*BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!* *BOOM!*
Successive explosions erupted in a corner of the town, causing several houses to collapse in the blasts, turning into ruins. Endless sashes seemed to rampage here, like giant pythons, constantly rolling, leaping, and darting, causing these astonishing explosions.
When one looked closely, the edges of these sashes were as sharp as blades, cutting through buildings and ground alike, slicing off large chunks upon contact.
Such a group of sashes ravaged and danced like spirit serpents in this area, causing buildings to collapse one after another, turning into ruins in succession.
Shinobu's figure flew out from the thick dust, one of her feet touching the ground, avoiding the attacking sashes.
"Don't keep bouncing around! Just die already!"
Daki also emerged from the dust, shouting loudly as the sashes around her body unfolded and slashed through the air, attacking Shinobu from various angles.
Shinobu stopped in her tracks, dodging the sashes slashing from the side, then evading those swinging toward her neck from behind. Her movements were as agile as a true butterfly, gracefully dancing even in mid-air, flipping her body and shifting effortlessly.
Until a certain moment, Shinobu suddenly accelerated, sprinting forward.
"Insect Breathing - Dance of the Centipede - Hundred-Legged Zigzag."
*Whoosh!*
Shinobu's toes burst with astonishing force against the ground, as if they could crack it open, accompanied by loud bursts, gliding toward Daki.
Her Insect Breathing was a rather special type among numerous breathing styles.
Unlike other derivative breathing styles, such as Love Breathing, Mist Breathing, Sound Breathing, and Serpent Breathing, which were derived from Flame Breathing, Wind Breathing, Thunder Breathing, and Water Breathing respectively, Shinobu's Insect Breathing was a second-generation derivative breathing style.
It was derived from Flower Breathing, which was a derivative breathing style of Water Breathing, one of the five fundamental breathing styles. Among numerous breathing styles, only Shinobu's Breathing Style was a second-generation derivative breathing style.
Insect Breathing's sword forms were not named like other breathing styles, which were named after 'form', but were named after 'dance'.
At this moment, Shinobu was using one of the many 'dances' in Insect Breathing, utilizing powerful stomps capable of upheaving the ground, winding in all directions to disrupt her opponent, and then seizing the opportunity to attack with her sword.
*Whoosh!*
And so, with speed and agility that even Daki couldn't react to in time, Shinobu dashed to her front and launched an incomparably fierce stab toward her eye.
'So fast!'
Daki was greatly shocked, tilting her head aside, narrowly avoiding the stab aimed at her eye. Yet, in her hurried evasion, though she dodged the direct strike on her eye, her cheek was slashed by Shinobu's sword.
"You... You dare to cut my face?!"
Feeling the stinging sensation on her cheek, Daki grew furious. With a swift motion, she swung her sash, which cut through the air like a steel blade aimed at Shinobu.
*Clang!*
As Shinobu raised her Nichirin Sword and deflected the incoming sash, she was unexpectedly sent flying back by a tremendous force, skimming through the air before landing in the ground with a thud, stirring up clouds of dust.
"Ahh, what a shame..." Shinobu straightened her posture, wincing slightly as if feeling a prickling sensation from the rough landing.
"You damn hypocrite! Stop speaking in that tone and expression!" Daki shouted in rage. "Your attacks are so vicious, yet you pretend to have a harmless, gentle demeanor! It's disgusting!"
"Well, I can't help it. I'm a woman. Isn't it okay to be a little gentle?" Shinobu replied with a gentle smile. "As for you, Miss Demon, despite your arrogant tone, it seems your skills don't quite match up, do they?"
"What did you say?" Daki's eyes widened.
"I'm just stating facts?"
Shinobu spun her Nichirin Sword, freeing up one hand to touch her own cheek.
"I once asked Rengoku about how strong an Upper Rank truly is..."
"He said that the Upper Three he fought was exceptionally powerful, completely outmatching him. If it weren't for Tsugikuni, he might have died."
"Because of Rengoku's words, I thought Upper Ranks were generally stronger than the Hashira. Among the current nine Hashira, perhaps only one is capable of soloing an Upper Rank?"
At this point, Shinobu's gaze toward Daki became more intriguing.
"But it seems your strength doesn't quite live up to that assessment. Despite fighting with you for so long, you haven't managed to leave a decent wound on me. Why is that, I wonder~?"
"Could it be because there's a big power gap between Upper Ranks? If so, the difference in strength between you, the Upper Six, and the Upper Three seems too large, doesn't it?"
"With that kind of strength, forget killing so many Hashira, it seems your strength is not much different to Lower Ranks?"
Shinobu's smile remained gentle, but her words turned somewhat sharp.
"If this is the strength of the Upper Six, then it's really unfortunate... You won't be able to defeat me. No wonder you're at the bottom of Upper Ranks."
Such words, to Daki's ears, were naturally highly insulting.
"You dare to look down on me?!" Daki exclaimed loudly. "Watch me tear apart that vicious mouth of yours!"
