Chapter 38: Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū - Yanagi
A unique rhythm pulsed in Kaito Shirogane's breathing. The ripples of energy generated within his body vibrated at a frequency identical to that of the sun. This was the reason for his smile when he first realized he had entered the world of Demon Slayer. Perhaps, in this place, he possessed an "anti-demon" power even more terrifying than the legendary Sun Breathing.
Whoosh…
The Professor and the others stared in shock as the true form of the demon—the smaller body that had been hidden within the larger one—burst into flames in the hands of the Reincarnator with the terrifying, unwatchable face.
Is it a fire-based ability? No, the Professor quickly dismissed that idea. She watched as the demon was rapidly reduced to ash in the flames. It had been killed, truly and utterly. To kill a demon without a Nichirin Blade was something high-level abilities could accomplish, but anyone who was grouped with a newcomer like herself couldn't possibly be that powerful.
"Ripple Overdrive?" the Professor blurted out.
Kaito glanced at her. Realizing her slip of the tongue, she took two steps back.
Before Kaito could speak, a violent rustling sound came from the dense woods, the friction of leaves and branches growing louder and louder.
The Professor suddenly realized what was happening. "Run! It's a demon tide!"
Fwish!
A figure shot through the air, launching itself from the woods and pouncing on the Professor as she shouted her warning.
Kaito's pupils trembled. His superior dynamic vision caught the details of the attacker: a demon with青-green skin, dressed in ragged linen clothes. Judging by its size, it must have been a child when it was turned.
"Time to eat!" it shrieked.
The Professor had sensed the danger the moment she heard the sound of something rushing through the air. She only had time to raise her hand cannon and fire blindly in front of her before she was tackled to the ground.
BOOM!
The report of her hand cannon was deafening, once again lighting up the night. A sharp pain shot through her shoulder. She looked down to see the demon, half of its body blown away by the blast, its red eyes glaring as it bit down on her shoulder. A single bite, and the white of her bone was exposed.
"AGH!"
As the Professor cried out in pain, a flood of black shadows poured out from the woods, accompanied by horrific howls.
"Fresh humans, boys! A feast!"
Dozens of demons scrambled out of the trees, each one reeking of rot and blood.
Seeing this, the pupils of the two Reincarnators in the night-ops gear constricted. They exchanged a look, then instantly turned and fled into the outer forest. Teamwork be damned. In a situation like this, their own lives were all that mattered.
Their escape caused an uproar among the demons.
"The two swordsmen are running away!"
"Let's eat the ones here first!"
"Just as we thought! The foot of Mt. Fujikasane is our private pasture!"
With frenzied howls, the dozens of demons descended upon the remaining Reincarnators.
The Professor felt a wave of despair wash over her. But suddenly, the man in the kasa hat looked up, and the long sword at his waist was instantly unsheathed.
SHIING!
A flash of silver sword-light illuminated the moonlight.
SPLAT!
The Professor's eyes widened. A spray of crimson blood hit her in the face. She wiped the blood from her glasses and saw that the small demon that had been biting her shoulder had been sliced into four pieces, which now lay twitching on the ground.
The man in the kasa hat stood with his scabbard in one hand and his sword in the other. The blade of his tachi was clean and bright, his stance perfectly composed.
"Hmm? Another swordsman?"
A demon with its face obscured by long green hair saw this and took two steps back, its form slowly melting into the shadows and disappearing.
The man in the hat's expression grew grim. That was clearly a demon with a Blood Demon Art. In the world of Demon Slayer, there were distinct stages of demon evolution. Newly turned demons were often little more than beasts with superhuman speed, strength, and regenerative abilities. A large or particularly brave group of humans could still defeat them with physical force. But if such a demon consumed enough humans, it would evolve. Its physical abilities would increase, and it would awaken a special power known as a [Blood Demon Art]. These demons were much more difficult to deal with and required elite or multiple members of the Demon Slayer Corps to handle. And beyond them were the special individuals known as the [Twelve Kizuki].
How could we encounter so many demons, including one with a Blood Demon Art, in a mission like this? the man thought. Something is wrong with this mission!
The man, [Yanagi], came to this conclusion, but his hands never stopped moving. He sheathed his sword, then lowered his center of gravity, his knees slightly bent, his right hand resting on the hilt of his blade. In an instant, a terrifying killing intent radiated from him.
The Professor clutched her shoulder and staggered back. She hesitated for a moment, then gritted her teeth, raised her hand cannon with both hands, and opened fire on the howling demons charging at them.
BOOM!
With a deafening roar, a concussive blast of air erupted from the cannon. A dense cloud of pellets shredded several demons that had leaped into the air.
At that exact moment, from the shadows behind the Professor, the green-haired demon re-emerged from the darkness. It grinned, its mouth full of jagged teeth and rotting bits of flesh. The Professor smelled the stench, and turned her head just in time to see its mouth, which had ripped open all the way to its neck, lunging to bite her head off.
From the corner of her eye, she saw that Yanagi was still in his iaijutsu stance and had not moved to help. A chill went through her heart.
I… I'm going to die.
SHIIING!
In the next instant, Yanagi drew his sword. His movement was so fast that his arm and the blade were invisible. All she saw was a crescent of light, and the demon's massive maw, along with the rest of its body, was instantly sliced in two.
Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū… God Speed Battōjutsu…
The inertia of the demon's bisected corpse knocked her over. Her mind raced, realizing the man's power. She guessed his Battōjutsu skill was at least Lv4, combined with a very high swordsmanship proficiency. This man is an expert!
After the single, decisive strike, Yanagi's movements didn't stop. He turned and drew again. His sword had not yet been returned to its scabbard, so he struck with the scabbard itself!
Hiten Mitsurugi-ryū - Sōryūsen!
WHACK!
The wooden scabbard slammed into another demon that was pouncing on him, sending it flying. The force of the blow was so great that the demon's neck audibly snapped.
Yanagi's blade flashed again and again. On the other side of the clearing, the muscular blond man and his female partner were also working together, sending demons flying. The few remaining Reincarnators had managed to hold their ground without any casualties. Even the Professor, who had been injured at the start, had now calmed down.
Suddenly, she realized a problem. Where was the man with the Hamon ability?
[You have killed a man-eating demon. You have gained 10 Dimensional Points.]
[You have killed a man-eating demon. You have gained 15 Dimensional Points.]
[You have killed the man-eating demon, Kotaro. You have gained 100 Dimensional Points.]
[Milestone Update: Demon Hunter (6/20)]
…
Kaito Shirogane was sprinting through the dense forest. He felt like he had just found a monster spawner in a video game.
Ripple Overdrive was a power that could instantly disintegrate sun-fearing creatures like vampires and the Pillar Men. The demons of this world were no exception. The ripple energy that coated his fists was like pure sunlight. A single punch, and a demon would begin to burn.
"Quick! Go find the Hand Demon! This guy is… AAGH!"
Kaito stomped his left foot hard on the ground, his body erupting forward with the explosive force of a raging fire. His punch connected with both a demon and the tree trunk behind it.
CRACK!
As the bowl-thick tree toppled, pale flames engulfed the demon. In a blink of an eye, it was reduced to black ash that scattered in the wind.
Kaito's figure was a blur of brutal motion as he continued his hunt through the dense forest.