Crossover Anime: Starting with Bankai from Demon Slayer

Chapter 221 For the Children

Sumire scratched her head sheepishly, then her eyes lit up as if she'd just remembered something: "Oh right! Now that the special training's over, can I go find Sakura to play?"

Upon hearing that name, Asuka's hand paused slightly.

During these three days, due to Kariya's insistence and in order to please Asuka, a powerful ally, Lieyan temporarily stopped training Matou Sakura with the Crest Worms.

The poor little girl was brought out of the foul-smelling underground insect silo and placed in a clean guest room.

Although she was still like a soulless doll, at least she no longer had to endure the pain of being devoured by countless insects.

"Go ahead." Asuka withdrew her hand, her tone softening. "That child does need someone to keep him company."

Matou Residence, central garden.

Despite the lack of maintenance, the vegetation here is still lush, and the afternoon sun shines through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled patterns on the ground.

Sakura Matou sat quietly on the bench, her hands placed neatly on her knees.

Her long purple hair hung down on both sides of her face, obscuring her empty, lifeless eyes.

She was like a delicate yet broken porcelain doll, radiating an inescapable chill even under the sunlight.

"Sakura-chan—!"

A vibrant shout broke the silence.

Kamado Sumire came running over like a gust of wind, holding two freshly washed apples in her hands.

"Sorry to keep you waiting! Look, I got an apple from Uncle Kariya! It's super red!"

Sumire plopped down next to Sakura, completely ignoring the other's chilling aura, and shoved a bright red apple into Sakura's hand.

Sakura lowered her head somewhat slowly, looking at the apple in her hand.

"...Apple?" she murmured to herself, as if it might be blown away by the wind at any moment.

"Yes, eat up, it's very sweet!"

Jin took a big bite of the apple in her hand and said indistinctly, "The teacher said that eating more fruit is good for your health! Especially since you're too thin, you need to supplement your vitamin intake!"

Sakura didn't move.

She simply held the apple, feeling the texture on her fingertips.

In this house, apart from Uncle Yanye, no one ever gave her anything to eat.

No one else would sit next to her so unreservedly and speak to her in such a warm tone.

Aside from those bugs... no one is with Sakura.

"Sakura-chan?"

Seeing that she didn't move, Violet leaned closer, her ruby-like eyes full of concern: "Don't you like apples? Should I ask Mom to bring oranges back next time?"

"No..

Sakura shook her head, slowly lifted the apple, and took a small bite.

The crisp sound, and the sweet and sour juice spread throughout the mouth.

I think I've remembered something—the feeling of being alive.

"Is it good?" Violet asked expectantly.

Ying swallowed the fruit, hesitated for a moment, and then nodded gently:

Ok.

"Very good!"

Violet laughed happily, her smile as bright as the midday sun, so dazzling that Sakura instinctively wanted to squint.

"Oh right, sitting here all the time is so boring."

Sumire finished the apple in a few bites, threw the core into the trash can, and then took Sakura's hand: "Let's exercise! It'll be tiring, but it'll make you feel warm and cozy!"

"Sports...?" Sakura asked, somewhat bewildered.

"Yeah! Staying cooped up indoors all the time can make your mood rotten!"

Regardless of whether Sakura agreed or not, Sumire pulled her and ran to the open space in the garden: "Come on, let's do some stretching exercises first!"

One, two, three, four, two, two, three, four...

Watching Sumire awkwardly waving her arms in the sunlight, Sakura's once lifeless heart was stirred by a slight ripple.

Her hand was held tightly by Violet.

The hand had calluses and scars; it didn't look like a young girl's hand.

But it was very warm.

Just like Uncle Yan Ye's always trembling hands, a wave of warmth emanated from them.

Jin turned around and gave her a bright smile: "As long as you get moving, those annoying things will be left behind and won't be able to catch up with you!"

Will you be unable to catch up with things you dislike?

As Sakura watched Sumire's retreating figure, a trace of color seemed to fill the emptiness in her eyes.

She tentatively and somewhat stiffly raised her arm, mimicking Violet's movements.

Although the movements were very unorthodox, the limbs were somewhat weak due to long-term torture.

But in that instant of waving her arm, she seemed to truly feel that the heavy cloud weighing on her heart had loosened a little.

And behind the window on the second floor.

Hiding in the shadows of the curtains, Matou Kariya watched the two girls in the garden, tears already streaming down her face.

"cherry.

He covered his mouth to stop himself from crying out loud.

How long has it been since he's seen Sakura act like a child?

"Thank you...

...Little Violet...

Yan Ye's fingers dug deeply into the window frame, his eyes burning with an unprecedented fighting spirit.

To protect this hard-won smile, I must win.

However, not everyone's situation is improving.

The open space behind the mansion, which was originally an abandoned courtyard used to store miscellaneous items, has now been cleared out and used as a temporary training ground.

"drink!!"

A delicate shout rang out.

Kamado Haruto stood in the center of the field, his right eye shining brightly with silver light.

In front of her, a huge rock weighing tens of kilograms floated precariously in mid-air.

"Get up...get up!!"

Qingli gritted her teeth, veins bulging on her forehead, and sweat poured down like rain.

She tried desperately to make the boulder fly higher and more steadily.

However, the stone seemed to be working against her, trembling violently, bobbing up and down uncontrollably.

Feiniao stood to one side, his brow furrowed.

"You've regressed."

"I know!!"

Haru shouted in frustration.

But in that moment of distraction...

Buzz!

The boulder, which had been suspended in mid-air, suddenly lost the support of the controlling force and crashed heavily to the ground like a kite with a broken string.

Moreover, it smashed right at Haru's own feet!

"Be careful!"

With a flash, Asuka appeared beside Haru in an instant, grabbed her waist, and leaped back several meters with her.

boom!!

The boulder crashed to the ground, splashing up a cloud of mud and gravel.

If Asuka had been a step slower, Haru might have lost her foot.

"Huff... huff..."

Haruto was still panting heavily, her body trembling with fear, and sweat poured down her face.

She braced herself against the bird's hand, somewhat awkwardly supporting herself on her knees to steady herself: "Th...thank you..."

"You're too impatient." Asuka looked at her, her tone serious. "You've been acting very strangely these past few days."

"Your control has decreased significantly, and you can no longer even create a barrier."

"and..

Asuka squinted, her gaze falling on Haru's neck.

There, several bluish-black blood vessels were slightly bulging, swelling and contracting with each heartbeat, looking exceptionally ferocious.

"Tell me, Haruhi." Asuka stepped forward, staring intently into her eyes: "Are you hiding something from me?"

Faced with Asuka's seemingly insightful gaze, Haru instinctively shrank her neck, pulled up her collar, and covered those eerie veins.

"No...it's nothing..."

She avoided Fei Niao's gaze and forced a smile: "I guess... I'm going through menopause? Plus, I haven't been sleeping well these past few days, so I'm feeling a bit dazed."

"As you know, I'm just an ordinary person. Suddenly having this superpower, it's inevitable that I'll have some trouble controlling it..."

"lie."

The bird coldly interrupted her.

"This level of loss of control cannot be explained simply by not sleeping well."