Two Demons Attack: Prelude

The mornings in the Swordsmith Village begin with the crisp, rhythmic sound of blacksmithing. The clanging and banging sounds, like a morning bell awakening the Valley, carry the unique texture and power of metal, announcing the start of a new day's work.

Moyu opened his eyes in his assigned room, ending a night of deep meditation. The effects of the Mind-Cleansing Spirit-Concentrating Pill were remarkable; not only did he feel no fatigue from the night's cultivation, but his Mental Energy had also been further enhanced, and he could feel his sea of consciousness becoming even more solid. He slowly stood up, stretched his limbs, and pushed open the sliding door to walk into the corridor.

A thin mist lingered in the Valley, the air crisp and clear, carrying the mixed scents of charcoal fire and dew. In the distance, wisps of smoke rose from the village's largest workshop, the sound of hammers striking echoing from there. Some of the earlier-rising blacksmiths had already begun their day's work.

"Mr. Moyu! Good morning!" A vibrant voice came from the side. Mitsuri Kanroji was also up, her long pinkish-green hair braided into neat plaits, a fresh smile on her face. She was stretching in the corridor of the next room, her full chest making a stunning arc with the movement.

"Good morning." Moyu nodded slightly to Mitsuri.

"The air here is so fresh! It makes me feel so much more awake!" Mitsuri took a deep breath, looking completely blissful. "Shall we go for a stroll in the village later? I heard you can see many swordsmiths forging swords in the morning! It must be quite a sight!"

"Okay." Moyu had no objections. He needed to familiarize himself with the village's terrain to prepare for any potential battles.

After a quick wash, the two strolled along the stone-paved path in the village. The layout of the Swordsmith Village was not complicated, with the main buildings distributed along both banks of a clear mountain stream, and workshops, residences, and warehouses scattered in an orderly manner. The babbling stream provided the essential water source and power for forging.

As they passed several workshops, through the open doors, they could see bare-chested swordsmiths sweating profusely before roaring furnaces, apprentices straining to operate the bellows, and red-hot iron blocks being repeatedly hammered on anvils, sparks flying everywhere. Their focused expressions, their movements imbued with strength and beauty, and their unwavering dedication to forging iron through countless trials inspired awe and respect.

"Amazing..." Mitsuri stared, her light green eyes gleaming with amazement. "Every Nichirin Blade is forged like this, hammer blow by hammer blow... No wonder they're so precious!"

Moyu's gaze swept across the workshop. With his six eyes, he could clearly "see" the microscopic changes in the iron block as it was forged, where impurities were removed and the structure became denser and more uniform. He could also feel the dedication and will that the swordsmiths poured into it. This pure craftsmanship was completely different from the brutality of battle, yet it contained a powerful force in the same way.

"Yes, that's remarkable. Each knife embodies the blacksmith's dedication and will." He agreed softly.

In the small square in the center of the village, they encountered Muichiro Tokito at the sky. The young Mist Hashira was still lost in thought, his mint-green short hair looking particularly soft in the morning light, his empty eyes seeming to pierce through the clouds, as if he were thinking about something.

"Good morning Muichiro!" Mitsuri greeted him warmly.

Muichiro slowly turned his head, glanced at them, then turned back to look at the sky. After a few seconds, he slowly hummed in response.

Mitsuri was already used to his behavior and didn't mind. She said with a grin, "We're just about to go for a stroll around the village. Would you like to come along, Muichiro?"

"... There's nothing to see." Muichiro said calmly.

"Let's go together! It's more fun than just spacing out alone! Come on!!" Mitsuri walked over and tried to pull him up. Muichiro didn't react much, but he didn't resist either. He was half-pulled, half-draggled to his feet by Mitsuri, still looking like he hadn't woken up yet.

Thus, the group exploring the village became a trio. Mitsuri walked in the middle, looking around with great interest, chattering and sharing anything interesting she encountered; Moyu followed quietly behind, her gaze seemingly casually sweeping over the surrounding buildings, roads, and terrain, taking in all the information; Muichiro lagged slowly at the back, his eyes vacant, as if he were simply moving on instinct.

