Amid that deathly silence and tension, at the edge of the breach in the devastated ruins.
Kirishima Bupai moved.
Extremely slowly, like a sleeping iceberg beginning to rise soundlessly under the push of ocean currents.
First, with utmost elegance, he uncrossed his long legs and planted both feet firmly on the rubble- and dust-covered ground.
The hem of his dark blue coat swayed slightly with the movement, falling into natural folds.
Then he calmly pressed both hands against the armrests of the pure white chair, supporting his body.
Yawning, he slowly straightened up at a deliberate, almost ceremonial, steady pace.
Every movement was smooth and precise, carrying a sense of deliberateness. When he stood fully upright, his aloof presence instantly rose to its peak.
Then he turned around.
Moonlight passed unobstructed through the enormous hole in the wall, clearly illuminating his face.
His silver hair was like frost, his beauty beyond anything mortal.
His bright eyes were as deep as pools, reflecting the ruins, the moonlight, and Daki, hovering in the air in bewildered uncertainty.
Then the corners of Kirishima Bupai's mouth curled upward extremely slowly.
It was a smile!
An enigmatic smile mingling detachment, amusement, and even... a few traces of an indescribable, almost morbid satisfaction!
Against the ruined backdrop and that pure white chair, the smile looked incomparably eerie and powerful.
"You...!"
That sudden smile and presence made Daki's heart clench.
A chill shot up her spine to the top of her head. She shrieked, putting on a fierce front despite her fear, her voice slightly distorted with terror. "Who are you?! A Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps?!"
Kirishima Bupai did not answer.
Not even his gaze changed in the slightest.
It was as though Daki's shrill demands were nothing more than a breeze brushing past his