Change Back

Back in the hot spring, Kuroka kept glaring at Yoruichi while she's hugging Koneko from the back with no intention of letting her go or whatsoever. She would give Kisuke a curious glance once in a while but she couldn't find the inspecting look she saw earlier, 'Is it just my imagination?... No, I'm pretty sure of what I've seen. He gave me a similar look those bastards have when they are still experimenting on me. Although there is something different about him... Something that separates him from those detestable Devils. But it doesn't change the fact that this guy is the most dangerous fellow here. I really have to take away Koneko from this place... But how? Communication magic is blocked and I can't call those guys to rescue me... For now, I'll listen to what they have to say. Maybe I can find a chance or more information by then.'

"Done planning?" Kisuke spoke after waiting for a while. All of them went back to soaking themselves on the hot spring. And the reason Kuroka is behaving 'nicely' is because Kisuke sealed both of her Ki and Demonic Power temporarily.

"Yes... You can start talking." Kuroka replied, intently staring at Kisuke, 'He's the one that will do the talking?'

"Ughh... Guys? Are you just going to ignore me!? Kuhook!!!" Off to the side, Yoruichi is currently doing a sleeper's choke on Aika while her other hand is touching all sorts of places.

"Please!!! I don't want to lose my purity like this!! Someone, please take this pervert off me!!!" Aika begged Kuroka, Koneko, and Kisuke but they ignored her plight and would only give curious glance once in a while.

As Aika is started to let out a voice that won't be allowed unless it's in the restricted channel on television, Kisuke started talking to Kuroka, "Let's see, for now, you can ask questions."

"I see... Then are you the same type of person who experimented on me years ago?" Kuroka's question shocked both Koneko and Kisuke. Kisuke didn't think that it would be her first question. With a smile, he nodded and answered, "Yep. I'm the same kind of person. I won't make any excuses. Feel free to see me like that."

"Haah... So it's not my imagination. Although I can tell that you're a bit different from them." Kuroka sighed as she commented and tightened her hug on Koneko.

"Hmm? How? Not to brag, but I can do some nasty things without batting an eye."

"Don't phrase it like doing nasty stuff is a good thing..." Kuroka went silent for a while but her gaze didn't leave Kisuke's eyes, "You're cold and selfish... but unlike them, you know affection..."

'Affection... is it?' Kisuke subconsciously glanced at Yoruichi who is still playing with Aika, ignoring the mood. Yoruichi noticed his gaze and returned it with a bright smile. It would have been an amazing sight if not for the flushed Aika in her arms. It is still an amazing sight, in a different meaning, however.

"Well... I guess you're right~."

'That's right... This guy is different... I can tell that he truly cares about Shirone, that glasses girl and especially that Yoruichi...' Kuroka remembered the master of the branch family of Naberius Clan. He is an unfeeling demon that doesn't see anyone beyond their utility value and compared him to Kisuke who is in front of her right now. Although he could do what he did, he can at least see people as they are. Kuroka has seen all sorts of people when she roams the darker side of the world and someone like Kisuke is truly rare, 'But that's what makes him even more dangerous. If he somehow lost the target of his affection, he'll descend into something more terrifying than those Devils, especially if his abilities are what they make out to be.'

"You're too dangerous..." Kuroka spoke what's on her mind.

Kisuke somehow guessed what conclusion she came up with and replied with great confidence, "That's why I have to prepare thousands upon thousands of ways to keep her safe. Much like how I prepare for war."

Kuroka can feel his resolution in those words and contemplated the move she should take, "We aren't going anywhere with these questions so let me ask you directly, what do you want from me?"

Kisuke's smile grew bigger at her question, "Simple, I want you to be our eyes on the other side of the coin."

"Couldn't you do it yourself?" Kuroka narrowed her eyes at his answer. Based on the abilities she had seen them use, it wouldn't be hard for them to move around secretly.

"We could, but Yoruichi and I are bound to gather attention and we wouldn't have as much freedom as now." Kisuke could use Gigai to evade detection but having another pair of eyes working for him is more convenient in some situations.

"Is that why you showed me what you can do? For me to agree to your demand? I could just spread the news that you can gather pure energies and trouble will come for you and I wouldn't even lose anything as they are almost useless for me." Kuroka sneered at his apparent plan.

"That's one, but I showed it to you because I want you to know some of my capabilities. After all, I have an offer for you that you might not believe without seeing what I can do first." Kisuke didn't mind her reaction and replied confidently.

"An offer? Do you think that it'll be more important than my little sister's safety?"

"Let me clear this misunderstanding. Koneko-chan took that form because she took in large amounts of natural Ki that she wasn't able to control it. It's actually a very safe technique aside from initial training that can be dangerous without supervision."

"And how do you expect me to believe your words?"

"That technique is called Sage Mode and you can achieve it by melding your own Ki with the natural Ki effectively controlling it like your own. And one of my offers is teaching you that technique."

Kuroka thought for a bit and recall all her knowledge in Senjutsu but still came to the same conclusion, "Most of the Senjutsu users the past thought that they can use natural Ki around them to power their techniques, but the malice in it affects the mind that it can destroy it if used too much. Are you saying this isn't the case?"

"What you're saying is true." Kisuke unhesitantly agreed with her.

"Then..."

"But only if you take in natural Ki as it is."

"???" Kuroka tilted her head in confusion, 'What else you can do?'

"What we've thought Koneko-chan is how to process the natural Ki before she can meld it with her own Ki. You've seen it in the game. Normally, it doesn't take that much time to absorb natural Ki, but instead of just absorbing it, most of her time and concentration are used in 'cleansing' natural Ki for her own use."

Kuroka's eyes widened in shock, 'So that's the weird feeling I'm getting. I thought that Shirone is strangely slow in gathering natural Ki.'

Kuroka looked down and saw that Koneko is also looking up to her, "What he's saying is true, Nee-sama. If Yoruichi-san didn't ban me from using Senjutsu, I could have shown it to you."

At this moment, Kuroka hesitated because if this is all true, then this technique could help her get stronger faster. And if it's really safe for Koneko, then she wouldn't have much reason to take her away from this place aside from Kisuke himself.

"If you can't still agree after my second and last offer, then I don't have any other ways to convince you 'nicely'."

Kuroka's vigilance rose up again after his last words but she still chooses to listen as she's pretty curious about the second offer.

"I can change you back to a Nekomata."