How does one resonate the demon slayer marks with each other? Kai had asked Shinobu one evening.
The Insect Hashira had already chosen to impart Kai with all the secrets.
Even then, she had taken a deep breath before divulging the said information.
The appearance of Demon Slayer Marks opens the doors to two concepts, she had replied. Those two are — Transparent World and Selfless State.
Then she had imparted the knowledge about these concepts in detail to Kai.
According to Shinobu, the Transparent World was a special form of ocular extrasensory perception that altered demon slayers' visions, allowing them to perceive other living beings as if they were transparent.
The users could perceive the flow of blood, breathing, muscular contractions, and joint movements of the creature they were looking at.
It allowed one to see inside an enemy's body, letting them predict and evade their opponent's attacks and find openings for their own strikes. Not to mention, it also allowed one to perceive the surrounding world in slow-motion, thus skyrocketing their movement speed and reflexes.
The more the demon slayer marks, the better grasp over the Transparent World, Shinobu had added. When one truly attains mastery over the Transparent World, it causes the demon slayer marks to resonate with each other and hence allowing them to use Bankai.
On the other hand, the Selfless State is quite mysterious and demon slayer marks' presence doesn't mean one can attain mastery over it automatically.
Her explanation had cleared Kai's doubt but had also made him seriously contemplate a higher realm from his previous life.
Selfless State, also known as the Realm of the Highest and Domain of Supremacy, represented the zenith of physical combat.
It was a supernatural, esoteric and mysterious state of being in which one completely erased their presence from the battlefield, getting rid of their will to fight, bloodlust, anger, hatred, malevolence, drive, and animosity.
However, it did not enhance one's own combat prowess.
Once in this state, the Insect Hashira had told Kai, the user's behavior becomes incredibly tranquil and focused. This behavior is often compared to that of a plant.
That evening, and after listening to Shinobu's explanation, Kai had shown no particular expression on his face.
But inwardly, his mind and heart were roaring ecstatically, because this Selfless State resembled a higher cultivation realm in his previous life.
Selfless State… Kai had contemplated overnight. Why does it feel so similar to the State of Anatta?!
In Kai's original world, the Beast Essence Cultivation was divided into two realms — Mortal and Divine.
In the Mortal realm, one was needed to assimilate a beast's essence within one's body.
Then in a series of stages, lasting for years, one was required to reach a bodily constituency similar to the beast, to a state where with one thought one could bring out the beast's essence in battle.
To transcend the Mortal realm, one needed to harmonize with the beast's essence, showing the characteristic of being One with the Beast.
This step was also the transcending, transforming, and the first stage of the Divine Realm, and the underlying principle of this transcendence was — State of Anatta.
Those who had reached this stage, after spending decades in meditation and comprehending the State of Anatta, could be counted on fingers.
The human population had already been dwindling at that time, so it wasn't surprising that only a few cases had been seen and recorded about this stage.
This step of transcending and achieving Divine by comprehending the State of Anatta was a roadblock, and all were required to cross it to tread further on the path of the Beast Essence Cultivation.
However, there was one exception.
This person had not only achieved the realm of One with the Beast at the beginning of his Mortal realm but had also done it when he was a mere 14-years-old child.
Yes. This person was none other than Kai of House Stormborn.
After Shinobu's lessons that night, Kai had recalled his singular experience in the sewers under the city when they had come to claim his life when he had been already on the verge of starving to death.
In those filthy moments, when the demon within him had awakened, he had discarded his humanity to not do something extraordinary, but to just live.
The very first time Kai had slithered, he already was One with the Beast.
Yet, Kai couldn't help but also realize that this Selfless State, though lesser than the State of Anatta, was a realm higher than his One with the Beast. It demanded something…
… more.
…
Presently,
Kai stupendously gazed at the sight of Shinobu's Bankai form piercing the demon's chest in one move.
Shinobu's Bankai wasn't as majestic as that of Rengoku's, but especially because of this, she had condensed her Bankai, turning all her Reiatsu to get physical improvements.
This form not only let Shinobu cover her lack of strength but, with the help of the Transparent World, it also allowed her to see her enemies' weak points and openings in their defenses.
Akaza let out a powerful shout and punched.
He blinked and Shinobu was gone.
Kai saw the most absurd scene, then.
A purple blur appeared in his vision. Was it because of his instincts? he didn't know.
However, he could sense its presence. The absurdity of this purple blur was that it was stepping on air.
Akaza and Kai both blinked again and, in the next moment, Shinobu's stinger was embedded deep into the demon's ear.
Another butterfly tattoo appeared around the wound like a majestic curse.
Shinobu disappeared and appeared between Kai and the demon, her figure tall, lean, and backless.
A deadly premonition must have announced itself to the demon, for they all could see his wounds healing instantaneously, but the butterfly tattoos remained on his body persistently.
Technique…
Akaza crouched, his Reiatsu boiled, and then he pushed his open palms towards Shinobu.
… Annihilation Type!
Shinobu was calm and collected, as though she could see through everything.
Just before the powerful shockwave could hit her, she disappeared and reappeared in the sky. She kicked the air, disappeared again, and then reappeared at another place.
Akaza kept punching shockwaves after shockwaves at her, astounded at the fact that she was walking in the air.
Even Kai was dumbfounded.
Shinobu had already told him about her Bankai.
There were only two words to explain the essence of her Bankai — Speed and Precision.
A successful attack of her Stinger created a butterfly tattoo over the target's body, spreading the poison and condensing her poisonous Reiatsu within them.
The second attack at the same point made the condensed Reiatsu explode, killing the target on the spot.
These were already things that couldn't be defended against.
Yet, it was her speed that made Kai lick his lips.
For him to not even see her, and his instincts to lose a grasp over her presence, she indeed was monstrously fast.
How could Akaza, despite being a monster in a physical fight, retaliate against her battle strength?!
Shinobu appeared over Akaza's head like a blurry wraith.
Technique…
The demon roared, punching the air over him with his two fists.
… Disorder!
Silence.
Shinobu's stinger had pierced the demon's ear with a bloody squelch, its tip at the same spot as the last.
Pop!
Akaza's head exploded, sending brain matter flying in all directions.
**************
Disclaimer: This chapter contains a portion of my Original Cultivation Concept and has nothing to with any Fanfic work or other Cannon work available on Internet elsewhere.
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