Shikeji Ro's twisted logic was clearly unacceptable to the children, who remained silent, unable to respond.
Seeing the deadened atmosphere, Shikeji Ro shook his head in exasperation.
"Sigh… you still don't understand me. I saved you from your parents, yet you show no gratitude!
But I'm a magnanimous demon, repaying resentment with kindness. Even if you're unhappy, I'll let you live by my side, building a paradise together. Isn't that great?"
This demon's mind was utterly warped.
Shikeji Ro looked down at Shintaro, offering one final "gentle" reassurance.
"Shintaro, be good. Hand over your father. Once I eat him, you can join us. Isn't that nice?"
Shintaro, prostrate on the floor, was filled with despair, his face ashen as he shook his head.
"No… I can't lose my father!"
"Doesn't matter if you refuse. I'll threaten your father with your life, and he'll come obediently."
At this critical moment, Shintaro grew strangely calm. He sat up, facing Shikeji Ro directly.
"So… if I die, my father won't be threatened, and he can escape Higashimacho."
Hearing this, Shikeji Ro's fury erupted, his demonic visage no longer concealed, twisting into something grotesque and terrifying.
"Shintaro, you'd rather die than call your father here?"
The other children shrank into the room's corners, terrified. Shintaro, truly pushed to his limit, faced Shikeji Ro with calm despair.
"Yes. I'd rather die than let my father come to harm."
"Even if the peanut takes root in your body? Even if its sprouts tear you apart!?"
"Even then."
At this response, Shikeji Ro's rage reached a boiling point.
Looking at the "unreasonable" Shintaro, he suddenly lost all interest.
Standing, he surveyed the room, speaking horrific words in a calm tone.
"Fine. Since the Demon Slayer Corps has found me, this town's no longer safe. I'll eat you all and move to the next one."
The children, realizing Shikeji Ro had dropped all pretense, broke into anguished sobs.
From the wardrobe, the father of the bound couple shouted in desperation.
"No! Don't you spare the children!? Eat me instead! Leave them alone!"
Shikeji Ro glanced at the man irritably.
"I don't eat my companions and friends. But those who can't align with my vision are no longer my companions or friends.
I'll start… with you, Shintaro!"
With that, Shikeji Ro's razor-sharp claws lunged for Shintaro!
Boom! A purple thunderclap roared!
A bolt of violet lightning crashed from above, piercing the roof and two floors, striking Shikeji Ro!
Caught completely off guard, Shikeji Ro had no time to react!
The purple bolt was Horitake himself, descending from the sky, his foot slamming down on Shikeji Ro's hand, pinning it to the floor while shielding Shintaro!
The sudden turn stunned everyone, their fearful gazes locking onto the abrupt arrival, unsure if he was friend or foe.
Shintaro stared at Horitake, shocked.
"It's you! The man from this afternoon!?"
Horitake, still pinning Shikeji Ro's hand, turned to Shintaro with a reassuring smile.
"I accidentally got your father in trouble earlier. To make up for it, I'm here to solve your problem."
He then faced the enraged Shikeji Ro.
From the roof, his spiritual vision hadn't given a clear view. Now, up close, Horitake saw the red pupil of Shikeji Ro's right eye, marked with the characters for "Lower Rank Two."
But a slash scarred the eye, rendering it useless.
Who had done it was obvious.
Looking at Shikeji Ro, Horitake flashed a chilling grin.
"So, a former Lower Rank Two. Just a washed-up failure, huh?"
Shikeji Ro struggled to free his hand from under Horitake's foot, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't budge. Frenzied and furious, his face contorted grotesquely.
"You… are you one of the Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps?"
"Me? Not yet, but I'll probably be one soon!"
"Damn you!"
Feeling insulted, Shikeji Ro shredded the tatami beneath Horitake's foot, wrenching his hand free and slashing at Horitake's throat!
Horitake gripped Weiguang at his waist, not even unsheathing it. Wielding it like a blunt weapon, he swung!
Crackle! Purple lightning flashed! Shikeji Ro was sent flying by the sheathed blade, crashing through two sliding doors and a wall, tumbling outside!
Horitake instructed the stunned children in the room.
"Stay inside and don't come out. Also, quickly untie those two in the wardrobe."
With that, he flashed out of the house.
Shikeji Ro, hurled outside, bounced twice on the ground before coming to a stop.
Humiliated, the demon roared skyward in fury!
His terrifying wail echoed through Higashimacho.
The townsfolk, terrified, had no idea what had set him off, huddling behind locked doors.
Horitake darted forward, stomping Shikeji Ro's head into the ground, quipping,
"Screaming like that at night? Don't you know you're disturbing people's sleep?"
Buried in the dirt, Shikeji Ro's eyes bulged, humiliated beyond endurance, clawing at Horitake's leg!
Horitake nimbly flipped backward, landing steadily.
Wrenching his head from the soil, Shikeji Ro, crazed, lunged at Horitake, attacking with murderous intent!
Horitake deflected Shikeji Ro's claws with his sheathed blade, leaving the demon wide open. With his left arm, he threw a punch!
Boom! The heavy fist struck Shikeji Ro's chest, sending him flying, spitting blood, crashing through a tree, and slamming into the ground!
Horitake glanced at his left fist, musing,
"Lower Rank Two, and that's it?
Or has being cast out dulled your edge, leaving you complacent?"
"I'll kill you! I'll chew your bones to dust!"
Shikeji Ro's rage was indescribable as he unleashed his Blood Demon Art.
"Chaos Thorn Slaughter!"
Crackle! The ground around Horitake erupted with thorny vines, their sharp spines strangling toward him from all directions!
"So this is your Blood Demon Art? Not bad. Heavenly Thunder Breathing!"
Horitake swept Weiguang, still sheathed, around him. Purple lightning flashed, charring the oncoming thorns to ash!
Shikeji Ro's expression shifted, and he unleashed another Blood Demon Art, thrusting both hands forward.
"Death Thorn Slaughter!"
Countless thick thorns burst from the ground, like steel lances, stabbing wildly at Horitake!
Horitake raised Weiguang before him, purple lightning crackling. The thorns' ferocious stabs were blocked, charred to cinders by the electric surge.
Horitake critiqued,
"This move's alright, got some force behind it!"
With a swing of Weiguang, the purple lightning swelled into a roaring thunderbolt, obliterating all the thorns in an instant!
Shikeji Ro panicked, plunging his hands into the earth.
"Raging Tree Slaughter!"
From Horitake's left and right, two massive trees sprouted at angles, their sparse branches and straight trunks slamming toward him!
Horitake leaped, dodging the trees' impact, planting his feet on a trunk. Amid flickering purple arcs, he surged forward!
In a flash, Horitake closed in on Shikeji Ro. With Weiguang still sheathed, crackling with purple lightning, he thrust at the demon!
Shikeji Ro, in a panic, crossed his arms to block!
Boom! The collision sent Shikeji Ro flying once more!
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