Vs Lower Moon 5

After Shin evaded Tanjiro he went around the mountain looking for the Kizuki the woman had spoken of. When he was about to enter the area he sent Susamaru he stopped in his tracks upon hearing shouting ahead of him.

"GYAAAHHH!" 

Shin walked past a tree to the source, when he arrived he saw a girl with white hair in a white kimono. She was on her knees clutching her face with visible cuts on it bleeding, she had the same red dot markings as the woman from earlier.

Looking down at her was a boy who had the same pattern on his face. His hair was light pink that looked white and bore resemblance to spider legs. The sclera of his eyes was red while his irises were pale blue. 

"You did what?" The boy asked, his voice was calm but at the same time sounded upset.

The girl flinched hearing his voice as tears began to run down her face. "Rui, I'm sorry I didn't mea- AHH!"

The boy named Rui waved his hand causing another cut to appear on the girl's face. "You left father to die instead of helping him in need like a good daughter." 

The girl could only sit there holding her face. She couldn't even refute his words because at that moment she was completely focused on herself rather than her supposed 'father'.  'How could I be so stupid? I slipped up..'

"Are you done watching? This isn't a show you know." Rui turned his head towards Shin. 

Shin wasn't surprised at all seeing that the demon knew where he was without him having to make any type of noise. "Are one of you a kizuki by chance?" 

The girl stayed silent while Rui only looked Shin over before answering. "Yes, I am. Do you wish to be my older brother?" He asked.

Shin was slightly confused hearing Rui ask him about being his brother. He looked down at the girl before turning back to Rui and quickly putting two and two together. 'Some type of family?'

Shin shook his head. "No, I came for your position."

"I see, so you're a demon. You do understand that you need to propose a blood battle if you want my spot, Yes?" Rui asked putting both his hands together before taking them apart, forming a web.

"Yes, that's what I plan to do. Disturbing the hierarchy would make my relative upset, and making him upset seems like a death wish or being heavily punished." Shin put his hand above the handle of his sword.

Rui was slightly intrigued hearing about Shin's relative but he would get his answers soon enough after the battle. "Do you wish to hold it at a later date or now?"

Rui clearly knew the answer seeing Shin's movements, still, he wanted to confirm if Shin knew what he was getting himself into.

"Doing it now would be the most efficient.." He answered without a second thought.

Rui looked Shin up and down once again. 

The aura he was giving off proved that he was stronger than the average demon but it wasn't as intense as his, he felt confident he could win. Yet under Shin's gaze, he couldn't help but feel pressured. 

"What do you say to making it a bit more interesting?" Rui asked

"What do you mean?" Shin wasn't bothered at all with the sudden request.

"If we were to just fight and you win, you would live and get my position, but if I won I would have kept it and you would die." Rui explained while playing with the webs in his hands. 

"How about if I win, instead of perishing you will become my big brother? You'll do as I ask and protect me as a big brother should since you are strong enough for that role." He proposed.

Shin had no plan on losing, rewards wouldn't go without risk. "Fine."

Rui turned towards the girl who was still sitting on the ground watching the two. "Go make up for your failure, if those slayers aren't gone by morning you're dead." 

The girl frantically nodded her head hearing his words and ran off into the woods, leaving the two demons to their battle.

Once she had disappeared the two looked at each other. Shin unsheathed his sword and charged towards Rui who only tightened the threads in his hands.

Two threads quickly appeared in Shin's vision as he ran towards the demon. He swung his sword and cut through them with some small difficulty.

Rui was surprised to see Shin able to cut through his threads but didn't show it. He disposed of the web in his hands and swiped his hands at Shin.

Ten arched threads closed in on him fast, they were hard to spot but the closer they got the more visible they became.

Shin focused on his senses and took a breath in. Doing so he could hear and feel to some extent the threads moving towards him. 

'Moon Breathing: Third Form: Loathsome Moon - Chains.' He swung his sword rapidly in two big crescent slashes. Two gigantic crescent moons flew from his sword ahead of him with smaller ones following behind.

They cut through the threads easily and continued their path towards Rui. The demon hurriedly created more threads to block the crescent moon flying towards him, nonetheless they still managed to cut through them.

Rui was growing frustrated with these moons still not going away.

His threads began to change color from white to blood red causing the two crescent moons and those in their trail to disperse on impact.

Before Rui could do anything else, Shin was already in front of him. "Moon Breathing: Fifth Form: Moon Spirit Calamitous Eddy."

Shin made multiple curved slashes layered over one another, creating a rising vortex of sword slashes and crescent moon blades.

He did this three more times around Rui before the first one could disperse completely, trapping him in the center of them. 

When the storm of crescent moons calmed down Rui walked out with torn clothes and deep cuts all over his body. 

He looked at Shin seriously, he brought up his hands and tightened both of them into a fist. The entire area they were fighting in became covered in sharp blood red threads limiting Shin's movements.

They were even harder to spot than before causing Shin to make use of his other vision just to see them. 

"It seems I have to discipline you 'aniki'." Rui said.

"Don't go calling me that when you haven't won the fight yet." Shin coldly responded.

"Can't you tell the situation you're in? I will win." Rui opened up his hand and pulled one of his fingers towards his palm. A thread shot passed Shin when he did so, cutting part of his haori off cleanly.