Demon Capital Slayer

Chapter 32 Wiping the Sword to Clarify the Mind
The journey to the remaining three countries was longer than expected.

Once the sun had set, the army halted its advance and set up camp nearby.

The soldiers of the Blue Kingdom resemble a walking ice armor, so they don't need tents or campfires when they set up camp. They simply stand side by side and freeze into a solid block of ice.

In contrast, it's much more troublesome for the living.

The entire Kingdom of Colors was a huge ancient city, so Yu Jian and his companions simply found a suitable defensive building by the roadside and moved in.

The thirteen White Knights spread out to take turns on duty. Miken noticed that they were singing softly, but the original voices of the White City residents were high-pitched and light. Their transformed, rough voices were not suitable for the songs they knew how to sing. Those cute and light songs were sung with a violent, heavy metal rock flavor.

Yu Jian couldn't bear to watch, and he felt terrible listening to what Yu Jian was saying, but mainly the latter, so he got up and went to find Bai He Xiang for help.

After hearing the description, Lily sighed.

"I see."

She paused for a moment, then turned to look at the sword.

“Yujian, sometimes being too gentle can hurt yourself.”

"Why do you say that?" Yu Jian asked, puzzled.

"You should know that the creatures in the painting are not human. They are just things that look like living beings, like shadows or characters in animation."

"But they also experience joy and sorrow, so it's okay to show a little respect?"

Yuri's words reminded Mitsurugi of the mad words spoken by the Purple King before his death, but he still said it.

"Are you sure that's real emotion? It might just be an imitation at its core." Aizen Yurika's smile faded, and she looked seriously at her vice president.

"Don't invest too much emotion in something false."

There was neither a loud reprimand nor any emotional outburst, but the girl's expression at that moment instilled a sense of awe in people for no apparent reason; she was truly dignified.

Akane Isshiki, who was also resting in the tatami room, shuddered and, as if startled, crept furtively toward the door.

On the other hand, Yu Jian began to think seriously.

After a while, he let out a long sigh.

“You’re right, but I don’t think I can always be rational about everything.” Yu Jian scratched his cheek and chuckled unconsciously.

Lily's almond-shaped eyes widened in an unusually rare manner. Despite having the upper hand in the argument, she suddenly felt a surge of displeasure.

"Too long-winded!"

This was the first time the girl had raised her voice since they met. Akane Isshiki, who had already climbed out of the tatami room, immediately got up and ran away. The sound of her heavy footsteps broke the increasingly somber atmosphere in the room.

Yujian and Baihexiang exchanged a glance and couldn't help but laugh at the same time.

"There's really nothing I can do about you."

Lily shook her head, took out her paintbrush and sword, and went to the side of the room connected to the Japanese-style room.

This is also called a 'side edge', which is a porch-like structure in traditional Japanese island architecture. It can be understood as a suspended corridor with an eaves, and it is usually covered with flooring and connected to the interior rooms.

Lily beckoned the White Knight over. She was not short for a woman, and standing on the porch, she could just touch their throats with her paintbrush, but the White Knight knelt down very respectfully.

“During the previous modifications, I found that the world itself would make the changes produced by the paintbrush more reasonable. Even without adding any related settings, the White Knight’s voice still became rough and deep, as if everyone subconsciously believed that strong creatures should make that kind of sound.”

“The mortal world, the underworld, it feels like the world that was originally ordinary is becoming more and more unfamiliar.” Lily paused, “but it’s also becoming more interesting.”

As she spoke, she quickly drew a little yellow duck on the White Knight's shoulder armor.

"Okay, try singing with it."

“Yes, sir!” The white knight bowed respectfully, crawled back a short distance before standing up, perfectly replicating local etiquette in an almost rigid manner, as if this was how a knight should behave, but in reality, no one had ever taught them these things.

After a brief attempt, the little yellow duck jumped off the armor and stood on the white knight's shoulder, looking rather silly.

"Isn't it just a direct modification?" Yu Jian asked curiously.
"I'm not sure if the second modification will have a chain reaction. Adding something new without changing the core might be safer. Besides, it's not an independent entity; you can think of it as a voice changer shaped like a duck," Yurika replied quite carefully.

"Oh, it's a mouth substitute." Yu Jian understood immediately.

"Huh?" Lily Fragrance had naturally never heard of the term that emerged after the millennium.

"spokesman."

"Oh, that's about right."

While the two were chatting, the White Knight had already learned to use his mouthpiece, and the little duck began to make melodious calls, which gradually turned into a cheerful song, drawing gasps of amazement.

