Boom! ×N
In the next instant, the room they were in was struck repeatedly by the rebounding temari balls, shaking violently as walls cracked and furniture splintered. The once-peaceful interior was now riddled with holes and fractures.
Crackle!
The ceiling lights flickered out, plunging the room into dimness. Moonlight seeped through the gaps in the shattered walls, casting pale, ghostly rays inside.
Bang!
Two temari balls continued to ricochet through the room, striking the thunder shields around the group with deafening impacts—but within the barriers, everyone remained unharmed. Thankfully, the Shogun had reacted swiftly. Without her, the situation would have been dire.
"Nezuko!!"
Tanjiro rushed to his sister's side. Even with the lightning barrier surrounding them, he still held her protectively. Yushiro, meanwhile, scrambled up, instinctively searching for Tamayo—only to see her still wrapped in the Shogun's protective embrace. His face immediately turned an unhealthy shade of blue-green.
The room now resembled a war zone, like it had been riddled with machine-gun fire from outside. The walls were pocked with gaping holes, and dust filled the air.
Boom! Boom! ×N
The barrage continued.
"Hahaha~!!"
Outside, in the courtyard, the female demon—Susamaru—was gleefully hurling her temari balls, intent on pulverizing the house into dust.
"Have you figured out how to kill them yet?"
Behind her, the male demon—Yahaba—folded his arms, watching lazily.
"Of course! The crueler, the better!! Hah!!"
She threw another ball with tremendous force. The sounds of impact and destruction within made her feel euphoric. What she truly longed for was the sound of flesh tearing, bones shattering—that was real satisfaction.
"Tch... be careful. You're getting dust on my clothes."
Yahaba clicked his tongue, stepping back to brush the debris off his sleeve, visibly irritated.
"Hehe~ now's not the time to worry about your clothes."
Bang!
With another delighted grin, she hurled her temari again—this time with even greater force. Clouds of dust and debris filled the ruined structure, obscuring the view entirely. It was like trapping prey in a sealed jar, closing in for the kill.
But just as the two balls arced back toward the house again—
They sliced through the air, leaving trails of compressed wind, curving mid-flight like guided bullets, shooting straight into the smoke-filled room.
The next second—
Buzz~!
A flash of violet light spread through the darkness. Both temari balls slammed head-on into the blade of a beautifully adorned naginata that had appeared from the haze.
Bang! ×2
The collisions unleashed deafening shockwaves, scattering the dust in every direction. Lightning crackled outward in waves, rolling through the room like a raging sea.
BOOM!
An explosion followed. The two temari balls, now wrapped in violent lightning, were sent hurtling back the way they came—faster and harder than before.
"Hahahah—"
Susamaru started laughing triumphantly—
Whizz! ×2
—but before she could finish, the two balls streaked past both demons' faces and slammed into the wall behind them!
BOOOOM!!
The resulting explosion didn't just pierce the wall—it obliterated it completely! The entire section of the building caved inward, and the ground behind it was left with deep gouges, their edges scorched with fire and lightning.
"..." ×2
Both demons froze, their triumphant expressions fading instantly into seriousness.
"What... was that just now?"
Yahaba, still keeping his eyes closed, frowned deeply.
"I don't know... it felt like someone repelled my temari."
Susamaru's voice wavered slightly.
That force...
Yahaba thought to himself. It was absurdly strong. Not even the Demon Slayer Corps possessed that kind of counterattack.
Crackle!!
Before their eyes, the lingering smoke inside the house was swept away by a surge of violet lightning. Standing at the center of the room was a long-haired woman in a violet-and-white kimono, holding a gleaming naginata.
She stood in front of everyone else, as if shielding them. The weapon in her hands was still poised from the motion of deflecting the temari. Since she was still indoors, she wasn't wearing her shoes—her exuiqiste legs wrapped in white stockings were firmly planted on the tatami, her stance balanced and graceful.
"!" ×2
The two demons both furrowed their brows at the same moment.
That scent...
Yahaba immediately recognized the woman's scent—it was that of the fourth person they had sensed earlier.
