Chapter 41: Confession

(A bit of dog food flavor.)

"Zero, can you come with me to a place?"

After the birthday party ended, Kochō Kanae helped Zero and Kamado Kie tidy up the room.

As she was leaving, she pulled Zero aside alone.

"Where to?"

"You'll know when we get there."

Led by Kanae, they came to a dense forest.

Passing through the dense forest, they arrived at a cliff.

Here, one could see the Demon Slayer Corps headquarters, and the area was quite vast.

"This is a scenic spot I discovered by accident. Sometimes after I finish a mission, I come here."

Zero also looked down from here. Under the moonlight, it was a different kind of scenery.

The evening breeze blew, and Kochō Kanae's hair and the butterfly haori on her body fluttered with the wind. Combined with the bright moon hanging high in the sky and the twinkling stars, she looked very beautiful.

Zero: "It is indeed beautiful."

Kochō Kanae: "Zero, do you think... can demons and humans really coexist?"

These words made Zero fall into deep thought.

Coexistence between humans and demons?

This kind of thing, Zero originally didn't believe in. It was just like among the stars, those alien beasts not only killed people on sight but even slaughtered their own kind.

But now, he was a bit indecisive. Can evil demons and humans really coexist?

Because of Tamayo, Yushiro, and Nezuko, he suddenly felt that this was not impossible, but would it really be like this?

To be honest, evil demons were originally transformed from humans. If their will was strong enough to suppress the desire to eat humans, then it might not be impossible!

But the fact was that those humans who turned into evil demons ultimately embarked on a path of no return...

Originally, Zero planned to find a way back and then leave directly with Xiao Yue, regardless of the life or death of this world.

Now, he felt that he had changed...

"Perhaps..."

Hearing this, Kochō Kanae turned her head to look at Zero beside her and smiled slightly.

She turned around and placed a hand on Zero's face.

Zero was also startled by Kochō Kanae's action, but he didn't resist.

Kochō Kanae: "Zero, can you answer a few questions for me?"

Zero: "What questions?"

Kochō Kanae: "Is there someone you like in your heart?"

Zero: "Yes, her name is Luo Li."

Kochō Kanae: "Luo Li, a very nice name. Where is she now?"

Zero turned around and pointed to the sky: "Among the distant stars."

Kochō Kanae: "Is that so... Zero, I..."

Zero: "Kanae, actually, I am not a person from this world, and my name is not Zero. I have forgotten my former name and my past, and I... have already lived for more than two thousand five hundred years, perhaps even longer..."

"Whether you believe it or not, I am indeed not an ordinary person, but I am also a human!"

Kochō Kanae didn't show much shock, but looked into Zero's eyes and answered seriously: "I believe you."

"Zero, I..." Kochō Kanae struggled internally for a moment, and after hearing what Zero had just said, she finally made up her mind and said what she had always wanted to say: "Zero, I like you."

Before Zero could speak, his lips were pressed by Kochō Kanae's finger. He felt the coolness from her finger, as well as Kochō Kanae who was close at hand.

"You don't have to rush to answer me. Actually, the first time I saw you, I knew you were very different! I just wanted to tell you my true feelings."

"I only hope that there can be a place for me in your heart, and I also hope that you will remember me after you leave! That there was once a girl in this world who liked you, instead of becoming a passerby in your heart."

"So, Zero, are you willing to accompany me through the rest of my life in this world?"

Kochō Kanae's words touched a chord in Zero's heart, and he couldn't calm down for a long time.

Seeing Zero motionless, she thought he had rejected her, which made Kochō Kanae feel very sad and hurt.

But she still pretended to be indifferent and maintained a gentle smile.

She leaned close to Zero and left a light kiss on his lips.

This kiss made many blurry memories emerge in Zero's mind.

In his memories, there was also a girl who had said similar words to him.

"Bai Yue, I only hope that you can remember that in this world, there is still a girl who loves you, and please don't lose yourself in the darkness..."

Feeling the softness and the lingering fragrance from Kochō Kanae's lips.

His heart couldn't calm down for a long time.

After the light kiss, Kochō Kanae recovered her original mood and said: "Oh my, Mr. Zero, we should go back... ah~"

Before she could finish speaking, Zero grabbed Kochō Kanae's wrist and pulled her into his embrace.

He held Kochō Kanae's face with both hands and kissed her directly.

Boom!

Kochō Kanae only felt her mind go blank at this moment, but her heart was filled with sweetness.

A tear of happiness flowed from the corner of her eye.

She wrapped her arms around Zero's waist and let him kiss her.

It was just that this was Zero's first time kissing a girl, so his movements were still very clumsy, but wasn't Kochō Kanae the same...

After a long time, their lips parted.

A crystal-clear thread of saliva was even drawn out.

At this moment, Kochō Kanae's eyes were a bit hazy, her face was flushed, and the roots of her ears were burning red!

Their lips were also slightly swollen.

After a long while, Zero spoke first: "Kanae, if one day I leave, are you willing to come with me?"

"I..."

"I know what you are worried about, it's your sister Shinobu, right? I can take her with us, or I can bring you back to visit her."

