Chapter 316

Stripping off all his clothes, Luo En spread his arms, leaned back against a rock, closed his eyes, and wore a look of utter contentment.

Shinobu Kocho stood to one side, her back to him, her heartbeat quickening slightly.

Luo En picked up the Endless Gourd lying beside him, took a swig of wine, and said to her, "Aren't you going to come down and soak? It's very comfortable."

Shinobu Kocho hurriedly replied, "N-no, that's all right."

"You… could it be that you're shy? Don't worry, I'm wearing something down below."

Luo En looked at her and said in all seriousness.

Shinobu Kocho, with her back still to him, flushed slightly. "N-no, I don't think that's the issue…"

"Haha, just a joke, don't take it to heart. Phew…"

Luo En laughed heartily, took a swig of wine, then tipped his head back and exhaled a great breath of wine vapor.

Shinobu Kocho stole a sidelong glance at him.

At the edge of the hot spring, white steam rising, a young man of striking, handsome features sat bare-chested, his upper body a picture of perfectly proportioned muscle. A wine gourd in hand, his damp black long hair draped down his back, droplets of water sliding down his body…

Shinobu Kocho, who had been smiling all along, felt her cheeks grow faintly hot.

If Kanroji were to see this scene, she'd surely start letting her imagination run wild again.

"Looks like it's going to rain…"

Luo En gazed at the sky and said abruptly.

Shinobu Kocho gave a slight start, looked up at the sky. It was just as clear as before, with no sign of rain at all.

Luo En looked at Shinobu Kocho and asked with a smile, "Miss Shinobu, after you kill Kibutsuji Muzan, what do you plan to do?"

Shinobu Kocho was slightly taken aback by the question.

"I've never thought about anything like that…"

Luo En took a sip of wine and said, "There are plenty of things in this world far more interesting than slaying demons. If you survive, try to do as many things as you find interesting and meaningful as you can."

Shinobu Kocho was silent for a moment, then said, "Ever since my parents and older sister were killed by demons, I made up my mind to spend my whole life killing demons… even if it costs me my life. Beyond slaying demons, I can't think of anything else I want to do."

She glanced sidelong at Luo En. "Mr. Luo En, you're so powerful—what is it that you pursue?"

"Phew…"

Luo En tipped his head back and exhaled a breath of wine vapor, then looked at her and said earnestly, "Fine food, fine scenery, and… fine women."

Shinobu Kocho was stunned.

"…Eh?"

"I'm craving pickled-plum rice balls."

Luo En looked at Shinobu Kocho and smiled. "They should sell them around here, right?"

…………

Just as Luo En had said.

A heavy downpour came just like that.

Luo En, his long black hair slightly damp and loose, dressed in a black robe, walked through the streets of the Swordsmith Village holding an umbrella. His figure was tall and slender, his bearing exceptional.

"It's really raining…"

Shinobu Kocho murmured, dazed.

"See? What I say is usually right on the money."

Luo En said to her with a smile.

Shinobu Kocho gazed at the young man beside her—paper umbrella in hand, composure in his bearing, every inch the noble young lord of a troubled age—and for a moment found it hard to look away.

"Pay attention and match my pace, or you'll get caught in the rain."

Shinobu Kocho heard this, came back to herself, and focused her attention on his footsteps.

"Eh? This rhythm of footsteps…"

Shinobu Kocho's eyes widened slightly.

She constantly maintained the Total Concentration of Insect Breathing. Now, as she matched her footfall rhythm to Luo En's, she suddenly felt a strange sensation.

The Insect Breathing technique and her movements fit together perfectly, her whole body more coordinated and unified than ever before.

Shinobu Kocho was instantly immersed in this rare state.

Luo En glanced at her and smiled faintly.

She held her umbrella as she walked alongside Luo En.

The two differed greatly in height, but at this moment their footfall rhythms were perfectly identical.

After walking several hundred meters, they arrived before a house, and Luo En stopped.

Shinobu Kocho came back to herself.

"How did it feel?"

Shinobu Kocho looked at Luo En, her violet eyes bright. "Better than ever."

Luo En smiled. "Remember this feeling. It'll be a great help to you in combat."

Shinobu Kocho nodded seriously.

Afterwards.

After the two of them had eaten pickled-plum rice balls and drunk the famous Jade Dew tea.

They came before the village chief of the Swordsmith Village, Tetsuya Riverihara Tetchin.

"I am the village chief here, Tetsuya Riverihara Tetchin. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Short in stature and wearing a fire-man mask, Tetsuya Riverihara Tetchin looked at the two before him and said, "In this village, the smallest one is me, and the most remarkable one is also me. So if you have something to say, bow your head down to the tatami first before you say it."

Luo En's eyes narrowed slightly. "Oh?"

Tetsuya Riverihara Tetchin immediately dropped to his knees before him, his head pressed tight against the tatami.

"I'm terribly sorry! Old man here just wanted to say this newly thought-up phrase to show off a bit! Please forgive an old man like me!"

"V, village chief?!"

The two masked blade-smiths beside him stared in shock.

They had never before seen such a stern village chief bow and kneel before a stranger.

The butterfly assassin, Shinobu, covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

She was in a good mood today.

…………

"Is that so... So it was Yōzai who sent the letter."

"Precisely."

Luo En sat inside a wind-blown house, sipping Yulu tea, with a premium pastry, Castella cake, beside him.

It seemed a member of the Hidden named Goto had delivered the letter along with it.

Shinobu sat to Luo En's left.

Tetsuchi Kawa-hara Teshin sat directly before Luo En, bowing with utmost respect, even reverence.

"Since you know me, I'll cut to the chase," Luo En said, taking a sip of tea, addressing Tetsuchi Kawa-hara Teshin: "I've come to take a suitable blade."

Tetsuchi Kawa-hara Teshin blinked in surprise: "Take? Sir, you must mean forging—only by selecting Tamahagane and tailoring it to one's fighting style can one forge the perfect Color-Changing Blade..."

"No need for all that trouble."

Luo En placed a piece of cake into his mouth. "I happen to know exactly where one blade is hidden. I'll just go take that one."

Tetsuchi Kawa-hara Teshin tilted his head, question marks floating above it.

"A blade... hidden?"

27, Retrieve the Blade

At dusk.

The rain had cleared; the road was muddy.

Luo En and Shinobu walked in one direction.

As they passed near the hot spring, they encountered an unexpected person.

"Hehehe~ Bathing in the hot spring is truly the most comfortable~"

Kanao, wearing a loose bathrobe, hummed a tune as she walked along the stone-paved mountain path, then suddenly spotted Luo En and Shinobu ahead—she froze.

"Shinobu... and Mr. Luo En?!"

Luo En and Shinobu also noticed her.

"Shinobu! Mr. Luo En—! Did you two come here to bathe too?!"