Tenma's Secret Move: One Thousand Years of...

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--- Chapter 19 ---

Kanae gleefully watched two figures standing opposite each other in thin snow-covered ground. One is her younger sister, and the other is her little student.

She couldn't help but feel excited, wanting to see how far they come all these months. At first glance, Kanae briefly witnessed Tenma's bizarre growth, but she also felt her younger sister had some chance of winning.

Of course, the chance of winning isn't much, maybe around 10-20%.

While Kanae has experienced systematic training from the Demon Slayer Corps, even modifying the complex Flower Breathing to suit her fighting style, Tenma dwarves her in nearly all ways but versatility.

However, Kanae acknowledged she hasn't seen much from Tenma. Who knows? The might he has shown so far is presumably just the tip of the iceberg.

"Do we use our Nichirin Weapon in the spar?" Shinobu asked, feeling she might break her body if she had to face Tenma's White Night. In fact, she is already wary of Tenma's physical fitness alone.

Tenma shrugged, "Nah, I won't use White Night. That would be bullying for you. Not to mention, I don't use my spear on my friend."

"Are you looking down on me?" Shinobu frowned in displeasure. "You might be strong, but I'm not weak either!"

"Hehe, who knows? I have never seen any other Demon Slayer other than Kanae Nee-chan." Tenma chuckled playfully, causing Shinobu's veins on the forehead to pop up.

Kanae smiled, "To be fair, both of you will only use wooden weapons. I also prohibited you two from using life-threatening attacks."

"Do you understand?"

"Understood!" 2x.

Tenma stretched his arms, grabbing a wooden spear from the back of the house. He stared at Shinobu, realizing she was taking a thin but durable wooden sword from piles nearby. Those are his failed creations.

Seeing this made Tenma wonder, 'How much has she developed Insect Breathing? I can't wait to experience it myself.'

Meanwhile, Shinobu put her coat on a pine tree's branch and adjusted her breathing in the cold air. She weighed the wooden sword in her hand and was disappointed because it didn't meet her requirements.

Shinobu stared at Tenma solemnly, 'It's not as slick as my Nichirin Blade, but whatever. It will do for now.'

Kanae walked forward, becoming their referee. "I will start counting."

"Three, two, one..."

"Start~!"

Swoosh!

Shinobu charged forward immediately and brandished her wooden sword with the intent to win.

"Woah?" Tenma gave her a look of surprise. "Charge at me already?"

Shinobu's eyes gleamed, "I never said I'd be the passive one!"

"Insect Breathing..."

"Dance of the Bee Sting - Flutter!" Shinobu's speed suddenly increased as she used her momentum to launch a deadly thrust at Tenma's chest.

Tenma blinked and stepped back once, casually dodging the thrust by a hair-thin difference. His eyes are calm, not shocked by Shinobu's speed.

This much is expected from a future Insect Hashira like Shinobu, though she is still young.

But Shinobu looked shocked when he dodged her attack. "That didn't hit, huh?"

"Of course not." Tenma took his turn and swept his wooden spear to the ground. A cloud of dust rose as Shinobu jumped and counterattacked.

"Insect Breathing."

"Dance of the Butterfly, Caprice!"

Shinobu unleashed a flurry of attacks, stabbing Tenma in specific spots at specific moments. Her attack is relentless, faster than before.

Tenma entered a foundation state with her spear, replying to every attack with his own. They exchanged blows, and Tenma could solve three of Shinobu's attacks with one spear block.

Pak! Pak! Pak!

Shinobu clicked her tongue in awe at Tenma's monstrous eyes and hand coordination. His reaction speed and reflex are also abnormal.

Suddenly, Shinobu felt trapped.

All her attacks have gotten neutralized.

'Shit!' Shinobu thought when she saw a spear tip coming at her face.

She rotated mid-air, dodging Tenma's spear thrust. She rolled to the ground and backed up instantly.

Tenma saw his spear missing its target, "Hmm..."

What a 'nimble' control.

Shinobu's body is so flexible. Hehe~!

"Again!" Shinobu readied her wooden sword.

She swiftly approached Tenma, preventing him from doing any swings with his spear. After that, she twisted her body and thrust her wooden sword.

"Insect Breathing, Dance of the Dragonfly."

"Compound Eye Hexagon!"

