Inside the Butterfly Estate courtyard, two figures quietly slipped in.
One was a man with veins bulging across his head and a thick beard covering his chin.
Inside his left eye were two characters: "Lower Two."
The other was a woman with two small horns growing from her head.
Inside her eye were the characters: "Lower Four."
Two members of the Twelve Kizuki.
Though both were merely Lower Moons, they were still powerful combatants.
It was clear that Muzan Kibutsuji had not taken this mission lightly.
The two demons entered the courtyard and scanned their surroundings.
"It's too quiet… Rōkuro, something feels wrong," the horned female demon said nervously.
The bearded man—Rōkuro—spoke in a low voice.
"Don't panic. Stay calm."
The two slowly moved through the garden.
Before long, they spotted the treatment room.
"The treatment room!" the female demon exclaimed.
Rōkuro froze slightly.
Suddenly, he remembered something.
Before the invisible demon had died, it had transmitted a fragment of memory to Muzan.
In the distant background of that memory—
There had been a girl wearing a white coat.
His pupils shrank.
"I know now… this place is the Butterfly Estate!"
The horned demon gasped.
"The Demon Slayer Corps' medical facility? Butterfly Estate? But isn't it said that once locations like this are exposed, they're quickly relocated? Why is it still—"
She suddenly realized something.
"Wait… it's a trap. Let's leave!"
She immediately turned to flee the way they had come.
But the moment she turned around—
Her face twisted in horror.
A small figure had appeared behind them at some unknown moment.
A pink haori.
Blue-black hair.
"Th-the Insect Hashira…"
The female demon clenched her teeth, her entire body tense as she instantly entered full combat readiness.
Rōkuro clicked his tongue and was about to move over to help when laughter sounded nearby.
"Where do you think you're going? Planning to ignore me?"
Startled, he turned his head.
Under the shadow of the treatment room's roof stood a man.
Xia Feng.
Cold sweat formed on Rōkuro's back.
Since becoming a demon, this was the first time someone had approached so close without him noticing.
This man wasn't a Hashira.
He had never seen him before.
Who exactly was he?
Rōkuro raised both hands into claw-like shapes, cautiously guarding against Xia Feng.
Xia Feng looked at the two demons with interest.
"Lower Rank Two and Lower Rank Four, huh?"
"Nice luck. Didn't expect two Lower Moons to show up at once."
He turned toward Shinobu.
"Shinobu, killing these two demons should earn quite a lot of rewards from the Demon Slayer Corps, right?"
Shinobu showed a strange expression.
"The Corps doesn't have a system for exchanging merits for rewards."
"Everyone simply fights to kill demons."
"However…" she added thoughtfully, "if you wanted to, the credit from killing these two might be enough to qualify you for a Hashira position."
Xia Feng smacked his lips.
"So there's no incentive system at all… what a terrible organization."
Seeing his lack of motivation, Shinobu immediately understood what he was thinking.
She laughed helplessly.
"If you really need motivation… just consider it doing me a favor?"
Xia Feng immediately straightened up.
"Well, if you put it that way, I have no choice but to fight!"
Hearing their conversation, Rōkuro became irritated.
"Are you two done chatting?"
"You may have one Hashira here, but we are two members of the Twelve Kizuki!"
"It's still uncertain who will die tonight!"
The moment he finished speaking—
He kicked off the ground and rushed straight at Xia Feng.
Xia Feng's smile faded as he carefully observed his opponent's movements.
In the original story, only Lower One and Lower Five had truly demonstrated their abilities.
The rest had been killed by Muzan during one of his rages.
So Xia Feng had no idea what their powers were.
Their deaths had been quick—but that didn't mean they were weak.
Muzan could kill them easily because of bloodline suppression.
If Xia Feng underestimated them and encountered a troublesome Blood Demon Art, things could turn ugly.
As Rōkuro charged toward him, Xia Feng instantly drew his sword.
Flower Breathing — Third Form: Honored Shadow Plum!
This defensive technique was one of the most versatile forms of Flower Breathing.
Rōkuro's claws slammed into the blue sword aura Xia Feng had unleashed.
Slash! Slash!
Blood immediately burst from his claws and arms.
His entire arm was nearly severed.
Shock filled Rōkuro's face.
As Lower Rank Two, his strength might not match the Upper Moons, but he was far from weak.
Even against a Hashira, he could put up a fight.
Yet this unremarkable young man had easily suppressed him.
Since when had the Demon Slayer Corps produced such a powerful newcomer?
Rōkuro frowned.
Instead of healing his wounds, he allowed the blood to keep flowing.
Under Xia Feng's watchful gaze, he grinned.
"Kid… you'll regret hurting me."
"My strongest state isn't when I'm unharmed."
"It's after I'm injured."
The blood flowing from his arm suddenly gathered and floated around him.
The crimson liquid condensed into countless thin blades.
Each blade was paper-thin and razor-sharp.
"Blood Demon Art — Dance of Blood Blades!"
With a roar, the countless blood blades shot toward Xia Feng.
"A discount version of Senbonzakura, huh?" Xia Feng chuckled.
"To ordinary people, your technique might look impressive."
"But unfortunately…"
"To me, it's not even as threatening as a casual swing from Sanemi Shinazugawa."
He raised his sword.
Then—
His entire body vanished.
Rōkuro's pupils shrank as he attempted to retreat.
But in the next instant—
Xia Feng appeared directly in front of him.
Insect Breathing — Dance of the Bee Fang: True Flutter!
The Nichirin blade traced a perfect arc and stabbed straight into Rōkuro's neck.
Gritting his teeth, Rōkuro controlled the blood erupting from his neck, trying to push the blade away.
Xia Feng simply gave him a villain-like grin.
"Flower Breathing — Sixth Form…"
"Whirling Peach."
His body spun through the air while holding the sword.
Rōkuro's head shot upward—
Like a potato sprout sliced cleanly off.
Lower Rank Two — dead.
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