One week.

It's been one week ever since Shinobu keeps her hunger for human flesh at bay by feeding on demons. The only downside was that she had to cannibalize on more demons than when she eats humans. So far, the demon's voice haunting in her mind had been less annoying but still intolerable for Shinobu. After all, the non-physically existing demon made her eat humans in the first place.

Hmm, you've gotten confident now. Did you finally got used to your demon body?

The demon's voice spoke in a rather teasing and curious tone but Shinobu is not in any mood to entertain the voice's whims and provocations. It's already sundown and less than an hour before complete nightfall so Shinobu can freely move outside of the shade.

"You haven't been complaining when I started eating demons. Why is that?"

Before that bastard forced me to be stuck with you, I used to cannibalize on rare occasions

"Oh? So you've eaten your fellow demons in the past, huh"

I don't eat demons all the time but I'm picky on who I eat but when it comes to humans, girls tasted the best...according to that playful psychopath

"..."

Shinobu tightly clutched her sword's sheath the moment the voice mentioned about human females were her preferred choice of food. As the sun disappears and the sky darkened, Shinobu stops in her tracks.

"...?" In a distance, Shinobu hears the sound of a struggle

Oh. What's this curious sound?

"A demon might be attacking a human again. Even with the people getting killed, these humans won't stop coming"

You won't stop a human from getting themselves killed just as you can't stop a demon from eating people

"..."

Good grief, you're going to try and save that human...aren't you?

"..."

Without a response, Shinobu pushed her foot forward and rushed to where she hears the sound of a human struggling from a growling demon.

"...!"

Just like Shinobu suspected, it is indeed a human...but a limp and unconscious man who was about to be eaten by a demon. Without a moment to lose, before the demon sinks its teeth into human flesh, Shinobu unsheathed her sword and sliced the demon in half by the torso.

"Guuaaah!"

The demon cried in pain with its torso and legs separated in a split second. Wild and furious, the legless demon lunged at Shinobu, rushing at her with its arms pushing the severed torso up into the air.

"Filthy demon..."

With little effort, Shinobu slightly moved to the side and one swing of her sword immediately severed the demon's head. Before the decapitated hate and severed body could land, it already disintegrated midair. After the demon was eliminated, Shinobu sheathed her sword and slowly approached the human.

"..."

That person...is already dead...

"His injuries were too deep. He died from his injuries..."

Shinobu wished she could have arrived earlier to save the human. Oddly enough, the demon is quiet rather than its usual talkative self. Silently mourning for the death of the lone human, Shinobu dug a grave and buried the unknown man.

You don't even know him and you buried him? You should have left him there

"Even so, he deserved a proper burial rather than be left to either rot or eaten by other demons"

You felt sorry for some random dead guy. What kind of logic is that?

"I don't expect a demon like you to understand human emotions. All you do is eat people"

Well, I can't blame you if you want to kill me for what happened...

The demon voice felt confused at why would Shinobu even bother burying an unknown dead man.

Hmm? Where are you going this time?

"A human town..."

You've been a recluse and now you decided to come out in the open

"..."

Unable to save a dead guy and you suddenly wanted to be active...

Ignoring the demon being upset at Shinobu's decision to come out in the open despite avoiding both human and demons recently, Shinobu left her hiding in the mountain.

"You've been awfully behaved lately, demon. You haven't tried to force control"

While I have freedom using your body, what I've experienced the last couple of weeks made me decide to be passive for the time being...

"..."

...but I'm sure I will be forced to come out soon. Though if possible...I'd like to avoid being forced to use that

"Use that?"

Aside from Blood demon art, I rely on using the sword. I can't really remember who and why but before I became a demon...I think someone taught me to use a sword

"You can't remember your past, huh"

Not all demon can but to me it doesn't really matter. It's been two hundred years after all and I might have eaten my family...

"Might, huh. I'm sure you already did that"

Even if I had a family they'd be dead already. It's been two hundred years since then

Due to the amount of time that passed, the demon could no longer recall its life before becoming a demon but it didn't lament. It knew that longing for something or someone that's no longer there is pointless.

That's right. It's been two hundred years since then

I could no longer remember who I was once...

...but I still remembered how to fight with a sword...

This fighting style is all the remained of my old self

Existing only within Shinobu's consciousness as it lacks a body, the demon begun thinking about who "she" was once.

