"AHHHH!"
"Nezuko-Chan!"
Kai sighed. He had reached the bank of a shallow stream, running through the jungle. His webbed feet hit the water, and Kai instantly felt that he was in his element.
First came the boy with a boar-headed mask over his head, shouting out of his lungs.
Like Kai, he was also a dual-sword wielder.
The moment he saw Kai, Inosuke jumped from the stream's bank towards him.
It was a mistake.
Kai felt the boy entering the limit of 10 meters, getting surrounded by the Spiritual Currents. With one thought, he flung the Demon Slayer away, his figure splashing into the shallow waters.
The second person was wearing a white-triangle patterned, yellow and orange gradient haori and had short yellow hair.
Kai recognized him.
He was also a Demon Slayer, named Zenitsu Agatsuma.
After one mean look from Kai, Zenitsu fell to his knees, a chill running down his spine.
Advance Intimidation Ability!
"Nezuko-Chan!!!" Zenitsu said, shivering. "Save Nezuko-Chan, please, Inosuke!"
"SHUT UP YOU CRYBABY!!! AHHH!" Inosuke shouted angrily.
Zenitsu passed out after being so disgustingly rebuked, and Inosuke threw himself up to his feet and rushed towards Kai in a zig-zag motion.
Kai narrowed his eyes, unsheathing his swords.
Every use of Telekinesis was making his head bombarded with bouts of pain, making him lose focus. He must depend on his improvised fighting style.
Beast Breathing - Second Fang…
Inosuke snarled like a beast and jumped again, taking a crossed-arm stance in mid-air.
… Slice!
A hissing sound originated from the mouth hidden behind the mask.
Kai's eyes glinted as he heard that breathing noise. Suddenly, he let go of the swords in his hands, making them hover by his side.
And then he snapped his fingers.
Two distinct clicking noises reverberated, drowned by the hissing breath of the Demon Slayer.
It all happened in a blink of an eye, then.
Inosuke was still breathing in, when he suddenly choked, falling like a lifeless log in the stream as a setback.
Tongue-Tying Curse - Mimblewimble!
Kai grinned. 10 MP vanished from his store as he broke the breathing motion of the Demon Slayer midway.
This was his new fighting style to compensate for his lack of Strength in this Random World — Infuse Magic in his Sword-Style.
Kai had been practicing Magic in his normal form for a long time.
But till now, he had not faced a situation where he would have to use it, instead of his Skills and Abilities. The story he had learned from his Sponsor, Aphrodite, let him adjust this new fighting style quite a bit.
Not giving him another chance to get up, Kai dashed towards the fallen Demon Slayer.
Suddenly, his instincts roared.
What is this?! The question passed by his mind, but Kai had already taken a defensive stance. Something incredibly fast had locked onto his neck.
Kai spun, and his eyes landed on the boy who was crying just moments before.
Now, the demon slayer had taken a crouched stance, his eyes closed, and his breathing almost complete.
Thunder Breathing - First Form…
Lightning thundered around Zenitsu like a blanket.
… Thunderclap and Flash!
The hair on Kai's neck stood up. He had felt this before, when the Hashira had come at him, eying him with his dead gaze.
Zenitsu fired himself toward Kai like a lightning bolt, dead set on beheading him.
The gears of Advance Slither Steps screeched, water kissed Golduck's feet, and the Advance Twin Saber-Style used his boosted Agility.
Thunder crackled, and steel rang against steel.
Kai got thrown to one side of the stream, but it seemed he had survived. He huffed and puffed and realized his hands were numb.
This is troublesome, Kai thought, seeing both Inosuke and sleeping-Zenitsu getting up to face him.
BOOM!
Huh? Kai looked over his shoulder. A massive dust cloud was rising in the distance. What was that?!
"Orahhh!" Inosuke shouted and lunged at Kai again. To his left, Zenitsu took his stance as well.
Kai's eyes narrowed. Instead of running, he dashed towards them. The moment he heard the hissing noises again, he let go of the sabers.
Kai gritted his teeth and focused. His numb hands trembled as he snapped his fingers again.
50 MP disappeared instantly.
The upper half of Inosuke's swords softened as though they were two pieces of clothes, and a jet of red light hit Zenitsu's chest, forcing him to awaken.
Softening Charm - Spongify! + Reviving Spell - Rennervate!
Surprised, Inosuke stupidly eyed the swords, and Zenitsu flung his arms, hiding behind his fellow Demon Slayer.
This was the perfect time to nick them both with Murasame. But he didn't. Plans had changed since his last meeting with these Demon Slayers.
He put a few scores of MP in his Skill, Iron Tail, and slammed it into Inosuke's chest, sending both of the boys flying farther up the stream.
BOOM-BOOM!!!
This?! Kai looked back again. These booming sounds were coming from the same direction as the last. It seemed to Kai that a major fight was going on there.
A fight between immensely strong beings.
Kai's curiosity was at its peak. He kicked the water and ran down the stream, keeping his feet in contact with the water.
15 minutes of running brought Kai to a cliff's edge, the stream running down to the cliff, becoming a waterfall, but then disappearing into a mist before reaching the grounds.
On the edge, Kai saw brilliant blue and purple flashes.
He hid behind a tree and spied on the two people.
One was a very muscular young man of above average height with skin so fair that it appeared bright green-tinged white, decorated by a pattern of thick blue lines. He had short, pink hair, and he seemed to have the upper hand.
The other person was so bloodied that Kai even failed to discern his face. Kai only saw long hair, a sword, and a black kimono.
This was a fight between a Demon and a Demon Slayer!
"Haha!" the Demon laughed suddenly. "So strong! So, so, strong! Please become Demon, Hashira, and fight me for eternity! Haha! It would be so much fun!"
Hashira?! Kai's head snapped towards the Demon's opponent. Fuck!
If this person was Hashira, and even then he was so blooded, then didn't it mean that the Demon was one of the Six Upper Moon, an elite force of Demons just under the King of Demons?
Aphrodite had only described the appearance of the major Demon Slayers to him, not of the Demons.
Even with his new fighting style, Kai's magic could only qualify to be called mere tricks in front of these monsters. It was too soon for him to let himself mingle with them.
With stealthy steps, Kai backed away, turning around slowly.
It was then the Demon said something that stunned Kai.
"Hashira!" he laughed. "Don't die on me. It's been decades since I killed a woman-Hashira, you know!"
Kai's eyes widened. Woman… Hashira… Weakened… Bloodied… About to die…
Words after words echoed in his mind, the corner of his lips arching up, becoming a hideous demonic grin.
***************
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