Chapter 28: Silver Soul (Cosmic Arc)

Okakura Take saw Coco. She was dressed in a red gown, her hair cut to shoulder-length, and her complexion looked quite good. However, her entire aura was completely different from the time in the Bone Society. Okakura's gaze was so focused that Coco noticed; when she looked in Okakura's direction, she too was taken aback.

The two stood facing each other. Just as Okakura opened her mouth to speak, the tall wooden doors before them swung open, and a maid led them inside.

Upon entering, Okakura was greeted by the aroma of food and wine. The lighting inside was dim, illuminated only by small white bulbs embedded in the walls. The room was enormous; in the center sat a circular sofa, and the table before it was piled high with food and drink.

The maid had all the girls in cocktail dresses, including Okakura, step forward and line up before the sofa. Okakura was at the very front; she saw Coco standing three spots behind her. Okakura desperately wanted to talk to Coco, but the moment wasn’t right; she decided to wait for a better opportunity.

The girls stood quietly. After a few minutes, a crowd entered. Leading them was an orange-haired youth in a cheongsam, accompanied by the handsome man Okakura had seen on her first day. The man walked beside the youth, slightly bent over, smiling broadly and chatting with the youth—the smile on his face so intense it bordered on obsequious.

What shocked Okakura even more was that she spotted a familiar face among them: Avutu, the lover of Tetana.

So, all these people belonged to Spring Rain!

Okakura began to feel nervous; she had heard too many tales of the pirate organization Spring Rain’s brutality, and now harbored a wary fear of them.

“Captain Kamui, we’ve prepared the best food and drink, and the prettiest girls in the shop for you. Hope you enjoy yourself tonight,” the handsome man said with a smile to Kamui.

“Avutu, what’s this guy’s name again? He’s rather interesting,” Kamui suddenly turned to Avutu.

“Captain, he’s Gutiro, the boss of the Black Doom Gang,” Avutu replied, pretending not to notice Gutiro’s awkward smile. He was worried by his captain’s absent-mindedness—how could someone chat so long without even knowing the other’s name?

“Oh~.” Kamui responded, then said nothing more, instead scanning his surroundings, the cowlick atop his head swaying with his movement.

Avutu stepped forward to smooth things over, patting Gutiro’s shoulder. “Sorry, our captain’s always a bit scatter-brained.”

“It’s fine, Captain Kamui is a very interesting person,” Gutiro replied with a smile, seemingly unconcerned.

Once the group of Night Rabbits settled onto the sofa, they began to unabashedly size up the row of girls standing before them.

Without doubt, the most beautiful among them was Okakura Take, drawing the most attention. The raw, unabashed stares made her feel deeply uncomfortable.

“Alright, stop standing around, come serve the guests,” Gutiro instructed, then approached to lead Okakura over to Kamui. “Captain Kamui, this is our shop’s most beautiful girl. What do you think?” The last words were spoken with a sly innuendo.

Kamui glanced at Okakura briefly, nodded, and turned his attention to the meal—right now, he wanted food more than a pretty girl. Only after eating and drinking his fill would he indulge in other pleasures.

Thus, Okakura was seated beside Kamui. But her mind was far from him; she kept glancing toward Coco, seated across from her. Coco had been assigned to a bearded Night Rabbit, whom she expertly plied with drink and flattery, making him quite happy.

Coco… Seeing her like this, Okakura’s feelings were complicated.

While Okakura was still watching Coco, her guest spoke.

“Bring me more rice.”

Okakura turned to see an empty rice bucket and the youth smiling at her, a few grains of rice still clinging to his lips.

“Certainly… I’ll have someone bring you more rice right away,” Okakura replied, signaling the maid behind her to take away the empty bucket and bring another.

The maids acted quickly, soon placing two more buckets of rice before Kamui.

Kamui immediately grabbed a bucket and shoveled it into his mouth. Watching Kamui devour the rice at such speed, Okakura was stunned. This wasn’t eating; it was drinking rice! Even drinking water wasn’t done so fiercely.

What astonished her more was that the youth could eat plain rice, two whole buckets, without any side dishes. Didn’t he find it bland?

“Guest, would you like to try some of our side dishes? They go well with rice,” Okakura couldn’t help but suggest.

Kamui ignored her, only after finishing another bucket did he turn to the table’s dishes, devouring them with equal gusto.

