[Uwaa! Her gaze is so sharp... Is this the aura of a great actress?]
Just as Zenitsu was starting to feel overwhelmed by this gaze, he saw Ume in the crowd tilt her head slightly and suddenly smile at him.
[Ehehe, she smiled at me, she's so beautiful after all...]
Her smile was incredibly beautiful, instantly captivating Zenitsu.
Immediately after, the middle-aged uncle came running back through the crowd and said to Zenitsu with a smile:
"Kid, Ms. Ume said she does know something about Suma. She told you to wait here for a while, and she'll tell you privately later."
"And it's even private... ehehe, no problem, I'll wait as long as it takes..."
His mind starting to wander again involuntarily, Zenitsu nodded with a silly grin, then obediently found a spot nearby and sat down quietly.
And so, while Zenitsu was living a happy, beautiful life with Ume in his imagination, the staff members of this crew were leaving one by one.
As these heartbeats decreased one by one, that powerful heartbeat which had been hidden among the crowd became increasingly obvious.
"I'm heading off too then. See you tomorrow, Ms. Ume."
"See you tomorrow."
With this final farewell, under the silent night, only the most powerful and terrifying heartbeat remained—a heartbeat that no human could possibly produce.
Thump thump! Thump thump! Thump thump!
This sound was like drumbeats pounding, striking Zenitsu's eardrums repeatedly, finally dragging him out of his fantasies.
[Strange, when did... this heartbeat?!]
Finally coming to his senses, Zenitsu looked up abruptly, only to see that Ume was somehow already standing right in front of him.
In the darkness, Ume in her heavy kimono stood there with her head lowered, her dark golden eyes smiling yet quietly staring at him.
The drum-like heartbeat Zenitsu heard was coming from her!
[I-it's her... It's her!]
[This isn't a heartbeat a human could produce!]
[The demon hiding in the movie studio was actually this famous actress?!]
Cold sweat slid silently from his forehead, his cheek muscles completely frozen. Dominated by fear, Zenitsu could only stare blankly up at Ume standing before him.
Sensing the terrifying demonic aura from Ume, at this moment Zenitsu couldn't even speak a single word, and had even forgotten how to run!
[So strong! Her presence is much stronger than those Lower Rank demons! She must be an Upper Rank too!]
[The one hiding in this movie studio was actually an Upper Rank demon?!]
[It must be her who captured the Sound Hashira's wives!]
[I'm done for! I'm going to die! She definitely knows my identity already! She's going to kill me any moment now!]
"Ugly thing, are you afraid of me?"
Just as Zenitsu was in the depths of despair, Ume before him suddenly spoke.
Although she was smiling, there was no warmth in that smile whatsoever.
"I-I..."
"Hurry up and leave. How long are you planning to sit here?"
"L-leave? Go where..."
Completely ignoring Zenitsu's confusion, Ume simply turned around and walked straight out of the building.
And under the control of fear, although puzzled, Zenitsu still subconsciously stood up and followed behind her.
Ume's steps were elegant and rhythmic, as if she had received specialized training, very much like those refined young ladies from ancient times.
"Ugly thing, you said earlier that Suma is your aunt?"
"Yes..."
Completely unsure what Ume was trying to do, Zenitsu just followed behind her, answering subconsciously.
"Then that means you should have more than one aunt, right?"
[It really is her!]
Ume's words made Zenitsu completely certain that it was this demon before him who had captured Uzui Tengen's three wives.
"Heh, just as I thought..."
Getting the answer she wanted from Zenitsu's silence, Ume chuckled lightly.
"Then I suppose it wouldn't just be you alone looking for these aunts of yours?
Tell me, where are your other companions right now?"
Zenitsu remained silent, not responding.
[I have to escape! Must escape!]
[I definitely can't beat her alone! I have to hurry and regroup with Tanjiro and Uzui Tengen!]
[If I use Breathing techniques, maybe I can get away!]
Gradually calming down and making his decision, Zenitsu glanced up at Ume still walking slowly ahead of him, then turned and ran without hesitation!
Thunder Breathing · First Form · Thunderclap and Flash!
Electric light coiled around his entire body, Zenitsu's foot stepped forward fiercely, and his figure immediately shot out like lightning!
"Hahahaha!"
Instantly bursting several dozen meters away, feeling the pain of the night wind scraping across his cheeks, Zenitsu couldn't help but laugh out loud:
"How about that, demon! Didn't expect me to be a Thunder Breathing swordsman, did you! Our Thunder Breathing is the fastest!
I'm going to get reinforcements now! You just wash your neck and wait here! See you later!"
While shouting his provocation, Zenitsu didn't forget to turn back, wanting to enjoy the sight of the demon behind him fuming with rage.
But what confused him was that Ume didn't make such an expression.
She still stood in place, only turning around, using that habitual slight head-tilt, coldly watching him.
[Strange, why isn't she chasing me?]
Just as Zenitsu was puzzled, he suddenly noticed that the stone bricks on the ground behind him were bulging up layer by layer toward his direction!
No! The bricks weren't bulging on their own!
Something was moving rapidly underground, pushing all these bricks up!
[Damn it! So fast! What the hell is under there...]
BOOM!
In just a few breaths' time, whatever was hiding under the stone bricks caught up to Zenitsu moving at extreme speed!
Accompanied by an explosive thunder-like sound, it suddenly burst out from underground, precisely wrapping around one of Zenitsu's ankles!
Only at this moment did Zenitsu finally see clearly what this thing was.
[This is... a silk ribbon?]
It was an exquisitely crafted silk ribbon.
[Is this the demon's Blood Demon Art?]
"Uwaaah—"
BOOM!
In the next instant, accompanied by a heart-wrenching scream, the ribbon swung hard and flung Zenitsu's entire body into the air, sending him crashing along a parabolic arc into a building dozens of meters away!