Demon Slayer : Breath of The Forest

"Forest Breathing, First Form: Iron Birch Slash!"

Shinichi swung his Nichirin Blade horizontally with one hand, slashing fiercely toward the Demon.

The demon had already lost one arm and its remaining hand, gripping a crimson longsword, was still locked in place by Shinichi short blade.

The verdant slash surged unstoppably toward the Demon neck.

Yet even in this critical moment, the demon remained eerily calm.

Squelch!

A brand-new arm regenerated almost instantaneously, the speed of recovery making Shinichi pupils constrict sharply.

"Blood Martial Art: Sword Style—Swallow Strike!" the Demon roared.

A scarlet longsword materialized in its hand, thrusting straight forward to meet Shinichi Iron Birch Slash head-on.

The indestructible Iron Birch Slash clashed against the peerlessly sharp Swallow Strike. The explosive impact sent Shinichi flying backward instantly.

His Nichirin short blade spun through the air before embedding itself into the ground.

Shinichi was forced to kneel on one knee, steadying the churning in his chest.

As the dust settled, the Martial Demon stood unharmed, wielding both sword and blade.

It casually discarded the weapons, which dissolved into pools of blood upon hitting the ground.

Strolling toward Shinichi, it spoke as if making idle conversation.

"Not bad. For your current strength, you can already exchange blows with me. You're quite impressive, kid. But this duel was unfair—I'm too familiar with the Forest Breathing. So, I'll give you another chance. Let's see how strong you are after demonization."

Shinichi rose coldly to his feet, his gaze flickering toward where Shinobu Kocho stood.

Noticing Shinichi concern for her, the Martial Demon feigned sudden realization.

"Oh! So you're worried about that little girl? Don't be. If she can't even handle an old demon, then you'd better mind your own business. Keeping her around would just be dead weight."

"SHUT UP!" Shinichi snapped, unable to contain his fury.

He drove his Nichirin Blade into the ground and, under the Martial Demon watchful eyes, shed his verdant haori.

His Demon Slayer Corps uniform was already riddled with gashes and tears from their battle.

"I don't care who you are. Even if you knew the ancestors of the Moriki family, I couldn't care less why. All I know is that you, with your incessant yapping, are truly utterly detestable!" Shinichi clenched his fists, his voice icy.

The peach-red hue in his right eye was swiftly overtaken by a deep crimson.

His pupils narrowed like a beast awakening.

"You want to see my power? Fine. I'll oblige."

"Blood Demon Art: Raging Blood-Third Stage!"

BOOM!!

A shockwave erupted from Shinichi body, igniting the very air around him.

His upper uniform exploded into tatters, revealing skin flushed red. Fiery orange patterns coiled around his muscles.

Sharp fangs pierced through his lips, black claws gleamed menacingly. His disheveled black hair whipped wildly in the scorching wind, the tips seemingly aflame.

His entire body radiated blistering heat.

A low, bestial growl rumbled from his throat as his blood-red eyes locked onto the Martial Demon.

For the first time, the demon felt the chilling sensation of being prey—pinned under a predator's gaze. But as a battle maniac to the core, this only fueled the Martial Demon exhilaration.

"Good! Excellent! Kid, you've got some skills! After centuries of boredom, it's rare to find someone who can truly excite me. Come on! Attack me with all you've got, hahahaha!"

Shinichi, now in his third stage of Blood Rage, could no longer speak normally.

In fact, this was his first attempt at the third stage.

The terrifying, scorching heat not only burned his enemies but also seared his own body, causing his newly regenerated flesh to wither and die in an instant.

Yet, thanks to the formidable regenerative abilities of his Demon physique, his body continuously cycled through damage and repair.

"ROAR!!"

What emerged from Shinichi throat was no longer a human voice but a deafening, bestial roar.

BOOM!

With a forceful stomp, his scorching crimson figure shot toward the Martial Demon like a cannonball.

Whoosh!

Along his path, dried leaves and broken branches ignited instantly in the wake of the surging heatwave.

A small mouse that had just crawled out of its nest was engulfed in flames before it could even react, its flesh consumed in an instant, leaving behind nothing but a perfectly intact, desiccated skeleton.

Shinichi trajectory blazed like a trail of fire, scorching marks left upon the earth itself.

Faced with Shinichi furious charge, the Martial Demon took a slight step back—not out of fear, but to gather strength.

His left leg extended, right leg bent, fists clenched tightly across his chest as he assumed an unusual martial arts stance.

Flash!!

His golden eyes suddenly blazed to life and an endless surge of crimson energy erupted violently from his core. The terrifying aura in the darkness made it seem as though a true demon god had descended.

Baring his fangs, veins bulging across his body, the Martial Demon roared.

"Blood Martial Arts—Armor Form: Blood Plate!"

Splurt!!

In an instant, the veins across his body burst open and as scarlet blood gushed forth, it rapidly coalesced over his form.

Soon, an ornate, blood-red armor, radiating an overwhelming aura of slaughter, encased the Martial Demon.

"Hahaha! Come at me!" The Martial Demon laughed wildly, charging forward in his crimson armor to meet Shinichi head-on.

Boom!! Crash!!

An even more intense shockwave engulfed the entire village of Kippei.

The deafening explosions terrified countless villagers as bursts of flame and bloody light erupted behind the village, illuminating the night sky.

"Oh, gods! Have we wronged you in some way? Is this your warning to us?!" An elderly man knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face as he kowtowed repeatedly.

Behind him, many villagers followed suit, dropping to their knees in fear.

"Is it because of the Oni? Have we angered the gods by ignoring such Demon? Oh heavens! I knew it! What use is wealth compared to family? Gods, I was wrong! I swear I'll treat my parents better from now on! Please, do not unleash your wrath!" a middle-aged man wailed.

His words struck a chord with many villagers.

Could this truly be the reason?

Meanwhile, atop a towering tree, a lean figure silently observed the battle between Shinichi and the Martial Demon.

It was the demon named Shouku.

Dressed in a suit, he shook his head and sighed.

"I knew it, Maito. The moment you heard news about Shunichi, you wouldn't be able to hold back. Ah, well... it seems I'll have to handle that matter alone."

As soon as the words fell, Shouku body eerily dissipated, leaving behind only a faint mist of blood.

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