"Horobi?"
Rei Ao recognized the na, albeit with so difficulty.
Even though she was a relatively minor character in Kabaneri of the Iron Fortress, she was morable enough—a tragic figure who willingly allowed her "prince" to use her as a pawn to beco a Black Smoke, ultimately helping Amatori Biba breach the walls of Kongoukaku. She was one of those supporting characters who showed up briefly, changed rapidly, and then t a sorrowful fate.
However, Rei Ao had one small concern.
"Have Aya and her people already reached Kongoukaku?"
Based on the ti they left Aragane Station, it shouldn't have happened this quickly.
While pondering, he also set the trade conditions. From Mui's side, there wasn't really any ability or item he wanted. So, as usual, it ca down to "body usage rights."
The mont he confird the condition, Mui on the other end accepted.
[Ding! Trade initiated!]
[Trade Partner]: Mui
[Trade Content]: Restore Horobi, who has beco the Black Smoke's core, to her human form.
[Trade Condition]: "Body usage rights, once"
[Duration]: 24 hours
"Huh?"
Tohru, seeing that trade co through, instantly looked crestfallen. First, she had yielded so ti to Sora and Ilia. Then she'd had to give so to Mai. Now Sora and Ilia were satisfied and asleep; Mai had blissfully passed out in ecstasy, leaving Tohru pitifully neglected. And her precious ti was about to be taken by so naless individual called "Mui." What rotten luck!
Her unfulfilled desires churned as Rei Ao grabbed his charging cable from Mai.
"Nnngh, Rei Ao, I still haven't—…"
He could only shrug apologetically.
"Tohru, it seems we'll have to stop here for tonight. I need to head out."
"Eh?"
Tohru wanted to at least get a taste, but Rei Ao was already dressed and gone in a flash.
"….."
Tohru genuinely wanted to roast this "Mui"—whoever she was—to ashes for interrupting her fun. Seething, she turned to glare at Mai, who lay there with eyes rolled back, breathing evenly.
With a smack to Mai's soft skin, Tohru cursed under her breath.
"Damn you, Mai!"
But Mai, having been ravaged by that triple "sewing machine" speed, was out cold. She couldn't hear Tohru's grumbling, nor could she feel Tohru drawing on her with a marker in petty revenge.
...
In the Group Chat
Frieren: "So the trade partner is Mui, right? She seems to be soone from Aya's side."
Frieren: "Anyone still awake to check on this?"
Shizue Izawa: "I'm not asleep."
Aka: "Sa here."
Shinoa Hiragi: "You guys have such weird schedules. Isn't it the middle of the night for you?"
She only happened to see the notifications because she got up in the night.
Shizue Izawa: "It just so happens I'm out training."
By "training," she ant leveling up. She was exploring a forest teeming with monsters—hunting down the vicious ones. For all her strength, she was still a kind-hearted soul.
Frieren: "I'm on a journey too. Normally, I'd be sleeping by now."
Aka: "Mine's a mission from Najenda. I'm carrying it out with Leone."
Even though the Empire had changed hands and now belonged to Rei Ao, it wasn't easy to reform such a deeply corrupt system overnight. Building a new empire still required massive effort.
Military and security matters had been entrusted to Esdeath, who was establishing a reford "Jaeger" squad led by Kuro. Administrative affairs were handled by Najenda. Night Raid was now a legitimate organization, shining its light in the country.
Shinoa Hiragi: "Sounds like you're all worn out."
She herself had been busy—her classes and her proctor duties had beco haphazard. Mostly because now she could wield Shikama Dōji without needing "Shi." She even had the power of the original vampire progenitor behind it. But since her body couldn't fully handle that power yet, she'd started intense training, hoping to master Shikama Dōji completely before departing.
Shinoa Hiragi: "Anyway, back to the main topic—what's this deal with Mui? Anyone able to fill in?"
Frieren: "A perfect explanation would be a livestream. @Rei Ao, @Yomogawa Aya!"
Yomogawa Aya: "Understood, I'll do it."
[Ding! Yomogawa Aya has started a livestream!]
Everyone joined. Imdiately they were greeted by… a completely naked Rei Ao, casually slipping on his clothes.
Frieren: "Wow, I think there's a phrase from your world for this… Mai and the others called it an "thunderbolt opening," right?"
Rei Ao scowled, eyes twitching.
"Frieren, have you realized you've beco a bit too urbanized?"
