"Something's wrong!"
In the darkness, a Demon Slayer exclaimed in alarm.
Without time to alert his companions, he drew his Nichirin Blade first, warily eyeing the figure lying on the barren ground not far away.
Summoning his courage to approach, the Demon Slayer saw clearly under the moonlight what it was—a chill shot straight to his head.
Lying on the ground was the corpse of a police officer, his chest torn open, his face deathly pale.
Realizing the danger, the Demon Slayer immediately tried to warn his companions.
But at that moment, the ground beneath his feet began to squirm inexplicably.
"AH!" He barely had time to cry out before his legs sank as if trapped in quicksand, unable to move.
A mass of colorful, writhing substance rapidly climbed up his legs, encasing the Demon Slayer in an instant.
'Clatter'
The Nichirin Blade he held fell uselessly to the ground.
Swish!
A flash of light flickered in Shinichi's emerald-green eyes.
Before Shinobu could react to what was happening, Shinichi's figure vanished from her sight.
"Eh! Wait, Shinichi-kun!"
"Quick! I have to hurry!" Shinichi's mind screamed as he sprinted at full speed, his Breathing Technique operating at its peak, the power of lifeforce bursting forth.
His fluttering green haori billowed behind him as he tightly gripped the Nichirin Blade at his waist, ready to strike.
Sssshhhh!
"Forest Breathing First Form: Iron Birch Slash!"
A fierce slash erupted horizontally, shattering the shrubs and dead branches blocking his path.
Then, Shinichi saw a sight that made his eyes burn with fury.
On the barren ground, a lone figure stood under the moonlight, a mass of vividly colored, writhing substance at its feet.
Its robes were smeared with chaotic splashes of paint, resembling the careless scribbles of a child.
Its pale, paper-like face bore a sickening grin, its mouth lined with razor-sharp fangs.
The moment Shinichi appeared, those cruel blue-purple eyes snapped toward him, locking gazes.
The characters "Lower Two" were clearly visible within its pupils.
Lower Rank Two of the Twelve Kizuki!
The appearance of a Twelve Kizuki member didn't faze Shinichi—what truly enraged him was the sight of this Lower Rank Two gripping a Demon Slayer by the neck.
Upon seeing Shinichi, the Lower Rank Two—Kaigaku—paused briefly in surprise, but its grin twisted even more grotesquely.
The terrifying aura and overwhelming pressure Shinichi exuded didn't intimidate the demon—instead, it excited it.
"Yahahaha! Finally, you've arrived! A Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps? Good! Excellent!"
"Forest Breathing Third Form: Thorn Stab!!"
Shinichi didn't waste words on Kaigaku.
In an instant, he unleashed the fastest sword technique of Forest Breathing.
His Nichirin Blade, wrapped in emerald-green light, shot toward Kaigaku's neck like lightning.
"After all this preparation, it won't end so easily!" the demon cackled excitedly.
In its free hand, a paintbrush appeared out of nowhere.
With a flick of its wrist, the writhing mass of paint beneath it suddenly surged upward, spreading like a living barrier before Kaigaku.
Squelch!
The sharp Nichirin Blade plunged deep into the mass of paint, but the feedback Shinichi felt was bizarre—as if he had stabbed into a giant sponge.
The force behind his blade was completely absorbed.
"Heh heh!" Kaigaku behind the paint blob showed no mercy, tightening his grip on the Demon Slayer's neck, ready to crush it.
At the critical moment, Shinichi's expression remained unchanged.
His left hand released the Nichirin Blade almost instantly as his right foot stomped the ground forcefully, using the momentum to flash to Kaigaku's left side.
Simultaneously, Shinichi swiftly drew the short Nichirin Blade at his waist, its emerald-green edge igniting with a fierce glow.
A look of shock had barely flickered across Kaigaku's face when—slash!
A severed arm flew through the air, and the barely breathing Demon Slayer was spared.
Seeing the Nichirin Blade, now unstoppable after cutting through his arm, hurtling toward his neck, Kaigaku's expression finally twisted in horror.
There was no time to counter—his right hand whipped the paintbrush in a frantic dance.
The mass of pigment that had been shielding Kaigaku like a shield suddenly writhed and expanded, unfurling like a vast canvas.
Just before the glowing short Nichirin Blade could reach his neck, the pigment enveloped Kaigaku completely.
Squelch—the familiar resistance met the blade as it struck the pigment mass, its force dissipating like a stone sinking into the sea.
"What the hell is this? Slippery bastard!" Shinichi snarled before delivering a brutal kick, sending the massive pigment blob soaring into the air.
"Forest Breathing, Seventh Form: Soaring Wood Dragon—Slash!"
Rooooar!
A prolonged draconic roar echoed as emerald-green light erupted from the Nichirin Blade, transforming into a colossal, spectral dragon that surged toward the airborne pigment mass.
BOOM!
The overwhelming slash obliterated the pigment completely.
Yet Shinichi's brow remained furrowed—his Whispering Forest Eyes clearly showed that Kaigaku's presence hadn't vanished.
Sure enough, the ground beneath him soon erupted.
Vibrant pigment surged from the soil like gushing springs, spreading rapidly as Kaigaku's shrill, venomous voice echoed from all directions.
"Hashira of the Demon Slayer Corps! Do you have any idea how much preparation I've made for your arrival? Hahaha! Be a good boy and leave your head behind!"
BOOM!
In an instant, an endless tide of pigment surged around Shinichi, engulfing him like a lone raft adrift in a stormy sea.
"From the sound of it, you've got quite the setup, huh? Must be Muzan's stupid orders, right? Otherwise, I can't imagine a lowly Lower Rank like you daring to face the Demon Slayer Corps head-on."
Despite the terrifying, drowning tide of pigment, Shinichi remained unfazed, even taking the time to mock Kaigaku.
He stepped forward, shielding the unconscious Demon Slayer behind him, and tightened his grip on the Nichirin Dual Blades, his aura condensing.
Meanwhile, Kaigaku was enraged.
"Bastard! You call me lowly?! I'm Lower Rank Two!!" he howled, his severed left arm already regenerated, two new paintbrushes now in hand.
As both brushes danced, the boundless pigment surged violently, crashing toward Shinichi like a true tsunami.
"Bring it on!!"
******
"Ahhh!! What's happening? My body! It's out of control!"
A Demon Slayer screamed in terror as nearly invisible threads pierced through his body, controlling him like a marionette.
Hearing their comrade's cry, more Demon Slayers rushed toward the scene, including the graceful figure leaping above them.
Pure, beautiful violet eyes easily locked onto the hidden figure manipulating the threads.
"Found you~" Shinobu Kocho's sweet, gentle voice carried a hint of killing intent.
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This kaigaku is not zenitsu senior but a different demon.
Atm the hashira is currently battling upper moon in my patreon.