Pairing

Prolonged exposure to uv lights is naturally harmful to the human body, so Chen Nuo set up this UV lighting system primarily to serve as a trap.

On normal nights, fluorescent lamps are used for illumination instead.

The relevant precautions definitely had to be told to Ubuyashiki Kagaya in advance to avoid causing unnecessary harm to the members of the Demon Slayer Corps.

Shinobu Kocho led Chen Nuo to a suitable sparring ground and brought two unsharpened iron swords, handing one of them to him.

The only onlookers were the twin sisters, Hinaki and Kanao.

Shinobu Kocho was very considerate of Chen Nuo's pride as a man, avoiding a situation where he might make a fool of himself in front of others.

After all, he was a friend of the Master and a guest of the Demon Slayer Corps; she still had to save some face for Chen Nuo.

Shinobu Kocho felt that she had grown up quite a bit, as she was starting to consider such matters.

“Onii-chan, be careful. Miss Hashira is very strong,”

Hinaki Ubuyashiki's way of addressing Chen Nuo became increasingly natural and smooth as she whispered a reminder to him.

Why wasn't such a considerate little sweetheart his own?

“Mm-hmm, if you can't win, you must not push yourself too hard. What if you get hurt?”

Kanao Ubuyashiki added from the side.

It seemed this little sweetheart was a bit leaky; she already thought Chen Nuo was certain to lose before the fight even started.

Chen Nuo pressed down on Kanao's head and rubbed it, making her originally neat and pretty hairstyle a bit messy. Kanao pouted slightly to show her dissatisfaction.

“Are you ready, Mr. Sakuragi?”

Shinobu Kocho asked as she watched Chen Nuo walk toward her.

Although she felt certain of victory in her heart, her attitude remained very respectful.

“Ladies first.”

Chen Nuo raised his hand, making a polite invitation.

He wasn't quite sure how much higher his current strength was compared to Shinobu Kocho's, so it was better to see her performance first to avoid being too heavy-handed later.

“In that case, I won't be formal.”

Shinobu Kocho did not hesitate further and slowly unsheathed the iron sword.

This sword wasn't specifically custom-made for her, so it felt a bit awkward to use and was somewhat heavy, but at this moment, Shinobu Kocho didn't think it would be a hindrance.

“Insect Breathing, Butterfly Dance: Caprice.”

Shinobu Kocho took a deep breath, her blood circulating as she absorbed a large amount of oxygen in a short time. Her physical functions were rapidly enhanced; her footsteps lightly tapped the ground, and her figure turned into a dancing butterfly.

Insect Breathing was derived from Flower Breathing.

It was a Breathing Style that Shinobu Kocho created based on her own physical condition.

Unlike other Breathing Styles, it didn't focus on decapitation abilities but rather emphasized thrusting.

Aside from improving speed and agility, there wasn't much else worth mentioning.

After all, in terms of speed, Thunder Breathing was more explosive than Insect Breathing; in terms of agility, Water Breathing was certainly more fluid and versatile. But Insect Breathing was the most suitable for Shinobu Kocho.

Only Shinobu Kocho could push Insect Breathing to its limit.

Across a distance of less than ten meters, Shinobu Kocho drifted forward. The edge of the iron sword was hidden within her fluttering haori, making it difficult to detect, even being overlooked inadvertently.

And precisely at this moment, it was the most dangerous and lethal.

Especially for demons, their immortal bodies made them subconsciously ignore many attacks and injuries.

Shinobu Kocho swung her sword in a thrust, aiming for Chen Nuo's arm. It was very fast and subtle, but the force was actually not heavy.

On one hand, she was worried about hurting Chen Nuo.

On the other hand, it was because she didn't have much physical strength herself.

However, a strike she thought was certain to hit was lightly parried by Chen Nuo's rotating scabbard at the very moment it was about to succeed.

What seemed like a casual rotation actually contained terrifying power.

As the person involved, Shinobu Kocho felt it particularly deeply; she almost failed to hold onto the iron sword, nearly letting it fly out of her hand.

Even though she barely managed to grip it in the end, the bursts of stinging pain from her wrist made her heart tremble.

What incredible strength!!

With just that one move, Shinobu Kocho's wrist was slightly sprained.

Moreover, this reaction speed was equally astonishing.

It seemed her thrust hadn't put any pressure on Chen Nuo at all.

She had originally thought Rengoku Kyojuro was exaggerating a bit, but now it seemed he had actually been conservative.

How could the world produce such freaks, and why wasn't she one of them?

Thinking about how she struggled even to cut off the head of an ordinary demon, Shinobu Kocho felt a bit of an imbalance in her heart.

If she had this kind of strength, perhaps she could have gone to find that demon to avenge her sister.

“Miss Kocho, are you distracted?”

Chen Nuo's question made Shinobu Kocho immediately focus her mind.

Now was not the time to think about such things; the match had only just begun.

