Demon Slayer : Breath of The Forest

"This is Asakusa? The most luxurious place in Tokyo? Feels pretty ordinary." Shinichi, with a sword at his waist, surveyed his surroundings.

There weren't many skyscrapers—most buildings were four or five stories tall—but the streets were lined with countless shops, their colorful banners and neon lights giving off a lively, indulgent atmosphere.

The bustling crowds confirmed this was indeed a thriving city.

Even the roads were filled with cars, a rare sight elsewhere, while the pedestrians' attire was a dizzying mix—traditional robes, Western suits and even plenty of foreigners.

Shinichi strolled casually along the bustling street, taking in the sights.

Passing through Asakusa Park, he spotted a towering structure over 50 meters high—something called the "Tokyo Tower."

Though the locals took pride in it, Shinichi found it unremarkable.

The tower even had an elevator, which many out-of-town tourists raved about, willing to pay exorbitant prices just for a ride.

To Shinichi, it was baffling.

He stopped at a dessert stall in the park, spending a couple of yen on a piping-hot dorayaki.

Then, under the stunned gaze of the vendor, he drenched the entire thing in a free bottle of syrup before taking a huge bite, complaining that it still wasn't sweet enough.

The vendor nearly dropped to his knees in shock.

If not for the sword at Shinichi waist, he would've cursed him out—who eats sweets like that?

After finishing the dorayaki, Shinichi continued wandering through the park, making no effort to conceal the Nichirin Blade at his hip.

Naturally, many pedestrians kept their distance upon spotting the armed young man.

This suited Shinichi just fine—though there was one downside.

Soon enough, two policemen in uniforms nervously caught up to him.

"Hey! You there! Don't you know swords are banned? That weapon on your waist is dangerous. Hand it over and come with us to the station!"

Despite their stern words, the officers kept a good twenty meters between them, gripping their batons tightly.

At this, Shinichi instinctively reached toward his waist—a move that sent the policemen into a panic.

One of them shrieked, voice cracking "What are you doing?! Stay calm! Don't do anything stupid!"

Their fear wasn't unwarranted.

A thousand years of samurai tradition didn't vanish overnight and many warriors still clung stubbornly to their blades.

Clashes—even outright battles—had broken out over the issue.

While younger swordsmen were manageable, the old, hard-headed ones were a nightmare for the police.

Officers died every year in these conflicts, so their caution was understandable.

But Shinichi had no intention of drawing his sword.

Instead, he swiftly produced a permit (courtesy of Ryukawa Chinatsu) from his waist.

After verifying the legal documents, the two policemen finally relaxed and even saluted Shinichi, as the documents showed that Shinichi was also a police officer—one with a fairly high rank.

In this era, only police officers and certain public officials were permitted to carry swords.

"Apologies, sir. We misunderstood. But, sir, your appearance is quite... unique" one of the officers said, scratching his head.

Shinichi waved it off casually. "No harm done. In fact, I should commend your integrity."

After exchanging a few pleasantries, the two officers took their leave.

Once the policemen had gone, Shinichi noticed that the surrounding pedestrians had all vanished, leaving him in an eerily empty circle.

It seemed they had been frightened away by the earlier confrontation between him and the officers.

But Shinichi paid it no mind and continued strolling through Asakusa Park.

Admittedly, while the city of Asakusa left much to be desired in Shinichi eyes, the park itself was quite satisfying—free of noise, with fresh air and a beautiful environment...

"Not bad at all. The vitality here is incredibly rich. A fine place indeed" Shinichi remarked approvingly.

The next moment, a faint, elusive fragrance suddenly drifted into Shinichi nostrils.

The unique floral scent instantly sharpened his senses.

"This scent? Why is it so... intoxicating? Wait—why do I feel so weak?" As realization dawned, Shinichi felt his body grow sluggish, his vision blurring as colorful flowers began blooming before his eyes.

Thud!

Overcome by dizziness, Shinichi staggered a few steps before losing his balance entirely, one knee crashing to the ground.

At the same time, a displeased voice rang out.

"Hmph... So Lady Tamayo went to all this trouble just to meet this brat? I don't get it."

"Yushiro, don't be like that. Though it may seem rude, my intention was merely to invite this gentleman for a conversation. But to avoid drawing attention, this was the only way" came a gentle, matured voice.

In Shinichi hazy vision, two figures gradually materialized—their features indistinct, but one appeared to be dressed in white, while the other seemed to be wearing a multicolored kimono.

From the shadows outside, the two figures emerged.

One wore a white top with blue pants, his green hair and purple eyes giving him a stern, irritable expression reminiscent of a certain someone.

The other was a beautiful woman clad in a black kimono adorned with floral patterns, exuding an air of grace.

Yet, shockingly, this woman now raised her arm, her other hand sharp purple claws digging deep into her own flesh.

As blood gushed from the wound, an intensely sweet, peculiar fragrance wafted from it.

Blood Demon Art: Blood Bewitchment—Scent of Illusory Blood, Visual Dream.

Blood Demon Art!

Indeed, coupled with the fangs visible as they spoke, these two were unmistakably demons!

"Honestly, Lady Tamayo is as kind-hearted as ever. Fine, I'll take this guy back" said the demon named Yushiro, stepping forward to seize Shinichi, who appeared fully ensnared in the Blood Demon Art's illusion.

But just as Yushiro reached out, before his fingers could touch Shinichi—Swish!

Shinichi instantly raised his head, his heterochromatic eyes gleaming with two distinct lights.

Before Yushiro could react, Shinichi lunged forward with lightning speed, one hand seizing Yushiro throat in a flash.

"Please wait!! This is a misunderstanding!" the female demon named Tamayo cried out urgently.

Yushiro only felt an overwhelming force strike him, followed by a thunderous crash.

His vision blurred and though he heard Miss Tamayo startled cry, he couldn't comprehend what had just happened.

By the time his sight cleared, he realized he was being brutally pinned against a wall by his throat, while a dual-colored Nichirin Blade, glinting coldly under the moonlight, hovered just a centimeter away from his neck.

"Oh? A misunderstanding? What kind of misunderstanding?" Shinichi turned his head toward the female demon Tamayo, his eyes gleaming with malice.

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