Who taught me how to fight? I never taught myself when I became a demon because this knowledge already existed before

The demon closed her eyes, a vague image of herself holding a sword briefly appeared before her. Then she heard a voice echo in the darkness...

[You're not meant to use a sword, *****]

A voice of a man angrily told her but she doesn't recognize who it didn't belonged to. She never forgot everyone she killed in her life as a demon but she somehow couldn't remember that man's voice. Though she felt immediate spite and frustration the moment she heard that voice.

...?!

Before she tried to reach out to where she heard the voice, she is alerted by Shinobu stopping in her tracks. The voice snapped back to reality, losing focus when she thought about her old life which she stopped doing a long time ago.

This human town is quiet, huh

"Humans sleep at night while demons hunt at night. Of course it's quiet"

I guess I'm not used to people being silent other than being dead

"..."

So what now? Do what you always do? Kill demons because you hate them with a passion?

"Obviously"

Shinobu turned to a direction, running towards it and momentarily stopped when she caught the scent of human blood. With her instincts directing her to the source, she finds a demon whose hands and mouth are covered in fresh blood. This one had just finished eating a human and is looking for more.

"...?!" The demon noticed her

Without letting the demon utter a word, Shinobu leaped towards the bloody demon and decapitate its head without hesitation. While Shinobu had been mercilessly killing other demons, whenever she swings her sword and decapitate a demon, the more she grew to enjoy to her power. She was beginning to enjoy her new demon self and it terrified her.

"To think the strength of a demon..."

Shinobu's hand shook while she held the sword, her body and mind both afraid and enjoying the superior abilities granted to her when she is reborn as a demon.

I think I've realized something, Shinobu

The demon interrupted Shinobu, coming to a realization itself but a different one.

While I am also a demon, I'm not fond of other demons well except for certain demons

"What are you trying to say?"

Even if I don't like being with humans, I don't like being around other demons

I don't even care if demon slayers kill them and I would be more than glad to kill them

"What makes you say that?"

I don't have any interest towards humans or demons but there are rare instances where I take interest in someone. Like that tsuguko of yours

"..."

I remembered her. She was a pain to deal with because of her sharp eyes but I'm interested to see whether she could grow stronger enough for me to take her seriously

"Enough to take seriously?"

I never took a tsuguko seriously in a fight. I never even bother using my techniques since it's a waste of breath and effort

"Kanao may be still young but never underestimate humans"

I'm not always arrogant, you know. I always take a skilled swordsman seriously even if its a human. I've fought Pillars after all

For a moment, the demon sounded like she enjoyed fighting strong swordsmen like the Pillars who are the strongest demon slayers.

"You've fought Pillars?"

About five of them...and all five are dead. They're a bit amusing even if they died because they're humans and one deep wound is enough to kill them

"..."

...but there was a sixth one but I find her a bit interesting, just a bit. Unfortunately, this isn't the right time to talk about that person

"Why is that?"

Let's just say there was no conclusion in our fight so I fled when I realized the sun is rising. I really shouldn't have wasted my time playing and talking to that person

There's a mixed of frustration and strangeness when the demon vaguely referred to the sixth Pillar she had fought a long time ago.

"A demon and a swordswoman? Looks like I'm not the only one with a sword"

Shinobu immediately turned to her back and prepared a defensive stance when a demon who wields a sword smirked at her. For once, both Shinobu and the demon voice thought this is the type anyone would punch in the face.

"I hear there's a demon running around chopping around other demon heads off. Was it you?"

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not" Shinobu answered with clear hate

"Why would a demon kill other demons? Trying play demon slayer now?"

"Human or demon doesn't matter to me. I will slay demons as long as I exist"

"Then someone like you shouldn't exist! A demon hunting demons?! Don't fuck with me, bitch!"

The demon short messy black hair paired with a maroon kimono quickly charged at Shinobu. Both of their swords clashed but Shinobu is taken by surprise by the demon's speed.

"You're faster than a regular demon" Shinobu admitted

"That's because I'm Sojiro, a master of water breathing"

"A breath user?!"

"You got that right!"

"Why would a breath user become a demon?"

"Because before I could become a slayer I realized that to perfect my techniques and become superior is to become a demon. So I let myself become one!"

Ugh... he's going to tell his whole life story

The demon voice groaned, clearly hating how the demon swordsman known as Sojiro begun narrating his past when Shinobu asked.

