"Moon Breathing-"
"Thunder Breathing!-"
Kaigaku and I stood back to back with me crouching down to perform my Form as he used my back as footing for his.
"Fourth Form: Moonlit Illusion."
"Sixth Form: Rumble and Flash!"
I flashed multiple times as I decapitated two demons before sheathing my sword, as Kaigaku released multiple arcs of lighting striking the demon that tried to impale Okabe.
"Sakai-san, on your left!" Ozaki yelled out was but too late as Sakai's head was sent flying by a demons kick, but before they could cause more damage Raiji quickly took care of them by crushing their skull.
Another demon lunged from the side, aiming straight for Raiji's blind spot. For a moment, it looked like it had him until Raiji twisted, chain snapping forward. The metal links coiled around the demon's neck, tightening in an instant.
With one sharp pull-
SHHK-
The head came clean off, the chain whipping back into Raiji's grip as the body crumbled into ash.
And then… silence.
The forest, once filled with shrieks and tearing claws, was still again. No more demons came. For the first time since the ambush, we could breathe.
Ozaki dropped to her knees, trembling, tears streaming down her face as she stared at Sakai's headless body. Her hands wouldn't stop shaking.
Kaigaku stood with his blade still drawn, lightning fading from its edge. His face twisted in irritation anger, but not grief. He looked more..... annoyed
"Tch."
Raiji stood a few feet away, shoulders rising and falling with heavy breaths. He pinched the bridge of his nose, muttering under his breath as if the headache pressing into his skull was worse than the fight.
The rest of the squad crouched down, some falling to their knees, staring at the corpses of their comrades. The weight of it pressed down on all of them.
I stood still, Nichirin resting against my side. I closed my eyes for a moment, breathing in deep. When they opened again, my gaze was sharp, piercing into the shadows between the trees.
No sadness. No tears. Just a quiet, seething rage.
'Demons...not a single one of them will survive once I'm finish.'
"Looks like they've finally stopped, damn demons." Kaigaku said as he sat on the ground before grabbing a Rice Ball from his Sack.
"This clearing seems safe enough, we'll rest for a bit before we head towards the Cave..." Raiji with spoke as he sat down and started wiping the blood and gunk off his flail.
Ozaki, Hino and Okabe finally got their bearinga together and decided to rest on each other's back to watch out for each other.
"I'll scout ahead, I'm not tired."
Raiji didn't stop me but only gave me a look that screamed, 'Are you sure?'. Surprisingly after hearing that Kaigaku immediately got up and stuffed the remaining rice balls into his mouth before drinking water from his Gourd.
"I-Im not tired I'll go along with you!" Said clearly still breathing heavily from the earlier events.
"This isn't time for your Ego Inadama-kun." I said clearly not believing him.
"Shut your trap, I ain't letting you one up me!"
I looked at him once more before turning around and whistling loudly, and a few moments later Tetsu appeared cawing.
"Let's move then."
[Demon Slayer: The Moon]
After loosing to Michikastu, Kaigaku went back to his Master Jigoro Kuwajima for more training. This resulted in him learning more about controlling and synchronizing his Forms with others.
[Demon Slayer: The Moon]
"So...."
Me and Kaigaku have been walking around in high alert, following Tetsu who was flying high above us. And during that time we've been walking in silence.
"Who taught you your Breathing Style?, I've never heard of moon breathing before..."
I looked at him for a second before deciding to humor him, he was clearly trying to learn more about me before he would try to duel me again.
"Moon Breathing is a Style passed on withing my Clan since the Muromachi Period, it consist of many forms meant to overwhelm and decapitate the opponent quickly." I finished explained as I moved a branch away before ducking.
"Not telling me how many forms huh?" Kaigaku said as he had a grin on his face.
"Indeed." I said with a small smug, but before I could say anything further I noticed something across us.
It was the entrance of the cave, and guarding it were two demons feasting on a corpse. And from the looks of it, it was one of the officers sent to investigate the missing person cases.
"I heard there's a bunch of slayers moving around" We hears of the demons say as he kept chewing on a piece of the officers Forearm.
"Slayers!?, finally I've been tired of these boney civilians I need me some tough meat!" One yelled as he gestured to the pile of pale and thing corpses to the side with toothy grin.
