A shockingly handsome face appeared before everyone. The girls of the Butterfly Mansion were fine; they had seen Inosuke's face before and were mentally prepared for it. Shinazugawa, however, couldn't hold back his reaction.
It was the first time he had seen such a bizarre "tough guy." The man had incredibly developed muscles, but his face was as delicate and pretty as a girl's. The contrast was jarring. So ugly, he thought.
"What's wrong? You got a problem with my face?" Inosuke demanded. He snatched his boar mask from the ground and yanked it back on. The mocking stares were starting to make him angry.
Just then, Su Chen suddenly appeared right beside him.
"Your name is Inosuke, right?" Su Chen asked gently.
Inosuke didn't answer. He was completely stunned. A second later, he leaped backward, pulling away from Su Chen. His pretty face, hidden again, was suddenly serious.
This guy... When did he get next to me?
Inosuke could feel a cold sweat breaking out under the mask. He was a man who relied on beast-like intuition. How could he not notice someone so strong getting close to him?
Unless... unless the other guy's speed was just too fast! So fast that he didn't even have time to react!
The more Inosuke thought about it, the more frustrated he felt. But mixed with that frustration was a familiar, thrilling excitement.
"No! I, the great Lord Inosuke, demand another match with you! This time with my Nichirin blades!"
In a flash, Inosuke grabbed his two serrated Nichirin blades from the ground. He crouched, ready to charge straight at Su Chen.
At that moment, Kanzaki Aoi shouted loudly, "Stop it, Inosuke! You can't beat Mr. Su Chen anyway, so don't make a fool of yourself again!"
But Inosuke clearly wasn't listening. He launched himself toward Su Chen.
Su Chen just smiled helplessly. This stubborn temper... It seemed this wouldn't end until Inosuke was put in his place.
Just as Su Chen prepared to move, another figure moved first, blurring past him!
A graceful silhouette shot into the air. Her pure white haori fluttered in the wind as the girl soared.
Kanao!
Su Chen recognized her at a glance. He smiled and relaxed, stopping his own movements. He instantly sensed Kanao's purpose. This wasn't just a simple jump; she was using a Breathing Technique.
While in mid-air, Kanao drew her delicate Nichirin blade. Her eyes were lowered, focused.
"Flower Breathing, Sixth Form: Peony Whirlwind."
Whoosh!
The sound of a powerful, swirling current filled the air. The girl twisted her body sharply in mid-air. At the same time, she unleashed a spiraling horizontal slash!
As the blade cut through the air, it looked as if a flurry of pink petals was falling around her. But these flowers weren't soft or beautiful. They felt heavy, filled with the domineering aura of a pouncing beast.
This powerful slash was aimed directly at Inosuke's body!
Clang!
The sound of metal striking metal rang out. Inosuke managed to block the move with his own blades. But the sheer impact from the slash was enormous, and it sent him flying backward!
"Waaahhhhh!" the boar-headed boy screamed in a panic.
He tumbled awkwardly a few times in the air before slamming hard into a tree trunk in the courtyard.
Bang!
Leaves showered down from the branches. Inosuke slid down the trunk to the ground. The leaves immediately covered his body, making him look pathetic.
"I... I, the great..." The unyielding Inosuke tried to get up again.
But Kanzaki Aoi rushed over and quickly pressed him back to the ground.
"Alright, alright, I know you're amazing, but your ribs are still injured. Don't move around!"
"No! I haven't fought Su Geng yet! That guy is exactly my kind of fight!" Inosuke struggled desperately, but he couldn't escape the clutches of the Butterfly Mansion nurses who had gathered.
He couldn't understand why all these girls were helping Su Geng.
And that other girl who just attacked him... Inosuke knew her! When he, Tanjiro, and Zenitsu were training here, he didn't remember her being this powerful!
When did she get so strong?!
The glass boar eyes on Inosuke's mask seemed to widen slightly. He uncharacteristically started to think.
Just now, during Kanao's sword swing, he felt like he saw a fierce tiger pouncing on him. When he blocked her slash, the incredibly heavy impact felt exactly the same as when he was chased by a real tiger in the mountains!
What's going on?
Suddenly, Inosuke's boar eyes widened again. A guess immediately popped into his head.
Could it be... because of that Su Geng?
When he fought Su Geng earlier, he also had that same inexplicable, strange feeling. He couldn't get a read on him at all. He was like a giant, dangerous hornet, just waiting to deliver a fatal blow at any second!
Excellent! It was simply exhilarating!
"You guys are really..." He let out a strange, cackling laugh. As he prepared to get up again, he was slapped right back down by Kanzaki Aoi.
"I told you not to move!" she yelled.
"So annoying!" the boar grumbled, letting out a huff of displeasure. But looking at the fierce and domineering Kanzaki Aoi, he finally decided not to resist.
The boar lay on the ground, forced to endure several minutes of Aoi's scolding.
Su Chen smiled slightly. It seemed the girls of the Butterfly Mansion were much faster at solving problems like this.
At that moment, Kanao adjusted her posture in the air and landed gracefully on the ground. She held a brand-new Nichirin blade, and its guard was shaped like a flower. The Swordsmith had also added extra weight to the blade, just as Su Chen had specially requested. This was done so the feel of swinging the sword would be stronger.
The powerful impact of Kanao's move just now was partly because of this change.
The moment she landed, Kanao immediately stood in front of Su Chen. Her intention to protect him was very obvious.
After checking that there was no more danger, Kanao turned back to Su Chen with concern. "Mr. Su Chen, are you alright?"
Su Chen smiled. "I'm fine."
He casually reached out and patted Kanao's head. Kanao looked shy, lowering her head, but she didn't resist the gesture. Instead, she seemed to be enjoying it.
Seeing this, Kochou Shinobu, who had been watching from nearby, couldn't hold back her reaction.
She had just been marveling at Kanao's sword technique. From the movements, it was clear that Su Chen had adapted her older sister's Flower Breathing. She was just about to ask Su Chen about it, but then she saw the head-patting scene.
What's going on? When did her own sister get snatched away? And she's speaking so fluently now?
Kochou Shinobu felt an inexplicable pang of jealousy. It was a double jealousy! Her own master was standing right here, but her precious Tsuguko ran to check on Su Chen first!
And Su Chen... what a complete scumbag!
Shinobu's smile turned a little cruel. It seems "Brother" Su Chen is really popular here at the Butterfly Mansion. If this keeps up, I'm afraid even I, a Hashira, won't be able to compare to his popularity.
Kochou Shinobu cleared her throat loudly. She spoke with a smile that had a hidden dagger in it: "Ahem, Mr. Su Chen, you're really impressive!"
Su Chen and Kanao both turned their heads toward the sound. Only then did the girl with the side ponytail notice Shinobu's presence.
A deep blush immediately crossed her cheeks. "Ah! Master, why are you here?"
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