In the end, Shinji and Kikyō stopped before the final door, though aside from that, they had shared almost every other intimacy.
As for the last step… it wasn't that they didn't want to, or couldn't.
He certainly wanted to, and could, but it wasn't the right time, not yet.
Shinji was still at the Sixth Transformation, not yet materialized. Though he was gradually regaining 'vitality,' most of his body's functions still relied on demonic aura to drive them, on Blood Change to fill them. In essence, he was still dead inside hollow, with his most vital organs lacking activity, unable to leave anything behind.
He felt that when he truly took that last step, it should be as a fully living being.
Not in this dead body.
He also felt that step wouldn't be too far off.
Once he accumulated enough quantitative change and achieved qualitative change, with the right opportunity, he could skip the Seventh Transformation and reach the Eighth, or even the Ninth.
And once he completed the Twelfth Transformation, he would be able to take that step.
To become completely, fully alive.
For Kikyō, it was the same.
She was a shrine maiden, but also a traditional girl raised in the Warring States era, shaped by its culture.
She was still very young.
And she respected Shinji's choices.
The next morning, sunlight pierced through thin clouds, spilling onto the wilderness grass.
Dewdrops hung at the tips of the blades, trembling.
Shinji opened his eyes.
His body felt light, yet filled with unprecedented explosive power.
He raised his hand, palm up.
Sizzle—
A thin purple electric arc danced at his fingertips, without any hesitation, as if it were an extension of his own body.
It was a strange feeling.
He looked down beside him.
Kikyō was leaning against a tree trunk, her longbow across her lap, her eyes slightly closed, her breathing steady and even.
She was asleep.
For a shrine maiden who was always on alert, this was almost impossible in the wilderness.
But because he was beside her, because of last night's near-frenzied exchange of spiritual power and demonic aura, she was exhausted.
Still, the barrier she had set up earlier continued to function.
Shinji's gaze fell on her.
Her white top was a little disheveled from their earlier movements, the collar slightly open, revealing large swaths of snow-pale skin beneath her collarbone, glowing with a moist luster in the morning light.
Her red hakama wrapped around her long legs, now casually stretched out. The smooth, flowing curve extended all the way to her waist, outlining a breathtaking arc.
Shinji took off his own tattered outer robe and gently draped it over her.
His movements were soft.
But Kikyō still woke.
Her long lashes fluttered, her dark eyes slowly opening. The confusion of just waking up vanished instantly, replaced by her usual coolness and vigilance. But the moment she saw Shinji, that vigilance softened.
"Awake?" Her voice carried a slightly sleepy huskiness.
"Yes." Shinji sat down beside her and naturally reached out to smooth the stray hairs at her temple.
Kikyō's bright, beautiful eyes met his. She suddenly asked, "How do you feel?"
"Strong." Shinji looked at his palm. Beneath the pale skin, a network of purple veins was clearly visible. "Better than expected. The thunder beast's power isn't just on the surface, it's truly become part of my body."
Before, he had used demonic aura to drive his body.
Now, under the blessing of lightning, his body itself was the manifestation of demonic aura.
Speed, strength, reaction time all had improved by more than a notch.
But
It still wasn't enough.
Quantitative change had indeed caused a drastic shift, but it hadn't yet broken through the qualitative membrane.
Materialization was a leap in the level of life.
Like the thunder beast's complete elementalization, or like Kidōmaru's touch of the essential transformation at the level of rules.
Shinji was now at an extremely delicate critical point.
He had treated the Six Transformations as pockets and stuffed each one full. Especially [Sharp Body Change], after fusing the lightning, had expanded to its limit.
But even so,
"Still a little short," Shinji murmured to himself.
"Just one final push."
Kikyō sensed his emotional shift. She sat up straighter, then tightened her grip on the young man's hand beside her, their fingers intertwining again.
"No need to rush." She leaned slightly, resting her body against his shoulder, speaking naturally, her warm breath brushing against his ear. "You've already come very fast. Too fast isn't always a good thing."
Shinji tilted his head, his nose brushing against her soft hair.
"I know." He tightened his grip on the girl's small, slender hand. "But I can feel it, that opportunity is right in front of me."
"I just need one more straw."
"A straw to break the camel's back or rather, to completely shatter the barrel and let it reorganize."
His gaze fell on something inside his robe.
The dragon's reverse scale, Affection 25.
The cat demon's paw, Affection 18.
Because he had focused most of his energy on the thunder beast horn, these two had made progress, but not much.
Now,
Since [Sharp Body Change] had already accommodated the lightning and become [Lightning-Muscle Sharp Body],
It was time to put the remaining transformations on the schedule.
Push all the quantities to their extremes.
Then, matrilization would happen naturally, like a flood bursting through a dam.
'The venomous dragon's reverse scale still needs more work. That thing is too insidious. Can't force it like the thunder horn.'
Shinji calculated in his mind.
'The cat demon's paw can be moved up.'
Just as he was thinking, a vibration came from inside his robe.
The red comb tucked into his collar.
[Yura: Affection +2]
[Current Affection: 25 (A little concerned)]
[It's protesting. It felt the power feedback after the thunder horn was absorbed. It also wants to become stronger. It doesn't want to be treated like a vibrating massager.]
Shinji: "…"
This comb had some serious resentment.
And what did it mean by 'massager'?
But Yura's ability was controlling hair, essentially a combination of threads and wind.
If he could completely absorb her power… Shinji glanced at Kikyō's long, glossy black hair behind him.
"What are you looking at?"
Kikyō seemed to sense his gaze. She looked up slightly, her usually distant eyes now shimmering like spring water.
"I was looking at your hair," Shinji said honestly. "It's beautiful."
"…"
Kikyō didn't reply, but her grip on his hand tightened.
"Let's go back." Kikyō stood, straightened her clothes, and slung her longbow over her back.
Though her tone remained calm, the tips of her reddening ears betrayed her feelings.
By the time they returned to Kaede Village, it was already noon.
Under the torii gate at the village entrance, little Kaede was idly kicking pebbles.
When she saw the two figures walking side by side, the little girl's eyes lit up. She started to run toward them, but suddenly stopped.
She saw it.
Her sister was walking ahead, her pace steady and expression calm as always.
But the demon big brother behind her had his gaze fixed on her sister.
And.
Her sister's hand was slightly extended backward, not quite holding his, but the distance between them, the atmosphere....
Too close.
So close that even the wind couldn't slip between them.
Little Kaede sniffed.
"So sweet," she murmured.
Before, her sister's scent had only been cool sandalwood and herbs.
Now… it seemed a sweet fragrance had been added?
"Kaede." Kikyō approached and patted her sister's head. "What are you daydreaming about?"
"Nothing… nothing!" Kaede stuck out her tongue, her gaze shifting between the two of them, finally landing on Shinji.
"Big brother, you seem different."
"Oh?" Shinji's expression was calm. He asked, puzzled, "Stronger?"
Was little Kaede actually talented?
It hadn't shown in the 'original story'!
Of course, though Shinji relied heavily on the so-called original story for information, he didn't believe it completely.
This was, after all, a 'mixed world.'
Many things couldn't be exactly as he knew them.
Kaede shook her head.
"No." The little girl pointed at his hair. "You look kind of… frizzy. Like you've been struck by lightning."
Shinji: "…"
Kikyō couldn't help but laugh softly.
That fleeting smile, like the first thaw of ice and snow, made Shinji's heart skip a beat.
"Let's go home," he said.
In this moment, growing stronger was for survival.
And survival was for protecting this ordinary life.
The threshold of Quality transformation was right in front of him.
.
.
.
.
Vote Powerstones