“Insect Breathing, Dance of the Dragonfly: Compound Eye Hexagon.”

Shinobu Kocho let out a light hum and entered the 'Total Concentration: Constant' state. Only in this way could she maintain the enhancement of all bodily functions; mastering this skill was the minimum threshold for becoming a 'Hashira'.

Almost instantly, six thrusts blanketed Chen Nuo, virtually sealing off his path of retreat.

Recognizing Chen Nuo's strength, Shinobu Kocho was now playing for real.

She was originally a competitive girl. Even though she wore her sister's smile, her core personality hadn't changed much; she was just better at disguising it.

In any case, she couldn't lose to Chen Nuo, who had only studied Breathing Styles for three days. If that really happened, Shinobu Kocho would feel despair regarding her revenge.

Chen Nuo's gaze became slightly more serious. The world in his eyes seemed as if it had been put into slow motion, allowing him to clearly capture the trajectory of every one of Shinobu Kocho's strikes.

Shinobu Kocho, who could independently create Insect Breathing, was naturally a genius, but being a genius was just the entry requirement for becoming a Hashira.

Her strength was undoubtedly at the bottom among all the Hashira.

However, because of her technique for refining Wisteria Toxin, Shinobu Kocho possessed killing power not inferior to other Hashira when facing demons.

But when the opponent was a human, the Insect Breathing specifically designed for poison-killing demons fell somewhat short.

Chen Nuo didn't retreat but advanced. Taking a step forward, he directly slipped into Shinobu Kocho's web of blades, avoiding all the edges. Simultaneously, he crashed directly into her embrace, and his sword hilt was lightly pushed forward, pressing against her chest.

This hit was indeed a bit heavy.

A muffled groan was heard as Shinobu Kocho stumbled back several steps, barely supporting herself to keep from falling.

“Cough, cough...”

Shinobu Kocho coughed forcefully, her face somewhat pale.

Breathing Styles were essentially based on pushing the body to its limits. If they were forcibly terminated or interrupted, the backlash was much more painful than just a stitch in the side.

However, despite her poor complexion, Shinobu Kocho still stubbornly held up her sword and faced Chen Nuo directly, looking as though she didn't intend to end it yet.

“Do you want to continue?”

Chen Nuo looked at Shinobu Kocho with admiration. Her will was quite impressive; after all, she was a ruthless person who could inject Wisteria Toxin into her own body.

It seemed that everyone who could become a Hashira was quite ruthless toward themselves.

“Of course, I haven't fallen yet.”

Shinobu Kocho bit her lip hard, calming her somewhat chaotic breathing rhythm, and re-entered the 'Total Concentration: Constant' state.

“Insect Breathing, Dance of the Centipede: Hundred-Legged Zigzag.”

This was the final move of Insect Breathing. Shinobu Kocho had only developed four breathing forms in total.

A loud “thump” rang out.

That was the sound of Shinobu Kocho's heavy footstep.

By stomping violently on the ground, she achieved ultra-high-speed movement that made it difficult for the opponent to track her figure.

The footwork was unpredictable, curving and rolling in all directions like a surging centipede.

Is she treating me like a demon to be slain?

Looking at the aggressive Shinobu Kocho, Chen Nuo was somewhat speechless. They had agreed it was just a match, so why was she taking it so seriously?

Chen Nuo lifted his eyelids slightly, his gaze moving upward, and met Shinobu Kocho's eyes exactly.

This caused Shinobu Kocho, who was about to strike, to immediately halt her movement.

Was her attack trajectory seen through just like that?

What kind of freak is this!

When Shinobu Kocho successfully created this final move, she had practiced it with more than one Hashira. None of them could immediately adapt to her speed and trajectory.

Yet Chen Nuo could discern it so easily, which truly discouraged Shinobu Kocho a bit.

I can be even faster!!

Shinobu Kocho cried out in her heart, and her movement speed suddenly rose to another level.

The two little ones on the side, even with their eyes wide and hands over their mouths not daring to make a sound, had blurry figures reflected in their bright, clear pupils, looking like a connected centipede.

The blade edges turned into legs, as if they were about to strangle Chen Nuo on the spot.

“Phew~”

Chen Nuo lightly exhaled a breath of turbid air and assumed a familiar stance.

This stance?

Shinobu Kocho was startled. Before she could confirm, she heard Chen Nuo's voice.

“Insect Breathing, Butterfly Dance: Caprice.”

Chen Nuo used Insect Breathing, acting like a butterfly fluttering its wings amidst the layers of leg shadows from the centipede, as if he would soar into the air and escape in the next second.

Before she could process the shock in her heart, Shinobu Kocho subconsciously unleashed her long-accumulated, most fierce attack.

However, the thrust passed through Chen Nuo's afterimage, barely grazing his sleeve.

Before Shinobu Kocho had a chance to pull her hand back, Chen Nuo grabbed her wrist first. With a slight lift, Shinobu Kocho was picked up like a little girl.

