Sosuke quickly scrambled to his feet.
The torrential rain hadn't stopped, leaving the ground awash in water.
After battling that demon for so long, he was no master of combat. He couldn't achieve the effortless grace of remaining spotless amidst a rain of blood. Inevitably, he was drenched in blood and gore.
'I wonder if these things are contagious...'
But upon reflection, it seemed only the blood of the great Demon Lord Kibutsuji Muzan could transform humans into demons.
The one he'd just faced clearly wasn't... otherwise, he'd be dead by now.
'This guy was probably just some run-of-the-mill fodder, right?'
As he gazed at the demon hanging by the temple gate, recalling the earlier battle, he felt no lingering fear, only a sense of his own recklessness.
'I was so determined not to give him a moment's respite that I never stopped attacking.'
'But because I didn't fully understand demons, I left openings he could exploit.'
After organizing his thoughts and summarizing his mistakes, he resolved: If I encounter another demon, I absolutely can't give it even the slightest chance. And the Heavenly Artisan's Forging Hammer isn't a proper weapon after all. Should I use my identity as a Swordsmith to forge myself a real weapon?
"But it's going to be tough. The ore allocated to Demon Slayer Corps swordsmen is strictly rationed. You can't just skim off something so precious."
"And not a single extra piece! Otherwise, using the Bloodforging Method, I could forge Kanae a forty-meter-long blade. One swing, one dead demon!"
As his mind wandered, he suddenly realized he was thinking down the wrong path.
"Why am I fixating on encountering demons? I'm a swordsmith, for heaven's sake! This kind of thinking is just bad luck..."
His muttering trailed off abruptly. Having come to this era, how could he possibly avoid encountering demons?
Swordsmith?
Had he already forgotten about the demon attack on Swordsmith Village?
The idea of a peaceful life as a swordsmith was a complete fantasy. No matter how tightly the Demon Slayer Corps guarded Swordsmith Village, accidents were inevitable.
"So, whether a swordsmith is out in the world or at home, they must always protect themselves properly."
He steeled his resolve and checked his physical condition.
As far as stamina went, he hadn't exerted himself too much.
"This is mainly thanks to the physical attributes I gained while forging the blade. Plus, this demon wasn't particularly strong. So, with my brute strength, physical stamina, the Sun Breathing forging technique, and the Heavenly Artisan's Forging Hammer, I achieved this result. Right now, my greatest drain is on my mental energy."
In such a highly focused battle, where victory or defeat could hinge on a single moment of hesitation, mental exhaustion was inevitable.
"Do members of the Demon Slayer Corps always have to endure battles like this?"
Sosuke glanced at the forging hammer in his hand, letting the torrential rain wash away the bloodstains.
After straightening his clothes, he hung them by the brazier and sat down against the wall, his eyes fixed on the demon hanging at the temple entrance as he devoured a rice ball.
"Even in this state, I can't underestimate their recovery ability. If it shows any signs of movement, I'll immediately go over and deliver another hammer blow!"
With this resolve, Sosuke continuously focused his mind, fighting off sleep and keeping his gaze locked on the demon at the temple entrance.
The torrential rain gradually subsided, and as the night slowly waned, dawn broke in the east, bathing the earth and forests in renewed light.
But the demon at the temple entrance... wasn't quite as subdued as it seemed.
After Sosuke had smashed its head into its chest cavity, the demon had indeed lost consciousness.
However, upon regaining awareness, it immediately began struggling to recover.
But its recovery was agonizingly slow.
It thrashed and writhed until morning, yet its head remained trapped within its chest.
Finally, as the first rays of dawn spilled across the temple entrance, the demon realized it was about to face the sun. From within its chest cavity, it emitted a muffled, desperate cry: "No... no!!"
With a muffled, agonized scream, it dissolved into nothingness.
Only the vines remained clinging to the temple gate.
Sosuke finally let out a genuine sigh of relief, stood up, and felt a slight dizziness.
This was different from a night spent forging iron. While forging, his body moved, his mind remained focused, and he maintained his vitality, making the work bearable.
But tonight, his body had remained motionless while his mind stayed tensely alert. After hours of this, drowsiness threatened to overwhelm him.
Each time he felt his focus waver, he pinched his thigh to jolt himself awake. By morning, his thigh was covered in purple bruises.
He stepped out of the temple and splashed rainwater from a muddy puddle onto his face, instantly refreshing himself.
"I should reach the Butterfly mansion today. There's no time to rest; if I fall asleep, I won't be able to leave again until nightfall."
His heart burned like wildfire. Having witnessed the true power of Demons firsthand, his worry for Kanae only intensified.
Returning to the dilapidated temple, he quickly dressed, skipped breakfast, and set off again, Sword Box in hand and forging hammer slung over his back.
Propelled by the crisp morning wind, Sosuke raced through the mountain forests like a shooting star.
What should have been a full day's journey was completed before noon, bringing him to the gates of the Butterfly mansion.
Covered in dust and looking utterly disheveled, he hesitated at the entrance.
'Should I really see her like this?'
The urge to turn back surged through him.
'Maybe I should find a place to wash my face first..' But then he remembered his mask. 'At least my face won't show.'
'What about my clothes?'
The Demon battle had left them stained with blood. Though the torrential rain had washed some away, an unsettling odor still lingered.
'What am I even worrying about at a time like this?'
He shook his head, feeling foolishly sentimental. Taking a step forward, he raised his hand to knock.
But before his knuckles could strike the wood, the gate creaked open.
A young girl, broom in hand, stepped outside. Her body froze the moment she saw Sosuke, as if startled by his sudden appearance.
When she regained her senses, she found herself staring at Sosuke, who was equally bewildered.
'Who is this?'
The same question seemed to cross both their minds. But when the girl noticed the mask on Sosuke's face, she suddenly realized, as if waking from a dream. "Are you the Swordsmith?"
Sosuke immediately nodded. "Yes, I'm Tetsu no Sosuke. I've come to deliver a sword to the Flower Pillar."
"Please, come in."
The girl stepped back, fully opening the gate and inviting Sosuke inside.
As he entered, Sosuke asked, "Is the Flower Pillar here?"
"Lady Flower Pillar is away on a mission. She should return before dinner tonight," the girl replied, leading him through the compound. "I'll take you to see Lady Shinobu first. If it's the Nichirin Blade for Lady Flower Pillar, it's fine to entrust it to Lady Shinobu."
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