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

Seeing Giyu's puzzled expression, Shinobu Kocho smiled somewhat laboriously and turned her head back.

"Kawaba-kun, I'm sorry about that sword wound on my butt... Leave this place to me, you take the test subject and leave first."

Shirakawa Yu was stunned and fell silent.

Shinobu Kocho seemed to sense his confusion, and her smile deepened.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to help you."

“I just think…” she paused, a hint of longing in her smile, “If we could end this battle that has lasted for hundreds of years in another way, that would be nice too.”

"after all--"

She looked at Kanao on the other side, her eyes softening.

"I also want her to live in a world without ghosts."

Kanao raised her head, looked at Shinobu Kocho, her eyes reddening.

Chapter 73 Righteousness and Courage: Endure, and you'll be disliked!

Shinobu Kocho stood in front of Giyu Tomioka, their two swords locked together, creating a tense moment.

Giyu Tomioka stared blankly at the smiling woman before him and slowly asked, "Shinobu, what are you doing?"

"Oh dear, isn't it obvious?" Shinobu Kocho said with a smile, "I'm covering Kawabata-kun's retreat~"

Yoshiyuki Tomioka remained silent for two seconds.

"That's against the team rules."

"I know~"

"You knew and still did it?"

"Yes!" Shinobu Kocho nodded decisively. "Because I think what he said makes sense~"

Giyu Tomioka: "..."

"Speaking of Tomioka, you should be their senior brother, right? Aren't you afraid of being disliked by your two junior brothers for being so stubborn? Aren't you afraid... of being disliked by your master?"

Giyu Tomioka Σ(?д?lll).

"I...Master...won't hate me..."

Kocho Shinobu narrowed her eyes. "So... it doesn't matter to you, Junior Brother?"

Giyu Tomioka was silent for a few seconds before slowly saying, "Never."

"Ok?"

"You're the one who will be disliked."

Shinobu's smile froze for a moment.

"......ha?"

“I said,” Giyu Tomioka said, enunciating each word clearly, “you are the one who will be disliked.”

A vein throbbed on Shinobu Kocho's forehead, but her smile remained unchanged. "Tomioka-san, what are you talking about?"

“I’m telling the truth,” Giyu Tomioka explained earnestly. “As a Pillar, you’re breaking the rules and protecting the man-eating demon. That’s why everyone hates you.”

"..."

Shinobu took a deep breath, her smile unchanged, but she tightened her grip on the knife slightly.

"Tomioka, I really want to cut you down right now."

"You're already cutting."

"..."

On the other side, Shirakawa Yu did not take the opportunity to leave.

He stood there, watching the scene before him, grinning from ear to ear.

"Brother," Tanjiro leaned closer and asked in a low voice, "Aren't we leaving?"

Shirakawa Yu shook his head.

"Why?" Tanjiro asked, puzzled. "Didn't Miss Butterfly cover our retreat?"

“There are three reasons.” Shirakawa Yu held up three fingers.

Tanjiro pricked up his ears and listened intently.

“First,” Bai Chuanyu said, breaking off his first finger, “Letting a woman take a knife for me is not my style.”

Tanjiro nodded; this reason was very much like his senior's.

“Secondly,” Shirakawa Yu said, counting on his second finger, “I do plan to go to headquarters and meet with Ubuyashiki. Keeping this a secret isn’t going to work; we’ll have to come clean sooner or later.”

Tanjiro nodded again; the reason was very reasonable.

"Thirdly..."

Bai Chuanyu broke off his third finger, a meaningful smile appearing on his face.

Tanjiro waited for two seconds, but nothing came of it.

"What is the third?"

Shirakawa Yu chuckled but didn't say anything.

But his eyes involuntarily drifted towards... a certain part of Shinobu's body.

Tanjiro followed his gaze.

Then, Tanjiro's face darkened.

"Senior brother!!!"

"Don't shout!" Bai Chuanyu quickly covered his mouth. "Just keep it to yourself!"

Tanjiro struggled, making whimpering sounds, his eyes filled with despair.

That's a pillar!

At that moment, Shirakawa Yu had already drawn his sword.

Pink breaths circulated slowly around him, more intense than ever before.

"Breath of Color - Fourth Form -"

He took a deep breath.

"--hazy!"

The moment the words left his mouth, pink mist exploded and covered the entire open space!

But this time, it was completely different from dealing with fatigue before.

Not a dozen or so phantoms, but—dozens!

A dense array of pink figures emerged from the mist, each exuding a sharp aura, each wielding a knife, and each adopting a different starting stance.

They didn't rush towards anyone, but stood there quietly, forming a circle around the entire open space.

Shinobu Kocho and Giyu Tomioka both stopped what they were doing.

“This is…” Shinobu Kocho blinked, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes.

Yoshiyuki Tomioka didn't speak, but his brows furrowed slightly.

Then, the figures moved.

They don't move together, but rather they move in staggered patterns.

Some leaped, some swooped down, some charged in a straight line, and some maneuvered to flank—

They surged toward Giyu Tomioka from all directions!

And Shirakawa Yu's true form is hidden within it.

This is the true form of the hazy.

It's not just about using illusions to confuse the enemy and take the opportunity to escape.

Instead, they conceal their true form within a phantom, using the phantom as cover and feints to wait for an opportunity to strike.

Giyu Tomioka drew his sword and unleashed his Water Breathing technique.

"First Form: Water Slash!"

A flash of sky-blue light appeared, and the three figures shattered instantly, turning into pink mist and dissipating.

But then, five more figures attacked from the side!

"Type II: Waterwheel!"

He dodged three attacks and shattered two, then stared blankly at the knife in his hand.

"This feel... is it all an illusion?"

When the next wave of attacks came, Giyu deliberately missed one, raising his sword to block and trying to verify his guess.

Unexpectedly, the phantom that he thought should have shattered at the slightest touch actually collided solidly with his blade, and before he could retaliate, it immediately withdrew.

Giyu Tomioka immediately understood that this was a decoy concealing the real body, allowing them to cooperate in combat.

Great!

A flicker of emotion, and a hint of... inferiority, flashed in Giyu Tomioka's eyes.

I guess I'm... not worthy of being a pillar.

He swung his knife while silently thinking to himself.

Master Urokodaki taught me Water Breathing, and that's all I know how to do. Over the years, it hasn't changed much.

Another figure was shattered.

[The only self-created "Eleventh Form" is just an ordinary defensive move.]

Unlike Shinobu, who can create his own Insect Breathing technique. Nor is he like this junior brother...