Bang!
A scorching bullet cut through the night sky, knocking an evil demon in the clearing back two steps.
Genya bit down on his blade, skillfully leaping back to reload after firing the last round in the barrel.
Tanjirou gripped the hilt of his sword, facing another demon that had come seeking trouble, and swung two arcs of starlight forward.
He smelled Urokodaki-sensei's scent, faintly, neither far nor near.
It seemed he had already heard Genya's gunshots and had rushed to the foot of the mountain as quickly as possible.
He didn't appear immediately; perhaps he was standing in the forest, observing the boys' performance.
Maybe Urokodaki-sensei felt that these two demons weren't worth his effort, so he left them entirely to the boys, to evaluate the results of their training during this period.
"Hmph... Hmph..."
Tanjirou's lungs burned, a side effect of overusing his Breathing Technique.
Genya, who was even younger than him, seemed at ease. While secretly admiring him, Tanjirou also cheered himself on.
Come on, Tanjirou!
If he couldn't even defeat the demon in front of him, how could he participate in the Fujikasane Mountain trial?
How could he face Kibutsuji Muzan, who had killed his mother and turned Nezuko into a demon!
You are the eldest son of the family, the support for your younger siblings; you cannot give up!
Just as he was thinking this, Genya, who was entangled with a demon using both his gun and sword, was kicked onto a wooden hut and fell heavily to the ground.
Genya quickly rolled over and got up, turning his head to spit out a mouthful of blood.
Damn it! My face hit the ground!
He probed his teeth with his tongue; the teeth on the side were loose from the impact!
You bastard!
Genya raised his head menacingly, baring a mouthful of white teeth: "You forced my hand!"
He lunged forward, grabbing the demon's neck to keep its head from flailing, then opened his mouth and bit into its neck.
"Ugh!"
Genya almost threw up!
Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey!
Having gotten used to Ms. Tamayo's carefully prepared, spiced pills, biting into a demon was indeed a bit hard to swallow!
What's more, this stinky demon was unusually disgusting!
The sensation of chewing flesh in his mouth was like eating insects raw, even more nauseating than ordinary demons!
Despite this, Genya still endured the disgust and swallowed the flesh.
The next second, his heart trembled as if struck by a heavy hammer, veins bulged, and his eyes were covered in black.
Demon transformation!
"Tanjirou! Where is its opening?!"
Having trained together for over half a year, Genya was well aware of Tanjirou's ability and knew that he could smell the enemy's "thread of an opening."
"The neck!" Tanjirou gritted his teeth: "Still the neck!"
He had indeed smelled the demon's thread of an opening, but he had missed every chance to create an opportunity!
The neck... no different from an ordinary demon, huh... Genya lowered his gun, and the bullet roared out of the barrel. As the demon swayed from the close-range gunfire, he held up his nichirin blade and leaped forward.
His arms, strengthened by eating the demon, bulged with muscles, and the colorless nichirin blade in his hand was as swift as the wind.
"Swish!"
The blade sliced across the demon's neck, like cutting through a piece of tough rubber.
Fortunately, the blade, imbued with extreme speed and power, did not stop, and it cut off the demon's head with destructive force!
"Splurt!"
The demon in front of him immediately exploded into a puddle of green pus, making Genya's Adam's apple bob as he tried to suppress the rising nausea.
I just bit into this thing... Ugh!
And why did this demon explode instead of turning to ash?
Seeing Genya slay the demon before him, Tanjirou inwardly cheered.
Genya did great!
Then... I must also work hard!
In his vision, the thread of an opening appeared again!
This time, he was confident he could cut off the demon's head with one strike!
Suddenly, the tips of the insect-like demon's tentacles on its head flickered with red light a few times.
The moment the red light flashed, the demon turned and ran in the opposite direction, severing the thread of an opening in Tanjirou's eyes!
"Quick! It's getting away!" Genya shouted urgently, simultaneously raising his musket: "Click!"
No more bullets!
How can it run! How can it run!
Tanjirou gritted his teeth, his heart filled with anger!
It smells so foul; one whiff is enough to know it's eaten many people!
