About three months had passed.
Akira's basement training hall was filled with Mitsuri's shouts.
She had now become solid in basics to the point of being equal to Tsubaki in swordsmanship only, but she still felt an unquenchable thirst.
The elegant curves of Flower Breathing could not fully contain her explosive muscle density and wild flexibility.
No, the flexibility matched her style, but it was not the type of Breathing to handle that power.
"It seems the time has come."
Tamamo, who had been watching from one side of the training hall, closed her fan and stepped forward.
Then, the mirror she used appeared.
"This is a fragment of memory that Master asked to show. Miss Mitsuri, open your eyes wide and watch. This is the prototype of the Breathing that your body desires."
Ripples formed on the mirror's surface, and past footage began to appear.
It was Rengoku Shinjuro, who had become haggard from alcohol, but the moment he held his sword, he transformed into a warrior of reversal.
And the overwhelming fiery sword aura he emitted towards Akira, as if to burn everything away.
Flame Breathing, First Form: Unknowing Fire.
Fierce flames surged in the footage.
"Eek?! That uncle tried to kill our Akira?! That's too much!"
Mitsuri initially jumped up excitedly, but soon her gaze was captivated by Shinjuro's swordsmanship.
The intense stomp that kicked off the ground, the acceleration created by instantly expanding muscles, the destructive power that bisected the enemy in one strike.
It was not something that flowed smoothly like Flower Breathing. It was the aesthetics of destruction—burning, breaking, piercing through.
'That's it...! The movement I wanted to do!'
Mitsuri's heart beat violently. Her muscles, her joints, yearned for that movement. As if enchanted, she stood up and grabbed a wooden sword.
"Huuup~! Total Concentration Breathing...!"
She followed the breathing method of Shinjuro in the mirror.
She inhaled air as if her lungs would burst, and sent that oxygen explosively through her blood vessels to all her muscles.
Even with just one look, her genius senses were copying the rhythm of the flames.
But a problem occurred.
When Mitsuri swung the wooden sword while mimicking Flame Breathing, with a poof! sound, the wooden sword shattered pitifully.
When her unique whip-like flexibility was added to the straightforward fiery swordsmanship, ordinary weapons could not withstand that tension.
"As expected, a normal sword won't do."
Tamamo clicked her tongue and took out a long box she had prepared.
"By Master's request, I specially put some work into it. I referred to a weapon I saw long ago... very long ago, when I was doing foolish things in China (Daji)."
Tamamo frowned and added.
"Frankly, memories from that era are a black history I don't even want to bring up... but the experience itself is useful."
When the grumbling Tamamo opened the box, a peculiar sword revealed itself.
It was not a typical Japanese sword. The thin, long double-edged blade swayed like a ribbon, but the edge enhanced by Tamamo's magecraft held a blue killing intent that seemed to cut through rock like tofu.
"Based on an ancient Chinese soft sword, I infused my magecraft to raise its durability and cutting power to the level of a famous sword. Miss Mitsuri, try holding it."
Mitsuri carefully gripped the sword. The cold touch of metal. But when she flicked her wrist, the blade bent like a snake, no, like a dance of love, and split the air.
Whoosh!
The tip of the sword curved like a whip and instantly wrapped around and shattered a rock in the corner of the training hall.
"Wow...! This is it! It moves like my arm! So amazing!"
Mitsuri's eyes shone like stars.
Destructive power beyond straight flames, in curves. Akira smiled from the platform as he watched. Soon, the Love Breathing that no one had ever seen would be completed in this basement.
That night, at a time when the moon was unusually bright. Another guest of this house, Shuten, slipped out of the mansion alone.
"Ah, damn it. My alcohol craving has hit bottom. That strict Benienma won't open the warehouse door. I said I'd pay with my own money to drink, and what a fuss."
She wore her kimono loosely as usual, and walked through the night streets with a large gourd tucked under her arm.
Her destination was the port city in the next region. She had obtained information that Western liquor and jerky had arrived there by ship.
For an ordinary person, it would take a full day, but for her, one of Japan's three great evil spirits, it was like a neighborhood stroll.
Each time she took a step, the scenery distorted and dozens of meters were shortened. It was a divine technique close to earth-shrinking art.
"Hmm~ Western liquor really has a strong aroma. The jerky seems nicely salty too."
