
Eventually, their mother sold them off to the Waukiyo House, who named them Hakanai and Hikiharau. The twins were slaves to the okiya and were forced to 'pay off their debt' by being sold the highest bidder for short periods of time.
One day, they were purchased by a wealthy nobleman to work for him for six months.
Over time, the twins found out that the nobleman wasn't who he seemed to be. The nobleman not only had a sadistic edge, but he was also fond of children.
Too fond of children.
When the nobleman revealed his pedophiliac tendencies by ordering the twins to pleasure him, Hakanai and Hikiharau escaped and returned to the only place they knew; the Waukiyo House.
Because they didn't fulfill their six-month contract, the infuriated nobleman demanded his money back, which damaged the okiya's reputation.
Hakanai and Hikiharau were punished severely by being beaten and starved for a while. The twins soon found that they were numb and unable to cry, and were practically empty vessels.
But that was a few years ago.
Now, the twins were sixteen years old, spoke only when spoken to, and did as they were told.
Suddenly, all of the joyous commotion ceased.
The silence was deafening, and the only sound heard was of the whistling wind outside.
The twins quietly left the back area and entered where the event was being held.
The harsh, metallic scent of blood immediately filled their nostrils as they neared. The twins stopped dead in their tracks upon seeing the grisly, gruesome sight before them.
Gore and severed limbs drenched the entire room, and blood dripped from the ceiling. The mangled, mutilated bodies of geishas were strewn everywhere, and none of them were recognizable.
Petrified, the twins saw a woman standing in the center of the room, her back facing them.
The woman wore a white furisode and her black hair descended her back. A frigid wind made her hair and the sleeves of her dress sway in the breeze.
The mysterious woman slowly turned and faced them, which made the twins' gasp at the sight.
The woman was the pinnacle of beauty; she had the face of an angel and looked otherworldly.
Yet, her eyes were a piercing scarlet with slit pupils and lines, which proved that she was, indeed, a demon.
Hakanai and Hikiharau saw that the woman didn't have a speck of blood on her, but knew that she had killed everyone.
The twins were too terrified to move, so they stayed put and stared at the beautiful demoness. A million thoughts ran through both of their minds as they held her intense, mesmerizing gaze.
Who is she?
Why did she kill everyone?
What does she want?
Why hasn't she killed us?
The beautiful woman smiled lovingly at them and said, "There are only two options for you; either you stay here and wait for the constables to arrive, then be sold and enslaved once again, or you could have a New Beginning by becoming mine, and be part of something greater."
An eerie, unearthly period of silence was suspended in the air until she said, "In a world such as this with limited options, I give you two the choice to choose your fate."
The woman swiftly opened her fan and covered half of her face, then walked away.
Hakanai and Hikiharau glanced at the gory massacre, then stared at each other. Then they left the okiya without so much as looking back.
The twins went outside saw the woman's faint silhouette in the distance, the cold air burning their throats.
Hakanai and Hikiharau held each other's hands as they followed the mysterious woman into the unknown.
Together.
Forever.