He couldn't believe the once-aloof elf was quoting terms like "thunderbolt opening." She must have been eavesdropping on Mai's slang.
Frieren: "Huh? Urbanized?"
Shinoa Hiragi: "That term's surprisingly apt… definitely an "thunderbolt opening."
Aka: "I'm not seeing the problem."
Frieren: "Maybe you're just used to it, Aka. I guess I've gotten used to it too."
Frieren: "@Rei Ao, why'd you arrive naked anyway?"
Yukina and Mui wondered the sa thing. While they stood there waiting, Rei Ao had suddenly materialized in all his natural glory, startling them.
Rei Ao shrugged.
"Nothing I could do. I was in the middle of an, uh, 'exchange' with Mai and Tohru. The situation ca up unexpectedly."
Shinoa Hiragi: ""Exchange"? Are you saying—"
Frieren: "He's obviously talking about that. You'll get used to it eventually."
With Aya's help, Rei Ao finished putting on his clothes, then turned to Mui.
"All right, let's go see your friend."
"Mm!"
Mui, her cheeks still pink from embarrassnt, nodded and led him out of the Koutetsujou carriage.
At Iwata Station, by the front of the Koutetsujou, stood a towering Black Smoke frozen solid by Aya's icy arrows. Residents of both the train and the station gazed upon it in fear.
Staring at the monster, Rei Ao looked utterly unperturbed. Instead, he complinted Aya's handiwork:
"Aya, it looks like you've refined your skills further."
Aya smiled politely.
"I'm doing my best, so I can be of more use to you, Rei Ao-sama."
Rei Ao teased, "Then I'll have to give you a proper reward soon."
"Eek…"
Aya blushed. She knew exactly what he ant by a "reward."
"Rei Ao-sama…"
Mui interjected anxiously. "I'm sorry to interrupt, but I'm worried we're running out of ti for Horobi."
Rei Ao waved a hand calmly.
"Don't worry, she's not dead."
Because Horobi had beco the Black Smoke's core, she was still alive in so form.
With a snap of his fingers, there was a boom! —a torrent of flas erupted, setting the Black Smoke ablaze.
Aya's frosty gaze sharpened, and in a flash, the remnants of the Kabane forming the Black Smoke ignited under azure-red fire, burned to nothing before they could even scream. From within the flas, a blue orb of light shot forth and landed gently on the ground in front of them.
As the glow dissipated, it revealed a pulsating golden Kabaneri heart wrapped in black, writhing with hyperactive virus infection—Horobi, nearly unrecognizable as human.
"Rei Ao-sama, can you truly restore her from that state?" asked Yukina, frowning.
She knew Rei Ao had turned those fully infected by the Kabane virus back to human form before, but Horobi looked far beyond saving, more twisted than any normal Kabane. At least normal Kabane retained a vaguely human shape, while Horobi looked more like a living virus.
Slinging an indifferent glance her way, Kajika gave a curt, "Rei Ao-sama said he can save her, so he can."
Rei Ao raised a hand, indicating for them to be quiet.
"No need to argue. Restoring her really isn't complicated."
From his perspective, Horobi differed significantly from a typical Kabane. A Kabane was effectively a reanimated corpse driven by the virus, requiring actual resurrection powers to return fully to life. But Horobi wasn't dead; she'd been artificially turned into a Black Smoke core, akin to a Kabaneri. Her own consciousness lay dormant, suppressed by the hyperactive virus. So if he just neutralized the virus, Horobi would awaken.
He crouched down, placing a hand on the single patch of skin left uncorrupted by the black matter near her chest.
Whoosh!
In an instant, Horobi ignited in flas, much like the Black Smoke monts ago.
"!!!"
Mui recoiled in alarm, thinking Rei Ao might be burning Horobi alive. But then she rembered the trade—and Rei Ao had promised to help. Surely he wouldn't kill her.
Indeed, within two or three seconds, Horobi's inhumanly mutated body began to shift. The virus burned away, reduced to ash by the blaze. Her human form erged, unclothed, so Rei Ao draped his jacket over her.
'Geez, my poor jacket's always the sacrifice,' Rei Ao thought wryly, recalling he'd also left another jacket with Fujimiya Sumika.
Yet Mui stood there in utter shock: the distinctive Kabaneri heart Horobi once had was…gone?! She should've been a Kabaneri before.
~~~
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