The moment Asuka stepped into the mountain, an oppressive spiritual pressure, dense enough to chill the bones, descended over his head.
The demon inside was no ordinary foe. Judging from the aura alone, it was no weaker than Lower Rank Two.
A flicker of hesitation crossed his mind. Should he go deeper?
"How far does this investigation go? A sighting? A sketch? Or do I have to cross blades?"
Tch... I should have asked that crow more clearly.
Just as the thought formed, a sudden cry—tinged with panic and near tears—rang out from the dense forest ahead.
His pupils shrank. The rhythm of Wind Breathing accelerated sharply in his chest.
By the time he moved like a phantom and concealed himself behind a massive tree, the frantic figure had already come into view.
A slender silhouette plunged headlong into the bushes in front of him, trembling violently.
Her crimson kimono was torn in several places, revealing skin unnaturally pale. Most of her face was hidden beneath messy white hair, leaving her looking utterly disheveled.
When she lifted her head, Asuka did not need further confirmation. His blade was already drawn.
The sharp horns protruding from her head and the blood-red eyes said enough. A Demon.
What surprised him, however, was her speed.
His blade grazed her cheek but failed to sever her head.
A closer look—
"Lower Rank Four... another of the Twelve Kizuki."
He understood immediately. No more words were needed. He gave his sword a sharp shake, gathering Wind Breathing once more.
"Slash!"
—Whoosh!
The invisible blade, wrapped in a gale that tore through the air, reached Mukago in the blink of an eye.
"One after another! Everyone keeps bullying Mukago!"
Though timid and fearful by nature, Mukago was still one of the Lower Ranks. Her strength was far from weak.
Fury surged in her blood-red eyes as she let out a sharp, piercing scream at the oncoming Asuka.
"Get away! Don't come any closer!!"
Shwaa—!!
With a fierce swing of her slender arm, the ground began to writhe violently.
Several thick vines, covered in sharp wooden spikes and dark brown bark, burst from the soil and lashed viciously toward Asuka's legs.
Asuka had intended to strike her directly with First Form, but the moment he saw the vine-whips coated in viscous sap, his blade trajectory shifted. He spun the sword and cleaved downward instead.
Slash!
The vines were severed instantly. Ink-green liquid sprayed from the cuts, splattering onto nearby plants. A sizzling corrosion followed immediately, burning smoking black pits into the ground.
Poison. Asuka's gaze sharpened.
But it wasn't over. More vines continued attacking from every angle. Even as he cut them down, Mukago summoned new ones just as quickly. The assault was relentless.
This dense forest had become her natural battlefield.
"Heh heh, well? Afraid of my deadly poison now?"
Watching Asuka dodge under her barrage, his haori already scorched with holes, Mukago couldn't help but laugh.
This is fun!
As long as he's not a Hashira, there's nothing to fear!
"Blood Demon Art: Caged Bird!"
The earth trembled again. More thick thorned roots burst forth.
While Asuka tangled with the vines, the thorns grew and intertwined rapidly. Within moments, a writhing cage of brambles, dripping purple-black poison, took shape around him.
They glimmered with a lethal sheen, tightening steadily, crushing his space.
A smile curled on Mukago's lips, victory seeming within reach.
"...Fourth Form: Rising Dust Storm!"
A violent surge of emerald wind blades erupted within the cage.
Centered on Asuka, the blades spiraled upward in a high-speed storm, whipping the air into a raging green tempest.
Shhk—shhk—!
Under the relentless cutting force, the brambles shattered in waves. The deadly cage was utterly destroyed.
Through the fading storm, Mukago locked eyes with the swordsman for the first time.
The cold, unrestrained killing intent in his gaze sent a shiver through her.
"Damn it! Trap him!"
Panic crept in. She retreated rapidly, hands waving as more vines were yanked from the soil in desperate attempts to ensnare his feet.
But her panic weakened her control. Under the arcs of Asuka's Asauchi slicing through the night, the obstacles were cleared one by one.
His target was clear—the neck of Lower Rank Four.
No! I can't die here! I haven't lived enough!
Asuka hadn't even swung yet, and this cowardly Demon was already seeing her life flash before her eyes.
"Damn it! Damn it! Why won't you just die obediently?!"
Driven into a frenzy, Mukago bit down hard on her own wrist.
Blood gushed forth and seeped into the soil. The dead branches and fallen leaves seemed to gain strength, twisting into more grotesque shapes.
With a clench of her fingers, rows of wooden walls rose from the earth—hard enough now to block Asuka's slashes.
"You're just as annoying as that Rui! Go die!"
Bang! Bang! Bang!
As Asuka shattered the wooden walls and continued advancing, several small plants hidden within their shadows finally seized their chance and shot out like arrows.
Thwip!
Though his reaction was swift, a small branch tipped with poison still grazed his forearm.
He exhaled sharply.
Mukago grinned, baring her fangs.
"Heh... heh..."
Though she panted heavily, her panic faded. The arrogance and disdain of a Demon Moon returned to her lips.
"You nearly scared me to death... filthy human! Now just wait and be poisoned obediently—what are you doing?!"
Her pupils shrank in disbelief.
This lunatic! The moment he was wounded, he carved away the flesh of his own forearm!
Was he insane?
But why wasn't he bleeding?
"...Hold it down, Nugata!"
At some point, the sword in Asuka's hand had shifted into its serrated greatblade form.
He planted the massive blade into the ground. A deep gouge had been carved from his forearm, exposing pulsing veins and tendons.
Nugata's gray-black spiritual energy clung to the wound, gnawing at the darkening flesh while miraculously staunching the bleeding, like a grotesque black bandage wrapped around his arm.
He didn't know how potent Lower Rank Four's poison was. He refused to gamble.
The decision had been made the instant he was cut.
It hurt—but compared to the risk of losing a limb or his life, there was no hesitation.
"You... you madman! I don't want to fight you anymore, just get lost!!"
She shrieked hoarsely, raising her hands again. Dense dark green light gathered at her fingertips.
Clearly, she was preparing something stronger, more lethal—whether to kill this dangerous prey or to ensure her own escape.
Enduring the piercing pain in his arm, Asuka's gaze became bone-chillingly cold. He locked eyes with Mukago and spoke of his own accord:
"When a demon gets hurt, does it feel pain?"
"My apologies, but I show no mercy to demons."