Chapter 252: Clone

The effects of the Transparent World were something Li Mo knew about, but how to activate it? He couldn't remember.

Unlike the Demon Slayer Mark, which had a fixed condition, the Transparent World seemed to lack a specific trigger. It relied more on the learner's innate talent.

Talent—something elusive and mysterious.

Was it a physical talent? A spiritual one? Or perhaps a transcendent level of insight?

It was hard to put into words.

Under Li Mo's guidance, the Pillars had all activated their Demon Slayer Marks, but when it came to the Transparent World, they only scratched the surface.

The enhanced physical abilities that came with the Demon Slayer Mark required them to familiarize themselves anew. Every swing of their blades now required a different amount of force. Muscle memory needed to be recalibrated.

Only Li Mo found himself with a bit of free time. After preparing protective charms to mitigate the side effects of the Demon Slayer Mark for everyone, he had plenty of time to meditate.

On one hand, he was working on improving the "Solomon's Ritual." On the other, he was trying to figure out how to combine Swallow Return with the Thirteenth Form of Sun Breathing.

The former had made some progress, but the latter... he had no clue.

The Noble Phantasm, Swallow Return, was a skill rewarded by the system. It belonged to Sasaki Kojirō, a nearly perfect sword technique. Although Kojirō claimed it was developed to kill swallows, in reality, it was a technique that manipulated space.

Space, perhaps in physics, wasn't as lofty as one might think. Even someone as shallow in knowledge as Li Mo knew that a massive object could warp the space-time around it. But in mysticism, space held a revered status.

Even someone as powerful as Medea, a magus from the Age of Gods, only mastered short-distance spatial magic.

Li Mo racked his brain but couldn't figure out how to use Swallow Return to execute the Thirteenth Form of Sun Breathing three times.

So, he had to stick to the original plan.

"Is this the puppet you created, Li?"

The question came from Kanae Kocho. But she wasn't alone with Li Mo; Makomo was also by her side.

The "sneaky eater" had been under strict surveillance lately, but her younger sister, Shinobu, had been spending more time alone with Li Mo.

Everyone had gathered to witness the spectacle.

Two Li Mos.

Creating a puppet was something Li Mo could do with his eyes closed. The Einzbern family's homunculus technology was something he had memorized backward and forward. While he couldn't create an immortal puppet like a certain Grand Magus, making a flesh-and-blood body without any special abilities was no problem.

Kanae poked the puppet's cheek with her finger, feeling the same texture as a normal human.

This was a complete human body.

Just without a soul.

"Alright, stop gawking. Don't you all have training to do?" Li Mo said.

"No, this is fascinating. Senior Brother, can you really make it move?" Sabito asked.

"Why wouldn't I be able to? Sabito, are you underestimating me?"

The puppet—Li Mo—suddenly spoke, its voice identical to Li Mo's own.

This puppet was modeled after Li Mo's own body.

"Then..."

Sabito instantly struck, aiming for the head of Li Mo's original body.

In the next second, his hand was caught by Li Mo.

"Why do you think I can control two bodies at once? Sabito, I have to admire your patience. It took you this long to make a move?"

"Senior Brother, I just wanted to pat your head! Is that a crime?"

"Disrespecting your elder is a serious offense!"

Li Mo delivered a chop to Sabito's neck.

And with that, the matter was settled.

After everyone's curiosity was satisfied, they went about their business. Some trained together, while others focused on training the swordsmen.

During this training period, Li Mo was undoubtedly lonely. The path of a "yokai" he had taken was vastly different from that of the swordsmen. If the swordsmen's path was a broad highway, then his was a narrow, winding trail.

Shinobu was an exception.

Today, she didn't go to the laboratory. Instead, she crouched nearby, watching the two Li Mos. "Why did you decide to make this puppet?" she asked.

"The Corps Leader has already evacuated to a safe location, so the Ubuyashiki estate is now empty. Ah... I can't help but feel like I'm taking over someone else's nest," Li Mo said.

Kagaya Ubuyashiki had relocated to a safe place, leaving the Ubuyashiki estate vacant. Now that he thought about it, the location to lure Muzan Kibutsuji didn't necessarily have to be the Ubuyashiki estate, even if the Blue Spider Lily was stored in its ice cellar.

Li Mo could use projection magecraft to create a convincing fake Blue Spider Lily.

The "Kakushi" who had discovered the "Blue Spider Lily" seemed to have contingency plans in place. If things went south, these support personnel would use various channels to escape.

Just how many preparations had the Corps Leader made? Li Mo didn't know. The only thing he was certain of was that Muzan Kibutsuji would never obtain the Blue Spider Lily.

"Hey, Li. Are you sure the final battle will go smoothly?"

"Why wouldn't it? Muzan Kibutsuji is doomed. I said it, and I'll stand by it. If I fail, I'll cut off my own head and give it to you as a chamber pot."

"Really? I look forward to that. Though it might get a bit dirty."

"Shinobu, you weren't like this before."

What was once straightforward had turned into subtle jabs. The once fiery younger sister had become a scheming beauty. In terms of personal preference, the current Shinobu suited him better. But... didn't that overlap a bit with Kanae's role?

Li Mo blinked. The tender moments in the red-light district with Kanae were enough to melt any hero, making him bow his head even in front of Shinobu and Makomo.

"Li, I have a question. After everything is settled, what are you planning to do? Marry my sister?" Shinobu asked.

It was obvious to anyone with eyes that Makomo also had feelings for this unreliable guy.

In daily life, he was always a mess—rice grains stuck to the corner of his mouth after meals, his hair perpetually disheveled, sitting cross-legged even in front of the Corps Leader, not caring if his clothes were neat...

They hadn't lived together for long, but Shinobu remembered all these little details.

Yet, when it came to serious matters, he was ten times more reliable. From saving her and her sister, to killing an Upper Moon, to organizing this final battle.

It seemed there was nothing he couldn't do.

Li Mo's expression turned serious, like a solemn Buddha statue in a temple. "I might be greedier than I thought. Shinobu, what should I do?"

"Why are you asking me? I don't have the answer. Li, your greed is your own problem to solve."

After saying this, Shinobu smiled and left.

The word "greed" had given her the answer. Earlier, at the Butterfly Mansion, her sister had confided in her.

Makomo... I'm sorry.

With a knowing smile, the girl fluttered back to her room like a butterfly.

The man stood still for a moment, then shook his head. He leaped down from the roof and headed to the Ubuyashiki estate with his puppet in tow.

That very night, through a simple shikigami he had placed in the distant outskirts, Li Mo detected a "scout" with only an eyeball.

The character "伍" was etched into its eye.

It seemed only a matter of time before the demons found this place.

Li Mo understood this all too well.