Even before using a Breathing Style, Chen Nuo's physical attributes in all areas already crushed Shinobu Kocho. Now that he had used one, the gap was simply like night and day.

Even though it was a move Chen Nuo had just learned from Shinobu Kocho's form, and his proficiency was somewhat questionable.

All Breathing Styles evolved from Sun Breathing. Even two Breathing Styles with opposing concepts like Water Breathing and Flame Breathing could find commonalities within it.

With Chen Nuo's current learning ability, having already mastered Flame Breathing, it wasn't difficult to replicate such a move from Shinobu Kocho.

Looking at Shinobu Kocho close at hand, seeing her stubborn and unyielding expression, Chen Nuo sighed lightly in his heart.

“Your Insect Breathing is good and suits you well, but it's not yet perfect. I can help you over the next few days; consider it my tuition fee.”

“...Thank you.”

If it were anything else, Shinobu Kocho definitely wouldn't accept, but since it concerned improving her own strength, it was different.

“I admit defeat. Can you let go of me now, Mr. Sakuragi?”

Shinobu Kocho said in an unfriendly tone. Being held up by Chen Nuo like this, combined with the height difference, made her feel like a child who hadn't grown up, which was a bit shameful and embarrassing.

“Of course.”

Chen Nuo released his hand, looking down with a smiling face.

This made Shinobu Kocho feel even more displeased, but she could only endure it and maintain a stiff smile.

Losing in this manner was as humiliating as it could possibly be.

Yet she still had to thank the other person.

How vexing!

Shinobu Kocho's originally deadened soul seemed to regain a few sparks of her youth.

“Onii-chan is so amazing!”

“Amazing, amazing!”

Hinaki and Kanao couldn't help but marvel, their gazes toward Chen Nuo becoming increasingly full of admiration.

“Stay calm, stay calm. Miss Kocho and I were just doing ordinary practice. If she had really been serious, she would have lost long ago.”

“Wow~”

“Wow~”

Two little fangirls acquired!!

The turn in Chen Nuo's words almost made Shinobu Kocho trip.

Even if that was a possible fact, there was no need to say it in front of Ubuyashiki Kagaya's two daughters.

Are you using me as a stepping stone for your glorious image?

Does my reputation as the Insect Hashira not matter at all?

Shinobu Kocho took several deep breaths to barely stabilize the fake, gentle smile on her face, but from the veins bulging on the back of her hand, it wasn't hard to see how much she wanted to slash Chen Nuo right now.

However, Chen Nuo had just harvested enough admiration and worship in front of Hinaki and Kanao when retribution came in the blink of an eye.

Ubuyashiki Kagaya actually arranged for Shinobu Kocho to host him, letting him move into the Butterfly Mansion.

Although it was to help improve the Wisteria Toxin refining technology and staying in the Butterfly Mansion would be more convenient, Chen Nuo had, after all, just stepped on Shinobu Kocho's toes.

“Miss Kocho, you shouldn't be a petty person, right?”

Chen Nuo followed behind Shinobu Kocho and asked in a low voice.

Shinobu Kocho stopped her footsteps slightly and turned back to look at Chen Nuo.

At this moment, the smile on her face was much more sincere, but it wasn't gentle at all as she replied with squinted eyes.

“Of course... I am. Haven't you heard the old saying? 'The most poisonous thing is a woman's heart.'”

“I'm here to help you.”

Chen Nuo tried to struggle a bit, and Shinobu Kocho nodded upon hearing this.

“So I definitely won't throw spiders and centipedes into your bed, and I certainly won't drug your food.”

“You definitely thought about it since you said it out loud.”

“Mr. Sakuragi, can't I even think about it?”

Shinobu Kocho tilted her head slightly and asked back, leaving Chen Nuo with nothing to say.

The Butterfly Mansion was not far away; it was a place specifically for providing treatment and rehabilitation for injured members.

Shinobu Kocho had taken over from her sister, who died in battle two years ago, and became the mistress of the Butterfly Mansion. Her medical skills were naturally quite superb, though most people's impression of her remained on her poison skills.

It was already late, and most of the medical staff in the Butterfly Mansion were resting in their own rooms.

Shinobu Kocho received Chen Nuo alone and arranged a detached house for him to stay in. It was surrounded by blooming flower beds, and even now, one could smell the refreshing fragrance of flowers.

“Goodnight, Mr. Sakuragi. I will come to call you tomorrow morning.”

Shinobu Kocho watched Chen Nuo enter the room and said goodbye while standing under the eaves.

“Okay, see you tomorrow morning.”

Chen Nuo waved his hand and bid her farewell... The next day, before dawn, Shinobu Kocho woke Chen Nuo from his slumber by knocking.

“Wait, it's not even light out yet!”

Chen Nuo looked at the pitch-black sky outside, then at Shinobu Kocho with a smile on her face, and knew that this person was doing it on purpose.