Chapter 79: A Theatrical Ice Bastard
Tokitou House, third floor, a long-unoccupied storage room.
"This is the place..."
Tanjiro held his breath. His sense of smell, far surpassing that of an ordinary person, was screaming warnings at him.
An almost tangible, dense demonic aura, mixed with a nauseating scent of decay, seeped out from the cracks around the door.
"This place is seriously wrong..."
Tanjiro muttered softly. Without hesitation, he gently placed the tall stack of bedding in his hands against the wall.
He drew the two nichirin blades he had hidden.
Since becoming a demon, his strength, speed, and regenerative abilities had grown terrifyingly, especially the dexterity of his hands.
With equal strength in both hands, using only one sword felt like a waste. Ryuji had suggested Tanjiro practice dual-wielding... to maximize his advantages in speed and power.
Tanjiro gripped a nichirin blade in each hand, took a deep breath, and flames like those of the sun began to burn around his mouth, following the flow of his breath.
"Hah... Blood Demon Art: Sun Breathing - Total Concentration!"
In an instant, Tanjiro felt everything around him slow down. He could even see the dust particles in the air clearly.
He had entered a special state where everything appeared slow, his own movements became more agile, and his strength increased slightly.
He could also see lines of various colors—red, white, blue, green—and these lines seemed to increase the power of his slashes... though, it wasn't that impressive.
Because he had never seen any lines on his teacher.
Or rather, his teacher was covered in lines, but the moment an attack was launched, the lines would vanish!
This had happened several times; it was easy to be misled.
But there was no other way. Only in this state could he spar with his teacher.
He wouldn't be instantly defeated in one move... The Blood Demon Art was still too weak.
When he first Awakened it, Teacher Ryuji had only been surprised for a moment, so it probably wasn't very strong either.
No matter what, he couldn't last more than three minutes against Teacher Ryuji... Too weak!
He needed to become even stronger, only then could he get his revenge!
"Teacher, I will remember your teachings. I absolutely will not be misled."
He tightened his grip on the nichirin blades, looked at the lines on the door lock, and gave it a gentle flick.
Click.
The line snapped in response.
The seemingly sturdy lock was easily opened.
The moment the door swung open, an even more concentrated, foul stench rushed out, almost making him retch.
The room was pitch black, not a finger could be seen.
Tanjiro's demon eyes glowed with a faint red light in the darkness.
He cautiously stepped into the room, his nichirin blades held horizontally before his chest.
The room wasn't large, filled with various discarded items and covered in cobwebs.
In the deepest part of the room, he saw a sight that ignited his fury.
A cocoon woven from countless vibrant silk ribbons hung silently from a roof beam, its surface still writhing slightly.
The person he was looking for, along with the other courtesans who had disappeared earlier, were clearly trapped inside.
This was a demon's larder!
"Sun Breathing..."
Tanjiro lowered his center of gravity and tightened his grip on the hilts.
However, just as he was about to strike, the massive silk ribbon cocoon suddenly sprang to life!
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Dozens of ribbons shot out from the cocoon from all directions, sealing off all his avenues of escape!
"Huh? Doesn't seem that fast? No, it's a trap!!"
Tanjiro's pupils contracted. He refused to believe this demon was so weak.
His teacher had said never to underestimate any demon.
This was likely an intelligent demon; otherwise, it couldn't have hidden for so long before being discovered!
Watching the slowly approaching ribbons, he swiftly swung his dual blades, creating an impenetrable defense.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
The sound of metal clashing rang out as densely as raindrops.
Tanjiro nodded. Sure enough, these ribbons were a decoy trap!
Their power was so weak that even a Genius like Zenitsu or Inosuke, who had just joined the Corps, could easily cut through them.
A demon couldn't possibly be this weak!
Thinking this, Tanjiro slowly retreated, wary of any potential traps.
"An interesting little brat..."
A lazy, somewhat mocking female voice came from within the silk ribbon cocoon.
"To actually find this place... your nose is quite sharp, isn't it?"
The ribbons slowly parted, revealing the trapped courtesans inside. Their eyes were closed; they had long since fallen unconscious.
Among them was Uzui Tengen's wife, Suma.
"However, since you're here, stay and become a part of me."
Before the words even finished, more ribbons, like a swarm of frenzied snakes, surged towards Tanjiro, blotting out the sky!
Tanjiro's eyes sharpened as he spotted the red line on the demon's neck. This was his chance!
"Sun Breathing, First Form: Waltz!"