Kochō Kanae could no longer suppress the joy in her heart and answered: "I am willing!"

She hugged Zero again, resting her head on his shoulder.

They felt each other's body temperature and heartbeat, as well as the scent on their bodies.

Crack!

Just as the two were being affectionate, the sound of a branch being stepped on came from behind a tree not far away.

The two turned their heads and saw only a fleeing back.

They both recognized who that back belonged to.

Kanroji Mitsuri!

"Why would Mitsuri-chan appear here? Our business just now... wouldn't she have seen it all?" Kochō Kanae seemed to be caught in the act, appearing a bit flustered.

"It's alright, this is not something shameful."

Kochō Kanae finally came back to her senses, feeling that she was a bit too nervous.

"That's true, hehe~"

Seeing Kochō Kanae like this again, Zero couldn't help but laugh or cry, and gently wiped the tears from the corners of her eyes.

"Let's go, it's time to go back."

"Mm."

The two walked hand in hand, leaving the dense forest.

Kanroji Mitsuri fled the scene in a fluster, her heart also unable to calm down. She had seen everything that happened just now.

It turned out that after Kochō Kanae's birthday ended, she had walked back, intending to find Zero alone, and happened to meet Kochō Kanae and Zero.

Driven by curiosity, she followed quietly, wanting to find out what was going on.

Hearing the conversation between Zero and Kochō Kanae, she also learned some things about Zero.

She had never thought that Zero had lived for so long!

But his appearance didn't look like it at all.

Even so, Kanroji Mitsuri still wanted to know Zero's opinion of her.

However, what followed was seeing Kochō Kanae take the initiative to kiss Zero...

Just as she was about to leave quietly, she accidentally stepped on a dead branch.

Turning her head, she found that the two of them had noticed her. Panicked, she fled the dense forest as if escaping.

After Kanroji Mitsuri returned to the Demon Slayer Corps, she returned to her residence alone.

Her expression was as if she had been dumped.

"Mr. Zero..."

Kanroji Mitsuri joined the Demon Slayer Corps just to find a future husband who was stronger than her and wouldn't dislike her.

But now...

Seeing Kochō Kanae and Zero together, she had an indescribable feeling in her heart, as if she had lost something...

Zero sent Kochō Kanae to the Butterfly Mansion and returned to his residence under her lingering gaze.

Watching Zero's gradually receding back, her gaze still didn't shift, and she didn't even notice Kochō Shinobu and Tsuyuri Kanao standing behind her.

"Sister?"

"Ah?... Shinobu? Kanao? When did you arrive?"

Kochō Shinobu looked at her sister speechlessly, feeling that she had changed, as if her heart had been stirred.

And it seemed that something had happened that made her happy.

"Sister, Kanao and I have been standing here for a long time, and you didn't respond after calling you several times."

"Oh my, I'm so sorry! Hehe~"

Seeing her sister using this way of acting cute to fool her, Kochō Shinobu rolled her eyes helplessly and said: "Sister, don't think about using this way to get away with it! I'm not a child! Honestly confess, what happened that made you so absent-minded?"

"Nothing, little sister Shinobu, I've always been like this, you're overthinking it~"

"Hmph hmph~ Sister, you're still not going to confess, right! I know your weakness~ hee hee..." Seeing that Kochō Kanae still refused to confess honestly, Kochō Shinobu stretched out her "evil" hands and slowly approached her.

Seeing this, Kochō Kanae immediately crossed her hands over her chest to protect herself and ran to her room.

"Sister, you can't run away today!"

Seeing this, Kochō Shinobu also chased after her quickly.

Leaving Tsuyuri Kanao messy in the wind at the door...

Not long after, sounds that made people's imaginations run wild came from Kochō Kanae's room.

"Ah? ~ Little sister Shinobu... hahaha... you... you be gentle..."

"Sister, are you going to say it or not?"

"I... I won't say it... hahaha... don't... don't tickle there... so... so itchy..."

"If you don't say it, I won't stop!"

"Don't... hahaha... so itchy... ah hahaha..."

"Hee hee~ Sister, I didn't expect you to be so sensitive!"

"Don't... don't tickle me anymore... hahaha..."

"Then you honestly confess!"

"No... I won't say it... hahaha... you... where are you putting your hands... ah? ~"

"Sister, I didn't expect you to be so big here..."

"Don't~..."

That night, some patients in the Butterfly Mansion heard this sound and spent a difficult night...

The next day.

Zero got up early, preparing to go to the area under his jurisdiction for inspection.

Unexpectedly, on the road passing through a bamboo forest, he met Shinazugawa Sanemi.

He was holding two wooden swords in his hand, as if he had been waiting here early.

"Zero!"

"Sanemi, is there something wrong?"

"Come with me, I have something to tell you!"

After speaking, regardless of what Zero thought, he took him directly to a relatively open field.

"Let's duel! Pillars can spar with each other!" As soon as he finished speaking, he threw one of the wooden swords in his hand to Zero.

Zero caught it smoothly, not understanding why he wanted to do this?

Just as he wanted to ask why, Shinazugawa Sanemi's attack also arrived at this moment.