I turned to see Kaigaku with an annoyed expression ready to leap into action, but I grabbed his shoulders firmly before looking at him.
"Don't rush in, I have a plan."
(A few moments later)
"Damn it!"
I stumbled out of the bush clutching my bloodied stomach, I landed on the ground directly Infront of the two demons.
"Look at we have here, a slayer!"
"And a Marechi by the smell of it!"
I could already see the hunger in each if the demons eyes, but before they could evej react Kaigaku was already behind them crouching. He took one depe breath before decapitating one of the demons, and before the other could react I swung my Nichirin decapitating him.
"That was work plan you had there, not very Swordsman like!"
Kaigaku smirked at me as he sheathed his blade at his back.
"It was the best way to avoid making any noise and attracting more demons." I say I swung my Nichirin to the side to remove most of the blood off it, normally this would barely work if a normal swordman were to do it but us slayers were a different breed.
"So this is the Den huh, how many demons do you think are inside?"
He asked ready to head inside.
"No clue, demons barely worked together the fact that they seem quite coordinated seems strange." I was overly cautious, I was strong but If I was surrounded I could only hold on for so long.
"You don't have to tell me twice, I've never seen this many demons in my life..." I could second Kaigaku's statement.
We stood there for a few more seconds, deciding whether or not we should go ahead forward or return with the others. But I turned to Kaigaku and he had the same look in his eyes, doubt.
Out of all our team members Raiji was the only one capable and he was tired, he may have strength but his stamina wasn't great. Both me and Kaigaku knew that.
"You've gotten stronger since we last met each other." I say as I took a step forward to the cave.
"Tsk, So have you..." Kaigaku replied already beside me as we entered.
[Demon Slayer: The Moon]
In the Tsugikuni Clan the first child of each person would always be born with either what they called "The Mark of the Ancestors" or "The ability to see through the world" but despite these amazing abilities the Tsugikuni Clan focused on Hunting and Fishing for the the Village of Swordsmiths, With the aspect of training with the Sword as something more similar to a tradition.
[Demon Slayer: The Moon]
The cave being dark was an understatement.
The further we walked, the more the walls narrowed, jagged stone scraping our shoulders. The air was thick, stale, and reeking of iron. Every step crunched over brittle bones, picked clean, their shapes half-buried in damp earth. Some still had scraps of cloth clinging to them the remains of uniforms, villagers, maybe even other slayers.
Rusty cages leaned against the stone walls, bent and broken as if whatever had been trapped inside clawed its way out. The silence was heavy, broken only by the dripping of water and the faint whistle of air passing through cracks in the rock.
Kaigaku's jaw tightened as his eyes darted across the scene. "Tch. What the hell is this place?"
I didn't answer. My hand rested on my Nichirin blade, thumb grazing the handle, every muscle in my body on edge. Something was waiting here, I could feel it.
And then… we found it.
At the very heart of the cavern was a shrine half-rotten wood, smeared in dried blood, its offering bowls filled with blackened lumps that stank of decay. Candles flickered faintly, though no hand could have lit them. And sitting before the shrine, cross-legged, head resting lazily on one palm, was him.
The demon didn't even flinch at our presence. His pale skin was stretched smooth, his face painted with unnatural markings dark green lines running beneath his eyes, crossing his nose, etching upwards into his forehead. Dots decorated his cheeks and lips like some cruel joke of a priest's paint.
His eyes caught the dim light, slit pupils gleaming like a predator. And etched into one of them, clear as day, was the mark of the Lower Moon Six.
He smirked, lips twisting into something mocking, almost playful. "So… the rats finally crawled into my den." His voice was light, amused, but carried a sharpness beneath it. "Kamanue. Lower Moon Six. Remember the name before you die."
Kaigaku bristled, sparks crackling faintly across his blade. "Cocky bastard…"
Kamanue rose slowly, stretching like he'd just woken from a nap, his haori shifting to reveal the yellow scale pattern glinting against the gloom. His pale blue eyes glowed faintly in the dark, fixed on us with the delight of a cat toying with cornered mice.
"Don't disappoint me now," he said, spreading his arms as if inviting the strike. "I'd hate for this to end too quickly."
The air in the cave grew heavier, oppressive. My grip on my sword tightened, breath slow and controlled, as Kaigaku shifted beside me, lightning crackling faintly in the silence.
