Crossover Anime: Starting with Bankai from Demon Slayer

Chapter 334 Protecting the Harbor of Our Home

The sky had completely darkened, and the setting sun was as red as if it had been stained with blood.

Asuka walked alone on the road back, the scenery around him receding with each step.

The scene inside the black market tent flashed wildly through his mind like a revolving lantern.

The shrill and desperate screams of Black Fang still echoed in his ears.

He clenched his fists so tightly that his nails dug into his flesh.

He had thought that as long as he possessed enough power, as long as he could personally kill Aizen, that demon...

Everything will be over then, and he will be able to live a peaceful life.

But now it seems he was wrong.

Big mistakes.

...He has more than one enemy.

Compared to that guy, there seemed to be a larger... more suffocating shadow looming over his head.

An anger, a feeling of being toyed with by fate and choked, began to grow in the bird's heart.

"Damn it...they're all cowardly rats hiding their heads..."

His eyes had somehow turned a terrifying dark purple, and the spiritual energy within his body began to surge uncontrollably, overflowing outwards along with his emotions.

The wandering spirits on both sides of the road gave way, and several stray dogs by the roadside were so frightened that they defecated and urinated, whimpering and running away with their tails between their legs.

If it weren't for his Shinigami uniform, people would have thought he was a Hollow wandering the streets...

And so, the bird, carrying an air of gloom and menace, walked back to that quiet little courtyard.

The courtyard was now illuminated by warm, orange lights.

Before the bird could even push open the mottled wooden door...

An enticing aroma, a blend of soy sauce, sugar, and rich beef fat, wafted out through the crack in the door and into his nostrils.

It tastes like sukiyaki.

"My lord, the marbling on this Wagyu beef is truly beautiful; it's rare to see such fine meat even in the modern world."

"Yes, this meat was sent by the Shiba family. They are such kind nobles... When Asuka returns, he will be very happy."

From the courtyard came Lady Amane's gentle and tranquil voice, as well as Kagaya Ubuyashiki's warm and gentle laughter, like a spring breeze.

"Mr. Asuka has a big appetite, Mrs. Amane. Let's cut a couple more pieces of tofu and put them in," Shinobu Kocho said with a light laugh.

She hadn't been this relaxed in a long time; her laughter was genuine and natural.

Squeak—

The sounds in the courtyard paused for a moment as the wooden door was pushed open.

"Ah! Mr. Asuka! You're back!"

Shinobu Kocho, who was wearing an apron and holding a wooden soup spoon, immediately poked her head out of the kitchen when she heard the door open.

When she saw that familiar, tall figure, her purple eyes lit up with a bright light and curved into a beautiful arc.

"Welcome home! You've come at just the right time. Mrs. Tianyin and I are preparing dinner tonight."

"You've been gone for most of the day, you must be starving! Would you like to grab something to eat first?"

Shinobu Kocho, like a graceful butterfly, swiftly floated to the bird's front, tilted her head back, and smiled at him.

However, when she saw Asuka's face clearly, her smile froze.

How scary...

At this moment, although Asuka still had that handsome face, his expression was so gloomy it could drip water.

Those eyes were filled with violence and murderous intent... devoid of any warmth...

His brows were tightly furrowed, the muscles in his jaw were taut, and he exuded a terrifying aura that kept strangers at bay.

"A bird...?"

Shinobu's heart clenched suddenly, and a strong sense of unease welled up inside her.

She had known Asuka for so long that she knew that although he usually seemed cold and unsmiling, it was just because he wasn't good at expressing himself.

What happened? Why did he look at me like that...?

"What's wrong? You look terrible."

At the same time, she immediately noticed...

There was blood on the bird.

Shinobu asked anxiously. Out of a doctor's instinct and concern for the person she cared about, she subconsciously reached out to tug at Asuka's sleeve, wanting to check if he was feeling unwell.

"...Did something happen? Are you hurt?"

"Don't...

Asuka instinctively tried to stop Shinobu, but she was a step too late.

The instant Shinobu's fingertips touched Asuka's skin =

"hiss!"

A sharp pain shot through her, causing Shinobu Kocho to gasp and pull her hand back as if she'd been electrocuted.

This was not something Asuka did intentionally, but rather a defensive reaction that arose from his restless spiritual pressure caused by emotional stimulation, when he was stimulated by external stimuli.

For Shinobu Kocho, whose spiritual power is far inferior to Asuka's, this conflict would cause substantial damage to her spiritual body, and she would certainly not feel good.

"Shinobu!"

Seeing Shinobu clutching her fingers, Asuka's mind, clouded by anger and murderous intent, suddenly snapped back to reality, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head.

What am I doing?

The bird's breathing became rapid as it desperately mustered its willpower to quickly suppress all those restless evil thoughts and spiritual power back into the deepest part of its soul.

The suffocating feeling in the air vanished without a trace, and the previously ashen face gradually softened.

"I'm sorry... Shinobu, I... I didn't mean to."

Asuka stood there somewhat helplessly, wanting to reach out and check Shinobu's injuries.

However, because of the accidental injury earlier, he hesitated and stiffly withdrew his hand halfway through its reach.

Hearing the commotion in the courtyard, Lady Amane and Yaozai, who were busy in the kitchen, quickly came out.

"What's wrong? What happened?" Although Yaoya didn't see what just happened, his keen intuition still made him notice the strangeness between the two.

"N-nothing...it's nothing, my lord." Shinobu shook off the lingering sting on her fingertips, hid her hands behind her back, and turned to give Kagaya and his wife a reassuring smile: "I just accidentally stepped on a pebble and almost twisted my ankle, it's nothing serious."

After saying that, she turned her head again, pulled the guilty-looking Fei Niao, and quickly went into the inner room.

There was no blame in her eyes, only deep worry and heartache.

"Asuka, what happened?" Shinobu Kocho lowered her voice and asked softly, in a volume only the two of them could hear, "Just now... did something not go well with what you were doing today?"

Looking into Shinobu's gentle gaze, Asuka felt as if a wad of cotton was stuck in her throat, making her feel uncomfortable.

What could he say...?

Should I tell her that I not only gained nothing today, but also drove a blind old man to his death?

Or tell her that she might have been drawn into a huge conspiracy whose enemies are unknown.

No, this is home, my last refuge.

No matter what storms rage outside or what deep-seated hatred rages within... no matter how powerful and terrifying the enemy lurking in the shadows may be.

He shouldn't, and can't, bring the filth and negative emotions from the outside world back here, letting that darkness taint their smiles.

It's enough for me to silently bear the burden and resolve everything.

"It's nothing."

Asuka tried to relax her facial muscles and forced out a smile that appeared as gentle as possible.

"I just walked around a lot today and ran into a few thugs who didn't know their place. We had a little conflict, so I'm in a slightly bad mood."

"I was thinking about something and got a little distracted, so I didn't control my spiritual pressure properly... I'm really sorry, did I hurt you?"