Demon Slayer: My breathing technique went awry after Nezuko pushed me down.

We can't let it go! We absolutely cannot let it go!

"Master, Master! Let me explain! This is cultivation! It's necessary for the breathing technique! It really is!"

Shirakawa Yu tried to explain in vain while attempting to inch back, but Nezuko was still pressing down on him, so he couldn't move at all.

"Does training require such a tight embrace?! Do you need to bury your face in it?!" Tanjiro jumped up and down, accusing him, his eyes practically spitting fire.

"I'm...I'm...sensing her aura! Yes! Sensing her breathing rhythm!" Shirakawa Yu made up a story off the cuff.

"You can't possibly sense any rhythm! She can't breathe properly with those bamboo tubes on!"

Urokodaki had already approached, looking down at them, his shadow enveloping the two people piled together. "Let go!"

gudu~

Shirakawa Yu swallowed hard, but still shook her head vigorously.

"Fine, if you're really that capable, then don't let go!"

Seeing that words were ineffective, Urokodaki decisively took coercive measures.

He certainly wouldn't actually draw his sword to cut him, but he could still pick up the brat and shake him off.

Urokodaki Sakonji, the agile veteran from the front of the water column, suddenly bent down and precisely grabbed Shirakawa Yu's ankles with his large hands!

Tanjiro Kamado, the future Pillar of the Ninja Clan, a young boy whose sister complex is bursting forth, also seized the opportunity—precisely grabbing Nezuko's two ankles!

"pull!!"

With a low growl from Urokodaki, the two exerted their strength simultaneously.

In an instant, Shirakawa Yu and Nezuko were both airborne.

Even so, Shirakawa Yu didn't let go, nor did Nezuko; even when they were in mid-air, they still held each other tightly by the back of the neck.

Their faces remained firmly pressed together.

Tug-of-war!

A classic tug-of-war!

Unfortunately, Shirakawa Hare and Nezuko are the rope in the middle.

"Ahhh! Master, no! My neck is going to break!!" Shirakawa Yu screamed in terror.

"Let go! You'll feel better if you let go!"

"I do not!"

And what about Nezuko, who was being held so tightly?

She didn't quite understand what was happening.

But she knew that the person who was holding her, who smelled so good and made her feel safe, was about to be taken away.

No!

"Ugh—!!!"

Nezuko let out a dissatisfied whimper.

The hands that were loosely resting on Bai Chuanyu's back suddenly tightened, and the small, thin arms burst out with amazing strength, wrapping tightly around Bai Chuanyu's neck, vowing to live and die with him!

"Uh......"

Shirakawa Yu was almost choking Nezuko so hard he stuck out his tongue, and Urokodaki immediately loosened his grip when he saw this.

He loosens his grip, and Nezuko loosens; he tightens his grip, and Nezuko tightens her grip too.

Got it!

The situation remained deadlocked for a moment.

Neither Urokodaki nor Tanjiro dared to use their full strength, for fear of actually hurting the person they were holding.

But these two stubborn fools, who seemed like a pair of lovestruck lovers, just wouldn't let go.

Urokodaki: "Let go, you brat!" (╬￣皿￣)

Tanjiro: "Let go of my sister!!" o(▼皿▼メ;)o

Shirakawa Yu: "Master! This is necessary contact! Trust me—!" ┗( T﹏T )┛

"Ugh! Ugh ugh!!" (Nezuko protests with a sob) o(≧口≦)o

Four people (ghosts) are linked together, staging a bizarre tug-of-war in a forest clearing late at night.

The temple demon, nailed to the tree, slowly awoke: "..."

Who am I? Where am I? Why is nobody taking care of me anymore?

What are they doing? Is the relationship between humans and ghosts really this complicated nowadays?

Time ticked by, and Shirakawa Yu experienced both pain and pleasure in this tug-of-war.

[Analysis progress: 10%......16%......27%......]

[Ding—Congratulations, host, your understanding of Nezuko Kamado has reached 30%, unlocking level one: First Experience of Love.]

Based on Nezuko Kamado's strength and potential analysis, the host can currently gain a 30% increase in all aspects of their attributes when they are by her side. (This value can be stacked and increases with the strength of the other party.)

[Analysis progress: 33%......45%......57%......]

[Ding—Congratulations, host, your understanding of Nezuko Kamado has reached 60%, unlocking Level 2: Love is Forever.]

