Chapter 53: Love at First Sight.
Everyone in the courtyard held their breath and paid attention to the battle happening in the middle.
First Form - Unknowing Fire——Shiranui.
It is the fastest advancing and slashing technique in Flame Breathing.
And Rengoku Shinjuro has used this technique countless times to cleanly cut off the heads of Lower Rank demons.
Whoosh——!!
Just as Kyojuro Rengoku's wooden sword cut through the air and was about to touch Tanjuro's neck!
"Hiss——!"
[Sun Breathing·Fourth Form·Fake Rainbow——Gen'nichi Ko]
Swish!
The wooden sword cleanly passed over 'Tanjuro's' neck.
But the feeling of swinging at nothing made Rengoku Shinjuro's face instantly full of surprise.
—It didn't hit.
—The sword... passed through the body?!
Rengoku Shinjuro's movement stopped at the last moment of the sword swing, his body leaning forward, his eyes wide open, staring at the 'Tanjuro' phantom in front of him that seemed to be non-existent.
He quickly reacted, and the surprised expression on his face became astonished.
—It's an afterimage!
The next moment.
Without waiting for Kyojuro Rengoku to adjust his posture.
[Sun Breathing·Seventh Form·Sunflower Thrust——Yokatotsu]
Whoosh!
Plop.
A faint mist escapes from the corner of Tanjuro's mouth as he appears behind Rengoku Shinjuro, his wooden sword already resting on his neck.
With a slight force, the sword of the wooden sword presses against Rengoku Shinjuro's carotid artery:
"It's over." Tanjuro's tone is calm, thinking about ending the fight in the most energy-saving way.
He is almost at full strength now.
Rengoku Shinjuro is stunned, feeling the cold touch on his neck, he slightly clenches the hilt of his sword.
——He didn't react at all.
——He lost in one move.
Haha.
Rengoku Shinjuro laughs softly in his heart.
"Yes." He raises the corner of his mouth slightly, slowly sheathing his sword:
"...It's over."
With his back to Tanjuro, Rengoku Shinjuro slowly straightens his waist, he looks up at the azure sky.
He takes a deep breath.
The frustration in his heart seems to completely dissipate at this moment.
The wind blows through his red hair, slightly swaying, shining with a golden light under the sun.
"Hahaha..."
Rengoku Shinjuro smiles slightly, then raises his head, his voice getting louder:
"Hahaha!"
Tanjuro, who is putting away his wooden sword, hears Rengoku Shinjuro's hearty laughter, and is slightly startled.
He looks at Rengoku Shinjuro.
The other party suddenly seems a bit "neurotic", which slightly scares him.
But, at a certain moment.
Tanjuro seems to see the shadow of Kyojuro from Shinjuro now...
No, saying that the father is like the son seems a bit wrong.
Anyway.
Rengoku Shinjuro turns his head and makes eye contact with Tanjuro.
Tanjuro seems to see from those somewhat tired eyes —— a glimmer of hope.
"Thank you." Rengoku Shinjuro sheathes his sword and stands, nodding at Tanjuro.
On the side.
The people who are watching.
"Father!" Hanako raises her little hand high, she is sitting in Kocho Shinobu's arms, happily waving at this side:
"So cool! So handsome!"
Kocho Shinobu's expression is somewhat surprised, even Hanako rolling around in her arms doesn't bother her.
——Rengoku Shinjuro-san...lost.
What surprises her is not this, but.
——He actually.
Lost so easily.
As a Hashira, Kocho Shinobu can clearly feel.
Rengoku Shinjuro's strength, compared to before, has not declined much.
She had also heard the rumor that Tanjuro defeated the Upper Rank One before, but didn't care——
——Because even Tanjuro himself had mentioned to her that there were elements of exaggeration in it.
Kocho Shinobu herself also has a certain understanding of the strength of the Upper Rank demons, at least a single Hashira is completely unable to defeat an Upper Rank.
But now it seems——
Kocho Shinobu's gaze looks at Tanjuro.
Tanjuro is smiling, waving at Hanako who is being held by Kocho Shinobu.
Soon, her strong emotional control ability allows Kocho Shinobu to regain her usual smile.
"Father!" Rengoku Kyojuro's voice comes from the side of the courtyard, he is smiling and looking at his father:
"It seems that you haven't practiced swordsmanship for a while."
"Father's swordsmanship has actually regressed a bit!"
Shinjuro, who is about to leave, gives his son a somewhat puzzled look:
"Brat, what are you talking about?"
Kyojuro slightly folds his arms:
"Hahaha!"
Bang!
A second bump appears on Kyojuro's head.
On the opposite side.
"...Brother Tanjiro." Takeo squats on the ground, he squints his eyes, his face full of confusion as he recalls what he just saw:
"Did father really tell us to pay attention to this...?"
He took a deep breath, then sighed as if he was spitting out bitter water:
"I can't see anything at all!"
In Takeo's eyes.
He only saw Rengoku Shinjuro and Tanjuro exchange positions in a flash.
Then inexplicably, the spar ended.
Tanjiro didn't speak, he was also in a state of shock at this moment, staring blankly at his father as if he had turned to stone.
—A year ago.
—I could still clearly see the two axes that my father made...
Tanjiro fell into deep self-doubt.
"Brother...?"
"Brother?!!"
Seeing Tanjiro in a shattered state, Takeo quickly shouted anxiously:
"Cheer up! Brother Tanjiro!!"
...
...
On the other side.
In the woods.
Rustle——
The leaves of the trees were swaying, and the girl with three braids was still shuttling through the woods.
"Cheer up! Mitsuri!"
Kanroji Mitsuri clenched her fists, waving them in front of her chest, cheering herself up, her tone dull:
"You can do it!"
But when she looked around and saw the seemingly endless woods, her face fell again.
Just then.
Step, step...
A faint sound of footsteps came from the front.
...
...
Ahead.
Iguro Obanai was walking leisurely on the road.
"Hiss, hiss——" The little white snake coiled around his neck was spitting out a crimson tongue.
"I know, Kaburomaru." Iguro Obanai spoke in a low tone, as if he was communicating with the snake on his neck:
"Indeed, Uzui is always so arrogant."
Just as he was about to continue along the woods.
"Heave ho!"
A clumsy, somewhat flustered pink-haired figure sprang out from the bushes in front of him.
She stood in front, her back to Iguro Obanai, she was stunned for a moment, then let out a "Eh?" "Eh?" sound, quickly looking left and right.
"Strange... I clearly heard someone talking over here..." Kanroji Mitsuri muttered to herself in confusion, she scratched her face:
"Could it be... did I hear wrong?"
Iguro Obanai stopped behind Kanroji Mitsuri.
—Who?
He was puzzled, preparing to take a detour.
He, who was always alone, didn't plan to have too much conversation with others.
At this moment.
"Ah! Found you!"
Kanroji Mitsuri suddenly turned her head, surprised to find Iguro Obanai who was about to leave, she immediately ran over here happily:
"Hello——!"
Under the sunlight filtering through the rustling leaves.
The girl was waving her hand, running towards him with a bright smile on her face, her pink three-strand braid swaying slightly, she shouted straightforwardly:
"Please wait——!"
Creak...
Iguro Obanai's turning motion stiffened in place.
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