As soon as he entered the mountain, that dense, chilling Reiatsu hung over Taka's head.
'The demon inside was definitely not simple. From the feeling of it, it was no weaker than that Lower Rank Two.'
Thinking this, Taka hesitated whether to venture further in.
'How far does an investigation need to go? Witnessing? Sketching? Or actually engaging them?'
'Tch... I should have asked that crow clearly.'
Just as he was thinking, Taka's attention was drawn by an abrupt, tearful cry from the dense forest ahead.
His pupils contracted slightly. The rhythm of Wind Breathing in his chest accelerated instantly.
After he silently took cover behind a large tree like a phantom, the flustered figure appeared before him.
A slender figure plunged headfirst into the bushes ahead of him, trembling violently.
Her crimson kimono was torn in many places, revealing unnaturally pale skin. Most of her face was covered by disheveled pure white short hair, making her look utterly miserable.
When she looked up, Taka needed no further confirmation… he had already drawn his sword.
The pair of sharp horns on her head, the blood-red eyes… no need to ask. She was definitely a demon!
However, what surprised Taka was that this one's reaction was incredibly fast.
His blade had merely grazed her cheek, failing to decapitate her....
Looking closer-
'Lower Four... another Kizuki...'
Understanding dawned. He wasted no words, shook his blade, and once again gathered Wind Breathing.
Whirlwind Cutter!!
—Whoosh!
The colorless blade, wrapped in a wind that tore through the air, reached Mukago in the blink of an eye.
"Everyone! Everyone is bullying Mukago!"
Although timid and fearful, Mukago was, after all, a Lower Moon Kizuki, and not weak.
Her blood-red pupils churned with anger as she glared at the rapidly approaching Taka and let out a short, piercing shriek!
"Get away! Don't come near me!!"
Shrrrk—!!
With her slender arm suddenly thrust forward, the ground began to writhe violently!
Several thick, dark brown vines, covered in sharp wooden thorns, burst from the earth and viciously coiled towards Taka's legs!
Taka's First Form, originally aimed directly at Mukago, abruptly changed trajectory upon seeing those vine whips coated with viscous sap!
He spun his blade and slashed downward!
Shing!
The vines snapped cleanly. The dark green sap that sprayed from them dripped onto the plants on the ground, immediately emitting a hissing corrosive sound, burning blackened pits that smoked!
'Definitely poison!' Taka's gaze sharpened.
But it wasn't over. The vines Mukago summoned continued to attack Taka from every angle. Even as he cut some down, Mukago could rapidly concentrate new ones. The assault was relentless!
This dense forest had become her natural advantageous battlefield!
"Hmph, hmph! How about that! Scared of my potent poison now, are you?!"
Mukago watched smugly as Taka continuously dodged her vine whip attacks, even burning holes in his haori. She couldn't help but chuckle.
'How delightful, how delightful!'
'As long as it wasn't a Hashira, nothing to fear if it wasn't a Hashira!'
"Blood Demon Art: Caged Bird!"
The ground trembled again. Even more thorny, thick roots burst forth!
While Taka was entangled with the vines, these thorns rapidly grew and wound around, in mere moments constructing a writhing, constricting cage dripping with purple-black venom!
They gleamed with deadly light, continuously shrinking, continuously compressing Taka's space to maneuver.
A smile curled on Mukago's lips, as if victory was within easy reach.
"....Fourth Form: Rising Sandstorm!"
Violent emerald green wind blades erupted suddenly within the cage!
Centered on Taka, high-speed rotating, cutting wind blades spiraled upward with the sword wind, raising a violent green storm from the ground!
Crkk—!
Under the high-speed wind blade cuts, large sections of thorns snapped and broke. The death-trap cage from moments ago was utterly shattered!
Through the gaps in the storm, Mukago met the eyes of this swordsman for the first time.
That cold, utterly unrestrained killing intent made her shudder directly.
"Damn it! Trap him!"
Mukago panicked. While rapidly retreating, she waved her hands, continuously pulling one vine after another from the earth, trying to entangle Taka's steps.
But once she panicked, the vines seemed powerless. They let the Asauchi in Taka's hand trace one deadly arc after another under the night sky, clearing all obstacles in his path.
The target was clear: the neck of Lower Rank Four.
'No! I can't die here! I haven't lived enough yet!'
Before Taka's blade even reached her, this timid Kizuki was already seeing her life flash before her eyes in her mind.
"Damn it! Damn it! Why can't you just die nicely!!"
Mukago grew desperate, a ferocious glint appearing in her eyes. She directly bit down on her own wrist!
Blood gushed out and merged with the ground. The withered leaves and branches seemed strengthened, becoming more ferocious.
She curled her fingers, and rows of hastily constructed wooden walls erupted from the earth, their hardness even capable of blocking Taka's slashes!
"You're as annoying as that Rui! Die!"
Bam bam bam!!
As Taka shattered the wooden walls and continued approaching Mukago, several small plants hidden in the shadows of the walls finally found their opportunity, shooting out like arrows!
Thwip—!
Although Taka's reaction was extremely fast, a small thorny branch still scraped his forearm.
Seeing this, Mukago grinned, revealing her demonic fangs.
"Hah... hah...." She gasped heavily, but her mood was no longer as panicked as before.
That smugness and contempt belonging to a Kizuki crept back onto her lips.
"Scared me to death... Damn human! Just wait to be poisoned… What are you doing!!"
Her blood-red pupils contracted to pinpricks as she stared incredulously at the human swordsman opposite.
'This madman! The moment he was injured, he immediately sliced off the muscle from his own forearm!!'
'Was he trying to die??'
'But... why wasn't he bleeding?'
"....Hold it down for me, Tonan!"
At some point, the long sword in Taka's hand had quietly transformed into that serrated greatsword form.
He planted the greatsword on the ground. His forearm now had a deep gouge where he had cut away flesh, even revealing the blood vessels and tendons within, still pulsating.
Tonan's grey-black Reiryoku attached itself to the wound, gnawing at the slightly blackened flesh at the edges, while also miraculously staunching the blood flow, like a strange black bandage wrapped around his forearm.
Taka wasn't sure how potent Lower Rank Four's poison was. He didn't want to gamble, so he made this decision the moment he was injured.
Though painful, compared to the risk of possible amputation or even death, Taka would not hesitate.
"You... you madman! I don't want to fight you anymore! Get away!!"
She shrieked hoarsely, raising her hands again. A dense dark green light once more flickered at her fingertips.
Clearly, she was gathering even more powerful, more lethal force. Even if not to completely eradicate this dangerous prey, she was preparing for her own escape.
Enduring the excruciating pain in his forearm, Taka's gaze turned ice-cold.
He locked his eyes fixedly on Mukago's and initiated conversation:
"When a demon is injured, does it hurt?"
"Sorry, but I don't go easy on demons."