"Heh... trying to act all composed, aren't you?"
Susamaru sneered disdainfully at the woman before her.
"Susamaru... don't underestimate her," Yahaba warned calmly.
"Tch... yeah, yeah, I know."
Susamaru spread her hands, summoning the two temari balls back into her palms.
Pa pa!
She began bouncing them against the ground again.
Rustle...
The Shogun's eyes swept sharply over the two demons' faces. She subtly shifted her stance, adjusting her naginata's position—lowering the blade slightly as it traced a smooth half-circle clockwise. The long handle pressed naturally against her back. Her right foot slid back half a step, the stockinged toe gliding over the tatami in a graceful arc, resting neatly behind her left heel.
Click!
The blade turned to a fighting-ready angle.
The entire movement was seamless—transforming her earlier defensive posture into a perfectly poised combat stance.
"Who are you two?"
Her cold, commanding voice cut through the tension like steel.
"Hehehe... what business is it of yours, you filthy woman?"
Susamaru taunted mockingly.
"You only need to know one thing—we're here to take your heads!!"
Boom! Boom!!
With that, Susamaru hurled her temari once more toward the Shogun's position.
Whizz! Whizz!
In perfect coordination with Yahaba's Blood Demon Art, the trajectory of the balls twisted mid-air, curving unnaturally as they sped toward the Shogun's forehead like guided projectiles.
"..."
Her violet eyes narrowed slightly, more out of boredom than concern. She took a light step back, her gaze flicking effortlessly between the two incoming temari. Then—tilting her head—she easily dodged the first, and with another subtle shift, avoided the second.
Bang! ×2
Both balls ricocheted off the walls behind her, rebounding at sharp angles toward her back.
Whizz! Whizz!
Once again, she sidestepped with simple, fluid movements. But this time, the balls didn't collide with any surfaces—they twisted in midair, accelerating even faster than before!
Boom!
They broke the sound barrier with twin sonic cracks.
The Shogun timed it perfectly—her naginata flashed.
Clang!
Just like before, the first temari was struck cleanly, sent flying back with even greater force—straight toward Yahaba!
"W-What?!"
Yahaba's closed eyes flew open in alarm as he hastily raised his palm, the eye embedded there spinning wildly to redirect the ball's path.
Whizz!
It stopped mere centimeters from his nose.
But the second ball wasn't as lucky.
The Shogun didn't even bother using her weapon this time. Instead, she raised her leg, watching the approaching projectile closely—and with a smooth, spinning motion, delivered a flawless roundhouse kick.
Bang!
Her foot struck the ball dead center, sending it rocketing back like lightning—this one aimed directly at Susamaru.
One each—fair and even.
"Wha—!"
Susamaru instinctively reached out to catch it—but the sheer force sent her flying backward instead!
Boom!
"Ugh ahhh!!"
She crashed straight into Yahaba, who had barely steadied himself. The impact sent them both hurtling into the back wall with a thunderous crash.
"Whoa~!!"
Tanjiro couldn't help but shout from behind, utterly awestruck.
That was... incredible. Facing two elite demons, she looked completely unbothered. Miss Raiden... could she really be someone on the same level as the Hashira?
The Shogun remained poised, her leg still raised elegantly in midair. Her shapely leg curved beautifully before she lowered it back onto the tatami with a soft tap.
"?"
Her eyes flicked down, noticing a faint smudge of dirt marring the pristine white silk over her foot where it had met the temari. The black dust stood out starkly against the pure white.
"Phew..."
She exhaled softly, a hint of regret crossing her face. She really shouldn't have used her foot.
With a small, almost pouty motion, she bent down, brushing the dirt gently with her fingertips—but it wouldn't come off. She sighed again. It had already gathered some dust during their travels, and now it looked worse. She silently lamented her choice. She should've known better than to wear white stockings—they dirtied far too easily.
She only wore them because they matched her simple kimono perfectly. Alas.
[...Did your stockings get dirty?]
Ei's amused voice resonated gently within her.
