Chapter 255: Gyokko
"What’s that? A vase? In the middle of the road?"
I followed her line of sight and immediately recognized it. The object sat innocuously on the dirt path, looking like an ordinary white vase. But I knew better. I didn’t even need to take a closer look to confirm what it was—or more precisely, who it was.
Suppressing a smirk, I feigned nonchalance. "A vase, huh? Maybe the demons have taken up pottery. A productive hobby for beings of the night, don’t you think?"
Shinobu ignored my joke, her brow furrowing. "It’s too out of place. Be on guard."
I could barely contain my amusement. Of course, she wouldn’t recognize him at first glance. That "vase" was none other than Gyokko, one of the Twelve Kizuki—Upper Rank Five, to be exact. And, as always, his grotesque, bizarre appearance couldn’t help but draw attention. Even in his current dormant state, he looked as unsettling as ever.
Gyokko was a spectacle to behold: a pale, grotesque humanoid figure that emerged from the porcelain vase like some twisted work of abstract art.
His upper torso was muscular yet armless, resembling a bizarre statue fused with the vase. The midsection of his body was a disturbing red-violet color, while his lower half—a long, sinuous tail—was jet black.
Infant-like hands with crimson fingernails sprouted haphazardly along his body and tail, while others were permanently affixed to his head, replacing his ears.
The fins on his head, reminiscent of cornrows and a ponytail, shimmered with shades of purple and blue-violet, adding an unsettling elegance to his already bizarre form. And then there was his face—if you could even call it that. His mouth and eye placements were all wrong.