Shinobu's wooden sword split into six, striking at Tenma's weak spots like neck, torso, heart, and solar plexus in great succession. Each attack is fast and precise, gaining praise from Kanae in the background.

Unfortunately, none of the attacks affected Tenma. Two stabs were able to pass through, hitting Tenma's torso and neck, but his skin was simply too thick.

"Damn it!" Shinobu also realized none of her attacks pierced through Tenma's thick skin. She might be able to do it if she wields her Nichrin Blade instead of this shabby wooden sword!

"Are you done?" Tenma asked with a smile.

"Then, it's my turn to attack."

BANG!

Tenma charged at Shinobu like a bull, sending her flying a few meters away. He was merciless.

Shinobu gritted her teeth in pain. She felt extreme discomfort, and some of her bones trembled.

'This monster! You're bullying a girl too much!' Shinobu landed on her two feet and felt like crying.

Kanae nodded at Tenma's ruthless approach. On a battlefield, there is no gender, only winners and losers.

Although feminine appeal could deceive the enemy on the battlefield, their enemy is demons who don't care about their appearance and only want to eat them.

They would rather think about what spices they should choose to make you more delicious rather than thinking about sexual appeal, though some demons are unique.

Shinobu entered Total Concentration, suppressing her pain. She exploded with more speed and executed another attack. "Insect Breathing. Dance of the Bee Sting - Extreme Flutter!"

"Spear Breathing - 1st Form: Musou Ichieretsu!" Tenma responded with his own breathing style. His wooden spear also burst with ferocity, creating a blur in the air.

A wooden spear and wooden sword met, creating a loud noise.

PAK!

However, the winner in this exchange is definite.

Shinobu got pushed twenty steps, crashing into a snowman Tenma and Eri made. She gasped for air, feeling another painful sensation in her hand.

She cursed Tenma, "H-How can you not hold back against a girl! It is unfair."

Tenma laughed and retorted, "I yearn for true gender equality. I have no patience for one who talks about female privilege when it suits them and then complains about someone "not being a man" when it's convenient."

"I'm the kind of guy who would do what I swear! And I will deliver it to your front door with pride!"

"REMEMBER THIS WELL!"

"..." Shinobu.

"..." Kanae.

'I give myself 100/100.' Tenma shrugged, feeling a little smug about his speech.

"You asshole!" Shinobu stood up with difficulty.

Meanwhile, Kanae was speechless. 'This little student of mine is a bit unruly, isn't he?'

Tenma stared at Shinobu, "So, will you admit defeat? At this point, you have no chance of winning against me."

"You're strong, Shinobu. Very strong for your age."

"Don't worry, losing to me is not shameful at all."

"I bet your sword has defeated many boys in the Demon Slayer Corps."

"But I'm different! This Tenma is fated to change this world!"

Kanae's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this. She looked at Tenma and felt an unknown feeling growing in her chest. It was a newfound feeling that she shouldn't have developed to her young, handsome disciple.

Shinobu felt anger erupt in her budding chest. Her breathing style flows differently, allowing her to exude a dangerous aura.

"Shut up! I won't lose, and I will defeat you!" She shouted, entering a new stance that even Kanae had never seen before.

"Insect Breathing!"

"Dance of the Centipede, Hundred-Legged Zigzag!"

Swoosh!

Shinobu burst with a speed that she didn't know she could achieve and disappeared from Tenma's field of vision. Several holes appeared with a loud noise and crack, causing dust and dirt to fly everywhere.

As if Shinobu was teleporting, she appeared behind Tenma and decisively launched a 'strong' thrust at his bum.

'THIS WILL TEACH YOU A LESSON, YOU BRA-! HUH???'

Before Shinobu's shocked expression, Tenma side-stepped, and she missed his target.

But since her momentum was too great, she couldn't stop, exposing her vulnerable back to Tenma instead.

'You are the one who started this first. Don't blame me later!' A 'wicked' thought flashed in Tenma's mind.

"Spear Breathing - Secret Move!" He positioned his spear with a 'serious' look on his face.

"ONE THOUSAND YEARS OF DEATH!"

Stab!

Shinobu felt something poke her butt, and her eyes rolled in a newfound sensation. It was a balance between pain… And pleasure?

Something she never felt before.

Then, her unholy moan echoed in the backyard.

"AAAAHNNNNN~!!" 

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