As Daki prepared to move her sashes once again to attack Shinobu, Shinobu suddenly spoke again with her voice growing low.
"Too late..."
"What are—"
Before Daki could finish her sentence, her movement suddenly halted. Her cheeks began to develop patches, turning a decaying color as if rotting.
"Wh-What's going on?! Ugh—AGHHHHH—!!!"
Daki suddenly felt an excruciating pain in her face, causing her to scream in agony.
"How does it feel?" Shinobu asked with a smile. "You know, this poison is extracted from wisteria flowers. For demons, it should be quite effective, right?"
As the current doctor of the Demon Slayer Corps, Shinobu was naturally skilled in poison-making.
Her sword appeared slender and harmless, but in reality, it was coated with deadly poison. Moreover, every time she sheathed her sword, the poison's formula would change.
During battles, she would adjust the poison formula based on the situation of the demon she faced. One of the main ingredients in these formulas was the poison extracted from wisteria flowers.
Wisteria flowers were a type of plant that demons detested. Merely existing in their vicinity and inhaling their fragrance would cause demons to stay away due to their aversion and repulsion.
Shinobu often used the poison from wisteria flowers to deal with demons.
"Since my poison is that lethal, I'm probably the only one among the Hashira who doesn't need a Nichirin Sword to kill demons."
After saying that, Shinobu then gestured goodbye to Daki.
"Enjoy the last moments of your agony, redeeming yourself for the sins you've committed."
"If you manage to survive, then your sins will be forgiven."
"I'll be happy to coexist peacefully with you then, Miss Demon."
With those words left behind, Shinobu turned around and left.
"Eghh... Aghh...!"
Daki immediately fell from mid-air, clutching her gradually decaying head, struggling in pain while crying out.
"Save me... Save me, Big Brother!"
Daki shouted and cried pitifully, continuing to call out to someone.
*Glug!*
In that split second, Daki's back suddenly bulged, causing her to collapse on the ground, screaming in agony.
"Hmm?"
Shinobu halted her steps.
She slowly turned around, looking toward Daki. Her smile remained unchanged, but a drop of cold sweat couldn't help but form on her forehead.
"I see now... So that's how it is, huh..." Shinobu murmured. "No wonder this Upper Six is so weak... So, the real Upper Six is not her but someone else..."
Along with Shinobu's murmur, a figure burst out from Daki's back, piercing through her flesh, and emerged from her body.
"Could you please refrain from bullying my little sister?"
A deep and impatient voice echoed, causing Shinobu's body to tremble involuntarily.
A vicious and menacing aura surged from the newcomer, enveloping Shinobu.
"Well, this is getting troublesome..."
Shinobu muttered with a tired sigh, her words drifting far, far away.
===
Ubuyashiki Estate, Courtyard.
Kagaya had already left his room, stepping onto the veranda that connected to the courtyard.
As he listened to the commotion outside the courtyard, filled with explosions, screams, and cries that reached his mansion, Kagaya coughed repeatedly before speaking aloud in a certain direction.
"Since you're here, why not come out and meet me?"
Even though Kagaya seemed to speak to no one, he was actually addressing a vase that had appeared in the courtyard at some point.
"Hyo, hyo, hyo, sorry for the rudeness~"
With a sneaky laugh, a peculiar demon emerged from the vase.
Who else could it be other than Gyokko?
"This is the first time I've faced the leader of the Demon Slayer Corps like this. Though it's a rare opportunity and I'd like to say a few more words, honestly, I'm a bit disappointed. I'm so disappointed that I don't even have the mood for it."
Gyokko chuckled for a while before speaking coldly as he looked at Kagaya's almost disfigured face and frail body.
"I never thought the respected leader of the Demon Slayer Corps would be a dying man. A body that's so diseased and cursed isn't exactly what I had in mind for the artwork I want to create, which kind of bums me out."
"It's beyond help, truly beyond help."
"In a situation like this, all I can ask is that you die without resisting. Can you do that for me?"
Finished with his words, Gyokko chuckled before a vase grew out of his hand.
Surprisingly, Kagaya showed not even a hint of fear.
"I will die soon, that's for sure..." Kagaya admitted calmly, even smiling. "Unfortunately, the last person I see before I die should not be you, but Kibutsuji Muzan. So, I must decline your proposal."
His words made Gyokko chuckle coldly again.
"Hey, this isn't something you can just refuse, y'know?" Gyokko twisted his body. "The reason I didn't kill you right away is because I want to ask you something. So, do you know where Tsugikuni Yoriichi is? If you tell me, maybe I could use you as scrap material for my artwork."
Upon hearing that, instead of showing anger or despair, Kagaya's face became incredibly calm, his smile unchanged.
Actually, the reason was simple.
"You're looking for Tsugikuni Yoriichi?"
Kagaya's smile widened, his voice calm as still water.
"Isn't he already here?"
When those words passed from Kagaya's lips, Gyokko's body froze.