'Mhm...'
The Shogun answered in a soft, slightly sulky tone. Straightening up, she glanced down again at her foot, then lifted her other leg to rub the toe lightly against the smudge. When that failed, she gave up.
[Pfft... serves you right for always using your feet, doesn't it?]
Ei's laughter rang softly in her mind, warm and teasing. Truly, her daughter's girlish tendencies hadn't changed at all—it reminded her of the old days back in Inazuma, when she'd always carry a little mirror around just to check her reflection.
Crash!!
With a clatter of falling bricks and debris, Susamaru emerged from the rubble, staggering to her feet in a rather sorry state.
"Ow... my back hurts."
She rubbed her lower back with a pained grimace, then suddenly noticed something odd.
"Huh? Yahaba?"
She looked around in confusion, scanning the area. Apart from the Shogun and the humans ahead, there was no sign of her partner.
"Eh? That's weird."
Dead? No way.
"You idiot!! Get up already!! Your butt's suffocating me!!"
"?"
Hearing the muffled voice beneath her, she blinked and looked down—only to see Yahaba pinned underneath her, his mouth covered by her rear as he flailed helplessly, on the verge of passing out.
"Oh, so that's where you were."
Clatter!
Susamaru got up quickly and reached out a hand to pull him up—but—
Smack!
Yahaba slapped her hand away, stumbling to his feet.
Ptui~!
He spat in disgust and glared at the Shogun. Glancing down, he noticed his forearm bent at an odd angle—dislocated.
"Tch... damn woman."
He muttered under his breath, grabbing his arm and twisting it back without hesitation.
Crack!
A sharp snap echoed as the bone realigned itself. He flexed his wrist, and the eye embedded in his palm opened once more, displaying its arrow-shaped pupil.
"Her strength is no joke," he said grimly.
"Mm~ she's way stronger than those Demon Slayer guys," Susamaru admitted, though her grin never faded. A bead of sweat trailed down her forehead as she prepared her stance, bouncing her temari in her hands.
"Still... her scent's strange. Not like the others. And that weapon... it's not a Nichirin Blade."
Yahaba's palm-eye studied the violet-haired woman from head to toe, analyzing every detail—from her form to her weapon.
"Who cares~ As long as we kill her! Maybe Lord Muzan will reward us if we take down someone this strong~ Hehehe!"
Susamaru's excitement returned full force.
"Tch... fine. I'll kill her too. She made my clothes dirty!" Yahaba hissed angrily, his expression twisting with irritation.
"..."
The Shogun, observing the two demons, felt no tension at all. In fact, she looked almost amused—as if eager to play along. Her hands itched for action.
Tap, tap...
She stepped gracefully across the ruined room toward the shattered entrance. Her shoes were still perfectly placed at the doorway, untouched and neatly aligned. Lowering her foot, she slipped her toes into the waiting shoe. The other foot followed elegantly.
As she did, faint threads of lightning flickered across her palm, scattering into the air. The energy fragmented into shimmering particles that joined together, forming a protective barrier of thunder behind her—encasing Tanjiro and the others in a large, luminous shield. The motion was smooth and precise, every gesture poised with natural elegance.
"!" ×2
Seeing her approach, both demons instinctively stepped back, raising their guards.
"She's protecting the humans behind her? Hah! How arrogant... does she really think she can handle us both alone?!"
Yahaba's voice trembled with rage. That subtle disregard infuriated him.
"To deal with the two of you... one person is enough. I could manage with one hand, even."
The Shogun stopped in place, her tone cool and sharp as lightning flared around her body. Purple sparks surged and danced along her form, enveloping her in a radiant aura.
The white stockings on her legs darkened into deep violet thigh-highs, while her simple kimono transformed into a short, battle-ready garment adorned with the pattern of gentian flowers. Her long hair tied back into a sleek braid, and her once-gentle expression hardened into that of a warrior—regal, commanding, and fierce. The glow of her violet eyes intensified, rippling waves of energy across the floor beneath her feet.