Wind Breathing, First Form: Dust Whirlwind Cutter!

Shinazugawa Sanemi approached Zero at high speed to launch a surprise attack in this instant, and behind him, he also left rotating wind blades that could easily cut through the ground.

In the instant before Shinazugawa Sanemi's attack arrived, Zero moved a small step backward and dodged the attack to one side.

Then he swung the wooden sword in his hand and swept it across, hitting Shinazugawa Sanemi's waist directly.

Shinazugawa Sanemi's face became ferocious, and he immediately changed his move, twisting his body to dodge the attack by moving along the ground.

Afterwards, he supported his body with one hand on the ground and kicked Zero directly with a roundhouse kick.

As a skilled user of Wind Breathing, Shinazugawa Sanemi could even wrap the wind blades produced by the breathing technique around his hands and feet as a physical technique. When attacking, just brushing against the skin could cut a wound.

But for Zero, this didn't count for much.

His mechanical left hand stretched out quickly, grabbed Shinazugawa Sanemi's ankle, and blocked the kick.

Then he exerted force suddenly, threw him out with a hard swing.

And his own figure followed closely behind, swinging the wooden sword and attacking directly!

Wind Breathing, Second Form: Claws-Purifying Wind!

After landing, Shinazugawa Sanemi swung the wooden sword in his hand and unleashed four claw-shaped wind blades at Zero, who was attacking, with power enough to cut through blades.

Whoosh!

The figure of Zero in front of him suddenly disappeared, leaving only four claw marks on the ground.

Suddenly, a violent sword energy appeared behind him. Shinazugawa Sanemi, who was too late to dodge, launched a sword technique again.

Wind Breathing, Fourth Form: Rising Dust Storm!

Shinazugawa Sanemi turned backward and unleashed five wind blades from bottom to top with the wooden sword in his hand.

Zero bent his body backward 90° to dodge it, but Shinazugawa Sanemi's attack followed one after another, not giving him any chance to take advantage.

Wind Breathing, Eighth Form: Primary Gale Slash!

He rushed to Zero's front and back at an extremely fast speed, and while rotating and slashing for a week with the momentum of a gale, he rolled up a powerful spiral wind blade around his body.

The move was very fierce, but unfortunately, his opponent was Zero.

In the instant before Shinazugawa Sanemi was about to launch the sword technique, he quickly jumped backward to pull away a short distance.

Then he exerted force with his legs and rushed over again with a hard kick!

Before Shinazugawa Sanemi could launch the sword technique again, Zero had already arrived in front of him, using the end of the wooden sword in his hand to strike his knees, elbows, and shoulder blades three times directly.

The three positions hit made half of Shinazugawa Sanemi's body feel as if it were paralyzed.

But before he could think too much, Zero's attack arrived again.

A knee attack on his leg sent Shinazugawa Sanemi flying.

Helpless, Shinazugawa Sanemi in mid-air could only force his body to move and launch a sword technique with his other hand.

Wind Breathing, Fifth Form: Cold Mountain Wind!

This move was a large-scale attack in Wind Breathing. Only then did Shinazugawa Sanemi see him unleash a huge wind blade rotating around himself from the sky with his other hand.

But because half of his body was paralyzed, the power of this move was greatly reduced.

Seeing this, Zero moved along the ground and slid to the landing point of Shinazugawa Sanemi.

He supported his body with both hands on the ground, exerted force suddenly, used his legs to clamp Shinazugawa Sanemi's waist, and exerted force to throw him onto the ground fiercely.

Shinazugawa Sanemi, who had lost his combat effectiveness, was no longer able to continue sparring.

At this time, the half of his body that was paralyzed had also recovered.

Recalling the battle just now, Shinazugawa Sanemi never expected that he would still lose.

Over the years, he had not only strengthened his own training, but even for breathing techniques and sword skills, he had undergone hellish training.

All for the sake of being able to defeat Zero one day.

Even if he couldn't defeat Zero, at least he could tie.

But the result now was a complete defeat, without any power to fight back. He really couldn't figure out why Zero had such rich combat experience and combat skills?!

"Tch, I lost!" Although Shinazugawa Sanemi had a violent temper, at least he dared to act and take responsibility. Losing was losing.

Moreover, he could clearly feel just now that Zero hadn't used his full strength.

Zero didn't say anything either, just came to him and stretched out his hand.

Shinazugawa Sanemi pulled Zero's hand and stood up, saying: "Treat Kanae well, she is a very good girl, don't let her down! Otherwise, I won't spare you!"

Hearing this, Zero also understood why he wanted to spar with him. It turned out to be because of Kochō Kanae.

It seemed that he liked Kochō Kanae very much, but it seemed to be a one-sided liking.

"I will treat her well without you telling me, I swear on my life."

"Tch, hurry up and leave! You annoying guy, don't continue to hinder my training here!"

Although he said so, Zero could still hear that he just wanted to be alone for a while.

As he left, he patted him on the shoulder and then left without looking back.

Watching Zero's receding figure, he looked at the sky again and thought: Kanae, I wish you happiness!

"Zero, one day, I will defeat you!"

... ===== CHAPTER 42 =====