A short while later, Shuten Douji, holding bottles of liquor and bags of snacks in both hands, was returning while humming a tune cheerfully.
As a pleasant drunkenness rose, her mood was at its peak.
But when she entered a dark village path with few people, her footsteps stopped abruptly.
"Hoh? What's this smell? Gunpowder smell... and a strangely annoying presence."
Someone was watching her from the darkness. It was not an ordinary passerby.
A body trained to the extreme, and a sharp searching gaze that concealed killing intent.
"Hey, woman. The night path is dangerous with that much load. Want some help?"
A flamboyant man silently jumped down from a tree.
Red makeup around the eyes, a jeweled circlet decorating his hair, and two giant nichirin swords wrapped in bandages on his back.
It was the Sound Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps, Uzui Tengen.
He was returning after completing a mission when he detected a presence moving at an unbelievable speed for a human and tracked it down.
"Help me? You? Hey, you look like a flashy playboy, thinking you can use strength?"
Shuten giggled and shook the liquor bottle.
"But, brother, those swords on your back... they're not just decorations, are they? Do you have business with me? I'm in a super good mood now, don't ruin it."
Uzui's eyes sharpened. The woman in front of him looked like a drunk beauty at first glance.
There was no disgusting rotten smell unique to demons. But his sensitive hearing was warning him.
This woman's heart sound was more intense than a beast's, and the density of her muscles was harder than rock. Above all, the aura she emitted was not human.
"You're not human. You hid the smell, but you can't fool my ears. Are you a demon? And a pretty high-ranking one, it seems."
"Demon... you say."
Shuten took a gulp of liquor, wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, and smiled bitterly.
"Yeah, that's right. But I'm on a different level from the fake demons made by that guy Muzan or whatever that you're running around to catch... Can you handle it, kid?"
Kuuuwoong!
Shuten burned the concealment talisman that Tamamo had given. Two sharp horns rose above her head.
Her ordinary eyes transformed into purple demon eyes emitting a bewitching light, and from behind her, an oppressive demonic energy burst out like a storm.
It was not something like a Blood Demon Art. It was pure fear and mystery itself, existing since the Age of Gods.
Cold sweat ran down Uzui Tengen's spine.
'This pressure... what is it? Upper Moon? No, beyond that? It's a crazily flashy aura! The sound... I can't hear the sound. It's too vast!'
"Come on, brother. Attack before my liquor taste fades. Let's see if you'll become snack material or a drinking buddy."
Shuten threw the sake cup behind her and flexed her bare hands.
"Ha! This is troublesome. I might die flashily. But do you know who I am?"
Uzui Tengen laughed heartily and drew his twin swords. The two giant blades connected by chains gleamed under the moonlight.
"I am the Sound Hashira who uses Sound Breathing, Uzui Tengen! I'll take your head flashily!"
"Sound Breathing, First Form: Roar!"
Uzui kicked off the ground and charged with explosive speed. The moment his sword strike connected, special gunpowder embedded in the blade exploded, generating tremendous noise and shockwaves.
Kwaaaang!!!
With a huge explosion sound, dust rose. A power that would have obliterated an ordinary demon without a trace. Uzui landed and stared into the dust.
But when the dust cleared, what was revealed was Shuten's unscathed figure. She was yawning and blocking Uzui's giant nichirin sword with a single finger.
"...What?"
Uzui's eyes widened in astonishment.
"Noisy. Fireworks? That tickles."
Shuten chuckled and flicked her finger.
Ting!
Just from flicking her finger, Uzui's large frame flew back dozens of meters as if hit by a cannonball, breaking three trees and crashing beyond the village path.
"Guh...!"
Uzui stood up, spitting a little blood. The pain of his ribs vibrating. But his eyes burned not with fear but with fighting spirit.
"Damn... you're a real monster. Flashily strong!"
"Hahaha! You've got good endurance! Come on, human! I'll play with you only until I finish this drink!"
Shuten laughed and walked to enjoy the entertainment. The strongest combatant of the Demon Slayer Corps, a Hashira, and Shuten Douji, called Japan's worst evil spirit.
She had been told to avoid interacting with the Demon Slayer Corps as much as possible, but for the current fun. She was the one who ignored Akira's words.