Across from them, Avutu watched his captain eat, ignoring the beauties, and sighed. In Kamui’s world, food ranked above women. As for women, he valued their potential to bear children—the future of those children was limitless, making women important. Yet he could never see them as equals; no woman could withstand a single punch from him.

Kamui also had a master renowned for his skill with women—Night King Fengxian. Under his tutelage, Kamui had long since become experienced; his speed at seducing women was remarkable, and his departure afterward even swifter—a true fighter jet among lotharios!

“The rice here tastes pretty good too~.” After finishing his fourth bucket, Kamui finally stopped.

Okakura was numb. The universe was vast; it truly contained every kind of person. She glanced at Kamui’s stomach—incredible, after eating so much, it hadn’t bulged at all. Where did all that food go?

As Okakura stood dazed, someone spoke to her.

“You’re an employee from Tetana’s place, aren’t you?”

Okakura turned; it was Avutu speaking, recognizing her.

She nodded, saying nothing more.

Avutu, satisfied with the answer, merely glanced at her casually, then dismissed her from his mind—Okakura’s whereabouts were a trivial matter to him.

“Is Avutu interested in her?” At that moment, Kamui, now seven-tenths full, leaned in to ask.

“No, Captain. We only met once before,” Avutu replied, pulling another girl close to him. “Don’t worry, this type isn’t my thing.”

“Oh~, I thought she was your old flame.”

“Captain, trust me, you have more women than I ever could,” Avutu said sincerely. His captain had conquered enough women to form a small squad.

Hearing their conversation, Okakura suddenly realized something: after tonight, all these girls would be expected to serve the guests—which meant she’d be expected to spend the night with the youth beside her!

Okakura looked at Kamui. He seemed younger than her, and most importantly, she wanted no intimate relations with any man!

No, she had to escape tonight. She resolved to find an opportunity to speak with Coco, ask about Nini’s whereabouts, and if possible, escape with them both.

In any case, she absolutely refused to serve a strange man. Her days on Black Street had been enough; though her living conditions had improved, she hated this life. She’d rather bind her chest and return to the battlefield than continue like this.

She considered the situation: there were many Night Rabbits here, far too many for her alone to handle. She would have to wait, and when she was alone with one, subdue him, then grab someone to take her to Coco.

With this in mind, Okakura surveyed the Night Rabbits. First was Avutu—he was formidable; she knew it at first glance. The others seemed capable as well, though none as strong as Avutu.

But the one Okakura found most inscrutable was Kamui. He was the youngest and smallest among them, yet her instincts told her he was the most dangerous.

Okakura didn’t know if she could escape unscathed if she confronted him, but she had to try. She had already seen Coco; her mission was halfway complete.

As Okakura plotted her escape, Kamui’s face suddenly appeared before her, his blue eyes curious as he studied her.

“You’re not a Korota native, are you?” Kamui asked, noticing she lacked the pointed ears and blue hair of the others.

“No, I’m from Earth.”

Hearing her reply, Kamui thought of his master Fengxian, the former Night Rabbit King who had fled to that small planet called Earth. He became interested in Okakura.

“Are all women from your place as beautiful as you?”

“There are many more beautiful than me.”

“Oh, really? Why did you come to Korota, then?”

“By chance.”

“What’s your name?”

“Take.”

“Interesting name.” But Kamui, lordly as he was, would forget it in a moment—those without fighting prowess never occupied space in his mind.

Okakura grew impatient; she felt Kamui’s words brought him ever closer. Just as she reached out to push him away, she realized she was off the sofa—Kamui had picked her up, in a princess carry.

Having eaten his fill, now was the time for activities beneficial to mind and body. Kamui, holding Okakura, asked the maid, “Where are the rooms?”

The maid, accustomed to such guests, stepped forward to lead Kamui to a room.

“Wait…” Okakura spoke. Her head, which had been bowed, slowly lifted, her eyes blazing with murderous intent. She could no longer restrain herself.

“Ah!!!”

With the maid’s scream, Okakura flipped out of Kamui’s arms in a back somersault, grabbed his hand, and threw him over her shoulder.

After sending Kamui flying, Okakura, before any of the Night Rabbits could react, rushed over, scooped up Coco in a princess carry, and dashed away.

Avutu couldn’t bear to look at Kamui lying on the floor: not only had he been thrown by a woman, but the woman he fancied had run off carrying another woman…

Don’t cry, Captain—let’s get up and keep fighting!