Try saying that again?

Tendo Hiruma raised his arm, pressing down on the man who was a head taller than him, and asked with a serious expression:

"Excuse me, I'd like to ask, is the girl you're chasing named Shinobu Kocho?"

The man who was stopped looked annoyed, swatted Hiruma's hand away, and cursed angrily:

"Damn it! What the hell are you doing?"

"Who the hell are you?"

"What, you know Shinobu Kocho? Then pay her debt for her!"

The burly man turned around, grabbed Hiruma's wrist, and lifted him up, seemingly wanting to take his frustrations out on him.

Hiruma was unfazed; at this moment, his mind was focused on only one thing: confirming the girl's identity.

"Is that girl Shinobu Kocho?"

He repeated the same question from the beginning.

According to the story, the Kocho sisters were brought back to the Demon Slayer Corps by the Stone Pillar. Before that, they should have been wandering.

Hiruma never expected to meet Shinobu Kocho in an unknown town.

Perhaps it was fate.

"Are you sick or something? I'll beat you to death!"

The burly man was about to slap Hiruma, but he suddenly cried out in pain and let go of Hiruma, clutching his arm and wailing:

"How is this kid so strong!"

"Beat him up!"

The burly man, wearing a mask of pain, ordered his two lackeys.

At the entrance of a small alley not far away, Shinobu Kocho, dressed in rough cloth, was watching them intently.

She looked thin, and her face seemed smeared with soot, making her look like a little calico cat. This was necessary for the survival of the Kocho sisters.

Being displaced and having a beautiful face was not a good thing, especially in this era.

Shinobu Kocho frowned, hesitating. Thanks to the stranger, she had time to escape, but now that stranger seemed to be in grave danger.

She glanced at the medicine pouch in her hand, then at Hiruma, who was about to be ganged up on.

Sister, please wait for me a little longer!

Shinobu Kocho's gaze became determined, and she ran out of the alley as quickly as possible.

"You bunch of scoundrels, weren't you trying to catch me?"

"I'm right here, nyah nyah!"

Hearing Shinobu Kocho's shout, the leader of the debt collectors immediately signaled his subordinates to chase after her.

"You little slut, don't let me catch you, or I'll kill you!"

Hiruma, who had just put his Nichirin Blade away, glared ferociously at the three people running away, his eyes filled with rage, as if he wanted to devour them alive.

His body trembled slightly, his fists clenched, and his teeth gnashed, his heart filled with extreme dissatisfaction and anger.

Those bastards just cursed Shinobu, didn't they?

If I can't kill them, I can break their legs, right?

Bastards, daring to curse Shinobu, I'll kill you!

Hiruma followed closely and chased into the alley, he hadn't even said hello to Shinobu yet.

It was all these bastards' fault.

Familiar with the terrain, Shinobu Kocho had already run to a corner and successfully tricked the three loan sharks.

When she saw a familiar figure run past her, she felt completely off.

"Ara ara?"

"Why is this person following me? Why isn't he running?"

"Did he not understand my intention? What a fool!"

"Sigh!"

Shinobu Kocho helplessly put her hand to her forehead and muttered softly. Her original intention was to lure the pursuers away herself, so that Hiruma could escape.

"Hey!"

"Here, here!"

She grabbed Hiruma's sleeve, intending to pull him into the alley to hide, but unexpectedly, she was pulled out by Hiruma, who was stronger.

From Hiruma's perspective, the thin, small girl he had been thinking about so much had just thrown herself into his arms.

Huh?

What's going on?

Am I dreaming?

This dream is so blissful!

Hehehe! ( ﹡?o?﹡ )

Shinobu Kocho looked at the grinning boy, feeling a bit confused. She wondered if this guy was an idiot.

Suddenly, a shout broke the strange scene.

"They're here, the two of them are here!"

Shinobu Kocho then realized she was in someone's arms. Thinking of Hiruma's smile, she was overcome with shame and indignation, a blush spreading beneath the dark soot.

"You little pervert, what are you thinking about?"

She slapped Hiruma out of his daydream, making him realize this wasn't a dream.

Shinobu hit me!

I'm so happy!

Hiruma, with a lovesick expression, covered his face and foolishly gazed at the girl in front of him, who was wiping soot off her face.

Even I, a pervert, think he's a pervert.

"Let's run!"

Shinobu Kocho grabbed Hiruma's wrist and pulled him into an alley. They darted through the maze-like alleys, with the debt collectors in hot pursuit.

Before long, she was panting for breath. Her life of irregular meals had made her brain sluggish, and she'd run into a dead end.

Glancing at the still grinning stranger and then at the three debt collectors surrounding them, Shinobu Kocho chose to shield the fool behind her.

It was because he had blocked those guys for her, and more importantly, because she had dragged him into this.

"I'll find a way to repay the money, this has nothing to do with him!"

"My sister and I already paid back the principal and interest long ago. We need time for the interest that appeared from nowhere."

"Give me a few more days?"

Shinobu Kocho's tone was no longer firm, but carried a hint of pleading.

"Hahaha!"

The leader of the debt collectors burst into laughter, mocking her with a playful sneer.

"You little slut, weren't you like a wild cat?"

"Why aren't you baring your fangs anymore? I prefer your fiery personality. Come on, give me a smile, maybe I..."

Before the man could finish speaking, Hiruma appeared like a phantom, his fists carrying a sharp gust of wind, smashing hard into his lower abdomen.

This punch seemed to pierce through his body, and a pig-like howl echoed through the alley.

Immediately, an intense pain spread from his abdomen. He knelt on the ground, clutching his stomach, and vomited stomach acid.

Hiruma raised his foot high, stomping the man's head into the still steaming sour liquid. His icy voice rang out, carrying a hint of killing intent.

"Try cursing again?"

"I've tolerated you for a long time!"

"Loan sharking, huh? Wonder if you'll live to collect it?"

The next moment, a sword was plunged next to the debt collector leader's head, its chilling glint terrifying him into stillness.

He thought the knife at the kid's waist was a toy, but it turned out to be real.

Under the sword ban, anyone carrying a sword was either crazy or a desperate fugitive.

Whichever it was, he couldn't afford to provoke them.

Hiruma's action of drawing his sword also startled the debt collector's two subordinates, who quietly took a few steps back.

"You brat, I wasn't scared into being timid. I was killing people before you were even born!"

"Do you dare to use your sword?"

The debt collectors were a group of desperate men. Having been in the business for so many years, he truly didn't believe such a kid would dare to act. This kind of guy probably wouldn't even dare to kill a chicken.

Who knew that as soon as he finished speaking, the long sword would be plunged into his thigh. Since this guy had killed people before, Hiruma no longer had any psychological burden.

He would cut off his leg if he said he would.

Sometimes, humans and demons were not so different; both devoured people without spitting out their bones, just in different ways.

"Aaaah!"

The debt collector screamed repeatedly, his thigh crippled. Seeing this, his two subordinates turned and fled.