Obanai saw Sanemi's constipated expression and knew the man thought he was telling him to find Su Chen.
"I mean, go ask Kochou," Obanai clarified. "After all, Su Chen is Kochou's person now, isn't he? You can just ask her about him."
Sanemi's body visibly stiffened after hearing that. He seemed to be hesitating. He looked at Obanai suspiciously. "You... why are you telling me this?"
Obanai was taken aback, not expecting Sanemi's mind to work so quickly at that moment. But how could he tell this brute his true intentions? He spread his hands. "I just don't want you to lose to Su Chen. Is that so hard to understand?"
"Something's not right," Sanemi said, crossing his arms in a profound manner and pointing at Obanai. "Why are you so enthusiastic? This isn't like you!"
Obanai's face darkened. "Take it or leave it."
Just then, a Kasugai Crow flew over in a hurry. It was Obanai's. A small scroll of letter paper was tied to its leg. Before it even landed, the Kasugai Crow chirped excitedly: "It's Kanro—"
Swish!
"Snake Breathing, Fifth Form: Winding Long Serpent!"
A gust of sword wind stirred. By the time Sanemi reacted, the Kasugai Crow was already in Obanai's arms. The letter paper on the crow's leg was gone, and its mouth was tightly covered by Obanai. Obanai gave Sanemi one last look. "Are you going to the Butterfly Mansion to ask Kochou or not?"
Sanemi stubbornly shook his head. "No!"
"Really not going?"
"No!"
"Suit yourself." Obanai left, holding the Kasugai Crow. His speed was many times faster than when he arrived. Especially when Sanemi called out to him, Obanai ran even faster. He disappeared from sight in the blink of an eye.
Sanemi was puzzled. But he didn't think much of it. He looked at his hands, where the skin was already cracked, and stubbornly said to himself, "I'm not going!"
The sky was clear and bright, and birds sang among the flowers. Outside the Butterfly Mansion today, an important Demon Slayer Corps member returned. He was shirtless, with two serrated Nichirin Swords hanging at his waist, and wore a wild boar mask on his head. He exuded an aura of dominance.
"What's going on? Why is no one here to welcome me today?" Inosuke stood at the door, lost in thought. Ever since the battle on Mt. Natagumo, he had been in the most frustrating period of his boar life. Later, he found new life at the Butterfly Mansion. So Inosuke still liked it here very much. He even considered it his second home.
However! He had just roared, but no one came out to greet him! "What's going on? I've returned from a mission! Tanjiro and the others actually dare not come out to welcome me!" Inosuke was angry! He stepped on the door and, with a wild boar charge, flipped over the wall.
He saw the front yard was packed with people. Inosuke's eyes hurt from looking, so he shifted his gaze to the sparsely populated backyard. There, a young man was practicing swordsmanship in the courtyard. This person was Su Chen. Kanao, who was there earlier, had disappeared somewhere.
"That guy!" Inosuke's boar eyes widened. He charged directly into the backyard. He carefully pushed aside the grass, revealing only his boar head. Then, like a wild beast, he observed Su Chen's movements.
"What strange swordsmanship!" Inosuke couldn't help but mumble. He himself was a swordsman who used an unusual Breathing Technique, not as refined as those who used the five basic Breathing Styles. Precisely because of this, Inosuke had always wanted to find someone who used a beast-like Breathing Technique like him. And now, that person appeared before him.
When he saw Su Chen's movements, Inosuke's soul was instantly captivated. Because this person's movements reminded him of an insect he had encountered in the mountains before! A large hornet! He knew not to let its small size fool him; its tail sting was very venomous! Inosuke had been stung by it once. If it weren't for his naturally high resistance to poison, he would have died then. "This guy actually knows the hornet's moves!" Inosuke thought excitedly. Now his mind was completely occupied by Su Chen's figure. As for the minor incident just now, it had long been forgotten.
In the courtyard, Su Chen sometimes charged forward, sometimes wielded his blade. Sometimes he slid, and sometimes he moved at high speed. A set of fluid movements was truly a delight to behold. Su Chen took a deep breath. He was about to practice the latest move of Bee Breathing.
It was at this moment that an impatient Inosuke suddenly rushed over. Su Chen twisted his blade, his body vibrating at a high frequency. The vibration spread to the tip of the blade. He closed his eyes. At this moment, he listened carefully to everything around him. The buzzing of bees nearby. The sound of a butterfly landing on a flower bud. And a rude, idiotic sound:
"Hegagagagagagaga! You're pretty strong, kid! Come and fight me!"
"Bee Breathing, Eighth Form: Blood Demon Bee Fang!" Su Chen swung his wooden sword. Several explosive sounds echoed in the air. Several red and yellow "fangs" suddenly bloomed from the tip of the blade! Buzz buzz buzz! All the surrounding sounds instantly ceased. Su Chen opened his eyes. But he didn't see anyone in front of him.
"Am I hearing things?" Su Chen wondered. Just then, Kanzaki Aoi's voice suddenly came from the front yard. "Lady Shinobu is back!"
Shinobu is back? Su Chen put away his wooden sword. After tidying himself up, he walked towards the front yard. Unbeknownst to him, in a dense patch of grass nearby, a person wearing a boar mask had already fallen asleep!
"Lady Shinobu, you're finally back!" "Lady Shinobu, I missed you so much!" "Lady Shinobu, I want a hug!"
Kocho Shinobu walked into the Butterfly Mansion, and before she could even take off her shoes, Sumi, Kiyo, and Naho rushed into her embrace. Kocho Shinobu dotingly stroked their heads. Then she saw the patients whose beds filled the Butterfly Mansion.
"Oh dear? Is everyone so busy today?" Kocho Shinobu smiled, her eyes crescent-shaped, and said, "It seems everyone has been working very hard while I was away!" "Mm-hmm!" The three little girls nodded in unison.
"Lady Shinobu, you're finally back." Kanzaki Aoi stood behind the three girls, speaking a little cautiously. "Did the Master say anything this time? This time's budget..."
Clap! "Oh my~" Kocho Shinobu suddenly clapped her hands with a smile. "I forgot this time. How about I think of a solution next time?" "Alright, alright, Aoi, hurry up and get busy. The Butterfly Mansion can't do without little Aoi~" After much persuasion, Kocho Shinobu finally smiled and sent her away.
Watching her sisters gradually get busy. She couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief. What I'm doing is still not good enough; I must find a solution as soon as possible! Kocho Shinobu took off her shoes. The fatigue in her body instantly surged like a tide. But she couldn't rest yet. She had to rush into the laboratory as quickly as possible. Because there was someone here whom Kocho Shinobu temporarily dared not see.
But just as she stepped barefoot onto the floor, Su Chen's voice followed like a shadow. "Shinobu, you're back?"