Demon Slayer : Breath of The Forest

"Water Breathing, Fourth Form: Striking Tide!"

Under the sunlight, the wooden sword surface shimmered with a pale blue glow as endless waves of attacks surged toward Shinichi from all directions.

Faced with Tomioka Giyu overwhelming technique, the usually laid-back Shinichi had to focus slightly. He tightened his grip on the wooden sword in his right hand while also grasping a shorter one with his left.

"Forest Breathing, Thirteenth Form: Niten Ichi-ryu: Wolf Spirit!"

Countless rays of light coalesced into a green giant wolf, roaring as it collided with the endless tide.

Blades flashed, carving deep gashes into the earth. The shockwaves from their clash kicked up clouds of dust, obscuring the details of their duel.

At the edge of the clearing where Giyu and Shinichi fought, two petite figures watched nervously.

One was Shinobu Kocho, arms crossed and brows furrowed.

The other was a girl in uniform with dark green shoulder-length hair and gentle, lovely features. Her green eyes were filled with concern as she watched the battle.

Her name was Makomo, also Giyu and Sabito senior.

After learning everything about the Final Selection on Fujikasane Mountain, she sought out her junior Giyu with deep worry.

True to her fears, the experience had changed him.

He became withdrawn.

Whenever Makomo suggested writing letters to their master or Sabito or returning to Mount Sagiri, Giyu would make excuses to avoid it—as if he couldn't face Sabito anymore.

Yet, paradoxically, Giyu had become the most outstanding swordsman of his generation, advancing at an astonishing pace.

While his peers lingered at the Kanoe and Kanoto ranks, he rocketed to Kinoe rank within a year, slaying over thirty demons.

While Makomo took pride in Giyu achievements, she also worried about him.

After joining the Demon Slayer Corps, the changed Giyu developed a habit: whenever he had time, he would challenge Shinichi, the Forest Hashira with his sword.

Win or lose, he never spoke a word.

If Shinichi refused, Giyu would stand outside his home with his wooden sword until late at night or until duty called him away.

When Giyu first challenged Shinichi as a Mizunoto-ranked Demon Slayer, many privately mocked his overconfidence.

But as he persisted, even the harshest critics came to respect his determination.

***

Back to the duel.

Crack!

A wooden sword snapped, followed by a muffled grunt—clear signals of the battle conclusion to Shinobu and Makomo.

As the dust settled, Giyu leaned on his broken sword, one hand clutching his chest as he gasped for breath, sweat soaking his hair and uniform.

Shinichi, meanwhile, looked unscathed.

He slung his wooden sword over his shoulder and walked up to Giyu, offering a hand.

"Good fight. You've improved."

The outcome was undeniable.

Seeing Giyu unharmed, Makomo sighed in relief.

Beside her, Shinobu remained composed. Though she found Shinichi dense in many ways, she couldn't deny his strength.

However, Tomioka Giyu progress was also evident. At least a year ago when he sparred with Shinichi, Shinichi had never actively used dual swords.

The fact that he could push Shinichi to get serious and wield two swords was already remarkable.

Giyu ignored Shinichi outstretched hand, silently standing up on his own before coldly uttering a word after a long pause.

"I lost."

This phrase "I lost" was something Shinichi had heard 35 times—no, counting this one, it should be 36 now.

Shinichi withdrew his extended hand, gazing with some emotion at the black-haired youth before him.

Sometimes, appearances truly were deceiving.

Who would have thought this seemingly unremarkable boy would possess such immense potential?

The defeated Giyu gripped his broken wooden sword and turned to leave without hesitation—this was typical of him.

Seeing him about to depart, Makomo hurried over, first bowing respectfully to Shinichi before concernedly asking if Giyu was alright.

Yet, even toward his caring senior, Tomioka Giyu remained aloof, only occasionally responding with a word or two.

Shinichi tossed aside his wooden sword and called out to Giyu retreating figure.

"Tomioka Giyu! Don't come back anymore! Challenge me again after you become a Hashira, got it? Right now, you're only missing that final threshold!"

Giyu departing figure paused momentarily, but ultimately he continued walking away from Shinichi home.

"That brat!" Shinichi grumbled irritably.

Shinobu Kocho then walked up beside him, watching Giyu retreating back before glancing at Shinichi.

"Hey, blockhead Shinichi, do you think he'll actually listen this time? You've said similar things before, yet he kept coming back to challenge you."

Shinichi chuckled, handing his wooden sword to Shinobu.

"This time's different. From our match just now, I could tell his Water Breathing hasn't reached its peak yet. He must have sensed it too. Urokodaki and I discussed this—Sabito was the finest inheritor of Water Breathing, but Tomioka Giyu... he'll become Water Breathing new guiding light."

Shinobu tilted her head slightly as she observed the somewhat lonely figure, giving a soft snort through her nose.

"My sister will definitely become a Hashira before that guy!"

Indeed, among the Demon Slayer Corps' most renowned swordsmen, besides Tomioka Giyu, the other was Shinobu elder sister Kanae Kocho.

With her mastery of Flower Breathing, even while managing the Butterfly Estate, Kanae had completed numerous missions, slaying over forty Demons.

As a Kinoe-ranked Slayers, she was the strongest candidate to become the next Hashira.

Shinichi titled his head at Shinobu, smiling as he asked.

"Oh? But Shinobu, while Kanae is impressive, she always spends extra time trying to befriend Demons, no? So she might not make Hashira before Giyu."

"What?! Blockhead Shinichi, how could you say that? We're much closer to you, aren't we? And you're taking an outsider side?!" Shinobu protested indignantly.

Stifling laughter, Shinichi teased "Really? Then could you do me a favor and let me spend more time alone with Kanae? Every time we talk, you barge in and ruin our chances to chat."

"What?! Absolutely not!" The agitated Shinobu bristled like a prickly little hedgehog.

Shinichi could no longer contain himself and burst into hearty laughter.

In fact, both Shinichi and Kanae had noticed Shinobu little misunderstanding long ago, but neither of them paid it much mind. They simply laughed it off, treating it as nothing more than a child whimsical thoughts.

At least for now, Shinichi regarded the Kocho sisters purely as friends and sisters, while Kanae likewise saw Shinichi as a trustworthy and cherished friend.

There was none of the romantic sentiment that Shinobu had mistakenly assumed between them.

Still, teasing the kid occasionally was quite amusing, so neither Shinichi nor Kanae ever bothered to explain it to Shinobu.

As a result, the misunderstanding persisted in her mind even now.

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