[When within a five-meter radius of Nezuko Kamado, you will automatically enter "Total Concentration Breathing - Normal Mode," constantly strengthening your body at 70% efficiency. (This value can be stacked and increased with the opponent's strength.)]

[Trait Analysis Progress: 66%...72%...87%...]

[Ding—Congratulations, host, your understanding of Nezuko Kamado has reached 90%, unlocking the third level: Love Combo Technique.]

[Unlock Your Exclusive Style: Breath of Color - Style One - Heroine!]

[Note: When using a move, if the target being analyzed is nearby, the move's power is increased to 200%. If the target is not nearby, the move's power is not increased.]

[System notification: The routine analysis has been completed. Ninety to one hundred percent of the progress cannot be improved through routine contact. Please explore the specific improvement methods yourself.]

As a special technique information flooded into his mind, Bai Chuanyu, whose hands and neck ached, finally breathed a sigh of relief and let go of his arms weakly.

The four were initially locked in a stalemate in the air, but later, when Tanjiro could no longer pull them, they were locked in a stalemate on the ground.

At that moment, Shirakawa Yu let go, and with one of the two locks missing, Nezuko, unable to support herself with only one arm, finally blinked her puzzled pink eyes and was dragged away by her brother Tanjiro, looking aggrieved.

The moment they separated, Tanjiro, like a mother hen protecting her chicks, spread his equally sore arms and hopped in front of Nezuko.

A pair of wary, crimson eyes stared intently at Shirakawa Yu, who lay motionless on the ground.

Shirakawa Yu ignored Tanjiro, who was obsessed with his sister, and instead turned over listlessly, calling out, "Master, I think I've figured out the technique."

"Hmph! Don't try to change the subject!"

Urokodaki snorted coldly, crossing his arms over his chest. "With your talent, you've only just grasped the breathing technique, and you want to create your own moves? Don't think that just because you say that, I won't punish you when we get back!"

Shirakawa Yu rolled her eyes, sat up, and presented her hand to Urokodaki.

Urokodaki glanced down at it and said irritably, "What?"

"Lend me your knife." Shirakawa Yu said with an air of entitlement.

"I'll show you."

Chapter 4 Breath of Color: First Form - Heroine!

"Demonstration?"

Urokodaki stared at Shirakawa Yu's outstretched hand, and the corner of his mouth under the tengu mask twitched slightly.

"Are you going to demonstrate the move you just 'realized'?"

"Yup!"

Bai Chuanyu nodded, his eyes sparkling. Although his face still bore the red marks and sweat from the tug-of-war, his expression was unusually serious.

"Master, you'll see when you see it! It'll definitely give you a shock!"

Urokodaki was silent for two seconds, looking at the boy's seemingly genuine expression, and then recalling that peculiar pink breath he had just heard...

He snorted coldly, but still took the nichirin dagger from his waistband and handed it over.

"It better be true." Urokodaki's tone remained firm. "If you dare to play me, your training load will triple when you get back."

"No problem!" Bai Chuanyu took the short sword, stood up in a flash, and his movements were so swift that he was nothing like the shameless guy who had been lying on the ground acting like a scoundrel just now.

He weighed the short knife in his hand.

The blade is significantly shorter than that of a standard Nichirin sword, making it easier to conceal and draw quickly.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. After all, Urokodaki is already a semi-retired old man, and it's not appropriate for him to be waving around a long sword all day.

But if it were to encounter an evil spirit, it couldn't simply be left unattended.

Thus, this short knife, which could be tucked into the back of the waist and hidden away, came into being.

However, for Shirakawa Yu, the length of the sword was not important.

At least, it doesn't matter when you use this trick!

"Watch out, Master!" Shirakawa Yu turned around with a smile, facing the temple demon head with hands that was still nailed to the tree by an axe.

Temple Ghost Head: "..." (Finally noticed me! But... I have a bad feeling.)

Tanjiro, still sullenly protecting Nezuko, was also drawn to Shirakawa Yu's stance.

He clenched his fists, staring intently.

Shirakawa Yu took a deep breath—not the refreshing, spring-like feeling of water breathing, but a deep breath that was... sweet and warm, with an aura of desire.

A faint pink aura reappeared between his mouth and nose, this time more condensed than before.

He held the short knife horizontally in front of him and gently stroked the blade with his left hand.

"Breathing of Color..."

As he whispered, the pink aura seemed to be summoned, quickly flowing down from his mouth and nose and wrapping around his right arm holding the knife.

Then, like living vines, it climbed up the hilt and guard of the short sword, and finally completely wrapped around the short blade!