When passing by the stream near the village, she saw villagers washing ores Mitsuri curiously went over to ask them all sorts of questions; she also wanted to study the various herbs and mineral pigments drying in the sun; she even spent a long time happily playing with a fat cat sunbathing on the roof.

"Mr. Moyu, look! That cat is so chubby, so cute! Doesn't it look like a ball of fluff?"

"Muichiro, look at those rocks over there, the color is so strange. Is it some kind of special iron ore?"

Wow! That old man's muscles are so strong! He's amazing! He must have been forging iron for a long time!

Her energy seemed inexhaustible, adding a bright touch to the village filled with the smell of metal and sweat. Moyu would occasionally reply with a word or two, Muichiro was basically in a "read but not reply" state, but Mitsuri didn't feel awkward at all and was quite happy with herself.

As they wandered to the edge of the village, near the forest, they encountered the boy Kotetsu from yesterday. He was squatting outside a shed, carefully wiping the puppet named "Yoriichi Type Zero," his face showing tenderness and focus.

"Kotetsu! Good morning!" Mitsuri waved and greeted him.

Kotetsu looked up, saw Moyu, his eyes lit up, and he quickly stood up and bowed. "Lord Moyu! Thank you for yesterday..."

"It was nothing," Moyu interrupted him.

Mitsuri curiously crouched down to look at the puppet. "Is this the powerful puppet we talked about yesterday? It looks so ancient."

"Yes! This was passed down from our ancestors!" Kotetsu nodded vigorously, then looked somewhat dejected, "But... Lord Moyu is right, it is indeed very old, and many parts are rusted..."

"It's alright, just take good care of it. Its very existence is a piece of history," Moyu said calmly.

Kotetsu nodded vigorously after hearing this, and his eyes lit up again.

After saying goodbye to Kotetsu, the three of them ate a simple breakfast at the village's only canteen—brown rice, miso soup, and grilled fish. Mitsuri's appetite was indeed astonishing; she ate almost the combined portion of Moyu and Muichiro, and even licked her lips with lingering satisfaction. "So delicious! The rice in the Swordsmith Village is especially chewy!"

In the morning, Moyu returned to his residence to continue practicing meditation and reversal techniques. Mitsuri, meanwhile, pulled Muichiro, who was finally no longer completely lost in thought, into a sparring session at the village's training ground. Mitsuri's Love Breathing was expansive and powerful, full of resilience; Muichiro's Mist Breathing was ethereal and agile, extremely fast. Their battle attracted the attention of some villagers and members of the Hidden Forces, who stopped to watch in amazement.

During breaks from his training, Moyu would stand under the corridor and watch from afar for a while. He could tell that Mitsuri had a very solid foundation, amazing strength, and her fighting style relied more on instinct and explosive power; Muichiro had extremely high talent and near-perfect swordsmanship, but his combat awareness seemed to still carry a hint of confusion.

In the afternoon, Mitsuri heard that there was a great viewpoint on the mountain behind the village, so she excitedly dragged Moyu and Muichiro up to go hiking. Muichiro didn't want to go at first, but he was persuaded by Mitsuri's words, "The view from the top of the mountain is definitely more suitable for daydreaming," or rather, he was too lazy to argue.

The climb was effortless for Zhuji. Standing on the viewing platform, the entire Swordsmith Village was laid out before him, with houses scattered about, smoke rising from chimneys, and the faint sound of blacksmithing. Surrounded by mountains and shrouded in mist, it was like a paradise on earth.

"So beautiful..." Mitsuri opened her arms wide, welcoming the mountain breeze, her pink and green braids fluttering in the wind, a pure smile radiating from her face. "It makes me feel so much better! I wish this peace could last forever."

Muichiro stood quietly on the edge of the cliff, his mint-colored eyes gazing at the village below. His empty gaze seemed to flicker with a faint tremor, but it quickly returned to normal.

Moyu stood with his hands behind his back, his Azure pupils scanning every corner of the Valley, noting down the terrain, possible attack routes, and suitable locations for ambush or interception.

As evening fell, the three returned to the village. The Tetsuido Kawahara warmly invited them to dinner. The dinner was sumptuous, with mushrooms picked from the mountains, fresh fish caught from the stream, and vegetables grown by the villagers themselves, along with fragrant earthen pot rice.

