Chapter 141: Crisis
_____
The rushing river transformed into a vast primeval forest, and a desolate atmosphere hung in the air.
Aoki stepped on a dead branch, his brow slightly furrowed.
This wasn't his intended destination.
Just before activating "space shuttle," he sensed an unfamiliar spatial fluctuation and altered his course.
Someone nearby also wielded the power of space, and their mastery of it was far more refined and potent than his own.
Aoki quietly assessed the situation for a moment and shook his head.
"This won't work."
The area was filled with complex and powerful spatial fluctuations.
It was like a heavy rain suddenly falling onto a calm lake, with raindrops creating ripples.
If he forced his way into "space travel," these fluctuations would affect him, rendering him completely out of control.
Flying over the "lake" wouldn't be a problem.
But if he were pulled into the "lake"—lost in the turbulence of space—that would be troublesome.
This unpredictability was one of the drawbacks of "space shuttle."
In the Demon Slayer world, no one had ever achieved such spatial mastery, so the weakness had never surfaced.
"I was too careless"
Aoki sighed, reminding himself once again that this wasn't the Demon Slayer world anymore.
Though his immortality and "space travel" gave him a significant edge in survival, it didn't mean he was invincible.
"Do you know what's going on?"
A voice came from nearby, and Aoki turned his head.
Kurome stood not far away, gripping Yatsufusa, looking around cautiously.
"It's probably a super dangerous species that controls space and brought us here," Aoki replied.
Kurome was likely dragged into this mess because of him.
Though he didn't know the exact details, the cause was probably his use of "space shuttle."
But this wasn't necessarily a bad thing.
Kurome's strength was exceptional, and given the circumstances, she probably wouldn't pick a fight with him. That meant he had a powerful ally on hand.
"A super dangerous species?" Kurome looked at him. "What do we do now?"
"What do you think?"
Kurome shook her head.
"Then let's start by exploring the area," Aoki suggested.
He didn't have a better plan at the moment.
Kurome approached him, making her willingness to cooperate clear.
The two picked a random direction and began walking.
Aoki didn't risk flying.
The dense canopy obscured the sky, and who knew what might be lurking above.
With "space shuttle" out of commission, he had to be extra cautious.
Kurome pulled out a bag of snacks from somewhere, popping a piece of candy into her mouth.
Aoki glanced over.
Kurome hugged the snack bag tightly. "I'm not sharing"
"I didn't want any," Aoki replied.
After a moment of silence, he added, "Your body's nearing its limit. If you keep eating, you won't last much longer."
Kurome's life had been far from easy.
When she was young, she and her sister Akame were sold to the Empire's Assassin Agency, where they were trained to become killers.
Both Kurome and Akame passed the selection for the elite group of seven, but since siblings couldn't be part of the same unit, Kurome was forcibly separated and subjected to drug injections to enhance her abilities.
The drugs had unlocked Kurome's potential, giving her immense strength.
But at the same time, they had made her heavily dependent on them.
Continuous use had ravaged her body. At only fifteen or sixteen years old, her body was already at its breaking point.
The drugs had warped her mind. Because she cherished her companions, she used the March of the dead to turn their fallen comrades into dolls, keeping them by her side.
When Akame betrayed the Empire and joined the Revolutionary Army, She tried to convince Kurome to follow her. However, Kurome saw it as a betrayal of her comrades and refused to leave.
The two sisters still loved each other, yet both desired to kill the other, creating a deeply twisted relationship. Kurome stared at Aoki for a moment before continuing to eat her snacks as if nothing had happened.
She was aware of the dangers of the drugs and had tried to quit taking them.
However, her body had become severely dependent on the drugs, and stopping them would cause her condition to deteriorate even faster.
Besides, she needed the strength the drugs provided.
Without her power, she would become worthless and be abandoned.
She absolutely couldn't allow that to happen!
But...
The supply of drugs was running low.
Moreover, she needed to report back and had to leave here as soon as possible.
Aoki remained silent.
The two continued on.
Unexpectedly, they soon emerged from the jungle, but the sight before them brought them to a halt.
The ground was gray and lifeless, and countless skeletons were strewn across it.
The largest of the skeletons towered over them, more than ten meters tall, resembling buildings. Some of their bones were thicker than a human waist. The smallest skeletons were barely a few centimeters in size, smaller than a palm.
The skeletons varied in shape, clearly belonging to different creatures.
A light mist hung in the air, casting a hazy veil over the world.
"Something's coming," Kurome said.
Aoki nodded.
He had sensed it too.
The mist swirled, and dangerous species began to emerge. Their thick legs and tails supported their upright, humanoid lizard forms, each one looking vicious and fierce.
"Do you recognize them?" Aoki asked.
Kurome shook her head. "No."
There was no time for further conversation as the dangerous creatures charged at them.
"Leave this to me!" Aoki stepped forward, positioning himself in front of Kurome.
He was brimming with energy and unafraid of exerting himself.
These creatures gave off the aura of level-one dangerous species. He could handle them on his own.
Not knowing what else they might face, it was wise to conserve Kurome's strength just in case.
Although her imperial weapon was powerful, it took a heavy toll on both her body and mind.
Hearing Aoki's words, Kurome refrained from drawing her sword.
As an expert assassin, she had already sensed that this man was no ordinary person.
Whoosh! A dangerous species lunged at Aoki.
In his heightened state of awareness, every movement of the creature was visible. Aoki shifted his body slightly, narrowly avoiding its claws, then turned his hand into a blade and struck swiftly.
Swish.
His palm cut through the creature's neck like a real knife, causing a fountain of blood to spray out.
More dangerous species attacked.
Aoki dodged and countered with punches, not a single one of them able to touch him.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Moments later, all the dangerous creatures lay dead.
Kurome stared at Aoki, wide-eyed.
This man's strength was far greater than she had anticipated, and he didn't seem to be an imperial weapon user. Who was he? A master from the Imperial Fist Temple, perhaps?
But she had encountered Imperial Fist Temple fighters before, and their style wasn't like his.
Even after dispatching the dangerous species, Aoki's expression remained tense as he gazed deeper into the fog.
Suddenly, his face changed. Grabbing Kurome, he swiftly retreated into the forest.
________
T/N: There is a Patreon for this work, and any new work I add will be dropped there first. check it out for an early chapters.
Patreon link:- Patreon.com/ANelite
And also:
Imperial weapon = Teigu
Teigu = Imperial weapon