In an instant, his two nichirin blades became wreathed in scorching, brilliant flames, severing the red line on the demon's neck in a flash!
The cocoon was instantly burned clean by the flames.
Watching the ribbons burning on the floor, Tanjiro let out a long sigh, thinking to himself.
That was close. Just as Teacher said... this was an intelligent demon.
If he hadn't seen the red line, he likely would have been entangled, then poisoned or subdued by some other means, losing consciousness.
In the end, he would have become food for the cocoon.
"Damn it..."
Tanjiro quickly stepped forward to stamp out the flames on the floor. He looked at the people around him and nodded.
Looking at Suma lying in the middle, Tanjiro was at a loss. This was Lord Uzui Tengen's wife. Would it be inappropriate to carry her...?
Ogimoto House, backyard.
"This is the place."
Tomioka Giyu stopped. His sea-blue eyes calmly observed the large, locked warehouse before him.
His intuition told him something was wrong inside.
"Tch, dragging your feet."
Shinazugawa Sanemi spat impatiently. He walked to the door, glanced at the large bronze lock, and a flash of violence crossed his eyes.
Without another word, he directly raised his leg and kicked it with all his might!
Boom!
With a loud crash, the entire wooden door, along with its frame, was shattered into pieces by his violent kick.
A heavy stench of blood and rot, mixed with the musty smell of long neglect, surged out from the depths of the warehouse.
Giyu's hand, which had been reaching for his sword, paused slightly. "Impatient."
Thankfully there were no traps. What if you got hurt?
"Hah? You looking for a fight?"
Sanemi glared at Giyu, his eyes bloodshot, and demanded loudly.
"Lower your voice. I'm not deaf..."
Giyu stood calmly beside Sanemi and spoke softly. Then he walked into the warehouse.
Sanemi tightened his grip on his nichirin blade, the veins on his face nearly bulging.
He gave his nichirin blade a flick and entered the warehouse.
Moonlight spilled through the broken roof, illuminating the scene inside.
It was a scene from Hell.
Countless mutilated human skeletons were piled in the corners of the warehouse, forming eerie hills of white bones.
Long-dried, blackened bloodstains covered the ground and walls.
This wasn't a warehouse at all. It was a slaughterhouse, a demon's storage room!
"Bastard!"
Sanemi's teeth ground together audibly. The violent Killing Intent emanating from him was almost tangible.
Giyu's face was also as cold as ice.
Just then, a faint sound of dragging chains came from the deepest part of the warehouse.
The two exchanged a glance and immediately rushed over.
Behind a pile of debris, they saw Makio, chained to the wall, covered in wounds, long since fallen unconscious.
"It's Tengen's wife!"
Sanemi stepped forward, raising his blade to cut the chains.
"Careful!"
Giyu's voice and his blade arrived almost simultaneously.
Swish!
A sharp flash of blue water-light sliced through a "flesh worm" that had silently emerged from the ground, attempting to ambush Sanemi, cutting it in two.
The flesh worm was pale all over, its surface covered in bizarre, garish patterns. Foul-smelling liquid oozed from the severed end, and it still writhed frantically.
"What the Hell is this thing?"
Sanemi split another attacking flesh worm with his blade, his face full of disgust.
"Water Breathing, Second Form: Water Wheel!"
"Wind Breathing, Seventh Form: Gale, Tengu Wind!"
Two figures, one blue, one green, unleashed astonishing combat power within the confined space in an instant.
Giyu's sword techniques flowed like water, continuous and seamless, each strike landing precisely on the vital points of those flesh worms.
Sanemi's swordsmanship, however, was overwhelmingly violent. Each swing of his blade stirred up tornadic winds that shredded the disgusting things to pieces.
Within a few short breaths, the dozens of flesh worms in the warehouse were cleaned up by the two.
Giyu sheathed his sword, walked to the wall, and with one slash, severed the chains binding Makio. He carefully picked her up.
"Let's go."
Kyogoku House, an extravagantly luxurious room.
Slap!
A crisp sound of a slap rang out.
A clear handprint instantly appeared on the courtesan's pale cheek.
"Worthless!"
Oiran Warabihime, also known as Daki.
She looked down disdainfully at the courtesan kneeling on the floor, her eyes filled with undisguised contempt and disgust.
"If you can't even handle such a small matter, what use are you?"
She gently traced her exquisitely manicured nails across the courtesan's cheek, her voice sweet yet cruel:
"Tell me, should I scratch up this pretty face of yours, or should I throw you out the window?"
