'He's so strong! I have to find a chance to counterattack!'
Even though he thought this, however...
Vwoom!!!
Before Shinichi could even thrust his sword, Yoriichi Tsugikuni's figure vanished from his spot.
That speed couldn't be described as mere teleportation, it was as if he had never been there in the first place.
The next second, a Nichirin blade appeared three inches from Shinichi's throat.
There was no sound of the wind tearing, no killing intent, no warning whatsoever.
It was as if the blade had been resting there from the very beginning, and Shinichi simply hadn't noticed it.
Shinichi's pupils shrank to their limits.
Hovering on the edge of life and death, his body erupted with unprecedented reaction speed.
He leaned back fiercely, simultaneously holding his Nichirin blade horizontally in front of him as a dark green light burst forth!
Clang!
A deafening sound of clashing metal rang out!
Shinichi was sent flying backward by the impact.
His feet plowed two deep trenches into the ground, and he retreated over a dozen steps before barely stabilizing his stance.
The webbing between his thumb and forefinger ached terribly, the blade of his Nichirin sword hummed and trembled, and the veins on his arm bulged from the exertion.
Yoriichi Tsugikuni, meanwhile, still stood in his original spot.
He hadn't even moved his feet.
That strike just now seemed like nothing more than a casual swing.
"Not bad," Yoriichi spoke, an imperceptible glimmer of approval flashing in his calm eyes. "To be able to react to that strike, you're quite skilled."
Shinichi furrowed his brows, his eyes locked onto him.
His heart pounded somewhat uncontrollably, that strike just now was truly too dangerous.
He almost didn't dodge it.
If his perception, forged through life-and-death battles, hadn't caught that subtle change in the environment beforehand, and if his body hadn't unleashed a reaction speed beyond its limits in that instant, he'd be a corpse by now.
'Is this... Yoriichi Tsugikuni strength? The man Lady Tamayo said terrified Muzan Kibutsuji for hundreds of years, the legend hailed as the "Strongest Swordsman."'
A ridiculous thought welled up in Shinichi's mind: 'could a human really be this strong? Or was Yoriichi actually not human?'
"You hesitated. Are you scared?" Kokushibo, who had been watching from the sidelines, suddenly spoke coldly.
A hint of mockery flashed across his six scarlet eyes. "So you Demon Slayers who's always spouting righteousness, feel fear too?"
Shinichi ignored Kokushibo's taunts.
His entire focus was fixed on Yoriichi. Pushing his Breathing Style to the limit, the dark green light flowed around him.
Gradually, a different breathing rhythm replaced Forest Breathing, and a faint white light emerged.
Shinichi unleashed his final trump card with all his might—Breath of life!
"This power... it's wondrous. It feels as if I can sense my heart beating once again."
Yoriichi reached out his hand.
A faint trace of a smile surprisingly appeared on his calm face. Then, he raised his Nichirin blade toward Shinichi once more—and slashed!
Swish!
This time, fortified by Breath of life, Shinichi saw Yoriichi's movements clearly!
No, rather than seeing them, he sensed them.
But even so, Shinichi still felt immense pressure.
In his perception, Yoriichi's attack seemed omnipresent. In other words, his Nichirin blade could strike from any direction in the very next instant!
Shing!
A flame, both blazing hot and freezing cold, flared into the air!
The ancient Nichirin blade swung down gently.
A blade gleam like a crimson sun wreathed in flames, slashed right at him!
"Breath of life, Third Form: Life Aegis!"
Shinichi didn't dare lower his guard.
He forcefully plunged his Nichirin sword into the ground. A milky-white light of vitality erupted wildly, coalescing into a defense before him!
Boom!!!
The crimson sun-flame blade gleam struck Shinichi's defense!
There was no explosion, no shockwave.
Just a faint sound, like paper being torn.
Shinichi's pupils contracted sharply, and his body instinctively rolled to the side!
Squelch!
The blade gleam brushed past his shoulder, slicing away a piece of his haori along with his flesh and skin!
Yet the blade gleam continued backward with undiminished momentum, carving a smooth fissure through everything in its path—walls, floor, and ceiling.
Shinichi clutched his shoulder, blood seeping through his fingers.
However, the power carried by Breath of life soon surged toward the wound, rapidly stopping the bleeding and healing it.
"Come. Don't just defend. Progress in swordsmanship requires taking the offensive," Yoriichi said, looking at Shinichi.
His tone sounded as if he were instructing a student.
Shinichi remained silent.
He stood up, and the white light on his Nichirin blade shone again, burning brighter than before.
"You're right. In that case, senpai..." Shinichi's voice was slightly hoarse. "Please instruct me!"
Swish!
This time, it was Shinichi's turn to vanish.
Countless streaks of white light slashed toward Yoriichi from all directions.
Very cooperatively, Yoriichi danced with his Nichirin blade, standing in place to meet Shinichi's assault.
Shinichi's figure flickered frantically around Yoriichi, every reappearance accompanied by a fierce slash.
Pushing Breath of life to its peak, his speed, strength, and reflexes soared to unprecedented heights.
The Nichirin sword in his hands transformed into countless white streams of light, striking at Yoriichi from every angle simultaneously.
Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang!!!
The dense sounds of clashing blades were like a violent storm, merging into an ear-piercing tempest of metal.
Yoriichi stood his ground, casually swinging the ancient Nichirin blade in his hand
Every parry was perfectly timed, as if he had anticipated all of Shinichi's attack trajectories in advance.
His movements weren't large, but every strike was flawlessly precise, neutralizing Shinichi's furious barrage.
"The speed is sufficient, and the power isn't bad, but it's still lacking." Yoriichi's voice rang out amidst the flashing blades, like a mentor grading a disciple's homework.
"Your breathing is endless, but you're focusing a bit too much on speed. Your condensation of power hasn't kept up."
As his words fell, Yoriichi flipped his wrist, and his Nichirin blade gave a gentle tremor.
Vwoom!
A gentle yet irresistible force erupted from the blade, blasting Shinichi and his sword back several steps!
Shinichi stumbled backward, his grip numb and his Nichirin blade buzzing and trembling.
He gritted his teeth, pushed off the ground, and lunged forward again!
'He wants power, right? Let's see him take this move!'
"Forest Breathing, Seventh Form: Wood Dragon's Slash!"
A phantom green dragon materialized behind him and it crashed toward Yoriichi with a deafening roar!
A hint of approval flashed in Yoriichi's eyes.
His Nichirin blade traced a profound arc in the air to meet it head-on.
Kokushibo, who had been watching from the sidelines, showed a complex emotion in his six scarlet eyes.
He stared at Yoriichi's back, his eyes churning with jealousy, anger, resentment, and a trace of... something even he didn't want to admit... fear.
For hundreds of years, he had desperately pursued power, sought to surpass, and chased after that unattainable figure.
He became a demon, casting aside his humanity, his family, and everything else.
But even so, he still couldn't reach this man's level.
'Why!?'