How can a demon that has eaten so many people think of running away!
His breathing became increasingly burning. After forcing the air from his lungs, the movements of the Kagura dance suddenly appeared in Tanjirou's mind!
The flash of inspiration he craved during training struck his soul, allowing him to instinctively change his moves—
"Hinokami Kagura: Waltz!"
A flash of fire cut across the demon's neck, illuminating the night sky of Mt. Sagiri... Haruto gazed at the pile of minced meat before him, gripping the hilt of his sword without a word.
It didn't burn, it didn't turn to ash, and even those eyes, filled with fear and malice, were still glaring at Haruto.
"Why! Why is it always you!"
Mukago shrieked: "Did I have a grudge against you in my human life?!"
They're laughing, she's broken. Wasn't she killed by Star Pillar-bro the first time too?
She wasn't killed by Star Pillar-bro the first time, but she was almost fired by the boss...
Should I say she's bad or not bad? If I say she's not bad, she was instantly killed by Star Pillar-bro. If I say she's bad, she wasn't completely instantly killed...
Just kidding, Lower Moon Six's current strength is top-tier among the Lower Moons. Even Enmu before his power-up would only run if he fought her!
She was planning to develop for a while to find the next Successor Blood Battle and then rush to become an Upper Moon, but she ran into Star Pillar-bro again. Who wouldn't be broken by that?
Oh, why is everyone calling him Star Pillar-bro today?
Hahahaha, Hashira of Food isn't online today.
Haruto didn't answer. His eyes held only deep hatred for demons.
Especially looking at... this village torn to shreds by Mukago's Blood Demon Art.
"What are you waiting for?" he asked.
Without waiting for Mukago to answer, he continued: "Are you waiting for those demons you've spread out to return, so they can gather energy and restore your strength?"
Mukago's eyes darted around. Haruto squatted down and looked directly into her eyes: "Don't even think about it.
Before I even made a move, the news of demons here has already been spread by Sora to all the Demon Slayer Swordsmen in the vicinity.
Now everyone is gathering here and intercepting and killing all the demons they see on the way."
No wonder... no wonder the sensing points in her head were extinguishing one by one!
Mukago's eyes trembled.
"Those demons... they shouldn't be demons, right? They're just your parasites."
"...That's right! Those are all humans! They are all your compatriots! Killing one demon bug is equivalent to killing one person! These are all the sins committed by your Demon Slayer Corps!"
Haruto lowered his gaze: "Oh."
Oh?
Mukago was furious: "Your damn Demon Slayer Corps, didn't you say you wanted to save all living beings? Now your hypocrisy is exposed, isn't it! You don't care about the lives of all living beings at all!"
"Aren't you the ones who committed the slaughter?" Haruto replied calmly: "And you are the ones who will go to hell after death, so... I really don't understand what you're screaming about."
"You..."
Haruto, however, lost his patience for talking to her.
He stood up, drew his nichirin blade, and pierced Mukago's head, pinning her to the ground.
After a long time, Mukago turned to dust in a desperate roar, and the nearest Demon Slayer Corps Swordsmen rushed over.
"Star Pillar, those escaped demons have been cleared out!"
The leading swordsman seemed delighted; they had a bountiful harvest tonight, and most of their records would have more demon kills added to them.
"Star Pillar..." Someone spoke hesitantly: "Are those... really all demons? I mean, their clothes are all very new..."
Haruto stretched, pulled his nichirin blade from the ground, and nodded as if it were obvious: "Hmm! Of course, they are all demons!"
His words were certain, but his misty blue eyes quietly dimmed.
Of course... they were all once people harmed by demons.
Lying Star Pillar-bro is really... heartbreaking to watch.
It's right not to tell the team members, 'Since only I know, let only I suffer the mental condemnation.' I think Haruto did the right thing.
Little Haruto looks a bit down, sob sob sob, come let mommy give you a hug!
Haha, he has Shinobu-neechan to hug him~
Sob sob sob, little Haruto and Shinobu, both come let mommy give you a hug!
The dagger is revealed, as it were?