CH. 12: Orange Blood

He charged forth first, but no matter how he attacked and defended, flaws would always be found and he would get struck several times.

After a long time, even with the breathing techniques' support, kenshi gradually started feeling pain all over his body. His stamina also began to fall.

Avoiding another heavy speed slash!

He pulled back to widen the distance and started adjusting his condition.

Steadily performing the insect breathing, he could feel his stamina was low.

Unfortunately this match was the same as before, no progress at all.

He was also starting to understand the feeling of dejection Zenitsu and Inosuke had in the original work.

Shaking his head, he suppressed that feeling of dejection. This wasn't the time to give up, he still hadn't lost!

He concentrated again, planning on keeping his hyper senses constantly on the verge of triggering.

Just as he thought about that skill, he suddenly felt the surroundings slow down.

And kanao, who he was constantly observing, suddenly had an afterimage appear on her. This afterimage first took a small step to the right front, then swiftly flew left like a nimble butterfly.

But after running a few steps the afterimage suddenly vanished, time also started flowing normally again.

He abruptly realised what was happening, he thought about what Shinobu told him about the skill from her point of view, and she mentioned that he can not only sense his surroundings but also a predict one of his enemy's future attacks!

As he was thinking about this, simultaneously, Kanao moved.

Exactly the same as that afterimage he saw, she immediately took a small step to the right front.

He also seized the opportunity, charging to her left front..

Kanao was startled, she didn't expect his movements to be this fast and how did he know which way she was going? Was it a coincidence?

The incoming bamboo sword quickly interrupted her thoughts as she immediately adjusted to defend.

Seeing the seemingly successful smile on kenshi's face, she decided to stop thinking too much and focus on the battle.

No need to think so much...Kanao chanted in her heart. Just focus on how to defeat him.

At the end she even added a line - For the cookies!

The two's battle restarted!

Only this time, relying on his skill which seems have been leveled up, kenshi didn't let Kanao land a single hit.

The battle instantly fell into a deadlock of exchanging blows but neither able to overcome the other.

But he still had an excited smile on his face.

How long had it been? How long had he been tormented?

Now he could finally hold his head high!

But as time slowly passed, his stamina gradually couldn't hold up. In the end he was struck down by Kanao when she found an opening.

Kenshi didn't get back up again either, because he truly had no strength left. If not for the excitement, perhaps he couldn't even have lasted this long.

But even so he still had a smile on his face, because the effects from his skill far exceeded his imagination.

Suddenly, a familiar figure bent down looking at him from the side.

He whooshed up into a sitting position. But a chuckle sounded from his left. "She is still strict on you as ever."

He turned to look at Shinobu who had come over at some point. "When did you get back Shinobu?"

"Around half an hour ago I think. How much did you improve?"

"Still needs some work, I only managed to pop that little gourd yesterday..."

Hearing this Shinobu just sighed. "You had only been here for a month, yet you already reached this level so quickly."

But kenshi didn't think the same. He felt if not for focusing most of his efforts on raising his new skill these days, he would have succeeded in defeating Kanao already.

"Big sister..." Kanao also sidled up to Shinobu's side. Shinobu's first reaction upon returning wasn't to speak to her. This inevitably made Kanao feel a bit sad.

Shinobu smiled, patting Kanao's head. She suddenly noticed what Kanao was holding. "What's this?"

Kanao immediately presented the cookies as if showing treasure, softly explaining for a bit.

"I see..." Shinobi looked towards Summer: "Didn't expect you will find food outside while training."

He rubbed his nose. Although he was conscious of his lies, now he could only nod.

Kanao copied him tearing open the packaging, but due to inexperience, she didn't control her strength well. Ripping it wide open, nearly dropping the cookies inside.

Carefully holding them, she slowly placed them before Shinobu. "Big sister, very tasty..."

Seeing the packaging and cookies she had never seen before, Shinoby also didn't decline. Taking one from inside, she bit off a small piece.

"Not bad flavor!" Shinobu's eyes instantly lit up.

Hearing her praise, kanao also showed a smile from her heart.

Kenshi also took out the remaining cookies. "Like them? There's another pack here, it's for you."

Shinobu was a bit surprised at the offered cookies. After thinking for a bit, she still accepted them.

"She'll probably really like them." Shinobu suddenly said.

"Who?" He asked as he was a bit curious.

"A friend of mine. I think I can introduce you to her today, come with me!"

As Shinobu spoke, she walked outside. Kenshi and Kanao followed behind.

Before long, the three arrived at the resting room in Butterfly mansion.

Shinobu first opened the door, then greeted inside. "How are you Mitsuri? Is it still hurting?"

"Thank you Shinobu, nothing is hurting anymore!" A cheerful voice came from within.

Kenshi looked in only to see a girl was lying in the bed.

The girl had beautiful features. Under each of her eyes were a teardrop mole. Her long pink hair was braided into three strands.

But what was even more eye-catching was her enormous peaks and perfect figure.

This girl was none other than Kanroji Mitsuri!

"Mitsuri, this is my new student kenshi!" Shinobu finished greeting and turned around to see him. "Kenshi, this is Kanroji Mitsuri, she is also a Hashira in the Demon Slaying Corps, the Love hashira!"

"Nice to meet you kenshi, I'm Kanroji Mitsuri, you can just call me Mitsuri!" Mitsuri waved and greeted first.

"Nice to meet you Miss mitsuri." After greeting, he immediately noticed the bandages wrapped around her hand. "Miss Mitsuri, are you injured?"

