“Miss Kochou Shinobu…”
“Hmm?”
“If I call you ‘Mother,’ could you spare my life?”
“…Dame yo~ (No way)”
“Do I really have to die?”
“Mm-hmm~”
“In that case, Miss Kochou Shinobu, if it’s possible…”
“Could you please take off your geta and stomp me to death with your feet in those white cotton socks?”
Listening to the handsome boy before her…
Yes, that was right; the youth in front of her remained exceptionally handsome even after turning into a demon.
His features were as elegant as ever, though his lips were now porcelain white, and his sky-white pupils shimmered with light.
Strange, dark patterns wound from the corners of his eyes to his temples, covering his shoulders and neck.
The patterns looked eerie against his cold, white skin, a demonic glint condensing within his beauty.
He was too beautiful to be a demon.
But the words coming out of his mouth…
weren’t very human either.
Kochou Shinobu felt like the fake smile she had been maintaining was about to crack…
A vein popped on her forehead ꐦ.
“Ara ara Mr. Demon, you really are hungry, aren’t you”
“If you’re hungry… I have plenty of pastries made with Wisteria Toxin in my bag~”
In response, the Demon Youth before her—Hanayuki Ichika—scratched his head.
With a face full of innocence and a hint of sincerity, he asked:
“Then may I ask, Miss Kochou Shinobu, if I obediently eat those pastries, will you obediently lift your precious foot and stomp me to death?”
“After all… compared to being poisoned or stabbed to death…”
“I’d much rather have an epic ‘lung-filtering’ experience before I go.”
Hearing this, Kochou Shinobu fell silent.
She silently tightened her grip on her nichirin sword.
The veins on her forehead began to bulge one by one.
The person in front of her,
No, the demon in front of her…
Was simply too atrocious!!
Worse than any demon she had ever encountered before!
She…
Was about to reach her boiling point!
Meanwhile, Hanayuki Ichika had a half-dead, ‘let it rot’ attitude.
In his past life, he had challenged the Aotai hiking trail, which was supposedly ‘easy if you have legs.’
He had encountered a blizzard.
Thinking’since I’m already here’…
Amidst the sky-filling snow,
Should I avoid its fury?
I shall fight to the death and never retreat!
And then?
Then he died, obviously…
When his consciousness woke again,
He found he had transmigrated into the world of Demon Slayer.
His entire family had been killed by demons,
And he himself had been turned into a demon by a demon with a twisted sense of humor…
He had called out for a long time, but there was no system, No golden finger…
If he wasn’t going to start as an Upper Rank, Starting as a normal human with Breathing Style potential or as a Hashira’s successor would have been fine too…
But he had nothing,
Had become an ordinary demon,
And had even run into the Insect Hashira, who absolutely loathed demons…
Forget it,
He didn’t want to try anymore.
He couldn’t win with this start anyway,
He was dead either way,
So he might as well try for something before he died.
Being stomped to death by a character he liked in his past life was fine too!
And so,
Hanayuki Ichika continued to provoke Kochou Shinobu, Repeatedly jumping into her danger zone:
“What’s wrong,
Miss Shinobu?
“Didn’t you just say that as long as I surrendered obediently without resisting, and allowed myself to be killed with a heart full of gratitude for you setting me free to reincarnate, you would sincerely let me choose my own way to die?”
As he spoke,
Hanayuki Ichika very familiarly put his arm around Kochou Shinobu’s shoulder, leaning into her ear to mock and provoke her:
“Ne, ne,
Miss Kochou Shinobu,
I can face death and choose not to resist, willing to be killed by you to welcome transcendence and reincarnation…
Yet you’re hesitating and don’t dare to strike?
Don’t worry,
Even if you’re not very tall,
A super cute, tiny little girl…
With those tiny hands and thin wrists,
Looking like you couldn’t even cut through my neck with that sword…
I’m still willing to be killed by you with all my heart.
If you won’t strike…
You…
Couldn’t have fallen in love with me, right?”
To this,
Kochou Shinobu…
Finally completely overheated and lost her cool!!
“You narcissistic, perverted, atrocious Mr. Demon—please just go die!!”
Veins popped on Kochou Shinobu’s forehead.
She threw off Hanayuki Ichika’s hand,
And took the pastries laced with Wisteria Toxin, Violently stuffing them all into Hanayuki Ichika’s mouth, Silencing his incessant trash talk:
“Mmph…”
“Mmph, Miss Kochou Shinobu, you’re a sore loser…”
The veins at Kochou Shinobu’s temples throbbed.
She glared at the glib-tongued Demon Youth before her who was making such ridiculous requests.
A mixture of anger at being toyed with and an unspeakable sense of shame, Suddenly surged into her heart.
“Heh…”
She suddenly narrowed her eyes and gave a light chuckle, “Since you insist on this, Mr. Demon…”
Before her voice could fade,
She actually took half a step back,
And kicked off her geta.
