bioinnovel Chapter 369 Meeting the Ancestors
Chapter 369 Meeting the Ancestors
The figure that appeared before Muichiro at this moment had six cold, beast-like scarlet eyes.
The oppressive aura emanating from him was like a real mountain, so heavy that Muichiro could hardly breathe.
The air seemed to solidify into a viscous gel, and each breath carried a bone-chilling cold and a nauseating stench of blood.
That is a more ancient and purer source of fear than Upper Moon Two, Doma!
Even with his exceptional talent, Muichiro couldn't help but experience a momentary blankness in his mind after witnessing the other's figure firsthand.
Fear, like an icy tide, instantly engulfed his limbs and bones.
My heart pounded wildly in my chest, almost breaking free of its grip. My hand, holding the hilt of the Nichirin Blade, was icy cold and trembling slightly.
Every cell in his body screamed out a primal, instinctive warning to Muichiro!
Danger!
Run away!
will die!
They will definitely die!
This tremor, originating from the deepest part of his being, was a hundred times stronger than any enemy he had ever faced before.
Muichiro could even clearly feel that in front of Kokushibo, he was as insignificant as a small boat in a storm, and could be crushed at any moment by a single glance or a casual breath from the other party, without leaving a trace.
Of course, what Muichiro didn't know was...
In his human form, Kokushibo's real name is Tsugikuni Iwakatsu.
He was the twin brother of Yoriichi Tsugikuni, the strongest swordsman who once forced Muzan Kibutsuji to self-destruct and escape, and who dared not show his face in public again until Muzan died of old age.
In addition, before Tsugikuni Iwakatsu became a demon, he had already married and had children, leaving behind descendants.
Muichiro is a direct descendant of the branch of bloodline that inherited from Kokuichi Katsu.
Therefore, strictly speaking, Muichiro was actually "thoughtfully" sent by Nakime to "meet his ancestors".
However, the atmosphere at this "family reunion" was hardly warm and harmonious...
It's more like airdropping a bewildered and helpless lamb directly into the mouth of an ancient ferocious beast that has been starving for hundreds of years!
Of course, as Muichiro subconsciously sized up Kokushibo, Kokushibo's six scarlet eyes were also indifferently scanning the boy who had suddenly intruded into his domain.
His gaze was cold and scrutinizing, devoid of any emotion, as if he were looking at an inanimate object or an ant that had strayed into a tiger's territory.
However, when his senses swept through Muichiro's body and he felt the extremely faint yet familiar fluctuations deep within his bloodline, his usually calm mind was stirred by a very subtle ripple.
"...Just as I expected..."
A low, hoarse sound, like the grinding of gravel, escaped from Kokushibo's throat, carrying a barely perceptible fluctuation of surprise mixed with some complex emotion.
After hundreds of years, I witnessed the emergence of my descendants...
Even Kokushibo, who had long since abandoned human emotions, couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness at this peculiar experience.
It was this sound that jolted Muichiro awake from the mire of fear.
He saw a fleeting, unusual look in Kokushibo's eyes, a look that wasn't purely murderous.
But that brought no comfort; instead, it was like a bucket of ice water, completely waking Muichiro up and making him realize...
The thing standing in front of me right now is a ghost!
He is Upper Moon One, an enemy that the Demon Slayer Corps must eliminate!
Whatever he was thinking, why didn't he just kill me...
No matter how intensely fear gnaws at your heart...
But as a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, my stance here has never changed!
run away?
Exposing one's back to such an enemy will only hasten death and leave a humiliation that a swordsman can never erase for the rest of his life!
beg for mercy?
That would be a disgrace to the Demon Slayer Corps!
What Muichiro found even more unacceptable than a simple death!
Thinking about it this way, there is undoubtedly only one choice facing Muichiro...
"call……"
Thinking of this, Muichiro took a deep, trembling breath, trying to expel the fear in his chest that was almost crushing him along with the breath.
The effect was limited; my body remained stiff and cold, and the rapid beating of my heart was difficult to calm down...
But his glassy eyes, which had been somewhat unfocused due to extreme fear, gradually refocused, becoming sharp and resolute like gemstones having their dust wiped away.
Fear persists, like a persistent, deep-seated ailment.
But it can no longer dominate or interfere with his actions!
With great difficulty, Muichiro adjusted his stance and lowered his center of gravity amidst the terrifying, overwhelming pressure. His right hand, with its five fingers white from the force, gripped the hilt of the sword at his waist with unwavering determination.
"Zzzzt—!"
A clear and resolute slash suddenly rang out in the deathly silent space, breaking the suffocating silence.
The blade, as radiant as the glow of sunset yet icy cold, was slowly and steadily drawn out, pointing without hesitation at the invincible enemy, his "ancestor".
The boy's arm was still trembling slightly due to physiological reasons, and his face was so pale that it was completely bloodless.
But in his resolute eyes burned an indomitable will and the awareness that he was ready to face death after making full mental preparations!
It was precisely this sudden change in demeanor that allowed Kokushibo's six cold eyes to clearly and completely reflect the figure of the sword-wielding boy for the first time.
In that gaze that was originally indifferent, as if looking at an inanimate object, a very faint... appreciation seemed to have flashed across it?
Faced with an absolute disparity in strength, faced with an invisible pressure stemming from their bloodline, faced with a death threat that was almost tangible and could arrive at any moment...
This insignificant human being...
This descendant, whose bloodline stirred complex emotions within him, did not collapse and beg for mercy like the other swordsmen he had encountered before, nor did he scream and try to escape. Instead, he was ignited with fighting spirit, choosing to challenge him head-on, drawing his sword against his ancestor who had lived for hundreds of years?
madness.
It's like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.
Suicide.
but……
This "foolish courage" of choosing to wield a knife even in dire straits.
This "stubbornness" of knowing that death is inevitable yet still showing its sharp edge.
This rare and precious resilience...
It wouldn't be considered a disgrace to this bloodline.
Then, a thought born of mere interest quietly sprouted and spread in Kokushibo's cold heart.
He didn't immediately strike and crush this defiant "ant." Instead, the oppressive aura emanating from him seemed to grow heavier and more...focused.
He wanted to see just how far this descendant, who dared to challenge him, could go, and where the limits of his potential lay.
more importantly……
He suddenly felt that perhaps there was no need to rush into destruction.
Perhaps, this child... his only remaining bloodline descendant in this world, could also be transformed into a ghost?
May he be freed from the shackles of human fragility and share in eternal time and power.
He will personally teach us then, and we will explore the mysteries of swordsmanship together...
Perhaps we can cultivate someone who can truly inherit his swordsmanship and will.
At least, as one's own direct descendants...
This child's potential and character are far superior to that coward who was brought in to make up the numbers and whose strength was forcibly boosted by the large amount of blood given to him by Lord Muzan, barely managing to sit at the bottom of the Upper Moons.