"Ah? This? Yes! I was accidentally corroded by a demon's venom during a recent battle." She waved her hands. "But I'm fine now! Shinobu has already treated me well, and there won't even be any scars left! She even gave me a full body check just in case!"

"Don't move so much..." Shinobu sat on the edge of Mitsuri's bed, advising while checking her injuries. "Any discomfort?"

"No, not even pain!" Mitsuri said and then became a little embarrassed. "Just...I'm a little hungry...""

Shinobu chuckled softly, gently saying. "Then you're in luck today. Kenshi not only has very high innate talent, but his cooking skills are also quite good!"

Kenshi was actually good at cooking in his past, so he made a feast for the people in the Butterfly mansion, shocking them.

Especially after tasting the dishes he made,

Shinobu even said that if not for his training, she would have given the cooking duties to him long ago.

In addition, he has cooked a total of three times over the past dozen days or so.

The first time was when he had just wanted to cook something from the 21st century.

The second time was when he aquired the hyper senses skill and decided to cook dinner to celebrate that night!

The third time was a few days ago when Shinobu had to go out for a mission, he specially cooked a meal to see her off.

And this time...

Shinobu finished speaking and looked at him. After all, his opinion had to be consulted.

If he didn't want to cook after the tiring morning training, she had no intention to force him.

Kenshi saw her inquiry but still nodded. "No problem! Miss Mitsuri has worked hard recently too, I will do my best to make the best food!"

"Really?" Mitsuri's eyes lit up instantly. "My appetite is very big!"

"Don't worry! Please look forward to it Miss Mitsuri!" He nodded very confidently, then said the words he regretted for the rest of the day.

"I will let you eat until you are full!"

...

Kenshi rubbed his sore wrists and saw Mitsuri patting her belly with satisfaction at the dining table. He breathed a sigh of relief.

Finally done...

Looking at the four large stacks of dishes nearly 1.5 meters high in front of her, he couldn't help but sigh.

He really underestimated Mitsuri's appetite and overestimated his own speed.

He almost couldn't keep up with her eating speed.

He felt that if he hadn't trained in the morning today, he wouldn't be so embarrassed now.

Mitsuri also noticed him who was rubbing his wrists and lost in thought. She immediately lowered her blushing head. "Sorry, I troubled you..."

"Ah? No problem, no problem!" He quickly waved his hand to change the subject. "By the way, how does the food taste? My condition wasn't very good because I was training all morning."

"Very delicious! I like it very much!" She nodded vigorously.

"That's good then."

"Um..." Mitsuri kept stirring her fingers, hesitated for a long time, and finally summoned up the courage to say. "Can I...come here to eat often in the future?"

This sentence was not addressed to the owner of the Butterfly Mansion, but to him.

The meaning was very obvious — Can I come to you for food in the future?

Mitsuri lowered her blushing head as soon as she finished speaking, wishing she could dig a hole and get in. Her facial skin was quite thin! She had used up all her courage just to say that sentence.

But she couldn't help it, kenshi's cooking was just too delicious!

Moreover, this was when he was in poor condition. If he was in better condition in the future, the meals he makes...

There was a hint of longing in her beautiful eyes.

Kenshi looked at her in disbelief. Was she going to stick to him?

But seeing her as anxious as a hamster waiting for his answer, his heart softened and he said the words that made him regret for the rest of his life.

"Of course, Miss Mitsuri can come over anytime in the future and I will cook for you!"

"Really?" Mitsuri immediately showed a happy smile.

"Real...ly..." He immediately regretted it as soon as he finished speaking, wishing he could slap himself a few times. How could he be so unprincipled?

She took advantage of the momentum to continue asking. "Will you cook for me in better state in the future?"

His eyes twitched as he nodded very sincerely. "I will definitely make more delicious food for Miss Mitsuri in the future."

He said this with a smile, unfortunately there was no light in his eyes.

But this did not prevent mitsuri from cheering and jumping for joy over here andthere...

On the side, Shinobu took a sip of wisteria flower tea and said lightly looking at him. "You're really gentle!"

He gave her a face full of black lines. Can you stop teasing me?

Shinobu also responded with a smile —

No!

After eating, everyone went to the lounge to chat.

In view of the delicious lunch he had prepared, Shinobu specially gave him an hour off...

Little Naho, little Kiyo, little Sumi, the three little ones, surrounded Mitsuri and chatted non-stop.

"Huh? My hair?" Mitsuri looked at her cherry blossom pink hair with light green ends and explained. "It's not natural! I once ate a hundred and seventy Sakura Machi every day for eight consecutive months, and after eating them my hair became like this."

"So pretty!"

The three little ones in the Butterfly Mansion were each holding one of Mitsuri's braids in astonishment, and they even started discussing whether they should also eat Sakura machi continuously for several months like mitsuri.

"No!" Hearing their conversation, kenshi quickly stopped them. "Eating the same kind of food continuously can cause nutritional deficiencies and put great strain on the body!"

"Huh? Really?" Mitsuri was a little curious.

He nodded and said, "In my hometown, there was once a person who ate more than ten catties (one catty is about 1.5 pounds) of oranges a day. As a result, his body turned orange."

This had really happened on Earth in his previous life, and it was even reported in the news at that time.

After saying that, he added his own story a little bit. "Actually when doctors draw his blood, it was also in Orange colour."

Hearing this, Mitsuri was immediately frightened and pulled out her sword, wanting to slash herself.

Shinobu quickly stopped her and advised. "Mitsuri, I just drew your blood today, there is no problem."

After speaking, she glared at kenshi.