NOVEL WEB Chapter 86: Chapter 86
"Murata, you and Giyu stay here for now. The two of us will go gather some firewood" one of the swordsmen said casually.
Seeing no objections from Murata and Tomioka Giyu, he immediately set off with another swordsman to collect firewood nearby, leaving Murata and Tomioka Giyu waiting at the spot for their return.
The four thus split up.
With nothing to do, Murata struck up another conversation with Giyu and naturally, the topic turned to Sabito.
"Speaking of which, Sabito was really amazing. Since he was so strong, you must be pretty skilled too, right?" Murata remarked casually.
But upon hearing Murata words, Giyu shook his head.
"No, Compare to Sabito i am nothing."
In truth, if not for Sabito, he might have long been consumed by guilt and shame.
"Fox mask! Fox mask! Fox mask! Fox mask!"
Just as the two were talking, faint murmurs emerged from the darkness.
Murata suddenly frowned and quickly stood up, asking Giyu beside him in confusion.
"Did you hear that strange sound?"
Giyu had heard it too, He also stood up, scanning their surroundings for the source of the eerie voice.
"Fox mask! Fox mask!"
Closer—it was getting closer!
The bizarre murmurs were drawing nearer!
Murata and Tomioka Giyu simultaneously tensed, drawing their Nichirin Blades and staying alert.
As the distance closed, the strange murmurs became clearer in their ears.
"Fox mask! Fox mask!"
Murata looked in surprise at the fox mask on Giyu head.
"Huh? Is it talking about your mask?"
Giyu was equally bewildered. He had no idea why the strange voice was fixated on the fox mask.
But before he could figure it out—
Suddenly!
A massive figure burst out of the darkness.
Under the pale moonlight, its sickly green body exuded overwhelming pressure—dozens of twisted, adult-sized arms in the same revolting shade writhed together!
Its dull yellow eyes brimmed with violent killing intent.
When the Hand Demon emerged from the darkness and saw the fox warding mask on Tomioka Giyu head, it went berserk.
"Ahhh!! Fox mask!! Yes! This familiar feeling! Damn you, Urokodaki! It must be you!"
The Hand Demon let out a heart-rending roar, its dozens of grotesque arms flailing wildly.
Giyu was utterly stunned.
How did this hideous Demon know his master?!
"You brat wearing the fox mask! You must be Urokodaki disciple! I'll devour you!" The Hand Demon suddenly lunged, its sickly green arms surging toward Giyu all at once.
"Giyu! Watch out!!" Murata loud warning snapped Giyu back to his senses.
With no time to react properly, he instinctively used Water Breathing.
"Water Breathing, Third Form: Flowing Dance!"
Instantly, Giyu body moved at high speed like rushing water, his Nichirin Blade gleaming blue as he sliced through the sickly green arms before him.
However, Giyu had been forced to counterattack hastily.
Moreover, the Hand Demon attacked with reckless abandon, completely ignoring Murata, who stood nearby with his Nichirin Blade raised.
It was single-mindedly determined to kill Urokodaki disciple wearing the fox mask.
After slicing through over a dozen putrid green arms, Giyu was caught off guard when the Hand Demon suddenly wrapped one of its limbs around his ankle and yanked hard.
Instantly losing his balance, the swing of his Nichirin Blade went awry, the ripples of Water Breathing dissipating into the air.
The remaining arms of the Hand Demon surged forward, swiftly ensnaring Giyu in their grasp.
"NO! Giyu!!" Murata shouted in panic as he saw his comrade captured.
He swung his Nichirin Blade with all his might at the demon, though the faint blue glow emanating from his blade was barely noticeable.
"Foolish brat!" The Hand Demon didn't even spare Murata a glance, swatting him away effortlessly with two flailing arms. But to avoid exposing itself, the demon caught Murata as well.
"Seems I'll feast well tonight! Keh keh keh!"
Just as the Hand Demon reveled in its triumph, a clear, icy voice rang out from behind it.
"Water Breathing, First Form: Surface Slash!"
A brilliant azure flash sliced toward the demon's grotesque head.
***
"What? The Hand Demon?" Shinichi froze upon hearing Eizo report from his arm. It took him a moment to recall the hideous demon he had encountered years ago during the Final Selection.
"It's still alive?" Shinichi was stunned.
His Life Drain technique had nearly sucked the Hand Demon dry back then, leaving it with only a sliver of life.
Under normal circumstances, that wretched creature should have long since crumbled to ashes.
Even if it hadn't turned to dust, a demon in such a weakened state could have been killed by any ordinary Demonslayer.
Damn it—how had it not only survived but regained so much strength?
A dark expression twisted Shinichi face.
This was utterly humiliating.
To have left such a glaring oversight—what a disgrace!
Noticing Shinichi sudden shift in demeanor, Shinobu Kocho who was walking beside him, couldn't help but ask.
"What's wrong, blockhead? You look strange."
Shinichi raised his arm, and Eizo immediately took flight.
Taking a deep breath, Shinichi heterochromatic eyes narrowed as he stared toward Wisteria Mountain.
"Nothing. Just realizing I made a huge mistake back then."
"Mistake? What are you talking about?" Shinobu large violet eyes brimmed with confusion, but Shinichi had already slung his Nichirin Blade over his shoulder.
He called out to Goto nearby "Goto take care of things here. I need to fix an old mistakes."
His green haori left streaks of afterimages in the air as Shinichi vanished in an instant, charging straight into Fujikasane Mountain.
Left behind were a bewildered Shinobu and an exasperated Goto, who shouted at the now-empty space where Shinichi had stood.
"Hey!! Damn you, Shinichi! Can't you stop being so irresponsible?! The Final Selection almost over, and you're running off again! Do you even remember you're a Hashira?!"
The scenery blurred past Shinichi as the wind howled in his ears.
A green streak darted like lightning through Fujikasane Mountain.
Any unfortunate demon that happened to cross his path met instant annihilation.
***
Crunch!!
The dulled Nichirin Blade abruptly stopped after cutting halfway through Hand Demon neck.
"Aargh!! That hurts like hell!!"
In the pangs of agony, Hand Demon wildly swung its arms, forcibly pushing back the figure behind it.
When the enraged Hand Demon turned around.
"Huh?! Another brat with a fox mask!?"
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