Demon Slayer : Breath of The Forest

The brilliant stars adorned the night sky and under the bright moonlight, three figures quietly appeared at the end of a road.

Shinichi had packed his belongings, though he didn't have much to begin with—everything he owned was tucked into the silver mirror at his waist.

At the moment of parting, Shinichi shook hands with The 'Martial Demon.

Over the past two months, the two had sparred countless times.

From The Martial Demon, Shinichi had learned a great deal, benefiting immensely.

So, looking into The Martial Demon's golden eyes, Shinichi sincerely said.

"Thank you!"

The Martial Demon let out a faint snort, his tone indifferent as he replied.

"Kid, even though your strength has improved significantly, don't get too confident. If you encounter that Upper Rank Two again, you'd better be cautious. And don't tarnish the reputation of my Blood Martial Arts!"

Though The Martial Demon's words sounded cold, only Shokyu standing nearby knew that this was the greatest kindness the demon could show.

After all, he was just an "old-timer" who had practiced martial arts for centuries.

Shinichi wasn't the least bit surprised by The Martial Demon's tone.

He simply shook his head in amusement.

This martial arts fanatic—what reputation did his Blood Martial Arts even have?

He hadn't even fought that many people, had he?

"Don't worry and Shokyu-san, thank you for your care during this time. Rest assured, I won't disgrace this power."

After exchanging words with The Martial Demon, Shinichi turned to Shokyu, who had been silently smiling all along.

Shokyu nodded with a warm smile.

"You're too kind, Shinichi. Maito and I will always be your friends. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask. Also, Miss Tamayo is a remarkable scholar. Not long ago, she mentioned making some unique discoveries in her research on your blood. If possible, you might want to visit her again in Asakusa, Tokyo."

Shinichi nodded, pondering for a moment before replying.

"Tamayo? Alright, I'll remember that. Well then, until we meet again."

With that, Shinichi—dressed in a brand-new Demon Slayer Corps uniform with a white coat casually draped over it—gave a slight bow to The Martial Demon and Shokyu before turning to set off down the road.

The Demon Slayer Corps uniform had been a spare set Shinichi had prepared in his silver mirror.

However, the haori was gone, replaced only by a tattered haori from the Moriki family.

Shinichi wasn't one for wearing ragged clothes.

His Nichirin Blade had also been lost in the battle against Douma—not just the short sword Mori no Ryuu, but even his signature red-and-green Nichirin longsword had shattered.

This time upon his return, he'd likely have to pay a visit to the swordsmith village.

Though he no longer had his Nichirin Blade, Shinichi wasn't the least bit worried.

Even without demonizing or wielding a sword, his sheer physical strength alone could crush dozens of Demons.

As long as he didn't run into the Twelve Kizuki or Muzan himself, what did Shinichi have to fear?

The 'Martial Demon crossed his arms, while Shokyu clasped his hands together.

The two watched as Shinichi's figure gradually faded into the distance.

"Maito, that young man's talent is truly impressive, isn't it?"

Only after Shinichi had gone far enough did Shokyu finally speak, smiling as he glanced at Maito' (Martial Demon).

Maito also refrained from further remarks.

A trace of nostalgia flickered in his golden eyes before he murmured.

"Indeed, he's a fine young man with a talent. However... he ultimately has no interest in the martial path. Otherwise, perhaps..."

He didn't finish the sentence, shaking his head.

Talent was merely talent after all.

Everyone had their own pursuits—why obsess over such things?

The Martial Demon thought of himself, recalling his journey to that mysterious nation to study martial arts.

There, his proud martial talents had been utterly ordinary, yet those grandmasters never looked down on him.

Instead, they taught him not to fixate on talent.

Because enough sweat and unwavering resolve could outweigh even the most exceptional talent.

Noticing the Martial Demon lost in memories, Shokyu didn't disturb him.

Instead, he continued watching Shinichi's retreating figure with a faint smile.

His face, eerily resembling Muzan's, betrayed a subtle ripple of emotion as he whispered words only he could hear.

"Sensei... Brother... no, Muzan... took the wrong path..."

****

Nagano Prefecture, in a dimly lit alleyway, two figures lurked in silence.

"Ugh, another mission with the Kocho Hashira? This is gonna be tough" groaned a male Demon Slayer Corps member in uniform, rubbing his forehead in distress.

His companion—a young female slayer—frowned in confusion.

"Huh? But Lady Kanae is so kind! Last time at the Butterfly Mansion, she took care of everyone's herself—she was super considerate!"

The male slayer sighed softly. "Not the Flower Hashira. I meant the Insect Hashira."

"Eh? Lady Shinobu? But she's gentle too! Just like her sister. When she prepares medicine, she always asks if we mind bitter flavors..." The girl, Tsuruko, grew even more puzzled.

In her experience, the two sisters were the gentlest golden flowers of the Corps.

Shaking his head at her naivety, the veteran replied.

"Tsuruko, you're too new—only two months in. Half a year ago, the Insect Hashira wasn't like this. Let me tell you, back when the Forest Hashi—"

His words froze mid-sentence as the temperature around them plummeted.

A shadowy figure materialized behind him like a specter.

Lilac eyes sparkled with crystalline clarity above a petite face adorned by an irresistibly sweet smile—the very picture of gentleness.

A soft, melodious voice whispered by his ear.

"Moshi moshi~~ Ara ara, what was Matsudaira-kun saying just now? We're on a demon-hunting mission, you know~ Distractions are very, very bad behavior."

Tsuruko immediately sprang up and saluted.

"Insect Hashira-sama!"

Though the voice sounded gentle, the male squad member Matsudaira felt his hair stand on end.

The faint scent of wisteria lingering around him made him extremely uneasy.

If he hadn't witnessed how brutal Shinobu Kocho tortured those Demons, or heard the extremely sinister words beneath her extremely gentle smile, Matsudaira might have naively believed that the Insect Hashira was as kind as Flower Hashira.

"N-n-nothing, Shinobu-sama! I'm sorry, I shouldn't have spaced out!" Matsudaira quickly stood up and bowed in apology.

But Shinobu Kocho blinked her large eyes and with a smile, pressed a hand on Matsudaira shoulder.

"It's alright, Matsudaira-kun, you were just too nervous, weren't you? Just be more careful next time~ Fighting Demons is a very serious matter, after all. A single misstep could cost you your head, you know?"

As she spoke, her finger lightly traced a line across Matsudaira neck.

Gulp!!

His back tingling with fear, He swear he will never gossiping behind someone's back again!

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