Her dainty feet, wrapped in white tabi socks, Landed on the cold dirt ground.
The next second,
Under Hanayuki Ichika’s gaze—which held a hint of shock and even more excitement—
Kochou Shinobu stepped forward,
Lifted her precious foot, and stomped hard on his face!
She ground Hanayuki Ichika’s handsome face ruthlessly into the ground.
Dust soiled the pure white tabi socks,
And stained his cheeks.
“As you wish, Mr. Demon.”
Kochou Shinobu’s voice came from above,
Cold and devoid of any warmth,
“Now, with a heart full of ‘gratitude,’ please die… Sayonara~”
Her other hand had already raised the thin-bladed nichirin sword high, The tip pointed at the body of the demon pinned under her foot.
The wisteria patterns glinted with a ghostly cold light under the moon, Just like her eyes, which were now brimming with killing intent…
However,
Just at the moment the nichirin sword was about to swing down—
Hanayuki Ichika’s body suddenly lurched!
Not forward to attack,
But with unexpected speed and at a surprising angle, He suddenly sprang from the ground, And tightly hugged Kochou Shinobu’s petite and exquisite body from behind!!
[Just as I thought!]
Kochou Shinobu sneered inwardly.
Her previous anger was instantly replaced by cold battle logic, While a deep-seated loathing for the nature of demons surged within her.
[Talking about dying obediently,]
[Talking about some epic lung-filtering before death…]
[It was all to make me lower my guard!]
[Evil and cunning demons will always strike back even at death’s door,]
[Trying to take me down with him?!]
The thought flashed through her mind like lightning, And her movements didn’t falter for a second.
The moment she was hugged,
She slammed her elbow backward.
At the same time, she flicked her wrist,
And the nichirin sword that was originally meant for his neck, Stabbed backward at an extremely tricky angle—
Toward the demonic body pressed against her back—stabbing ruthlessly!
“Puchi!”
The sharp blade pierced through his body and clothes without resistance.
Warm demon blood splattered onto her haori.
But almost at that very same moment,
A sudden change occurred!
“Chira—!”
The sharp whistle of something piercing the air erupted from the shadows of the side wall!
A dark-skinned, muscular arm that could eerily elongate, Like a lurking venomous snake, Lunged toward the spot where Kochou Shinobu had just been standing—or more accurately, Lunged toward the position of her heart!
However,
Because of Hanayuki Ichika’s sudden hug and pull from behind, The position of Kochou Shinobu’s body had shifted slightly.
That lethal demonic arm,
Failed to pierce Kochou Shinobu, and instead—
“Pu!”
A muffled sound of impalement rang out.
That hideous demonic claw,
Pierced through Hanayuki Ichika’s chest from the side.
The position just barely missed his heart,
But it nearly impaled his entire upper body!
The massive impact, along with Kochou Shinobu whom he was holding, Sent them both flying like broken kites.
With a “Boom,” they slammed heavily into the crumbling earthen wall behind them, Shaking down clouds of dust.
“Cough…!”
Hanayuki Ichika spat out a large mouthful of blood, Its scalding heat spreading across Kochou Shinobu’s skin.
The arms he had wrapped around her instantly lost their strength, And went limp.
Kochou Shinobu let out a muffled groan.
The impact on her back made her blood boil,
But she immediately performed a breakfall to regain her balance, Supporting herself with one hand on the ground, While the other still gripped her nichirin sword.
She turned her head in shock.
The first thing she saw,
Was Hanayuki Ichika’s pale face, twisted in agony, yet seemingly wearing a…
hard-to-describe expression.
Then,
Her gaze moved past Hanayuki Ichika’s shoulder, And saw the monster slowly emerging from the shadows of the wall.
It was a short, squat, hideous demon,
Its wide mouth filled with fangs,
Drool dripping down.
Its abnormally long arm was slowly being withdrawn from Hanayuki Ichika’s chest, Bringing with it more flesh and organ fragments, Making a sickening, squelching sound.
A cruel and smug grin was plastered on the demon’s face.
“Another one?”
“Hehe…”
“Perfect, looks like I can have a full banquet tonight…”
The ugly demon licked its lips,
Its gaze wandering between Kochou Shinobu and the dying Hanayuki Ichika.
However,
Kochou Shinobu’s attention was not on the newly appeared demon at all.
Her pupils constricted,
And her heart felt as if it were being squeezed by a cold hand.
That strike just now…
That lethal strike that came from the shadows…
If Hanayuki Ichika hadn’t suddenly hugged her from behind, Pulling her away from her original position…
The one whose chest would have been pierced by that demonic arm, Would have been her!
A ridiculous, yet incredibly clear thought,
Exploded in her mind like a thunderclap:
[Could it be… he wasn’t trying to ambush me just now…]
[But—was trying to save me?]