Why...?
"How were you able to... defend against my attack?!"
The Speed Demon struggled to its feet from the pile of rubble, and for the first time, fear appeared in its scarlet eyes.
The seemingly frail and boneless girl in front of me is simply an irrational monster!
What kind of bizarre Breathing Style is this?!
Speed Demon's mind was completely in chaos.
Its prized speed, compared to its opponent, is like a three-year-old child's unsteady steps—laughable and powerless.
And that seemingly delicate barrier of petals is an insurmountable chasm that it can never cross in its lifetime!
It... was no match for this girl at all!
Realizing this, Speed Demon's heart, which had been filled with killing and gluttony, was finally filled with cold fear!
Escape!
We must escape immediately!
A wise person doesn't suffer immediate losses! As long as you're alive, you can always make a living!
As long as I can escape this damned mountain and recover from my injuries, I can devour dozens or even hundreds of humans and become even stronger! Then, it won't be too late to come back and take revenge on this woman!
The Speed Demon's mind began to race, searching for the only possible way out.
That kid who uses Flame Breathing is already half-crippled and nothing to fear.
This woman in the pink haori is a monster you absolutely must not mess with.
So...
The Speed Demon's gaze suddenly shifted to the petite figure in a purple haori who hadn't moved much on a distant tree branch.
She's the one!
In Speed Demon's opinion, the little girl had only been watching the show from the sidelines the whole time, without even having the courage to make a move.
Without a doubt, she was the weakest one in the entire arena! She was the only, and most perfect, breakthrough on this dead end!
Having made up his mind, Speed Demon no longer hesitated!
It suddenly pushed its Blood Demon Art to its limit, its entire body transforming into a blurry blue light, shooting straight towards Shinobu Kocho's location at a tricky angle!
In the instant he brushed past Kanae, a glint of utterly vicious resentment flashed in his scarlet eyes!
"Stupid woman! Do you really think I'm scared of you?"
"Let me eat your sister first, then I'll play with you slowly!"
"Shinobu! Get out of the way!"
The moment the Speed Demon changed direction, Kanae saw through its intention!
A chilling, bone-chilling killing intent erupted from the deepest recesses of her heart!
If there's anything in this world that she absolutely cannot tolerate being touched, then besides that clueless, wooden man, it's only her own sister, whom she's willing to protect with her life!
"--Buzz!"
The air seemed to freeze at that moment.
The gentleness and pity on Kanae's face vanished completely at that moment.
He was like an arrow released from a bow, without any fancy techniques, just pure, straight-line pursuit with speed pushed to the limit!
Her figure even left a faint pink wave in the air, and her speed was in no way inferior to that of the Swift Speed Demon, who was known for his speed!
"Hehehe--!"
Sensing the terrifying aura relentlessly pursuing him from behind, the Speed Demon not only showed no panic but instead let out an even more arrogant laugh!
"So what if you can hurt me? At your speed, you can't catch me!"
"That's your little sister, isn't it? She's really cute! Hehe, I'll take a little interest without being polite!"
As it spoke, it was already very close to that branch!
It could even clearly see the pitiful look on the purple-clad girl's face—a look of utter terror as she stood frozen in place!
The pent-up frustration in Speed Demon's heart instantly dissipated, replaced by a morbid excitement at the prospect of tasting delicious desserts!
However, it did not see it.
The girl, who seemed like a wooden doll in its eyes, gave a helpless and troubled smirk.
Sigh~
A sigh so soft it was almost inaudible echoed in Ren's heart.
"Why..."
Why are there always ghosts who like to bully me like a pushover?
"I'm only slightly weaker, but actually... I'm still pretty strong, okay!"
Just a split second before the Speed Demon's claws were about to touch her!
Shinobu Kocho has moved!
Her purple eyes, which had been lowered as if she were stunned, suddenly snapped open!
There was no fear or panic in those eyes, only a cold and sharp killing intent as deep as an abyss!
She calmly drew her Nichirin Blade from her waist.
With a clear "clang," a stream of clear light, like a moonlit spring, suddenly bloomed on the tip of her blade!
"Water Breathing - Seventh Form - Drop Ripple Thrust!"
She hadn't used the Water Breathing technique for a long time since leaving Mount Sagiri.
Because the powerful, sweeping strikes of Water Breathing, which require immense strength, are completely contrary to her physical constitution.
But!
There are always exceptions!
As the fastest, most concise, and least power-dependent thrusting technique among the eleven forms of Water Breathing, the "Drop Ripple Thrust" is practically tailor-made for her!
In that instant, Shinobu's figure vanished from the tree branch!
She transformed into a streak of pale purple light, advancing instead of retreating, and confronted the oncoming demon head-on!
The Nichirin Blade in her hand created ripples in the air, like water droplets falling into a lake.
"Puff--!"
With a soft thud, it was the sound of a sharp blade piercing through flesh!
The figure of the Speed Demon rushing forward suddenly stopped in mid-air!
It looked down in disbelief, only to see that its chest had been pierced through from front to back by a slender Nichirin Blade!
And the one wielding that knife was the weakest, the petite, purple figure in its eyes.
Time seemed to stand still at that moment.
The next second!
A pink streak of light, filled with boundless rage and killing intent, has caught up!
"Flower Breathing - Fifth Form - Peonies of Futility!"
Kanae's voice was cold and devoid of any emotion.
The Nichirin Blade in her hand unleashed nine dazzling slashes in the air, each one like a layered bloom of peony petals!
The nine slashes came from all directions, at different angles and with different trajectories, whistling towards us!
"Shuashua--!"
Nine strikes, all hitting simultaneously!
The head of the Speed Demon, filled with horror, resentment, and absurdity, was instantly pulverized into dust by the violent, condensed sword energy!
"How... is this possible..."
"I... I'm... the fastest..."
In the last moment before his consciousness completely dissipated, only one question remained in the mind of the Speed Demon, a question it would never be able to answer.
Then, its headless, enormous body, along with its head, vanished completely in the night wind, leaving not a trace.
The battle is over.
"Call..."
Kanae slowly sheathed her sword, the murderous intent in her cold eyes gradually fading, replaced by her usual gentleness.
But her face was still filled with lingering fear and worry.
She rushed forward and pulled the petite purple figure into a tight embrace!
"Shinobu! My Shinobu!"
"Are you hurt?! Let me see! Is there anywhere that bastard hurt you?!"
Kanae's voice trembled almost imperceptibly.
As she spoke, she carefully examined Ren's body from head to toe, making sure not to miss any possible wounds.
Held in his sister's arms with an almost kneading force, Ren looked utterly dejected.
She rolled her eyes helplessly and protested in a weak tone:
"Sister... sister... if you don't let go, I... I'm going to be strangled to death..."
"I'm a swordsman, not made of paper. How could I possibly get injured so easily!"
Seeing her younger sister's energetic and lively manner, even arguing back, Kanae's heart, which had been in her throat, finally began to slowly relax.