"Ever since then, I my breathing became superior to sorry-ass demon slayers. I grew stronger and it won't take long before I become one of the Upper Moon"

Shinobu, go kill this guy before his life story send me to the afterlife

"You don't have to tell me about it"

Shinobu interrupted Sojiro from further narrating his life's story and just as Shinobu swung down her sword, the demon immediately vanished from her sight. She couldn't see the demon swordsman jump up and land behind her.

Shinobu you may be competent, but you're not experienced when it comes to this kind of enemy

"I never fought a breath user before but if it's water breathing, I'm well aware of it's fighting style"

Shinobu isn't sure whether she should be angry or happy that she memorized how water breath users fight through her observation from few of Giyuu's training.

That Water Pillar...

"To think watching Tomioka-san train just to make fun of his social life would come in handy"

I think you're worse than me...

Quick and fluid, the breath of water is a breathing style that requires the user to focus more on the flexibility of their movements than raw strength. What's more is that since it's the easiest breath to learn, it's a common breath among demon slayers.

"You pride yourself as someone skilled in water breathing your skills is like a child compared to the Water Pillar" Shinobu insulted him

"I've killed a Pillar by myself before so don't fuck with me!"

"I guess the ones you killed were weak because compared to him...you're sloppy"

Furious that someone like Shinobu is insulting his breathing and even comparing him to the Water Pillar, the demon's rage boiled and turned to murderous rage.

"I'll cut your head off and make you regret in hell!"

Sojiro starts taking Shinobu seriously and both his speed and movements greatly changed, proving he's someone who claimed to take on a Pillar in a one-on-one battle but it's never proven.

(If I don't know how water breath users move, I would have been seriously wounded by now!)

Shinobu admitted that her current opponent is powerful compared to other demons she fought and the only reason she's able to defend herself is because of her awareness about breath of water.

"Breath of water seventh form: Drop ripple thrust curve!"

With a quick thrust, Sojiro managed to pierce his sword right through Shinobu's abdomen with the fastest form when the latter isn't able to keep at his speed for a brief moment.

"Fourth form: Striking tide!"

As the wound regenerated, Shinobu quickly used her sword to defend against slashes with the user striking in a flowing fashion whoole he spins his body.

"Hahahaha! How's that? These skills are the result of me becoming a demon for one hundred years"

"Kkh!"

"I've devoted my whole in proving I can be worthy with the sword! Now it's all paying off!"

With a powerful thrust punch, the prideful demon swordsman sent Shinobu flying and slamming against a wall before falling on the ground.

"The old man said I don't have any worth so I sliced him in half! I may not be born with a talent but I persevered to show them even I can succeed at something! That I'm not just a waste! But none of them even saw my perseverance!"

As Shinobu is about to stand up again, gritting in anger and wanting to shove his arrogance down his throat, she froze with one knee on the ground.

I've had enough of this talkative asshole...

In almost an instant, Shinobu's consciousness faded again and everything became pitch black, her senses freezing. By the time she stood up, her expression and atmosphere completely different than she was a minute ago.

"...?!"

[Shinobu] drew in air, focusing on her breathing and taking a stance. This surprised Sojiro who is puzzled at her stance and sensed a drastic change in her.

"Breath of..." Shinobu sheathed her sword.

"Like I'd let you!"

Fearing Shinobu's attack might be able to hurt him, the demon swordsman quickly rushed with the stance of the first form. He grinned believing his attack would connect but that grin turned to utter shock when Shinobu quickly drew his sword and responded with an instant slash. It was a technique meant for immediate response of any sudden attack, drawing the sword and slashing faster than the enemy could cut or stab.

"I only use this when I feel like it since I haven't learned all its forms since it has the most one compared to others breaths"

"What kind of fucking breath is that? It's like there's damn spinning blades with one slash!" The demon is surprised his chest had been deeply cut

"A breath that took me a long time to master but even so I'm still way behind his level"

"That didn't answer my question!"

After regenerating his deep wound, the demon who felt unusual fear over the unknown breath became hell-bent on killing Shinobu.

"I was kicking you like dirt so how did you suddenly changed?"

"That's because I've had enough of that mouth of yours. You sound so desperate because you want to get noticed""Shut up! Eight form: Waterfall basin!"

He tried to cut her horizontally but Shinobu raised her blade and stopped his sword midway and managed to push him away.