The courtesan trembled all over. Immense fear made it almost impossible for her to breathe, but she still bit her lip hard, refusing to let herself cry out.
"Oh? Still not begging for mercy?"
Daki seemed intrigued by her reaction. She slowly raised her hand, her sharp nails aimed at the courtesan's eyes.
"Since you're so tough, I'll start by gouging out these beautiful eyes and making them part of my collection."
The shadow of death completely enveloped the courtesan.
However, just as Daki's nails were about to touch her eyeballs...
A voice, so flat it was almost indifferent, sounded at the room's entrance.
"Hey, loudmouth. Aren't you reaching a bit too far?"
Daki's movements froze abruptly.
She slowly turned her head. The Fist Hashira who made her uneasy was standing at the doorway, quietly watching her.
His face still bore that ugly makeup.
But the eyes glowing in the shadows were as cold as eternal ice, devoid of any emotion.
"Oh?"
Daki narrowed her eyes, looked at the human before her, and raised the corner of her mouth.
The Demon Slayer Corps... all the same. With humans present, they wouldn't act too recklessly.
"I am the Oiran..."
Before she could finish her sentence, a fist marked with a red cross was already in front of her face!
The fist's wind made no loud noise. Ryuji's control over his power had grown even stronger.
He could now release and retract his strength freely even in tight spaces.
He didn't want to end up with nowhere to stand after throwing a punch in the future.
"They all use Clones..."
Ryuji looked at the ribbons on the floor and muttered softly. He then turned to the stunned courtesan and said, "Hurry and leave. This place is about to become a battlefield."
The courtesan stumbled to her feet. Before leaving the room, she looked back at Ryuji:
"I wish you victory and glory in battle. I'll be waiting for your patronage, free of charge..."
The last three words were almost whispered into Ryuji's ear.
With that, she stumbled out, not raising any alarm.
Ryuji nodded. Very clever, but... what did she mean by waiting for patronage, and for free?
Was he that kind of person?
He shook his head and spread his Observation Haki, covering the entire Yoshiwara Pleasure District.
At Tokitou House, Tanjiro had already dealt with the Clone and rescued the people.
At Ogimoto House, Giyu and Shinazugawa had rescued the person and were now searching for that unknown thing.
The Clone here was also dealt with... Daki's ability was used decently, showing a tendency to develop in Doflamingo's direction.
Ryuji nodded. Only one person, Hinatsuru, remained to be rescued... Huh?
Kanroji?
Well done... The corner of Ryuji's mouth lifted. Just now, Uzui Tengen's last wife, Hinatsuru, had also been rescued, and they had even found Daki's lair.
Kanroji and the Kocho Sisters were rescuing people.
Ryuji's figure flickered slightly. He stepped directly onto the air from the window and arrived on the rooftop.
"Brother Uzui, it's about time. Your wives have been rescued. How about letting these youngsters get some training this time?"
Ryuji spoke softly to the empty rooftop.
"That might not be good... This is upper rank six, after all. Isn't it a bit too early for the youngsters?"
Uzui Tengen's voice came from beside Ryuji.
He stood with his arms crossed, watching the battle of Tomioka Giyu and Shinazugawa Sanemi in the distance, muttering:
"I still wanted to perform a gorgeous solo..."
Ryuji patted Uzui Tengen's shoulder. "I'll be watching. It's fine."
Then he glanced at Uzui Tengen's makeup-free face and curled his lip:
"You should save your energy. Use it on your three wives. Have some kids soon. I still want to be their godfather."
"Get lost!"
The two of them were joking around here, while the youngsters distributed across various locations had already begun to showcase their skills.
All were converging on one place!
"Let's go. We should take a look too."
Ryuji grabbed Uzui Tengen's shoulder. The latter was stunned for a moment, then understood, a look of alarm appearing on his face:
"Don't mess around, I'll go myself..."
Before he could finish, he was already hoisted up by Ryuji and carried over his shoulder, taking to the air.
"Shut up. If you weren't so slow, I wouldn't be carrying a man!"
Ryuji stepped on the air, moving swiftly across the sky, his Observation Haki locked onto the area with the densest demonic aura.
"The youngsters have their fight. We have ours too. I think I see an old enemy!"
Ryuji's eyes were filled with excited red light. Uzui Tengen, being carried, rolled his eyes and shuddered all over.
He felt Killing Intent, extremely dense Killing Intent!
"Who is it?"
"A theatrical ice bastard."
Loving Book So Far Check Out Complete Book In Advanced At Pa Treon:
patreon.com/FictionsTL