"You really care about them."
Aqua let out a small complaint but quickly straightened her expression.
Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes.
A radiant blue divine light spread outward from her body, illuminating the night sky.
The brilliance was almost blinding.
Lemuel, Shinobu, and others gathered around, drawn to the spectacle.
At this moment—Aqua lost her usual ditzy demeanor.
Bathed in the sacred blue light, she was no longer just a clueless goddess.
She was divine.
Then, something miraculous happened.
From the earth.
From the sky.
Countless souls emerged, surging forward like a tide.
"Ah… Love!"
"Mother!"
Voices of astonishment and joy echoed across the battlefield.
People saw their lost loved ones—faces they thought they'd never see again.
Tears streamed down their cheeks as the souls rushed into the divine light, dissolving into it, finding true liberation.
"These are…?" Shinobu hesitated.
Nanashi, watching the scene unfold, calmly explained:
"Lost souls… finally being purified."
The realization spread among those present.
Their eyes turned to Aqua—no longer just a comedic fool, but a true goddess.
"Shinobu-chan? Is that you?"
A gentle, familiar voice rang out.
Shinobu froze.
That voice…
She turned sharply, her heart pounding.
Standing there, with long black hair and soft purple eyes, was a woman who looked just like her.
Wearing a familiar butterfly-patterned haori, she stared at Shinobu with quiet confusion.
"O-Onee-chan?!"
For the first time in years, the ever-composed Shinobu lost control of her emotions.
Tears streamed down her face.
She rushed forward, reaching out to grasp her sister's hand—
Only for it to pass right through.
"Shinobu… I'm just a soul."
Shinobu bit her lip, choking back a sob.
She knew.
This wasn't real.
This was just a fleeting moment granted by Aqua's divine power.
Kanae smiled, her touch gentle, though intangible.
"Shinobu… you've grown up. I can leave in peace now."
She turned toward the divine light.
"Sister, wait!"
Shinobu reached out desperately, trying to hold her back—
But her fingers grasped nothing but air.
She could only watch as Kanae stepped into the light.
At that moment, Nanashi, standing nearby, instinctively moved aside, avoiding direct contact with the passing souls.
But—
As he turned, the hilt of his Zanpakutō brushed against Kanae's form.
"Huh?"
Kanae let out a soft gasp.
Then, in front of everyone's shocked gazes—
The Zanpakutō absorbed her.
"What… just happened?"
The air grew still.
Even Nanashi himself was stunned.
Shinobu rushed forward, panic-stricken.
"What happened to my sister?!"
Nanashi quickly closed his eyes, focusing on his blade.
A long silence followed.
Then—his expression turned odd.
"...Shinobu, I think your sister… fused with my Zanpakutō."
His voice carried a mix of bewilderment and disbelief.
Like the grandfather in the ring in novels, she had become part of his sword.
Before anyone could fully process what he said—
A soft purple light glowed from the Zanpakutō.
Slowly, a figure emerged.
Kanae Kocho reappeared.
But this time—her form was solid.
"Master?"
Kanae's voice was gentle yet uncertain as she looked at Nanashi.
Her presence was no longer that of a fleeting soul—she was bound to him now.
"…"
Shinobu stood frozen, her mind completely blank.
The other Hashiras exchanged glances, realizing this was a family matter best left alone.
One by one, they tactfully withdrew, leaving Shinobu to process the reality before her.
While Aqua continued her divine purification, the chat group was alive with discussions.
Yet, each member was also preoccupied.
Lemuel, having gained points, upgraded her gun creation skill to Lv.4.
She now had an arsenal of weapons—from sniper rifles to rocket launchers—and she was completely obsessed with them.
Esdeath, meanwhile, had nothing to do—so she stared at Nanashi from afar.
It looked like she was still processing her loss.
Whatever.
Not his problem.
Nanashi turned his focus inward.
With 314,000 Doomsday Points, he planned to upgrade his Zanpakutō first.
Archon's power made everything easier.
[Upgrade in Progress]
[150,000 Doomsday Points Consumed—Zanpakutō (Archon) Upgraded to Lv.5!]
At that moment—a surge of energy flowed through him.
"Hey! I feel like I can do so much more now!"
Kanae exclaimed in surprise, sensing a surge of newfound power coursing through her body.
Nanashi had already figured it out earlier.
Due to his influence, Kanae had merged with Archon, becoming something akin to a sword spirit.
She could wield the Zanpakutō's power, manifest its abilities, and even act independently—yet, she remained bound to Nanashi's will.
In essence, she had become his most loyal subordinate, armed with the authority of Archon while maintaining her own free will.
But that wasn't all.
Their connection went deeper.
Kanae's existence was no longer just spiritual—she could materialize her body at will.
During this transition, Nanashi had also helped unravel the lingering doubts in Kanae's heart.
She had always hoped for peace between humans and demons—yet now, demons were no more.
This left her feeling both melancholy and relieved.
But Nanashi reassured her.
"Humans and demons can coexist peacefully… under the right conditions."
He took her to meet Nezuko, Kie, and Tamayo, showing her that "good demons" existed.
But he also told her the harsh truth—
"People can live alongside good demons, but not with evil ones. Just as humans, too, are divided between good and evil."
At that moment—Kanae finally understood.
The wish she clung to in life was not impossible.
It simply needed a different approach.
"…"
As Kanae adjusted to her new form, Shinobu stood to the side, watching like a quiet observer.
Her emotions were conflicted.
Her sister—who was supposed to be dead—was now alive, tangible, and smiling again.
She should be overjoyed.
But then—
Her sister now had an owner.
And that owner was Nanashi.
What is this situation…?
At that moment, Shinobu realized something.
She had something in common with Tanjiro.
"Sigh… it's already come to this."
Shinobu let out a soft sigh.
There was no point in fighting reality.
At least Nanashi hadn't turned to her and said,
"Give me 1,000 Doomsday Points, and I'll give Kanae back to you."
Still—the thought lingered in her mind.
She needed to become stronger.
Earn points.
Redeem her sister.
And if she couldn't?
…She'd sell herself if necessary.
She refused to be separated from Kanae again.
With that determination, she spent her 30,000 points on a lottery draw.
"Eh! I think I just gained an ability?"
Shinobu suddenly brightened up.
Nanashi raised an eyebrow.
"What ability?"
Even she seemed excited as she lifted a finger.
A pink mist emerged from her palm, swirling ominously in the air.
Lemuel instinctively took a step back.
"That mist feels… dangerous."
Nanashi's interest piqued.
"Poison?"
Shinobu smiled.
"Yes. It's poison."
She pulled up her lottery reward details.
"I obtained A level Perfect Poison - Poison Fruit!"
"It allows me to control toxins freely, with no side effects, and I'm completely immune to poison myself!"
Nanashi grinned.
"Now that suits you. Much better than that garbage breathing technique you were using."
Breathing Techniques? Absolute trash.
After personally experiencing them, Nanashi could only scoff at the claim that the Sun Breathing Technique can rival the Sun itself.