"Are you alright?" Yoizumi-nii walked over to Muichiro, extending his right hand. It was his first time using the Sixth Form, and all his attacks were made with the blunt side of his blade, carefully avoiding direct harm to Muichiro's body.
His outstretched hand trembled slightly at the fingertips; the side effects were greater than he had imagined. More than half of his strength had been drained, as if he had unleashed a massive Blood Demon Art all at once.
Forcing a faint smile, Muichiro slowly placed his hand on Yoizumi's palm, using the leverage to stand up. His arms hung limply, and he looked utterly dejected, even swaying slightly as he stood.
This distinct physical pain was something he had never felt before, apart from the intense heartache when his brother died.
"You're amazing…" Muichiro's voice was weak and powerless. If he hadn't quickly grabbed Yoizumi's arm, his trembling legs would have surely given out again.
"I didn't see anything, and I lost."
"Yoizumi-nii, what kind of sword form was that?"
Yoizumi almost stumbled and lost his footing when he was grabbed. The two wobbly individuals leaned on each other for support.
"Sorry, I don't have any extra strength to heal you."
To be honest, Yoizumi wanted to sleep. This Sixth Form truly couldn't be used recklessly.
Shrinking his size to be level with Muichiro made him feel a bit better.
"I'm not sure how to describe it, let me think," Yoizumi had to think carefully about Muichiro's question, to explain it concisely.
"Okay… and Yoizumi-nii, please walk a little slower." Muichiro said with a bitter expression, both hands resting on Yoizumi's shoulders. He followed Yoizumi's pace; if Yoizumi walked any faster, he would fall.
The change in atmosphere was too sudden. Sanemi Shinazugawa and Iguro Obanai looked sullen, unsure what to say. They quietly stared at the two who had just been fighting fiercely, now resembling two helpless little kids.
Taking a deep breath of fresh air to calm themselves, the two of them, one on each side, helped them up and placed them on the stone steps.
They were incredibly curious about what had just happened!
Their curiosity was itching at their hearts; if they let these two dawdle any longer, it would be dawn.
Sanemi Shinazugawa gripped Yoizumi's shoulders with both hands, shaking his body vigorously, his face full of urgency, his voice exploding in Yoizumi's ear.
"Well, tell me!"
"Hmm… simply put…" Yoizumi's head bobbed with each shake, a few strands of his golden hair sticking up. His mind, swept by drowsiness, made his sapphire eyes appear unfocused.
"My speed far exceeded the limit you could perceive, so it was like time had stopped."
"Does that make sense?"
"…" Sanemi Shinazugawa paused, exceeding the limit of perception?
Is that something a human can do…?
Tsk…
I almost forgot…
This guy isn't human to begin with.
But such an illogical feat still caused considerable shock to the three people present.
Muichiro, who had experienced it firsthand, leaned against a stone pillar.
So that's how it is… If Yoizumi-nii wasn't a member of the Demon Slayer Corps, but rather a demon, he probably would have died the moment he encountered him.
Thankfully… he is Tanjirou's brother.
Thankfully…
He is the Snow Pillar of the Demon Slayer Corps… "Hey, Obanai."
"Hm?"
"What should we do now?"
Sanemi Shinazugawa looked down exasperatedly at the two half-grown boys, sleeping head-to-head.
They fell asleep during their sparring session!
And not only did they fall asleep, the damn things couldn't be woken up!
Sighing heavily, Iguro Obanai's heterochromatic eyes were full of helplessness.
What else could be done?
If they left them alone, the two were utterly defenseless right now; any random demon could single-handedly kill a Pillar.
Where would their Pillar's dignity go?
"We can only take them back. Muichiro and I are going the same way, you take him back."
"Also, with his condition, you'd best take him to Kochou to have a look."
After Iguro Obanai dropped that statement, he gave Sanemi Shinazugawa no chance to refuse, directly slinging Muichiro over his shoulder and leaving.
"Huh? Why me?!"
"Damn it!" Sanemi Shinazugawa vented his frustration by kicking a stone at his feet, his fierce gaze fixed on Yoizumi lying on the ground. Now was the perfect time to kill him.
A vein slowly bulged on his forehead as Sanemi Shinazugawa reached out to Yoizumi.
"Damn it! Why do I have to do this?!" Clamping the unconscious Yoizumi to his side, Sanemi Shinazugawa pushed off with his feet, running quickly.
He just wanted to reach headquarters faster; he couldn't stand being with this demon for another second!
"If it weren't for Oyakata-sama valuing you, I wouldn't bother with you!"
Sanemi Shinazugawa cursed, arriving at the headquarters entrance at his fastest speed, roaring at the Kasugai Crow above his head.
"Go find Kochou for me! Hurry!"
Startled, the Kasugai Crow fearfully found Shinobu, who had just finished an experiment and was about to return to her room to rest.
"Shinazugawa? He actually came to find me."
With a puzzled expression, the moment Shinobu saw Sanemi Shinazugawa, she didn't expect a person to be thrown at her. If she hadn't recognized the familiar golden hair, Shinobu might not have caught him. She strenuously supported Yoizumi, holding him in her arms.
Yoizumi is… asleep?
Hearing Yoizumi's steady breathing by her ear and noticing his significantly smaller size, Shinobu's unfriendly gaze immediately fixed on Sanemi Shinazugawa.
Being looked at by Shinobu like that, Sanemi Shinazugawa was so angry he wanted to stomp his feet. He yelled in annoyance.
"That's not my fault!"
"This is his own problem, don't blame me!"
"You see for yourself, it's good enough that I brought him back intact."
"Hmph!" Sanemi Shinazugawa walked away with a gloomy face, radiating a low-pressure aura.
After Shinazugawa left, Shinobu held Yoizumi, gently patted his back, and quietly asked.
"Yoizumi? Yoizumi? What's wrong?"
"Mm…" The sleeping Yoizumi didn't respond. Instead, upon smelling the familiar wisteria scent, he hugged Shinobu even tighter.
"There's no helping you."
Using all her strength, carrying and dragging him, it took a great effort to bring Yoizumi, whose weight was now fully on her, back to her room.
Squatting by the bed, propping her face with her hand, she reached out and poked Yoizumi's cheek. This version of Yoizumi was quite novel to Shinobu.
She had seen him as a toddler.
She had seen him as a teenager.
But this childlike form was a first.
He really is… "Cute~"
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