https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-374-You-re-Really-Lucky-to-Be-Alive/13536971/
Chapter 375: Kabuki is Meant to Make People Laugh
Chapter 375: Kabuki is Meant to Make People Laugh
Recalling the Absurd Towntown mayor's words and King Alexander Francis's past actions, this lion clearly had a connection to the town's sculptor—perhaps even an intimate one.
A year ago, with this creature's strength, it should have been able to swiftly eliminate King Alexander Francis.
Had it deliberately held back for some reason?
"Come to think of it, what was that person's name again?"
King Alexander Francis scratched his chin, then shook his head. "Forget it, I can't remember. But that Kabuki performance was pretty terrible."
"Wulang's performance wasn't terrible!"
Suddenly, the lion spoke.
Its cloudy eyes locked onto King Alexander Francis as it uttered human speech: "He's the greatest Kabuki!"
"Did it just talk?!"
Startled, King Alexander Francis recoiled, then snarled. He shoved aside guards and civilians alike, storming forward.
"Who's the greatest? My palace has the greatest! Only the Kabuki I recognize deserves that title. Your little Wulang must have failed my professional review team. Anyone I reject can't call themselves the strongest!"
"Roar!"
As King Alexander Francis advanced, the lion suddenly lunged, pouncing at him.
"Help me!"
The king screamed as the lion tackled him. At that moment, the guards finally reacted, unloading bullets at the massive golden lion's body, crimson blossoms blooming across its fur.
"Don't eat me! I haven't even been crowned yet!" King Alexander Francis paled, staring at the gaping maw closing in.
The lion loomed over him, eyes filled with disdain. "Why should someone like you, who can do nothing, decide the life and death of the greatest Kabuki?"
It released the paw pinning the king and turned away, shuffling backward.
This time, Kuro didn't intervene.
In truth, he could have stopped the lion when it tackled the king, but he'd grown too apathetic to act.
If it was just this despicable man, he could pretend not to see. Besides, the lion had lost its killing intent the moment it attacked.
What? Did I say earlier that harming someone would mean I'm not Lucius Kro anymore?
Trash like this doesn't count as a person.
To execute a Kabuki performer, you even went through the trouble of deceiving him?
Kuro couldn't decide whether this was just petty or outright cruel.
Either way, it wasn't human.
The golden lion passed Kuro, trudging forward. Kuro shifted slightly, then sighed, sheathing Autumn Water and watching silently.
The lion's steps grew slower. With each step, its fur lost more luster.
It approached the shattered stone sphere from earlier, where its long nitoryu lay.
Gazing at the blade, it suddenly transformed into a Lion Ape.
Its body seemed unable to bear the colossal form. As a Lion Ape, it collapsed to its knees, its fur fading entirely.
"Roar!"
With an explosive roar, it rallied itself, snatched up the nitoryu, and used it to slowly rise.
Then, it turned its massive body toward King Alexander Francis, now being helped up by trembling attendants. "Is it strength? Or status? You think those alone make you great? Now you've seen—my strength, my status. The beasts honor me as their king!"
"But that's not Kabuki."
With one hand, it hoisted the nitoryu onto its shoulder, extended the other arm forward, bent one leg, and hopped on the other. Its blood-streaked beast face, like a grotesque mask, twisted into a comical expression.
Then, it began its bizarre dance.
"Can it perform Noh?"
Fen Ni, watching from the city wall, blinked. "Huh? Why is it performing this?"
Born in Dual Horse Country, Fen Ni recognized the Noh play style immediately.
This was Noh.
But she couldn't understand—why, after such a fierce battle, after surviving attacks from the Navy that should have killed it, would it perform Noh?
What was the point?
The Lion Ape's performance was clumsy. Its massive, bloodied body clashed absurdly with the graceful Noh tradition. Yet its gruesome face, shifting between grotesque expressions, and its awkward, jerky movements somehow became oddly amusing.
"Psst!"
Someone finally burst into laughter, clamping a hand over their mouth.
"I can't help it!"
"This thing's so huge and terrifying, yet it's dancing like this!"
"Ha-ha-ha!"
Like a lit fuse, the crowd erupted in laughter one by one.
It wasn't the performance itself that was funny—just the absurdity of this terrifying monster suddenly doing Noh.
The oppressive atmosphere dissolved into giggles.
"Ha-ha-ha! What are you doing, monster?!"
King Alexander Francis, just recovering, sneered as he clutched his stomach at the sight of the clumsy dance. "This isn't dancing! Kabuki should be elegant. You're just a ridiculous Harlequin!"
The Lion Ape ignored him, continuing its awkward jumps.
The laughter only grew louder.
"This monster is—ha-ha—so absurd! All this time, was it just for dancing? Beasts' minds are truly—"
Sazil laughed too, but mid-sentence, a chill ran down his spine.
Kuro was glaring at him.
"Find it funny?" Kuro asked flatly.
Sazil instinctively nodded, then shook his head violently. "Not funny at all."
The fury in Kuro's eyes left no room for defiance.
Kuro turned back to the Lion Ape. "Not funny? Then laugh louder, damn it."
Sazil bit his lip. He'd been laughing already—why glare now?
"Haha..." He forced out a laugh that sounded like a sob.
Kuro's lips curled slightly as he watched the Lion Ape.
The Lion Ape spun, gazing at the crowd laughing at its dance.
As it leapt, it roared: "Kabuki is meant to make people laugh! No matter what kind of laughter—there's no difference between refined and vulgar!"
The words made the gathered Kabuki performers, who'd been laughing the hardest among the civilians, exchange awkward glances. They looked at each other, shame creeping in.
With a sharp stomp, the Lion Ape froze mid-turn, as if a drumbeat and harmony had suddenly sounded. Its five fingers splayed wide, its head spun around, and with a final pause, it bellowed: "Yi~yo!"
Human Wulang...
Can you see? Even as the culprit behind this terrifying ambush, I still made them laugh.
They laughed. So now, when I face you, I can proudly say—
"I, Lion Wulang, have graduated."
It whispered the words so softly they were barely audible, then held the pose, unmoving forever.
Its life aura vanished.
(End of Chapter)
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