"Want to learn other breathing methods and sword styles?" Sanemi narrowed his eyes, staring at Tom, who was still hiding behind Kanae, as if trying to grasp her intentions.
"Well, Tom is a very smart child. He has already learned both Shinobu's and my breathing techniques, and his strength is not inferior to ours. You can't underestimate him," Kanae replied calmly.
The Hashira were a bit surprised to hear this. None of them knew what exactly happened during the battle between Tom and the Demon King Muzan Kibutsuji. However, they were well aware of Kanae and Shinobu's strength. If what Kanae said was true—that Tom, a cat with a somewhat human-like demeanor, was as strong as the two sisters—then even among the Hashira, he could be considered upper-middle tier in terms of power.
While Kocho Shinobu (Insect Hashira) was generally viewed as the weakest Hashira in terms of sheer combat ability, her sister, Kocho Kanae (Flower Hashira), was quite powerful. She was at least on par with Kyojuro Rengoku (Flame Hashira) and Giyu Tomioka (Water Hashira). This was evidenced by her valiant battle against Upper Moon Two, Douma, where she held her ground until sunrise before succumbing to her injuries in Shinobu's arms.
If Tom truly possessed strength comparable to the Flower Hashira, then it shouldn't be an issue for him to become a Hashira himself. Nevertheless, Sanemi wanted to test Tom's strength personally.
Tom, who was still peeking out from behind Kanae, carefully released her haori. He mulled over the situation and realized that this might not be such a bad opportunity. Sanemi was notoriously difficult to deal with, and even if Tom became a Hashira, he couldn't be certain that Sanemi would teach him breathing techniques or sword skills willingly. However, if it was a wager proposed by Kanae, Sanemi would be bound to honor it, no matter how much he disliked the idea.
With newfound motivation, Tom leaped out from behind Kanae and started shadowboxing, throwing punches into the air to provoke Sanemi. He looked like a boxer on the ring, taunting his opponent.
Watching Tom's antics, Sanemi smirked and nodded.
"Alright! If that's how it is, as long as it can beat me, I'll teach it! Otherwise, I'll kill it!" Sanemi declared confidently, gripping his sword.
"Are you really going to fight? The poor little cat..." Mitsuri Kanroji looked worried as the tension between Tom and Sanemi escalated.
"What a pitiful little creature. Sanemi's strength is second only to mine. There's no way the cat can win." Gyomei , his eyes closed and hands clasped together, expressed his sorrow as tears flowed down his face.
As the battle was about to begin, Sanemi's face suddenly twisted into a ferocious smile. Tom raised his head, his feline face showing an expression of deep concentration. His lower lip curled over his upper lip, making him look oddly like a seasoned hermit preparing for a duel.
"Breath of the Wind! First Form: Dust Whirlwind-Cutter!"
Wielding his Sun Wheel Sword, Sanemi Shinazugawa charged at Tom like a vicious tornado. Wherever he passed, the rapidly rotating wind blades tore deep, destructive furrows into the ground, marking his deadly path.
"Breath of Flowers! Fifth Form: Peonies of Futility!"
Tom, quick to respond, drew his sword in a flash! He launched nine rapid attacks from all directions, each one drawing cherry blossom-pink sword arcs in the air, all converging at a single point. These sword strikes collided with the front end of Sanemi's whirlwind assault!
With a loud "bang!", the impact spread out in all directions, creating a deep crater, ten meters in diameter, at the epicenter where man and cat met. For a brief moment, the two were locked in a power struggle, but then they broke apart, both quickly launching into their next attacks.
"Centipede Dance: Hundred-Legged Snake Belly!"
"Breath of Flowers! First Form: Crimson Hanagoromo!"
Sanemi continued his fierce swordplay, but Tom, suddenly shifting to Insect Breathing, began to move at blinding speeds. His attacks came from all directions, his form darting and weaving around Sanemi like a phantom.
Being a cat, Tom's natural agility and reflexes far exceeded that of humans, and combined with the speed of Insect Breathing, his movements were like blurs of motion. In Tom's perspective, everything around him appeared to slow down, giving him a significant advantage in speed. He was confident that in the current Demon Slayer Corps, no one could match his velocity.
The Hashira watching from the sidelines were quick to notice this as well. Sound Hashira, Uzui Tengen, couldn't help but exclaim:
"What a spectacular display of speed!"
Perhaps because Tom had previously used the back of his sword, Sanemi's strike was not as severe as it could have been. It only shattered Tom's Demon Slayer uniform without inflicting serious harm. However, Tom was a bit disgruntled. After being knocked into the air, he quickly tore off the remnants of his uniform and fashioned a crude wingsuit in just one second.
"Whoa—!" Tom shouted!
To the astonishment and disbelief of everyone below, he clapped his hands and actually flew into the air! Sanemi watched Tom flitting left and right in the sky, a wicked smile spreading across his face, nearly losing his grip on the Nichirin Sword.
"Hey, hey, hey! Is this really a cat?! It doesn't know its true identity; is it actually a demon?" he exclaimed.
Ubuyashiki Yōya, unable to see the commotion clearly, only knew that the two had been fighting fiercely at first. Suddenly, everything went quiet for some unknown reason.
"The cat flew," Ubuyashiki Yōya's daughter, Ubuyashiki Hika, remarked, her mouth agape as she watched Tom soar through the sky. When she heard her father's question, she answered mechanically.
"Really?" Ubuyashiki Yōya didn't expect this either. After a moment of stunned silence, he smiled appreciatively. "What an unexpected child."
In the sky, Tom adjusted to his flying posture, casting a malicious glance down at Sanemi. However, as he raised his cat-like backside, Sanemi suddenly imagined all the various birds that pooped mid-air in the forest and was overwhelmed by a series of unpleasant images.
Decisively, he raised his Nichirin Sword and shouted, "The competition is over! I admit that cat's strength!"
Tom, who had initially intended to imitate an eagle and perform a dive attack, was caught off guard by Sanemi's sudden declaration. The wicked smile on his face morphed into shock and horror! He had changed his flight posture and was unable to control his speed. As gravity took over, he could only dive forward uncontrollably!
To make matters worse, the makeshift flight suit was poorly constructed; the strap that secured his back snapped. Tom could no longer maintain flight and was plummeting toward the ground! Below him loomed a century-old tree.
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"I am sorry to inform you that my exams have started, and I won't be able to post chapters daily. Please wait patiently for the next chapter."
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