The moment you step into Mount Fujikasane, the rich, comforting Wisteria is instantly left behind.
The air that hit me was cold, damp, and carried a faint, rotten stench from deep within the forest.
The moonlight overhead was fragmented by the dense foliage, casting countless twisted and grotesque shadows on the ground, as if countless demons and monsters were lurking in the shadows, watching with predatory intent.
The atmosphere was so oppressive that it was hard to breathe.
But Shinobu Kocho's feelings were completely different from those of the gloomy environment.
Her little face still held a hint of anger (╯°□°)╯ ┻━┻, and her mind kept replaying the scene that had just happened at the foot of the mountain.
That guy named Kirikawa, the more I think about it, the angrier I get!!
What gives this good-for-nothing who only thinks about how to flirt with girls the right to act so superior? And he even claims to be "the strongest"? It's laughable! (≧∇≦)ﾉ
That kind of scum dares to covet my gentle, beautiful, angelic older sister?
Even a toad trying to eat swan meat wouldn't be this outrageous! (`⌒´メ)!
In Ren's heart, she had already chosen her sister's one and only "officially designated spouse" (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧.
That person must be Mr. Giyu Tomioka!!
Although that man always had a stern face (ー_ー)!!, he was incredibly quiet, completely lacking in charm, like a block of wood that could never be warmed up.
But...
He's amazing!
He passed the Final Selection at the age of thirteen and became the youngest "Pillar" in the Demon Slayer Corps in just half a month!
After taking office, he was like a cheat code, achieving remarkable results that were simply terrifying!!
In just one year, they successively killed Lower Rank One, Lower Rank Two, Lower Rank Four, and Lower Rank Six! They slaughtered those arrogant Lower Rank demons of the Twelve Kizuki, making them terrified and almost wiping them out!
Even... even in a skirmish, it directly confronted the legendary "Upper Rank One" and ultimately escaped unscathed!
These events, one by one, have long become legendary tales, spreading like wildfire throughout the Demon Slayer Corps, making him the undisputed "strongest swordsman," a star that countless young members look up to!
More importantly, he's so good-looking! (≧∇≦)ﾉ!
With his cool, handsome features, tall and slender figure, and those icy blue eyes that, though always aloof, occasionally reveal a hint of tenderness that's absolutely captivating!
She is incredibly strong, has stunning looks, and is also extremely reliable.
Aside from being a bit introverted, she's practically the perfect choice for a sister-in-law! (๑˃̵ᴗ˂̵)و!
If my sister can be with Mr. Giyu, then I can rightfully live with my sister and Mr. Giyu forever, right?
Just imagining that happy family scene makes Ren smile like an idiot (≧∀≦)♪.
"Snap out of it, Shinobu."
Just as Ren's inner monologue was playing out "100 Questions about a Happy Married Life," a gentle voice, followed by a light tap on the head, pulled her directly out of her reverie.
Kanae put her arm around her younger sister, who was clearly up to no good, and gently tapped her smooth forehead with her finger. Her smiling eyes were full of helplessness and doting affection.
"You've been grinning like an idiot since earlier, what nonsense are you thinking about now?"
"No... no, I didn't!"
Ren's face flushed red instantly (∀), and she quickly straightened her back, putting on a serious expression to try and hide her guilty conscience.
Kanae shook her head helplessly and didn't ask any further questions. She released her sister, placed her hand on the hilt of her Nichirin Blade at her waist, and her eyes instantly sharpened.
She calmly looked around, her ears twitching slightly as she caught every subtle sound carried on the wind.
This forest is so quiet.
It's so quiet... it's a bit unusual (⊙ˍ⊙).
Just then, an incredibly strong, pungent stench suddenly wafted into my nostrils from the nearby woods!
The smell was like a corpse that had been rotting for months mixed with a disgusting stench of blood; it was so strong it almost made you vomit on the spot!
"Careful!"
Kanae shouted and pulled Shinobu behind her!
Almost the instant she spoke, a dark shadow, like a cannonball, suddenly darted out from the bushes beside them!
That was a hideous demon!
It was large and robust, with grayish-blue skin, unusually thick limbs, and ten long fingernails that gleamed with a chilling light!
"Bang!"
The demon's claw, with terrifying force, slammed heavily onto the spot where the two sisters had just stood, instantly creating a deep crater in the hard ground, sending rubble flying everywhere!
"--Whoosh!"
The demon wanted to strike again, but a pink blade of light had already quietly bloomed under the moonlight!
It's Kanae!
In a flash, she had already shielded her sister and dodged several meters away. At that moment, her eyes sharpened, and her Nichirin Blade was drawn from its sheath!
"Flower Breathing - Second Form - Honorable Shadow Plum!"
Kanae's figure left pink afterimages in the air, like plum blossoms blooming, the blade slicing through an elegant and swift arc!
"Pfft!"
The demon's thick arm snapped off instantly! Black blood gushed out like a fountain!
"Roar--!"
The intense pain caused the demon to let out a deafening roar!