"I have to admit, while I want to complete these forms so I could repay his efforts in teaching me"

"I guess that's why he said I should go and come back soon"

"Stop talking nonsense-"

His loud shouting is silenced when Shinobu swung her sword and created stream of slashes that tore through his flesh and limbs without even approaching him. His arm holding the sword fell the ground, horrifying him while the rest of his body is bleeding from the open wounds. With his one hand holding his stomach so his guts won't spill out, he backed away from Shinobu whose forms were never seen before.

"Your techniques are stagnant. You stopped growing the moment you believed your strength is superior. You shouldn't really overestimate yourself" Shinobu touched the neck he wanted to wound but quickly regenerated

"My techniques are stagnant you say?!" The demon gritted his teeth

"Yeah. That's what I just said..."

"I've defeated everyone who stood in my way, even a Pillar!"

"But you're still far from being an Upper Moon. I know because what they are and how strong they are. Even Gyokko can stuff you in his pot and make an art out of a worthless shit like you"

"Don't underestimate me just because your breath is something I've never seen before"

Sojiro doesn't understand how the woman she was overwhelming before became superior with the sword all of a sudden. He managed to slash her left shoulder but the sword didn't cut deeply when she quickly moved out the way.

"Grr!"

Frustrated, he aimed to decapitate her head but Shinobu swiftly pushed herself back, the demon swordsman Sojiro only leaving a wound which quickly healed in seconds. It's a fatal wound for normal humans but this is a battle between demons.

(This woman...! It's like I'm fighting someone else entirely!)

As he prepared to perform the sixth form of water breathing, Shinobu recognized the form he is about to use just from the slight change in his stance.

"I see. In that case - Sixth form..."

With a violent swing, Shinobu unleashed a storm of slashes in all directions when her opponent tried to cancel his next move and jump back. In an instant, he is overwhelmed from a single attack.

(This body is still not fully accustomed to this fighting style. She has to learn to move like I did)

To prevent her body from being strained too much even with a body of a demon, Shinobu followed another form. This time, the one she used a form that created layers of slash to mow down the wounded demon in front of her. She cut him clean in pieces, managing to decapitate the head in process.

"I still...I still..."

Those were his last words as his head flew and slowly disintegrated along with his body that quickly fell on the ground.

"Its been a while since I used this breath but I'm not too happy with how I still lack about four more forms. Maybe I should go back now? How am I going to explain my body to shishou though. Argh! I really want to shove my sword into that damn man's throat for tricking and using me" Shinobu mumbled to herself

With the battle that turned into a one-sided slaughter, Shinobu sheathed her sword and with a deep sigh of relief, she finally relaxed without ever hearing the demon's rants again. What she worries right now is the "complexity" of her current situation.

"The fucking asshole. I'll give him payback for tricking me like this. It's because of that son of a bitch I'm stuck inside the body of someone else. I'll definitely punish him for using me like this and I'm sure you'll feel the same amount of murderous anger once you learn about this...Shinobu"

The demon whose currently taken control over Shinobu again felt all her anger rushed in at once, a seething desire for revenge grew even more. There's no doubt she wanted serious payback to an unknown demon who caused her current situation. After more cursing and furious rumbling, she looked back at what remains of the demon swordsman known as Sojiro.

"He's not even Upper moon six level. I doubt he was even capable of killing a Pillar by himself"

She looked at where she was cut before, on her left shoulder. While the wound quickly regenerated, Shinobu felt disappointed.

"Then again, I've dealt with a Pillar before. I guess you were overwhelmed because you need to get used to your demon body and against breath users, Shinobu"

She left, disappointed at how "bland" her opponent is and only overwhelmed Shinobu due to her lack in experience against breath users and lack of training using her demon body. After the tired "Shinobu" left the area, Yushiro revealed himself from a corner, watched the entire fight while concealing all of himself save for his existence.

"A breath using demon that kills other demons? Just who is that woman...?"

Yushiro swallowed his breath, shocked to see there's actually a demon who would hunt down other demons.

"Luckily for me, she didn't see me or I might have lost my head!"

Being a non-combatant type of demon, Yushiro primarily avoids battles and his Blood demon art just happens to be perfect for him. What's more, it seems "Shinobu" didn't even suspect someone watching her fight. Fearing the unknown demon wearing a butterfly haori might come back, Yushiro used his Blood demon art again and fled the scene.