The dense forest hid a cave, and the closer I got, the stronger the stench became.
Ryosuke picked up a stone from the ground, dabbed it with the wisteria flower powder he carried, and threw it into the cave.
"Awoo!!!"
A furious roar tore through the dead silence of the forest.
Immediately after, a dark shadow shot out from it.
The demon's figure was hunched, its limbs on the ground, and its skin was a decaying grayish-green.
Its head was unusually long and narrow, its mouth full of fangs dripping with saliva, and its eyes were locked onto Ryosuke.
"Demon Slayers! You really are persistent!"
"Oh, an old acquaintance."
Ryosuke lowered his stance, and the moment his thumb pushed the tsuba, he transformed into a streak of light and charged straight up!
"Then no more idle talk!"
Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash!
Bang!
With a crisp sound, the fierce demon actually swung its sharp claws and blocked the attack!
This was no longer a small bread with a ten-day lifespan; this was a big bread even stronger than the Hand Demon!
Ryosuke was extremely excited, his figure flickering, his sword techniques changing, and lightning erupted from his radiant nichirin blade!
"Thunder Breathing, Third Form: Gathering Thunder!"
For a moment, countless bolts of lightning flashed from all directions, striking with Ryosuke's flickering figure!
Bang bang bang—
The demon desperately resisted, but there were too many slashes, and in an instant, its entire body was covered in bloodstains.
"Finish!"
With a roar, Ryosuke suddenly flashed out from behind, his nichirin blade instantly slicing across the demon's neck.
Ryosuke exhaled slightly, his tense nerves just about to relax when he realized something was wrong.
There was no system kill notification!
Plus, the feel of the previous slash... it was too light!
I should have only cut through some skin and flesh!
But its head did fall.
What's going on?!
Without time to think, Ryosuke almost instinctively turned and swung his sword!
Clang—
A piercing shriek rang out, and sparks flew for a moment.
The head, which should have dissipated, actually bit onto his nichirin blade!
So fast! Too close!
Ryosuke forced it back, and a fierce punch whistled from behind him!
Boom!
A solid punch landed squarely on Ryosuke's back!
Ryosuke's body flew out, crashing heavily into an ancient tree.
He clutched his chest, his expression stunned.
The demon's head floated in mid-air, while its body stood eerily on the ground.
What the f*ck?
A demon that overcame decapitation?
No way, buddy! You're even more awesome than an Upper Rank?!
"Hehehehehe..."
The demon's head let out a sharp laugh.
Ryosuke's eyes narrowed, and a certain yokai from Japanese folklore suddenly flashed through his mind.
The characteristics and information of that yokai matched it perfectly!
"Damn it! It's a Rokurokubi!" Ryosuke roared.
In Japanese folklore, a Rokurokubi's neck can extend, and its head can separate from its body, allowing it to act independently.
Now it seems that the Rokurokubi hasn't overcome the weakness of decapitation, but rather it's two demons!
The head and body exist separately, parasitizing each other to live!
"The head and body each go their own way, they sure know how to play..." Ryosuke muttered.
Combat power estimation error!
This demon is much stronger than expected!
"Hehehe..."
The head grinned menacingly, and the body pounced forward.
Ryosuke swung his sword, quickly cutting off its arms.
But at this moment, the head had flown behind him, its bloodied mouth wide open.
"Blood Demon Art: Frenzied Needles!"
With a furious roar, a large cloud of blood mist exploded and condensed into hundreds of sharp needles in mid-air!
Whoosh!
The needles shot out like rain!
Ryosuke's pupils constricted, and the lightning around him raged, thundering loudly!
"Thunder Breathing, Second Form: Rolling Thunder!"
The radiant nichirin blade, infused with lightning, transformed into five fierce slashes!
Bang bang bang—
All the blood needles shattered, and at this moment, the body's arms recovered from behind, and it landed another punch!
Ryosuke reacted extremely fast, advancing instead of retreating, charging directly at the head!
These two demons are exceptionally troublesome! I must kill one first!
Whoosh!
As the blade fell, the head, in its panic, flew backward, getting its jaw sliced off.
