The crisp sound of a Nichirin Blade being unsheathed immediately drew the attention of the large-mouthed Demon feasting on a swordsman, as well as the barely alive swordsman himself.
"Save... save me..."
The young swordsman trembled, stretching a shaking hand toward Shinobu Kocho.
Meanwhile, a gleam flashed in the Demon narrow yellow eyes.
With a disgusting plop, it spat out the half-dead young swordsman and turned its millstone-sized mouth toward Shinobu, emitting a greedy growl.
"Good! Such a young girl! Your flesh must be even more delicious!!"
Its mouth was filled with uneven, densely packed teeth, all smeared with fragments of bone and flesh.
A thick, metallic stench of blood assaulted the senses.
Yet the most horrifying sight was the young swordsman it had just spat out.
His lower body was a mangled mess of flesh and blood, his legs completely gone—an extremely gruesome and terrifying scene.
A single bead of cold sweat formed on Shinobu forehead.
It would be a lie to say she wasn't nervous or afraid.
Her hands gripped the blade so tightly they turned white. Her Nichirin Blade had been specially modified by her master before she set out.
Shinobu Nichirin Blade was shorter than a standard one, its blade ground much thinner.
This significantly reduced its weight while making it sharper and more agile.
But this came with a drawback—the overly thin blade was also far more prone to breaking.
"Slurp... Little girl, don't resist. I'll enjoy your flesh properly, hehehe." The large-mouthed Demon let out a spine-chilling laugh.
Then, its stubby limbs unleashed strength wildly disproportionate to its size, propelling its massive, grotesque body toward Shinobu at terrifying speed.
'Aim for the neck! Focus everything into one strike!' Shinobu closed her eyes briefly, silently reciting her master teachings.
The moment the Demon lunged at her, her violet eyes snapped open flashing with unwavering resolve.
Her front foot stepped forward—whoosh!—and in the next instant, Shinobu slender frame shot forth like an arrow loosed from a bow, streaking straight for the Demon neck.
Swish!
Just as they were about to collide, Shinobu body twisted in a graceful, agile flip, evading the stench-filled maw.
She landed smoothly atop the Demon head.
Raising her Nichirin Blade, her violet eyes gleamed brilliantly under the moonlight.
Slash!
Before the Demon could react, Shinobu swung her blade downward, using the momentum of her fall to drive the razor-sharp edge cleanly through the thick neck.
"AGHHH!!"
The Demon deafening howl of pain filled the air.
But Shinobu wasn't done.
Though her arms lacked the strength to fully sever a Demon's neck in one slash, she leveraged her strengths—nimbleness and precision.
With rapid, piercing strikes from her lightweight blade, she effortlessly punctured the Demon neck.
Then, using her body weight, she concentrated all her force onto the blade, letting gravity assist in cleaving through the Demon neck.
Squelch!!
Demon blood sprayed as half the neck split apart, sending the creature into a frenzy of agonized roars.
Shinobu rolled away gracefully, landing firmly on her feet.
She raised her Nichirin Blade once more, aiming it squarely at the Demon.
Perhaps because it had just fed on human flesh, the Demon regenerative abilities were significantly enhanced. The severed half of its neck was visibly knitting itself back together.
Enraged, it snarled "You brat! I'll chew you alive!!"
Shinobu expression was grave.
This demon neck was too thick. If it were an ordinary demon, that last strike should have severed its neck. But this one before her was different.
Unless her Nichirin Blade could cut all the way through its neck, it would be extremely difficult to decapitate it.
'Father, Mother, protect me. Sister, wait for me!'
Shinobu silently recited the names of her loved ones, using them as encouragement for herself.
Then, gripping her Nichirin Blade tightly, she faced the large-mouthed demon charging at her once more.
Though she lacked the strength to perform the elegant and dazzling Flower Breathing techniques, Shinobu speed was not much inferior to Kanae, who practiced Flower Breathing.
If Kanae in battle resembled a beautiful, graceful flower, then Shinobu was like a butterfly nimbly dancing among the blossoms.
Her sharp Nichirin Blade pierced the demon neck again and again, yet she couldn't fully sever it.
Gradually, Shinobu stamina began to wane, her movements slowing considerably. She nearly got bitten by the large-mouthed demon gaping jaws.
Noticing this, the demon cackled wildly "Little brat! Running out of steam, aren't you? Hahaha, stop struggling! Just let me eat you!"
As soon as the words left its mouth, its millstone-sized jaws stretched to their limit and snapped toward Shinobu.
With all her remaining strength, Shinobu leaped back, barely dodging the attack.
She landed somewhat unsteadily, her forehead now covered in fine beads of sweat, her hands trembling slightly as they gripped the sword.
Yet her expression showed no trace of panic—instead, there was even a faint smile.
"You brat! How dare you still smile? I'll make you watch yourself get chewed to pieces while you cry!" the demon snarled.
"Ugly freak! Your brain must be smaller than a walnut. Haven't you realized it yet?" Shinobu couldn't resist taunting.
"WHAT!?"
The demon froze, then suddenly noticed a sluggish sensation spreading through its body. Its boundless strength seemed to deflate like a punctured balloon.
"What did you do to me!?"
The demon couldn't see its own neck.
If it could, it would have been horrified to find thick purple tendrils coiling around it.
Wisteria!
Ever since learning from her master that demons loathed and even feared wisteria, Shinobu had kept it in mind.
Because her strength wasn't enough to sever a demon neck, she wouldn't overlook any method that could kill them.
After discovering wisteria effects, Shinobu used the pharmaceutical skills she'd learned from her father to create a concentrated wisteria poison, which she coated her Nichirin Blade with.
This ugly demon was the first to experience its potency.
Seeing the demon body contort from the excessive wisteria poisoning, Shinobu didn't waste the opportunity.
"Go to hell, you ugly freak!"
Her slender frame leaped up like a butterfly, the gleaming Nichirin Blade flashing as it sliced swiftly toward the demon neck.
"NOOOOOOOO!!!"
Though its brain registered the attack, the demon body was too sluggish to evade.
All it could do was let out a futile howl.
Thunk!
The Nichirin Blade cleaved deep into the demon neck.
A flicker of triumphant joy crossed Shinobu face.
'Sister! I did it!'
But the next moment—crack!
The sharp Nichirin Blade seemed to have struck something hard, likely the Demon neck.
Then, to Shinobu stunned disbelief, the Nichirin Blade—snapped.
Snap!
The sharp blade broke in two and Shinobu mind went blank in an instant.
What had just happened?
The Maw Demon, ecstatic in its despair, erupted with sudden force. Its stubby arm abruptly seized the bewildered Shinobu midair.
"Hahahaha! Heaven helps me! Brat! I'll chew you alive!!"
Its maw gaped open, reeking of foul breath.
Only then did Shinobu realize what was happening—but it was already too late.
"Sister... I'm sorry. It seems I'm going to break my promise..."
Just as the Maw Demon excitedly prepared to clamp down with its massive jaws, a clear, resounding howl suddenly rang out from behind.
"ROOOAAARRR!!!"
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