Kochou Shinobu ignored the last part of Su Chen's sentence. She continued her explanation, her voice soft. "My strength is too small. I can't cut off a demon's head with this Nichirin Sword. Because of that, I can only coat my blade in poison and kill them that way."
As she spoke, a clear look of disappointment crossed her face. This was also why her Breathing Technique was so difficult to pass down to a successor. Insect Breathing wasn't famous for its sword skills; it was famous for its poison. The main method was to create a poison from wisteria, apply it to the blade, and use it to slay demons.
If Shinobu had the strength to decapitate demons, she wouldn't need to do this. The Demon Slayer Corps probably wouldn't even have an "Insect Pillar."
Kochou Shinobu sheathed her Nichirin Sword and gave him a gentle, sad smile. "I'm used to it. Being weak is just how I am; there's nothing I can do to change it. So, Su Chen-kun, I know your talent is very high, but my Breathing Technique really wouldn't be any use to you."
Su Chen looked at her smile and fell silent. He could only imagine how much effort she must have put in to become a Hashira with a body that couldn't even decapitate a demon.
After a moment, he shook his head. "That's not true. Every Breathing Technique has its own value, and you've done amazingly, Shinobu-san. If it weren't for you, what would the Demon Slayer Corps do when they find demons that can't be killed by decapitation? You don't need to worry about your lack of strength. The Insect Pillar is unique, and that's what matters, isn't it?"
Su Chen smiled at the stunned Kochou Shinobu. "And your poison is incredibly powerful, isn't it? I can't even imagine being able to kill demons that way!"
"Oh my," Kochou Shinobu covered her mouth, her face filled with surprise and joy. His words clearly meant a lot to her. Su Chen was really growing on her; she almost wanted to keep him here at the Butterfly Mansion.
Under the clear moonlight, Kochou Shinobu slowly stood up. She stepped lightly off the roof, her colorful haori fluttering in the wind like wings. She was beautiful, like a spirit in the night. She landed softly in the courtyard below, her fingers curling around the hilt as she drew her Nichirin Sword.
Su Chen watched quietly from the roof.
Like a graceful butterfly, Shinobu began to move, performing a small flourish with her blade. It seemed to be her opening move, a way to get a feel for the sword. Her Breathing Technique, Su Chen realized, wasn't focused on sword skills. It was all about her footwork.
Each of her attacks was based on different footwork. As long as her opponent couldn't predict her path, she could close the distance and inject her poison. The first "dance" she performed was a form from Insect Breathing.
Butterfly Dance: Caprice.
Using this footwork, Shinobu leaped high into the air, rushing toward an imaginary enemy like a spirit descending from the sky. Her movements were as light as a butterfly. She delivered a series of high-speed thrusts that the naked eye could barely follow, as if she were continuously stabbing an opponent's body with her poisoned blade. Because she used poison, she didn't need to cut the demon's neck. This move was clearly very effective, and Su Chen guessed many weaker demons had died from it.
Su Chen watched the move, wondering if he could dodge it.
The answer was no.
Kochou Shinobu's speed was many times faster than Kanao's. If his reaction speed and observation skills hadn't improved so much today, he wouldn't even be able to see her figure clearly.
[You observed Kochou Shinobu's Butterfly Dance. You admired her dance, felt a tremor in your heart, and comprehended Butterfly Steps!]
In the dark courtyard, the cold gleam from the tip of Shinobu's Nichirin Sword flickered. She moved into the next form of Insect Breathing.
Dance of the Bee Sting: True Gliding.
[You observed Kochou Shinobu's Dance of the Bee Sting, performed a mental deduction, and achieved the accomplishment, 'A Small Test of Skill'.]
Su Chen stood up and jumped down from the roof. Footwork was useless if he only watched; he had to practice it. He immediately began to imitate Kochou Shinobu's movements.
[You imitated Kochou Shinobu's movements, and your proficiency increased.]
The two of them "danced" in the courtyard, their movements almost identical. The girl was still faster, but the boy's speed was catching up quickly. Soon, he would be able to match her pace.
After a moment, Kochou Shinobu's footwork changed again. She had completed the Dance of the Bee Sting. Next was Dance of the Dragonfly: Compound Eye Hexagon.
This technique looked like a six-hit attack, designed to inject a large amount of poison into a demon's body. Her blade became a blur, piercing sharply and quickly like a poisoned needle. Her footwork, which was already fast, suddenly picked up even more speed. The key to this move was still speed. Su Chen learned the movements quickly, but he knew his physical fitness still needed time to catch up.
Suddenly, Shinobu stopped.
She took a deep breath, something she hadn't done yet. The continuous high-speed movement had made her a little tired, and she had to pause. The next move must require a large amount of oxygen.
A moment later, she moved again.
This time, her movement was completely different. Kochou Shinobu's speed was so fast that she left afterimages. Her figure seemed to be everywhere in the courtyard at once! The sound of her feet hitting the ground was sharp and constant, like drumbeats in the night.
Dance of the Centipede: Hundred-Legged Zigzag!
She stomped with enough force to kick up dust, using that power to move in winding, unpredictable paths. It was designed to confuse an opponent before she attacked with her Nichirin Sword when an opening appeared.
Su Chen couldn't help but imagine a giant centipede with countless legs, violently stomping the ground as it zigzagged toward him. He imagined it had a giant mouth, its teeth covered in poison, ready to bite when he had no time to react.
Su Chen felt the rush of air as if a giant centipede had just passed him. It was hard to believe that this much power was coming from a girl who looked so small and light.
Her colorful haori swayed in the wind. A few wisps of her unique wisteria scent, mixed with a faint body fragrance, floated through the air.
This was clearly one of Kochou Shinobu's ultimate moves. It was her fastest and most powerful technique, covering a huge area. Because it was so intense, it only lasted for a few seconds.
Just as quickly as it started, Shinobu stopped.
Her face was flushed, and small beads of sweat covered her forehead. Her delicate body trembled slightly from the effort. Her butterfly haori was damp, and her wet uniform clung to her back, outlining her graceful figure.
Su Chen saw it all, not missing a single detail.