Its scarlet eyes were fixed on Kanae, and the already ferocious expression on its face became even more twisted and violent!
Despite the demon's ferocious, man-eating gaze, Kanae's expression remained unchanged.
She sheathed her sword and stood there, quietly watching the demon howling in pain. In her gentle eyes, there was a clear trace of pity.
Do you... remember your name?
Kanae spoke up.
Her voice, soft as an evening breeze across a lake, seemed completely out of place amidst the bloody battlefield.
"Before you became a ghost, you must have had your own family, people who loved you deeply, right? They certainly... wouldn't want to see you like this now."
"Please, remember! Don't let this endless hunger and killing control you anymore!"
Her words were filled with sincere and touching kindness.
Even though Giyu Tomioka had repeatedly criticized her for her incredibly naive ideas in his characteristically blunt way, Kanae still stubbornly clung to a sliver of hope.
Ghosts were once human too.
If that's the case, is there really no way to achieve coexistence between humans and ghosts?
Through her intermittent correspondence with Mr. Giyu, she also learned that not all ghosts are vicious and evil.
There was Miss Tamayo, who abandoned darkness for light and dedicated herself to researching an antidote; and there was Mr. Yushiro, who never ate a human and devoted his life to protecting only one person...
Their existence was like a faint starlight in the darkness, giving Kanae a glimmer of hope and making her believe that her beliefs might not be entirely wrong.
The very next second, that sliver of hope was ruthlessly crushed into dust by reality!
"Roar--!"
The demon showed no reaction whatsoever to her words.
Its severed arm regenerated rapidly with visible writhing! In its scarlet eyes, there was only an ever-growing thirst for flesh and blood!
It roared, its massive body sprang up again, and like a mad beast, charged towards Kanae!
"Sister! Wake up!"
A crisp, sharp shout jolted Kanae out of her unrealistic fantasy!
It's Shinobu Kocho!
The usual playfulness and naivety were gone from her face; in their place was a coldness and decisiveness that was completely out of character for her age (｡•́•̀｡)!
"For these monsters who have completely lost their humanity, sending them to hell is the best release!"
The moment the words left his mouth, Shinobu moved!
Her speed was explosive; she was like a purple lightning bolt, and just as the demon was about to pounce on Kanae, she circled around to the demon's side at an incredible angle!
"Flower Breathing - Fifth Form - Peonies of Futility!"
Shinobu's figure spun rapidly in the air, his Nichirin Blade unleashing nine sharp slashes, like peony petals, one after another, from bottom to top, all striking the demon's thick neck!
"Pfft--!"
Blood splattered everywhere!
A deep, bone-revealing gash was instantly slashed across the demon's neck!
But...
It was just a bloodstain!
Ren's pupils suddenly contracted (°ㅂ° ╬)!
She exerted every ounce of strength she had; the veins on her hand gripping the knife bulged, and her arm trembled uncontrollably from the excessive force!
But after her blade cut through the demon's flesh, it was as if she had struck an extremely hard piece of cowhide. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't penetrate even an inch further!
Her strength...
It's really too small!
"Damn it!!" (╯°□°)╯ ┻━┻
A roar of resentment erupted from Ren's throat!
A gentle voice, tinged with a sigh, softly sounded in her ear.
"Shinobu, step back."
The next second, a dazzling pink blade of light, like a blooming spider lily, flashed past in Shinobu's vision.
The moment Kanae saw that her younger sister might be in danger, the last trace of hesitation in her eyes vanished completely!
His figure moved so fast that only a blur remained, and the Nichirin Blade in his hand drew a poignant yet resolute arc in the air.
"Whoosh--!"
That hideous ghost head, filled with violence and greed, tumbled through the air and soared high into the sky.
The headless, enormous body staggered forward a few steps due to inertia before crashing to the ground, turning into ashes and dissipating in the night wind.
The battle is over. (๑•̀ㅂ•́)و✧
Shinobu stood there blankly, staring at the pile of ashes on the ground, then at the Nichirin Blade her hand that had only caused a "superficial wound." She completely sank into a deep state of depression.
Why...
Why is this happening?
Even though they were using the same Breathing Style and had given it their all, what her sister could do so easily, she couldn't even complete the most basic step.
Slaying Demons...
If you can't even cut a ghost's neck, what kind of ghost are you talking about?
Was I on the wrong path from the very beginning?
Just then, a warm hand gently placed on her head and softly rubbed it.
"It's alright, Shinobu."
Kanae walked up to her, her face bearing her usual gentle smile that could melt any ice and snow (｡･ω･｡)ﾉ♡.
"Your speed and swordsmanship are already outstanding. The rest... is just a matter of time."
She reached out her other hand and hugged her sister tightly, gently resting her chin on the top of her head. With an unwavering and solemn tone, she whispered an eternal promise in her sister's ear.
"Until you Shinobu, are able to stand on your own two feet, no matter what happens, your older sister will always be by your side, protecting you."
"Lifetime."