"This... what is that?!" Yahaba's voice shook, his expression frozen in shock.
That violet light from earlier—what was it? A Blood Demon Art? No, that can't be—it wasn't demonic in nature. A Breathing Technique, then? But she didn't use a breathing chant... What kind of mastery would it take to use breathing forms without even uttering a word?!
And that aura around her—it wasn't just stronger than before. It was overwhelming, oppressive—far beyond what a human should possess.
It's almost... like the aura of Lord Muzan himself, or one of the Upper Moons!
"H-Hey... Susamaru."
Yahaba wiped the cold sweat from his brow, calling out nervously to his partner.
"..."
As expected, Susamaru was trembling slightly, her usual arrogance replaced by something closer to fear.
"Maybe we should... retreat?" he muttered weakly.
"You idiot! If we run away, Lord Muzan will kill us!"
Though her voice wavered, Susamaru still forced a grin, trying to mask her terror with defiance.
"Damn it..."
"Heh... that a mere human could exude such a suffocating aura... how utterly infuriating."
Susamaru glared at the violet-haired woman, rage and dread warring within her eyes.
"Yahaba—same tactics as before."
"Got it." Yahaba's tone was tense.
"You two should come together," the Shogun said calmly, her lips curving into a faint, challenging smile. "I'll enjoy playing with you."
"!" ×2
The two demons exchanged glances—then wordlessly moved apart, taking positions on either side of her.
The Shogun turned her head slightly, glancing left and right, her expression utterly calm. Then she lifted her naginata before her, its blade gleaming under the dim light.
Within the Plane of Euthymia, Ei watched through her daughter's eyes, gaze steady and unblinking. If something unexpected occurred, she would intervene—but that seemed unlikely. These two were nowhere near her level.
In the next instant—
The Shogun's gaze snapped to the right—toward Yahaba.
As expected, he made the first move. He raised his arm, and the eye in his palm swiveled to focus on her, glowing as the arrow mark rotated, locking on target.
"...?"
She braced herself to parry an incoming attack—but instead, it came from the other side.
"Die!!"
Susamaru's arms bulged with muscle as she hurled her temari balls toward the Shogun's head with explosive force. The twin balls shot forward, spinning like bullets.
The Shogun twisted, reversing her grip on the naginata to slice through them—but—
Buzz~!
At the last second, both balls curved midair as if alive, swerving perfectly around her blade!
For an ordinary fighter, that would have been the end. There'd be no time to react.
But she was not ordinary.
In that instant, time itself seemed to slow.
Click!
The spinning balls crawled forward in slow motion as she forced her long weapon to pivot mid-swing. Ignoring inertia entirely, she reversed her strike—
Crackle!!
A flash of lightning tore through the air.
Slash! ×2
Both temari balls split cleanly in half.
"Wh—What?!" Yahaba froze in disbelief. How—how did she cut them?! He had redirected their vectors himself! How could she still strike them?! That speed—!
But before he could process it, violet light flared before his eyes.
His breath caught. Standing before him was the Shogun—her flawless face inches away, her lips curved in a faint, teasing smile.
"Spacing out in battle? That's a bad habit, little demon~."
Thud!
Before he could react, her leg lashed upward in a clean, vertical strike—her heel connecting squarely with his neck. A sickening crack echoed as his head twisted at an impossible angle.
Whoosh!
BOOM!
His body was sent flying like a cannonball, crashing through the wall.
"Y-Yahaba!!!"
Susamaru screamed, forgetting even to catch her spinning temari.
"So this is your 'tactic'? Flashy but riddled with openings. Pathetic."
The Shogun lowered her leg gracefully, resting her naginata on her shoulder as she stepped forward with casual elegance, her tone almost conversational.
"You bitch!!"
Susamaru's face twisted in fury—but she dared not charge immediately. Not until Yahaba got up. That kick... it hadn't been light.
Still, one thing was certain—she would never flee.
After all, even as a demon—she had her pride.
—
—
40 Advanced Chapters Available on Patreon:
Patreon.com/DaoOfHeaven