Kokushibo's gaze lingered.
Before him stood a young woman fragile, trembling clutching a small infant tightly to her chest. Her beauty was gentle, unrefined, yet striking in its sincerity. But what drew his attention was not her appearance.
It was the child.
The moment her eyes met his six irises gleaming faintly in the dim light fear overtook her completely. Her body stiffened, and without a second thought, she turned and fled.
Kokushibo did not move.
"…So it is her."
Recognition surfaced almost instantly.
Kotoha Hashibira.
And the child in her arms
Inosuke Hashibira.
For a brief moment, even Kokushibo was surprised. The convergence of events was… precise. Too precise to be dismissed as coincidence.
Before he could act, a presence approached from behind.
Light footsteps.
Unhurried.
A hand came to rest casually upon his shoulder.
"Well, well… what an unexpected guest."
The voice was bright pleasant, even but carried an unnatural emptiness beneath its surface.
Kokushibo did not turn immediately.
"…Remove your hand."
A soft chuckle followed.
"As cold as ever, Lord Kokushibo."
He turned then, meeting the gaze of Doma.
Those iridescent, rainbow-colored eyes held no depth. No emotion. Only a hollow imitation of curiosity.
"The woman has fled," Kokushibo said calmly.
Doma tilted his head slightly, as though considering the statement.
"…Has she?"
There was no urgency in his voice.
No concern.
Yet something subtle lingered beneath that calm something Kokushibo did not overlook.
Interest.
A Calculated InterventionKokushibo's hand rested lightly upon the hilt of his blade.
"Then I will retrieve her."
Without waiting for a response, his figure vanished.
Doma's smile widened slightly as he followed.
The Cliff's EdgeThe wind howled faintly along the mountainside.
Kotoha had reached the edge.
Her breathing was uneven, her body trembling as she clutched the child closer to her chest. Tears blurred her vision, but she did not stop moving until there was nowhere left to go.
Behind her
Footsteps.
She turned.
And saw them.
Despair settled instantly.
There was no escape.
Her grip tightened.
"…I'm sorry…"
Her voice broke.
With a final, desperate motion
She threw the child over the edge.
The Unreachable GapFor a human
It would have been the end.
But Kokushibo was not human.
He moved.
In a single, seamless motion, his blade flashed not to kill, but to cut. The swaddling cloth split cleanly as his arm extended downward, catching the falling child with absolute precision.
When he landed, the infant rested safely in his grasp.
Alive.
Unharmed.
Kotoha's eyes widened in disbelief.
Then panic overtook her.
"Give him back! Please give him back!"
She rushed forward without hesitation, fear forgotten, instinct overriding reason.
But Kokushibo stepped aside effortlessly.
Her hands grasped nothing.
DesperationMoments later, Doma arrived.
His expression remained unchanged smiling, serene as if witnessing something mildly entertaining rather than a life-or-death struggle.
Kotoha's body froze the instant she saw him.
The memory of what she had witnessed the truth behind his facade returned all at once.
Her fear deepened.
Yet
She moved.
Falling to her knees, she clutched at the hem of his clothing, her voice breaking as tears streamed down her face.
"Please… I beg you… give him back… I won't run… I won't try to escape… just… please…"
Her desperation was absolute.
For a brief moment, silence lingered.
Doma looked down at her.
"…You will stay?" he asked lightly.
"Yes yes! I swear it! I'll stay… just don't take my child…"
Her voice trembled, but there was no hesitation.
Doma's smile deepened.
"…I see."
A Shift in ControlKokushibo observed the exchange in silence.
Then, slowly, he stepped forward.
The child stirred faintly in his arms, small hands grasping instinctively at the air, unaware of the fate being decided around him.
Kokushibo looked down at him briefly.
Then back at Doma.
"This arrangement is inefficient."
Doma blinked, tilting his head slightly.
"Oh?"
Kokushibo's gaze shifted to Kotoha.
"If she remains willingly, there is no need for further pursuit. However " his voice remained calm, measured, " attachment creates instability."
Kotoha's expression paled.
Kokushibo continued.
"The child will not remain with her."
Silence fell.
"No…!" Kotoha's voice broke as she shook her head desperately. "Please don't separate us !"
She tried to move forward again, but her strength failed her.
Doma watched quietly.
Then
"…That may be acceptable."
The answer came without hesitation.
Kotoha froze.
Her world seemed to collapse in that instant.
Doma's tone remained light, almost thoughtful.
"If it ensures she stays, then the outcome is the same."
To him
There was no difference.
A Mother's FarewellKokushibo stepped forward once more.
This time, he did not evade.
He lowered the child slightly.
"Speak."
Kotoha stared at him, trembling.
Then, slowly
She reached out.
Her hands shook as she took her child into her arms one last time.
Tears fell freely now, her voice breaking as she whispered words only the child could hear. Apologies. Promises. Fragments of love that could not be carried forward.
The infant Inosuke quieted.
As if, somehow, he understood.
Kokushibo watched in silence.
Then
He took the child back.
And turned.
Return to InstinctThe forest below was dense.
Untouched.
Alive.
Kokushibo descended without effort, landing among thick undergrowth. The scent of earth and wild creatures lingered in the air.
He placed the child carefully upon a bed of softened foliage.
Then stepped back.
And waited.
Time passed.
Moments stretched.
Then
Movement.
From the shadows, a wild boar emerged.
Its gaze fixed upon the child.
It approached cautiously, sniffing, circling… assessing.
Kokushibo did not interfere.
At last, the creature lowered its head, nudging the child gently before lifting him with surprising care.
Then
It turned.
And disappeared into the forest.
Kokushibo followed.
Not closely.
But enough.
Until he confirmed it.
A den.
Shelter.
Survival.
A Quiet ConclusionOnly then did he stop.
"…So this is how it begins."
His voice was soft, nearly lost to the wind.
Without another word, he turned away.
"Nakime."
The sound of the biwa echoed faintly.
Space shifted.
And Kokushibo vanished once more leaving behind a future that had not yet realized its own significance.