Subsequently, other White Knights also acquired mouth substitutes, which, when not in use, would become a pattern on their armor, resembling a samurai's family crest from a distance.

But a true samurai would not use cats, dogs, ducks, chicks, or rabbits as family crests; otherwise, his opponents might laugh him to death before the battle even began.

Sitting side by side on the floor, neither of them spoke, simply listening quietly as the White Knights sang cheerful songs in their freshly made animal mouths. Then these guys started adding their own lyrics, mostly praise and gratitude, in a very simple and direct way. And the objects of their praise were, of course, Mitsurugi and Yurika—it was so awkward it made you want to dig out a dungeon.

The two had no choice but to flee.

Yujian escorted Baihexiang back to her room, and before leaving, he suddenly grasped the girl's hand.

Lily was taken aback at first, then felt something being quietly passed through her sleeve. She immediately understood what it meant, and lowered her head without making a sound, pretending to be shy. She was still wearing a gorgeous kimono, and the wide sleeves could completely hide this little movement.

As if nothing had happened, Yu Jian walked outside alone, needing to put some of his swordsmanship insights into practice.

Then, Mitsurugi saw Akane Isshiki's figure in the dry landscape garden of the courtyard.

"Isshiki-senpai?" Just as Yujian was about to step forward, he saw her shoulders twitching.

I seem perfectly fine during the day, but I still can't let go of it when I'm alone at night.

Faced with the cruel reality that only one of the father and daughter can survive, what child would willingly watch their parents sacrifice themselves for them?

Yu Jian did not immediately step forward, because he saw a figure in blue standing in the shadow of the artificial hill.

Although he is an artist, his imposing presence when wearing armor is not weak, which is not surprising. Those who can stand at the top of the pyramid in any industry are obviously not weak.

But at this moment, Isshiro's back was slightly hunched, and he looked like an ordinary, tired old father, without any imposing presence.

Seeing Mitsurugi by the corridor, he gestured for her to comfort Isshiki Akane, while he himself dragged his heavy steps back into the shadows.

For some reason, the figure became straighter and straighter as it walked, as if it had made up its mind and was no longer confused.

After pondering for a moment, Yujian came to Isshiki Akane's side.

"do not Cry."

"Waaah." Akane turned around, her face covered in tears. She was no longer the genius young painter she once was; she looked like a little girl with a tear-streaked face.

Ignoring the difference between men and women, she grabbed Yu Jian's neck with both hands and burst into tears as if she were hugging a large doll.

Mikasa patted Isshiki Akane's back helplessly, but she cried even harder, as if she wanted to release all the sadness that had been accumulating in her heart.

Humans are truly fragile creatures.

Yu Jian suddenly had this idea.

Faced with natural disasters, man-made calamities, and all sorts of tragedies, most people have very limited choices. Not to mention those around them, they have to do everything they can to survive.

The same applies to sword control nowadays.

The dream of Asura is like an opponent whose specific form cannot be seen. It has been entangled with him until now, tearing apart the originally fragile and ordinary person and reshaping him into a different form that even he himself finds unfamiliar.

At this moment, his swordsmanship was superb, his movements were lightning-fast, and he was resolute and decisive, showing no hesitation even when facing hundreds or thousands of enemies.

But he was still just a mortal.

I could have done better...

Feeling the pressure on my shoulders, it was the weight of sorrow.

Even in that peaceful and stable country in his previous life, Yujian still witnessed things that were either sad or infuriating through various channels.

He felt that was wrong, and not just him, but many people often thought it was wrong.

However, not all mistakes can be corrected.

People always expect heroes and strongmen to fall from the sky.

So why can't I be this hero and warrior?
Having experienced reincarnation and even faced death once, can I become the one who changes all distortions and puts things back on track?
Not a hero, not a god, but a human being.

Be true to yourself...

This belief, which I once resolved to uphold as my lifelong principle, is now being polished once more by the sword.

What may seem like a simple belief actually carries an unimaginable weight, and it is by no means easy to carry it out to the end. In fact, it becomes more and more difficult as one comes into contact with more people, acquires more things, and gains more life experience.

But what does it matter?
He said, "What's a little pain in the face of wind and rain? Wipe away your tears, don't be afraid, at least we still have... dreams."

Just a dream?
No, it's not just a dream.

And swords! And power!

And an indomitable will and an unrepentant stubbornness!
Yu Jian stopped humming, and as if entering an unlock key, his emerald green eyes were replaced by a brighter golden-red, and his rising conviction reflected a faint radiance on his irises.

Tonight, some things have been changed forever.

(End of this chapter)