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Chapter 19: The Mighty and Gentle Maiden, Shinobu Kocho

  At that moment, Kawagishi carefully observed the woman before him. Shinobu Kocho was perched on a tree by the bank. Her eyes were slightly narrowed and her lips curved into a gentle smile. She wore a haori patterned like butterfly wings, and behind her head, a mint-green butterfly-shaped hairclip with deep purple edging held her hair in a softly curled style. One of her hands rested behind her, holding something unknown.

  Suddenly, a chill surged through Kawagishi as he suddenly guessed the truth—he realized, with an instant shudder, that the smiling girl was no ordinary human, but a formidable being.

  Kawagishi had already sensed something extraordinary about her. First, he hadn’t even noticed her presence until now. And that sensation—like witnessing countless butterflies fluttering around—was no mere illusion; it seemed to be the manifestation of some special technique. Moreover, the wind that had once circled his neck earlier now appeared to have been a “blade wind.” Had she intended it, his head might already have been severed...

  Can a human truly be so powerful?

  "He must be the powerful demon slayer from Black Wolf Fang’s memories," Kawagishi mused silently, "the one renowned in the Demon Slayer Corps." Slowly, he offered a harmless smile and exchanged a brief glance with Shinobu Kocho.

  Seeing that she remained silent, merely smiling gently as she looked at him, only increased the pressure in his heart. Breaking the silence first, Kawagishi said, “Greetings. I am Kawagishi—a traveling adventurer who has just arrived nearby.”

  A mischievous smile played at the corners of her lips. “I am Shinobu Kocho, a demon slayer.”

  “Traveling adventurer? Then you must have witnessed many different cultures and customs,” he remarked.

  “Actually, I do envy the life of a traveler,” she replied softly.

  “Could you tell me about the sights and stories you encountered on your journeys?”

  Kawagishi noted that the man before him was no ordinary person. His clothes were tattered and scarred from countless battles, yet his body bore no fresh wounds. Earlier, when he had dashed through the water toward the lake, the power he exuded had been even greater than that of a demon. Moreover, the impression he gave Shinobu Kocho was peculiar—there was a hint of demonic aura about him, but he was entirely different from a true demon. A seasoned demon slayer’s intuition is rarely wrong; in fact, moments earlier, Shinobu Kocho had almost mistaken him for a demon. Since he was not an ordinary human, Shinobu Kocho wanted to know his origins.

  Kawagishi chuckled lightly, “The tales I could tell—three days and three nights wouldn’t be enough.”

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  “For example, I once visited a country where the princess was breathtakingly beautiful, both in appearance and heart, yet she was envied by the queen and forced to flee the palace. In the end, she was aided by seven dwarfs and found her white horse prince, and together they expelled the queen.”

  Shinobu Kocho covered her mouth and laughed softly, “That’s quite a perfectly happy ending.”

  She didn’t really believe his story—his tale was full of loopholes.

  Then Kawagishi added, “No, the story didn’t end there. After many years of marriage, the white horse prince grew tired of her and fell for an even more beautiful woman, and the princess transformed into a vicious queen consumed by jealousy.”

  Shinobu Kocho nodded thoughtfully, “Hmm… that ending does seem more realistic. But still, it’s just a story.”

  Kawagishi shrugged, “Whether you regard it as a story or as reality—it is what it is.”

  At that moment, Kawagishi’s eyes flickered—and when he looked up, Shinobu Kocho had vanished from sight. Simultaneously, a gentle, fragrant breeze drifted from behind. Turning around, Kawagishi saw that she had drawn near, nearly face-to-face with him. He could feel her warm breath caressing his face—both ticklish and chilling.

  Yet he felt no hint of amorous intent, only a piercing, bone-deep chill. The disparity in power was astounding—just moments ago she had been clearly in his view, but now her movements were entirely imperceptible…

  “Are you Kawagishi? Your storytelling is rather poor,” she said coolly.

  “Tell me—who exactly are you, and what brings you here? No ordinary person can have your constitution, and within the Demon Slayer Corps, I have no recollection of someone like you. Explain your origins to me—this time, convincingly. Otherwise, you’re in danger.”

  Her tone was chilling—utterly terrifying. Shinobu Kocho’s strength far exceeded anything Kawagishi had imagined. He feared that if his demonic nature were revealed, she might decapitate him on the spot. How could a human girl, just in her early twenties, possess such overwhelming power?

  Kawagishi fell silent for a moment, then casually replied, “Hmm, I was just joking.”

  “Actually, all my family was killed by demons. After rigorously training my body, I’ve journeyed alone for a long while, following rumors of demons until I arrived here. I was a bit exhausted, so I took a swim to clear my mind.”

  “My true purpose is to hunt down demons for revenge.”

  Though his words were half-truths spoken nonchalantly, the painful memories of that night inevitably resurfaced, filling his eyes with sorrow. Shinobu Kocho paused, then drifted slightly away. Earlier, she had been concerned that Kawagishi might be allied with demons—she had sensed a faint similarity. Even a hint of suspicion demanded vigilance. Yet regardless of his origins, those eyes—so filled with sorrow—could not be faked, and Shinobu Kocho trusted her intuition.

  “Apologies, I didn’t mean to dredge up your painful memories,” she said softly.

  Recalling one’s most heart-wrenching memories is like rubbing salt into a wound—now, Shinobu Kocho even felt a pang of guilt.

  Kawagishi waved her off with a dismissive gesture, “It’s fine—I’ve grown accustomed to it.”

  Shinobu Kocho merely nodded, then covered her mouth with a light laugh. Without further word, she glanced meaningfully over Kawagishi’s body, then turned and beckoned him with a gesture.

  “Come with me. I’ll get you a change of clothes and find you a place to rest.”

  “You’re wearing clothes that cling to you,” Kawagishi noted, glancing down. Indeed, he had been in his clothes when he went into the water; now, on shore, his soaked clothes stuck to his body in a most disheveled manner.

  Truly, he looked utterly miserable.

  Yet Kawagishi remained rooted in place. Shinobu Kocho turned her head and looked at him, her eyes full of puzzlement. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

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