Horitake suddenly realized a frustrating truth: his enemy, Lie Shi, was using "kiting" tactics against him.
Anyone who had ever played a video game knew exactly what that meant.
In its simplest terms, kiting was a strategy where one constantly kept the enemy at arm's length, using superior speed or terrain to prevent them from closing in. Once the gap was established, the attacker would use bows, spells, or other long-range weapons to slowly whittle down the opponent's health until they dropped dead.
What a despicable outlander! Horitake thought, his teeth gritting.
Wait... I'm technically the outlander here, aren't I?
The thought only fueled his irritation. To be treated like a mindless "mob" in a game, to be kited and poked at—it was an insult to his status as the Sky Hashira. If he didn't tear this bastard limb from limb, he might as well retire and go home.
Fueled by a spark of righteous fury, Horitake pushed his Sky Thunder Breathing into a higher gear.
"Sky Thunder Breathing, First Form, Modified: Godspeed!"
Purple electrical arcs flared violently around his feet and torso. In a sudden explosion of kinetic energy, his body transformed into a blur of violet light. He accelerated instantly, closing the gap across the forest floor in the blink of an eye.
This technique was inspired by Zenitsu's "Godspeed" from the original story—a move designed specifically for high-speed thrusts and closing distance. It was a tool Horitake had perfected long ago, and it was devastatingly effective.
Seeing Horitake's speed suddenly jump an entire tier, Lie Shi felt a tremor of genuine panic. The gap was vanishing far too quickly.
"As expected of our greatest foe... you truly aren't simple! But how will you handle this!?"
Lie Shi's hands were a blur as he manifested another arrow from his own flesh and bone. He notched it to the living bow, but this time, he gave the bowstring a violent twist before releasing it.
WHIRRRR—BOOM!
The arrow didn't just fly; it spiraled. The sheer torque applied to the projectile increased its power and speed exponentially compared to the previous shots. As it cut through the atmosphere, the rapid rotation created a literal drill-shaped cyclone around the shaft.
The drilling tornado tore through the forest, pulverizing any tree in its path and leaving behind only jagged, barren stumps. With terrifying momentum, this "Drill Arrow" hurtled straight for Horitake's chest.
Even in his Godspeed state, Horitake was momentarily stunned.
This guy really knows his way around a bow, he thought. A drilling arrow? The piercing power of that thing is on another level.
The impending danger forced Horitake to drop out of Godspeed. He couldn't simply dodge; he needed to meet this attack head-on with absolute focus.
As he skidded to a halt, Horitake held Weiguang vertically in a defensive guard. The collision was cataclysmic. The spinning tip of the arrow slammed into the edge of his blade, the friction screaming like a dying animal.
Creeee—clang!
Sparks flew like a fountain between the rotating bone-head of the arrow and the refined steel of the Nichirin Sword. The Drill Arrow fought to burrow through the blade and into Horitake's heart, its force pushing him backward. His boots plowed two deep furrows into the earth as he braced himself against the unrelenting pressure.
"You've got a hell of a kick," Horitake grunted, a wild grin tugging at his lips.
He shifted his grip, his aura flaring into a brilliant indigo.
"Sky Thunder Breathing, Second Form: Chidori!"
In an instant, the high-pitched chirping of a thousand birds filled the forest. Concentrated purple lightning coalesced around the length of Weiguang, vibrating with enough intensity to liquefy solid rock.
Horitake stepped forward into the pressure and delivered a savage, vertical cleave—blade meeting point in a perfect clash of wills.
CRACK-BOOM!
The Chidori-infused blade sliced through the center of the spinning arrow, splitting it lengthwise. The sudden release of built-up kinetic and spiritual energy caused a massive detonation right in front of Horitake.
The previous arrows had exploded like grenades; this one went off like a high-yield bomb. A pillar of fire and smoke shot toward the sky, and a shockwave leveled the remaining trees in a ten-meter radius, sending splinters and debris flying in every direction.
Thanks to his indomitable physical constitution and the protective barrier of the Chidori, Horitake emerged from the smoke completely unscathed.
He looked up immediately, his eyes scanning for the demon.
Sure enough, Lie Shi had used that brief distraction to retreat even further. He was already perched on a distant branch, his bow drawn once more, a mocking, predatory grin etched onto his face.
The kiting continued. It was infuriating. Without closing the distance for a proper sword fight, Horitake couldn't seize a decisive advantage.
Lie Shi loosed another arrow.
Horitake didn't hesitate. Lightning flickered around his body as he surged forward once more, determined to pin the bastard down.
But this new arrow had its own trick.
As the projectile crested in the air, the flesh and bone of the shaft began to throb and bulge. Mid-flight, the single arrow suddenly split.
One became two. Two became four. Four became eight... then sixteen, thirty-two, sixty-four...
In a matter of seconds, the number of arrows multiplied geometrically. It defied the laws of physics and logic—it was the pure, chaotic manifestation of a Blood Demon Art.
Horitake didn't have time to ponder the science of it. Within the space of a single breath, the sky was no longer empty. A black, suffocating curtain of arrows was descending upon him like a localized thunderstorm of death.
Looking at the density of the barrage, Horitake reached a quick conclusion.
This is a mass-slaughter move.
If this demon were unleashed on a city or a rank-and-file unit of demon slayers, the result would be a one-sided massacre. He was a literal biological artillery battery.
I cannot let this creature remain anywhere near a populated area, Horitake resolved.
The System's warning had been correct. If a demon like this ever lost his mind near a town, the casualties would be astronomical.
The arrow rain was terrifying, but to Horitake, quantity was a poor substitute for quality. When you multiplied a single arrow into hundreds, the individual power and speed of each projectile were naturally diluted.
Facing the black wall of incoming steel, Horitake decided to simply force his way through.
"Sky Thunder Breathing, Second Form, Modified: Chidori Stream!"
The "chirping of a thousand birds" intensified until it became a deafening roar. Vast amounts of purple lightning erupted from Horitake's body, weaving together into a dense, crackling electromagnetic net. It functioned as an absolute defensive shell, incinerating anything that dared to enter his immediate personal space.
Cocooned in a sphere of thunder, Horitake charged into the storm.
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