The air trembled. His body pulsed, releasing a shockwave that shattered the stone beneath his seat. Sparks of yellow light burst outward, searing the air with force.
Kaigaku cursed and drew his blade, while I stepped forward, Nichirin angled low.
"Moon Breathing…"
"Thunder Breathing…"
Our voices cut the silence as we both dashed in.
Kamanue moved first. His hand clapped once, a burst of yellow light exploding outward. The wave slammed into us, cracking the stone floor. Kaigaku slid back, gritting his teeth as sparks flickered around his blade.
I leapt above the wave.
"Seventh Form: Lunar Halo, Sky Breaker!"
My Nichirin carved upward, a vertical arc slicing through the shockwave's force. The crescent cut shot skyward, splitting the burst as I descended on him.
Kamanue shifted back, his body flickering before releasing another concussive blast from his palm.
Kaigaku intercepted, lightning flashing around him.
"Thunder Breathing, Second Form: Rice Spirit!"
Five arched slashes tore through the yellow burst, cracking the stone pillars of the shrine.
I landed beside him, exhaling.
"Second Form: Pearl Flower Moongazing."
My blade spun in layered crescents, each strike blooming one after another, forcing Kamanue to guard. Sparks and shockwaves collided, the chamber ringing with steel and force.
But Kamanue wasn't fazed. He raised a hand, yellow light bursting at point-blank range. Kaigaku was sent flying into the wall, coughing blood as stone collapsed around him.
"Pathetic. And you thought you could challenge a Lower Moon?" Kamanue sneered.
I dashed forward, footwork vanishing into blurs.
"Fourth Form: Moonlit Illusion."
Afterimages flickered across the shrine, circling him. He swung wildly, bursts of light scattering, but my blade found its mark cutting across his shoulder, blood spraying before the wound began to close.
Kamanue snarled, palm raised again. "DIE!"
The floor erupted as a massive shockwave tore outward. I braced, planting my feet.
"Sixth Form: Perpetual Night, Lonely Moon!"
A crushing downward crescent smashed through the oncoming wave, splitting it apart as the force shook the chamber.
I pressed forward. My stance lowered, body tightening.
"Ninth Form: Hollow Moon, Lonely Reflection."
My blade feinted high, catching his guard then the real strike came low, carving a crescent through his abdomen. His body lurched, blood spraying before he staggered back, clutching his gut.
Kaigaku stumbled to my side, blade sparking, breathing ragged but his grin still sharp.
"Damn… he's weaker than he looks."
I leveled my sword, eyes cold.
"For a demon claiming to be one of the Twelve Kizuki… you're pitiful."
Kamanue's eyes widened, fury and insult burning behind them as his body pulsed with more light. But in my chest, my breathing had already steadied.
You wretches… You think I'll fall here?"
Kaigaku spat blood onto the floor, forcing himself upright, blade trembling with sparks. "Tch… quit barking. You're nothing."
I did not answer. My steps carried me forward, steady, deliberate. Kaigaku was still raw, too loud, too eager. I, however, could see it clearly the cracks in Kamanue's stance, the falter in his rhythm.
I raised my blade. The room fell silent. My presence pressed down like a tide.
"Moon Breathing… Tenth Form-"
Even before the strike fell, the air shifted. The storm of crescents gathered, infinite slashes compressed into the edge of my Nichirin.
Kamanue's sneer finally broke. His body spasmed, light bursting uncontrolled, shockwaves flaring like desperate cries. For the first time, fear shone in his eyes.
"Not yet… I won't die here!"
With a roar, he slammed both palms into the stone. A massive yellow blast erupted, tearing through the cavern. The walls split, cages collapsed, the shrine itself crumbled under the force. Dust swallowed everything.
When the echoes faded, the chamber was empty.
Kamanue was gone.
Only a smear of blood remained, his foul scent trailing into the distance.
I lowered my blade, the Tenth Form unfinished. My voice cut through the settling silence.
"Pathetically weak… for something called a Lower Moon."
Beside me, Kaigaku let out a bitter laugh, chest heaving, blood soaking his sleeve. "Yeah. Ran like a rat."
"You say that but you're heavily injured."
I said looking at Kaigaku.
"Shut the hell up and let me have my moment ..."
_______
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