"Damn Demon Slayer!"
The head shrieked, its flesh swelled, and its wounds slowly healed.
"What gibberish are you spouting! Die!"
Ryosuke sheathed his long sword, leaned forward, and the lightning around him raged, countless lightning flashes erupting!
Thunder Breathing, First Form: Thunderclap and Flash, Triple Strike!
Boom!
The ground beneath Ryosuke's feet cracked, his body turned into a streak of light, and the strike instantly closed in!
Whoosh!
The blade sliced through, the head couldn't dodge in time, and was split in two!
Before the body could react, Ryosuke's next strike followed!
Hiss—
Under a piercing shriek, the body shattered!
The Rokurokubi turned into ashes and dissipated.
Ryosuke had no interest in watching its life pass before its eyes.
Such demons are nothing more than frustrated perverts who then meet Scum Boss Muzan and become demons.
Afterward, they eat people to grow stronger, feeling incredibly good about themselves.
More than that, Ryosuke was concerned about the system rewards.
[Killed the high-level demon Rokurokubi, gained 3 years of lifespan. Current remaining lifespan: 4 years 14 days]
3 years!
A bountiful harvest!
The ten-year progress bar has increased by almost half!
Ryosuke hummed a little tune happily, bandaging his wounds.
He had broken a few ribs in this battle; after a simple treatment, he would send a signal for the Kakushi to come.
At this moment, a series of hurried footsteps approached from afar.
"Where, where is it! Such a strong smell of blood! Hold on, I'm coming!"
Huh?
Ryosuke looked up, and a young man in a Demon Slayer Corps uniform quickly arrived.
He glanced at Ryosuke, quickly drew his sword, and took a fighting stance, looking around.
"You rest and heal first, that Rokurokubi is not easy to deal with!"
"No, that..."
Ryosuke hadn't finished speaking when he was interrupted by Iwasaki Souma.
"Don't push yourself, you'll die!"
"..."
Why don't you let me finish my sentence!
Ryosuke stood up and patted his shoulder.
"Don't worry, that demon has already been killed by me."
"Huh, good... What?!"
Iwasaki's eyes widened, looking at Ryosuke in disbelief.
"You, you alone?"
"Yeah, got a bit injured, it was a pain."
Ryosuke stretched his shoulders.
Actually, if the Rokurokubi hadn't underestimated him and the triple strike hadn't been effective, he would have been dead already.
"So... so amazing!"
Iwasaki was so excited he was almost incoherent.
"The Kakushi's intelligence said this demon was extremely troublesome, able to act with its head separated and decapitation was ineffective! Several comrades suffered greatly at its hands! Senior, you actually dealt with it alone?! You must be a Hashira? Or a Kinoe? Or a Hinoe?"
"Uh, ha ha—"
Looking at Iwasaki's excited expression, Ryosuke was at a loss.
He silently raised the back of his hand, and as he breathed, a character for "Mizunoto" slowly appeared on it.
"Mizunoto rank, Yasui Ryosuke, just joined the Demon Slayer Corps less than a month ago."
The world fell silent.
Iwasaki's expression of ecstasy and awe instantly froze.
"Mi... Mizunoto rank?!"
He cried out, his voice even changing pitch.
"This... how is this possible?! That was a demon that even Kanoe Squad Members found troublesome! You, you alone, and you're a Mizunoto rank..."
Iwasaki felt his worldview being shattered, and then he suddenly remembered something.
"Could, could you be Yasui? Yasui Ryosuke?!"
"Yes."
Ryosuke admitted.
There was no helping it; his performance at the Final Selection on Fujikasane Mountain was too outstanding, and he was summoned by Kagaya afterward.
Coupled with being a Thunder Breathing swordsman, it was normal for Iwasaki to guess.
Looking at Iwasaki's excited expression, Ryosuke lay down on the ground, not wanting to move.
"Um..."
"Iwasaki! My name is Iwasaki Souma."
"Iwasaki, help me contact the Kakushi. My ribs are broken, I need to go back to Peach Mountain to recuperate."
Ryosuke said, then looked at him again.
"Also, rank doesn't matter, as long as the demon is killed."
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