After slaying Hantengu, the Sapphire Star flicked the filth from her Long Sword's blade and slid it into its sheath.
She looked up toward the mountain behind the Swordsmith Village-it was time to find Tanjiro and the others!
She sped through the cedar woods, but as she ran, a strange unease crept into her heart.
The forest around her seemed... unchanged? The tall firs stood stiffly, their branches twisted at exactly the same angles. Judging by the distance, she should have cleared these woods long ago at her hunter's sprint.
"Mamma mia, am I stuck in some supernatural loop?"
She murmured and flicked her wrist. Specks of green light answered her summons as the Scoutflies emerged and circled her, yet they remained within three paces of her body, unable to fly in any direction. Their light blinked steadily, neither warning her of danger nor pointing out a path.
"Seriously? How can you guys get lost too? North up, south down, west left, east right-it's that simple! How could you possibly get it wrong?"
"When something breaks, you're supposed to give it a smack. Take that!" Bewildered, the Sapphire Star slapped her Scoutfly cage, wondering whether something had broken.
"Yoo-hoo~ Miss Sapphire Star~ You won't fix it that way!"
A girlish, sweet voice rang out behind her without warning!
Holy shit-!
Where did this spook come from? When did she get behind me?
The Sapphire Star's hair stood on end. Her hunter's senses, biological radar, and Scoutfly detection had all been... utterly silent. None had detected anyone behind her.
No breeze, no breath-only a pressure in that voice more suffocating than the gaze of Fatalis, Miraboreas!
Draw!
Her body turned with her intent. She compressed the opening motion of Spirit Blade Slash to its absolute limit, whipping her blade backward like