Welter fixed his gaze upon Sanemi. "It would be rude to turn down a duel," he rumbled, the hollow acoustics of his chest piece lending his voice an ominous, shifting echo.
Sanemi's lips split into a wide, manic grin that bared his teeth. "Good. Let's see if that scrap metal can actually hold its shape."
The gathered warriors moved back, clearing a wide perimeter in the gravel courtyard. Welter stepped into the center of the open dueling space, his heavy greaves crunching rhythmically against the stone. With a fluid motion, he reached behind his back, channeling his dark mist to manifest his massive long sword once more. He gripped the hilt with both gauntlets, settling into a grounded, unyielding German stance. Across from him, Sanemi dropped low, his fingers wrapping tightly around the hilt of his green Nichirin katana as a volatile, invisible current of wind began to swirl around his ankles.
The rest of the Hashira watched with varying degrees of analytical focus. Breaking the tense silence, Muichiro Tokito blinked his blank eyes and spoke in a thoroughly bored tone. "Fight..."
The moment the word left the Mist Hashira's lips, the courtyard erupted.
Sanemi blurred forward, executing a blistering front flip that descended into a ferocious, wind-sheared downward strike. Welter didn't flinch. He raised his massive long sword, meeting the katana head-on. The impact was deafening—heavy steel crashing against a sun-forged blade. Because of Welter's absolute physical superiority, the kinetic feedback didn't register within his chassis, but the sheer weight of his counter-pressure forced Sanemi's legs to buckle beneath him. Realizing he was dealing with an immovable mountain, Sanemi instantly rolled backward across the gravel to break the deadlock and reset his footing.
Anticipating the Wind Hashira's next rush, Welter acted fast. In a fraction of a second, his long sword dissolved back into the hollow recesses of his torso as black smoke. In its place, he instantly forged two short swords. He delivered two rapid, intersecting slashes into the empty air, tearing open a pair of shimmering dimensional portals before immediately unmaking the short blades and summoning his heavy long sword back into his grip.
A tire-less vanguard of automated living armors poured out of the rifts. Armed with iron shields and blades, the six-foot-tall constructs surged toward Sanemi. The Wind Hashira snarled, shifting into a whirlwind of pure aggression. His Wind Breathing techniques tore through the air, cutting down the automated soldiers as fast as they poured out of the smoke, leaving a trail of shattered iron in his wake.
Welter used the distraction to his tactical advantage. Moving with surprising flexibility despite his towering frame, he looped around the flank of his own vanguard. Just as a trio of automated soldiers swung their blades at Sanemi from the front, Welter delivered a massive, sweeping horizontal slash from the blind spot.
Caught between the tireless constructs and the behemoth, Sanemi was forced to drop low to the ground to avoid the coordinated execution. Before he could recover his balance or leap away, the remaining automated living armors surged forward, piling on top of him like a collapsing wall of iron.
The heavy, metallic pile raised and shifted a few times as Sanemi fought furiously from beneath the crushing weight. For a second, the struggle went still. Then, with a fierce, explosive burst of concentrated wind aura, Sanemi stood up, sending the shattered husks of the armor flying outward in all directions. He was breathing heavily, a wild, ecstatic smile stretching across his scarred face as he launched himself directly at Welter with terrifying speed.
Welter reacted on pure instinct. As Sanemi closed the distance, the giant raised a heavy armored leg and delivered a brutal front kick. The blow caught Sanemi dead-center, sending him flying backward through the air. The Wind Hashira executed a flawless mid-air recovery, landing on his feet, only to charge forward again instantly.
This time, Sanemi vanished from Welter's sight, leaving behind a localized sonic boom of displaced air.
Welter felt a faint, negligible impact against the reinforced plating of his neck—a desperate, precise strike meant to sever a demon's head. But before Sanemi could even register that his katana had bounced harmlessly off the German plate, Welter's massive gauntlet shot out with blinding speed. His fingers wrapped securely around Sanemi's throat. He didn't squeeze or choke the warrior, but the grip was an unyielding vice.
Welter lifted his arm, letting the furious Wind Hashira dangle helplessly a few inches off the gravel. Sanemi stared at the blank, airtight visor, his chest heaving as he let out an annoyed, defeated sigh. "You win... you win..."
The surrounding courtyard fell into a stunned, absolute silence. The Hashira looked genuinely shocked by how thoroughly their most aggressive peer had been neutralized.
Muichiro blinked, his usual detached expression cracking just a fraction. "Wooooww... so cool..."
The others nodded in silent agreement, their respect for the anomaly firmly solidified.
Kagaya Ubuyashiki turned his sightless gaze slightly toward the Insect Hashira, his serene voice carrying across the quiet gravel. "You have brought us a strong one, Shinobu."
Welter gently lowered his arm and released his grip, dropping Sanemi back to his feet. He knew the proud warrior would only be angrier if he carefully set him down like a child. "I thank you for that amazing duel," Welter rumbled respectfully.
Sanemi rubbed his neck, grumbling as he sheathed his katana. "That duel was supposed to be a one-on-one..."
Welter let out a low, hollow chuckle. "Those constructs are me. Besides, you didn't set any rules before we started."
The brief respite ended as the Hashira collectively moved back into formation, dropping to their knees in front of Kagaya in absolute reverence. Welter alone remained standing, a towering monolith of steel rising above the gravel.
Sanemi's eyes snapped to him, his face contorting in renewed irritation. "Kneel," he hissed under his breath.
Welter let out a soft sigh, the dark fog swirling behind his viewing slit. "While I do respect your Master, I kneel to none."
Before Sanemi could erupt, Kagaya raised a gentle hand, silencing his warrior instantly. "Sanemi, he is neither a demon slayer nor a servant. He is an independent ally." The Master smiled warmly, looking toward the living armor. "This will conclude our meeting for today. Shinobu, please provide our guest with a place to live within your mansion."
The Hashira quietly dispersed to their respective duties, and Welter turned to follow Shinobu out of the headquarters. They walked back through the mountain trails until they reached the Butterfly Mansion. Shinobu led him through the quiet corridors, eventually opening a door to a spacious, beautifully decorated traditional room. A plush futon bed was neatly laid out in a far corner where the architectural overhang ensured no direct sunlight could ever reach.
Channeling the dense, foggy smoke dwelling within his chassis, Welter willed his outer aesthetic to shift. The heavy German steel and overlapping plates dissolved, seamlessly restructuring into soft, flowing fabric robes complete with a deep hood and a cloth face mask to keep his swirling black fog contained.
"Thank you, Shinobu," Welter said, his voice now carrying a softer, muffled tone through the cloth.
Shinobu paused in the doorway, her wide, insect-like eyes widening in genuine surprise. "My, my. You can even change your armor into fabric?"
Welter nodded, adjusting the hood. "I can. And it would be disrespectful to break this nice bed under the weight of heavy iron plate."
Shinobu's permanent smile softened into something slightly more genuine. "How thoughtful of you." She gave a polite bow and stepped out into the hallway, gently sliding the screen door shut behind her.
Left alone in the quiet room, Welter walked over to the dark corner and laid down on the comfortable bedding. With his temporary sanctuary secured, he closed his eyes and summoned the mental interface to log out.
[System: Exiting world...]