The alley was narrow and dark, seemingly isolated from the brightly lit street behind it.
Giyu Tomioka went in first, his steps very light.
His Nichirin Blade was still sheathed, but his right hand was already gripping the hilt, ready to strike at any moment.
Sabito followed behind, carrying a large wooden box on his back. The weight of the box made him a little breathless. But what bothered him more was the sudden chilling murderous aura emanating from Giyu, who was walking ahead.
"Giyu? What's wrong?"
Sabito lowered his voice, looking around the deserted alley with a puzzled expression.
There's... nothing here?
In his eyes, it was a dirty and chaotic dead end, devoid of any living creature except for piles of debris and rags fluttering in the wind.
Giyu did not answer.
His gaze was fixed on a dark figure deep in the alley.
In Transparent World, no disguise can hide anything. He could clearly see the two ghosts standing in the shadows.
A female ghost, exuding a strong smell of blood.
The other was a green-haired boy ghost, staring intently at him, his eyes seeming to want to devour him alive.
Deep in the alley, Yushiro used a Blood Demon Art spell to perfectly conceal himself and Tamayo's figures and aura.
He glanced at the two Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen approaching and curled his lip in disdain.
They really are just two greenhorns.
The flesh-haired boy carrying the box looked completely bewildered, clearly unaware of his Blood Demon Art.
As for the guy in the patchwork haori in front, although he looks somewhat imposing, he's probably just bluffing.
The other party had no idea where he and Tamayo were.
But...
Yushiro's gaze subtly shifted to Tamayo beside him.
Tamayo is acting very strangely.
Her body was trembling slightly, and her usually gentle eyes were now fixed on the black-haired boy, with a deep, almost uncontrollable desire in them.
It's an impulse to completely devour the other person and possess them entirely.
"Lord Tamayo..."
Yushiro's heart tightened.
He had never seen Tamayo like this before; even when faced with top-grade Marechi, she could maintain absolute restraint.
Who exactly is this black-haired boy?
His existence seemed like a fatal temptation to Tamayo.
We can't wait any longer.
We must take care of these two guys before Tamayo loses control.
A fierce glint flashed in Yushiro's eyes as he decided to start with the flesh-haired boy who seemed easier to deal with.
Perfect timing! Let Tamayo see who is truly capable of protecting her and removing all obstacles for her.
As soon as the thought crossed his mind, Yushiro's figure vanished from the spot.
Without making a sound, he quietly bypassed Giyu Tomioka in front and pounced on Sabito from an extremely tricky angle.
His hand had transformed into sharp claws, aiming straight for the Sabito's neck, intending to cripple this troublesome fellow with a single blow.
However, just as his claws were about to touch the Sabito's skin—
Sabito's pupils, which were still observing the surroundings, suddenly contracted.
He didn't see Yushiro's movements, nor did he sense any murderous intent.
However, the fighting instincts honed in countless life-or-death battles had already sent a strong alarm to his brain.
Danger.
Without the slightest thought or hesitation, the Sabito's body reacted before its brain could.
Clang--!
A crisp clang of a knife rang out in the quiet alley.
Without even putting down the wooden box on its back, the Sabito twisted its waist on the spot, drew its sword with its backhand, and swung it upwards with a swift, sweeping slash at the empty space to its left rear.
"Water Breathing - Second Form - Water Wheel!"
The deep blue blade of light drew an arc in the air, like a rapidly spinning waterwheel, sweeping across with a sharp edge.
"What?"
Yushiro's pupils dilated suddenly in shock.
He saw it?
Just in the path of his forward charge, a deep blue blade wheel appeared out of thin air, precisely aimed at his arm.
This guy... how could that be?
He clearly can't see himself.
This is pure, animalistic instinct.
Sizzle!
The sound of fabric tearing through flesh was particularly jarring.
Yushiro felt a chill on his right arm, and an irresistible force came crashing down on him.
The next second, he watched helplessly as his right arm was severed cleanly at the shoulder, spinning and flying out, slamming against the opposite wall with a "smack," turning into a pile of mangled flesh that slid down.
The excruciating pain only slowly reached my nerves.
"Ah--!"
A piercing scream shattered the deathly silence of the alley.
Yushiro staggered back in pain, crashing heavily into the wall at the end of the alley. The excruciating pain from his severed arm prevented him from maintaining his Blood Demon Art, and the spell's effect instantly vanished.
His and Tamayo's figures were thus exposed to the moonlight.
Thump!
The Sabito threw the wooden box on its back onto the ground with a dull thud.
He gripped the knife with both hands, the tips pointing diagonally at the ground, deep blue ripples flowing slowly across its blade. His orange-yellow eyes were now filled with murderous intent.
He stared intently at the green-haired boy ghost clutching his severed arm, his face filled with terror, then his gaze swept over the pale-faced, dazed female ghost beside him.
"Giyu."
Without turning around, Sabito asked in a deep voice.
Do you want it alive?
Giyu Tomioka calmly looked at the two demons who had revealed their true forms and slowly shook his head.
His voice was cold and devoid of any emotion.
"Need not."
"Their Blood Demon Art excels in stealth and is very tricky; it's not suitable for newcomers to practice on."
He paused, a flash of murderous intent crossing his icy blue eyes, before uttering his conclusion.
"Just kill him."
The moment the words left his mouth, the air in the alley seemed to freeze.
An even more terrifying and heavy killing intent erupted from Giyu Tomioka, instantly enveloping the entire alley.