At the dinner table, Mitsuri was still the most lively one, chatting with the village chief about interesting things in the village, her clear laughter ringing out from time to time. Muichiro ate quietly, at a moderate pace. Moyu ate little, but was very focused.

After the meal, the villagers served tea. The afterglow of the setting sun dyed the sky orange-red, and the Valley gradually quieted down, with only a few scattered barks of dogs and the chirping of birds returning to their nests.

Moyu put down his teacup, looked at the darkening sky outside the window, and suddenly spoke, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable gravity:

"I'm full. Time to go out and get some exercise."

Mitsuri and Muichiro both looked at him at the same time.

Moyu's gaze swept over the two of them, finally landing on Mitsuri and Muichiro: "Mitsuri, Muichiro, you two go together to the left side of the village, to the area near the northern cliff."

Mitsuri paused for a moment. "Now? What are we going there for?"

"A 'guest' is coming." Moyu's tone was completely calm. "They're moving quite fast. Judging from their aura, they should be Upper Rank Five, Gyokko."

"Upper Rank Five?!" Mitsuri stood up instantly, her light green eyes filled with shock and wariness. "Gyokko!"

Muichiro also put down his teacup, his empty eyes focusing slightly as he looked at Moyu.

"A very ugly ghost who usually hides inside various pots." Moyu briefly described the Gyokko's appearance and abilities. "His Blood Demon Arts are related to pots; he can teleport instantly through them and summon various troublesome aquatic monsters to fight. These monsters usually carry pots on their backs, and the pots are their cores. Anything his hands touch will turn into fish, so be careful. He also has a Water Pot Technique that can trap people; it's difficult to break with regular attacks, but the Red Nichirin Blade can. In addition, he can summon a large number of poisonous sticky fish and octopus tentacles; the poison is troublesome. When he gets serious, his body will have hard fish scales, and his movements will become very strange. In short, don't let his hands touch your body directly."

He spoke slowly, but conveyed a wealth of information, clearly pointing out Gyokko's main abilities and key points. These were all abilities that Gyokko had demonstrated in the original work, and with Six Eyes' "foresight" ability, he could reasonably "know" these.

Mitsuri and Muichiro listened intently. Although they were puzzled as to how Moyu knew so much detail, with a formidable enemy at hand, trusting their comrade's judgment was paramount.

"Near the cliff on the left... I understand!" Mitsuri clenched her fists, her usual smile gone, replaced by the resolute determination of a warrior. "We will stop him!"

Muichiro nodded without speaking, but his hand was already on the hilt of his Nichirin Blade.

"His abilities are flashy, but his direct combat strength is relatively weak among the Upper Rank." Moyu continued to deploy, "The two of you working together should be enough to handle him. Remember, prioritize destroying the core of his summoned creatures' pots, and be careful of his poison and contact attacks. Just hold him off and pay attention to your own safety."

Then, he looked in another direction of the Valley, a cold glint flashing in his Azure eyes. "As for the one coming from the other side... its aura is more subtle, and it feels more troublesome to me. It should be Upper Rank Four, Hantengu. I'll take care of it. I'll deal with it as soon as possible and then come back to support you."

"Two Upper Rank?!" Mitsuri gasped. Muichiro's brows furrowed slightly as well.

"Hmm, it seems Muzan is determined to wipe out the Swordsmith Village this time." Moyu stood up. "Proceed according to plan. Protecting the villagers is the priority. If necessary, we can abandon the outer perimeter interception and have the Hidden Force assist in evacuating the villagers."

"Okay!" Mitsuri nodded emphatically.

"Understood." Muichiro also stood up.

Moyu glanced at them one last time, then his figure flickered and disappeared like a ghost into the deepening twilight, silently stealthily heading towards the direction from which he sensed another chilling ghostly aura.

In the courtyard, only Mitsuri and Muichiro remained. In the distance, the last rays of sunset were about to be swallowed by the night.

"Muichiro," Mitsuri took a deep breath, looked at the Mist Hashira beside her, and smiled again, her expression tense yet full of strength, "We have to do our best too! We can't let Mr. Moyu underestimate us!"

Muichiro looked at Mitsuri, and something seemed to light up slightly in his empty eyes. He gave a soft "hmm" and tightened his grip on the sword.